17-AAG, an Hsp90 inhibitor, causes kinetochore defects: a novel mechanism by which 17-AAG inhibits cell proliferation

Heat shock protein 90: biological functions, diseases, and therapeutic targets

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a predominant member among Heat shock proteins (HSPs), playing a central role in cellular protection and maintenance by aiding in the folding, stabilization, and modification of diverse protein substrates. It collaborates with various co-chaperones to manage ATPase-driven conformational changes in its dimer during client protein processing. Hsp90 is critical in cellular function, supporting the proper operation of numerous proteins, many of which are linked to diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, neurodegenerative conditions, and infectious diseases. Recognizing the significance of these client proteins across diverse diseases, there is a growing interest in targeting Hsp90 and its co-chaperones for potential therapeutic strategies. This review described biological background of HSPs and the structural characteristics of HSP90. Additionally, it discusses the regulatory role of heat shock factor-1 (HSF-1) in modulating HSP90 and sheds light on the dynamic chaperone cycle of HSP90. Furthermore, the review discusses the specific contributions of HSP90 in various disease contexts, especially in cancer. It also summarizes HSP90 inhibitors for cancer treatment, offering a thoughtful analysis of their strengths and limitations. These advancements in research expand our understanding of HSP90 and open up new avenues for considering HSP90 as a promising target for therapeutic intervention in a range of diseases.

K64 acetylation of heat shock protein 90 suppresses nucleopolyhedrovirus replication in Bombyx mori

HSP90 is a highly conserved chaperone that facilitates the proliferation of many viruses, including silkworm (bombyx mori) nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), but the underlying regulatory mechanism was unclear. We found that suppression of HSP90 by 17-AAG, a HSP90-specific inhibitor, significantly reduced the expression of BmNPV capsid protein gp64 and viral genome replication, whereas overexpression of B. mori HSP90(BmHSP90) promoted BmNPV replication. Furthermore, in a recent study of the lysine acetylome of B. mori infected with BmNPV, we focused on the reduced viral proliferation due to changes of BmHSP90 lysine acetylation. Site-directed introduction of acetylated (K/Q) or deacetylated (K/R) mimic mutations into BmHSP90 revealed that lysine 64 (K64) acetylation activated the JAK/STAT pathway and reduced BmHSP90 ATPase activity, leading to diminished chaperone activity and ultimately inhibiting BmNPV proliferation. In this study, a single lysine 64 acetylation change of BmHSP90 was elucidated as a model of posttranslational modifications occurring in the wake of host-virus interactions, providing novel insights into potential antiviral strategies.

EWSR1 maintains centromere identity

The centromere is essential for ensuring high-fidelity transmission of chromosomes. CENP-A, the centromeric histone H3 variant, is thought to be the epigenetic mark of centromere identity. CENP-A deposition at the centromere is crucial for proper centromere function and inheritance. Despite its importance, the precise mechanism responsible for maintenance of centromere position remains obscure. Here, we report a mechanism to maintain centromere identity. We demonstrate that CENP-A interacts with EWSR1 (Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1) and EWSR1-FLI1 (the oncogenic fusion protein in Ewing sarcoma). EWSR1 is required for maintaining CENP-A at the centromere in interphase cells. EWSR1 and EWSR1-FLI1 bind CENP-A through the SYGQ2 region within the prion-like domain, important for phase separation. EWSR1 binds to R-loops through its RNA-recognition motif in vitro. Both the domain and motif are required for maintaining CENP-A at the centromere. Therefore, we conclude that EWSR1 guards CENP-A in centromeric chromatins by binding to centromeric RNA.

Native Size-Exclusion Chromatography-Based Mass Spectrometry Reveals New Components of the Early Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibition Response Among Limited Global Changes

The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) works in concert with co-chaperones to stabilize its client proteins, which include multiple drivers of oncogenesis and malignant progression. Pharmacologic inhibitors of HSP90 have been observed to exert a wide range of effects on the proteome, including depletion of client proteins, induction of heat shock proteins, dissociation of co-chaperones from HSP90, disruption of client protein signaling networks, and recruitment of the protein ubiquitylation and degradation machinery-suggesting widespread remodeling of cellular protein complexes. However, proteomics studies to date have focused on inhibitor-induced changes in total protein levels, often overlooking protein complex alterations. Here, we use size-exclusion chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry (SEC-MS) to characterize the early changes in native protein complexes following treatment with the HSP90 inhibitor tanespimycin (17-AAG) for 8 h in the HT29 colon adenocarcinoma cell line. After confirming the signature cellular response to HSP90 inhibition (e.g., induction of heat shock proteins, decreased total levels of client proteins), we were surprised to find only modest perturbations to the global distribution of protein elution profiles in inhibitor-treated HT29 cells at this relatively early time-point. Similarly, co-chaperones that co-eluted with HSP90 displayed no clear difference between control and treated conditions. However, two distinct analysis strategies identified multiple inhibitor-induced changes, including known and unknown components of the HSP90-dependent proteome. We validate two of these-the actin-binding protein Anillin and the mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 complex-as novel HSP90 inhibitor-modulated proteins. We present this dataset as a resource for the HSP90, proteostasis, and cancer communities (https://www.bioinformatics.babraham.ac.uk/shiny/HSP90/SEC-MS/), laying the groundwork for future mechanistic and therapeutic studies related to HSP90 pharmacology. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD033459.

Effects of aneuploidy on cell behaviour and function

Aneuploidy, a genomic alternation characterized by deviations in the copy number of chromosomes, affects organisms from early development through to aging. Although it is a main cause of human pregnancy loss and a hallmark of cancer, how aneuploidy affects cellular function has been elusive. The last two decades have seen rapid advances in the understanding of the causes and consequences of aneuploidy at the molecular and cellular levels. These studies have uncovered effects of aneuploidy that can be beneficial or detrimental to cells and organisms in an environmental context-dependent and karyotype-dependent manner. Aneuploidy also imposes general stress on cells that stems from an imbalanced genome and, consequently, also an imbalanced proteome. These insights provide the fundamental framework for understanding the impact of aneuploidy in genome evolution, human pathogenesis and drug resistance.

Role of HSP90 in Cancer

HSP90 is a vital chaperone protein conserved across all organisms. As a chaperone protein, it correctly folds client proteins. Structurally, this protein is a dimer with monomer subunits that consist of three main conserved domains known as the N-terminal domain, middle domain, and the C-terminal domain. Multiple isoforms of HSP90 exist, and these isoforms share high homology. These isoforms are present both within the cell and outside the cell. Isoforms HSP90α and HSP90β are present in the cytoplasm; TRAP1 is present in the mitochondria; and GRP94 is present in the endoplasmic reticulum and is likely secreted due to post-translational modifications (PTM). HSP90 is also secreted into an extracellular environment via an exosome pathway that differs from the classic secretion pathway. Various co-chaperones are necessary for HSP90 to function. Elevated levels of HSP90 have been observed in patients with cancer. Despite this observation, the possible role of HSP90 in cancer was overlooked because the chaperone was also present in extreme amounts in normal cells and was vital to normal cell function, as observed when the drastic adverse effects resulting from gene knockout inhibited the production of this protein. Differences between normal HSP90 and HSP90 of the tumor phenotype have been better understood and have aided in making the chaperone protein a target for cancer drugs. One difference is in the conformation: HSP90 of the tumor phenotype is more susceptible to inhibitors. Since overexpression of HSP90 is a factor in tumorigenesis, HSP90 inhibitors have been studied to combat the adverse effects of HSP90 overexpression. Monotherapies using HSP90 inhibitors have shown some success; however, combination therapies have shown better results and are thus being studied for a more effective cancer treatment.

CENP-A Ubiquitylation Is Indispensable to Cell Viability

CENP-A is a centromere-specific histone H3 variant that epigenetically determines centromere identity, but how CENP-A is deposited at the centromere remains obscure. We previously reported that CENP-A K124 ubiquitylation, mediated by the CUL4A-RBX1-COPS8 complex, is essential for CENP-A deposition at the centromere. However, a recent report stated that CENP-A K124R mutants show no defects in centromere localization and cell viability. In the present study, we found that EYFP tagging induces additional ubiquitylation of EYFP-CENP-A K124R, which allows the mutant protein to bind to HJURP. Using a previously developed conditional CENP-A knockout system and our CENP-A K124R knockin mutant created by the CRISPR-Cas9 system, we show that the Flag-tagged or untagged CENP-A K124R mutant is lethal. This lethality is rescued by monoubiquitin fusion, indicating that CENP-A ubiquitylation is essential for viability.

Hsp90 Inhibitor SNX-2112 Enhances TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis of Human Cervical Cancer Cells via the ROS-Mediated JNK-p53-Autophagy-DR5 Pathway

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent cancer cell apoptosis-inducing factor that can induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. However, resistance to TRAIL in cancer cells is a huge obstacle in creating effective TRAIL-targeted clinical therapies. Thus, agents that can either enhance the effect of TRAIL or overcome its resistance are needed. In this study, we combined TRAIL with SNX-2112, an Hsp90 inhibitor we previously developed, to explore the effect and mechanism that SNX-2112 enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Our results showed that SNX-2112 markedly enhanced TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity in HeLa cells, and this combination was found to be synergistic. Additionally, we found that SNX-2112 sensitized TRAIL-mediated apoptosis caspase-dependently in TRAIL-resistant HeLa cells. Mechanismly, SNX-2112 downregulated antiapoptosis proteins, including Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and FLIP, promoted the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increased the expression levels of p-JNK and p53. ROS scavenger NAC rescued SNX-2112/TRAIL-induced apoptosis and suppressed SNX-2112-induced p-JNK and p53. Moreover, SNX-2112 induced the upregulation of death-receptor DR5 in HeLa cells. The silencing of DR5 by siRNA significantly decreased cell apoptosis by the combined effect of SNX-2112 and TRAIL. In addition, SNX-2112 inhibited the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and induced autophagy in HeLa cells. The blockage of autophagy by bafilomycin A1 or Atg7 siRNA abolished SNX-2112-induced upregulation of DR5. Meanwhile, ROS scavenger NAC, JNK inhibitor SP600125, and p53 inhibitor PFTα were used to verify that autophagy-mediated upregulation of DR5 was regulated by the SNX-2112-stimulated activation of the ROS-JNK-p53 signaling pathway. Thus, the combination of SNX-2112 and TRAIL may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of human cervical cancer by overcoming cellular mechanisms of apoptosis resistance.

SGT1-HSP90 complex is required for CENP-A deposition at centromeres

The centromere plays an essential role in accurate chromosome segregation, and defects in its function lead to aneuploidy and thus cancer. The centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A is proposed to be the epigenetic mark of the centromere, as active centromeres require CENP-A–containing nucleosomes to direct the recruitment of multiple kinetochore proteins. CENP-A K124 ubiquitylation, mediated by CUL4A-RBX1-COPS8 E3 ligase activity, is required for CENP-A deposition at the centromere. However, the mechanism that controls the E3 ligase activity of the CUL4A-RBX1-COPS8 complex remains obscure. We have discovered that the SGT1-HSP90 complex is required for recognition of CENP-A by COPS8. Thus, the SGT1-HSP90 complex contributes to the E3 ligase activity of the CUL4A complex that is necessary for CENP-A ubiquitylation and CENP-A deposition at the centromere.

Protein Quality Control by Molecular Chaperones in Neurodegeneration

Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) requires the timely degradation of misfolded proteins and their aggregates by protein quality control (PQC), of which molecular chaperones are an essential component. Compared with other cell types, PQC in neurons is particularly challenging because they have a unique cellular structure with long extensions. Making it worse, neurons are postmitotic, i.e., cannot dilute toxic substances by division, and, thus, are highly sensitive to misfolded proteins, especially as they age. Failure in PQC is often associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's disease (HD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and prion disease. In fact, many neurodegenerative diseases are considered to be protein misfolding disorders. To prevent the accumulation of disease-causing aggregates, neurons utilize a repertoire of chaperones that recognize misfolded proteins through exposed hydrophobic surfaces and assist their refolding. If such an effort fails, chaperones can facilitate the degradation of terminally misfolded proteins through either the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome system (UPS) or the autophagy-lysosome system (hereafter autophagy). If soluble, the substrates associated with chaperones, such as Hsp70, are ubiquitinated by Ub ligases and degraded through the proteasome complex. Some misfolded proteins carrying the KFERQ motif are recognized by the chaperone Hsc70 and delivered to the lysosomal lumen through a process called, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). Aggregation-prone misfolded proteins that remain unprocessed are directed to macroautophagy in which cargoes are collected by adaptors, such as p62/SQSTM-1/Sequestosome-1, and delivered to the autophagosome for lysosomal degradation. The aggregates that have survived all these refolding/degradative processes can still be directly dissolved, i.e., disaggregated by chaperones. Studies have shown that molecular chaperones alleviate the pathogenic symptoms by neurodegeneration-causing protein aggregates. Chaperone-inducing drugs and anti-aggregation drugs are actively exploited for beneficial effects on symptoms of disease. Here, we discuss how chaperones protect misfolded proteins from aggregation and mediate the degradation of terminally misfolded proteins in collaboration with cellular degradative machinery. The topics also include therapeutic approaches to improve the expression and turnover of molecular chaperones and to develop anti-aggregation drugs.

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

"Centromeres" and "kinetochores" refer to the site where chromosomes associate with the spindle during cell division. Direct visualization of centromere-kinetochore proteins during the cell cycle remains a fundamental tool in investigating the mechanism(s) of these proteins. Advanced imaging methods in fluorescence microscopy provide remarkable resolution of centromere-kinetochore components and allow direct observation of specific molecular components of the centromeres and kinetochores. In addition, methods of indirect immunofluorescent (IIF) staining using specific antibodies are crucial to these observations. However, despite numerous reports about IIF protocols, few discussed in detail problems of specific centromere-kinetochore proteins.(1-4) Here we report optimized protocols to stain endogenous centromere-kinetochore proteins in human cells by using paraformaldehyde fixation and IIF staining. Furthermore, we report protocols to detect Flag-tagged exogenous CENP-A proteins in human cells subjected to acetone or methanol fixation. These methods are useful in detecting and quantifying endogenous centromere-kinetochore proteins and Flag-tagged CENP-A proteins, including those in human cells.

A relay race on the evolutionary adaptation spectrum

Adaptation is the process in which organisms improve their fitness by changing their phenotype using genetic or non-genetic mechanisms. The adaptation toolbox consists of varied molecular and genetic means that we posit span an almost continuous "adaptation spectrum." Different adaptations are characterized by the time needed for organisms to attain them and by their duration. We suggest that organisms often adapt by progressing the adaptation spectrum, starting with rapidly attained physiological and epigenetic adaptations and culminating with slower long-lasting genetic ones. A tantalizing possibility is that earlier adaptations facilitate realization of later ones.

The oncogenic role of the cochaperone Sgt1

Sgt1/Sugt1, a cochaperone of Hsp90, is involved in several cellular activities including Cullin E3 ubiqutin ligase activity. The high level of Sgt1 expression in colorectal and gastric tumors suggests that Sgt1 is involved in tumorigenesis. Here, we report that Sgt1 is overexpressed in colon, breast and lung tumor tissues and in Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts. We also found that Sgt1 heterozygous knockout resulted in suppressed Hras-mediated transformation in vitro and tumor formation in p53^−/− mouse embryonic fibroblast cells and significantly increased survival of p53^−/− mice. Moreover, depletion of Sgt1 inhibited the growth of Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma cells and destabilized EWS-FLI1 and PAX3-FOXO1 oncogenic fusion proteins, respectively, which are required for cellular growth. Our results suggest that Sgt1 contributes to cancer development by stabilizing oncoproteins and that Sgt1 is a potential therapeutic target.

CENP-A K124 Ubiquitylation Is Required for CENP-A Deposition at the Centromere

CENP-A is a centromere-specific histone H3 variant that epigenetically determines centromere identity to ensure kinetochore assembly and proper chromosome segregation, but the precise mechanism of its specific localization within centromeric heterochromatin remains obscure. We have discovered that CUL4A-RBX1-COPS8 E3 ligase activity is required for CENP-A ubiquitylation on lysine 124 (K124) and CENP-A centromere localization. A mutation of CENP-A, K124R, reduces interaction with HJURP (a CENP-A-specific histone chaperone) and abrogates localization of CENP-A to the centromere. Addition of monoubiquitin is sufficient to restore CENP-A K124R to centromeres and the interaction with HJURP, indicating that "signaling" ubiquitylation is required for CENP-A loading at centromeres. The CUL4A-RBX1 complex is required for loading newly synthesized CENP-A and maintaining preassembled CENP-A at centromeres. Thus, CENP-A K124R ubiquitylation, mediated by the CUL4A-RBX1-COPS8 complex, is essential for CENP-A deposition at the centromere.

Whole chromosome aneuploidy: big mutations drive adaptation by phenotypic leap

Despite its widespread existence, the adaptive role of aneuploidy (the abnormal state of having an unequal number of different chromosomes) has been a subject of debate. Cellular aneuploidy has been associated with enhanced resistance to stress, whereas on the organismal level it is detrimental to multicellular species. Certain aneuploid karyotypes are deleterious for specific environments, but karyotype diversity in a population potentiates adaptive evolution. To reconcile these paradoxical observations, this review distinguishes the role of aneuploidy in cellular versus organismal evolution. Further, it proposes a population genetics perspective to examine the behavior of aneuploidy on a populational versus individual level. By altering the copy number of a significant portion of the genome, aneuploidy introduces large phenotypic leaps that enable small cell populations to explore a wide phenotypic landscape, from which adaptive traits can be selected. The production of chromosome number variation can be further increased by stress- or mutation-induced chromosomal instability, fueling rapid cellular adaptation.

Hsp90 stress potentiates rapid cellular adaptation through induction of aneuploidy

Aneuploidy, a state of having uneven numbers of chromosomes, is a form of large-effect mutation able to confer adaptive phenotypes under diverse stress conditions^1,2. Here we investigate whether pleiotropic stress could in turn induce aneuploidy in budding yeast. We show that while diverse stresses can induce an increase in chromosome instability (CIN), proteotoxic stress, caused by transient Hsp90 inhibition or heat-shock, drastically elevated CIN to produce karyotypically mosaic cell population. The latter effect is linked to an evolutionarily conserved role for Hsp90 chaperon complexes in kinetochore assembly^3,4. Continued growth in the presence of Hsp90 inhibitor resulted in emergence of drug-resistant colonies with chromosome XV gain. This drug-resistance phenotype is a quantitative trait involving copy number increases of at least two genes located on chromosome XV. Short-term exposure to Hsp90 stress potentiated fast adaptation to unrelated cyto-toxic compounds through different aneuploid chromosome stoichiometries. These findings demonstrate that aneuploidy is a form of stress-inducible mutation in eukaryotes, capable of fueling rapid phenotypic evolution and drug resistance, and reveal a new role for Hsp90 in regulating the emergence of adaptive traits under stress.

Heat shock protein 90-mediated inactivation of nuclear factor-κB switches autophagy to apoptosis through becn1 transcriptional inhibition in selenite-induced NB4 cells

Autophagy can protect cells while also contributing to cell damage, but the precise interplay between apoptosis and autophagy and the contribution of autophagy to cell death are still not clear. Previous studies have shown that supranutritional doses of sodium selenite promote apoptosis in human leukemia NB4 cells. Here, we report that selenite treatment triggers opposite patterns of autophagy in the NB4, HL60, and Jurkat leukemia cell lines during apoptosis and provide evidence that the suppressive effect of selenite on autophagy in NB4 cells is due to the decreased expression of the chaperone protein Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90), suggesting a novel regulatory function of Hsp90 in apoptosis and autophagy. Excessive or insufficient expression indicates that Hsp90 protects NB4 cells from selenite-induced apoptosis, and selenite-induced decreases in the expression of Hsp90, especially in NB4 cells, inhibit the activities of the IκB kinase/nuclear factor-κB (IKK/NF-κB) signaling pathway, leading to less nuclear translocation and inactivation of NF-κB and the subsequent weak binding of the becn1 promoter, which facilitates the transition from autophagy to apoptosis. Taken together, our observations provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the balance between apoptosis and autophagy, and we also identified Hsp90-NF-κB-Beclin1 as a potential biological pathway for signaling the switch from autophagy to apoptosis in selenite-treated NB4 cells.

Multifaceted intervention by the Hsp90 inhibitor ganetespib (STA-9090) in cancer cells with activated JAK/STAT signaling

There is accumulating evidence that dysregulated JAK signaling occurs in a wide variety of cancer types. In particular, mutations in JAK2 can result in the constitutive activation of STAT transcription factors and lead to oncogenic growth. JAK kinases are established Hsp90 client proteins and here we show that the novel small molecule Hsp90 inhibitor ganetespib (formerly STA-9090) exhibits potent in vitro and in vivo activity in a range of solid and hematological tumor cells that are dependent on JAK2 activity for growth and survival. Of note, ganetespib treatment results in sustained depletion of JAK2, including the constitutively active JAK2^V617F mutant, with subsequent loss of STAT activity and reduced STAT-target gene expression. In contrast, treatment with the pan-JAK inhibitor P6 results in only transient effects on these processes. Further differentiating these modes of intervention, RNA and protein expression studies show that ganetespib additionally modulates cell cycle regulatory proteins, while P6 does not. The concomitant impact of ganetespib on both cell growth and cell division signaling translates to potent antitumor efficacy in mouse models of xenografts and disseminated JAK/STAT-driven leukemia. Overall, our findings support Hsp90 inhibition as a novel therapeutic approach for combating diseases dependent on JAK/STAT signaling, with the multimodal action of ganetespib demonstrating advantages over JAK-specific inhibitors.

High-content, high-throughput analysis of cell cycle perturbations induced by the HSP90 inhibitor XL888

BACKGROUND

Many proteins that are dysregulated or mutated in cancer cells rely on the molecular chaperone HSP90 for their proper folding and activity, which has led to considerable interest in HSP90 as a cancer drug target. The diverse array of HSP90 client proteins encompasses oncogenic drivers, cell cycle components, and a variety of regulatory factors, so inhibition of HSP90 perturbs multiple cellular processes, including mitogenic signaling and cell cycle control. Although many reports have investigated HSP90 inhibition in the context of the cell cycle, no large-scale studies have examined potential correlations between cell genotype and the cell cycle phenotypes of HSP90 inhibition.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

To address this question, we developed a novel high-content, high-throughput cell cycle assay and profiled the effects of two distinct small molecule HSP90 inhibitors (XL888 and 17-AAG [17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin]) in a large, genetically diverse panel of cancer cell lines. The cell cycle phenotypes of both inhibitors were strikingly similar and fell into three classes: accumulation in M-phase, G2-phase, or G1-phase. Accumulation in M-phase was the most prominent phenotype and notably, was also correlated with TP53 mutant status. We additionally observed unexpected complexity in the response of the cell cycle-associated client PLK1 to HSP90 inhibition, and we suggest that inhibitor-induced PLK1 depletion may contribute to the striking metaphase arrest phenotype seen in many of the M-arrested cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Our analysis of the cell cycle phenotypes induced by HSP90 inhibition in 25 cancer cell lines revealed that the phenotypic response was highly dependent on cellular genotype as well as on the concentration of HSP90 inhibitor and the time of treatment. M-phase arrest correlated with the presence of TP53 mutations, while G2 or G1 arrest was more commonly seen in cells bearing wt TP53. We draw upon previous literature to suggest an integrated model that accounts for these varying observations.

Dishevelled, a Wnt signalling component, is involved in mitotic progression in cooperation with Plk1

Wnt signalling is known to promote G1/S progression through the stimulation of gene expression, but whether this signalling regulates mitotic progression is not clear. Here, the function of dishevelled 2 (Dvl2), which transmits the Wnt signal, in mitosis was examined. Dvl2 localized to the spindles and spindle poles during mitosis. When cells were treated with nocodazole, Dvl2 was observed at the kinetochores (KTs). Dvl2 bound to and was phosphorylated at Thr206 by a mitotic kinase, Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), and this phosphorylation was required for spindle orientation and stable microtubule (MT)-KT attachment. Dvl2 was also found to be involved in the activation of a spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) kinase, Mps1, and the recruitment of other SAC components, Bub1 and BubR1, to the KTs. However, the phosphorylation of Dvl2 by Plk1 was dispensable for SAC. Furthermore, Wnt receptors were involved in spindle orientation, but not in MT-KT attachment or SAC. These results suggested that Dvl2 is involved in mitotic progression by regulating the dynamics of MT plus-ends and the SAC in Plk1-dependent and -independent manners.

Hsp90-Sgt1 and Skp1 target human Mis12 complexes to ensure efficient formation of kinetochore-microtubule binding sites

The Hsp90–Sgt1 chaperone and the ubiquitin ligase subunit Skp1 regulate the assembly and turnover of the kinetochore complex Mis12.

The formation of functional kinetochores requires the accurate assembly of a large number of protein complexes. The Hsp90–Sgt1 chaperone complex is important for this process; however, its targets are not conserved and its exact contribution to kinetochore assembly is unclear. Here, we show that human Hsp90–Sgt1 interacts with the Mis12 complex, a so-called keystone complex required to assemble a large fraction of the kinetochore. Inhibition of Hsp90 or Sgt1 destabilizes the Mis12 complex and delays proper chromosome alignment due to inefficient formation of microtubule-binding sites. Interestingly, coinhibition of Sgt1 and the SCF subunit, Skp1, increases Mis12 complexes at kinetochores and restores timely chromosome alignment but forms less-robust microtubule-binding sites. We propose that a balance of Mis12 complex assembly and turnover is required for the efficient and accurate assembly of kinetochore–microtubule binding sites. These findings support a novel role for Hsp90–Sgt1 chaperones in ensuring the fidelity of multiprotein complex assembly.

BUB3 that dissociates from BUB1 activates caspase-independent mitotic death (CIMD)

The cell death mechanism that prevents aneuploidy caused by a failure of the spindle checkpoint has recently emerged as an important regulatory paradigm. We previously identified a new type of mitotic cell death, termed caspase-independent mitotic death (CIMD), which is induced during early mitosis by partial BUB1 (a spindle checkpoint protein) depletion and defects in kinetochore-microtubule attachment. In this study, we have shown that survived cells that escape CIMD have abnormal nuclei, and we have determined the molecular mechanism by which BUB1 depletion activates CIMD. The BUB3 protein (a BUB1 interactor and a spindle checkpoint protein) interacts with p73 (a homolog of p53), specifically in cells wherein CIMD occurs. The BUB3 protein that is freed from BUB1 associates with p73 on which Y99 is phosphorylated by c-Abl tyrosine kinase, resulting in the activation of CIMD. These results strongly support the hypothesis that CIMD is the cell death mechanism protecting cells from aneuploidy by inducing the death of cells prone to substantial chromosome missegregation.

Co-treatment with heat shock protein 90 inhibitor 17-dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (DMAG) and vorinostat: a highly active combination against human mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cells

Heat shock protein (hsp) 90 inhibitors promote proteasomal degradation of pro-growth and pro-survival hsp90 client proteins, including CDK4, c-RAF and AKT, and induce apoptosis of human lymphoma cells. The pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat has also been shown to induce growth arrest and apoptosis of lymphoma cells. Here, we determined the effects of the more soluble, orally bio-available, geldanamycin analogue 17-NN-dimethyl ethylenediamine geldanamycin (DMAG, Kosan Biosciences Inc.) and/or vorinostat in cultured and primary human MCL cells. While vorinostat induced accumulation in the G(1) phase, treatment with DMAG arrested MCL cells in the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle. Both agents dose-dependently induced apoptosis of MCL cells. Vorinostat also induced hyperacetylation of hsp90 and disrupted the association of hsp90 with its co-chaperones p23 and cdc37, as well as with its client proteins CDK4 and c-RAF. Treatment of MCL cells with vorinostat or 17-DMAG was associated with the inductionof p21 and p27, as well as with depletion of c-Myc, c-RAF, AKT and CDK4. Compared to treatment with either agent alone, co-treatment with DMAG and vorinostat markedly attenuated the levels of cyclin D1 and CDK4, as well as of c-Myc, c-RAF and AKT. Combined treatment with DMAG and vorinostat synergistically induced apoptosis of the cultured MCL cells, as well as induced more apoptosis of primary MCL cells than either agent alone. Therefore, these findings support the rationale to determine the in vivo efficacy of co-treatment with vorinostat and DMAG against human MCL cells.

Sgt1 dimerization is negatively regulated by protein kinase CK2-mediated phosphorylation at Ser361

The kinetochore, which consists of centromere DNA and structural proteins, is essential for proper chromosome segregation in eukaryotes. In budding yeast, Sgt1 and Hsp90 are required for the binding of Skp1 to Ctf13 (a component of the core kinetochore complex CBF3) and therefore for the assembly of CBF3. We have previously shown that Sgt1 dimerization is important for this kinetochore assembly mechanism. In this study, we report that protein kinase CK2 phosphorylates Ser(361) on Sgt1, and this phosphorylation inhibits Sgt1 dimerization.

Sgt1, a co-chaperone of Hsp90 stabilizes Polo and is required for centrosome organization

Sgt1 was described previously in yeast and humans to be a Hsp90 co-chaperone and required for kinetochore assembly. We have identified a mutant allele of Sgt1 in Drosophila and characterized its function. Mutations in sgt1 do not affect overall kinetochore assembly or spindle assembly checkpoint. sgt1 mutant cells enter less frequently into mitosis and arrest in a prometaphase-like state. Mutations in sgt1 severely compromise the organization and function of the mitotic apparatus. In these cells, centrioles replicate but centrosomes fail to mature, and pericentriolar material components do not localize normally resulting in highly abnormal spindles. Interestingly, a similar phenotype was described previously in Hsp90 mutant cells and correlated with a decrease in Polo protein levels. In sgt1 mutant neuroblasts, we also observe a decrease in overall levels of Polo. Overexpression of the kinase results in a substantial rescue of the centrosome defects; most cells form normal bipolar spindles and progress through mitosis normally. Taken together, these findings suggest that Sgt1 is involved in the stabilization of Polo allowing normal centrosome maturation, entry and progression though mitosis.

The HSP90-SGT1 chaperone complex for NLR immune sensors

The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing (NLR) proteins function as immune sensors in both plants and animals. NLR proteins recognize, directly or indirectly, pathogen-derived molecules and trigger immune responses. To function as a sensor, NLR proteins must be correctly folded and maintained in a recognition-competent state in the appropriate cellular location. Upon pathogen recognition, conformational changes and/or translocation of the sensors would activate the downstream immunity signaling pathways. Misfolded or used sensors are a threat to the cell and must be immediately inactivated and discarded to avoid inappropriate activation of downstream pathways. Such maintenance of NLR-type sensors requires the SGT1-HSP90 pair, a chaperone complex that is structurally and functionally conserved in eukaryotes. Deciphering how the chaperone machinery works would facilitate an understanding of the mechanisms of pathogen recognition and signal transduction by NLR proteins in both plants and animals.

Sgt1 dimerization is required for yeast kinetochore assembly

The kinetochore, which consists of DNA sequence elements and structural proteins, is essential for high-fidelity chromosome transmission during cell division. In budding yeast, Sgt1 and Hsp90 help assemble the core kinetochore complex CBF3 by activating the CBF3 components Skp1 and Ctf13. In this study, we show that Sgt1 forms homodimers by performing in vitro and in vivo immunoprecipitation and analytical ultracentrifugation analyses. Analyses of the dimerization of Sgt1 deletion proteins showed that the Skp1-binding domain (amino acids 1-211) contains the Sgt1 homodimerization domain. Also, the Sgt1 mutant proteins that were unable to dimerize also did not bind Skp1, suggesting that Sgt1 dimerization is important for Sgt1-Skp1 binding. Restoring dimerization activity of a dimerization-deficient sgt1 mutant (sgt1-L31P) by using the CENP-B (centromere protein-B) dimerization domain suppressed the temperature sensitivity, the benomyl sensitivity, and the chromosome missegregation phenotype of sgt1-L31P. These results strongly suggest that Sgt1 dimerization is required for kinetochore assembly.

Immune expression and inhibition of heat shock protein 90 in uveal melanoma

PURPOSE

To examine the immunohistochemical profile of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in uveal melanoma and the cytotoxicity of an Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), in uveal melanoma cell lines.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Hsp90 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in 44 paraffin-embedded sections of primary human uveal melanoma and in five uveal melanoma cell lines (92.1, OCM-1, MKT-BR, SP6.5, and UW-1). Sulforhodamine B-based proliferation assay was used to compare uveal melanoma cell growth with a range of concentrations of 17-AAG. Changes in cell migration, invasion, cell cycle fractions, and apoptotic activity were also evaluated. Expression of intracellular proteins was determined by Western blot analysis after 17-AAG exposure.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical expression of Hsp90 was identified in 68% of the paraffin-embedded sections and significantly associated with largest tumor dimension (P = 0.03). 17-AAG significantly reduced the proliferation rates of uveal melanoma cell lines, with concentrations of 100 to 0.1 micromol/L. 17-AAG also significantly reduced the migratory and invasive capabilities of uveal melanoma cell lines. Cell cycle analysis showed that 17-AAG induced accumulations of cells in G(1). Caspase-3 protease activity analysis, a marker for apoptosis, showed a significant increase after drug exposure. The cytotoxic effect of 17-AAG was associated with decreased levels of phosphorylated Akt and cyclin-dependent kinase 4.

CONCLUSIONS

The immunohistochemical expression of Hsp90 in uveal melanoma indicates worse prognosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the inhibitory effect on uveal melanoma cells using 17-AAG to target Hsp90. Therefore, Hsp90 may be used as a potential target for treatment of patients with uveal melanoma.

Arsenite-induced mitotic death involves stress response and is independent of tubulin polymerization

Arsenite, a known mitotic disruptor, causes cell cycle arrest and cell death at anaphase. The mechanism causing mitotic arrest is highly disputed. We compared arsenite to the spindle poisons nocodazole and paclitaxel. Immunofluorescence analysis of alpha-tubulin in interphase cells demonstrated that, while nocodazole and paclitaxel disrupt microtubule polymerization through destabilization and hyperpolymerization, respectively, microtubules in arsenite-treated cells remain comparable to untreated cells even at supra-therapeutic concentrations. Immunofluorescence analysis of alpha-tubulin in mitotic cells showed spindle formation in arsenite- and paclitaxel-treated cells but not in nocodazole-treated cells. Spindle formation in arsenite-treated cells appeared irregular and multi-polar. gamma-tubulin staining showed that cells treated with nocodazole and therapeutic concentrations of paclitaxel contained two centrosomes. In contrast, most arsenite-treated mitotic cells contained more than two centrosomes, similar to centrosome abnormalities induced by heat shock. Of the three drugs tested, only arsenite treatment increased expression of the inducible isoform of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70i). HSP70 and HSP90 proteins are intimately involved in centrosome regulation and mitotic spindle formation. HSP90 inhibitor 17-DMAG sensitized cells to arsenite treatment and increased arsenite-induced centrosome abnormalities. Combined treatment of 17-DMAG and arsenite resulted in a supra-additive effect on viability, mitotic arrest, and centrosome abnormalities. Thus, arsenite-induced abnormal centrosome amplification and subsequent mitotic arrest is independent of effects on tubulin polymerization and may be due to specific stresses that are protected against by HSP90 and HSP70.

The geldanamycin analogue 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin inhibits the growth of GL261 glioma cells in vitro and in vivo

Geldanamycin is a naturally occurring benzoquinone ansamycin product of Streptomyces geldanus that binds the protein chaperone heat shock protein 90. As geldanamycin binds to heat shock protein 90 interfering with its function and heat shock protein 90 is overexpressed in many cancers, heat shock protein 90 has become a target for cancer therapy. As the geldanamycin analogue 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin has a favorable toxicity profile, it is being tested extensively in clinical trials in patients with advanced cancer. In this study, GL261 glioma cells from C57BL/6 mice were used to investigate the anti-tumor effect of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin both in vitro and in vivo. Heat shock protein 90 inhibitors possess potent anti-proliferative activity, usually at low nanomolar ranges, owing to their pharmacological characteristics of binding tightly to heat shock protein 90, coupled with a slow dissociation rate. We found that 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin at doses as low as 200 nmol/l showed anti-tumor activity within 24 h of treatment. Treatment with 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin arrested GL261 cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle associated with the downregulation of cyclin B1. Low doses of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin significantly inhibited migration of GL261 cells within 16 h of treatment, concomitant with the downregulation of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase and matrix metalloproteinase 2 secretion. Using an orthotopic glioma model with well-established intracranial tumors, 3 weekly cycles of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin significantly reduced tumor volumes of treated animals compared with untreated controls (P=0.002). Given these promising results, clinical testing of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin or other novel heat shock protein 90 inhibitors being developed should be considered for glioma patients whose tumors remain refractory to most current treatment regimens.

Structural and functional analysis of SGT1 reveals that its interaction with HSP90 is required for the accumulation of Rx, an R protein involved in plant immunity

SGT1 (for suppressor of G2 allele of skp1) and RAR1 (for required for Mla12 resistance) are highly conserved eukaryotic proteins that interact with the molecular chaperone HSP90 (for heat shock protein90). In plants, SGT1, RAR1, and HSP90 are essential for disease resistance triggered by a number of resistance (R) proteins. Here, we present structural and functional characterization of plant SGT1 proteins. Random mutagenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana SGT1b revealed that its CS (for CHORD-SGT1) and SGS (for SGT1 specific) domains are essential for disease resistance. NMR-based interaction surface mapping and mutational analyses of the CS domain showed that the CHORD II domain of RAR1 and the N-terminal domain of HSP90 interact with opposite sides of the CS domain. Functional analysis of the CS mutations indicated that the interaction between SGT1 and HSP90 is required for the accumulation of Rx, a potato (Solanum tuberosum) R protein. Biochemical reconstitution experiments suggest that RAR1 may function to enhance the SGT1-HSP90 interaction by promoting ternary complex formation.

Targeting mitosis for anti-cancer therapy

Basic research that has focused on achieving a mechanistic understanding of mitosis has provided unprecedented molecular and biochemical insights into this highly complex phase of the cell cycle. The discovery process has uncovered an ever-expanding list of novel proteins that orchestrate and coordinate spindle formation and chromosome dynamics during mitosis. That many of these proteins appear to function solely in mitosis makes them ideal targets for the development of mitosis-specific cancer drugs. The clinical successes seen with anti-microtubule drugs such as taxanes and the vinca alkaloids have also encouraged the development of drugs that specifically target mitosis. Drugs that selectively inhibit mitotic kinesins involved in spindle and kinetochore functions, as well as kinases that regulate these activities, are currently in various stages of clinical trials. Our increased understanding of mitosis has also revealed that this process is targeted by inhibitors of farnesyl transferase, histone deacetylase, and Hsp90. Although these drugs were originally designed to block cell proliferation by inhibiting signaling pathways and altering gene expression, it is clear now that these drugs can also directly interfere with the mitotic process. The increased attention to mitosis as a chemotherapeutic target has also raised an important issue regarding the cellular determinants that specify drug sensitivity. One likely contribution is the mitotic checkpoint, a failsafe mechanism that delays mitotic exit so that cells whose chromosomes are not properly attached to the spindle have extra time to correct their errors. As the biochemical activity of the mitotic checkpoint is finite, cells cannot indefinitely sustain the delay, as in cases where cells are treated with anti-mitotic drugs. When the mitotic checkpoint activity is eventually lost, cells will exit mitosis and become aneuploid. While many of the aneuploid cells may die because of massive chromosome imbalance, survivors that continue to proliferate will no doubt be selected. This is clearly an undesirable outcome, thus efforts to obtain fundamental insights into why some cells that arrest in mitosis die without exiting mitosis will be exceedingly important in enhancing our understanding of the drug sensitivity of cancer cells.

Subcellular proteome analysis of camptothecin analogue NSC606985-treated acute myeloid leukemic cells

We reported previously that NSC606985, a camptothecin analogue, induces apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells through proteolytic activation of protein kinase Cdelta. Here, we analyzed protein expression profiles of fractionated nuclei, mitochondria, raw endoplasmic reticula, and cytosols of NSC606985-induced apoptotic AML cell line NB4 cells by two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry. In total, 90 unique deregulated proteins, including 16 compartment-compartment translocated ones, were identified. They contributed to multiple functional activities such as DNA damage repairing, chromosome assembly, mRNA processing, biosynthesis, modification, and degradation of proteins. More interestingly, several increased oxidative stress-related proteins mainly presented in mitochondria, while upregulated glycolysis proteins mainly occurred in the nuclei. With their functional analyses, the possible roles of these deregulated proteins in NSC606985-induced apoptosis were discussed. Collectively, these discoveries would shed new insights for systematically understanding the mechanisms of the camptothecin-induced apoptosis.

BUB1 mediation of caspase-independent mitotic death determines cell fate

The spindle checkpoint that monitors kinetochore–microtubule attachment has been implicated in tumorigenesis; however, the relation between the spindle checkpoint and cell death remains obscure. In BUB1-deficient (but not MAD2-deficient) cells, conditions that activate the spindle checkpoint (i.e., cold shock or treatment with nocodazole, paclitaxel, or 17-AAG) induced DNA fragmentation during early mitosis. This mitotic cell death was independent of caspase activation; therefore, we named it caspase-independent mitotic death (CIMD). CIMD depends on p73, a homologue of p53, but not on p53. CIMD also depends on apoptosis-inducing factor and endonuclease G, which are effectors of caspase-independent cell death. Treatment with nocodazole, paclitaxel, or 17-AAG induced CIMD in cell lines derived from colon tumors with chromosome instability, but not in cells from colon tumors with microsatellite instability. This result was due to low BUB1 expression in the former cell lines. When BUB1 is completely depleted, aneuploidy rather than CIMD occurs. These results suggest that cells prone to substantial chromosome missegregation might be eliminated via CIMD.

Hsp70 is a new target of Sgt1—an interaction modulated by S100A6

In this work, we identified Hsp70 as a novel target of the Sgt1 protein. Using co-immunoprecipitation, affinity chromatography and ELISA we showed that, besides Hsp90, Sgt1 interacts with the heat shock protein, Hsp70. We also found that a deletion mutant of Sgt1, devoid of the C-terminal region, did not bind to either Hsp70 or Hsp90 proteins. Overexpression of S100A6, a calcium binding protein that interacts with the C-terminal part of Sgt1, decreased the amount of chaperone bound to Sgt1. However, the effect of S100A6 on this interaction was not observed in BAPTA/AM treated cells in which Ca(2+) level was decreased. This suggests that the interaction of Sgt1 with Hsp70 and Hsp90 is regulated by S100A6 in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner.

A crucial function of SGT1 and HSP90 in inflammasome activity links mammalian and plant innate immune responses

The family of mammalian Nod-like receptors (NLRs) consists of critical intracellular immune proteins structurally related to plant resistance proteins. The NLRs NALP3 and IPAF, for example, can each form a multiprotein proinflammatory complex called the 'inflammasome', and mutations in the gene encoding Nod2, another NLR, are positively associated with Crohn disease. Here we show that many NLRs interacted with the ubiquitin ligase-associated protein SGT1 and heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90), both of which have plant orthologs essential for R-protein responses. 'Knockdown' of SGT1 by small interfering RNA or chemical inhibition of HSP90 abrogated inflammasome activity, and inhibition of HSP90 blocked Nod2-mediated activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB and reduced NALP3-mediated gout-like inflammation in mice. Our data demonstrate a similarity in one type of innate immunity in plants and mammals that is consistent with convergent evolution of a shared mechanism.

Novel subunits of the mammalian Hsp90 signal transduction chaperone

As one of the major cellular chaperones, Hsp90 plays diverse roles in supporting and regulating wild-type and oncogenic signal transduction proteins. Hsp90 function itself is regulated by its various nonsubstrate subunits. To define Hsp90's predominant in vivo functions and the mechanisms for regulating this function, the human Hsp90 interactome was characterized using gel-based proteomics techniques. Results show that Hsp90's most prominent association is its previously described interaction with Hsp70, a primary chaperone capable of recognizing and binding hydrophobic peptide segments. Additionally, novel human proteins discovered in this study reveal that several newly described Hsp90 associations in yeast are conserved in the human cytoplasm. Additionally, other new Hsp90 subunits imply that a great deal of Hsp90 function may be directed to the assembly, regulation, or exploitation of the tubulin-based cytoskeleton network, particularly the mitotic spindle.

Sgt1p is a unique co-chaperone that acts as a client adaptor to link Hsp90 to Skp1p

Sgt1p is a conserved, essential protein required for kinetochore assembly in both yeast and animal cells. Sgt1p has homology to both TPR and p23 domains, sequences often found in proteins that interact with and regulate the molecular chaperone, Hsp90. The presence of these domains and the recent findings that Sgt1p interacts with Hsp90 has led to the speculation that Sgt1p and Hsp90 form a co-chaperone complex. To test this possibility, we have used purified recombinant proteins to characterize the in vitro interactions between yeast Sgt1p and Hsp82p (an Hsp90 homologue in yeast). We show that Sgt1p interacts directly with Hsp82p via its p23 homology region in a nucleotide-dependent manner. However, Sgt1p binding does not alter the enzymatic activity of Hsp82p, suggesting that it is distinct from other co-chaperones. We find that Sgt1p can form a ternary chaperone complex with Hsp82p and Sti1p, a well characterized Hsp90 co-chaperone. Sgt1p interacts with its binding partner Skp1p through its TPR domains and links Skp1p to the core Hsp82p-Sti1p co-chaperone complex. The multidomain nature of Sgt1p and its ability to bridge the interaction between Skp1p and Hsp82p argue that Sgt1p acts as a "client adaptor" recruiting specific clients to Hsp82p co-chaperone complexes.