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Korhonen PK, Wang T, Young ND, Byrne JJ, Campos TL, Chang BC, Taki AC, Gasser RB. Analysis of Haemonchus embryos at single cell resolution identifies two eukaryotic elongation factors as intervention target candidates. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1026-1035. [PMID: 38435301 PMCID: PMC10907403 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.01.008] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Advances in single cell technologies are allowing investigations of a wide range of biological processes and pathways in animals, such as the multicellular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans - a free-living nematode. However, there has been limited application of such technology to related parasitic nematodes which cause major diseases of humans and animals worldwide. With no vaccines against the vast majority of parasitic nematodes and treatment failures due to drug resistance or inefficacy, new intervention targets are urgently needed, preferably informed by a deep understanding of these nematodes' cellular and molecular biology - which is presently lacking for most worms. Here, we created the first single cell atlas for an early developmental stage of Haemonchus contortus - a highly pathogenic, C. elegans-related parasitic nematode. We obtained and curated RNA sequence (snRNA-seq) data from single nuclei from embryonating eggs of H. contortus (150,000 droplets), and selected high-quality transcriptomic data for > 14,000 single nuclei for analysis, and identified 19 distinct clusters of cells. Guided by comparative analyses with C. elegans, we were able to reproducibly assign seven cell clusters to body wall muscle, hypodermis, neuronal, intestinal or seam cells, and identified eight genes that were transcribed in all cell clusters/types, three of which were inferred to be essential in H. contortus. Two of these genes (i.e. Hc-eef-1A and Hc-eef1G), coding for eukaryotic elongation factors (called Hc-eEF1A and Hc-eEF1G), were also demonstrated to be transcribed and expressed in all key developmental stages of H. contortus. Together with these findings, sequence- and structure-based comparative analyses indicated the potential of Hc-eEF1A and/or Hc-eEF1G as intervention targets within the protein biosynthesis machinery of H. contortus. Future work will focus on single cell studies of all key developmental stages and tissues of H. contortus, and on evaluating the suitability of the two elongation factor proteins as drug targets in H. contortus and related nematodes, with a view to finding new nematocidal drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasi K. Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Neil D. Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph J. Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Tulio L. Campos
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Bill C.H. Chang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Aya C. Taki
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Wei S, Song Y, Li Z, Liu A, Xie Y, Gao S, Shi H, Sun P, Wang Z, Jin Y, Sun W, Li X, Li J, Liu Q. SMEK1 ablation promotes glucose uptake and improves obesity-related metabolic dysfunction via AMPK signaling pathway. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2024; 326:E776-E790. [PMID: 38568153 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00387.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Obesity has become a major risk of global public health. SMEK1 is also known as a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4). Both PP4 and SMEK1 have been clarified in many metabolic functions, including the regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis and glucose transporter gene expression in yeast. Whether SMEK1 participates in obesity and the broader metabolic role in mammals is unknown. Thus, we investigated the function of SMEK1 in white adipose tissue and glucose uptake. GWAS/GEPIA/GEO database was used to analyze the correlation between SMEK1 and metabolic phenotypes/lipid metabolism-related genes/obesity. Smek1 KO mice were generated to identify the role of SMEK1 in obesity and glucose homeostasis. Cell culture and differentiation of stromal-vascular fractions (SVFs) and 3T3-L1 were used to determine the mechanism. 2-NBDG was used to measure the glucose uptake. Compound C was used to confirm the role of AMPK. We elucidated that SMEK1 was correlated with obesity and adipogenesis. Smek1 deletion enhanced adipogenesis in both SVFs and 3T3-L1. Smek1 KO protected mice from obesity and had protective effects on metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance and inflammation. Smek1 KO mice had lower levels of fasting serum glucose. We found that SMEK1 ablation promoted glucose uptake by increasing p-AMPKα(T172) and the transcription of Glut4 when the effect on AMPK-regulated glucose uptake was due to the PP4 catalytic subunits (PPP4C). Our findings reveal a novel role of SMEK1 in obesity and glucose homeostasis, providing a potential new therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic dysfunction.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our study clarified the relationship between SMEK1 and obesity for the first time and validated the conclusion in multiple ways by combining available data from public databases, human samples, and animal models. In addition, we clarified the role of SMEK1 in glucose uptake, providing an in-depth interpretation for the study of its function in glucose metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijun Wei
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Song
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengbin Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ai Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfang Xie
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shang Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbiao Shi
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Sun
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zekun Wang
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yecheng Jin
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangxia Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiji Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, School of Health and Life Sciences University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
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Song L, Zhang S. Anti-Aging Activity and Modes of Action of Compounds from Natural Food Sources. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1600. [PMID: 38002283 PMCID: PMC10669485 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a natural and inescapable phenomenon characterized by a progressive deterioration of physiological functions, leading to increased vulnerability to chronic diseases and death. With economic and medical development, the elderly population is gradually increasing, which poses a great burden to society, the economy and the medical field. Thus, healthy aging has now become a common aspiration among people over the world. Accumulating evidence indicates that substances that can mediate the deteriorated physiological processes are highly likely to have the potential to prolong lifespan and improve aging-associated diseases. Foods from natural sources are full of bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids and vitamins. These bioactive compounds and their derivatives have been shown to be able to delay aging and/or improve aging-associated diseases, thereby prolonging lifespan, via regulation of various physiological processes. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the anti-aging activities of the compounds, polysaccharides, polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, terpenoids and vitamins from natural food sources, and their modes of action in delaying aging and improving aging-associated diseases. This will certainly provide a reference for further research on the anti-aging effects of bioactive compounds from natural food sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Song
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials of Zhangjiakou, College of Lab Medicine, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China;
| | - Shicui Zhang
- College of Life and Geographic Sciences, Kashi University, Kashi 844000, China
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Ecology of Pamirs Plateau, Kashi 844000, China
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China
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Huang Z, Cao H, Wang H, Huang P, Wang J, Cai Y, Wang Q, Li Y, Wang J, Liu X, Lin F, Lu J. The triglyceride catabolism regulated by a serine/threonine protein phosphatase, Smek1, is required for development and plant infection in Magnaporthe oryzae. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2023; 24:1256-1272. [PMID: 37357820 PMCID: PMC10502837 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Magnaporthe oryzae is a pathogenic fungus that seriously harms rice production. Phosphatases and carbon metabolism play crucial roles in the growth and development of eukaryotes. However, it remains unclear how serine/threonine phosphatases regulate the catabolism of triglycerides, a major form of stored lipids. In this study, we identified a serine/threonine protein phosphatase regulatory subunit, Smek1, which is required for the growth, conidiation, and virulence of M. oryzae. Deletion of SMEK1 led to defects in the utilization of lipids, arabinose, glycerol, and ethanol. In glucose medium, the expression of genes involved in lipolysis, long-chain fatty acid degradation, β-oxidation, and the glyoxylate cycle increased in the Δsmek1 mutant, which is consistent with ΔcreA in which a carbon catabolite repressor CREA was deleted. In lipid medium, the expression of genes involved in long-chain fatty acid degradation, β-oxidation, the glyoxylate cycle, and utilization of arabinose, ethanol, or glycerol decreased in the Δsmek1 mutant, which is consistent with Δcrf1 in which a transcription activator CRF1 required for carbon metabolism was deleted. Lipase activity, however, increased in the Δsmek1 mutant in both glucose and lipid media. Moreover, Smek1 directly interacted with CreA and Crf1, and dephosphorylated CreA and Crf1 in vivo. The phosphatase Smek1 is therefore a dual-function regulator of the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and controls fungal development and virulence by coordinating the functions of CreA and Crf1 in carbon catabolite repression (CCR) and derepression (CCDR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, College of Life SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Huijuan Cao
- Institute of Plant ProtectionJiangsu Academy of Agricultural SciencesNanjingChina
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, College of Life SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | | | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, Institute of Plant Protection and MicrobiologyZhejiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesHangzhouChina
| | - Ying‐Ying Cai
- Institute of BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, College of Life SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, College of Life SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Jiaoyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, Institute of Plant Protection and MicrobiologyZhejiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesHangzhouChina
| | - Xiao‐Hong Liu
- Institute of BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Fu‐Cheng Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, Institute of Plant Protection and MicrobiologyZhejiang Academy of Agricultural SciencesHangzhouChina
- Institute of BiotechnologyZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Jianping Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro‐Products, College of Life SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
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Chen D, Gao S, Gao F, Liu A, Li J, Li J, Liu Q. SMEK1 promotes lung adenocarcinoma proliferation and invasion by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Clin Transl Oncol 2023; 25:976-986. [PMID: 36463369 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-03001-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE SMEK1, also known as PP4R3α, the regulatory subunit 3α of serine and threonine phosphatase PP4, participates in diversely critical biological processes such as the integration of centromere, deacetylation of histones, asymmetric divisions of neuroblast, and other crucial cellular activities. SMEK1 was formerly reported to play a part in carcinogenesis. This study aims to reveal the role of SMEK1 in lung adenocarcinoma and the underlying molecular mechanism. METHODS Using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, the protein level of SMEK1 in lung adenocarcinoma and adjacent non-tumor tissue was detected. The functional role of SMEK1 in cell proliferation and invasion was explored using cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assay, respectively. Xenograft tumor experiment was used to investigate the effect of SMEK1 on tumor growth in vivo. The alteration of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was detected by Western blotting, quantitative PCR, and dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS SMEK1 was highly expressed at the protein level in lung adenocarcinoma compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissue. In vitro, suppression of SMEK1 significantly decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, while overexpression of SMEK1 enhanced above abilities. The xenograft model demonstrated that down-regulation of SMEK1 significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. In addition, we found that SMEK1 could positively regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. CONCLUSIONS SMEK1 exerts a cancer-promoting effect in lung adenocarcinoma by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chen
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shang Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Ai Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Jiangxia Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Jisheng Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
| | - Qiji Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, No. 44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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Dijkman HB, Slaats I, Hughes S. Exposure to silicone breast implant-infused media is detrimental to Caenorhabditis elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000732. [PMID: 36855740 PMCID: PMC9968400 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Women are raising concerns about breast implant illness (BII), a collective term for a range of symptoms attributed to gel bleed. To study this, Caenorhabditis elegans was exposed to increasing duration of gel bleed from silicone breast implants (SBI) and the impact on health parameters observed. SBI exposure results in a slight reduction in total brood size with the progeny having impaired mobility. Nematodes displayed stress characteristics and silicones were detected inside the animals, suggesting silicone uptake after exposure to SBI. Our data highlights the need for more investigations into the mechanisms and pathways impacted by SBI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inca Slaats
- HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Samantha Hughes
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Environmental Health and Toxicology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
,
Correspondence to: Samantha Hughes (
)
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Lonicera japonica polysaccharides improve longevity and fitness of Caenorhabditis elegans by activating DAF-16. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 229:81-91. [PMID: 36586650 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Polysaccharide is one of the main active ingredients in Lonicera japonica Thunb. (L. japonica). In this study, we examined the anti-aging activities of L.japonica polysaccharides (LJPs) and further explored the mechanisms. Polysaccharides from L.japonica including the crude LJP (CLJP) and the purified fraction (LJP-2-1) were characterized. The molecular weights of CLJP and LJP-2-1 were 1450 kDa and 1280 kDa, respectively. Meanwhile, CLJP was mainly composed of galacturonic acid (23.57 %), galactose (23.45 %) and arabinose (23.45 %). LJP-2-1 was mainly composed of galacturonic acid (51.25 %) and arabinose (22.89 %). In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), LJPs maximally prolonged mean lifespan by 13.97 %, promoted fitness with increased motility by 40.92 % and pharyngeal pumping by 25.72 %, and decreased lipofuscin accumulation by 38.9 % with intact body length and fecundity. Moreover, CLJP extended the mean lifespan of nematodes under oxidative and heat stress by 16.76 % and 14.05 % respectively by activating stress-related genes and the antioxidant system. Further, CLJP required DAF-16 to prolong the lifespan of nematodes. CLJP upregulated the expression of daf-16 and its targeted downstream genes, including sod-3, gst-4 and hsp-16.2. Moreover, nuclear accumulation of DAF-16 was promoted upon CLJP treatment. Together, our data uncover the role of LJPs in extending lifespan and healthspan through DAF-16.
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Mutation in Smek2 regulating hepatic glucose metabolism causes hypersarcosinemia and hyperhomocysteinemia in rats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3053. [PMID: 36810603 PMCID: PMC9944932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26115-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Suppressor of mek1 (Dictyostelium) homolog 2 (Smek2), was identified as one of the responsible genes for diet-induced hypercholesterolemia (DIHC) of exogenously hypercholesterolemic (ExHC) rats. A deletion mutation in Smek2 leads to DIHC via impaired glycolysis in the livers of ExHC rats. The intracellular role of Smek2 remains obscure. We used microarrays to investigate Smek2 functions with ExHC and ExHC.BN-Dihc2BN congenic rats that harbor a non-pathological Smek2 allele from Brown-Norway rats on an ExHC background. Microarray analysis revealed that Smek2 dysfunction leads to extremely low sarcosine dehydrogenase (Sardh) expression in the liver of ExHC rats. Sarcosine dehydrogenase demethylates sarcosine, a byproduct of homocysteine metabolism. The ExHC rats with dysfunctional Sardh developed hypersarcosinemia and homocysteinemia, a risk factor for atherosclerosis, with or without dietary cholesterol. The mRNA expression of Bhmt, a homocysteine metabolic enzyme and the hepatic content of betaine (trimethylglycine), a methyl donor for homocysteine methylation were low in ExHC rats. Results suggest that homocysteine metabolism rendered fragile by a shortage of betaine results in homocysteinemia, and that Smek2 dysfunction causes abnormalities in sarcosine and homocysteine metabolism.
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Wang F, Jin T, Li H, Long H, Liu Y, Jin S, Lu Y, Peng Y, Liu C, Zhao L, Wang X. Cannabidivarin alleviates α-synuclein aggregation via DAF-16 in Caenorhabditis elegans. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22735. [PMID: 36583706 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200278rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cannabidivarin (CBDV), a structural analog of cannabidiol (CBD), has received attention in recent years owing to its anticonvulsant property and potential for treating autism spectrum disorder. However, the function and mechanism of CBDV involved in the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) remain unclear. In this work, we found that CBDV inhibited α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation in an established transgenetic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The phenolic hydroxyl groups of CBDV are critical for scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing the in vivo aggregation of α-syn and preventing DAergic neurons from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced injury and degeneration. By combining multiple biophysical approaches, including nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and fibrillation kinetics assays, we confirmed that CBDV does not directly interact with α-syn or inhibit the formation of α-syn fibrils in vitro. Further cellular signaling investigation showed that the ability of CBDV to prevent oxidative stress, the accumulation of α-syn and the degeneration of DAergic neurons was mediated by DAF-16 in the worms. This study demonstrates that CBDV alleviates the aggregation of α-syn in vivo and reveals that the phenolic hydroxyl groups of CBDV are critical for this activity, providing a potential for the development of CBDV as a drug candidate for PD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangru Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Ting Jin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyuan Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Houfang Long
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animal, Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Sha Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yuyuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yinghua Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animal, Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihui Zhao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.,School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, China
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Rocha H, Simões PA, Budrewicz J, Lara-Gonzalez P, Carvalho AX, Dumont J, Desai A, Gassmann R. Nuclear-enriched protein phosphatase 4 ensures outer kinetochore assembly prior to nuclear dissolution. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:213846. [PMID: 36719399 PMCID: PMC9930252 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202208154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A landmark event in the transition from interphase to mitosis in metazoans is nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD). Important mitotic events occur prior to NEBD, including condensation of replicated chromosomes and assembly of kinetochores to rapidly engage spindle microtubules. Here, we show that nuclear-enriched protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) ensures robust assembly of the microtubule-coupling outer kinetochore prior to NEBD. In the absence of PP4, chromosomes exhibit extended monopolar orientation after NEBD and subsequently mis-segregate. A secondary consequence of diminished outer kinetochore assembly is defective sister chromatid resolution. After NEBD, a cytoplasmic activity compensates for PP4 loss, leading to outer kinetochore assembly and recovery of chromosomes from monopolar orientation to significant bi-orientation. The Ndc80-Ska microtubule-binding module of the outer kinetochore is required for this recovery. PP4 associates with the inner kinetochore protein CENP-C; however, disrupting the PP4-CENP-C interaction does not perturb chromosome segregation. These results establish that PP4-dependent outer kinetochore assembly prior to NEBD is critical for timely and proper engagement of chromosomes with spindle microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helder Rocha
- https://ror.org/05qpmg879Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde – i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular – IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Patrícia A. Simões
- https://ror.org/05qpmg879Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde – i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular – IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jacqueline Budrewicz
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA, USA,Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pablo Lara-Gonzalez
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA, USA,Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ana Xavier Carvalho
- https://ror.org/05qpmg879Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde – i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular – IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Julien Dumont
- https://ror.org/02c5gc203Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Arshad Desai
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA, USA,Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Reto Gassmann
- https://ror.org/05qpmg879Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde – i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular – IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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11
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Guo X, Luo J, Qi J, Zhao X, An P, Luo Y, Wang G. The Role and Mechanism of Polysaccharides in Anti-Aging. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14245330. [PMID: 36558488 PMCID: PMC9785760 DOI: 10.3390/nu14245330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The elderly proportion of the population is gradually increasing, which poses a great burden to society, the economy, and the medical field. Aging is a physiological process involving multiple organs and numerous reactions, and therefore it is not easily explained or defined. At present, a growing number of studies are focused on the mechanisms of aging and potential strategies to delay aging. Some clinical drugs have been demonstrated to have anti-aging effects; however, many still have deficits with respect to safety and long-term use. Polysaccharides are natural and efficient biological macromolecules that act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and immune regulators. Not surprisingly, these molecules have recently gained attention for their potential use in anti-aging therapies. In fact, multiple polysaccharides have been found to have excellent anti-aging effects in different animal models including Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and mice. The anti-aging qualities of polysaccharides have been linked to several mechanisms, such as improved antioxidant capacity, regulation of age-related gene expression, and improved immune function. Here, we summarize the current findings from research related to anti-aging polysaccharides based on various models, with a focus on the main anti-aging mechanisms of oxidative damage, age-related genes and pathways, immune modulation, and telomere attrition. This review aims to provide a reference for further research on anti-aging polysaccharides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlu Guo
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junjie Luo
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jingyi Qi
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiya Zhao
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Peng An
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yongting Luo
- Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (G.W.)
| | - Guisheng Wang
- Department of Radiology, the Third Medical Centre, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100039, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (G.W.)
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12
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Wang E, Wang N, Zou Y, Fahim M, Zhou Y, Yang H, Liu Y, Li H. Black mulberry (Morus nigra) fruit extract alleviated AD-Like symptoms induced by toxic Aβ protein in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans via insulin DAF-16 signaling pathway. Food Res Int 2022; 160:111696. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Tang Z, Qin Y, Wang Y, Lin W, Wang Q, Shen N, Xiao Y, Chen H, Chen H, Bu T, Li Q, Yao H, Feng S, Ding C. The endophytic fungus Penicillium oxalicum isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort possesses DNA damage-protecting potential and increases stress resistance properties in Caenorhabditis elegans. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:983716. [PMID: 36110524 PMCID: PMC9468742 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.983716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of extracts (POE) of Penicillium oxalate isolated from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort have been investigated. However, the biological activity of POE is limited, and its antioxidant, stress resistance and DNA protection effects in vivo are unclear. The current study aims to explore the beneficial effects of POE on DNA damage protection in pBR322 plasmid and lymphocytes and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that POE increased the survival rate of C. elegans under 35°C, UV and H2O2 stress, attenuated ROS and MDA accumulation, and enhanced the activity of some important enzymes (SOD, CTA, and GSH-PX). In addition, the POE-mediated stress resistance involved the upregulation of the expression of the sod-3, sod-5, gst-4, ctl-1, ctl-2, daf-16, hsp-16.1, hsp-16.2, and hsf-1 genes and acted dependently on daf-16 and hsf-1 rather than skn-1. Moreover, POE also reduced lipofuscin levels, but did not prolong the lifespan or damage the growth, reproduction and locomotion of C. elegans. Furthermore, POE showed a protective effect against DNA scission in the pBR322 plasmid and lymphocytes. These results suggested that P. oxalate extracts have significant anti-stress and DNA protection potential and could be potential drug candidates in the pharmaceutical field, thus greatly broadening the understanding of the biological effects of the endophytic fungus P. oxalate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhong Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
- *Correspondence: Zizhong Tang, ; Hui Chen,
| | - Yihan Qin
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Yueyu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Wenjie Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Qing Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Nayu Shen
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Yirong Xiao
- Sichuan Agricultural University Hospital, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Hong Chen
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Hui Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
- *Correspondence: Zizhong Tang, ; Hui Chen,
| | - Tongliang Bu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Qingfeng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Huipeng Yao
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Shiling Feng
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
| | - Chunbang Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, China
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14
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Gao F, Liu A, Qi X, Wang M, Chen X, Wei S, Gao S, Sun Y, Sun P, Li X, Sun W, Li J, Liu Q. Ppp4r3a deficiency leads to depression-like behaviors in mice by modulating the synthesis of synaptic proteins. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm049374. [PMID: 35314861 PMCID: PMC9150120 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049374] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress is one of the main risk factors for the onset of major depressive disorder. Chronic unpredictable mild stress results in reduced expression of synaptic proteins and depression-like behaviors in rodent models. However, the upstream molecule that senses the demand for synaptic proteins and initiates their synthesis under chronic stress remains unknown. In this study, chronic unpredictable mild stress reduced the expression of PPP4R3A in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in mice. Selective knockout of Ppp4r3a in the cortex and hippocampus mimicked the depression- and anxiety-like behavioral effects of chronic stress in mice. Notably, Ppp4r3a deficiency led to downregulated mTORC1 signaling, which resulted in reduced synthesis of synaptic proteins and impaired synaptic functions. By contrast, overexpression of Ppp4r3a in the cortex and hippocampus protected against behavioral and synaptic deficits induced by chronic stress in a PPP4R3A-mTORC1-dependent manner. Rapamycin treatment of Ppp4r3a-overexpressing neurons blocked the regulatory effect of Ppp4r3a on the synthesis of synaptic proteins by directly inhibiting mTORC1. Overall, our results reveal a regulatory role of Ppp4r3a in driving synaptic protein synthesis in chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qiji Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
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15
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Bin-Jumah MN, Nadeem MS, Gilani SJ, Al-Abbasi FA, Ullah I, Alzarea SI, Ghoneim MM, Alshehri S, Uddin A, Murtaza BN, Kazmi I. Genes and Longevity of Lifespan. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031499. [PMID: 35163422 PMCID: PMC8836117 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex process indicated by low energy levels, declined physiological activity, stress induced loss of homeostasis leading to the risk of diseases and mortality. Recent developments in medical sciences and an increased availability of nutritional requirements has significantly increased the average human lifespan worldwide. Several environmental and physiological factors contribute to the aging process. However, about 40% human life expectancy is inherited among generations, many lifespan associated genes, genetic mechanisms and pathways have been demonstrated during last decades. In the present review, we have evaluated many human genes and their non-human orthologs established for their role in the regulation of lifespan. The study has included more than fifty genes reported in the literature for their contributions to the longevity of life. Intact genomic DNA is essential for the life activities at the level of cell, tissue, and organ. Nucleic acids are vulnerable to oxidative stress, chemotherapies, and exposure to radiations. Efficient DNA repair mechanisms are essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity, damaged DNA is not replicated and transferred to next generations rather the presence of deleterious DNA initiates signaling cascades leading to the cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. DNA modifications, DNA methylation, histone methylation, histone acetylation and DNA damage can eventually lead towards apoptosis. The importance of calorie restriction therapy in the extension of lifespan has also been discussed. The role of pathways involved in the regulation of lifespan such as DAF-16/FOXO (forkhead box protein O1), TOR and JNK pathways has also been particularized. The study provides an updated account of genetic factors associated with the extended lifespan and their interactive contributory role with cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Nasser Bin-Jumah
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
- Environment and Biomaterial Unit, Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Shahid Nadeem
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Correspondence: (M.S.N.); (I.K.)
| | - Sadaf Jamal Gilani
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Fahad A. Al-Abbasi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Inam Ullah
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan;
| | - Sami I. Alzarea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72341, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohammed M. Ghoneim
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Ad Diriyah 13713, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Aziz Uddin
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Hazara University, Mansehra 21300, Pakistan;
| | - Bibi Nazia Murtaza
- Department of Zoology, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abbottabad 22310, Pakistan;
| | - Imran Kazmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Correspondence: (M.S.N.); (I.K.)
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16
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Mack HID, Kremer J, Albertini E, Mack EKM, Jansen-Dürr P. Regulation of fatty acid desaturase- and immunity gene-expression by mbk-1/DYRK1A in Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:25. [PMID: 34983389 PMCID: PMC8729107 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08176-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, longevity in response to germline ablation, but not in response to reduced insulin/IGF1-like signaling, is strongly dependent on the conserved protein kinase minibrain-related kinase 1 (MBK-1). In humans, the MBK-1 ortholog DYRK1A is associated with a variety of disorders, most prominently with neurological defects observed in Down syndrome. To better understand mbk-1's physiological roles and their dependence on genetic background, we analyzed the influence of mbk-1 loss on the transcriptomes of wildtype and long-lived, germline-deficient or insulin-receptor defective, C. elegans strains by RNA-sequencing. RESULTS mbk-1 loss elicited global changes in transcription that were less pronounced in insulin-receptor mutant than in germline-deficient or wildtype C. elegans. Irrespective of genetic background, mbk-1 regulated genes were enriched for functions in biological processes related to organic acid metabolism and pathogen defense. qPCR-studies confirmed mbk-1 dependent induction of all three C. elegans Δ9-fatty acid desaturases, fat-5, fat-6 and fat-7, in wildtype, germline-deficient and insulin-receptor mutant strains. Conversely, mbk-1 dependent expression patterns of selected pathogen resistance genes, including asp-12, dod-24 and drd-50, differed across the genetic backgrounds examined. Finally, cth-1 and cysl-2, two genes which connect pathogen resistance to the metabolism of the gaseous messenger and lifespan regulator hydrogen sulfide (H2S), were commonly suppressed by mbk-1 loss only in wildtype and germline-deficient, but not in insulin-receptor mutant C. elegans. CONCLUSION Our work reveals previously unknown roles of C. elegans mbk-1 in the regulation of fatty acid desaturase- and H2S metabolic-genes. These roles are only partially dependent on genetic background. Considering the particular importance of fatty acid desaturation and H2S for longevity of germline-deficient C. elegans, we propose that these processes at least in part account for the previous observation that mbk-1 preferentially regulates lifespan in these worms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hildegard I D Mack
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Rennweg 10, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Jennifer Kremer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Eva Albertini
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Rennweg 10, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Elisabeth K M Mack
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, and University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Pidder Jansen-Dürr
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Rennweg 10, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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17
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Vervoort SJ, Devlin JR, Kwiatkowski N, Teng M, Gray NS, Johnstone RW. Targeting transcription cycles in cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:5-24. [PMID: 34675395 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00411-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Accurate control of gene expression is essential for normal development and dysregulation of transcription underpins cancer onset and progression. Similar to cell cycle regulation, RNA polymerase II-driven transcription can be considered as a unidirectional multistep cycle, with thousands of unique transcription cycles occurring in concert within each cell. Each transcription cycle comprises recruitment, initiation, pausing, elongation, termination and recycling stages that are tightly controlled by the coordinated action of transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases and their cognate cyclins as well as the opposing activity of transcriptional phosphatases. Oncogenic dysregulation of transcription can entail defective control of gene expression, either at select loci or more globally, impacting a large proportion of the genome. The resultant dependency on the core-transcriptional machinery is believed to render 'transcriptionally addicted' cancers sensitive to perturbation of transcription. Based on these findings, small molecules targeting transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases and associated proteins hold promise for the treatment of cancer. Here, we utilize the transcription cycles concept to explain how dysregulation of these finely tuned gene expression processes may drive tumorigenesis and how therapeutically beneficial responses may arise from global or selective transcriptional perturbation. This conceptual framework helps to explain tumour-selective transcriptional dependencies and facilitates the rational design of combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephin J Vervoort
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jennifer R Devlin
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicholas Kwiatkowski
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mingxing Teng
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, CHEM-H and SCI, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Ricky W Johnstone
- Gene Regulation Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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18
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Liu H, Chu S, Wu Z. Loss of toll-like receptor 4 ameliorates cardiovascular dysfunction in aged mice. Immun Ageing 2021; 18:42. [PMID: 34740366 PMCID: PMC8569991 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-021-00251-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pattern recognition receptor of the innate immune system. TLR4 contributes to many aging-related chronic diseases. However, whether TLR4 is involved in cardiovascular injury during the aging process has not been investigated. Methods The effects of TLR4 on the cardiovascular system of aged mice were investigated in TLR4−/− mice. An intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and insulin sensitivity test (IST) were conducted to evaluate global insulin sensitivity. Echocardiography was used to measure cardiac structure and performance. An isolated artery ring assay was used to measure the vasodilator function of the thoracic aorta. The inflammatory response was reflected by the serum concentration of cytokines. Results TLR4 expression increased in the hearts and aortas of mice in an age-dependent manner. Loss of TLR4 increased insulin sensitivity in aged mice. Moreover, loss of TLR4 improved cardiac performance and endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in aged mice. Importantly, the increases in serum inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in the heart and aorta were also inhibited by TLR4 deficiency. Conclusion In summary, loss of TLR4 improved cardiac performance and endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in aged mice. The reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress may be the reason for the protective effects of TLR4 deficiency during aging. Our study indicates that targeting TLR4 is a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing aging-related cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liu
- Anesthesiology Department, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujuan Chu
- Anesthesiology Department, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhilin Wu
- Anesthesiology Department, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China.
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19
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Li WJ, Wang CW, Tao L, Yan YH, Zhang MJ, Liu ZX, Li YX, Zhao HQ, Li XM, He XD, Xue Y, Dong MQ. Insulin signaling regulates longevity through protein phosphorylation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4568. [PMID: 34315882 PMCID: PMC8316574 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24816-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling (IIS) is known to constrain longevity by inhibiting the transcription factor FOXO. How phosphorylation mediated by IIS kinases regulates lifespan beyond FOXO remains unclear. Here, we profile IIS-dependent phosphorylation changes in a large-scale quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of wild-type and three IIS mutant Caenorhabditis elegans strains. We quantify more than 15,000 phosphosites and find that 476 of these are differentially phosphorylated in the long-lived daf-2/insulin receptor mutant. We develop a machine learning-based method to prioritize 25 potential lifespan-related phosphosites. We perform validations to show that AKT-1 pT492 inhibits DAF-16/FOXO and compensates the loss of daf-2 function, that EIF-2α pS49 potently inhibits protein synthesis and daf-2 longevity, and that reduced phosphorylation of multiple germline proteins apparently transmits reduced DAF-2 signaling to the soma. In addition, an analysis of kinases with enriched substrates detects that casein kinase 2 (CK2) subunits negatively regulate lifespan. Our study reveals detailed functional insights into longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jun Li
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Nanjing University Institute of Artificial Intelligence Biomedicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Tao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yong-Hong Yan
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mei-Jun Zhang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Annoroad Gene Tech. Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Ze-Xian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Xin Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Han-Qing Zhao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Mei Li
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xian-Dong He
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xue
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Nanjing University Institute of Artificial Intelligence Biomedicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Meng-Qiu Dong
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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20
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Sen I, Kavšek A, Riedel CG. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation and Sequencing (ChIP-seq) Optimized for Application in Caenorhabditis elegans. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e187. [PMID: 34242493 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.187] [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: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) has become one of the most popular methods to study protein-DNA interactions and can be used, for instance, to identify the binding sites of transcription factors or to determine the distributions of histones with specific post-translational modifications throughout the genome. Although standard ChIP-seq protocols work well in most experimental systems, there are exceptions, and one of these is the popular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Even though this system is very amenable to genetic and cytological methods, biochemical approaches are challenging. This is due to both the animals' cuticle, which impairs lysis as well as penetration by cross-linkers, and the rather low protein and chromatin content per body weight. These issues have rendered standard ChIP-seq protocols inefficient in C. elegans and raised a need for their improvement. Here, we describe improved protocols, with the most important advances being the efficient breakage of the C. elegans cuticle by freeze-grinding and the use of a very sensitive sequencing library construction procedure, optimized for the relatively low DNA content per body weight of C. elegans. The protocols should therefore improve the reproducibility, sensitivity, and uniformity across tissues of ChIP-seq in this organism. © 2021 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Growth and harvesting of synchronized Caenorhabditis elegans Basic Protocol 2: Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) Basic Protocol 3: Library construction for Illumina sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilke Sen
- Department of Medicine, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre (ICMC), Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Alan Kavšek
- Department of Medicine, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre (ICMC), Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Christian G Riedel
- Department of Medicine, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre (ICMC), Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
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Duan RN, Yang CL, Du T, Liu A, Wang AR, Sun WJ, Li X, Li JX, Yan CZ, Liu QJ. Smek1 deficiency exacerbates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by activating proinflammatory microglia and suppressing the IDO1-AhR pathway. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:145. [PMID: 34183017 PMCID: PMC8237434 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02193-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal disease model of multiple sclerosis (MS) that involves the immune system and central nervous system (CNS). However, it is unclear how genetic predispositions promote neuroinflammation in MS and EAE. Here, we investigated how partial loss-of-function of suppressor of MEK1 (SMEK1), a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 4, facilitates the onset of MS and EAE. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 (MOG35-55) to establish the EAE model. Clinical signs were recorded and pathogenesis was investigated after immunization. CNS tissues were analyzed by immunostaining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Single-cell analysis was carried out in the cortices and hippocampus. Splenic and lymph node cells were evaluated with flow cytometry, qPCR, and western blot analysis. RESULTS Here, we showed that partial Smek1 deficiency caused more severe symptoms in the EAE model than in controls by activating myeloid cells and that Smek1 was required for maintaining immunosuppressive function by modulating the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1)-aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway. Single-cell sequencing and an in vitro study showed that Smek1-deficient microglia and macrophages were preactivated at steady state. After MOG35-55 immunization, microglia and macrophages underwent hyperactivation and produced increased IL-1β in Smek1-/+ mice at the peak stage. Moreover, dysfunction of the IDO1-AhR pathway resulted from the reduction of interferon γ (IFN-γ), enhanced antigen presentation ability, and inhibition of anti-inflammatory processes in Smek1-/+ EAE mice. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests a protective role of Smek1 in autoimmune demyelination pathogenesis via immune suppression and inflammation regulation in both the immune system and the central nervous system. Our findings provide an instructive basis for the roles of Smek1 in EAE and broaden the understanding of the genetic factors involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune demyelination.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Central Nervous System/immunology
- Central Nervous System/pathology
- Central Nervous System/physiopathology
- Cytokines
- Disease Models, Animal
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology
- Gene Knockout Techniques
- Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism
- Inflammation/metabolism
- Interferon-gamma/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Microglia/immunology
- Microglia/metabolism
- Multiple Sclerosis/immunology
- Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein/immunology
- Myeloid Cells/immunology
- Myeloid Cells/metabolism
- Peptide Fragments/immunology
- Phosphoprotein Phosphatases/immunology
- Phosphoprotein Phosphatases/metabolism
- Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Spleen/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Nan Duan
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Lin Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Du
- Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ai Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - An-Ran Wang
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Jie Sun
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang-Xia Li
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuan-Zhu Yan
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Ji Liu
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Department of Medical Genetics, Cheeloo College of Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, No.44 West Wenhua Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China.
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22
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Vervoort SJ, Welsh SA, Devlin JR, Barbieri E, Knight DA, Offley S, Bjelosevic S, Costacurta M, Todorovski I, Kearney CJ, Sandow JJ, Fan Z, Blyth B, McLeod V, Vissers JHA, Pavic K, Martin BP, Gregory G, Demosthenous E, Zethoven M, Kong IY, Hawkins ED, Hogg SJ, Kelly MJ, Newbold A, Simpson KJ, Kauko O, Harvey KF, Ohlmeyer M, Westermarck J, Gray N, Gardini A, Johnstone RW. The PP2A-Integrator-CDK9 axis fine-tunes transcription and can be targeted therapeutically in cancer. Cell 2021; 184:3143-3162.e32. [PMID: 34004147 PMCID: PMC8567840 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is tightly controlled by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) at discrete checkpoints during the transcription cycle. The pausing checkpoint following transcription initiation is primarily controlled by CDK9. We discovered that CDK9-mediated, RNAPII-driven transcription is functionally opposed by a protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) complex that is recruited to transcription sites by the Integrator complex subunit INTS6. PP2A dynamically antagonizes phosphorylation of key CDK9 substrates including DSIF and RNAPII-CTD. Loss of INTS6 results in resistance to tumor cell death mediated by CDK9 inhibition, decreased turnover of CDK9 phospho-substrates, and amplification of acute oncogenic transcriptional responses. Pharmacological PP2A activation synergizes with CDK9 inhibition to kill both leukemic and solid tumor cells, providing therapeutic benefit in vivo. These data demonstrate that fine control of gene expression relies on the balance between kinase and phosphatase activity throughout the transcription cycle, a process dysregulated in cancer that can be exploited therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephin J Vervoort
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia.
| | - Sarah A Welsh
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jennifer R Devlin
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Deborah A Knight
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah Offley
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stefan Bjelosevic
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Matteo Costacurta
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Izabela Todorovski
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Conor J Kearney
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Jarrod J Sandow
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Zheng Fan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin Blyth
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia
| | - Victoria McLeod
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia
| | - Joseph H A Vissers
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; Centre for Cancer Research and Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Karolina Pavic
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20014, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku FI-20014, Finland
| | - Ben P Martin
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Gareth Gregory
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton 3168, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Magnus Zethoven
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia
| | - Isabella Y Kong
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Edwin D Hawkins
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Simon J Hogg
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Madison J Kelly
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrea Newbold
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Otto Kauko
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20014, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku FI-20014, Finland
| | - Kieran F Harvey
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton 3168, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Ohlmeyer
- Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA; Atux Iskay LLC, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA
| | - Jukka Westermarck
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20014, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku FI-20014, Finland
| | | | | | - Ricky W Johnstone
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne 3000, VIC, Australia; The Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia.
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23
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Cossa G, Parua PK, Eilers M, Fisher RP. Protein phosphatases in the RNAPII transcription cycle: erasers, sculptors, gatekeepers, and potential drug targets. Genes Dev 2021; 35:658-676. [PMID: 33888562 PMCID: PMC8091971 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348315.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In this review, Cossa et al. discuss the current knowledge and outstanding questions about phosphatases in the context of the RNAPII transcription cycle. The transcription cycle of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is governed at multiple points by opposing actions of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and protein phosphatases, in a process with similarities to the cell division cycle. While important roles of the kinases have been established, phosphatases have emerged more slowly as key players in transcription, and large gaps remain in understanding of their precise functions and targets. Much of the earlier work focused on the roles and regulation of sui generis and often atypical phosphatases—FCP1, Rtr1/RPAP2, and SSU72—with seemingly dedicated functions in RNAPII transcription. Decisive roles in the transcription cycle have now been uncovered for members of the major phosphoprotein phosphatase (PPP) family, including PP1, PP2A, and PP4—abundant enzymes with pleiotropic roles in cellular signaling pathways. These phosphatases appear to act principally at the transitions between transcription cycle phases, ensuring fine control of elongation and termination. Much is still unknown, however, about the division of labor among the PPP family members, and their possible regulation by or of the transcriptional kinases. CDKs active in transcription have recently drawn attention as potential therapeutic targets in cancer and other diseases, raising the prospect that the phosphatases might also present opportunities for new drug development. Here we review the current knowledge and outstanding questions about phosphatases in the context of the RNAPII transcription cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Cossa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pabitra K Parua
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Martin Eilers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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24
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Jiang S, Deng N, Zheng B, Li T, Liu RH. Rhodiola extract promotes longevity and stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-16 and SKN-1. Food Funct 2021; 12:4471-4483. [PMID: 33881421 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo02974b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The effects of Rhodiola extract (RE) on longevity and stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and the underlying molecular mechanisms were explored in the present study. Results showed that the lifespan of C. elegans was remarkably prolonged by 37.1% after treated with high-dose RE (480 μg mL-1). Intervention with RE alleviated aging-related declines in the C. elegans model, and enhanced the stress resistance against heat shock, ultraviolet radiation and paraquat. Moreover, RE reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). RE also upregulated the gene expression of sod-3, gst-4, daf-16, skn-1 in C. elegans, downregulated the gene expression of daf-2 and age-1, and accelerated the translocation of DAF-16 and SKN-1 into the nucleus. Furthermore, the daf-16(mu86) and skn-1(zu169) mutants reversed the extension of lifespan triggered by RE, indicating that these genes were involved in RE-regulated longevity. These results demonstrated that RE could enhance lifespan extension, healthspan and stress resistance of C. elegans via insulin/IGF signaling and SKN-1 pathways. Therefore, the present findings suggested Rhodiola as a potential candidate to ameliorate the symptoms of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Jiang
- Overseas Expertise Introduction Center for Discipline Innovation of Food Nutrition and Human Health (111 Center), School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.
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25
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Zhao L, Duan Z, Wang Y, Wang M, Liu Y, Wang X, Li H. Protective effect of Terminalia chebula Retz. extract against Aβ aggregation and Aβ-induced toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 268:113640. [PMID: 33307058 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Terminalia chebula Retz. (T.chebula) is an important medicinal plant in Tibetan medicine and Ayurveda. T.chebula is known as the "King of Tibetan Medicine", due to its widespread clinical pharmacological activity such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antidiabetic as well as anticancer in lots of in vivo and in vitro models. In this study, we use transgenic and/or RNAi Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) model to simulation the AD pathological features induced by Aβ, to detect the effect of TWE on improving Aβ-induced toxicity and the corresponding molecular mechanism. AIM OF STUDY The study aimed to tested the activities and its possible mechanism of T.chebula to against Aβ1-42 induced toxicity and Aβ1-42 aggregation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using transgenic C.elegans strain CL2006 and CL4176 as models respond to paralytic induced by Aβ toxicity. The transcription factors DAF-16 and SKN-1 were analyzed used a fluorescence microscope in transgenic strains (DAF-16:GFP, SKN-1:GFP). The function of DAF-16 and SKN-1 was further investigated using loss-of-function strains by feeding RNA interference (RNAi) bacteria. To evaluate the aggregation level of Aβ in the transgenic C.elegans, Thioflavin S (ThS) staining and WB visualized the levels of Aβ monomers and oligomers. RESULTS TWE treatment can significantly improve the paralysis of transgenic C.elegans caused by Aβ aggregation (up to 14%). The Aβ aggregates in transgenic C.elegans are significantly inhibited under TWE exposure (up to 70%). TWE increases the nuclear localization of the key transcription factor DAF-16 and HSF-1, which in turn leads to the expression of downstream Hsp-16.2 protein and exerts its inhibitory effect on Aβ aggregation. Meanwhile, paralysis improved has not observed in SKN-1 mutation and/or RNAi C.elegans. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that TWE can protect C.elegans against the Aβ1-42-induced toxicity, inhibition Aβ1-42 aggregation and delaying Aβ-induced paralysis. The neuroprotective effect of TWE involves the activation of DAF-16/HSF-1/Hsp-16.2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longhe Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ziyun Duan
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Meizhu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yan Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Hongyu Li
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Donggang Road No. 199, Lanzhou, 730000, China; Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Tianshui Road No. 222, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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26
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Rivard RS, Morris JM, Youngman MJ. The PP2A/4/6 subfamily of phosphoprotein phosphatases regulates DAF-16 and confers resistance to environmental stress in postreproductive adult C. elegans. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229812. [PMID: 33315870 PMCID: PMC7735605 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin and insulin-like growth factors are longevity determinants that negatively regulate Forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factors. In C. elegans mutations that constitutively activate DAF-16, the ortholog of mammalian FoxO3a, extend lifespan by two-fold. While environmental insults induce DAF-16 activity in younger animals, it also becomes activated in an age-dependent manner in the absence of stress, modulating gene expression well into late adulthood. The mechanism by which DAF-16 activity is regulated during aging has not been defined. Since phosphorylation of DAF-16 generally leads to its inhibition, we asked whether phosphatases might be necessary for its increased transcriptional activity in adult C. elegans. We focused on the PP2A/4/6 subfamily of phosphoprotein phosphatases, members of which had been implicated to regulate DAF-16 under low insulin signaling conditions but had not been investigated during aging in wildtype animals. Using reverse genetics, we functionally characterized all C. elegans orthologs of human catalytic, regulatory, and scaffolding subunits of PP2A/4/6 holoenzymes in postreproductive adults. We found that PP2A complex constituents PAA-1 and PPTR-1 regulate DAF-16 transcriptional activity during aging and that they cooperate with the catalytic subunit LET-92 to protect adult animals from ultraviolet radiation. PP4 complex members PPH-4.1/4.2, and SMK-1 also appear to regulate DAF-16 in an age-dependent manner, and together with PPFR-2 they contribute to innate immunity. Interestingly, SUR-6 but no other subunit of the PP2A complex was necessary for the survival of pathogen-infected animals. Finally, we found that PP6 complex constituents PPH-6 and SAPS-1 contribute to host defense during aging, apparently without affecting DAF-16 transcriptional activity. Our studies indicate that a set of PP2A/4/6 complexes protect adult C. elegans from environmental stress, thus preserving healthspan. Therefore, along with their functions in cell division and development, the PP2A/4/6 phosphatases also appear to play critical roles later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S. Rivard
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, United States of America
| | - Julia M. Morris
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Youngman
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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27
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Parua PK, Kalan S, Benjamin B, Sansó M, Fisher RP. Distinct Cdk9-phosphatase switches act at the beginning and end of elongation by RNA polymerase II. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4338. [PMID: 32859893 PMCID: PMC7455706 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18173-6] [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: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversible phosphorylation of Pol II and accessory factors helps order the transcription cycle. Here, we define two kinase-phosphatase switches that operate at different points in human transcription. Cdk9/cyclin T1 (P-TEFb) catalyzes inhibitory phosphorylation of PP1 and PP4 complexes that localize to 3′ and 5′ ends of genes, respectively, and have overlapping but distinct specificities for Cdk9-dependent phosphorylations of Spt5, a factor instrumental in promoter-proximal pausing and elongation-rate control. PP1 dephosphorylates an Spt5 carboxy-terminal repeat (CTR), but not Spt5-Ser666, a site between Kyrpides-Ouzounis-Woese (KOW) motifs 4 and 5, whereas PP4 can target both sites. In vivo, Spt5-CTR phosphorylation decreases as transcription complexes pass the cleavage and polyadenylation signal (CPS) and increases upon PP1 depletion, consistent with a PP1 function in termination first uncovered in yeast. Depletion of PP4-complex subunits increases phosphorylation of both Ser666 and the CTR, and promotes redistribution of promoter-proximally paused Pol II into gene bodies. These results suggest that switches comprising Cdk9 and either PP4 or PP1 govern pause release and the elongation-termination transition, respectively. Cdk9 (P-TEFb) and its substrate Spt5 influence events throughout the transcription cycle. Here, the authors define two switches with the potential to regulate promoter-proximal pause release and termination, respectively containing phosphatases PP4 and PP1, which are both inhibited by Cdk9, but have different specificities for sites on Spt5 and occupy opposite ends of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pabitra K Parua
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Sampada Kalan
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Bradley Benjamin
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Miriam Sansó
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA.
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