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Wang X, Yang Q, Zhou X, Keene CD, Ryazanov AG, Ma T. Suppression of eEF2 phosphorylation alleviates synaptic failure and cognitive deficits in mouse models of Down syndrome. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:5357-5374. [PMID: 38934363 PMCID: PMC11350057 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13916] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cognitive impairment is a core feature of Down syndrome (DS), and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. Translation dysregulation is linked to multiple neurological disorders characterized by cognitive impairments. Phosphorylation of the translational factor eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) by its kinase eEF2K results in inhibition of general protein synthesis. METHODS We used genetic and pharmacological methods to suppress eEF2K in two lines of DS mouse models. We further applied multiple approaches to evaluate the effects of eEF2K inhibition on DS pathophysiology. RESULTS We found that eEF2K signaling was overactive in the brain of patients with DS and DS mouse models. Inhibition of eEF2 phosphorylation through suppression of eEF2K in DS model mice improved multiple aspects of DS-associated pathophysiology including de novo protein synthesis deficiency, synaptic morphological defects, long-term synaptic plasticity failure, and cognitive impairments. DISCUSSION Our data suggested that eEF2K signaling dysregulation mediates DS-associated synaptic and cognitive impairments. HIGHLIGHTS Phosphorylation of the translational factor eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) is increased in the Down syndrome (DS) brain. Suppression of the eEF2 kinase (eEF2K) alleviates cognitive deficits in DS models. Suppression of eEF2K improves synaptic dysregulation in DS models. Cognitive and synaptic impairments in DS models are rescued by eEF2K inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Internal MedicineGerontology and Geriatric MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Internal MedicineGerontology and Geriatric MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Xueyan Zhou
- Department of Internal MedicineGerontology and Geriatric MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - C. Dirk Keene
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Washington School of MedicineSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Alexey G. Ryazanov
- Department of PharmacologyRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolPiscatawayNew JerseyUSA
| | - Tao Ma
- Department of Internal MedicineGerontology and Geriatric MedicineWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceWake Forest University School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
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2
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Chen Y, Gavriliuc M, Zeng Y, Xu S, Wang Y. Allosteric Effects of EF-G Domain I Mutations Inducing Ribosome Frameshifting Revealed by Multiplexed Force Spectroscopy. Chembiochem 2024:e202400130. [PMID: 38923096 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400130] [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: 02/11/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome translocation catalyzed by elongation factor G (EF-G) is a critical step in protein synthesis where the ribosome typically moves along the mRNA by three nucleotides at each step. To investigate the mechanism of EF-G catalysis, it is essential to precisely resolve the ribosome motion at both ends of the mRNA, which, to our best knowledge, is only achieved with the magnetic-based force spectroscopy developed by our groups. Here, we introduce a novel multiplexed force spectroscopy technique that, for the first time, offers single-nucleotide resolution for multiple samples. This technique combines multiple acoustic force generators with the smallest atomic magnetometer designed for biological research. Utilizing this technique, we demonstrate that mutating EF-G at the GTP binding pocket results in the ribosome moving only two nucleotides on both ends of the mRNA, thereby compromising ribosome translocation. This finding suggests a direct link between GTP hydrolysis and ribosome translocation. Our results not only provide mechanistic insights into the role of GTP binding pocket but also illuminate how allosteric mutations can manipulate translocation. We anticipate broader applications of our technique in the ribosome field, leveraging its high efficiency and single-nucleotide resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjun Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA E-mails
| | - Miriam Gavriliuc
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - Yi Zeng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA E-mails
| | - Shoujun Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA E-mails
| | - Yuhong Wang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
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3
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Buneeva OA, Fedchenko VI, Kaloshina SA, Zavyalova MG, Zgoda VG, Medvedev AE. Proteomic profiling of renal tissue of normo- and hypertensive rats with the renalase peptide RP220 as an affinity ligand. BIOMEDITSINSKAIA KHIMIIA 2024; 70:145-155. [PMID: 38940203 DOI: 10.18097/pbmc20247003145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Renalase (RNLS) is a recently discovered protein that plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure by acting inside and outside cells. Intracellular RNLS is a FAD-dependent oxidoreductase that oxidizes isomeric forms of β-NAD(P)H. Extracellular renalase lacking its N-terminal peptide and cofactor FAD exerts various protective effects via non-catalytic mechanisms. Certain experimental evidence exists in the literature that the RP220 peptide (a 20-mer peptide corresponding to the amino acid sequence RNLS 220-239) reproduces a number of non-catalytic effects of this protein, acting on receptor proteins of the plasma membrane. The possibility of interaction of this peptide with intracellular proteins has not been studied. Taking into consideration the known role of RNLS as a possible antihypertensive factor, the aim of this study was to perform proteomic profiling of the kidneys of normotensive and hypertensive rats using RP220 as an affinity ligand. Proteomic (semi-quantitative) identification revealed changes in the relative content of about 200 individual proteins in the kidneys of hypertensive rats bound to the affinity sorbent as compared to the kidneys of normotensive animals. Increased binding of SHR renal proteins to RP220 over the normotensive control was found for proteins involved in the development of cardiovascular pathology. Decreased binding of the kidney proteins from hypertensive animals to RP220 was noted for components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, ribosomes, and cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- O A Buneeva
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | | | - V G Zgoda
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - A E Medvedev
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
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4
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Tomaz da Silva P, Zhang Y, Theodorakis E, Martens LD, Yépez VA, Pelechano V, Gagneur J. Cellular energy regulates mRNA degradation in a codon-specific manner. Mol Syst Biol 2024; 20:506-520. [PMID: 38491213 PMCID: PMC11066088 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00026-9] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Codon optimality is a major determinant of mRNA translation and degradation rates. However, whether and through which mechanisms its effects are regulated remains poorly understood. Here we show that codon optimality associates with up to 2-fold change in mRNA stability variations between human tissues, and that its effect is attenuated in tissues with high energy metabolism and amplifies with age. Mathematical modeling and perturbation data through oxygen deprivation and ATP synthesis inhibition reveal that cellular energy variations non-uniformly alter the effect of codon usage. This new mode of codon effect regulation, independent of tRNA regulation, provides a fundamental mechanistic link between cellular energy metabolism and eukaryotic gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Tomaz da Silva
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Machine Learning, Munich, Germany
| | - Yujie Zhang
- Scilifelab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evangelos Theodorakis
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Laura D Martens
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Vicente A Yépez
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- Scilifelab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julien Gagneur
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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5
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Luti S, Militello R, Pinto G, Illiano A, Marzocchini R, Santi A, Becatti M, Amoresano A, Gamberi T, Pellegrino A, Modesti A, Modesti PA. Chronic lactate exposure promotes cardiomyocyte cytoskeleton remodelling. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24719. [PMID: 38312589 PMCID: PMC10835305 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
We investigated the effect of growing on lactate instead of glucose in human cardiomyocyte assessing their viability, cell cycle activity, oxidative stress and metabolism by a proteomic and metabolomic approach. In previous studies performed on elite players, we found that adaptation to exercise is characterized by a chronic high plasma level of lactate. Lactate is considered not only an energy source but also a signalling molecule and is referred as "lactormone"; heart is one of the major recipients of exogenous lactate. With this in mind, we used a cardiac cell line AC16 to characterize the lactate metabolic profile and investigate the metabolic flexibility of the heart. Interestingly, our data indicated that cardiomyocytes grown on lactate (72 h) show change in several proteins and metabolites linked to cell hypertrophy and cytoskeleton remodelling. The obtained results could help to understand the effect of this metabolite on heart of high-performance athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Luti
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Militello
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pinto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Illiano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Riccardo Marzocchini
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alice Santi
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Matteo Becatti
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Tania Gamberi
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessio Pellegrino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Modesti
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Pietro Amedeo Modesti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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6
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Johnson JL, Steele JH, Lin R, Stepanov VG, Gavriliuc MN, Wang Y. Multi-Channel smFRET study reveals a Compact conformation of EF-G on the Ribosome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.577133. [PMID: 38328191 PMCID: PMC10849647 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.577133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
While elongation factor G (EF-G) is crucial for ribosome translocation, the role of its GTP hydrolysis remains ambiguous. EF-G's indispensability is further exemplified by the phosphorylation of human eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) at Thr56, which inhibits protein synthesis globally, but its exact mechanism is not clear. In this study, we developed a multi-channel single-molecule FRET (smFRET) microscopy methodology to examine the conformational changes of E. coli EF-G induced by mutations that closely aligned with eEF2's Thr56 residue. We utilized Alexa 488/594 double-labeled EF-G to catalyze the translocation of fMet-Phe-tRNAPhe-Cy3 inside Cy5-L27 labeled ribosomes, allowing us to probe both processes within the same complex. Our findings indicate that in the presence of either GTP or GDPCP, wild-type EF-G undergoes a conformational extension upon binding to the ribosome to promote normal translocation. On the other hand, T48E and T48V mutations did not affect GTP/GDP binding or GTP hydrolysis, but impeded Poly(Phe) synthesis and caused EF-G to adopt a unique compact conformation, which wasn't observed when the mutants interact solely with the sarcin/ricin loop. This study provides new insights into EF-G's adaptability and sheds light on the modification mechanism of human eEF2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Johnson
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Jacob H Steele
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Ran Lin
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Victor G Stepanov
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Miriam N Gavriliuc
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Yuhong Wang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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7
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Fard SS, Holz MK. Regulation of mRNA translation by estrogen receptor in breast cancer. Steroids 2023; 200:109316. [PMID: 37806603 PMCID: PMC10841406 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related fatalities and the most often diagnosed malignancy in women globally. Dysregulation of sex hormone signaling pathways mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer is well characterized. Although ER is known to promote cell growth and survival by altering gene transcription, recent research suggests that its effects in cancers are also mediated through dysregulation of protein synthesis. This implies that ER can coordinately affect gene expression through both translational and transcriptional pathways, leading to the development of malignancy. In this review, we will cover the current understanding of how the ER controls mRNA translation in breast cancer and discuss any potential clinical implications of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad S Fard
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Marina K Holz
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
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8
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Liu X, Han W, Hu X. Post-transcriptional regulation of myeloid cell-mediated inflammatory responses. Adv Immunol 2023; 160:59-82. [PMID: 38042586 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2023.09.001] [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: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Myeloid cells, particularly macrophages, act as the frontline responders to infectious agents and initiate inflammation. While the molecular mechanisms driving inflammatory responses have primarily focused on pattern recognition by myeloid cells and subsequent transcriptional events, it is crucial to note that post-transcriptional regulation plays a pivotal role in this process. In addition to the transcriptional regulation of innate immune responses, additional layers of intricate network of post-transcriptional mechanisms critically determine the quantity and duration of key inflammatory products and thus the outcome of immune responses. A multitude of mechanisms governing post-transcriptional regulation in innate immunity have been uncovered, encompassing RNA alternative splicing, mRNA stability, and translational regulation. This review encapsulates the current insights into the post-transcriptional regulation of inflammatory genes within myeloid cells, with particular emphasis on translational regulation during inflammation. While acknowledging the advancements, we also shed light on the existing gaps in immunological research pertaining to post-transcriptional levels and propose perspectives that controlling post-transcriptional process may serve as potential targets for therapeutic interventions in inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxian Liu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Immunological Research on Chronic Diseases, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Weidong Han
- Department of Bio-therapeutic, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, P.R. China; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China; The State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing, P.R. China.
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9
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Dong G, Gao H, Chen Y, Yang H. Machine learning and bioinformatics analysis to identify autophagy-related biomarkers in peripheral blood for rheumatoid arthritis. Front Genet 2023; 14:1238407. [PMID: 37779906 PMCID: PMC10533932 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1238407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease, the precise pathogenesis of the disease remains unclear. Recent research has unraveled the role of autophagy in the development of RA. This research aims to explore autophagy-related diagnostic biomarkers in the peripheral blood of RA patients. Methods: The gene expression profiles of GSE17755 were retrieved from the gene expression ontology (GEO) database. Differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DE-ARGs) were identified for the subsequent research by inserting autophagy-related genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Three machine learning algorithms, including random forest, support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), were employed to identify diagnostic biomarkers. A nomogram model was constructed to assess the diagnostic value of the biomarkers. The CIBERSORT algorithm was performed to investigate the correlation of the diagnostic biomarkers with immune cells and immune factors. Finally, the diagnostic efficacy and differential expression trend of diagnostic biomarkers were validated in multiple cohorts containing different tissues and diseases. Results: In this study, 25 DE-ARGs were identified between RA and healthy individuals. In addition to "macroautophagy" and "autophagy-animal," DE-ARGs were also associated with several types of programmed cell death and immune-related pathways according to GO and KEGG analysis. Three diagnostic biomarkers, EEF2, HSP90AB1 and TNFSF10, were identified by the random forest, SVM-RFE, and LASSO. The nomogram model demonstrated excellent diagnostic value in GSE17755 (AUC = 0.995, 95% CI: 0.988-0.999). Furthermore, immune infiltration analysis showed a remarkable association between EEF2, HSP90AB1, and TNFSF10 expression with various immune cells and immune factors. The three diagnostic biomarkers also exhibited good diagnostic efficacy and demonstrated the same trend of differential expression in multiple validation cohorts. Conclusion: This study identified autophagy-related diagnostic biomarkers based on three machine learning algorithms, providing promising targets for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Huayuan Yang
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Scholl S, Roufai DB, Chérif LL, Kamal M. RAIDS atlas of significant genetic and protein biomarkers in cervical cancer. J Gynecol Oncol 2023; 34:e74. [PMID: 37668079 PMCID: PMC10482580 DOI: 10.3802/jgo.2023.34.e74] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of function in epigenetic acting genes together with driver alterations in the PIK3CA pathway have been shown significantly associated with poor outcome in cervical squamous cell cancer. More recently, a CoxBoost analysis identified 16 gene alterations and 30 high level activated proteins to be of high interest, due to their association with either good or bad outcome, in the context of treatment received by chemoradiation. The objectives here were to review and confirm the significance of these molecular alterations as suggested by literature reports and to pinpoint alternate treatments options for poor-responders to chemoradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzy Scholl
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Paris, France
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Saint-Cloud, France.
| | | | - Linda Larbi Chérif
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Paris, France
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Saint-Cloud, France
| | - Maud Kamal
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Paris, France
- Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), Institut Curie, Saint-Cloud, France
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Lourenco MV. Preface: Special issue "Brain Proteostasis in Health and Disease". J Neurochem 2023; 166:3-6. [PMID: 37414435 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15879] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
This preface introduces the Journal of Neurochemistry Special Issue on Brain Proteostasis. Adequate control of protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, has been at the center stage of brain physiology, and its deregulation may contribute to brain diseases, including several neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions. Therefore, delineating the processes underlying protein synthesis, folding, stability, function, and degradation in brain cells is key to promoting brain function and identifying effective therapeutic options for neurological disorders. This special issue comprises four review articles and four original articles covering the roles of protein homeostasis in several mechanisms that are of relevance to sleep, depression, stroke, dementia, and COVID-19. Thus, these articles highlight different aspects of proteostasis regulation in the brain and present important evidence on this growing and exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mychael V Lourenco
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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12
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Quan B, Bailey MA, Mantyh J, Hsu DS, Fitzgerald MC. Protein Folding Stability Profiling of Colorectal Cancer Chemoresistance Identifies Functionally Relevant Biomarkers. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:1923-1935. [PMID: 37126456 PMCID: PMC10441206 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00045] [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] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Reported here is the application of three protein folding stability profiling techniques (including the stability of proteins from rates of oxidation, thermal protein profiling, and limited proteolysis approaches) to identify differentially stabilized proteins in six patient-derived colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines with different oxaliplatin sensitivities and eight CRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) derived from two of the patient derived cell lines with different oxaliplatin sensitivities. Compared to conventional protein expression level analyses, which were also performed here, the stability profiling techniques identified both unique and novel proteins and cellular components that differentiated the sensitive and resistant samples including 36 proteins that were differentially stabilized in at least two techniques in both the cell line and PDX studies of oxaliplatin resistance. These 36 differentially stabilized proteins included 10 proteins previously connected to cancer chemoresistance. Two differentially stabilized proteins, fatty acid synthase and elongation factor 2, were functionally validated in vitro and found to be druggable protein targets with biological functions that can be modulated to improve the efficacy of CRC chemotherapy. These results add to our understanding of CRC oxaliplatin resistance, suggest biomarker candidates for predicting oxaliplatin sensitivity in CRC, and inform new strategies for overcoming chemoresistance in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyi Quan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0346
| | | | - John Mantyh
- Deparment of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - David S. Hsu
- Deparment of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
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13
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Yazici SE, Gedik ME, Leblebici CB, Kosemehmetoglu K, Gunaydin G, Dogrul AB. Can endocan serve as a molecular "hepatostat" in liver regeneration? Mol Med 2023; 29:29. [PMID: 36849916 PMCID: PMC9972723 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-023-00622-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intriguingly, liver regeneration after injury does not induce uncontrolled growth and the underlying mechanisms of such a "hepatostat" are still not clear. Endocan, a proteoglycan, was implicated in liver regeneration. It can support the function of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor in tissue repair after injury. Endostatin, a 20 kDa C-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII, may modulate the cessation of liver regeneration. eEF2K, a protein kinase that regulates protein synthesis, can regulate angiogenesis. Thus, we investigated the role of endocan, endostatin and eEF2K during normal liver regeneration. METHODS Serum samples and regenerating remnant liver tissues were obtained on various days after partial hepatectomy in rats. mRNA expression levels of Vegf and Pcna were analyzed in addition to immunohistochemical evaluations. Liver tissue protein levels of endostatin, endocan and p-eEF2K/eEF2K were determined with Western blot. Serum levels of endostatin and endocan were assessed with ELISA. RESULTS Pcna expression level in residual liver tissues peaked on day-1, while Vegf expression reached its highest level on days 1-3 after partial hepatectomy (70%). Endocan activity declined gradually on days 1-7. The decrease in liver endocan expression was accompanied by an increase in serum endocan levels. Partial hepatectomy induced a rapid increase in liver endostatin levels. Following its surge on day-1, endostatin expression gradually declined, which was accompanied by a peak in serum endostatin. Finally, partial hepatectomy was shown to regulate eEF2K; thus, increasing protein translation. CONCLUSIONS We revealed possible mechanistic insights into liver regeneration by examining the associations of Pcna, Vegf, endocan, endostatin, eEF2K with hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Indeed, endocan might serve as a useful biomarker to monitor clinical prognosis in a plethora of conditions such as recovery of donor's remaining liver after living-donor liver transplant. Whether endocan might represent a strategy to optimize liver regeneration when given therapeutically needs to be investigated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Efe Yazici
- Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Emre Gedik
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Can Berk Leblebici
- Department of Pathology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kemal Kosemehmetoglu
- Department of Pathology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gurcan Gunaydin
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Ahmet Bulent Dogrul
- Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
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Meng W, Xiao H, Mei P, Chen J, Wang Y, Zhao R, Liao Y. Critical Roles of METTL3 in Translation Regulation of Cancer. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020243. [PMID: 36830614 PMCID: PMC9953158 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant translation, a characteristic feature of cancer, is regulated by the complex and sophisticated RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in the canonical translation machinery. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications are the most abundant internal modifications in mRNAs mediated by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3). METTL3 is commonly aberrantly expressed in different tumors and affects the mRNA translation of many oncogenes or dysregulated tumor suppressor genes in a variety of ways. In this review, we discuss the critical roles of METTL3 in translation regulation and how METTL3 and m6A reader proteins in collaboration with RBPs within the canonical translation machinery promote aberrant translation in tumorigenesis, providing an overview of recent efforts aiming to 'translate' these results to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wangyang Meng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200000, China
| | - Han Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Peiyuan Mei
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Jiaping Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yangwei Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Rong Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yongde Liao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Correspondence:
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15
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Klupt KA, Jia Z. eEF2K Inhibitor Design: The Progression of Exemplary Structure-Based Drug Design. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031095. [PMID: 36770760 PMCID: PMC9921739 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The α-kinase, eEF2K, phosphorylates the threonine 56 residue of eEF2 to inhibit global peptide elongation (protein translation). As a master regulator of protein synthesis, in combination with its unique atypical kinase active site, investigations into the targeting of eEF2K represents a case of intense structure-based drug design that includes the use of modern computational techniques. The role of eEF2K is incredibly diverse and has been scrutinized in several different diseases including cancer and neurological disorders-with numerous studies inhibiting eEF2K as a potential treatment option, as described in this paper. Using available crystal structures of related α-kinases, particularly MHCKA, we report how homology modeling has been used to improve inhibitor design and efficacy. This review presents an overview of eEF2K related drug discovery efforts predating from the 1990's, to more recent in vivo studies in rat models. We also provide the reader with a basic introduction to several approaches and software programs used to undertake such drug discovery campaigns. With the recent exciting publication of an eEF2K crystal structure, we present our view regarding the future of eEF2K drug discovery.
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16
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Aydemir E, Tüysüz EC, Bayrak ÖF, Tecimel D, Hızlı-Deniz AA, Şahin F. Impact of silencing eEF2K expression on the malignant properties of chordoma. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:3011-3022. [PMID: 36652154 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08257-z] [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: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase, eEF2K) is a calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase that keeps the highest energy consuming cellular process of protein synthesis under check through negative regulation. eEF2K pauses global protein synthesis rates at the translational elongation step by phosphorylating its only kown substrate elongation factor 2 (eEF2), a unique translocase activity in ekaryotic cells enabling the polypeptide chain elongation. Therefore, eEF2K is thought to preserve cellular energy pools particularly upon acute development of cellular stress conditions such as nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, or infections. Recently, high expression of this enzyme has been associated with poor prognosis in an array of solid tumor types. Therefore, in a growing number of studies tremendous effort is being directed to the development of treatment methods aiming to suppress eEF2K as a novel therapeutic approach in the fight against cancer. METHODS In our study, we aimed to investigate the changes in the tumorigenicity of chordoma cells in presence of gene silencing for eEF2K. Taking a transient gene silencing approach using siRNA particles, eEF2K gene expression was suppressed in chordoma cells. RESULTS Silencing eEF2K expression was associated with a slight increase in cellular proliferation and a decrease in death rates. Furthermore, no alteration in the sensitivity of chordoma cells to chemotherapy was detected in response to the decrease in eEF2K expression which intriguingly promoted suppression of cell migratory and invasion related properties. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that the loss of eEF2K expression in chordoma cell lines results in the reduction of metastatic capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Aydemir
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Biruni University, 10. Yil Cad, Protokol Yolu, No: 45 Topkapı, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Emre Can Tüysüz
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Ömer Faruk Bayrak
- Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Didem Tecimel
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ayşen Aslı Hızlı-Deniz
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fikrettin Şahin
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
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17
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Wang C, Xu Z, Qiu X, Wei Y, Peralta AA, Yazdi MD, Jin T, Li W, Just A, Heiss J, Hou L, Zheng Y, Coull BA, Kosheleva A, Sparrow D, Amarasiriwardena C, Wright RO, Baccarelli AA, Schwartz JD. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in leukocytes and toenail metals: The normative aging study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114797. [PMID: 36379232 PMCID: PMC9825663 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental metal exposures have been associated with multiple deleterious health endpoints. DNA methylation (DNAm) may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying these relationships. Toenail metals are non-invasive biomarkers, reflecting a medium-term time exposure window. OBJECTIVES This study examined variation in leukocyte DNAm and toenail arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and mercury (Hg) among elderly men in the Normative Aging Study, a longitudinal cohort. METHODS We repeatedly collected samples of blood and toenail clippings. We measured DNAm in leukocytes with the Illumina HumanMethylation450 K BeadChip. We first performed median regression to evaluate the effects of each individual toenail metal on DNAm at three levels: individual cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites, regions, and pathways. Then, we applied a Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to assess the joint and individual effects of metal mixtures on DNAm. Significant CpGs were identified using a multiple testing correction based on the independent degrees of freedom approach for correlated outcomes. The approach considers the effective degrees of freedom in the DNAm data using the principal components that explain >95% variation of the data. RESULTS We included 564 subjects (754 visits) between 1999 and 2013. The numbers of significantly differentially methylated CpG sites, regions, and pathways varied by metals. For example, we found six significant pathways for As, three for Cd, and one for Mn. The As-associated pathways were associated with cancer (e.g., skin cancer) and cardiovascular disease, whereas the Cd-associated pathways were related to lung cancer. Metal mixtures were also associated with 47 significant CpG sites, as well as pathways, mainly related to cancer and cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS This study provides an approach to understanding the potential epigenetic mechanisms underlying observed relations between toenail metals and adverse health endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Zongli Xu
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Xinye Qiu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Adjani A Peralta
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Tingfan Jin
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wenyuan Li
- School of Public Health and Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Allan Just
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jonathan Heiss
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lifang Hou
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yinan Zheng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Brent A Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anna Kosheleva
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Sparrow
- VA Normative Aging Study, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA; Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Chitra Amarasiriwardena
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Joel D Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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18
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Rubio A, Garland GD, Sfakianos A, Harvey RF, Willis AE. Aberrant protein synthesis and cancer development: The role of canonical eukaryotic initiation, elongation and termination factors in tumorigenesis. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:151-165. [PMID: 35487398 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In tumourigenesis, oncogenes or dysregulated tumour suppressor genes alter the canonical translation machinery leading to a reprogramming of the translatome that, in turn, promotes the translation of selected mRNAs encoding proteins involved in proliferation and metastasis. It is therefore unsurprising that abnormal expression levels and activities of eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), elongation factors (eEFs) or termination factors (eRFs) are associated with poor outcome for patients with a wide range of cancers. In this review we discuss how RNA binding proteins (RBPs) within the canonical translation factor machinery are dysregulated in cancers and how targeting such proteins is leading to new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Rubio
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Gavin D Garland
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Aristeidis Sfakianos
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Robert F Harvey
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
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19
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Minichino D, Lv K, Chu N, Tong W, Behrens EM. BRAF-V600E utilizes posttranscriptional mechanisms to amplify LPS-induced TNFα production in dendritic cells in a mouse model of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 112:1089-1104. [PMID: 35648675 PMCID: PMC9939017 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3a0122-075rr] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an inflammatory disease characterized by abnormal dendritic cells (DCs) with hyperactive ERK signaling, called "LCH cells." Since DCs rely on ERK signaling to produce inflammatory molecules in response to pathogenic cues, we hypothesized that hyperactive ERK enhances DCs inflammatory responses. We specifically investigated TLR4-induced TNFα production in LCH cells by utilizing the BRAF-V600Efl/+ :CD11c-Cre mouse model of LCH, which hyperactivates ERK in DCs. We measured LPS-induced TNFα production both in vivo and in vitro using splenic CD11c+ cells and bone marrow-derived DCs with or without pharmacologic BRAFV600E inhibition. We observed a reversible increase in secreted TNFα and a partially reversible increase in TNFα protein per cell, despite a decrease in TLR4 signaling and Tnfa transcripts compared with controls. We examined ERK-driven, posttranscriptional mechanisms that contribute to TNFα production and secretion using biochemical and cellular assays. We identified a reversible increase in TACE activation, the enzyme required for TNFα secretion, and most strikingly, an increase in protein translation, including TNFα. Defining the translatome through polysome-bound RNA sequencing revealed up-regulated translation of the LPS-response program. These data suggest hyperactive ERK signaling utilizes multiple posttranscriptional mechanisms to amplify inflammatory responses in DCs, advancing our understanding of LCH and basic DC biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Minichino
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kaosheng Lv
- Division of Hematology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Niansheng Chu
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wei Tong
- Division of Hematology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Edward M Behrens
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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20
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Lu B. Translational regulation by ribosome-associated quality control in neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and viral infection. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:970654. [PMID: 36187485 PMCID: PMC9515510 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.970654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Translational control at the initiation, elongation, and termination steps exerts immediate effects on the rate as well as the spatiotemporal dynamics of new protein synthesis, shaping the composition of the proteome. Translational control is particularly important for cells under stress as during viral infection or in disease conditions such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Much has been learned about the control mechanisms acting at the translational initiation step under normal or pathological conditions. However, problems during the elongation or termination steps of translation can lead to ribosome stalling and ribosome collision, which will trigger ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) mechanism. Inadequate RQC may lead to the accumulation of faulty translation products that perturb protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Proteostasis signifies a cellular state in which the synthesis, folding, and degradation of proteins are maintained at a homeostatic state such that an intact proteome is preserved. Cellular capacity to preserve proteostasis declines with age, which is thought to contribute to age-related diseases. Proteostasis failure manifested as formation of aberrant protein aggregates, epitomized by the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is a defining feature of neurodegenerative diseases. The root cause of the proteostasis failure and protein aggregation is still enigmatic. Here I will review recent studies supporting that faulty translation products resulting from inadequate RQC of translational stalling and ribosome collision during the translation of problematic mRNAs can be the root cause of proteostasis failure and may represent novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. I will also review evidence that translation regulation by RQC is operative in cancer cells and during viral infection. Better understanding of RQC mechanism may lead to novel therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and viral infections, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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21
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Kasica NP, Zhou X, Jester HM, Holland CE, Ryazanov AG, Forshaw TE, Furdui CM, Ma T. Homozygous knockout of eEF2K alleviates cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 Alzheimer’s disease model mice independent of brain amyloid β pathology. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:959326. [PMID: 36158543 PMCID: PMC9500344 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.959326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of memory and synaptic plasticity depends on de novo protein synthesis, and accumulating evidence implicates a role of dysregulated mRNA translation in cognitive impairments associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Accumulating evidence demonstrates hyper-phosphorylation of translation factor eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) in the hippocampi of human AD patients as well as transgenic AD model mice. Phosphorylation of eEF2 (at the Thr 56 site) by its only known kinase, eEF2K, leads to inhibition of general protein synthesis. A recent study suggests that amyloid β (Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity could be associated with an interaction between eEF2 phosphorylation and the transcription factor nuclear erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2)-mediated antioxidant response. In this brief communication, we report that global homozygous knockout of the eEF2K gene alleviates deficits of long-term recognition and spatial learning in a mouse model of AD (APP/PS1). Moreover, eEF2K knockout does not alter brain Aβ pathology in APP/PS1 mice. The hippocampal NRF2 antioxidant response in the APP/PS1 mice, measured by expression levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide plus hydrogen (NADPH) quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), is ameliorated by suppression of eEF2K signaling. Together, the findings may contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis, indicating that suppression of eEF2K activity could be a beneficial therapeutic option for this devastating neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole P. Kasica
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Xueyan Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Hannah M. Jester
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Caroline E. Holland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Alexey G. Ryazanov
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Tom E. Forshaw
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Cristina M. Furdui
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Tao Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Tao Ma,
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22
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Fu Q, Liu X, Li Y, Wang P, Wu T, Xiao H, Zhao Y, Liao Q, Song Z. Discovery of New Inhibitors of eEF2K from Traditional Chinese Medicine Based on In Silico Screening and In Vitro Experimental Validation. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27154886. [PMID: 35956836 PMCID: PMC9369671 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27154886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is a highly conserved α kinase and is increasingly considered as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer as well as other diseases. However, so far, no selective and potent inhibitors of eEF2K have been identified. In this study, pharmacophore screening, homology modeling, and molecular docking methods were adopted to screen novel inhibitor hits of eEF2K from the traditional Chinese medicine database (TCMD), and then cytotoxicity assay and western blotting were performed to verify the validity of the screen. Resultantly, after two steps of screening, a total of 1077 chemicals were obtained as inhibitor hits for eEF2K from all 23,034 compounds in TCMD. Then, to verify the validity, the top 10 purchasable chemicals were further analyzed. Afterward, Oleuropein and Rhoifolin, two reported antitumor chemicals, were found to have low cytotoxicity but potent inhibitory effects on eEF2K activity. Finally, molecular dynamics simulation, pharmacokinetic and toxicological analyses were conducted to evaluate the property and potential of Oleuropein and Rhoifolin to be drugs. Together, by integrating in silico screening and in vitro biochemical studies, Oleuropein and Rhoifolin were revealed as novel eEF2K inhibitors, which will shed new lights for eEF2K-targeting drug development and anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ziyi Song
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-771-3235635
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23
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Comert Onder F, Siyah P, Durdagi S, Ay M, Ozpolat B. Novel etodolac derivatives as eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) inhibitors for targeted cancer therapy. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:840-849. [PMID: 35923718 PMCID: PMC9298183 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00105e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) has been shown to be an important molecular driver of tumorigenesis and validated as a potential novel molecular target in various solid cancers including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, there has been significant interest in identifying novel inhibitors of eEF2K for the development of targeted therapeutics and clinical translation. Herein, we investigated the effects of indole ring containing derivatives of etodolac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug, as potential eEF2K inhibitors and we designed and synthesized seven novel compounds with a pyrano[3,4-b] indole core structure. We evaluated the eEF2K inhibitory activity of seven of these novel compounds using in silico molecular modeling and in vitro studies in TNBC cell lines. We identified two novel compounds (EC1 and EC7) with significant in vitro activity in inhibiting eEF2K in TNBC cells. In conclusion, our studies indicate that pyrano[3,4-b] indole scaffold containing compounds demonstrate marked eEF2K inhibitory activity and they may be used as eEF2K inhibitors for the development of eEF2K-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferah Comert Onder
- Department of Medical Biology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine 17020 Çanakkale Turkey
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422 Houston TX 77030 USA
- Department of Chemistry, Natural Products and Drug Research Laboratory, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Science and Arts 17020 Çanakkale Turkey
| | - Pinar Siyah
- Computational Biology and Molecular Simulations Laboratory, Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University 34734 Istanbul Turkey
| | - Serdar Durdagi
- Computational Biology and Molecular Simulations Laboratory, Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University 34734 Istanbul Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ay
- Department of Chemistry, Natural Products and Drug Research Laboratory, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Science and Arts 17020 Çanakkale Turkey
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422 Houston TX 77030 USA
- Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston TX USA
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24
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Eukaryotic Extension Factor 2 Kinase may Affect the Occurrence and Development of Glioblastoma Through Immune Cell Infiltration. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:3670-3681. [PMID: 35849271 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03679-w] [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: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most common malignancies among primary brain tumors in adults, featuring a poor prognosis and a high recurrence rate. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that is involved in promoting tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and survival. However, its expression level in GBM, its prognostic impact and correlation with immune infiltration are not yet known. In this study, we used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of eEF2K in GBM development and clinical prognosis in terms of gene expression, survival status, immune infiltration, and associated cellular pathways. We found that eEF2K expression levels were elevated in GBM, but eEF2K was not associated with the prognosis of GBM patients; eEF2K expression in GBM was associated with multiple immune cell infiltrations. These results show a statistical correlation between eEF2K expression and the development of GBM and immune cell infiltration, which helps us to understand the roles of eEF2K in GBM from different perspectives.
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25
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Hijazi M, Casado P, Akhtar N, Alvarez-Teijeiro S, Rajeeve V, Cutillas PR. eEF2K Activity Determines Synergy to Cotreatment of Cancer Cells With PI3K and MEK Inhibitors. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100240. [PMID: 35513296 PMCID: PMC9184568 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
PI3K-mammalian target of rapamycin and MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are the most frequently dysregulated signaling pathways in cancer. A problem that limits the success of therapies that target individual PI3K-MAPK members is that these pathways converge to regulate downstream functions and often compensate each other, leading to drug resistance and transient responses to therapy. In order to overcome resistance, therapies based on cotreatments with PI3K/AKT and MEK/MAPK inhibitors are now being investigated in clinical trials, but the mechanisms of sensitivity to cotreatment are not fully understood. Using LC-MS/MS-based phosphoproteomics, we found that eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), a key convergence point downstream of MAPK and PI3K pathways, mediates synergism to cotreatment with trametinib plus pictilisib (which target MEK1/2 and PI3Kα/δ, respectively). Inhibition of eEF2K by siRNA or with a small molecule inhibitor reversed the antiproliferative effects of the cotreatment with PI3K plus MEK inhibitors in a cell model-specific manner. Systematic analysis in 12 acute myeloid leukemia cell lines revealed that eEF2K activity was increased in cells for which PI3K plus MEKi cotreatment is synergistic, while PKC potentially mediated resistance to such cotreatment. Together, our study uncovers eEF2K activity as a key mediator of responses to PI3Ki plus MEKi and as a potential biomarker to predict synergy to cotreatment in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maruan Hijazi
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Pedro Casado
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nosheen Akhtar
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Alvarez-Teijeiro
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vinothini Rajeeve
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro R Cutillas
- Signalling & Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom; The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London, United Kingdom.
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Targeting Protein Translation in Melanoma by Inhibiting EEF-2 Kinase Regulates Cholesterol Metabolism though SREBP2 to Inhibit Tumour Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073481. [PMID: 35408842 PMCID: PMC8998919 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreasing the levels of certain proteins has been shown to be important for controlling cancer but it is currently unknown whether proteins could potentially be targeted by the inhibiting of protein synthesis. Under this circumstance, targeting protein translation could preferentially affect certain pathways, which could then be of therapeutic advantage when treating cancer. In this report, eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (EEF2K), which is involved in protein translation, was shown to regulate cholesterol metabolism. Targeting EEF2K inhibited key parts of the cholesterol pathway in cancer cells, which could be rescued by the addition of exogenous cholesterol, suggesting that it is a potentially important pathway modulated by targeting this process. Specifically, targeting EEF2K significantly suppressed tumour cell growth by blocking mRNA translation of the cholesterol biosynthesis transcription factor, sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) 2, and the proteins it regulates. The process could be rescued by the addition of LDL cholesterol taken into the cells via non-receptor-mediated-uptake, which negated the need for SREBP2 protein. Thus, the levels of SREBP2 needed for cholesterol metabolism in cancer cells are therapeutically vulnerable by targeting protein translation. This is the first report to suggest that targeting EEF2K can be used to modulate cholesterol metabolism to treat cancer.
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Alagar Boopathy LR, Jacob-Tomas S, Alecki C, Vera M. Mechanisms tailoring the expression of heat shock proteins to proteostasis challenges. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101796. [PMID: 35248532 PMCID: PMC9065632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
All cells possess an internal stress response to cope with environmental and pathophysiological challenges. Upon stress, cells reprogram their molecular functions to activate a survival mechanism known as the heat shock response, which mediates the rapid induction of molecular chaperones such as the heat shock proteins (HSPs). This potent production overcomes the general suppression of gene expression and results in high levels of HSPs to subsequently refold or degrade misfolded proteins. Once the damage or stress is repaired or removed, cells terminate the production of HSPs and resume regular functions. Thus, fulfillment of the stress response requires swift and robust coordination between stress response activation and completion that is determined by the status of the cell. In recent years, single-cell fluorescence microscopy techniques have begun to be used in unravelling HSP-gene expression pathways, from DNA transcription to mRNA degradation. In this review, we will address the molecular mechanisms in different organisms and cell types that coordinate the expression of HSPs with signaling networks that act to reprogram gene transcription, mRNA translation, and decay and ensure protein quality control.
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Beretta S, Gritti L, Ponzoni L, Scalmani P, Mantegazza M, Sala M, Verpelli C, Sala C. Rescuing epileptic and behavioral alterations in a Dravet syndrome mouse model by inhibiting eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K). Mol Autism 2022; 13:1. [PMID: 34980259 PMCID: PMC8722032 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00484-0] [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: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dravet Syndrome is a severe childhood pharmaco-resistant epileptic disorder mainly caused by mutations in the SCN1A gene, which encodes for the α1 subunit of the type I voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV1.1), that causes imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. We recently found that eEF2K knock out mice displayed enhanced GABAergic transmission and tonic inhibition and were less susceptible to epileptic seizures. Thus, we investigated the effect of inhibition of eEF2K on the epileptic and behavioral phenotype of Scn1a ± mice, a murine model of Dravet Syndrome. Methods To elucidate the role of eEF2K pathway in the etiopathology of Dravet syndrome we generated a new mouse model deleting the eEF2K gene in Scn1a ± mice. By crossing Scn1a ± mice with eEF2K−/− mice we obtained the three main genotypes needed for our studies, Scn1a+/+ eEF2K+/+ (WT mice), Scn1a ± eEF2K+/+ mice (Scn1a ± mice) and Scn1a ± eEF2K−/− mice, that were fully characterized for EEG and behavioral phenotype. Furthermore, we tested the ability of a pharmacological inhibitor of eEF2K in rescuing EEG alterations of the Scn1a ± mice. Results We showed that the activity of eEF2K/eEF2 pathway was enhanced in Scn1a ± mice. Then, we demonstrated that both genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of eEF2K were sufficient to ameliorate the epileptic phenotype of Scn1a ± mice. Interestingly we also found that motor coordination defect, memory impairments, and stereotyped behavior of the Scn1a ± mice were reverted by eEF2K deletion. The analysis of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) suggested that the rescue of the pathological phenotype was driven by the potentiation of GABAergic synapses. Limitations Even if we found that eEF2K deletion was able to increase inhibitory synapses function, the molecular mechanism underlining the inhibition of eEF2K/eEF2 pathway in rescuing epileptic and behavioral alterations in the Scn1a ± needs further investigations. Conclusions Our data indicate that pharmacological inhibition of eEF2K could represent a novel therapeutic intervention for treating epilepsy and related comorbidities in the Dravet syndrome. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13229-021-00484-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Beretta
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy
| | - Laura Gritti
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy
| | - Luisa Ponzoni
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy
| | - Paolo Scalmani
- L'Unità Operativa Complessa di Epilettologia Clinica e Sperimentale, Foundation Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Mantegazza
- CNRS UMR 7275, Institut National de La Santé Et de La Recherche Médicale, LabEx ICST, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (IPMC), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA), 06560, Valbonne-Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Mariaelvina Sala
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy
| | - Chiara Verpelli
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy.
| | - Carlo Sala
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, Milan, and NeuroMi Milan Center for Neuroscience, Via Raoul Follereau 3, 20854, Vedano al Lambro, MB, Italy.
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Kasica NP, Zhou X, Yang Q, Wang X, Yang W, Zimmermann HR, Holland CE, Koscielniak E, Wu H, Cox AO, Lee J, Ryazanov AG, Furdui CM, Ma T. Antagonists targeting eEF2 kinase rescue multiple aspects of pathophysiology in Alzheimer’s disease model mice. J Neurochem 2021; 160:524-539. [PMID: 34932218 PMCID: PMC8902702 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It is imperative to develop novel therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementia syndromes based on solid mechanistic studies. Maintenance of memory and synaptic plasticity relies on de novo protein synthesis, which is partially regulated by phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) via its kinase eEF2K. Abnormally increased eEF2 phosphorylation and impaired mRNA translation have been linked to AD. We recently reported that prenatal genetic suppression of eEF2K is able to prevent aging-related cognitive deficits in AD model mice, suggesting the therapeutic potential of targeting eEF2K/eEF2 signaling in AD. Here, we tested two structurally distinct small-molecule eEF2K inhibitors in two different lines of AD model mice after the onset of cognitive impairments. Our data revealed that treatment with eEF2K inhibitors improved AD-associated synaptic plasticity impairments and cognitive dysfunction, without altering brain amyloid β (Aβ) and tau pathology. Furthermore, eEF2K inhibition alleviated AD-associated defects in dendritic spine morphology, post-synaptic density formation, protein synthesis, and dendritic polyribosome assembly. Our results may offer critical therapeutic implications for AD, and the proof-of-principle study indicates translational implication of inhibiting eEF2K for AD and related dementia syndromes. Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15392.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole P Kasica
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Xueyan Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Wenzhong Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Helena R Zimmermann
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Caroline E Holland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Elizabeth Koscielniak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
| | - Hanzhi Wu
- Department of Internal Medicine‐Section on Molecular Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem NC 27157 USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston‐Salem NC 27157 USA
| | - Anderson O Cox
- Department of Internal Medicine‐Section on Molecular Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem NC 27157 USA
| | - Jingyun Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine‐Section on Molecular Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem NC 27157 USA
| | - Alexey G Ryazanov
- Department of Pharmacology Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Piscataway New Jersey USA
| | - Cristina M. Furdui
- Department of Internal Medicine‐Section on Molecular Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem NC 27157 USA
| | - Tao Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston‐Salem
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Woodward K, Shirokikh NE. Translational control in cell ageing: an update. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2853-2869. [PMID: 34913471 PMCID: PMC8786278 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Cellular ageing is one of the main drivers of organismal ageing and holds keys towards improving the longevity and quality of the extended life. Elucidating mechanisms underlying the emergence of the aged cells as well as their altered responses to the environment will help understanding the evolutionarily defined longevity preferences across species with different strategies of survival. Much is understood about the role of alterations in the DNA, including many epigenetic modifications such as methylation, in relation to the aged cell phenotype. While transcriptomes of the aged cells are beginning to be better-characterised, their translational responses remain under active investigation. Many of the translationally controlled homeostatic pathways are centred around mitigation of DNA damage, cell stress response and regulation of the proliferative potential of the cells, and thus are critical for the aged cell function. Translation profiling-type studies have boosted the opportunities in discovering the function of protein biosynthesis control and are starting to be applied to the aged cells. Here, we provide a summary of the current knowledge about translational mechanisms considered to be commonly altered in the aged cells, including the integrated stress response-, mechanistic target of Rapamycin- and elongation factor 2 kinase-mediated pathways. We enlist and discuss findings of the recent works that use broad profiling-type approaches to investigate the age-related translational pathways. We outline the limitations of the methods and the remaining unknowns in the established ageing-associated translation mechanisms, and flag translational mechanisms with high prospective importance in ageing, for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Woodward
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Nikolay E. Shirokikh
- Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Ma T. Roles of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) in neuronal plasticity, cognition, and Alzheimer disease. J Neurochem 2021. [PMID: 34796967 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular signaling mechanisms underlying cognition and neuronal plasticity would provide insights into the pathogenesis of neuronal disorders characterized by cognitive syndromes such as Alzheimer disease (AD). Phosphorylation of the mRNA translational factor eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) by its specific kinase eEF2K is critically involved in protein synthesis regulation. In this review, we discussed recent studies on the roles of eEF2K/eEF2 signaling in the context of regulation/dysregulation of cognitive function and synaptic plasticity. We specifically focus on the discussion of recent evidence indicating suppression of eEF2K signaling as a potential novel therapeutic avenue for AD and related dementias (ADRDs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
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Kowalczyk M, Kowalczyk E, Kwiatkowski P, Łopusiewicz Ł, Sienkiewicz M, Talarowska M. Ketamine-New Possibilities in the Treatment of Depression: A Narrative Review. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:1186. [PMID: 34833062 PMCID: PMC8619908 DOI: 10.3390/life11111186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic has led to an increase in the number of people with depression. Symptoms related to the mental sphere (mainly depression and anxiety) may be experienced by one third of the worldwide population. This entails the need for the effective and rapid treatment of depressive episodes. An effective drug seems to be s-ketamine, which was accepted in March 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of drug-resistant depression. This drug provides a quick antidepressant effect with maximum effectiveness achieved after 24 h. It also appears to reduce the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. However, research into undesirable effects, especially in groups of people susceptible to psychotic episodes or those who use alcohol or psychoactive substances, is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Kowalczyk
- Babinski Memorial Hospital, Aleksandrowska St. 159, 91-229 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Edward Kowalczyk
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego St. 7/9, 90-752 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Paweł Kwiatkowski
- Department of Diagnostic Immunology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Łukasz Łopusiewicz
- Center of Bioimmobilisation and Innovative Packaging Materials, Faculty of Food Sciences and Fisheries, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, Janickiego 35, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Monika Sienkiewicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Microbiological Diagnostic, Medical University of Lodz, Muszyńskiego St. 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland
| | - Monika Talarowska
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology, Institute of Psychology, University of Lodz, Smugowa St. 10/12, 91-433 Lodz, Poland;
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Maniam S, Maniam S. Small Molecules Targeting Programmed Cell Death in Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189722. [PMID: 34575883 PMCID: PMC8465612 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted chemotherapy has become the forefront for cancer treatment in recent years. The selective and specific features allow more effective treatment with reduced side effects. Most targeted therapies, which include small molecules, act on specific molecular targets that are altered in tumour cells, mainly in cancers such as breast, lung, colorectal, lymphoma and leukaemia. With the recent exponential progress in drug development, programmed cell death, which includes apoptosis and autophagy, has become a promising therapeutic target. The research in identifying effective small molecules that target compensatory mechanisms in tumour cells alleviates the emergence of drug resistance. Due to the heterogenous nature of breast cancer, various attempts were made to overcome chemoresistance. Amongst breast cancers, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is of particular interest due to its heterogeneous nature in response to chemotherapy. TNBC represents approximately 15% of all breast tumours, however, and still has a poor prognosis. Unlike other breast tumours, signature targets lack for TNBCs, causing high morbidity and mortality. This review highlights several small molecules with promising preclinical data that target autophagy and apoptosis to induce cell death in TNBC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subashani Maniam
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (S.M.); Tel.: +613-9925-5688 (S.M.); +60-397692322 (S.M.)
| | - Sandra Maniam
- Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (S.M.); Tel.: +613-9925-5688 (S.M.); +60-397692322 (S.M.)
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TIO Associated with Hyperparathyroidism: A Rarity, a Rule, or a Novel HPT-PMT Syndrome-A Case Study with Literature Review. Case Rep Endocrinol 2021; 2021:5172131. [PMID: 34354845 PMCID: PMC8331317 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5172131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Association of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) with phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors (PMT) is rarely reported. This report entertains the hypothesis of the causal association of HPT with tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) and of the existence of HPT-PMT syndrome. Case Presentation. A 49-year-old man presented with fragility rib fractures, generalized bone pain, and muscle weakness worsening over the past 3 years. Initial tests demonstrated hypophosphatemia and high PTH. The diagnosis of pHPT was entertained, but parathyroid scan was negative. During a 2-year follow-up, the patient reported minimal improvement of symptoms after intermittent treatment with calcitriol and phosphate. Biochemical evaluation showed persistent hypophosphatemia with renal phosphate wasting, elevated FGF23, and osteopenia on DXA scan. TIO was suspected. Multiple MRIs and whole-body FDG-PET scans were inconclusive. The patient subsequently underwent 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT, which revealed a somatostatin receptor-positive lesion in the lung. The resected mass was confirmed as PMT. The patient had dramatically improved symptoms, normal phosphate, calcium, and FGF23. During follow-up over 3 years postsurgery, the patient had slowly rising calcium and persistently elevated PTH. Conclusion The debate whether the patient had pHPT or tertiary HPT prompted literature review showing that aberrant genes including FGFR1, FGF1, fibronectin 1, and Klotho were mechanistically involved in the HPT-PMT association. This case highlights the pitfalls contributing to delayed diagnosis and treatment of TIO and hypothesizes the association between pHPT and PMT.
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Delaidelli A, Richner M, Jiang L, van der Laan A, Bergholdt Jul Christiansen I, Ferreira N, Nyengaard JR, Vægter CB, Jensen PH, Mackenzie IR, Sorensen PH, Jan A. α-Synuclein pathology in Parkinson disease activates homeostatic NRF2 anti-oxidant response. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:105. [PMID: 34092244 PMCID: PMC8183088 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01209-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Circumstantial evidence points to a pathological role of alpha-synuclein (aSyn; gene symbol SNCA), conferred by aSyn misfolding and aggregation, in Parkinson disease (PD) and related synucleinopathies. Several findings in experimental models implicate perturbations in the tissue homeostatic mechanisms triggered by pathological aSyn accumulation, including impaired redox homeostasis, as significant contributors in the pathogenesis of PD. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2/Nrf2) is recognized as ‘the master regulator of cellular anti-oxidant response’, both under physiological as well as in pathological conditions. Using immunohistochemical analyses, we show a robust nuclear NRF2 accumulation in post-mortem PD midbrain, detected by NRF2 phosphorylation on the serine residue 40 (nuclear active p-NRF2, S40). Curated gene expression analyses of four independent publicly available microarray datasets revealed considerable alterations in NRF2-responsive genes in the disease affected regions in PD, including substantia nigra, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, locus coeruleus and globus pallidus. To further examine the putative role of pathological aSyn accumulation on nuclear NRF2 response, we employed a transgenic mouse model of synucleionopathy (M83 line, expressing the mutant human A53T aSyn), which manifests widespread aSyn pathology (phosphorylated aSyn; S129) in the nervous system following intramuscular inoculation of exogenous fibrillar aSyn. We observed strong immunodetection of nuclear NRF2 in neuronal populations harboring p-aSyn (S129), and found an aberrant anti-oxidant and inflammatory gene response in the affected neuraxis. Taken together, our data support the notion that pathological aSyn accumulation impairs the redox homeostasis in nervous system, and boosting neuronal anti-oxidant response is potentially a promising approach to mitigate neurodegeneration in PD and related diseases.
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Elongation factor eEF2 kinase and autophagy jointly promote survival of cancer cells. Biochem J 2021; 478:1547-1569. [PMID: 33779695 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cells within solid tumours can become deprived of nutrients; in order to survive, they need to invoke mechanisms to conserve these resources. Using cancer cells in culture in the absence of key nutrients, we have explored the roles of two potential survival mechanisms, autophagy and elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), which, when activated, inhibits the resource-intensive elongation stage of protein synthesis. Both processes are regulated through the nutrient-sensitive AMP-activated protein kinase and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 signalling pathways. We find that disabling both autophagy and eEF2K strongly compromises the survival of nutrient-deprived lung and breast cancer cells, whereas, for example, knocking out eEF2K alone has little effect. Contrary to some earlier reports, we find no evidence that eEF2K regulates autophagy. Unexpectedly, eEF2K does not facilitate survival of prostate cancer PC3 cells. Thus, eEF2K and autophagy enable survival of certain cell-types in a mutually complementary manner. To explore this further, we generated, by selection, cells which were able to survive nutrient starvation even when autophagy and eEF2K were disabled. Proteome profiling using mass spectrometry revealed that these 'resistant' cells showed lower levels of diverse proteins which are required for energy-consuming processes such as protein and fatty acid synthesis, although different clones of 'resistant cells' appear to adapt in dissimilar ways. Our data provide further information of the ways that human cells cope with nutrient limitation and to understanding of the utility of eEF2K as a potential target in oncology.
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Koncha RR, Ramachandran G, Sepuri NBV, Ramaiah KVA. CCCP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction - characterization and analysis of integrated stress response to cellular signaling and homeostasis. FEBS J 2021; 288:5737-5754. [PMID: 33837631 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by CCCP (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone), an inhibitor of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, evokes the integrated stress response (ISR), which is analyzed here by eIF2α phosphorylation and expression profiles of ATF4 and CHOP proteins. Our findings suggest that the CCCP-induced ISR pathway is mediated by activation of HRI kinase, but not by GCN2, PERK, or PKR. Also, CCCP activates AMPK, a cellular energy sensor, and AKT, a regulator implicated in cell survival, and suppresses phosphorylation of mTORC1 substrates eIF4E-BP1 and S6K. CCCP also downregulates translation and promotes autophagy, leading to noncaspase-mediated cell death in HepG2 cells. All these events are neutralized by NAC, an anti-ROS, suggesting that CCCP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction promotes oxidative stress. ISRIB, an inhibitor of the ISR pathway, mitigates CCCP-induced expression of ATF4 and CHOP, activation of AKT, and autophagy, similar to NAC. However, it fails to reverse CCCP-induced AMPK activation, suggesting that CCCP-induced autophagy is dependent on ISR and independent of AMPK activation. ISRIB restores partly, inhibition in eIF4E-BP1 phosphorylation, promotes eIF2α phosphorylation, albeit slowly, and mitigates suppression of translation accordingly, in CCCP-treated cells. These findings are consistent with the idea that CCCP-induced oxidative stress leading to eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 expression, which is known to stimulate genes involved in autophagy, play a pro-survival role together with AKT activation and regulate mTOR-mediated eIF4E-BP1 phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gayatri Ramachandran
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India
| | - Naresh Babu V Sepuri
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India
| | - Kolluru V A Ramaiah
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India
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Xie J, De Poi SP, Humphrey SJ, Hein LK, Bruning JB, Pan W, Selth LA, Sargeant TJ, Proud CG. TSC-insensitive Rheb mutations induce oncogenic transformation through a combination of constitutively active mTORC1 signalling and proteome remodelling. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4035-4052. [PMID: 33834258 PMCID: PMC11072378 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03825-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is an important regulator of cellular metabolism that is commonly hyperactivated in cancer. Recent cancer genome screens have identified multiple mutations in Ras-homolog enriched in brain (Rheb), the primary activator of mTORC1 that might act as driver oncogenes by causing hyperactivation of mTORC1. Here, we show that a number of recurrently occurring Rheb mutants drive hyperactive mTORC1 signalling through differing levels of insensitivity to the primary inactivator of Rheb, tuberous sclerosis complex. We show that two activated mutants, Rheb-T23M and E40K, strongly drive increased cell growth, proliferation and anchorage-independent growth resulting in enhanced tumour growth in vivo. Proteomic analysis of cells expressing the mutations revealed, surprisingly, that these two mutants promote distinct oncogenic pathways with Rheb-T23M driving an increased rate of anaerobic glycolysis, while Rheb-E40K regulates the translation factor eEF2 and autophagy, likely through differential interactions with 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which modulate its activity. Our findings suggest that unique, personalized, combination therapies may be utilised to treat cancers according to which Rheb mutant they harbour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianling Xie
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Stuart P De Poi
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Sean J Humphrey
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Leanne K Hein
- Lysosomal Health in Ageing, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - John B Bruning
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Wenru Pan
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Luke A Selth
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | - Timothy J Sargeant
- Lysosomal Health in Ageing, Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Christopher G Proud
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
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39
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Comert Onder F, Kahraman N, Bellur Atici E, Cagir A, Kandemir H, Tatar G, Taskin Tok T, Kara G, Karliga B, Durdagi S, Ay M, Ozpolat B. Target-Driven Design of a Coumarinyl Chalcone Scaffold Based Novel EF2 Kinase Inhibitor Suppresses Breast Cancer Growth In Vivo. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:926-940. [PMID: 33860211 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF-2K) is an unusual alpha kinase involved in protein synthesis through phosphorylation of elongation factor 2 (EF2). eEF-2K is highly overexpressed in breast cancer, and its activity is associated with significantly shortened patient survival and proven to be a potential molecular target in breast cancer. The crystal structure of eEF-2K remains unknown, and there is no potent, safe, and effective inhibitor available for clinical applications. We designed and synthesized several generations of potential inhibitors. The effect of the inhibitors at the binding pocket of eEF-2K was analyzed after developing a 3D target model by using a domain of another α-kinase called myosin heavy-chain kinase A (MHCKA) that closely resembles eEF-2K. In silico studies showed that compounds with a coumarin-chalcone core have high predicted binding affinities for eEF-2K. Using in vitro studies in highly aggressive and invasive (MDA-MB-436, MDA-MB-231, and BT20) and noninvazive (MCF-7) breast cancer cells, we identified a lead compound that was highly effective in inhibiting eEF-2K activity at submicromolar concentrations and at inhibiting cell proliferation by induction of apoptosis with no toxicity in normal breast epithelial cells. In vivo systemic administration of the lead compound encapsulated in single lipid-based liposomal nanoparticles twice a week significantly suppressed growth of MDA-MB-231 tumors in orthotopic breast cancer models in nude mice with no observed toxicity. In conclusion, our study provides a highly potent and in vivo effective novel small-molecule eEF-2K inhibitor that may be used as a molecularly targeted therapy breast cancer or other eEF-2K-dependent tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferah Comert Onder
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.,Department of Medical Biology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, 17020 Canakkale, Turkey.,Department of Chemistry, Natural Products and Drug Research Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Arts, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020 Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Nermin Kahraman
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | | | - Ali Cagir
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, 35430 Urla, Turkey
| | - Hakan Kandemir
- Tekirdag Namik Kemal University, Department of Chemistry, 59030 Tekirdag, Turkey
| | - Gizem Tatar
- Gaziantep University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Tugba Taskin Tok
- Gaziantep University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey.,Gaziantep University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Goknur Kara
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | | | - Serdar Durdagi
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Computational Biology and Molecular Simulations Laboratory, Bahcesehir University, 34734 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ay
- Department of Chemistry, Natural Products and Drug Research Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Arts, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020 Canakkale, Turkey
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 422, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.,Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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40
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Shen Y, Han J, Zhang ZC. Novel regulation of the eEF2K/eEF2 pathway: prospects of 'PQBP1 promotes translational elongation and regulates hippocampal mGluR-LTD by suppressing eEF2 phosphorylation'. J Mol Cell Biol 2021; 13:392-394. [PMID: 33734395 PMCID: PMC8373267 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjab017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Shen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Junhai Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zi Chao Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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41
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eEF2K enhances expression of PD-L1 by promoting the translation of its mRNA. Biochem J 2021; 477:4367-4381. [PMID: 33094805 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Emerging advances in cancer therapy have transformed the landscape towards cancer immunotherapy regimens. Recent discoveries have resulted in the development of clinical immune checkpoint inhibitors that are 'game-changers' for cancer immunotherapy. Here we show that eEF2K, an atypical protein kinase that negatively modulates the elongation stage of protein synthesis, promotes the synthesis of PD-L1, an immune checkpoint protein which helps cancer cells to escape from immunosurveillance. Ablation of eEF2K in prostate and lung cancer cells markedly reduced the expression levels of the PD-L1 protein. We show that eEF2K promotes the association of PD-L1 mRNAs with translationally active polyribosomes and that translation of the PD-L1 mRNA is regulated by a uORF (upstream open reading-frame) within its 5'-UTR (5'-untranslated region) which starts with a non-canonical CUG as the initiation codon. This inhibitory effect is attenuated by eEF2K thereby allowing higher levels of translation of the PD-L1 coding region and enhanced expression of the PD-L1 protein. Moreover, eEF2K-depleted cancer cells are more vulnerable to immune attack by natural killer cells. Therefore, control of translation elongation can modulate the translation of this specific mRNA, one which contains an uORF that starts with CUG, and perhaps others that contain a similar feature. Taken together, our data reveal that eEF2K regulates PD-L1 expression at the level of the translation of its mRNA by virtue of a uORF in its 5'-region. This, and other roles of eEF2K in cancer cell biology (e.g. in cell survival and migration), may be exploited for the design of future therapeutic strategies.
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42
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Li W, Ali T, Zheng C, Liu Z, He K, Shah FA, Ren Q, Rahman SU, Li N, Yu ZJ, Li S. Fluoxetine regulates eEF2 activity (phosphorylation) via HDAC1 inhibitory mechanism in an LPS-induced mouse model of depression. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:38. [PMID: 33526073 PMCID: PMC7852137 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Selective serotonin reuptaker inhibitors, including fluoxetine, are widely studied and prescribed antidepressants, while their exact molecular and cellular mechanism are yet to be defined. We investigated the involvement of HDAC1 and eEF2 in the antidepressant mechanisms of fluoxetine using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior model. METHODS For in vivo analysis, mice were treated with LPS (2 mg/kg BW), fluoxetine (20 mg/kg BW), HDAC1 activator (Exifone: 54 mg/kg BW) and NH125 (1 mg/kg BW). Depressive-like behaviors were confirmed via behavior tests including OFT, FST, SPT, and TST. Cytokines were measured by ELISA while Iba-1 and GFAP expression were determined by immunofluorescence. Further, the desired gene expression was measured by immunoblotting. For in vitro analysis, BV2 cell lines were cultured; treated with LPS, exifone, and fluoxetine; collected; and analyzed. RESULTS Mice treated with LPS displayed depression-like behaviors, pronounced neuroinflammation, increased HDAC1 expression, and reduced eEF2 activity, as accompanied by altered synaptogenic factors including BDNF, SNAP25, and PSD95. Fluoxetine treatment exhibited antidepressant effects and ameliorated the molecular changes induced by LPS. Exifone, a selective HDAC1 activator, reversed the antidepressant and anti-inflammatory effects of fluoxetine both in vivo and in vitro, supporting a causing role of HDAC1 in neuroinflammation allied depression. Further molecular mechanisms underlying HDAC1 were explored with NH125, an eEF2K inhibitor, whose treatment reduced immobility time, altered pro-inflammatory cytokines, and NLRP3 expression. Moreover, NH125 treatment enhanced eEF2 and GSK3β activities, BDNF, SNAP25, and PSD95 expression, but had no effects on HDAC1. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that the antidepressant effects of fluoxetine may involve HDAC1-eEF2 related neuroinflammation and synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Tahir Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Chengyou Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Zizhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Kaiwu He
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Fawad Ali Shah
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
- Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Qingguo Ren
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shafiq Ur Rahman
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
- Department of Pharmacy, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir, 18000, Pakistan
| | - Ningning Li
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, Precision Medicine Research Centre, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107 China
| | - Zhi-Jian Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Endogenous Infections, The 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, No 89, Taoyuan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518052 China
| | - Shupeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055 China
- Campbell Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
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43
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Puckett DL, Alquraishi M, Chowanadisai W, Bettaieb A. The Role of PKM2 in Metabolic Reprogramming: Insights into the Regulatory Roles of Non-Coding RNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1171. [PMID: 33503959 PMCID: PMC7865720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pyruvate kinase is a key regulator in glycolysis through the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) into pyruvate. Pyruvate kinase exists in various isoforms that can exhibit diverse biological functions and outcomes. The pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 (PKM2) controls cell progression and survival through the regulation of key signaling pathways. In cancer cells, the dimer form of PKM2 predominates and plays an integral role in cancer metabolism. This predominance of the inactive dimeric form promotes the accumulation of phosphometabolites, allowing cancer cells to engage in high levels of synthetic processing to enhance their proliferative capacity. PKM2 has been recognized for its role in regulating gene expression and transcription factors critical for health and disease. This role enables PKM2 to exert profound regulatory effects that promote cancer cell metabolism, proliferation, and migration. In addition to its role in cancer, PKM2 regulates aspects essential to cellular homeostasis in non-cancer tissues and, in some cases, promotes tissue-specific pathways in health and diseases. In pursuit of understanding the diverse tissue-specific roles of PKM2, investigations targeting tissues such as the kidney, liver, adipose, and pancreas have been conducted. Findings from these studies enhance our understanding of PKM2 functions in various diseases beyond cancer. Therefore, there is substantial interest in PKM2 modulation as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of multiple conditions. Indeed, a vast plethora of research has focused on identifying therapeutic strategies for targeting PKM2. Recently, targeting PKM2 through its regulatory microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) has gathered increasing interest. Thus, the goal of this review is to highlight recent advancements in PKM2 research, with a focus on PKM2 regulatory microRNAs and lncRNAs and their subsequent physiological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexter L. Puckett
- Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (D.L.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Mohammed Alquraishi
- Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (D.L.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Winyoo Chowanadisai
- Department of Nutrition, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA;
| | - Ahmed Bettaieb
- Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; (D.L.P.); (M.A.)
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44
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Skariah G, Todd PK. Translational control in aging and neurodegeneration. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 12:e1628. [PMID: 32954679 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Protein metabolism plays central roles in age-related decline and neurodegeneration. While a large body of research has explored age-related changes in protein degradation, alterations in the efficiency and fidelity of protein synthesis with aging are less well understood. Age-associated changes occur in both the protein synthetic machinery (ribosomal proteins and rRNA) and within regulatory factors controlling translation. At the same time, many of the interventions that prolong lifespan do so in part by pre-emptively decreasing protein synthesis rates to allow better harmonization to age-related declines in protein catabolism. Here we review the roles of translation regulation in aging, with a specific focus on factors implicated in age-related neurodegeneration. We discuss how emerging technologies such as ribosome profiling and superior mass spectrometric approaches are illuminating age-dependent mRNA-specific changes in translation rates across tissues to reveal a critical interplay between catabolic and anabolic pathways that likely contribute to functional decline. These new findings point to nodes in posttranscriptional gene regulation that both contribute to aging and offer targets for therapy. This article is categorized under: Translation > Translation Regulation Translation > Ribosome Biogenesis Translation > Translation Mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geena Skariah
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Peter K Todd
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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45
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Dróżdż M, Makuch S, Cieniuch G, Woźniak M, Ziółkowski P. Obligate and facultative anaerobic bacteria in targeted cancer therapy: Current strategies and clinical applications. Life Sci 2020; 261:118296. [PMID: 32822716 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Traditional methods for cancer therapy, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy are characterized by inherent limitations. Bacteria-mediated tumor therapy is becoming a promising approach in cancer treatment due to the ability of obligate or facultative anaerobic microorganisms to penetrate and proliferate in hypoxic regions of tumors. It is widely known that anaerobic bacteria cause the regression of tumors and inhibition of metastasis through a variety of mechanisms, including toxin production, anaerobic lifestyle and synergy with anti-cancer drugs. These features have the potential to be used as a supplement to conventional cancer treatment. To the best of our knowledge, no reports have been published regarding the most common tumor-targeting bacterial agents with special consideration of obligate anaerobes (such as Clostridium sp., Bifidobacterium sp.) and facultative anaerobes (including Salmonella sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Lactobacillus sp., Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Pseudomonas sp). In this review, we summarize the latest literature on the role of these bacteria in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Dróżdż
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Sebastian Makuch
- Department of Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Gabriela Cieniuch
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Marta Woźniak
- Department of Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Ziółkowski
- Department of Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
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46
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Bellio C, Villanueva J. Hitting the brakes on autophagy for overcoming acquired resistance in triple negative breast cancer. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:848. [PMID: 32793692 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.04.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Bellio
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Villanueva
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
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47
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Jin X, Xie J, Zabolocki M, Wang X, Jiang T, Wang D, Désaubry L, Bardy C, Proud CG. The prohibitin-binding compound fluorizoline affects multiple components of the translational machinery and inhibits protein synthesis. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:9855-9867. [PMID: 32430400 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorizoline (FLZ) binds to prohibitin-1 and -2 (PHB1/2), which are pleiotropic scaffold proteins known to affect signaling pathways involved in several intracellular processes. However, it is not yet clear how FLZ exerts its effect. Here, we show that exposure of three different human cancer cell lines to FLZ increases the phosphorylation of key translation factors, particularly of initiation factor 2 (eIF2) and elongation factor 2 (eEF2), modifications that inhibit their activities. FLZ also impaired signaling through mTOR complex 1, which also regulates the translational machinery, e.g. through the eIF4E-binding protein 4E-BP1. In line with these findings, FLZ potently inhibited protein synthesis. We noted that the first phase of this inhibition involves very rapid eEF2 phosphorylation, which is catalyzed by a dedicated Ca2+-dependent protein kinase, eEF2 kinase (eEF2K). We also demonstrate that FLZ induces a swift and marked rise in intracellular Ca2+ levels, likely explaining the effects on eEF2. Disruption of normal Ca2+ homeostasis can also induce endoplasmic reticulum stress, and our results suggest that induction of this stress response contributes to the increased phosphorylation of eIF2, likely because of activation of the eIF2-modifying kinase PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK). We show that FLZ induces cancer cell death and that this effect involves contributions from the phosphorylation of both eEF2 and eIF2. Our findings provide important new insights into the biological effects of FLZ and thus the roles of PHBs, specifically in regulating Ca2+ levels, cellular protein synthesis, and cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jin
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology and School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jianling Xie
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Michael Zabolocki
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Xuemin Wang
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Tao Jiang
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology and School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Sino-French Joint Lab of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Laurent Désaubry
- Sino-French Joint Lab of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China.,Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Cardio-oncology, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Cedric Bardy
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology and Genetics, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Christopher G Proud
- Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia .,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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48
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Karakas D, Ozpolat B. Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K) signaling in tumor and microenvironment as a novel molecular target. J Mol Med (Berl) 2020; 98:775-787. [PMID: 32377852 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-020-01917-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K), an atypical member of alpha-kinase family, is highly overexpressed in breast, pancreatic, brain, and lung cancers, and associated with poor survival in patients. eEF2K promotes cell proliferation, survival, and aggressive tumor characteristics, leading to tumor growth and progression. While initial studies indicated that eEF2K acts as a negative regulator of protein synthesis by suppressing peptide elongation phase, later studies demonstrated that it has multiple functions and promotes cell cycle, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion as well as induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition through induction of integrin β1, SRC/FAK, PI3K/AKT, cyclin D1, VEGF, ZEB1, Snail, and MMP-2. Under stress conditions such as hypoxia and metabolic distress, eEF2K is activated by several signaling pathways and slows down protein synthesis and helping cells to save energy and survive. In vivo therapeutic targeting of eEF2K by genetic methods inhibits tumor growth in various tumor models, validating it as a potential molecular target. Recent studies suggest that eEF2K plays a role in tumor microenvironment cells by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages. Due to its clinical significance and the pivotal role in tumorigenesis and progression, eEF2K is considered as an important therapeutic target in solid tumors. However, currently, there is no specific and potent inhibitor for translation into clinical studies. Here, we aim to systematically review current knowledge regarding eEF2K in tumor biology, microenvironment, and development of eEF2K targeted inhibitors and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem Karakas
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Liu Z, Peng C, Zhuang Y, Chen Y, Behnisch T. Direct Medial Entorhinal Cortex Input to Hippocampal CA3 Is Crucial for eEF2K Inhibitor-Induced Neuronal Oscillations in the Mouse Hippocampus. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:24. [PMID: 32210764 PMCID: PMC7069380 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampal formation plays a vital role in memory formation and takes part in the control of the default neuronal network activity of the brain. It also represents an important structure to analyze drug-induced effects on subregion-specific synchronization of neuronal activity. However, the consequences of an altered functional state of synapses for subregion-specific synchronization of neuronal microcircuits remain to be fully understood. Therefore, we analyzed the direct interaction of neuronal microcircuits utilizing a genetically encoded calcium sensor (GCaMP6s) and local field potential (LFP) recording in acute hippocampal-entorhinal brain slices in response to a modulator of synaptic transmission. We observed that application of the eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K) inhibitor A484954, induced a large-scale synchronization of neuronal activity within different regions of the hippocampal formation. This effect was confirmed by the recording of extracellular LFPs. Further, in order to understand if the synchronized activity depended on interconnected hippocampal areas, we lesioned adjacent regions from each other. These experiments identified the origin of A484954-induced synchronized activity in the hippocampal CA3 subfield localized near the hilus of the dentate gyrus. Remarkably, the synchronization of neuronal activity in the hippocampus required an intact connection with the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). In line with this observation, we detected an increase in neuronal activity in the MEC area after application of A484954. In summary, inhibition of eEF2K alters the intrinsic activity of interconnected neuronal microcircuits dominated by the MEC-CA3 afferents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Liu
- Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinghan Zhuang
- Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Thomas Behnisch
- Institutes of Brain Science, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Knight JRP, Garland G, Pöyry T, Mead E, Vlahov N, Sfakianos A, Grosso S, De-Lima-Hedayioglu F, Mallucci GR, von der Haar T, Smales CM, Sansom OJ, Willis AE. Control of translation elongation in health and disease. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm043208. [PMID: 32298235 PMCID: PMC7104864 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.043208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of protein synthesis makes a major contribution to post-transcriptional control pathways. During disease, or under stress, cells initiate processes to reprogramme protein synthesis and thus orchestrate the appropriate cellular response. Recent data show that the elongation stage of protein synthesis is a key regulatory node for translational control in health and disease. There is a complex set of factors that individually affect the overall rate of elongation and, for the most part, these influence either transfer RNA (tRNA)- and eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A)-dependent codon decoding, and/or elongation factor 2 (eEF2)-dependent ribosome translocation along the mRNA. Decoding speeds depend on the relative abundance of each tRNA, the cognate:near-cognate tRNA ratios and the degree of tRNA modification, whereas eEF2-dependent ribosome translocation is negatively regulated by phosphorylation on threonine-56 by eEF2 kinase. Additional factors that contribute to the control of the elongation rate include epigenetic modification of the mRNA, coding sequence variation and the expression of eIF5A, which stimulates peptide bond formation between proline residues. Importantly, dysregulation of elongation control is central to disease mechanisms in both tumorigenesis and neurodegeneration, making the individual key steps in this process attractive therapeutic targets. Here, we discuss the relative contribution of individual components of the translational apparatus (e.g. tRNAs, elongation factors and their modifiers) to the overall control of translation elongation and how their dysregulation contributes towards disease processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gavin Garland
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Tuija Pöyry
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Emma Mead
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Nikola Vlahov
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Aristeidis Sfakianos
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Stefano Grosso
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | | | - Giovanna R Mallucci
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | | | - C Mark Smales
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
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