1
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Zapata-Mercado E, Biener G, McKenzie DM, Wimley WC, Pasquale EB, Raicu V, Hristova K. The efficacy of receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 autophosphorylation increases with EphA2 oligomer size. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102370. [PMID: 35970390 PMCID: PMC9512837 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) EphA2 is expressed in epithelial and endothelial cells and controls the assembly of cell-cell junctions. EphA2 has also been implicated in many diseases, including cancer. Unlike most RTKs, which signal predominantly as dimers, EphA2 readily forms high-order oligomers upon ligand binding. Here, we investigated if a correlation exists between EphA2 signaling properties and the size of the EphA2 oligomers induced by multiple ligands, including the widely used ephrinA1-Fc ligand, the soluble monomeric m-ephrinA1, and novel engineered peptide ligands. We used fluorescence intensity fluctuation (FIF) spectrometry to characterize the EphA2 oligomer populations induced by the different ligands. Interestingly, we found that different monomeric and dimeric ligands induce EphA2 oligomers with widely different size distributions. Our comparison of FIF brightness distribution parameters and EphA2 signaling parameters reveals that the efficacy of EphA2 phosphorylation on tyrosine 588, an autophosphorylation response contributing to EphA2 activation, correlates with EphA2 mean oligomer size. However, we found that other characteristics, such as the efficacy of AKT inhibition and ligand bias coefficients, appear to be independent of EphA2 oligomer size. Taken together, this work highlights the utility of FIF in RTK signaling research and demonstrates a quantitative correlation between the architecture of EphA2 signaling complexes and signaling features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmer Zapata-Mercado
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gabriel Biener
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel M McKenzie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - William C Wimley
- Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.
| | - Valerica Raicu
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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2
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Purba ER, Saita EI, Akhouri RR, Öfverstedt LG, Wilken G, Skoglund U, Maruyama IN. Allosteric activation of preformed EGF receptor dimers by a single ligand binding event. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1042787. [PMID: 36531494 PMCID: PMC9748436 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1042787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) by mutations has been implicated in a variety of human cancers. Elucidation of the structure of the full-length receptor is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying its activation. Unlike previously anticipated, here, we report that purified full-length EGFR adopts a homodimeric form in vitro before and after ligand binding. Cryo-electron tomography analysis of the purified receptor also showed that the extracellular domains of the receptor dimer, which are conformationally flexible before activation, are stabilized by ligand binding. This conformational flexibility stabilization most likely accompanies rotation of the entire extracellular domain and the transmembrane domain, resulting in dissociation of the intracellular kinase dimer and, thus, rearranging it into an active form. Consistently, mutations of amino acid residues at the interface of the symmetric inactive kinase dimer spontaneously activate the receptor in vivo. Optical observation also indicated that binding of only one ligand activates the receptor dimer on the cell surface. Our results suggest how oncogenic mutations spontaneously activate the receptor and shed light on the development of novel cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Endang R. Purba
- Information Processing Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ei-ichiro Saita
- Information Processing Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Reetesh R. Akhouri
- Cellular Structural Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Lars-Goran Öfverstedt
- Cellular Structural Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Gunnar Wilken
- Cellular Structural Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ulf Skoglund
- Cellular Structural Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ichiro N. Maruyama
- Information Processing Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ichiro N. Maruyama,
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3
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Conserved roles for receptor tyrosine kinase extracellular regions in regulating receptor and pathway activity. Biochem J 2020; 477:4207-4220. [PMID: 33043983 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) comprise a diverse group of cell-surface receptors that mediate key signaling events during animal development and are frequently activated in cancer. We show here that deletion of the extracellular regions of 10 RTKs representing 7 RTK classes or their substitution with the dimeric immunoglobulin Fc region results in constitutive receptor phosphorylation but fails to result in phosphorylation of downstream signaling effectors Erk or Akt. Conversely, substitution of RTK extracellular regions with the extracellular region of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) results in increases in effector phosphorylation in response to EGF. These results indicate that the activation signal generated by the EGFR extracellular region is capable of activating at least seven different RTK classes. Failure of phosphorylated Fc-RTK chimeras or RTKs with deleted extracellular regions to stimulate phosphorylation of downstream effectors indicates that either dimerization and receptor phosphorylation per se are insufficient to activate signaling or constitutive dimerization leads to pathway inhibition.
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4
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Byrne PO, Hristova K, Leahy DJ. EGFR forms ligand-independent oligomers that are distinct from the active state. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:13353-13362. [PMID: 32727847 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.012852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ERBB1) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that forms activated oligomers in response to ligand. Much evidence indicates that EGFR/ERBB1 also forms oligomers in the absence of ligand, but the structure and physiological role of these ligand-independent oligomers remain unclear. To examine these features, we use fluorescence microscopy to measure the oligomer stability and FRET efficiency for homo- and hetero-oligomers of fluorescent protein-labeled forms of EGFR and its paralog, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/ERBB2) in vesicles derived from mammalian cell membranes. We observe that both receptors form ligand-independent oligomers at physiological plasma membrane concentrations. Mutations introduced in the kinase region at the active state asymmetric kinase dimer interface do not affect the stability of ligand-independent EGFR oligomers. These results indicate that ligand-independent EGFR oligomers form using interactions that are distinct from the EGFR active state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O Byrne
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Kalina Hristova
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel J Leahy
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
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5
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Chung HK, Zou X, Bajar BT, Brand VR, Huo Y, Alcudia JF, Ferrell JE, Lin MZ. A compact synthetic pathway rewires cancer signaling to therapeutic effector release. Science 2019; 364:364/6439/eaat6982. [PMID: 31048459 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat6982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
An important goal in synthetic biology is to engineer biochemical pathways to address unsolved biomedical problems. One long-standing problem in molecular medicine is the specific identification and ablation of cancer cells. Here, we describe a method, named Rewiring of Aberrant Signaling to Effector Release (RASER), in which oncogenic ErbB receptor activity, instead of being targeted for inhibition as in existing treatments, is co-opted to trigger therapeutic programs. RASER integrates ErbB activity to specifically link oncogenic states to the execution of desired outputs. A complete mathematical model of RASER and modularity in design enable rational optimization and output programming. Using RASER, we induced apoptosis and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated transcription of endogenous genes specifically in ErbB-hyperactive cancer cells. Delivery of apoptotic RASER by adeno-associated virus selectively ablated ErbB-hyperactive cancer cells while sparing ErbB-normal cells. RASER thus provides a new strategy for oncogene-specific cancer detection and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hokyung K Chung
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xinzhi Zou
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bryce T Bajar
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Veronica R Brand
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yunwen Huo
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Javier F Alcudia
- Neuroscience Gene Vector and Virus Core, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - James E Ferrell
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael Z Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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6
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Gocheva G, Ivanova A. A Look at Receptor–Ligand Pairs for Active-Targeting Drug Delivery from Crystallographic and Molecular Dynamics Perspectives. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:3293-3321. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gergana Gocheva
- Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, 1 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Anela Ivanova
- Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, 1 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
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7
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Larsen MB, Perez Verdaguer M, Schmidt BF, Bruchez MP, Watkins SC, Sorkin A. Generation of endogenous pH-sensitive EGF receptor and its application in high-throughput screening for proteins involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. eLife 2019; 8:46135. [PMID: 31066673 PMCID: PMC6533059 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously we used gene-editing to label endogenous EGF receptor (EGFR) with GFP and demonstrate that picomolar concentrations of EGFR ligand drive signaling and endocytosis of EGFR in tumors in vivo (Pinilla-Macua et al., 2017). We now use gene-editing to insert a fluorogen activating protein (FAP) in the EGFR extracellular domain. Binding of the tandem dye pair MG-Bis-SA to FAP-EGFR provides a ratiometric pH-sensitive model with dual fluorescence excitation and a single far-red emission. The excitation ratio of fluorescence intensities was demonstrated to faithfully report the fraction of FAP-EGFR located in acidic endosomal/lysosomal compartments. Coupling native FAP-EGFR expression with the high method sensitivity has allowed development of a high-throughput assay to measure the rates of clathrin-mediated FAP-EGFR endocytosis stimulated with physiological EGF concentrations. The assay was utilized to screen a phosphatase siRNA library. These studies highlight the utility of endogenous pH-sensitive FAP-receptor chimeras in high-throughput analysis of endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Breum Larsen
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Mireia Perez Verdaguer
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Brigitte F Schmidt
- Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Marcel P Bruchez
- Molecular Biosensor and Imaging Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, United States.,Sharp Edge Laboratories, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Simon C Watkins
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Alexander Sorkin
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
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8
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Enkavi G, Javanainen M, Kulig W, Róg T, Vattulainen I. Multiscale Simulations of Biological Membranes: The Challenge To Understand Biological Phenomena in a Living Substance. Chem Rev 2019; 119:5607-5774. [PMID: 30859819 PMCID: PMC6727218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes are tricky to investigate. They are complex in terms of molecular composition and structure, functional over a wide range of time scales, and characterized by nonequilibrium conditions. Because of all of these features, simulations are a great technique to study biomembrane behavior. A significant part of the functional processes in biological membranes takes place at the molecular level; thus computer simulations are the method of choice to explore how their properties emerge from specific molecular features and how the interplay among the numerous molecules gives rise to function over spatial and time scales larger than the molecular ones. In this review, we focus on this broad theme. We discuss the current state-of-the-art of biomembrane simulations that, until now, have largely focused on a rather narrow picture of the complexity of the membranes. Given this, we also discuss the challenges that we should unravel in the foreseeable future. Numerous features such as the actin-cytoskeleton network, the glycocalyx network, and nonequilibrium transport under ATP-driven conditions have so far received very little attention; however, the potential of simulations to solve them would be exceptionally high. A major milestone for this research would be that one day we could say that computer simulations genuinely research biological membranes, not just lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giray Enkavi
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matti Javanainen
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy
of Sciences, Flemingovo naḿesti 542/2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Waldemar Kulig
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Róg
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
- MEMPHYS-Center
for Biomembrane Physics
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9
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Martin-Fernandez ML, Clarke DT, Roberts SK, Zanetti-Domingues LC, Gervasio FL. Structure and Dynamics of the EGF Receptor as Revealed by Experiments and Simulations and Its Relevance to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cells 2019; 8:E316. [PMID: 30959819 PMCID: PMC6523254 DOI: 10.3390/cells8040316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is historically the prototypical receptor tyrosine kinase, being the first cloned and the first where the importance of ligand-induced dimer activation was ascertained. However, many years of structure determination has shown that EGFR is not completely understood. One challenge is that the many structure fragments stored at the PDB only provide a partial view because full-length proteins are flexible entities and dynamics play a key role in their functionality. Another challenge is the shortage of high-resolution data on functionally important higher-order complexes. Still, the interest in the structure/function relationships of EGFR remains unabated because of the crucial role played by oncogenic EGFR mutants in driving non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite targeted therapies against EGFR setting a milestone in the treatment of this disease, ubiquitous drug resistance inevitably emerges after one year or so of treatment. The magnitude of the challenge has inspired novel strategies. Among these, the combination of multi-disciplinary experiments and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations have been pivotal in revealing the basic nature of EGFR monomers, dimers and multimers, and the structure-function relationships that underpin the mechanisms by which EGFR dysregulation contributes to the onset of NSCLC and resistance to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa L Martin-Fernandez
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX, UK.
| | - David T Clarke
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX, UK.
| | - Selene K Roberts
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX, UK.
| | - Laura C Zanetti-Domingues
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford OX11 0QX, UK.
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10
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Zanetti-Domingues LC, Korovesis D, Needham SR, Tynan CJ, Sagawa S, Roberts SK, Kuzmanic A, Ortiz-Zapater E, Jain P, Roovers RC, Lajevardipour A, van Bergen En Henegouwen PMP, Santis G, Clayton AHA, Clarke DT, Gervasio FL, Shan Y, Shaw DE, Rolfe DJ, Parker PJ, Martin-Fernandez ML. The architecture of EGFR's basal complexes reveals autoinhibition mechanisms in dimers and oligomers. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4325. [PMID: 30337523 PMCID: PMC6193980 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06632-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) autoinhibition is based on X-ray structural data of monomer and dimer receptor fragments and does not explain how mutations achieve ligand-independent phosphorylation. Using a repertoire of imaging technologies and simulations we reveal an extracellular head-to-head interaction through which ligand-free receptor polymer chains of various lengths assemble. The architecture of the head-to-head interaction prevents kinase-mediated dimerisation. The latter, afforded by mutation or intracellular treatments, splits the autoinhibited head-to-head polymers to form stalk-to-stalk flexible non-extended dimers structurally coupled across the plasma membrane to active asymmetric tyrosine kinase dimers, and extended dimers coupled to inactive symmetric kinase dimers. Contrary to the previously proposed main autoinhibitory function of the inactive symmetric kinase dimer, our data suggest that only dysregulated species bear populations of symmetric and asymmetric kinase dimers that coexist in equilibrium at the plasma membrane under the modulation of the C-terminal domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Zanetti-Domingues
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Dimitrios Korovesis
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Sarah R Needham
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Christopher J Tynan
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - Selene K Roberts
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Antonija Kuzmanic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences, University College London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Elena Ortiz-Zapater
- Peter Gore Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, Kings College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Purvi Jain
- Division of Cell Biology, Science Faculty, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands
| | - Rob C Roovers
- Merus, LSI, Yalelaan 62, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alireza Lajevardipour
- Centre for Micro-Photonics, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | | | - George Santis
- Peter Gore Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, Kings College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Andrew H A Clayton
- Centre for Micro-Photonics, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | - David T Clarke
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Francesco L Gervasio
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences, University College London, London, WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Yibing Shan
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, NY, 10036, USA
| | - David E Shaw
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, NY, 10036, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Daniel J Rolfe
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Peter J Parker
- Protein Phosphorylation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW 1 1AT, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Marisa L Martin-Fernandez
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxford, OX11 0QX, UK.
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11
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Mitchell RA, Luwor RB, Burgess AW. Epidermal growth factor receptor: Structure-function informing the design of anticancer therapeutics. Exp Cell Res 2018; 371:1-19. [PMID: 30098332 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Research on the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family and the family of receptors (EGFR) has progressed rapidly in recent times. New crystal structures of the ectodomains with different ligands, the activation of the kinase domain through oligomerisation and the use of fluorescence techniques have revealed profound conformational changes on ligand binding. The control of cell signaling from the EGFR-family is complex, with heterodimerisation, ligand affinity and signaling cross-talk influencing cellular outcomes. Analysis of tissue homeostasis indicates that the control of pro-ligand processing is likely to be as important as receptor activation events. Several members of the EGFR-family are overexpressed and/or mutated in cancer cells. The perturbation of EGFR-family signaling drives the malignant phenotype of many cancers and both inhibitors and antagonists of signaling from these receptors have already produced therapeutic benefits for patients. The design of affibodies, antibodies, small molecule inhibitors and even immunotherapeutic drugs targeting the EGFR-family has yielded promising new approaches to improving outcomes for cancer patients. In this review, we describe recent discoveries which have increased our understanding of the structure and dynamics of signaling from the EGFR-family, the roles of ligand processing and receptor cross-talk. We discuss the relevance of these studies to the development of strategies for designing more effective targeted treatments for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth A Mitchell
- Structural Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia
| | - Rodney B Luwor
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia
| | - Antony W Burgess
- Structural Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
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12
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Valley CC, Arndt-Jovin DJ, Karedla N, Steinkamp MP, Chizhik AI, Hlavacek WS, Wilson BS, Lidke KA, Lidke DS. Enhanced dimerization drives ligand-independent activity of mutant epidermal growth factor receptor in lung cancer. Mol Biol Cell 2015; 26:4087-99. [PMID: 26337388 PMCID: PMC4710239 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e15-05-0269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor kinase mutations drive oncogenesis, but the molecular mechanism of pathological signal initiation is poorly understood. Using high-resolution microscopy methods, the authors reveal that these kinase mutations induce structural changes in the receptor ectodomain that lead to enhanced, ligand-independent dimerization. Mutations within the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/erbB1/Her1) are often associated with tumorigenesis. In particular, a number of EGFR mutants that demonstrate ligand-independent signaling are common in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including kinase domain mutations L858R (also called L834R) and exon 19 deletions (e.g., ΔL747-P753insS), which collectively make up nearly 90% of mutations in NSCLC. The molecular mechanisms by which these mutations confer constitutive activity remain unresolved. Using multiple subdiffraction-limit imaging modalities, we reveal the altered receptor structure and interaction kinetics of NSCLC-associated EGFR mutants. We applied two-color single quantum dot tracking to quantify receptor dimerization kinetics on living cells and show that, in contrast to wild-type EGFR, mutants are capable of forming stable, ligand-independent dimers. Two-color superresolution localization microscopy confirmed ligand-independent aggregation of EGFR mutants. Live-cell Förster resonance energy transfer measurements revealed that the L858R kinase mutation alters ectodomain structure such that unliganded mutant EGFR adopts an extended, dimerization-competent conformation. Finally, mutation of the putative dimerization arm confirmed a critical role for ectodomain engagement in ligand-independent signaling. These data support a model in which dysregulated activity of NSCLC-associated kinase mutants is driven by coordinated interactions involving both the kinase and extracellular domains that lead to enhanced dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher C Valley
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Donna J Arndt-Jovin
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Narain Karedla
- III. Institute of Physics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mara P Steinkamp
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Alexey I Chizhik
- III. Institute of Physics, Georg-August University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - William S Hlavacek
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
| | - Bridget S Wilson
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Keith A Lidke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Diane S Lidke
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
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13
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Warren SC, Margineanu A, Katan M, Dunsby C, French PMW. Homo-FRET Based Biosensors and Their Application to Multiplexed Imaging of Signalling Events in Live Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:14695-716. [PMID: 26133241 PMCID: PMC4519867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160714695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiplexed imaging of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)-based biosensors potentially presents a powerful approach to monitoring the spatio-temporal correlation of signalling pathways within a single live cell. Here, we discuss the potential of homo-FRET based biosensors to facilitate multiplexed imaging. We demonstrate that the homo-FRET between pleckstrin homology domains of Akt (Akt-PH) labelled with mCherry may be used to monitor 3'-phosphoinositide accumulation in live cells and show how global analysis of time resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements can be used to quantify this accumulation. We further present multiplexed imaging readouts of calcium concentration, using fluorescence lifetime measurements of TN-L15-a CFP/YFP based hetero-FRET calcium biosensor-with 3'-phosphoinositide accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Warren
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Anca Margineanu
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Matilda Katan
- Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Chris Dunsby
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Paul M W French
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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14
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N-Glycosylation as determinant of epidermal growth factor receptor conformation in membranes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:4334-9. [PMID: 25805821 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1503262112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) regulates several critical cellular processes and is an important target for cancer therapy. In lieu of a crystallographic structure of the complete receptor, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have recently shown that they can excel in studies of the full-length receptor. Here we present atomistic MD simulations of the monomeric N-glycosylated human EGFR in biomimetic lipid bilayers that are, in parallel, also used for the reconstitution of full-length receptors. This combination enabled us to experimentally validate our simulations, using ligand binding assays and antibodies to monitor the conformational properties of the receptor reconstituted into membranes. We find that N-glycosylation is a critical determinant of EGFR conformation, and specifically the orientation of the EGFR ectodomain relative to the membrane. In the absence of a structure for full-length, posttranslationally modified membrane receptors, our approach offers new means to structurally define and experimentally validate functional properties of cell surface receptors in biomimetic membrane environments.
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15
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When one plus one does not equal two: fluorescence anisotropy in aggregates and multiply labeled proteins. Biophys J 2014; 106:1457-66. [PMID: 24703307 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2014.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The behavior of fluorescence anisotropy and polarization in systems with multiple dyes is well known. Homo-FRET and its consequent energy migration cause the fluorescence anisotropy to decrease as the number of like fluorophores within energy transfer distance increases. This behavior is well understood when all subunits within a cluster are saturated with fluorophores. However, incomplete labeling as might occur from a mixture of endogenous and labeled monomer units, incomplete saturation of binding sites, or photobleaching produces stochastic mixtures. Models in widespread and longstanding use that describe these mixtures apply an assumption of equal fluorescence efficiency for all sites first stated by Weber and Daniel in 1966. The assumption states that fluorophores have the same brightness when free in solution as they do in close proximity to each other in a cluster. The assumption simplifies descriptions of anisotropy trends as the fractional labeling of the cluster changes. However, fluorophores in close proximity often exhibit nonadditivity due to such things as self-quenching behavior or exciplex formation. Therefore, the anisotropy of stochastic mixtures of fluorophore clusters of a particular size will depend on the behavior of those fluorophores in clusters. We present analytical expressions for fractionally labeled clusters exhibiting a range of behaviors, and experimental results from two systems: an assembled tetrameric cluster of fluorescent proteins and stochastically labeled bovine serum albumin containing up to 24 fluorophores. The experimental results indicate that clustered species do not follow the assumption of equal fluorescence efficiency in the systems studied with clustered fluorophores showing reduced fluorescence intensity. Application of the assumption of equal fluorescence efficiency will underpredict anisotropy and consequently underestimate cluster size in these two cases. The theoretical results indicate that careful selection of the fractional labeling in strongly quenched systems will enhance opportunities to determine cluster sizes, making accessible larger clusters than are currently considered possible.
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16
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Arndt-Jovin DJ, Botelho MG, Jovin TM. Structure-function relationships of ErbB RTKs in the plasma membrane of living cells. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 6:a008961. [PMID: 24691959 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a008961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
We review the states of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), primarily the EGF receptor (EGFR, ErbB1, HER1) and the orphan receptor ErbB2 as they exist in living mammalian cells, focusing on four main aspects: (1) aggregation state and distribution in the plasma membrane; (2) conformational features of the receptors situated in the plasma membrane, compared to the crystallographic structures of the isolated extracellular domains; (3) coupling of receptor disposition on filopodia with the transduction of signaling ligand gradients; and (4) ligand-independent receptor activation by application of a magnetic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna J Arndt-Jovin
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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17
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Ziomkiewicz I, Loman A, Klement R, Fritsch C, Klymchenko AS, Bunt G, Jovin TM, Arndt-Jovin DJ. Dynamic conformational transitions of the EGF receptor in living mammalian cells determined by FRET and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Cytometry A 2013; 83:794-805. [DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.22311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Ziomkiewicz
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; 37077; Göttingen; Germany
| | - Anastasia Loman
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; University Medicine Göttingen; 37075; Göttingen; Germany
| | | | - Cornelia Fritsch
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; 37077; Göttingen; Germany
| | - Andrey S. Klymchenko
- Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie; UMR 7213 CNRS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg; 67401; France
| | | | - Thomas M. Jovin
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; 37077; Göttingen; Germany
| | - Donna J. Arndt-Jovin
- Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry; 37077; Göttingen; Germany
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18
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Walker F, Rothacker J, Henderson C, Nice EC, Catimel B, Zhang HH, Scott AM, Bailey MF, Orchard SG, Adams TE, Liu Z, Garrett TPJ, Clayton AHA, Burgess AW. Ligand binding induces a conformational change in epidermal growth factor receptor dimers. Growth Factors 2012; 30:394-409. [PMID: 23163584 DOI: 10.3109/08977194.2012.739619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase requires ligand binding to the extracellular domain (ECD). Previous reports demonstrate that the EGFR-ECD can be crystallized in two conformations - a tethered monomer or, in the presence of ligand, an untethered back-to-back dimer. We use Biosensor analysis to demonstrate that even in the monomeric state different C-terminal extensions of both truncated (EGFR(1-501))-ECD and full-length EGFR(1-621)-ECD can change the conformation of the ligand-binding site. The binding of a monoclonal antibody mAb806, which recognizes the dimer interface, to the truncated EGFR(1-501)-Fc fusion protein is reduced in the presence of ligand, consistent with a change in conformation. On the cell surface, the presence of erythroblastosis B2 (erbB2) increases the binding of mAb806 to the EGFR. The conformation of the erbB2: EGFR heterodimer interface changes when the cells are treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF). We propose that ligand induces kinase-inactive, pre-formed EGFR dimers and heterodimers to change conformation leading to kinase-active tetramers, where kinase activation occurs via an asymmetric interaction between EGFR dimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Walker
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Melbourne - Parkville Branch, Australia
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19
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He L, Hristova K. Consequences of replacing EGFR juxtamembrane domain with an unstructured sequence. Sci Rep 2012; 2:854. [PMID: 23152945 PMCID: PMC3497011 DOI: 10.1038/srep00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
EGFR is the best studied receptor tyrosine kinase. Yet, a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of EGFR signaling is lacking, despite very active research in the field. In this paper, we investigate the role of the juxtamembrane (JM) domain in EGFR signaling by replacing it with a (GGS)10 unstructured sequence. We probe the effect of this replacement on (i) EGFR phosphorylation, (ii) EGFR dimerization and (iii) ligand (EGF) binding. We show that the replacement of EGFR JM domain with a (GGS)10 unstructured linker completely abolishes the phosphorylation of all tyrosine residues, without measurable effects on receptor dimerization or ligand binding. Our results suggest that the JM domain does not stabilize the inactive EGFR dimer in the absence of ligand, and is likely critical only for the last step of EGFR activation, the ligand-induced transition from the inactive to active dimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan He
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
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20
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Gan HK, Burgess AW, Clayton AHA, Scott AM. Targeting of a conformationally exposed, tumor-specific epitope of EGFR as a strategy for cancer therapy. Cancer Res 2012; 72:2924-30. [PMID: 22659454 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-11-3898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its most common extracellular mutant, EGFRvIII, are important therapeutic targets in multiple cancer types. A number of monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule inhibitors against these receptors are now used for anticancer treatments. New insights into the structure and function of these receptors illustrate how they can be targeted in novel ways, with expected improvements in the therapeutic efficacy. Monoclonal antibody 806 (mAb806) is an antibody that targets a conformationally exposed epitope of wild-type EGFR when it is overexpressed on tumor cells or in the presence of oncogenic mutations such as EGFRvIII. The mechanism of action of mAb806, which allows for EGFR inhibition without normal tissue toxicity, creates opportunities for combination therapy and strongly suggests mAb806 will be a superior targeted delivery system for antitumor agents. Targeting of the epitope for mAb806 also appears to be an improved strategy to inhibit tumors that express EGFRvIII. This concept of conformational epitope targeting by antibodies reflects an underlying interplay between the structure and biology of different conformational forms of the EGFR family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui K Gan
- Joint Austin-Ludwig Medical Oncology Unit, Austin Hospital, Australia
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