Binding of Ca2+ and Zn2+ to human nuclear S100A2 and mutant proteins

A review of S100 protein family in lung cancer

S100 protein family, representing 25 relatively small calcium binding proteins, has been reported to be involved in multiple stages of tumorigenesis and progression. These proteins are considered having potential value to be adopted as novel biomarkers in the detection and accurate prediction of many kinds of tumors, including lung cancer. As the one having the highest morbidity and mortality among all cancers, lung carcinoma is still occult for detection, especially at early stage. S100 proteins take participation in the lung neoplasia through playing intracellular and/or extracellular functions, therefore getting involved in a variety of biological processes such as differentiation, proliferation, and migration. A few members have also been testified to modulate TGF-β/Smad-3 mediated transcriptional activity of target genes involved in tumor promotion. In addition to that, a number of proteins in this family have already been reported to experience an abnormal trend in lung cancer at cell, serum and tissue levels. Thus, S100 proteins may serve as effective biomarkers for suspected or already diagnosed lung cancer patients. In future, S100 protein family might be applied as therapeutic targets in clinical treatment of lung cancer. In this review, we firstly summed up the biological and clinical evidence connecting S100 proteins and lung cancer, which has not been summarized before.

iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis on S100 calcium binding protein A2 in metastasis of laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is the most frequent neoplasm in the head and neck region, with the vast majority of tumors originating from squamous cells. The survival rate of patients with laryngeal cancer has not improved substantially over the past 25 years. To acquire further knowledge regarding the molecules responsible for laryngeal cancer oncogenesis and, in turn, to improve target therapy iTRAQ and mass spectrometry analysis were utilized to detect differences in protein expression from 15 paired laryngeal cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples. Using mass spectrometry analysis, the expression levels of 100 proteins in laryngeal cancer samples were distinct from the non-tumor, non-cancerous samples. Further validation of the differentially expressed proteins S100A2, KRT16, FGB and HSPB1 were carried out using quantitative real-time RT-PCR, immunoblot and immunohistochemistry. Functional analysis of one of the highly expressed proteins, S100 calcium binding protein A2 (S100A2), was performed using RNA interference. As a consequence, attenuated S100A2 expression enhanced the ability of HEp-2 cell lines to migrate and invade in vitro. Our investigation complements the current understanding of laryngeal cancer progression. Furthermore, this study supports the concept that enhanced expression of S100A2 may be a promising strategy in developing novel cancer therapeutic drugs.

S100 proteins in cartilage: role in arthritis

S100 proteins are low molecular weight calcium binding proteins expressed in vertebrates. The family constitutes 21 known members that are expressed in several tissues and cell types and play a major role in various cellular functions. Uniquely, members of the S100 family have both intracellular and extracellular functions. Several members of the S100 family (S100A1, S100A2, S100A4, S1008, S100A9, S100A11, and S100B) have been identified in human articular cartilage, and their expression is upregulated in diseased tissue. These S100 proteins elicit a catabolic signaling pathway via receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in cartilage and may promote progression of arthritis. This review summarizes our current understanding of the role of S100 proteins in cartilage biology and in the development of arthritis.

FH8--a small EF-hand protein from Fasciola hepatica

Vaccine and drug development for fasciolasis rely on a thorough understanding of the mechanisms involved in parasite-host interactions. FH8 is an 8 kDa protein secreted by the parasite Fasciola hepatica in the early stages of infection. Sequence analysis revealed that FH8 has two EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs, and our experimental data show that the protein binds Ca(2+) and that this induces conformational alterations, thus causing it to behave like a sensor protein. Moreover, FH8 displays low affinity for Ca(2+) (K(obs) = 10(4) m(-1)) and is highly stable in its apo and Ca(2+)-loaded states. Homology models were built for FH8 in both states. It has only one globular domain, with two binding sites and appropriate groups in the positions for coordination of the metal ions. However, an unusually high content of positively charged amino acids in one of the binding sites, when compared with the prototypical sensor proteins, potentially affects the protein's affinity for Ca(2+). The only Cys present in FH8, conserved in the homologous proteins of other helminth parasites, is located on the surface, allowing the formation of dimers, detected on SDS gels. These findings reflect specificities of FH8, which are most probably related to its roles both in the parasite and in the host.

The Calcium-Dependent Interaction of S100B with Its Protein Targets

S100B is a calcium signaling protein that is a member of the S100 protein family. An important feature of S100B and most other S100 proteins (S100s) is that they often bind Ca²⁺ ions relatively weakly in the absence of a protein target; upon binding their target proteins, Ca²⁺-binding then increases by as much as from 200- to 400-fold. This manuscript reviews the structural basis and physiological significance of increased Ca²⁺-binding affinity in the presence of protein targets. New information regarding redundancy among family members and the structural domains that mediate the interaction of S100B, and other S100s, with their targets is also presented. It is the diversity among individual S100s, the protein targets that they interact with, and the Ca²⁺ dependency of these protein-protein interactions that allow S100s to transduce changes in [Ca²⁺]_{intracellular} levels into spatially and temporally unique biological responses.

S100A2 in cancerogenesis: a friend or a foe?

Owing to the exceptional intracellular distribution and the heterogeneous expression pattern during transformation and metastasis in various tumors, the EF-hand calcium-binding protein S100A2 attracts increasing attention. Unlike the majority of S100 proteins, S100A2 expression is downregulated in many cancers and the loss in nuclear expression has been associated with poor prognosis. On the other hand, S100A2 is upregulated in some cancers. This mini review highlights the general characteristics of S100A2 and discusses recent findings on its putative functional implication as a suppressor or promoter in cancerogenesis.

Codon optimization for enhanced Escherichia coli expression of human S100A11 and S100A1 proteins

The cloning, expression and purification for the recombinant full-length human proteins S100A11 and human S100A1 is described. The genes were synthesized by overlapping complementary single-stranded oligonucleotides of various lengths. The coding sequence for both genes were codon optimized by selecting only the most preferential codons according to the Escherichia coli bias. In order to assemble the various oligonucleotides into the correct full-length genes, a unique one-step PCR procedure was implemented. The expression and purification procedures were also optimized for each protein. A single phenyl-Sepharose column was sufficient for the purification of human S100A11 whereas HiTrap Q anion exchange followed by phenyl-Sepharose columns were required for the purification of S100A1. By optimizing the S100A1 and S100A11 gene, expression and purification protocols, more than 45 and 150mg, respectively of the purified human proteins were obtained per litre of media. Protein identity was verified by both SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry (MS) and further characterized by NMR spectroscopy. These results have established an efficient method for the expression and purification of large quantities of human S100A1 and S100A11 proteins for biophysical characterization.

Effects of recombinant protein expression on green fluorescent protein diffusion in Escherichia coli

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching was used to measure the diffusion coefficient of green fluorescent protein (GFP, 27 kDa) in Escherichia coli in the presence or absence of four coexpressed proteins: cytoplasmic maltose binding protein (42 kDa), tau-40 (45 kDa), alpha-synuclein (14 kDa), or calmodulin (17 kDa). The GFP diffusion coefficient remains constant regardless of the type of coexpresseed protein and whether or not the coexpressed protein was induced. We conclude that expression of these soluble proteins has little to no effect on the diffusion of GFP. These results have implications for the utility of in-cell nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Metal ions modulate the folding and stability of the tumor suppressor protein S100A2

The EF-hand protein S100A2 is a cell cycle regulator involved in tumorigenesis, acting through regulation of the p53 activation state. Metal ion-free S100A2 is homodimeric and contains two Ca(2+)-binding sites and two Zn(2+)-binding sites per subunit, whereby the Zn(2+) ion binding to one of the sites is coordinated by residues from two homodimers. The effect of selective binding of these metal ions was investigated using site-specific mutants which lacked one or both zinc sites. CD analysis of secondary structure changes on metallation showed that Zn(2+) binding was associated with a decrease in the secondary structure content, whereas Ca(2+) had the opposite effect in two of the three S100A2 mutants studied. The energy of unfolding (DeltaG(U)) of the apo wild-type S100A2 was determined to be 89.9 kJ mol(-1), and the apparent midpoint transition temperature (T(m)(app))) was 58.4 degrees C. In addition, a detailed study of the urea and thermal unfolding of the S100A2 mutants in different metallation states (apo, Zn(2+) and Ca(2+)) was performed. Thermal denaturation experiments showed that Zn(2+) acts as a destabilizer and Ca(2+) as a stabilizer of the protein conformation. This suggests a synergistic effect between metal binding, protein stability and S100A2 biological activity, according to which Ca(2+) activates and stabilizes the protein, the opposite being observed on Zn(2+) binding.

RAGE (Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts), RAGE ligands, and their role in cancer and inflammation

The Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts [RAGE] is an evolutionarily recent member of the immunoglobulin super-family, encoded in the Class III region of the major histocompatability complex. RAGE is highly expressed only in the lung at readily measurable levels but increases quickly at sites of inflammation, largely on inflammatory and epithelial cells. It is found either as a membrane-bound or soluble protein that is markedly upregulated by stress in epithelial cells, thereby regulating their metabolism and enhancing their central barrier functionality. Activation and upregulation of RAGE by its ligands leads to enhanced survival. Perpetual signaling through RAGE-induced survival pathways in the setting of limited nutrients or oxygenation results in enhanced autophagy, diminished apoptosis, and (with ATP depletion) necrosis. This results in chronic inflammation and in many instances is the setting in which epithelial malignancies arise. RAGE and its isoforms sit in a pivotal role, regulating metabolism, inflammation, and epithelial survival in the setting of stress. Understanding the molecular structure and function of it and its ligands in the setting of inflammation is critically important in understanding the role of this receptor in tumor biology.

Divalent metal ion complexes of S100B in the absence and presence of pentamidine

As part of an effort to inhibit S100B, structures of pentamidine (Pnt) bound to Ca(2+)-loaded and Zn(2+),Ca(2+)-loaded S100B were determined by X-ray crystallography at 2.15 A (R(free)=0.266) and 1.85 A (R(free)=0.243) resolution, respectively. These data were compared to X-ray structures solved in the absence of Pnt, including Ca(2+)-loaded S100B and Zn(2+),Ca(2+)-loaded S100B determined here (1.88 A; R(free)=0.267). In the presence and absence of Zn(2+), electron density corresponding to two Pnt molecules per S100B subunit was mapped for both drug-bound structures. One Pnt binding site (site 1) was adjacent to a p53 peptide binding site on S100B (+/-Zn(2+)), and the second Pnt molecule was mapped to the dimer interface (site 2; +/-Zn(2+)) and in a pocket near residues that define the Zn(2+) binding site on S100B. In addition, a conformational change in S100B was observed upon the addition of Zn(2+) to Ca(2+)-S100B, which changed the conformation and orientation of Pnt bound to sites 1 and 2 of Pnt-Zn(2+),Ca(2+)-S100B when compared to Pnt-Ca(2+)-S100B. That Pnt can adapt to this Zn(2+)-dependent conformational change was unexpected and provides a new mode for S100B inhibition by this drug. These data will be useful for developing novel inhibitors of both Ca(2+)- and Ca(2+),Zn(2+)-bound S100B.

Transcriptional activation of the tumor suppressor and differentiation gene S100A2 by a novel p63-binding site

S100A2 is generally found expressed in the epidermis and was recently shown to play a crucial role in the differentiation of keratinocytes. Also known as CaN19, S100A2 was identified as a potential tumor suppressor. Expression of S100A2 is upregulated by p53. The proteins p63 and p73 are related to p53 and are expressed as several splice variants with partially overlapping tasks but also functions different from p53. It had been shown that p63 proteins with mutations in their DNA-binding domain cause severe phenotypes in man as autosomal dominantly inherited disease including EEC, AEC, SHFM, LMS and ADULT syndromes. Here we show that S100A2 is a transcriptional target of p63/p73 family members, particularly the p63 splice variant TAp63γ. The regulation is mediated by a novel transcriptional element in the S100A2 promoter which is bound by TAp63γ but not by p53. Mutant p63 proteins derived from EEC and ADULT syndrome patients cannot activate S100A2 transcription whereas SHFM-related mutants still can stimulate the S100A2 promoter. Consistent with a function in tumor suppression S100A2 expression is stimulated upon DNA damage. After doxorubicin treatment p63γ proteins are recruited to the S100A2 promoter in vivo. This may indicate a function of the p63-dependent S100A2 regulation in tumor suppression.

Implications on zinc binding to S100A2

Human S100A2 is an EF-hand calcium-binding S100 protein that is localized mainly in the nucleus and functions as tumor suppressor. In addition to Ca2+ S100A2 binds Zn2+ with a high affinity. Studies have been carried out to investigate whether Zn2+ acts as a regulatory ion for S100A2, as in the case of Ca2+. Using the method of competition with the Zn2+ chelator 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol, an apparent Kd of 25 nM has been determined for Zn2+ binding to S100A2. The affinity lies close to the range of intracellular free Zn2+ concentrations, suggesting that S100A2 is able to bind Zn2+ in the nucleus. Two Zn2+-binding sites have been identified using site directed mutagenesis and several spectroscopic techniques with Cd2+ and Co2+ as probes. In site 1 Zn2+ is bound by Cys21 and most likely by His 17. The binding of Zn2+ in site 2 induces the formation of a tetramer, whereby the Zn(2+) is coordinated by Cys2 from each subunit. Remarkably, only binding of Zn2+ to site 2 substantially weakens the affinity of S100A2 for Ca2+. Analysis of the individual Ca2+-binding constants revealed that the Ca2+ affinity of one EF-hand is decreased about 3-fold, whereas the other EF-hand exhibits a 300-fold decrease in affinity. These findings imply that S100A2 is regulated by both Zn2+ and Ca2+, and suggest that Zn2+ might deactivate S100A2 by inhibiting response to intracellular Ca2+ signals.

Prediction of EF-hand calcium-binding proteins and analysis of bacterial EF-hand proteins

The EF-hand protein with a helix-loop-helix Ca(2+) binding motif constitutes one of the largest protein families and is involved in numerous biological processes. To facilitate the understanding of the role of Ca(2+) in biological systems using genomic information, we report, herein, our improvement on the pattern search method for the identification of EF-hand and EF-like Ca(2+)-binding proteins. The canonical EF-hand patterns are modified to cater to different flanking structural elements. In addition, on the basis of the conserved sequence of both the N- and C-terminal EF-hands within S100 and S100-like proteins, a new signature profile has been established to allow for the identification of pseudo EF-hand and S100 proteins from genomic information. The new patterns have a positive predictive value of 99% and a sensitivity of 96% for pseudo EF-hands. Furthermore, using the developed patterns, we have identified zero pseudo EF-hand motif and 467 canonical EF-hand Ca(2+) binding motifs with diverse cellular functions in the bacteria genome. The prediction results imply that pseudo EF-hand motifs are phylogenetically younger than canonical EF-hand motifs. Our prediction of Ca(2+) binding motifs provides not only an insight into the role of Ca(2+) and Ca(2+)-binding proteins in bacterial systems, but also a way to explore and define the role of Ca(2+) in other biological systems (calciomics).

Pathologies involving the S100 proteins and RAGE

The S100 proteins are exclusively expressed in vertebrates and are the largest subgroup within the superfamily of EF-hand Ca2(+)-binding proteins Generally, S100 proteins are organized as tight homodimers (some as heterodimers). Each subunit is composed of a C-terminal, 'canonical' EF-hand, common to all EF-hand proteins, and a N-terminal, 'pseudo' EF-hand, characteristic of S100 proteins. Upon Ca2(+)-binding, the C-terminal EF-hand undergoes a large conformational change resulting in the exposure of a hydrophobic surface responsible for target binding A unique feature of this protein family is that some members are secreted from cells upon stimulation, exerting cytokine- and chemokine-like extracellular activities via the Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts, RAGE. Recently, larger assemblies of some S100 proteins (hexamers, tetramers, octamers) have been also observed and are suggested to be the active extracellular species required for receptor binding and activation through receptor multimerization Most S100 genes are located in a gene cluster on human chromosome 1q21, a region frequently rearranged in human cancer The functional diversification of S100 proteins is achieved by their specific cell- and tissue-expression patterns, structural variations, different metal ion binding properties (Ca2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+) as well as their ability to form homo-, hetero- and oligomeric assemblies Here, we review the most recent developments focussing on the biological functions of the S100 proteins and we discuss the presently available S100-specific mouse models and their possible use as human disease models In addition, the S100-RAGE interaction and the activation of various cellular pathways will be discussed. Finally, the close association of S100 proteins with cardiomyopathy, cancer, inflammation and brain diseases is summarized as well as their use in diagnosis and their potential as drug targets to improve therapies in the future.

Biophysical characterization of S100A8 and S100A9 in the absence and presence of bivalent cations

S100A8 and S100A9 are two proinflammatory molecules belonging to the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins. Common to all S100 proteins S100A8 and S100A9 form non-covalently associated complexes which have been shown to exhibit different functional properties. Besides dimerization, recent research is focused on the importance of higher oligomeric structures of S100 proteins induced by bivalent cations. While S100A8/S100A9-heterodimers are formed in the absence of calcium, tetramerization is strictly calcium-dependent. Heterodimer formation is not a simple process and our biophysical analyses (FRET, ESI-MS) demonstrate that simply mixing both subunits is not sufficient to induce complex formation. Steps of denaturation/renaturation are necessary for the recombinant complex to show identical biophysical properties as S100A8/S100A9 obtained from granulocytes. In addition to calcium both proteins are able to bind zinc with high affinity. Here we demonstrate for the first time by different biophysical methods (MALDI-MS, ESI-MS, fluorescence spectroscopy) that zinc-binding, like calcium, induces (S100A8/S100A9)(2)-tetramers. Using mass spectrometric investigations we demonstrate that zinc triggers the formation of (S100A8/S100A9)(2)-tetramers by zinc-specific binding sites rather than by interactions with calcium-specific EF-hands. The zinc-induced tetramer is structurally very similar to the calcium-induced tetramer. Thus, like calcium, zinc acts as a regulatory factor in S100A8/S100A9-dependent signaling pathways.

The Calcium-binding Protein S100A2 Interacts with p53 and Modulates Its Transcriptional Activity

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma express high levels of the EF-hand calcium-binding protein S100A2 in contrast to other tumorigenic tissues and cell lines where the expression of this protein is reduced. Subtractive hybridization of tumorigenic versus normal tumor-derived mammary epithelial cells has previously identified the S100A2 protein as potential tumor suppressor. The biological function of S100A2 in carcinogenesis, however, has not been elucidated to date. Here, we report for the first time that during recovery from hydroxyurea treatment, the S100A2 protein translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and co-localized with the tumor suppressor p53 in two different oral carcinoma cells (FADU and SCC-25). Co-immunoprecipitation experiments and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that the interaction between S100A2 and p53 is Ca(2+)-dependent. Preliminary characterization of this interaction indicated that the region in p53 involved with binding to S100A2 is located at the C terminus of p53. Finally, luciferase-coupled transactivation assays, where a p53-reporter construct was used, indicated that interaction with S100A2 increased p53 transcriptional activity. Our data suggest that in oral cancer cells the Ca(2+)- and cell cycle-dependent p53-S100A2 interaction might modulate proliferation.

Solution Structure of Zinc- and Calcium-Bound Rat S100B as Determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy†,‡

The EF-hand calcium-binding protein S100B also binds one zinc ion per subunit with a relatively high affinity (K(d) approximately 90 nM) [Wilder et al., (2003) Biochemistry 42, 13410-13421]. In this study, the structural characterization of zinc binding to calcium-loaded S100B was examined using high-resolution NMR techniques, including structural characterization of this complex in solution at atomic resolution. As with other S100 protein structures, the quaternary structure of Zn(2+)-Ca(2+)-bound S100B was found to be dimeric with helices H1, H1', H4, and H4' forming an X-type four-helix bundle at the dimer interface. NMR data together with mutational analyses are consistent with Zn(2+) coordination arising from His-15 and His-25 of one S100B subunit and from His-85 and Glu-89 of the other subunit. The addition of Zn(2+) was also found to extend helices H4 and H4' three to four residues similar to what was previously observed with the binding of target proteins to S100B. Furthermore, a kink in helix 4 was observed in Zn(2+)-Ca(2+)-bound S100B that is not in Ca(2+)-bound S100B. These structural changes upon Zn(2+)-binding could explain the 5-fold increase in affinity that Zn(2+)-Ca(2+)-bound S100B has for peptide targets such as the TRTK peptide versus Ca(2+)-bound S100B. There are also changes in the relative positioning of the two EF-hand calcium-binding domains and the respective helices comprising these EF-hands. Changes in conformation such as these could contribute to the order of magnitude higher affinity that S100B has for calcium in the presence of Zn(2+).

Phagocyte-specific calcium-binding S100 proteins as clinical laboratory markers of inflammation

The EF-hand homolog family of S100 proteins comprises the largest group of calcium-binding proteins. Within this S100 family, the phagocyte-specific calcium-binding proteins are pro-inflammatory molecules expressed and secreted by phagocytes, which play a pivotal role within the innate immune system. Although the exact biological functions of these proteins still remain to be defined in greater detail, there is evidence that they are involved in a pro-inflammatory axis associated with various inflammatory conditions. The three members of this group, S100A8, S100A9 and S100A12 are overexpressed at local sites of inflammation. High concentrations are found in synovial fluid, sputum, stool and blood plasma/serum during inflammation. Both the S100A8/S100A9 complex and S100A12 have been proven to be useful as diagnostic markers of inflammation especially in non-infectious inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, chronic inflammatory lung and bowel disease. They indicate phagocyte activation more sensitively than conventional parameters of inflammation. As a consequence, there is a strong correlation to the inflammation of various acute and chronic disorders, making these proteins sensitive parameters for the monitoring of disease activity and response to treatment in individual patients. The phagocyte-specific S100 proteins are able to indicate minimal residual inflammation, which is not detected by other diagnostic tests, and they may even be prospective markers for the outcome of patients. In this review, pro-inflammatory functions of S100 proteins and their usefulness as biomarkers of inflammation are presented.

Location of the Zn2+-Binding Site on S100B As Determined by NMR Spectroscopy and Site-Directed Mutagenesis

In addition to binding Ca(2+), the S100 protein S100B binds Zn(2+) with relatively high affinity as confirmed using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC; K(d) = 94 +/- 17 nM). The Zn(2+)-binding site on Ca(2+)-bound S100B was examined further using NMR spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis. Specifically, ITC measurements of S100B mutants (helix 1, H15A and H25A; helix 4, C84A, H85A, and H90A) were found to bind Zn(2+) with lower affinity than wild-type S100B (from 2- to >25-fold). Thus, His-15, His-25, Cys-84, His-85, and perhaps His-90 of S100B are involved in coordinating Zn(2+), which was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. Previous studies indicate that the binding of Zn(2+) enhances calcium and target protein-binding affinities, which may contribute to its biological function. Thus, chemical shift perturbations observed here for residues in both EF-hand domains of S100B during Zn(2+) titrations could be detecting structural changes in the Ca(2+)-binding domains of S100B that are pertinent to its increase in Ca(2+)-binding affinity in the presence of Zn(2+). Furthermore, Zn(2+) binding causes helix 4 to extend by one full turn when compared to Ca(2+)-bound S100B. This change in secondary structure likely contributes to the increased binding affinity that S100B has for target peptides (i.e., TRTK peptide) in the presence of Zn(2+).

Differential responses of S100A2 to oxidative stress and increased intracellular calcium in normal, immortalized, and malignant human keratinocytes

S100A2 is a calmodulin-like, p53-inducible, homodimeric protein that is readily oxidized in keratinocytes subjected to oxidative stress. Here we compare the redox status and subcellular distribution of S100A2 in normal human keratinocytes, immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT), and malignant keratinocytes (A431) as a function of oxidative stress and intracellular Ca2+ levels. Normal human keratinocytes displayed strong nuclear and moderate cytoplasmic S100A2 immunoreactivity. HaCaT and A431 cells, which lack normal p53, expressed S100A2 in similar patterns but in 4- to 8-fold lower amounts. H2O2 treatment of normal human keratinocytes caused a reduction of nuclear S100A2 staining accompanied by an increase in cytoplasmic S100A2 staining, with a delayed time course (0.5-1 h) relative to S100A2 oxidative crosslinking (15 min). This phenomenon, consistent with translocation of S100A2 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, could also be induced in normal human keratinocytes by increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels with the ionophore A23187. Sulfhydryl reducing agents blocked these changes, whether induced by H2O2 or increased intracellular Ca2+ levels. A temporal correlation was identified between S100A2 translocation at 1 h and loss of cell viability at 24 h after H2O2 treatment. A431 and HaCaT cells were strongly resistant to H2O2-induced S100A2 crosslinking, S100A2 translocation, and cell death. Increased intracellular Ca2+ levels caused prominent translocation of S100A2 in normal human keratinocytes and HaCaT, but not in A431 cells. These results identify S100A2 oxidation and translocation as markers for early cellular responses to oxidative stress, which are markedly attenuated in immortalized and malignant keratinocytes.

Calcium-binding by p26olf, an S100-like protein in the frog olfactory epithelium

Frog p26olf is a novel S100-like Ca2+-binding protein found in olfactory cilia. It consists of two S100-like domains aligned sequentially, and has a total of four Ca2+-binding sites (known as EF-hands). In this study, to elucidate the mechanism of Ca2+-binding to each EF-hand (named EF-A, -B, -C and -D from the N-terminus of p26olf), we examined Ca2+-binding in wild-type p26olf and also in its mutants in which a glutamate at the -z coordinate position within each Ca2+-binding loop was substituted for a glutamine. Flow dialysis experiments showed that the wild-type binds nearly four Ca2+ per molecule maximally, while all the mutants bind approximately three Ca2+. Although EF-B and -D are p26olf-specific EF-hands and their role in Ca2+-binding is not known, the result unequivocally showed that they actually bind Ca2+. The overall Ca2+-binding affinity decreased in the three mutants. The decrease was very large in the mutants of EF-A and -B, which suggested that the Ca2+-affinities are high in EF-A and -B in the wild-type. Assuming the presence of four steps of Ca2+-binding, we determined the dissociation constant of each step in wild-type p26olf. To assign which step takes place at which EF-hand, we measured the antagonistic effect of K+ on each step, as the effect of K+ is thought to be a function of the number of the carboxyl groups in an EF-hand. Although the actual Ca2+-binding mechanism may not be so simple, this study together with the mutation study suggested a tentative Ca2+-binding model of p26olf: the order of Ca2+-binding to p26olf is EF-B, EF-A, EF-C and EF-D. Based on these results, we speculate that similar Ca2+-binding takes place in an S100 dimer.

Structural insight into human Zn(2+)-bound S100A2 from NMR and homology modeling

The S100 subfamily of EF-hand proteins is distinguished by the binding of Zn(2+) in addition to Ca(2+). In an effort to understand the role of Zn(2+) in modulating the activity of S100 proteins, we have carried out heteronuclear NMR studies of Zn(2+)-bound S100A2 and obtained near complete resonance assignments. This analysis revealed an equilibrium between multiple isoforms due to cis-trans isomerism of proline residues in flexible regions of the protein. The secondary structure of S100A2 has been determined based on the NMR chemical shift index (CSI) technique. The protein is found to possess essentially the same secondary structure found in other S100 proteins such as S100A6 and S100B. Homology models have been built based on the high resolution three-dimensional structures of other S100 proteins. The models predict two Zn(2+) binding clusters, one involving residues His17-Cys21-Cys93 and the other Cys2-His39, and with Cys86 participating in either the N-terminal or the C-terminal binding site.

S100A2, a putative tumor suppressor gene, regulates in vitro squamous cell carcinoma migration

It has been previously shown that S100A2 is down-regulated in tumor cells and can be considered a tumor suppressor. We have recently shown that this down-regulation can be observed particularly in epithelial tissue, where S100A2 expression decreases remarkably in tumors as compared with normal specimens. In the present paper we investigate whether S100A2 could play a tumor-suppressor role in certain epithelial tissues by acting at the cell migration level. To this end, we made use of five in vitro human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma lines in which we characterized S100A2 expression at both RNA and protein level. To characterize the influence of S100A2 on cell kinetic and cell motility features, we used two complementary approaches involving specific antisense oligonucleotides and the addition of S100A2 to the culture media. The different expression analyses gave a coherent demonstration of the fact that the FADU and the RPMI-2650 cell lines exhibit high and low levels of S100A2 expression, respectively. Antisense oligonucleotides (in FADU) and extracellular treatments (in RPMI) showed that, for these two models, S100A2 had a clear inhibitory influence on cell motility while modifying the cell kinetic parameters only slightly. These effects seem to be related, at least in part, to a modification in the polymerization/depolymerization dynamics of the actin microfilamentary cytoskeleton. Furthermore, we found evidence of the presence of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) in RPMI cells, which may act as a receptor for extracellular S100A2. The present study therefore presents experimentally based evidence showing that S100A2 could play a tumor-suppressor role in certain epithelial tissues by restraining cell migration features, at least in the case of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

HCaRG, a novel calcium-regulated gene coding for a nuclear protein, is potentially involved in the regulation of cell proliferation

Since a negative calcium balance is present in spontaneously hypertensive rats, we searched for the gene(s) involved in this dysregulation. A cDNA library was constructed from the spontaneously hypertensive rat parathyroid gland, which is a key regulator of serum-ionized calcium. From seven overlapping DNA fragments, a 1100-base pair novel cDNA containing an open reading frame of 224 codons was reconstituted. This novel gene, named HCaRG (hypertension-related, calcium-regulated gene), was negatively regulated by extracellular calcium concentration, and its basal mRNA levels were higher in hypertensive animals. The deduced protein showed no transmembrane domain, 67% alpha-helix content, a mutated calcium-binding site (EF-hand motif), four putative "leucine zipper" motifs, and a nuclear receptor-binding domain. At the subcellular level, HCaRG had a nuclear localization. We cloned the human homolog of this gene. Sequence comparison revealed 80% homology between rats and humans at the nucleotide and amino acid sequences. Tissue distribution showed a preponderance in the heart, stomach, jejunum, kidney (tubular fraction), liver, and adrenal gland (mainly in the medulla). HCaRG mRNA was significantly more expressed in adult than in fetal organs, and its levels were decreased in tumors and cancerous cell lines. We observed that after 60-min ischemia followed by reperfusion, HCaRG mRNA declined rapidly in contrast with an increase in c-myc mRNA. Its levels then rose steadily to exceed base line at 48 h of reperfusion. HEK293 cells stably transfected with HCaRG exhibited much lower proliferation, as shown by cell count and [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. Taken together, our results suggest that HCaRG is a nuclear protein potentially involved in the control of cell proliferation.

Brain S100A5 is a novel calcium-, zinc-, and copper ion-binding protein of the EF-hand superfamily

S100A5 is a novel member of the EF-hand superfamily of calcium-binding proteins that is poorly characterized at the protein level. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates that it is expressed in very restricted regions of the adult brain. Here we characterized the human recombinant S100A5, especially its interaction with Ca(2+), Zn(2+), and Cu(2+). Flow dialysis revealed that the homodimeric S100A5 binds four Ca(2+) ions with strong positive cooperativity and an affinity 20-100-fold higher than the other S100 proteins studied under identical conditions. S100A5 also binds two Zn(2+) ions and four Cu(2+) ions per dimer. Cu(2+) binding strongly impairs the binding of Ca(2+); however, none of these ions change the alpha-helical-rich secondary structure. After covalent labeling of an exposed thiol with 2-(4'-(iodoacetamide)anilino)-naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid, binding of Cu(2+), but not of Ca(2+) or Zn(2+), strongly decreased its fluorescence. In light of the three-dimensional structure of S100 proteins, our data suggest that in each subunit the single Zn(2+) site is located at the opposite side of the EF-hands. The two Cu(2+)-binding sites likely share ligands of the EF-hands. The potential role of S100A5 in copper homeostasis is discussed.

Biochemical characterization of S100A2 in human keratinocytes: subcellular localization, dimerization, and oxidative cross-linking

S100A2 is a calmodulin-like protein of unknown function, whose transcription is positively regulated in response to ErbB and p53 signaling. Expression of S100A2 is markedly increased in the context of ErbB-driven reactive epidermal hyperplasia, and decreased in the context of hypofunctional p53 mutations in carcinoma cell lines and tumors. This bimodal pattern of regulation suggests an important function for S100A2 in keratinocyte differentiation and carcinogenesis. Taking the biochemical approach to the determination of S100A2 function, we have characterized its physical state and subcellular localization in normal human keratinocytes. S100A2 in hypotonic lysates remained soluble after centrifugation at 100 000 x g, indicating that it is not associated with cell membranes. Permeabilization experiments confirmed the lack of membrane association and revealed a digitonin-insoluble nuclear fraction of S100A2, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Pulldown assays of epitope-tagged S100A2 and yeast two-hybrid screening revealed that S100A2 displays a strong propensity to homodimerize. Naturally expressed S100A2 dimers in normal human keratinocytes readily underwent intermolecular disulfide cross-linking unless a strong denaturant was present during cell lysis. Treatment of intact normal human keratinocytes with hydrogen peroxide strongly promoted S100A2 cross-linking. These results demonstrate that native S100A2 is a homodimer that does not depend on disulfide cross-linking for stability, but undergoes intermolecular cross-linking at cysteine residues in response to oxidative stress. Based on these findings, we propose that S100A2 may protect normal keratinocytes against carcinogens by participating in the cellular proof-reading response to oxidative stress.

Ion-induced conformational and stability changes in Nereis sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein: evidence that the APO state is a molten globule

Nereis sarcoplasmic Ca(2+)-binding protein (NSCP) is a calcium buffer protein that binds Ca(2+) ions with high affinity but is also able to bind Mg(2+) ions with high positive cooperativity. We investigated the conformational and stability changes induced by the two metal ions. The thermal reversible unfolding, monitored by circular dichroism spectroscopy, shows that the thermal stability is maximum at neutral pH and increases in the order apo < Mg(2+) < Ca(2+). The stability against chemical denaturation (urea, guanidinium chloride) studied by circular dichroism or intrinsic fluorescence was found to have a similar ion dependence. To explore in more detail the structural basis of stability, we used the fluorescent probes to evaluate the hydrophobic surface exposure in the different ligation states. The apo-NSCP exhibits accessible hydrophobic surfaces, able to bind fluorescent probes, in clear contrast with denatured or Ca(2+)/Mg(2+)-bound states. Gel filtration experiments showed that, although the metal-bound NSCP has a hydrodynamic volume in agreement with the molecular mass, the volume of the apo form is considerably larger. The present results demonstrate that the apo state has many properties in common with the molten globule. The possible factors of the metal-dependent structural changes and stability are discussed.

Mapping the zinc ligands of S100A2 by site-directed mutagenesis

S100 family proteins are characterized by short individual N and C termini and a conserved central part, harboring two Ca(2+)-binding EF-hands, one of them highly conserved among EF-hand family proteins and the other characteristic for S100 proteins. In addition to Ca(2+), several members of the S100 protein family, including S100A2, bind Zn(2+). Two regions in the amino acid sequences of S100 proteins, namely the helices of the N-terminal EF-hand motif and the very C-terminal loop are believed to be involved in Zn(2+)-binding due to the presence of histidine and/or cysteine residues. Human S100A2 contains four cysteine residues, each of them located at positions that may be important for Zn(2+) binding. We have now constructed and purified 10 cysteine-deficient mutants of human S100A2 by site-directed mutagenesis and investigated the contribution of the individual cysteine residues to Zn(2+) binding. Here we show that Cys(1(3)) (the number in parentheses indicating the position in the sequence of S100A2) is the crucial determinant for Zn(2+) binding in association with conformational changes as determined by internal tyrosine fluorescence. Solid phase Zn(2+) binding assays also revealed that the C-terminal residues Cys(3(87)) and Cys(4(94)) mediated a second type of Zn(2+) binding, not associated with detectable conformational changes in the molecule. Cys(2(22)), by contrast, which is located within the first EF hand motif affected neither Ca(2+) nor Zn(2+) binding, and a Cys "null" mutant was entirely incapable of ligating Zn(2+). These results provide new information about the mechanism and the site(s) of zinc binding in S100A2.

S100A13. Biochemical characterization and subcellular localization in different cell lines

S100 proteins became of major interest because of their divergent cell- and tissue-specific expression, their close association with a number of human diseases, and their importance for clinical diagnostics. Here, we report for the first time the purification and characterization of human recombinant S100A13. Flow dialysis revealed that the homodimeric S100A13 binds four Ca(2+) in two sets of binding sites, both displaying positive cooperativity but of very different affinity. Fluorescence and difference spectrophotometry indicate that the Trp/Tyr signal changes are almost complete upon binding of Ca(2+) to the two high affinity sites, which probably correspond to the C-terminal EF-hands in each subunit. The far-UV circular dichroic signal also changes upon binding of the first two Ca(2+). So far, the tissue distribution of S100A13 has not been well characterized. Here, we show that S100A13 is widely expressed in various types of tissues with a high expression level in thyroid gland. Using specific antisera against S100A13, high protein expression was detected in follicle cells of thyroid, Leydig cells of testis, and specific cells of brain. In human smooth muscle cells, which co-express S100A2 in the nucleus and S100A1 in stress fibers, S100A13 shows a unique subcellular localization in the perinuclear area. These data suggest diverse functions for this protein in signal transduction.

Cellulosome from Clostridium cellulolyticum: molecular study of the Dockerin/Cohesin interaction

Clostridium cellulolyticum produces cellulolytic complexes (cellulosomes) made of 10-13 cell wall degrading enzymes tightly bound to a scaffolding protein (CipC) by means of their dockerin domain. It has previously been shown that the receptor domains in CipC are the cohesin domains and that the cohesin/dockerin interaction is calcium-dependent. In the present study, surface plasmon resonance was used to demonstrate that the free cohesin1 from CipC and dockerin from CelA have the same K(D) (2.5 x 10(-)(10) M) as that of the entire CelA and a larger fragment of CipC, the latter of which contains, in addition to cohesin1, a cellulose binding domain and a hydrophilic domain of unknown function. This demonstrates that neither the catalytic domain of CelA nor the noncohesin domains of CipC have any influence on the interaction. Dockerin domains are composed of two conserved segments of 22 residues: removal of the second segment abolishes the affinity for cohesin1, whereas modified dockerins having twice the first segment, twice the second, or both segments but in a reverse order have K(D) values for cohesin1 in the same range as that observed for wild-type dockerin. These data indicate that if two segments are required for the complexation with the cohesin, segments 1 and 2 are similar enough to replace each other. Calcium overlay experiments revealed that the dockerin domain has one calcium binding site per conserved segment. Circular dichroism performed on wild-type and mutant dockerins indicates that this domain is well structured and that removal of calcium only weakly affects the secondary structure, which remains 40-45% helical.

Transcriptional activation of the human S100A2 promoter by wild-type p53

S100A2, a calcium binding protein of the EF-hand family, was recently identified to be inducible by etoposide, a p53 activator. A potential p53 binding site was identified in the promoter of the S100A2 gene, which binds to purified p53 as well as p53 in nuclear extract activated by etoposide. Transactivation assays using the promoter driven luciferase reporters revealed that the S100A2 promoter was transcriptionally activated by wild-type p53, but not by p53 mutants, in a dose-dependent as well as a p53 binding site-dependent manner. The p53-induced transactivation of the S100A2 promoter was enhanced by etoposide and blocked by a dominant negative p53 mutant. Furthermore, endogenous S100A2 mRNA expression is induced by etoposide in p53 positive, but not in p53 negative cells. Thus, p53 appears to positively regulate S100A2 expression.

Zinc-binding site of an S100 protein revealed. Two crystal structures of Ca2+-bound human psoriasin (S100A7) in the Zn2+-loaded and Zn2+-free states

The crystal structure of human psoriasin (S100A7) in the native, calcium-bound form has been determined from two crystal forms of the protein crystallized with and without divalent zinc. The overall structures of the dimeric protein closely resemble the previously determined holmium-substituted structure. The structures also reveal a zinc-binding site of the protein, which is formed by three histidines and an aspartate residue. Together, these residues coordinate the zinc ion in a way similar to the pattern seen in certain metalloproteases and in particular the collagenase family of proteins. Sequence comparison suggests that this zinc site is present in a number of the remaining members of the S100 family. The structure of S100A7 crystallized in the absence of zinc further shows that loss of zinc results in a reorganization of the adjacent empty and distorted EF-hand loop, causing it to resemble a calcium-loaded EF-hand.

Supratentorial pilocytic astrocytomas, astrocytomas, anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas are characterized by a differential expression of S100 proteins

The levels of expression of the S100A1, S100A2, S100A3, S100A4, S100A5, S100A6 and S100B proteins were immunohistochemically assayed and quantitatively determined in a series of 95 astrocytic tumors including 26 World Health Organization (WHO) grade I (pilocytic astrocytomas), 23 WHO grade II (astrocytomas), 25 WHO grade III (anaplastic astrocytomas) and 21 WHO grade IV (glioblastomas) cases. The level of the immunohistochemical expression of the S100 proteins was quantitatively determined in the solid tumor tissue (tumor mass). In addition twenty blood vessel walls and their corresponding perivascular tumor astrocytes were also immunohistochemically assayed for 10 cases chosen at random from each of the four histopathological groups. The data showed modifications in the level of S100A3 protein expression; these modifications clearly identified the pilocytic astrocytomas from WHO grade II-IV astrocytic tumors as a distinct biological group. Modifications in the level of S100A6 protein expression enabled a clear distinction to be made between low (WHO grade I and II) and high (WHO grade III and IV) grade astrocytic tumors. Very significant modifications occurred in the level of S100A1 protein expression (and, to a lesser extent, in their of the S100A4 and S100B proteins) in relation to the increasing levels of malignancy. While the S100A5 protein was significantly expressed in all the astrocytic tumors (but without any significant modifications in the levels of malignancy), the S100A2 protein was never expressed in these tumors. These data thus indicate that several S100 proteins play major biological roles in human astrocytic tumors.