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Roy S, Sheikh SZ, Furey TS. CoVar: A generalizable machine learning approach to identify the coordinated regulators driving variational gene expression. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012016. [PMID: 38630807 PMCID: PMC11057768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Network inference is used to model transcriptional, signaling, and metabolic interactions among genes, proteins, and metabolites that identify biological pathways influencing disease pathogenesis. Advances in machine learning (ML)-based inference models exhibit the predictive capabilities of capturing latent patterns in genomic data. Such models are emerging as an alternative to the statistical models identifying causative factors driving complex diseases. We present CoVar, an ML-based framework that builds upon the properties of existing inference models, to find the central genes driving perturbed gene expression across biological states. Unlike differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that capture changes in individual gene expression across conditions, CoVar focuses on identifying variational genes that undergo changes in their expression network interaction profiles, providing insights into changes in the regulatory dynamics, such as in disease pathogenesis. Subsequently, it finds core genes from among the nearest neighbors of these variational genes, which are central to the variational activity and influence the coordinated regulatory processes underlying the observed changes in gene expression. Through the analysis of simulated as well as yeast expression data perturbed by the deletion of the mitochondrial genome, we show that CoVar captures the intrinsic variationality and modularity in the expression data, identifying key driver genes not found through existing differential analysis methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyaki Roy
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Shehzad Z. Sheikh
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Terrence S. Furey
- Departments of Genetics and Biology, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Horváth K, Juhász B, Kuti D, Ferenczi S, Kovács KJ. Recruitment of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) Neurons in Categorically Distinct Stress Reactions in the Mouse Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11736. [PMID: 37511494 PMCID: PMC10380650 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) are in the position to integrate stress-related information and initiate adaptive neuroendocrine-, autonomic-, metabolic- and behavioral responses. In addition to hypophyseotropic cells, CRH is widely expressed in the CNS, however its involvement in the organization of the stress response is not fully understood. In these experiments, we took advantage of recently available Crh-IRES-Cre;Ai9 mouse line to study the recruitment of hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic CRH neurons in categorically distinct, acute stress reactions. A total of 95 brain regions in the adult male mouse brain have been identified as containing putative CRH neurons with significant expression of tdTomato marker gene. With comparison of CRH mRNA and tdTomato distribution, we found match and mismatch areas. Reporter mice were then exposed to restraint, ether, high salt, lipopolysaccharide and predator odor stress and neuronal activation was revealed by FOS immunocytochemistry. In addition to a core stress system, stressor-specific areas have been revealed to display activity marker FOS. Finally, activation of CRH neurons was detected by colocalization of FOS in tdTomato expressing cells. All stressors resulted in profound activation of CRH neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus; however, a differential activation of pattern was observed in CRH neurons in extrahypothalamic regions. This comprehensive description of stress-related CRH neurons in the mouse brain provides a starting point for a systematic functional analysis of the brain stress system and its relation to stress-induced psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Horváth
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Juhász
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Kuti
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilamér Ferenczi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Krisztina J Kovács
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Medicine Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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Sibarov DA, Tsytsarev V, Volnova A, Vaganova AN, Alves J, Rojas L, Sanabria P, Ignashchenkova A, Savage ED, Inyushin M. Arc protein, a remnant of ancient retrovirus, forms virus-like particles, which are abundantly generated by neurons during epileptic seizures, and affects epileptic susceptibility in rodent models. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1201104. [PMID: 37483450 PMCID: PMC10361770 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1201104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A product of the immediate early gene Arc (Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein or Arc protein) of retroviral ancestry resides in the genome of all tetrapods for millions of years and is expressed endogenously in neurons. It is a well-known protein, very important for synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation. Activity-dependent Arc expression concentrated in glutamatergic synapses affects the long-time synaptic strength of those excitatory synapses. Because it modulates excitatory-inhibitory balance in a neuronal network, the Arc gene itself was found to be related to the pathogenesis of epilepsy. General Arc knockout rodent models develop a susceptibility to epileptic seizures. Because of activity dependence, synaptic Arc protein synthesis also is affected by seizures. Interestingly, it was found that Arc protein in synapses of active neurons self-assemble in capsids of retrovirus-like particles, which can transfer genetic information between neurons, at least across neuronal synaptic boutons. Released Arc particles can be accumulated in astrocytes after seizures. It is still not known how capsid assembling and transmission timescale is affected by seizures. This scientific field is relatively novel and is experiencing swift transformation as it grapples with difficult concepts in light of evolving experimental findings. We summarize the emergent literature on the subject and also discuss the specific rodent models for studying Arc effects in epilepsy. We summarized both to clarify the possible role of Arc-related pseudo-viral particles in epileptic disorders, which may be helpful to researchers interested in this growing area of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A. Sibarov
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vassiliy Tsytsarev
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anna Volnova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasia N. Vaganova
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Janaina Alves
- School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR, United States
| | - Legier Rojas
- School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR, United States
| | - Priscila Sanabria
- School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR, United States
| | | | | | - Mikhail Inyushin
- School of Medicine, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR, United States
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Foliaki ST, Wood A, Williams K, Smith A, Walters RO, Baune C, Groveman BR, Haigh CL. Temporary alteration of neuronal network communication is a protective response to redox imbalance that requires GPI-anchored prion protein. Redox Biol 2023; 63:102733. [PMID: 37172395 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2023.102733] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) protects neurons against oxidative stress damage. This role is lost upon its misfolding into insoluble prions in prion diseases, and correlated with cytoskeletal breakdown and neurophysiological deficits. Here we used mouse neuronal models to assess how PrPC protects the neuronal cytoskeleton, and its role in network communication, from oxidative stress damage. Oxidative stress was induced extrinsically by potassium superoxide (KO2) or intrinsically by Mito-Paraquat (MtPQ), targeting the mitochondria. In mouse neural lineage cells, KO2 was damaging to the cytoskeleton, with cells lacking PrPC (PrP-/-) damaged more than wild-type (WT) cells. In hippocampal slices, KO2 acutely inhibited neuronal communication in WT controls without damaging the cytoskeleton. This inhibition was not observed in PrP-/- slices. Neuronal communication and the cytoskeleton of PrP-/- slices became progressively disrupted and degenerated post-recovery, whereas the dysfunction in WT slices recovered in 5 days. This suggests that the acute inhibition of neuronal activity in WT slices in response to KO2 was a neuroprotective role of PrPC, which PrP-/- slices lacked. Heterozygous expression of PrPC was sufficient for this neuroprotection. Further, hippocampal slices from mice expressing PrPC without its GPI anchor (PrPGPI-/-) displayed acute inhibition of neuronal activity by KO2. However, they failed to restore normal activity and cytoskeletal formation post-recovery. This suggests that PrPC facilitates the depressive response to KO2 and its GPI anchoring is required to restore KO2-induced damages. Immuno spin-trapping showed increased radicals formed on the filamentous actin of PrP-/- and PrPGPI-/- slices, but not WT and PrP+/- slices, post-recovery suggesting ongoing dysregulation of redox balance in the slices lacking GPI-anchored PrPC. The MtPQ treatment of hippocampal slices temporarily inhibited neuronal communication independent of PrPC expression. Overall, GPI-anchored PrPC alters synapses and neurotransmission to protect and repair the neuronal cytoskeleton, and neuronal communication, from extrinsically induced oxidative stress damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simote T Foliaki
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA.
| | - Aleksandar Wood
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Katie Williams
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Anna Smith
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Ryan O Walters
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Chase Baune
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Bradley R Groveman
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Cathryn L Haigh
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA.
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Leung HW, Foo G, VanDongen A. Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081946. [PMID: 36009494 PMCID: PMC9405677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene Arc is a master regulator of synaptic function and a critical determinant of memory consolidation. Here, we show that Arc interacts with dynamic chromatin and closely associates with histone markers for active enhancers and transcription in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both these histone modifications, H3K27Ac and H3K9Ac, have recently been shown to be upregulated in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When Arc induction by pharmacological network activation was prevented using a short hairpin RNA, the expression profile was altered for over 1900 genes, which included genes associated with synaptic function, neuronal plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and signalling pathways. Interestingly, about 100 Arc-dependent genes are associated with the pathophysiology of AD. When endogenous Arc expression was induced in HEK293T cells, the transcription of many neuronal genes was increased, suggesting that Arc can control expression in the absence of activated signalling pathways. Taken together, these data establish Arc as a master regulator of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression and suggest that it plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Foo
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antonius VanDongen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Correspondence:
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Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated ARC-Knockout HEK293 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094498. [PMID: 35562887 PMCID: PMC9101110 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Arc/Arg3.1 (activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (ARC)) is a critical regulator of long-term synaptic plasticity and is involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The functions and mechanisms of human ARC action are poorly understood and worthy of further investigation. To investigate the function of the ARC gene in vitro, we generated an ARC-knockout (KO) HEK293 cell line via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing and conducted RNA sequencing and label-free LC-MS/MS analysis to identify the differentially expressed genes and proteins in isogenic ARC-KO HEK293 cells. Furthermore, we used bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays to detect interactions between the ARC protein and differentially expressed proteins. Genetic deletion of ARC disturbed multiple genes involved in the extracellular matrix and synaptic membrane. Seven proteins (HSPA1A, ENO1, VCP, HMGCS1, ALDH1B1, FSCN1, and HINT2) were found to be differentially expressed between ARC-KO cells and ARC wild-type cells. BRET assay results showed that ARC interacted with PSD95 and HSPA1A. Overall, we found that ARC regulates the differential expression of genes involved in the extracellular matrix, synaptic membrane, and heat shock protein family. The transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of ARC-KO HEK293 cells presented here provide new evidence for the mechanisms underlying the effects of ARC and molecular pathways involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology.
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Murray KE, Delic V, Ratliff WA, Beck KD, Citron BA. Acute gene expression changes in the mouse hippocampus following a combined Gulf War toxicant exposure. Life Sci 2021; 284:119845. [PMID: 34293396 PMCID: PMC8994630 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Approximately 30% of the nearly 700,000 Veterans who were deployed to the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991 have reported experiencing a variety of symptoms including difficulties with learning and memory, depression and anxiety, and increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. Combined toxicant exposure to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors has been studied extensively as a likely risk factor. In this study, we modeled Gulf War exposure in male C57Bl/6J mice with simultaneous administration of three chemicals implicated as exposure hazards for Gulf War Veterans: pyridostigmine bromide, the anti-sarin prophylactic; chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide; and the repellant N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). MAIN METHODS Following two weeks of daily exposure, we examined changes in gene expression by whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) with hippocampal isolates. Hippocampal-associated spatial memory was assessed with a Y-maze task. We hypothesized that genes important for neuronal health become dysregulated by toxicant-induced damage and that these detrimental inflammatory gene expression profiles could lead to chronic neurodegeneration. KEY FINDINGS We found dysregulation of genes indicating a pro-inflammatory response and downregulation of genes associated with neuronal health and several important immediate early genes (IEGs), including Arc and Egr1, which were both reduced approximately 1.5-fold. Mice exposed to PB + CPF + DEET displayed a 1.6-fold reduction in preference for the novel arm, indicating impaired spatial memory. SIGNIFICANCE Differentially expressed genes observed at an acute timepoint may provide insight into the pathophysiology of Gulf War Illness and further explanations for chronic neurodegeneration after toxicant exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Murray
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Vedad Delic
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Whitney A Ratliff
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Research and Development, 151, Bldg. 22, Rm. 123, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744, United States of America.
| | - Kevin D Beck
- Neurobehavior Research Laboratory, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
| | - Bruce A Citron
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Research & Development (Mailstop 15), Bldg. 16, Rm. 16-176, 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, United States of America; Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America; Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Research and Development, 151, Bldg. 22, Rm. 123, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd, Bay Pines, FL 33744, United States of America; Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, United States of America.
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Zhang B, Fan Y, Cao P, Tan K. Multifaceted roles of HSF1 in cell death: A state-of-the-art review. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188591. [PMID: 34273469 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cell death is a common and active process that is involved in various biological processes, including organ development, morphogenesis, maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating potentially harmful cells. Abnormal regulation of cell death significantly contributes to tumor development, progression and chemoresistance. The mechanisms of cell death are complex and involve not only apoptosis and necrosis but also their cross-talk with other types of cell death, such as autophagy and the newly identified ferroptosis. Cancer cells are chronically exposed to various stresses, such as lack of oxygen and nutrients, immune responses, dysregulated metabolism and genomic instability, all of which lead to activation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). In response to heat shock, oxidative stress and proteotoxic stresses, HSF1 upregulates transcription of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which act as molecular chaperones to protect normal cells from stresses and various diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests that HSF1 regulates multiple types of cell death through different signaling pathways as well as expression of distinct target genes in cancer cells. Here, we review the current understanding of the potential roles and molecular mechanism of HSF1 in regulating apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis. Deciphering HSF1-regulated signaling pathways and target genes may help in the development of new targeted anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yumei Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Pengxiu Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China
| | - Ke Tan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
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Yakout DW, Shree N, Mabb AM. Effect of pharmacological manipulations on Arc function. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2020; 2:100013. [PMID: 34909648 PMCID: PMC8663979 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2020.100013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is a brain-enriched immediate early gene that regulates important mechanisms implicated in learning and memory. Arc levels are controlled through a balance of induction and degradation in an activity-dependent manner. Arc further undergoes multiple post-translational modifications that regulate its stability, localization and function. Recent studies demonstrate that these features of Arc can be pharmacologically manipulated. In this review, we discuss some of these compounds, with an emphasis on drugs of abuse and psychotropic drugs. We also discuss inflammatory states that regulate Arc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina W. Yakout
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nitheyaa Shree
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Angela M. Mabb
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Traceable stimulus-dependent rapid molecular changes in dendritic spines in the brain. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15266. [PMID: 32943708 PMCID: PMC7499203 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72248-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic spines function as microcompartments that can modify the efficiency of their associated synapses. Here, we analyzed stimulus-dependent molecular changes in spines. The F-actin capping protein CapZ accumulates in parts of dendritic spines within regions where long-term potentiation has been induced. We produced a transgenic mouse line, AiCE-Tg, in which CapZ tagged with enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP-CapZ) is expressed. Twenty minutes after unilateral visual or somatosensory stimulation in AiCE-Tg mice, relative EGFP-CapZ signal intensification was seen in a subset of dendritic spines selectively in stimulated-side cortices; this right-left difference was abolished by NMDA receptor blockade. Immunolabeling of α-actinin, a PSD-95 binding protein that can recruit AMPA receptors, showed that the α-actinin signals colocalized more frequently in spines with the brightest EGFP-CapZ signals (top 100) than in spines with more typical EGFP-CapZ signal strength (top 1,000). This stimulus-dependent in vivo redistribution of EGFP-CapZ represents a novel molecular event with plasticity-like characteristics, and bright EGFP-CapZ in AiCE-Tg mice make high-CapZ spines traceable in vivo and ex vivo. This mouse line has the potential to be used to reveal sequential molecular events, including synaptic tagging, and to relate multiple types of plasticity in these spines, extending knowledge related to memory mechanisms.
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Cataract-Associated New Mutants S175G/H181Q of βΒ2-Crystallin and P24S/S31G of γD-Crystallin Are Involved in Protein Aggregation by Structural Changes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186504. [PMID: 32899552 PMCID: PMC7555777 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
β/γ-Crystallins, the main structural protein in human lenses, have highly stable structure for keeping the lens transparent. Their mutations have been linked to cataracts. In this study, we identified 10 new mutations of β/γ-crystallins in lens proteomic dataset of cataract patients using bioinformatics tools. Of these, two double mutants, S175G/H181Q of βΒ2-crystallin and P24S/S31G of γD-crystallin, were found mutations occurred in the largest loop linking the distant β-sheets in the Greek key motif. We selected these double mutants for identifying the properties of these mutations, employing biochemical assay, the identification of protein modifications with nanoUPLC-ESI-TOF tandem MS and examining their structural dynamics with hydrogen/deuterium exchange-mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). We found that both double mutations decrease protein stability and induce the aggregation of β/γ-crystallin, possibly causing cataracts. This finding suggests that both the double mutants can serve as biomarkers of cataracts.
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Emerging roles of HSF1 in cancer: Cellular and molecular episodes. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1874:188390. [PMID: 32653364 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) systematically guards proteome stability and proteostasis by regulating the expression of heat shock protein (HSP), thus rendering cancer cells addicted to HSF1. The non-canonical transcriptional programme driven by HSF1, which is distinct from the heat shock response (HSR), plays an indispensable role in the initiation, promotion and progression of cancer. Therefore, HSF1 is widely exploited as a potential therapeutic target in a broad spectrum of cancers. Various molecules and signals in the cell jointly regulate the activation and attenuation of HSF1. The high-level expression of HSF1 in tumours and its relationship with patient prognosis imply that HSF1 can be used as a biomarker for patient prognosis and a target for cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the newly identified mechanisms of HSF1 activation and regulation, the diverse functions of HSF1 in tumourigenesis, and the feasibility of using HSF1 as a prognostic marker. Disrupting cancer cell proteostasis by targeting HSF1 represents a novel anti-cancer therapeutic strategy.
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