1
|
Peng Y, Du J, Li R, Günther S, Wettschureck N, Offermanns S, Wang Y, Schneider A, Braun T. RhoA-mediated G 12-G 13 signaling maintains muscle stem cell quiescence and prevents stem cell loss. Cell Discov 2024; 10:76. [PMID: 39009565 PMCID: PMC11251043 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-024-00696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple processes control quiescence of muscle stem cells (MuSCs), which is instrumental to guarantee long-term replenishment of the stem cell pool. Here, we describe that the G-proteins G12-G13 integrate signals from different G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to control MuSC quiescence via activation of RhoA. Comprehensive screening of GPCR ligands identified two MuSC-niche-derived factors, endothelin-3 (ET-3) and neurotensin (NT), which activate G12-G13 signaling in MuSCs. Stimulation with ET-3 or NT prevented MuSC activation, whereas pharmacological inhibition of ET-3 or NT attenuated MuSC quiescence. Inactivation of Gna12-Gna13 or Rhoa but not of Gnaq-Gna11 completely abrogated MuSC quiescence, which depleted the MuSC pool and was associated with accelerated sarcopenia during aging. Expression of constitutively active RhoA prevented exit from quiescence in Gna12-Gna13 mutant MuSCs, inhibiting cell cycle entry and differentiation via Rock and formins without affecting Rac1-dependent MuSC projections, a hallmark of quiescent MuSCs. The study uncovers a critical role of G12-G13 and RhoA signaling for active regulation of MuSC quiescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yundong Peng
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
| | - Jingjing Du
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Nina Wettschureck
- Department of Pharmacology, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Member of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Offermanns
- Department of Pharmacology, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- Member of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Andre Schneider
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Thomas Braun
- Department of Cardiac Development and Remodeling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany.
- Member of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lopez-Balastegui M, Stepniewski TM, Kogut-Günthel MM, Di Pizio A, Rosenkilde MM, Mao J, Selent J. Relevance of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) dynamics for receptor activation, signalling bias and allosteric modulation. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38978399 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16495] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the major drug targets. In recent years, computational drug design for GPCRs has mainly focused on static structures obtained through X-ray crystallography, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) or in silico modelling as a starting point for virtual screening campaigns. However, GPCRs are highly flexible entities with the ability to adopt different conformational states that elicit different physiological responses. Including this knowledge in the drug discovery pipeline can help to tailor novel conformation-specific drugs with an improved therapeutic profile. In this review, we outline our current knowledge about GPCR dynamics that is relevant for receptor activation, signalling bias and allosteric modulation. Ultimately, we highlight new technological implementations such as time-resolved X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM as well as computational algorithms that can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of receptor dynamics and its relevance for GPCR functionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Lopez-Balastegui
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute & Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomasz Maciej Stepniewski
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute & Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
- InterAx Biotech AG, Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Antonella Di Pizio
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Chair for Chemoinformatics and Protein Modelling, Department of Molecular Life Science, School of Science, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Mette Marie Rosenkilde
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen, København N, Denmark
| | - Jiafei Mao
- Huairou Research Center, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jana Selent
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute & Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schulte G, Scharf MM, Bous J, Voss JH, Grätz L, Kozielewicz P. Frizzleds act as dynamic pharmacological entities. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:419-429. [PMID: 38594145 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Frizzled family of transmembrane receptors (FZD1-10) belongs to the class F of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). FZDs bind to and are activated by Wingless/Int1 (WNT) proteins. The WNT/FZD signaling system regulates crucial aspects of developmental biology and stem-cell regulation. Dysregulation of WNT/FZD communication can lead to developmental defects and diseases such as cancer and fibrosis. Recent insight into the activation mechanisms of FZDs has underlined that protein dynamics and conserved microswitches are essential for FZD-mediated information flow and build the basis for targeting these receptors pharmacologically. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of FZD activation, and how novel concepts merge and collide with existing dogmas in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Magdalena M Scharf
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julien Bous
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Hendrik Voss
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lukas Grätz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Song Y, Guo P, Ma T, Su J, Huang L, Guo W, Liu Y, Li G, Xin Y, Zhang Q, Zhang S, Shen H, Feng X, Yang D, Tian J, Ravi SK, Tang BZ, Ye R. Ultrathin, Cationic Covalent Organic Nanosheets for Enhanced CO 2 Electroreduction to Methanol. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310037. [PMID: 37931925 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines emerge as popular building blocks to develop covalent organic nanosheets (CONs) for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, existing CONs predominantly yield CO, posing a challenge in achieving efficient methanol production through multielectron reduction. Here, ultrathin, cationic, and cobalt-phthalocyanine-based CONs (iminium-CONs) are reported for electrochemical CO2-to-CH3OH conversion. The integration of quaternary iminium groups enables the formation of ultrathin morphology with uniformly anchored cobalt active sites, which are pivotal for facilitating rapid multielectron transfer. Moreover, the cationic iminium-CONs exhibit a lower activity for hydrogen evolution side reaction. Consequently, iminium-CONs manifest significantly enhanced selectivity for methanol production, as evidenced by a remarkable 711% and 270% improvement in methanol partial current density (jCH3OH) compared to pristine CoTAPc and neutral imine-CONs, respectively. Under optimized conditions, iminium-CONs deliver a high jCH3OH of 91.7 mA cm-2 at -0.78 V in a flow cell. Further, iminium-CONs achieve a global methanol Faradaic efficiency (FECH3OH) of 54% in a tandem device. Thanks to the single-site feature, the methanol is produced without the concurrent generation of other liquid byproducts. This work underscores the potential of cationic covalent organic nanosheets as a compelling platform for electrochemical six-electron reduction of CO2 to methanol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun Song
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China
| | - Peng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Self-Assembly Chemistry for Organic Functional Molecules, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Tinghao Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Jianjun Su
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Libei Huang
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Weihua Guo
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Geng Li
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yinger Xin
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Siwei Zhang
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Aggregate Science and Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Longgang District, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Hanchen Shen
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Aggregate Science and Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Longgang District, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Xing Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Information Photonics Technology, School of Material and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Dengtao Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China
| | - Jia Tian
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Self-Assembly Chemistry for Organic Functional Molecules, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sai Kishore Ravi
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Aggregate Science and Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Longgang District, Shenzhen, 518172, China
- Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Ruquan Ye
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang Z, Lin X, Wei L, Wu Y, Xu L, Wu L, Wei X, Zhao S, Zhu X, Xu F. A framework for Frizzled-G protein coupling and implications to the PCP signaling pathways. Cell Discov 2024; 10:3. [PMID: 38182578 PMCID: PMC10770037 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The ten Frizzled receptors (FZDs) are essential in Wnt signaling and play important roles in embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Among these, FZD6 is closely associated with lens development. Understanding FZD activation mechanism is key to unlock these emerging targets. Here we present the cryo-EM structures of FZD6 and FZD3 which are known to relay non-canonical planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathways as well as FZD1 in their G protein-coupled states and in the apo inactive states, respectively. Comparison of the three inactive/active pairs unveiled a shared activation framework among all ten FZDs. Mutagenesis along with imaging and functional analysis on the human lens epithelial tissues suggested potential crosstalk between the G-protein coupling of FZD6 and the PCP signaling pathways. Together, this study provides an integrated understanding of FZD structure and function, and lays the foundation for developing therapeutic modulators to activate or inhibit FZD signaling for a range of disorders including cancers and cataracts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Zhang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Lin
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Wei
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohu Wei
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Suwen Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangjia Zhu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vo ADP, Kim SK, Yang MY, Ondrus AE, Goddard WA. Fully activated structure of the sterol-bound Smoothened GPCR-Gi protein complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300919120. [PMID: 38015850 PMCID: PMC10710022 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300919120] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) is an oncoprotein and signal transducer in the Hedgehog signaling pathway that regulates cellular differentiation and embryogenesis. As a member of the Frizzled (Class F) family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), SMO biochemically and functionally interacts with Gi family proteins. However, key molecular features of fully activated, G protein-coupled SMO remain elusive. We present the atomistic structure of activated human SMO complexed with the heterotrimeric Gi protein and two sterol ligands, equilibrated at 310 K in a full lipid bilayer at physiological salt concentration and pH. In contrast to previous experimental structures, our equilibrated SMO complex exhibits complete breaking of the pi-cation interaction between R4516.32 and W5357.55, a hallmark of Class F receptor activation. The Gi protein couples to SMO at seven strong anchor points similar to those in Class A GPCRs: intracellular loop 1, intracellular loop 2, transmembrane helix 6, and helix 8. On the path to full activation, we find that the extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) undergoes a dramatic tilt, following a trajectory suggested by positions of the CRD in active and inactive experimental SMO structures. Strikingly, a sterol ligand bound to a shallow transmembrane domain (TMD) site in the initial structure migrates to a deep TMD pocket found exclusively in activator-bound SMO complexes. Thus, our results indicate that SMO interacts with Gi prior to full activation to break the molecular lock, form anchors with Gi subunits, tilt the CRD, and facilitate migration of a sterol ligand in the TMD to an activated position.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy-Doan P. Vo
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Soo-Kyung Kim
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Moon Young Yang
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| | - Alison E. Ondrus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL60607
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL60607
| | - William A. Goddard
- Materials and Process Simulation Center, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA91125
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Grätz L, Kowalski-Jahn M, Scharf MM, Kozielewicz P, Jahn M, Bous J, Lambert NA, Gloriam DE, Schulte G. Pathway selectivity in Frizzleds is achieved by conserved micro-switches defining pathway-determining, active conformations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4573. [PMID: 37516754 PMCID: PMC10387068 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40213-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The class Frizzled of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), consisting of ten Frizzled (FZD1-10) paralogs and Smoothened, remains one of the most enigmatic GPCR families. This class mediates signaling predominantly through Disheveled (DVL) or heterotrimeric G proteins. However, the mechanisms underlying pathway selection are elusive. Here we employ a structure-driven mutagenesis approach in combination with an extensive panel of functional signaling readouts to investigate the importance of conserved state-stabilizing residues in FZD5 for signal specification. Similar data were obtained for FZD4 and FZD10 suggesting that our findings can be extrapolated to other members of the FZD family. Comparative molecular dynamics simulations of wild type and selected FZD5 mutants further support the concept that distinct conformational changes in FZDs specify the signal outcome. In conclusion, we find that FZD5 and FZDs in general prefer coupling to DVL rather than heterotrimeric G proteins and that distinct active state micro-switches in the receptor are essential for pathway selection arguing for conformational changes in the receptor protein defining transducer selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Grätz
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magdalena M Scharf
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Jahn
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, S-17121, Solna, Sweden
- Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Bioinformatics platform, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julien Bous
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nevin A Lambert
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pokharel SM, Mohanty I, Mariasoosai C, Miura TA, Maddison LA, Natesan S, Bose S. Human beta defensin-3 mediated activation of β-catenin during human respiratory syncytial virus infection: interaction of HBD3 with LDL receptor-related protein 5. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1186510. [PMID: 37426017 PMCID: PMC10324619 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1186510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a non-segmented negative-sense RNA virus belonging to the paramyxovirus family. RSV infects the respiratory tract to cause pneumonia and bronchiolitis in infants, elderly, and immunocompromised patients. Effective clinical therapeutic options and vaccines to combat RSV infection are still lacking. Therefore, to develop effective therapeutic interventions, it is imperative to understand virus-host interactions during RSV infection. Cytoplasmic stabilization of β-catenin protein results in activation of canonical Wingless (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling pathway that culminates in transcriptional activation of various genes regulated by T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) transcription factors. This pathway is involved in various biological and physiological functions. Our study shows RSV infection of human lung epithelial A549 cells triggering β-catenin protein stabilization and induction of β-catenin mediated transcriptional activity. Functionally, the activated β-catenin pathway promoted a pro-inflammatory response during RSV infection of lung epithelial cells. Studies with β-catenin inhibitors and A549 cells lacking optimal β-catenin activity demonstrated a significant loss of pro-inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) release from RSV-infected cells. Mechanistically, our studies revealed a role of extracellular human beta defensin-3 (HBD3) in interacting with cell surface Wnt receptor LDL receptor-related protein-5 (LRP5) to activate the non-canonical Wnt independent β-catenin pathway during RSV infection. We showed gene expression and release of HBD3 from RSV-infected cells and silencing of HBD3 expression resulted in reduced stabilization of β-catenin protein during RSV infection. Furthermore, we observed the binding of extracellular HBD3 with cell surface localized LRP5 protein, and our in silico and protein-protein interaction studies have highlighted a direct interaction of HBD3 with LRP5. Thus, our studies have identified the β-catenin pathway as a key regulator of pro-inflammatory response during RSV infection of human lung epithelial cells. This pathway was induced during RSV infection via a non-canonical Wnt-independent mechanism involving paracrine/autocrine action of extracellular HBD3 activating cell surface Wnt receptor complex by directly interacting with the LRP5 receptor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Swechha M. Pokharel
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Indira Mohanty
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Charles Mariasoosai
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Tanya A. Miura
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Lisette A. Maddison
- Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Senthil Natesan
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, United States
| | - Santanu Bose
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bansal PD, Dutta S, Shukla D. Activation mechanism of the human Smoothened receptor. Biophys J 2023; 122:1400-1413. [PMID: 36883002 PMCID: PMC10111369 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.03.007] [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: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) is a membrane protein of the class F subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and maintains homeostasis of cellular differentiation. SMO undergoes conformational change during activation, transmitting the signal across the membrane, making it amenable to bind to its intracellular signaling partner. Receptor activation has been studied at length for class A receptors, but the mechanism of class F receptor activation remains unknown. Agonists and antagonists bound to SMO at sites in the transmembrane domain (TMD) and the cysteine-rich domain have been characterized, giving a static view of the various conformations SMO adopts. Although the structures of the inactive and active SMO outline the residue-level transitions, a kinetic view of the overall activation process remains unexplored for class F receptors. We describe SMO's activation process in atomistic detail by performing 300 μs of molecular dynamics simulations and combining it with Markov state model theory. A molecular switch, conserved across class F and analogous to the activation-mediating D-R-Y motif in class A receptors, is observed to break during activation. We also show that this transition occurs in a stage-wise movement of the transmembrane helices: TM6 first, followed by TM5. To see how modulators affect SMO activity, we simulated agonist and antagonist-bound SMO. We observed that agonist-bound SMO has an expanded hydrophobic tunnel in SMO's core TMD, whereas antagonist-bound SMO shrinks this tunnel, further supporting the hypothesis that cholesterol travels through a tunnel inside Smoothened to activate it. In summary, this study elucidates the distinct activation mechanism of class F GPCRs and shows that SMO's activation process rearranges the core TMD to open a hydrophobic conduit for cholesterol transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prateek D Bansal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Soumajit Dutta
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Diwakar Shukla
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bowin CF, Kozielewicz P, Grätz L, Kowalski-Jahn M, Schihada H, Schulte G. WNT stimulation induces dynamic conformational changes in the Frizzled-Dishevelled interaction. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eabo4974. [PMID: 37014927 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abo4974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Frizzleds (FZDs) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that bind to WNT family ligands. FZDs signal through multiple effector proteins, including Dishevelled (DVL), which acts as a hub for several downstream signaling pathways. To understand how WNT binding to FZD stimulates intracellular signaling and influences downstream pathway selectivity, we investigated the dynamic changes in the FZD5-DVL2 interaction elicited by WNT-3A and WNT-5A. Ligand-induced changes in bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) between FZD5 and DVL2 or the isolated FZD-binding DEP domain of DVL2 revealed a composite response consisting of both DVL2 recruitment and conformational dynamics in the FZD5-DVL2 complex. The combination of different BRET paradigms enabled us to identify ligand-dependent conformational dynamics in the FZD5-DVL2 complex and distinguish them from ligand-induced recruitment of DVL2 or DEP to FZD5. The observed agonist-induced conformational changes at the receptor-transducer interface suggest that extracellular agonist and intracellular transducers cooperate through transmembrane allosteric interaction with FZDs in a ternary complex reminiscent of that of classical GPCRs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lukas Grätz
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Thakur N, Ray AP, Sharp L, Jin B, Duong A, Pour NG, Obeng S, Wijesekara AV, Gao ZG, McCurdy CR, Jacobson KA, Lyman E, Eddy MT. Anionic phospholipids control mechanisms of GPCR-G protein recognition. Nat Commun 2023; 14:794. [PMID: 36781870 PMCID: PMC9925817 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36425-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are embedded in phospholipids that strongly influence drug-stimulated signaling. Anionic lipids are particularly important for GPCR signaling complex formation, but a mechanism for this role is not understood. Using NMR spectroscopy, we explore the impact of anionic lipids on the function-related conformational equilibria of the human A2A adenosine receptor (A2AAR) in bilayers containing defined mixtures of zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids. Anionic lipids prime the receptor to form complexes with G proteins through a conformational selection process. Without anionic lipids, signaling complex formation proceeds through a less favorable induced fit mechanism. In computational models, anionic lipids mimic interactions between a G protein and positively charged residues in A2AAR at the receptor intracellular surface, stabilizing a pre-activated receptor conformation. Replacing these residues strikingly alters the receptor response to anionic lipids in experiments. High sequence conservation of the same residues among all GPCRs supports a general role for lipid-receptor charge complementarity in signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Thakur
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Arka P Ray
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Liam Sharp
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Beining Jin
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alexander Duong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Niloofar Gopal Pour
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Samuel Obeng
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Anuradha V Wijesekara
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Christopher R McCurdy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Translational Drug Development Core, Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kenneth A Jacobson
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, USA
| | - Edward Lyman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Matthew T Eddy
- Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, 126 Sisler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Montañez-Miranda C, Perszyk RE, Harbin NH, Okalova J, Ramineni S, Traynelis SF, Hepler JR. Functional Assessment of Cancer-Linked Mutations in Sensitive Regions of Regulators of G Protein Signaling Predicted by Three-Dimensional Missense Tolerance Ratio Analysis. Mol Pharmacol 2023; 103:21-37. [PMID: 36384958 PMCID: PMC10955721 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.122.000614] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins modulate G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling by acting as negative regulators of G proteins. Genetic variants in RGS proteins are associated with many diseases, including cancers, although the impact of these mutations on protein function is uncertain. Here we analyze the RGS domains of 15 RGS protein family members using a novel bioinformatic tool that measures the missense tolerance ratio (MTR) using a three-dimensional (3D) structure (3DMTR). Subsequent permutation analysis can define the protein regions that are most significantly intolerant (P < 0.05) in each dataset. We further focused on RGS14, RGS10, and RGS4. RGS14 exhibited seven significantly tolerant and seven significantly intolerant residues, RGS10 had six intolerant residues, and RGS4 had eight tolerant and six intolerant residues. Intolerant and tolerant-control residues that overlap with pathogenic cancer mutations reported in the COSMIC cancer database were selected to define the functional phenotype. Using complimentary cellular and biochemical approaches, proteins were tested for effects on GPCR-Gα activation, Gα binding properties, and downstream cAMP levels. Identified intolerant residues with reported cancer-linked mutations RGS14-R173C/H and RGS4-K125Q/E126K, and tolerant RGS14-S127P and RGS10-S64T resulted in a loss-of-function phenotype in GPCR-G protein signaling activity. In downstream cAMP measurement, tolerant RGS14-D137Y and RGS10-S64T and intolerant RGS10-K89M resulted in change of function phenotypes. These findings show that 3DMTR identified intolerant residues that overlap with cancer-linked mutations cause phenotypic changes that negatively impact GPCR-G protein signaling and suggests that 3DMTR is a potentially useful bioinformatics tool for predicting functionally important protein residues. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Human genetic variant/mutation information has expanded rapidly in recent years, including cancer-linked mutations in regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins. However, experimental testing of the impact of this vast catalogue of mutations on protein function is not feasible. We used the novel bioinformatics tool three-dimensional missense tolerance ratio (3DMTR) to define regions of genetic intolerance in RGS proteins and prioritize which cancer-linked mutants to test. We found that 3DMTR more accurately classifies loss-of-function mutations in RGS proteins than other databases thereby offering a valuable new research tool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Montañez-Miranda
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Riley E Perszyk
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nicholas H Harbin
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jennifer Okalova
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Suneela Ramineni
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephen F Traynelis
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - John R Hepler
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology (C.M.-M., R.E.P., N.H.H., S.R., S.F.T., J.R.H.) and Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics (J.O.), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Pan-cancer functional analysis of somatic mutations in G protein-coupled receptors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21534. [PMID: 36513718 PMCID: PMC9747925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25323-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
G Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most frequently exploited drug target family, moreover they are often found mutated in cancer. Here we used a dataset of mutations found in patient samples derived from the Genomic Data Commons and compared it to the natural human variance as exemplified by data from the 1000 genomes project. We explored cancer-related mutation patterns in all GPCR classes combined and individually. While the location of the mutations across the protein domains did not differ significantly in the two datasets, a mutation enrichment in cancer patients was observed among class-specific conserved motifs in GPCRs such as the Class A "DRY" motif. A Two-Entropy Analysis confirmed the correlation between residue conservation and cancer-related mutation frequency. We subsequently created a ranking of high scoring GPCRs, using a multi-objective approach (Pareto Front Ranking). Our approach was confirmed by re-discovery of established cancer targets such as the LPA and mGlu receptor families, but also discovered novel GPCRs which had not been linked to cancer before such as the P2Y Receptor 10 (P2RY10). Overall, this study presents a list of GPCRs that are amenable to experimental follow up to elucidate their role in cancer.
Collapse
|
14
|
Platova S, Poliushkevich L, Kulakova M, Nesterenko M, Starunov V, Novikova E. Gotta Go Slow: Two Evolutionarily Distinct Annelids Retain a Common Hedgehog Pathway Composition, Outlining Its Pan-Bilaterian Core. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214312. [PMID: 36430788 PMCID: PMC9695228 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214312] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog signaling is one of the key regulators of morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and regeneration. While the Hh pathway is present in all bilaterians, it has mainly been studied in model animals such as Drosophila and vertebrates. Despite the conservatism of its core components, mechanisms of signal transduction and additional components vary in Ecdysozoa and Deuterostomia. Vertebrates have multiple copies of the pathway members, which complicates signaling implementation, whereas model ecdysozoans appear to have lost some components due to fast evolution rates. To shed light on the ancestral state of Hh signaling, models from the third clade, Spiralia, are needed. In our research, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two spiralian animals, errantial annelid Platynereis dumerilii (Nereididae) and sedentarian annelid Pygospio elegans (Spionidae). We found that both annelids express almost all Hh pathway components present in Drosophila and mouse. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the core pathway components and built multiple sequence alignments of the additional key members. Our results imply that the Hh pathway compositions of both annelids share more similarities with vertebrates than with the fruit fly. Possessing an almost complete set of single-copy Hh pathway members, lophotrochozoan signaling composition may reflect the ancestral features of all three bilaterian branches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Platova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | | | - Milana Kulakova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (E.N.)
| | | | - Viktor Starunov
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Elena Novikova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (E.N.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Heo L, Feig M. Multi-state modeling of G-protein coupled receptors at experimental accuracy. Proteins 2022; 90:1873-1885. [PMID: 35510704 PMCID: PMC9561049 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the largest protein families in the human genome. GPCRs transduct chemical signals from extracellular to intracellular regions via a conformational switch between active and inactive states upon ligand binding. While experimental structures of GPCRs remain limited, high-accuracy computational predictions are now possible with AlphaFold2. However, AlphaFold2 only predicts one state and is biased toward either the active or inactive conformation depending on the GPCR class. Here, a multi-state prediction protocol is introduced that extends AlphaFold2 to predict either active or inactive states at very high accuracy using state-annotated templated GPCR databases. The predicted models accurately capture the main structural changes upon activation of the GPCR at the atomic level. For most of the benchmarked GPCRs (10 out of 15), models in the active and inactive states were closer to their corresponding activation state structures. Median RMSDs of the transmembrane regions were 1.12 Å and 1.41 Å for the active and inactive state models, respectively. The models were more suitable for protein-ligand docking than the original AlphaFold2 models and template-based models. Finally, our prediction protocol predicted accurate GPCR structures and GPCR-peptide complex structures in GPCR Dock 2021, a blind GPCR-ligand complex modeling competition. We expect that high accuracy GPCR models in both activation states will promote understanding in GPCR activation mechanisms and drug discovery for GPCRs. At the time, the new protocol paves the way towards capturing the dynamics of proteins at high-accuracy via machine-learning methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lim Heo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Nicheperovich A, Townsend-Nicholson A. Towards Precision Oncology: The Role of Smoothened and Its Variants in Cancer. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12101648. [PMID: 36294790 PMCID: PMC9605185 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12101648] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The G protein-coupled receptor Smoothened (Smo) is a central signal transducer of the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway which has been linked to diverse forms of tumours. Stimulated by advancements in structural and functional characterisation, the Smo receptor has been recognised as an important therapeutic target in Hh-driven cancers, and several Smo inhibitors have now been approved for cancer therapy. This receptor is also known to be an oncoprotein itself and its gain-of-function variants have been associated with skin, brain, and liver cancers. According to the COSMIC database, oncogenic mutations of Smo have been identified in various other tumours, although their oncogenic effect remains unknown in these tissues. Drug resistance is a common challenge in cancer therapies targeting Smo, and data analysis shows that healthy individuals also harbour resistance mutations. Based on the importance of Smo in cancer progression and the high incidence of resistance towards Smo inhibitors, this review suggests that detection of Smo variants through tumour profiling could lead to increased precision and improved outcomes of anti-cancer treatments.
Collapse
|
17
|
Guo S, Zhao T, Yun Y, Xie X. Recent Progress in Assays for GPCR Drug Discovery. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C583-C594. [PMID: 35816640 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00464.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), also known as 7 transmembrane receptors, are the largest family of cell surface receptors in eukaryotes. There are ~800 GPCRs in human, regulating diverse physiological processes. GPCRs are the most intensively studied drug targets. Drugs that target GPCRs account for about a quarter of the global market share of therapeutic drugs. Therefore, to develop physiologically relevant and robust assays to search new GPCR ligands or modulators remain the major focus of drug discovery research worldwide. Early functional GPCR assays are mainly depend on the measurement of G protein-mediated second messenger generation. Recent development in GPCR biology indicate the signaling of these receptors is much more complex than the oversimplified classical view. GPCRs have been found to activate multiple G proteins simultaneously and induce b-arrestin-mediated signaling. GPCRs have also been found to interacte with other cytosolic scaffolding proteins and form dimer or heteromer with GPCRs or other transmembrane proteins. Here we mainly discuss technologies focused on detecting protein-protein interactions, such as FRET/BRET, NanoBiT, Tango, etc, and their applications in measuring GPCRs interacting with various signaling partners. In the final part, we also discuss the species differences in GPCRs when using animal models to study the in vivofunctions of GPCR ligands, and possible ways to solve this problem with modern genetic tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shimeng Guo
- grid.419093.6Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- grid.419093.6Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Yun
- grid.419093.6Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Xie
- grid.419093.6Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Langer I, Jeandriens J, Couvineau A, Sanmukh S, Latek D. Signal Transduction by VIP and PACAP Receptors. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10020406. [PMID: 35203615 PMCID: PMC8962308 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10020406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeostasis of the human immune system is regulated by many cellular components, including two neuropeptides, VIP and PACAP, primary stimuli for three class B G protein-coupled receptors, VPAC1, VPAC2, and PAC1. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) regulate intestinal motility and secretion and influence the functioning of the endocrine and immune systems. Inhibition of VIP and PACAP receptors is an emerging concept for new pharmacotherapies for chronic inflammation and cancer, while activation of their receptors provides neuroprotection. A small number of known active compounds for these receptors still impose limitations on their use in therapeutics. Recent cryo-EM structures of VPAC1 and PAC1 receptors in their agonist-bound active state have provided insights regarding their mechanism of activation. Here, we describe major molecular switches of VPAC1, VPAC2, and PAC1 that may act as triggers for receptor activation and compare them with similar non-covalent interactions changing upon activation that were observed for other GPCRs. Interhelical interactions in VIP and PACAP receptors that are important for agonist binding and/or activation provide a molecular basis for the design of novel selective drugs demonstrating anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective effects. The impact of genetic variants of VIP, PACAP, and their receptors on signalling mediated by endogenous agonists is also described. This sequence diversity resulting from gene splicing has a significant impact on agonist selectivity and potency as well as on the signalling properties of VIP and PACAP receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Langer
- Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), Université libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; (I.L.); (J.J.)
| | - Jérôme Jeandriens
- Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Biologie Humaine et Moléculaire (IRIBHM), Université libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; (I.L.); (J.J.)
| | - Alain Couvineau
- UMR 1149 Inserm, Centre de Recherche sur l’Inflammation (CRI), Université de Paris, 75018 Paris, France;
| | - Swapnil Sanmukh
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Dorota Latek
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Endomembrane-Based Signaling by GPCRs and G-Proteins. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030528. [PMID: 35159337 PMCID: PMC8834376 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G-proteins have a range of roles in many physiological and pathological processes and are among the most studied signaling proteins. A plethora of extracellular stimuli can activate the GPCR and can elicit distinct intracellular responses through the activation of specific transduction pathways. For many years, biologists thought that GPCR signaling occurred entirely on the plasma membrane. However, in recent decades, many lines of evidence have proved that the GPCRs and G-proteins may reside on endomembranes and can start or propagate signaling pathways through the organelles that form the secretory route. How these alternative intracellular signaling pathways of the GPCR and G-proteins influence the physiological and pathological function of the endomembranes is still under investigation. Here, we review the general role and classification of GPCRs and G-proteins with a focus on their signaling pathways in the membrane transport apparatus.
Collapse
|
20
|
Akhshi T, Shannon R, Trimble WS. The complex web of canonical and non-canonical Hedgehog signaling. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2100183. [PMID: 35001404 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is a widely studied signaling pathway because of its critical roles during development and in cell homeostasis. Vertebrate canonical and non-canonical Hh signaling are typically assumed to be distinct and occur in different cellular compartments. While research has primarily focused on the canonical form of Hh signaling and its dependency on primary cilia - microtubule-based signaling hubs - an extensive list of crucial functions mediated by non-canonical Hh signaling has emerged. Moreover, amounting evidence indicates that canonical and non-canonical modes of Hh signaling are interlinked, and that they can overlap spatially, and in many cases interact functionally. Here, we discuss some of the many cellular effects of non-canonical signaling and discuss new evidence indicating inter-relationships with canonical signaling. We discuss how Smoothened (Smo), a key component of the Hh pathway, might coordinate such diverse downstream effects. Collectively, pursuit of questions such as those proposed here will aid in elucidating the full extent of Smo function in development and advance its use as a target for cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tara Akhshi
- Program in Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rachel Shannon
- Program in Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - William S Trimble
- Program in Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Larasati Y, Boudou C, Koval A, Katanaev VL. Unlocking the Wnt pathway: Therapeutic potential of selective targeting FZD 7 in cancer. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:777-792. [PMID: 34915171 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The Wnt signaling is of paramount pathophysiological importance. Despite showing promising anticancer activities in pre-clinical studies, current Wnt pathway inhibitors face complications in clinical trials resulting from on-target toxicity. Hence, the targeting of pathway component(s) that are essential for cancer but dispensable for normal physiology is key to the development of a safe Wnt signaling inhibitor. Frizzled7 (FZD7) is a Wnt pathway receptor that is redundant in healthy tissues but crucial in various cancers. FZD7 modulates diverse aspects of carcinogenesis, including cancer growth, metastasis, maintenance of cancer stem cells, and chemoresistance. In this review, we describe state-of-the-art knowledge of the functions of FZD7 in carcinogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis. Next, we overview the development of small molecules and biomolecules that target FZD7. Finally, we discuss challenges and possibilities in developing FZD7-selective antagonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yonika Larasati
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cédric Boudou
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexey Koval
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir L Katanaev
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland; School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Xu L, Chen B, Schihada H, Wright SC, Turku A, Wu Y, Han GW, Kowalski-Jahn M, Kozielewicz P, Bowin CF, Zhang X, Li C, Bouvier M, Schulte G, Xu F. Cryo-EM structure of constitutively active human Frizzled 7 in complex with heterotrimeric G s. Cell Res 2021; 31:1311-1314. [PMID: 34239071 PMCID: PMC8648716 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-021-00525-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Grants
- 32071194 National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)
- P18-0098 Svenska Sällskapet för Medicinsk Forskning (Swedish Society for Medical Research)
- FDN-148431 CIHR
- Karolinska Institutet, the Swedish Research Council (2017-04676; 2019-01190), the Swedish Cancer Society (CAN2017/561, 20 1102 PjF, 20 0264P), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF17OC0026940; NNF20OC0063168), The Swedish Society of Medical Research (SSMF; P19-0055), the Lars Hierta Memorial Foundation (FO2019-0086, FO2020-0304), The Alex and Eva Wallström Foundation for Scientific Research and Education (2020-00228). and the German Research Foundation (DFG, 427840891; KO 5463/1-1)
- CIHR (FDN-148431)
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Chen
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shane C Wright
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Orion Pharma R&D, Espoo, Finland
| | - Yiran Wu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gye-Won Han
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xianjun Zhang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chao Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Michel Bouvier
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Fei Xu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kowalski-Jahn M, Schihada H, Turku A, Huber T, Sakmar TP, Schulte G. Frizzled BRET sensors based on bioorthogonal labeling of unnatural amino acids reveal WNT-induced dynamics of the cysteine-rich domain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj7917. [PMID: 34757789 PMCID: PMC8580317 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Frizzleds (FZD1–10) are G protein–coupled receptors containing an extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) binding Wingless/Int-1 lipoglycoproteins (WNTs). Despite the role of WNT/FZD signaling in health and disease, our understanding of how WNT binding is translated into receptor activation and transmembrane signaling remains limited. Current hypotheses dispute the roles for conformational dynamics. To clarify how WNT binding to FZD translates into receptor dynamics, we devised conformational FZD-CRD biosensors based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Using FZD with N-terminal nanoluciferase (Nluc) and fluorescently labeled unnatural amino acids in the linker domain and extracellular loop 3, we show that WNT-3A and WNT-5A induce similar CRD conformational rearrangements despite promoting distinct signaling pathways and that CRD dynamics are not required for WNT/β-catenin signaling. Thus, these FZD-CRD biosensors provide insights into binding, activation, and signaling processes in FZDs. The sensor design is broadly applicable to explore ligand-induced dynamics also in other membrane receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Huber
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Thomas P. Sakmar
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, USA
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, S-17164 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, S-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hauser AS, Kooistra AJ, Munk C, Heydenreich FM, Veprintsev DB, Bouvier M, Babu MM, Gloriam DE. GPCR activation mechanisms across classes and macro/microscales. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:879-888. [PMID: 34759375 PMCID: PMC8580822 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-021-00674-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Two-thirds of human hormones and one-third of clinical drugs activate ~350 G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) belonging to four classes: A, B1, C and F. Whereas a model of activation has been described for class A, very little is known about the activation of the other classes, which differ by being activated by endogenous ligands bound mainly or entirely extracellularly. Here we show that, although they use the same structural scaffold and share several 'helix macroswitches', the GPCR classes differ in their 'residue microswitch' positions and contacts. We present molecular mechanistic maps of activation for each GPCR class and methods for contact analysis applicable for any functional determinants. This provides a superfamily residue-level rationale for conformational selection and allosteric communication by ligands and G proteins, laying the foundation for receptor-function studies and drugs with the desired modality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Hauser
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Albert J Kooistra
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christian Munk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Data Tools Department, Novozymes A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Franziska M Heydenreich
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Dmitry B Veprintsev
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Michel Bouvier
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - M Madan Babu
- Department of Structural Biology and Center for Data Driven Discovery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - David E Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Frizzled 7 Activates β-Catenin-Dependent and β-Catenin-Independent Wnt Signalling Pathways During Developmental Morphogenesis: Implications for Therapeutic Targeting in Colorectal Cancer. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021. [PMID: 34455486 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_524] [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] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Frizzled7 activates β-catenin-dependent and β-catenin-independent Wnt signalling pathways, is highly conserved through evolution from the ancient phylum hydra to man, plays essential roles in stem cells, tissue homeostasis and regeneration in the adult, and is upregulated in diverse cancers. Much of what is known about the core components of the Wnt signalling pathways was derived from studying the function of Frizzled7 orthologues in the development of lower organism. As we interrogate Frizzled7 signalling and function for therapeutic targeting in cancer, it is timely to revisit lower organisms to gain insight into the context dependent and dynamic nature of Wnt signalling for effective drug design.
Collapse
|
26
|
Lu S, He X, Yang Z, Chai Z, Zhou S, Wang J, Rehman AU, Ni D, Pu J, Sun J, Zhang J. Activation pathway of a G protein-coupled receptor uncovers conformational intermediates as targets for allosteric drug design. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4721. [PMID: 34354057 PMCID: PMC8342441 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25020-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most common proteins targeted by approved drugs. A complete mechanistic elucidation of large-scale conformational transitions underlying the activation mechanisms of GPCRs is of critical importance for therapeutic drug development. Here, we apply a combined computational and experimental framework integrating extensive molecular dynamics simulations, Markov state models, site-directed mutagenesis, and conformational biosensors to investigate the conformational landscape of the angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor (AT1 receptor) - a prototypical class A GPCR-activation. Our findings suggest a synergistic transition mechanism for AT1 receptor activation. A key intermediate state is identified in the activation pathway, which possesses a cryptic binding site within the intracellular region of the receptor. Mutation of this cryptic site prevents activation of the downstream G protein signaling and β-arrestin-mediated pathways by the endogenous AngII octapeptide agonist, suggesting an allosteric regulatory mechanism. Together, these findings provide a deeper understanding of AT1 receptor activation at an atomic level and suggest avenues for the design of allosteric AT1 receptor modulators with a broad range of applications in GPCR biology, biophysics, and medicinal chemistry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyong Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xinheng He
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Material Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zongtao Chai
- Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuhua Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Junyan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Ashfaq Ur Rehman
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Duan Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Pu
- Department of Cardiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinpeng Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory Experimental Teratology of Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Turku A, Schihada H, Kozielewicz P, Bowin CF, Schulte G. Residue 6.43 defines receptor function in class F GPCRs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3919. [PMID: 34168128 PMCID: PMC8225760 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24004-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The class Frizzled of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), consisting of ten Frizzled (FZD1-10) subtypes and Smoothened (SMO), remains one of the most enigmatic GPCR families. While SMO relies on cholesterol binding to the 7TM core of the receptor to activate downstream signaling, underlying details of receptor activation remain obscure for FZDs. Here, we aimed to investigate the activation mechanisms of class F receptors utilizing a computational biology approach and mutational analysis of receptor function in combination with ligand binding and downstream signaling assays in living cells. Our results indicate that FZDs differ substantially from SMO in receptor activation-associated conformational changes. SMO manifests a preference for a straight TM6 in both ligand binding and functional readouts. Similar to the majority of GPCRs, FZDs present with a kinked TM6 upon activation owing to the presence of residue P6.43. Functional comparison of FZD and FZD P6.43F mutants in different assay formats monitoring ligand binding, G protein activation, DVL2 recruitment and TOPflash activity, however, underlines further the functional diversity among FZDs and not only between FZDs and SMO.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ainoleena Turku
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, Stockholm, Sweden
- Orion Pharma R&D, Espoo, Finland
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Sec. Receptor Biology & Signaling, Biomedicum 6D, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kozielewicz P, Shekhani R, Moser S, Bowin CF, Wesslowski J, Davidson G, Schulte G. Quantitative Profiling of WNT-3A Binding to All Human Frizzled Paralogues in HEK293 Cells by NanoBiT/BRET Assessments. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:1235-1245. [PMID: 34151213 PMCID: PMC8205236 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The WNT signaling
system governs critical processes during embryonic
development and tissue homeostasis, and its dysfunction can lead to
cancer. Details concerning selectivity and differences in relative
binding affinities of 19 mammalian WNTs to the cysteine-rich domain
(CRD) of their receptors—the ten mammalian Frizzleds (FZDs)—remain
unclear. Here, we used eGFP-tagged mouse WNT-3A for a systematic analysis
of WNT interaction with every human FZD paralogue in HEK293A cells.
Employing HiBiT-tagged full-length FZDs, we studied eGFP-WNT-3A binding
kinetics, saturation binding, and competition binding with commercially
available WNTs in live HEK293A cells using a NanoBiT/BRET-based assay.
Further, we generated receptor chimeras to dissect the contribution
of the transmembrane core to WNT-CRD binding. Our data pinpoint distinct
WNT-FZD selectivity and shed light on the complex WNT-FZD binding
mechanism. The methodological development described herein reveals
yet unappreciated details of the complexity of WNT signaling and WNT-FZD
interactions, providing further details with respect to WNT-FZD selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rawan Shekhani
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefanie Moser
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Janine Wesslowski
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gary Davidson
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Zhou Y, Meng J, Xu C, Liu J. Multiple GPCR Functional Assays Based on Resonance Energy Transfer Sensors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:611443. [PMID: 34041234 PMCID: PMC8141573 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.611443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent one of the largest membrane protein families that participate in various physiological and pathological activities. Accumulating structural evidences have revealed how GPCR activation induces conformational changes to accommodate the downstream G protein or β-arrestin. Multiple GPCR functional assays have been developed based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) sensors to monitor the conformational changes in GPCRs, GPCR/G proteins, or GPCR/β-arrestin, especially over the past two decades. Here, we will summarize how these sensors have been optimized to increase the sensitivity and compatibility for application in different GPCR classes using various labeling strategies, meanwhile provide multiple solutions in functional assays for high-throughput drug screening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhou
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiyong Meng
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chanjuan Xu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Cellular Signaling Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Yun R, Zhan F, Wang X, Zhang B, Sheng T, Xin Z, Mao J, Liu S, Zheng B. Design of Binary Cu-Fe Sites Coordinated with Nitrogen Dispersed in the Porous Carbon for Synergistic CO 2 Electroreduction. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2006951. [PMID: 33373107 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202006951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
To relieve the green gas emission and involve the carbon neutral cycle, electrochemical reduction of CO2 attracts more and more attention. Herein, a biatomic site catalyst of Cu-Fe coordinated with the nitrogen, which is doped in the carbon matrix (denoted as Cu-Fe-N6 -C), is designed. The as-obtained Cu-Fe-N6 -C exhibits higher performance than that of Cu-N-C and Fe-N-C, owing to bimetallic sites, proving synergistic functions based on different molecules and their interfaces. Cu-Fe-N6 -C shows high selectivity toward CO, with high Faradaic efficiency (98% at -0.7 V), and maintaining 98% of its initial selectivity after 10 h electrolysis. The experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal that the synergistic catalysis of different metallic sites enlarges the adsorption enthalpy of CO2 , reducing the activation energy result in generating high selectivity, activity, stability, and low impedance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruirui Yun
- The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 214001, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry and Molecular Simulation of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, P. R. China
| | - Feiyang Zhan
- The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 214001, P. R. China
| | - Xinjian Wang
- Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui, 243002, P. R. China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 214001, P. R. China
| | - Tian Sheng
- The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 214001, P. R. China
| | - Zhifeng Xin
- Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Anhui University of Technology, Ma'anshan, Anhui, 243002, P. R. China
| | - Junjie Mao
- The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 214001, P. R. China
| | - Shoujie Liu
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Guangdong Laboratory, Shantou, 515063, P. R. China
| | - Baishu Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry and Molecular Simulation of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
De Palma A, Nalesso G. WNT Signalling in Osteoarthritis and Its Pharmacological Targeting. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 269:337-356. [PMID: 34510305 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly disabling musculoskeletal condition affecting millions of people worldwide. OA is characterised by progressive destruction and irreversible morphological changes of joint tissues and architecture. At molecular level, de-regulation of several pathways contributes to the disruption of tissue homeostasis in the joint. Overactivation of the WNT/β-catenin signalling pathway has been associated with degenerative processes in OA. However, the multiple layers of complexity in the modulation of the signalling and the still insufficient knowledge of the specific molecular drivers of pathogenetic mechanisms have made difficult the pharmacological targeting of this pathway for therapeutic purposes. This review aims to provide an overview of the WNT/β-catenin signalling in OA with a particular focus on its role in the articular cartilage. Pathway components whose targeting showed therapeutic potential will be highlighted and described. A specific section will be dedicated to Lorecivivint, the first inhibitor of the β-catenin-dependent pathway currently in phase III clinical trial as OA-modifying agent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna De Palma
- Department of Veterinary Pre-Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Giovanna Nalesso
- Department of Veterinary Pre-Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Deconvolution of WNT-induced Frizzled conformational dynamics with fluorescent biosensors. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 177:112948. [PMID: 33486136 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The G protein-coupled receptors Frizzled1-10 (FZD1-10) act as molecular checkpoints mediating intracellular signaling induced by 19 mammalian, secreted Wingless/Int-1 lipoglycoproteins (WNTs). Despite the vital roles of these signaling components in health and disease, our knowledge about WNT/FZD selectivity, and the mechanisms of receptor activation and intracellular signal propagation by individual ligand/receptor pairs is limited due to the current lack of suitable biophysical techniques. Here, we developed fluorescence-based biosensors that detect WNT-induced FZD conformational changes in living cells in order to assess WNT action via FZDs at the most proximal level, i.e. the receptor conformation. By testing a panel of recombinant ligands on conformational biosensors representing all four homology clusters of FZDs, we discover yet unappreciated selectivities of WNTs to their receptors and, surprisingly, identify distinct ligand-induced receptor conformations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FZDs can undergo conformational changes upon WNT binding without being dependent on the WNT co-receptors LRP5/6. This sensor toolbox provides an advanced platform for a thorough investigation of the 190 possible WNT/FZD pairings and for future screening campaigns targeting synthetic FZD ligands. Furthermore, our findings shed new light on the complexity of the WNT/FZD signaling system and have substantial implications for our understanding of fundamental biological processes including embryonal development and tumorigenesis.
Collapse
|
33
|
Maziarz M, Federico A, Zhao J, Dujmusic L, Zhao Z, Monti S, Varelas X, Garcia-Marcos M. Naturally occurring hotspot cancer mutations in Gα 13 promote oncogenic signaling. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:16897-16904. [PMID: 33109615 PMCID: PMC7864081 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ac120.014698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterotrimeric G-proteins are signaling switches broadly divided into four families based on the sequence and functional similarity of their Gα subunits: Gs, Gi/o, Gq/11, and G12/13 Artificial mutations that activate Gα subunits of each of these families have long been known to induce oncogenic transformation in experimental systems. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, activating hotspot mutations in Gs, Gi/o, or Gq/11 proteins have also been identified in patient tumor samples. In contrast, patient tumor-associated G12/13 mutations characterized to date lead to inactivation rather than activation. By using bioinformatic pathway analysis and signaling assays, here we identified cancer-associated hotspot mutations in Arg-200 of Gα13 (encoded by GNA13) as potent activators of oncogenic signaling. First, we found that components of a G12/13-dependent signaling cascade that culminates in activation of the Hippo pathway effectors YAP and TAZ is frequently altered in bladder cancer. Up-regulation of this signaling cascade correlates with increased YAP/TAZ activation transcriptional signatures in this cancer type. Among the G12/13 pathway alterations were mutations in Arg-200 of Gα13, which we validated to promote YAP/TAZ-dependent (TEAD) and MRTF-A/B-dependent (SRE.L) transcriptional activity. We further showed that this mechanism relies on the same RhoGEF-RhoGTPase cascade components that are up-regulated in bladder cancers. Moreover, Gα13 Arg-200 mutants induced oncogenic transformation in vitro as determined by focus formation assays. In summary, our findings on Gα13 mutants establish that naturally occurring hotspot mutations in Gα subunits of any of the four families of heterotrimeric G-proteins are putative cancer drivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Maziarz
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anthony Federico
- Section of Computational Biomedicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jingyi Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lorena Dujmusic
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhiming Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stefano Monti
- Section of Computational Biomedicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xaralabos Varelas
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Data analysis of molecular dynamics simulation trajectories of β-sitosterol, sonidegib and cholesterol in smoothened protein with the CHARMM36 force field. Data Brief 2020; 33:106350. [PMID: 33083505 PMCID: PMC7554031 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Inactivation of smoothened protein (SMO) by the antagonists in SHH-driven cancer types is essential for inhibition of cancer progression. This article presents molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of water solution of three protein-ligand complexes smoothened-β-sitosterol (SMO-BST), smoothened-sonidegib (SMO-SNG) and smoothened-cholesterol (SMO-CLR) using CHARMM36 and SPC/E water model combination. Additionally, the work presents the topologies and trajectories of GROMACS files that were employed to analyse the protein-ligand interaction types (PyContact) and binding energy calculation (g_mmpbsa). The data demonstrated that equilibrated models of SMO-SNG and SMO-CLR complexes showed crucial residues that almost similar for interaction and contribution energy as previously reported in laboratory setup (in vitro). Initial simulations confirmed the role of ARG451 and TRP535 in the dynamic regulation of SMO. These data then were used as a reference for understanding the molecular dynamics of SMO-BST complex and thus predicted its mechanism of action.
Collapse
|
35
|
Tsutsumi N, Mukherjee S, Waghray D, Janda CY, Jude KM, Miao Y, Burg JS, Aduri NG, Kossiakoff AA, Gati C, Garcia KC. Structure of human Frizzled5 by fiducial-assisted cryo-EM supports a heterodimeric mechanism of canonical Wnt signaling. eLife 2020; 9:e58464. [PMID: 32762848 PMCID: PMC7442489 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Frizzleds (Fzd) are the primary receptors for Wnt morphogens, which are essential regulators of stem cell biology, yet the structural basis of Wnt signaling through Fzd remains poorly understood. Here we report the structure of an unliganded human Fzd5 determined by single-particle cryo-EM at 3.7 Å resolution, with the aid of an antibody chaperone acting as a fiducial marker. We also analyzed the topology of low-resolution XWnt8/Fzd5 complex particles, which revealed extreme flexibility between the Wnt/Fzd-CRD and the Fzd-TM regions. Analysis of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in response to Wnt3a versus a 'surrogate agonist' that cross-links Fzd to LRP6, revealed identical structure-activity relationships. Thus, canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling appears to be principally reliant on ligand-induced Fzd/LRP6 heterodimerization, versus the allosteric mechanisms seen in structurally analogous class A G protein-coupled receptors, and Smoothened. These findings deepen our mechanistic understanding of Wnt signal transduction, and have implications for harnessing Wnt agonism in regenerative medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naotaka Tsutsumi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Somnath Mukherjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Deepa Waghray
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Claudia Y Janda
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric OncologyUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Kevin M Jude
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Yi Miao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - John S Burg
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Nanda Gowtham Aduri
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Bioscience DivisionMenlo ParkUnited States
| | - Anthony A Kossiakoff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Cornelius Gati
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Bioscience DivisionMenlo ParkUnited States
| | - K Christopher Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Sutkeviciute I, Vilardaga JP. Structural insights into emergent signaling modes of G protein-coupled receptors. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:11626-11642. [PMID: 32571882 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.009348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the largest family of cell membrane proteins, with >800 GPCRs in humans alone, and recognize highly diverse ligands, ranging from photons to large protein molecules. Very important to human medicine, GPCRs are targeted by about 35% of prescription drugs. GPCRs are characterized by a seven-transmembrane α-helical structure, transmitting extracellular signals into cells to regulate major physiological processes via heterotrimeric G proteins and β-arrestins. Initially viewed as receptors whose signaling via G proteins is delimited to the plasma membrane, it is now recognized that GPCRs signal also at various intracellular locations, and the mechanisms and (patho)physiological relevance of such signaling modes are actively investigated. The propensity of GPCRs to adopt different signaling modes is largely encoded in the structural plasticity of the receptors themselves and of their signaling complexes. Here, we review emerging modes of GPCR signaling via endosomal membranes and the physiological implications of such signaling modes. We further summarize recent structural insights into mechanisms of GPCR activation and signaling. We particularly emphasize the structural mechanisms governing the continued GPCR signaling from endosomes and the structural aspects of the GPCR resensitization mechanism and discuss the recently uncovered and important roles of lipids in these processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ieva Sutkeviciute
- Laboratory for GPCR Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Vilardaga
- Laboratory for GPCR Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Wesslowski J, Kozielewicz P, Wang X, Cui H, Schihada H, Kranz D, Karuna M P, Levkin P, Gross JC, Boutros M, Schulte G, Davidson G. eGFP-tagged Wnt-3a enables functional analysis of Wnt trafficking and signaling and kinetic assessment of Wnt binding to full-length Frizzled. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:8759-8774. [PMID: 32381507 PMCID: PMC7324525 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wingless/Int1 (Wnt) signaling system plays multiple, essential roles in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and human diseases. Although many of the underlying signaling mechanisms are becoming clearer, the binding mode, kinetics, and selectivity of 19 mammalian WNTs to their receptors of the class Frizzled (FZD1–10) remain obscure. Attempts to investigate Wnt-FZD interactions are hampered by the difficulties in working with Wnt proteins and their recalcitrance to epitope tagging. Here, we used a fluorescently tagged version of mouse Wnt-3a for studying Wnt-FZD interactions. We observed that the enhanced GFP (eGFP)-tagged Wnt-3a maintains properties akin to wild-type (WT) Wnt-3a in several biologically relevant contexts. The eGFP-tagged Wnt-3a was secreted in an evenness interrupted (EVI)/Wntless-dependent manner, activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in 2D and 3D cell culture experiments, promoted axis duplication in Xenopus embryos, stimulated low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) phosphorylation in cells, and associated with exosomes. Further, we used conditioned medium containing eGFP-Wnt-3a to visualize its binding to FZD and to quantify Wnt-FZD interactions in real time in live cells, utilizing a recently established NanoBRET-based ligand binding assay. In summary, the development of a biologically active, fluorescent Wnt-3a reported here opens up the technical possibilities to unravel the intricate biology of Wnt signaling and Wnt-receptor selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janine Wesslowski
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xianxian Wang
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Haijun Cui
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hannes Schihada
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dominique Kranz
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pradhipa Karuna M
- Hematology and Oncology/Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Pavel Levkin
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Julia Christina Gross
- Hematology and Oncology/Developmental Biochemistry, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Michael Boutros
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gary Davidson
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Che T, English J, Krumm BE, Kim K, Pardon E, Olsen RHJ, Wang S, Zhang S, Diberto JF, Sciaky N, Carroll FI, Steyaert J, Wacker D, Roth BL. Nanobody-enabled monitoring of kappa opioid receptor states. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1145. [PMID: 32123179 PMCID: PMC7052193 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14889-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show that GPCRs rapidly interconvert between multiple states although our ability to interrogate, monitor and visualize them is limited by a relative lack of suitable tools. We previously reported two nanobodies (Nb39 and Nb6) that stabilize distinct ligand- and efficacy-delimited conformations of the kappa opioid receptor. Here, we demonstrate via X-ray crystallography a nanobody-targeted allosteric binding site by which Nb6 stabilizes a ligand-dependent inactive state. As Nb39 stabilizes an active-like state, we show how these two state-dependent nanobodies can provide real-time reporting of ligand stabilized states in cells in situ. Significantly, we demonstrate that chimeric GPCRs can be created with engineered nanobody binding sites to report ligand-stabilized states. Our results provide both insights regarding potential mechanisms for allosterically modulating KOR with nanobodies and a tool for reporting the real-time, in situ dynamic range of GPCR activity.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Allosteric Site
- Binding Sites
- Biosensing Techniques
- Crystallography, X-Ray
- Cyclic AMP/metabolism
- Dynorphins/chemistry
- Dynorphins/pharmacology
- HEK293 Cells
- Humans
- Luminescent Measurements/methods
- Piperazines/chemistry
- Piperazines/pharmacology
- Piperidines/chemistry
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- Protein Conformation
- Pyrrolidines/chemistry
- Pyrrolidines/pharmacology
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/chemistry
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/chemistry
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/chemistry
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Single-Domain Antibodies/chemistry
- Single-Domain Antibodies/metabolism
- Tetrahydroisoquinolines/chemistry
- Tetrahydroisoquinolines/pharmacology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Che
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Justin English
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brian E Krumm
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kuglae Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Els Pardon
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, 1050, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
| | - Reid H J Olsen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shicheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey F Diberto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Noah Sciaky
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - F Ivy Carroll
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jan Steyaert
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, 1050, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, VIB, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
| | - Daniel Wacker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (NIMH PDSP), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
DiGiacomo V, Maziarz M, Luebbers A, Norris JM, Laksono P, Garcia-Marcos M. Probing the mutational landscape of regulators of G protein signaling proteins in cancer. Sci Signal 2020; 13:13/617/eaax8620. [PMID: 32019900 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aax8620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The advent of deep-sequencing techniques has revealed that mutations in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways in cancer are more prominent than was previously appreciated. An emergent theme is that cancer-associated mutations tend to cause enhanced GPCR pathway activation to favor oncogenicity. Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are critical modulators of GPCR signaling that dampen the activity of heterotrimeric G proteins through their GTPase-accelerating protein (GAP) activity, which is conferred by a conserved domain dubbed the "RGS-box." Here, we developed an experimental pipeline to systematically assess the mutational landscape of RGS GAPs in cancer. A pan-cancer bioinformatics analysis of the 20 RGS domains with GAP activity revealed hundreds of low-frequency mutations spread throughout the conserved RGS domain structure with a slight enrichment at positions that interface with G proteins. We empirically tested multiple mutations representing all RGS GAP subfamilies and sampling both G protein interface and noninterface positions with a scalable, yeast-based assay. Last, a subset of mutants was validated using G protein activity biosensors in mammalian cells. Our findings reveal that a sizable fraction of RGS protein mutations leads to a loss of function through various mechanisms, including disruption of the G protein-binding interface, loss of protein stability, or allosteric effects on G protein coupling. Moreover, our results also validate a scalable pipeline for the rapid characterization of cancer-associated mutations in RGS proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent DiGiacomo
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Marcin Maziarz
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Alex Luebbers
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Jillian M Norris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Pandu Laksono
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Kozielewicz P, Turku A, Bowin CF, Petersen J, Valnohova J, Cañizal MCA, Ono Y, Inoue A, Hoffmann C, Schulte G. Structural insight into small molecule action on Frizzleds. Nat Commun 2020; 11:414. [PMID: 31964872 PMCID: PMC6972889 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14149-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
WNT-Frizzled (FZD) signaling plays a critical role in embryonic development, stem cell regulation and tissue homeostasis. FZDs are linked to severe human pathology and are seen as a promising target for therapy. Despite intense efforts, no small molecule drugs with distinct efficacy have emerged. Here, we identify the Smoothened agonist SAG1.3 as a partial agonist of FZD6 with limited subtype selectivity. Employing extensive in silico analysis, resonance energy transfer- and luciferase-based assays we describe the mode of action of SAG1.3. We define the ability of SAG1.3 to bind to FZD6 and to induce conformational changes in the receptor, recruitment and activation of G proteins and dynamics in FZD–Dishevelled interaction. Our results provide the proof-of-principle that FZDs are targetable by small molecules acting on their seven transmembrane spanning core. Thus, we provide a starting point for a structure-guided and mechanism-based drug discovery process to exploit the potential of FZDs as therapeutic targets. WNT-Frizzled (FZD) signaling plays a critical role in embryonic development, tissue homeostasis and human disease but no small molecule drugs targeting FZD with distinct efficacy have emerged so far. Here, authors identify the Smoothened agonist SAG1.3 as a partial agonist for FZD6 with limited subtype selectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julian Petersen
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jana Valnohova
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Consuelo Alonso Cañizal
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 9, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, CMB-Center for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 2, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Yuki Ono
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Carsten Hoffmann
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 9, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, CMB-Center for Molecular Biomedicine, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 2, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, S-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Kozielewicz P, Bowin CF, Turku A, Schulte G. A NanoBRET-Based Binding Assay for Smoothened Allows Real-time Analysis of Ligand Binding and Distinction of Two Binding Sites for BODIPY-cyclopamine. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 97:23-34. [PMID: 31707356 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.118158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoothened (SMO) is a GPCR that mediates hedgehog signaling. Hedgehog binds the transmembrane protein Patched, which in turn regulates SMO activation. Overactive SMO signaling is oncogenic and is therefore a clinically established drug target. Here we establish a nanoluciferase bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (NanoBRET)-based ligand binding assay for SMO providing a sensitive and high throughput-compatible addition to the toolbox of GPCR pharmacologists. In the NanoBRET-based binding assay, SMO is N terminally tagged with nanoluciferase (Nluc) and binding of BODIPY-cyclopamine is assessed by quantifying resonance energy transfer between receptor and ligand. The assay allowed kinetic analysis of ligand-receptor binding in living HEK293 cells, competition binding experiments using commercially available SMO ligands (SANT-1, cyclopamine-KAAD, SAG1.3 and purmorphamine), and pharmacological dissection of two BODIPY-cyclopamine binding sites. This high throughput-compatible assay is superior to commonly used SMO ligand binding assays in the separation of specific from non-specific ligand binding and, provides a suitable complement to chemical biology strategies for the discovery of novel SMO-targeting drugs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We established a NanoBRET-based binding assay for SMO with superior sensitivity compared to fluorescence-based assays. This assay allows distinction of two separate binding sites for BODIPY-cyclopamine on the SMO transmembrane core in live cells in real time. The assay is a valuable complement for drug discovery efforts and will support a better understanding of Class F GPCR pharmacology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Kozielewicz P, Turku A, Schulte G. Molecular Pharmacology of Class F Receptor Activation. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 97:62-71. [PMID: 31591260 DOI: 10.1124/mol.119.117986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The class Frizzled (FZD) or class F of G protein-coupled receptors consists of 10 FZD paralogues and Smoothened (SMO). FZDs coordinate wingless/Int-1 signaling and SMO mediates Hedgehog signaling. Class F receptor signaling is intrinsically important for embryonic development and its dysregulation leads to diseases, including diverse forms of tumors. With regard to the importance of class F signaling in human disease, these receptors provide an attractive target for therapeutics, exemplified by the use of SMO antagonists for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. Here, we review recent structural insights in combination with a more detailed functional understanding of class F receptor activation, G protein coupling, conformation-based functional selectivity, and mechanistic details of activating cancer mutations, which will lay the basis for further development of class F-targeting small molecules for human therapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Stimulated by recent insights into the activation mechanisms of class F receptors from structural and functional analysis of Frizzled and Smoothened, we aim to summarize what we know about the molecular details of ligand binding, agonist-driven conformational changes, and class F receptor activation. A better understanding of receptor activation mechanisms will allow us to engage in structure- and mechanism-driven drug discovery with the potential to develop more isoform-selective and potentially pathway-selective drugs for human therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ainoleena Turku
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Kowatsch C, Woolley RE, Kinnebrew M, Rohatgi R, Siebold C. Structures of vertebrate Patched and Smoothened reveal intimate links between cholesterol and Hedgehog signalling. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 57:204-214. [PMID: 31247512 PMCID: PMC6744280 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The Hedgehog (HH) signalling pathway is a cell-cell communication system that controls the patterning of multiple tissues during embryogenesis in metazoans. In adults, HH signals regulate tissue stem cells and regenerative responses. Abnormal signalling can cause birth defects and cancer. The HH signal is received on target cells by Patched (PTCH1), the receptor for HH ligands, and then transmitted across the plasma membrane by Smoothened (SMO). Recent structural and biochemical studies have pointed to a sterol lipid, likely cholesterol itself, as the elusive second messenger that communicates the HH signal between PTCH1 and SMO, thus linking ligand reception to transmembrane signalling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Kowatsch
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rachel E Woolley
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Maia Kinnebrew
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Rajat Rohatgi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
| | - Christian Siebold
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Bowin CF, Inoue A, Schulte G. WNT-3A-induced β-catenin signaling does not require signaling through heterotrimeric G proteins. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:11677-11684. [PMID: 31235524 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ac119.009412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The network of Wingless/Int-1 (WNT)-induced signaling pathways includes β-catenin-dependent and -independent pathways. β-Catenin regulates T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer-binding factor (TCF/LEF)-mediated gene transcription, and in response to WNTs, β-catenin signaling is initiated through engagement of a Frizzled (FZD)/LDL receptor-related protein 5/6 (LRP5/6) receptor complex. FZDs are G protein-coupled receptors, but the question of whether heterotrimeric G proteins are involved in WNT/β-catenin signaling remains unanswered. Here, we investigate whether acute activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling by purified WNT-3A requires functional signaling through heterotrimeric G proteins. Using genome editing, we ablated expression of Gs/Golf/Gq/G11/G12/G13/Gz in HEK293 (ΔG7) cells, leaving the expression of pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive Gi/o proteins unchanged, to assess whether WNT-3A activates WNT/β-catenin signaling in WT and ΔG7 cells devoid of functional G protein signaling. We monitored WNT-3A-induced activation by detection of phosphorylation of LDL receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6), electrophoretic mobility shift of the phosphoprotein Dishevelled (DVL), β-catenin stabilization and dephosphorylation, and TCF-dependent transcription. We found that purified, recombinant WNT-3A efficiently induces WNT/β-catenin signaling in ΔG7 cells in both the absence and presence of Gi/o-blocking PTX. Furthermore, cells completely devoid of G protein expression, so called Gα-depleted HEK293 cells, maintain responsiveness to WNT-3A with regard to the hallmarks of WNT/β-catenin signaling. These findings corroborate the concept that heterotrimeric G proteins are not required for this FZD- and DVL-mediated signaling branch. Our observations agree with previous results arguing for FZD conformation-dependent functional selectivity between DVL and heterotrimeric G proteins. In conclusion, WNT/β-catenin signaling through FZDs does not require the involvement of heterotrimeric G proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Fredrik Bowin
- Section for Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum (6D), Solnavägen 9, SE-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Gunnar Schulte
- Section for Receptor Biology and Signaling, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum (6D), Solnavägen 9, SE-17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Cryo-EM structure of oxysterol-bound human Smoothened coupled to a heterotrimeric G i. Nature 2019; 571:279-283. [PMID: 31168089 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1286-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The oncoprotein Smoothened (SMO), a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) of the Frizzled-class (class-F), transduces the Hedgehog signal from the tumour suppressor Patched-1 (PTCH1) to the glioma-associated-oncogene (GLI) transcription factors, which activates the Hedgehog signalling pathway1,2. It has remained unknown how PTCH1 modulates SMO, how SMO is stimulated to form a complex with heterotrimeric G proteins and whether G-protein coupling contributes to the activation of GLI proteins3. Here we show that 24,25-epoxycholesterol, which we identify as an endogenous ligand of PTCH1, can stimulate Hedgehog signalling in cells and can trigger G-protein signalling via human SMO in vitro. We present a cryo-electron microscopy structure of human SMO bound to 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol and coupled to a heterotrimeric Gi protein. The structure reveals a ligand-binding site for 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol in the 7-transmembrane region, as well as a Gi-coupled activation mechanism of human SMO. Notably, the Gi protein presents a different arrangement from that of class-A GPCR-Gi complexes. Our work provides molecular insights into Hedgehog signal transduction and the activation of a class-F GPCR.
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
Signaling pathways that mediate cell-cell communication are essential for collective cell behaviors in multicellular systems. The hedgehog (HH) pathway, first discovered and elucidated in Drosophila, is one of these iconic signaling systems that plays many roles during embryogenesis and in adults; abnormal HH signaling can lead to birth defects and cancer. We review recent structural and biochemical studies that have advanced our understanding of the vertebrate HH pathway, focusing on the mechanisms by which the HH signal is received by patched on target cells, transduced across the cell membrane by smoothened, and transmitted to the nucleus by GLI proteins to influence gene-expression programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Kong
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Christian Siebold
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Rajat Rohatgi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Schulte G, Kozielewicz P. Structural insight into Class F receptors - What have we learnt regarding agonist-induced activation? Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2019; 126 Suppl 6:17-24. [PMID: 30925000 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Class F receptors, including the ten Frizzleds (FZD1-10 ) and SMO, mediate the effects of WNTs and hedgehog proteins and belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). While the recent, high-resolution insight into mechanisms of GPCR activation provides a better understanding of receptor activation in Class A, B and C GPCRs, it remains unclear how Class F receptors bind their ligands, how ligand binding is translated to receptor activation and how signal initiation and specification are achieved. Here, we summarize recent efforts in elucidating Class F receptor structure and activation mechanisms and critically discuss the progress made in this area. A better understanding of the activation mechanisms of Class F receptors is required to engage in mechanism-based and structure-guided drug discovery to exploit the large therapeutic potential of targeting these receptors pharmacologically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar Schulte
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paweł Kozielewicz
- Section of Receptor Biology & Signaling, Department Physiology & Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|