1
|
Hildebrandt ER, Hussain SA, Sieburg MA, Ravishankar R, Asad N, Gore S, Ito T, Hougland JL, Dore TM, Schmidt WK. Targeted genetic and small molecule disruption of N-Ras CaaX cleavage alters its localization and oncogenic potential. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107316. [PMID: 38583246 PMCID: PMC11098683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Ras GTPases and other CaaX proteins undergo multiple post-translational modifications at their carboxyl-terminus. These events initiate with prenylation of a cysteine and are followed by endoproteolytic removal of the 'aaX' tripeptide and carboxylmethylation. Some CaaX proteins are only subject to prenylation, however, due to the presence of an uncleavable sequence. In this study, uncleavable sequences were used to stage Ras isoforms in a farnesylated and uncleaved state to address the impact of CaaX proteolysis on protein localization and function. This targeted strategy is more specific than those that chemically inhibit the Rce1 CaaX protease or delete the RCE1 gene because global abrogation of CaaX proteolysis impacts the entire CaaX protein proteome and effects cannot be attributed to any specific CaaX protein of the many concurrently affected. With this targeted strategy, clear mislocalization and reduced activity of farnesylated and uncleaved Ras isoforms was observed. In addition, new peptidomimetics based on cleavable Ras CaaX sequences and the uncleavable CAHQ sequence were synthesized and tested as Rce1 inhibitors using in vitro and cell-based assays. Consistently, these non-hydrolyzable peptidomimetic Rce1 inhibitors recapitulate Ras mislocalization effects when modeled on cleavable but not uncleavable CaaX sequences. These findings indicate that a prenylated and uncleavable CaaX sequence, which can be easily applied to a wide range of mammalian CaaX proteins, can be used to probe the specific impact of CaaX proteolysis on CaaX protein properties under conditions of an otherwise normally processed CaaX protein proteome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Hildebrandt
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Shaneela A Hussain
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | | | - Rajani Ravishankar
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Nadeem Asad
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Sangram Gore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Takahiro Ito
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - James L Hougland
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA; Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA; BioInspired Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Timothy M Dore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Walter K Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ravishankar R, Hildebrandt ER, Greenway G, Asad N, Gore S, Dore TM, Schmidt WK. Specific Disruption of Ras2 CAAX Proteolysis Alters Its Localization and Function. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0269222. [PMID: 36602340 PMCID: PMC9927470 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02692-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many CAAX proteins, such as Ras GTPase, undergo a series of posttranslational modifications at their carboxyl terminus (i.e., cysteine prenylation, endoproteolysis of AAX, and carboxylmethylation). Some CAAX proteins, however, undergo prenylation-only modification, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hsp40 Ydj1. We previously observed that altering the CAAX motif of Ydj1 from prenylation-only to canonical resulted in altered Ydj1 function and localization. Here, we investigated the effects of a reciprocal change that altered the well-characterized canonical CAAX motif of S. cerevisiae Ras2 to prenylation-only. We observed that the type of CAAX motif impacted Ras2 protein levels, localization, and function. Moreover, we observed that using a prenylation-only sequence to stage hyperactive Ras2-G19V as a farnesylated and nonproteolyzed intermediate resulted in a different phenotype relative to staging by a genetic RCE1 deletion strategy that simultaneously affected many CAAX proteins. These findings suggested that a prenylation-only CAAX motif is useful for probing the specific impact of CAAX proteolysis on Ras2 under conditions where other CAAX proteins are normally modified. We propose that our strategy could be easily applied to a wide range of CAAX proteins for examining the specific impact of CAAX proteolysis on their functions. IMPORTANCE CAAX proteins are subject to multiple posttranslational modifications: cysteine prenylation, CAAX proteolysis, and carboxylmethylation. For investigations of CAAX proteolysis, this study took the novel approach of using a proteolysis-resistant CAAX sequence to stage Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ras2 GTPase in a farnesylated and nonproteolyzed state. Our approach specifically limited the effects of disrupting CAAX proteolysis to Ras2. This represented an improvement over previous methods where CAAX proteolysis was inhibited by gene knockout, small interfering RNA knockdown, or biochemical inhibition of the Rce1 CAAX protease, which can lead to pleiotropic and unclear attribution of effects due to the action of Rce1 on multiple CAAX proteins. Our approach yielded results that demonstrated specific impacts of CAAX proteolysis on the function, localization, and other properties of Ras2, highlighting the utility of this approach for investigating the impact of CAAX proteolysis in other protein contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajani Ravishankar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily R. Hildebrandt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Grace Greenway
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Nadeem Asad
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sangram Gore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Timothy M. Dore
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Walter K. Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chen X, Yao H, Andrés V, Bergo MO, Kashif M. Status of treatment strategies for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome with a focus on prelamin: A posttranslational modification. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2022; 131:217-223. [PMID: 35790078 PMCID: PMC9795874 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by premature ageing and early death at a mean age of 14.7 years. At the molecular level, HGPS is caused by a de novo heterozygous mutation in LMNA, the gene encoding A-type lamins (mainly lamin A and C) and nuclear proteins, which have important cellular functions related to structure of the nuclear envelope. The LMNA mutation leads to the synthesis of a truncated prelamin A protein (called progerin), which cannot undergo normal processing to mature lamin A. In normal cells, prelamin A processing involves four posttranslational processing steps catalysed by four different enzymes. In HGPS cells, progerin accumulates as a farnesylated and methylated intermediate in the nuclear envelope where it is toxic and causes nuclear shape abnormalities and senescence. Numerous efforts have been made to target and reduce the toxicity of progerin, eliminate its synthesis and enhance its degradation, but as of today, only the use of farnesyltransferase inhibitors is approved for clinical use in HGPS patients. Here, we review the main current strategies that are being evaluated for treating HGPS, and we focus on efforts to target the posttranslational processing of progerin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Chen
- Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina,Department of Biosciences and NutritionKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
| | - Haidong Yao
- Department of Biosciences and NutritionKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
| | - Vicente Andrés
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC)MadridSpain,CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV)MadridSpain
| | - Martin O. Bergo
- Department of Biosciences and NutritionKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
| | - Muhammad Kashif
- Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, HuddingeKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jiang B, Wu X, Meng F, Si L, Cao S, Dong Y, Sun H, Lv M, Xu H, Bai N, Guo Q, Song X, Yu Y, Guo W, Yi F, Zhou T, Li X, Feng Y, Wang Z, Zhang D, Guan Y, Ma M, Liu J, Li X, Zhao W, Liu B, Finkel T, Cao L. Progerin modulates the IGF-1R/Akt signaling involved in aging. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo0322. [PMID: 35857466 PMCID: PMC9269893 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Progerin, a product of LMNA mutation, leads to multiple nuclear abnormalities in patients with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), a devastating premature aging disorder. Progerin also accumulates during physiological aging. Here, we demonstrate that impaired insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R)/Akt signaling pathway results in severe growth retardation and premature aging in Zmpste24-/- mice, a mouse model of progeria. Mechanistically, progerin mislocalizes outside of the nucleus, interacts with the IGF-1R, and down-regulates its expression, leading to inhibited mitochondrial respiration, retarded cell growth, and accelerated cellular senescence. Pharmacological treatment with the PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) inhibitor bpV (HOpic) increases Akt activity and improves multiple abnormalities in Zmpste24-deficient mice. These findings provide previously unidentified insights into the role of progerin in regulating the IGF-1R/Akt signaling in HGPS and might be useful for treating LMNA-associated progeroid disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Jiang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fang Meng
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Limiao Si
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Sunrun Cao
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yuqing Dong
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Huayi Sun
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mengzhu Lv
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hongde Xu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ning Bai
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiqiang Guo
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Song
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wendong Guo
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Yi
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tingting Zhou
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoman Li
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yanling Feng
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Guan
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mengtao Ma
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jingwei Liu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xining Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Huzhou University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Weidong Zhao
- Department of Developmental Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Baohua Liu
- Center for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Toren Finkel
- Aging Institute, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Corresponding author. (T.F.); (L.C.)
| | - Liu Cao
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Institute of Health Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Corresponding author. (T.F.); (L.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abolishing the prelamin A ZMPSTE24 cleavage site leads to progeroid phenotypes with near-normal longevity in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2118695119. [PMID: 35197292 PMCID: PMC8892526 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118695119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The zinc metalloprotease ZMPSTE24 removes the last 15 amino acids of prelamin A, including a farnesylated cysteine, to produce mature lamin A. The premature aging disorder Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome is caused by a permanently farnesylated prelamin A variant lacking the ZMPSTE24 cleavage site. ZMPSTE24 loss of function leads to the accumulation of farnesylated prelamin A and causes progeroid disorders. Some studies have implicated prelamin A in physiological aging. We describe mice with an amino acid substitution in prelamin A that blocks the ZMPSTE24-catalyzed cleavage. These mice develop progeroid phenotypes but, in contrast to those modeling Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome or ZMPSTE24 deficiency, have near-normal lifespans, thus providing a model to study the effects of farnesylated prelamin A during aging. Prelamin A is a farnesylated precursor of lamin A, a nuclear lamina protein. Accumulation of the farnesylated prelamin A variant progerin, with an internal deletion including its processing site, causes Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome. Loss-of-function mutations in ZMPSTE24, which encodes the prelamin A processing enzyme, lead to accumulation of full-length farnesylated prelamin A and cause related progeroid disorders. Some data suggest that prelamin A also accumulates with physiological aging. Zmpste24−/− mice die young, at ∼20 wk. Because ZMPSTE24 has functions in addition to prelamin A processing, we generated a mouse model to examine effects solely due to the presence of permanently farnesylated prelamin A. These mice have an L648R amino acid substitution in prelamin A that blocks ZMPSTE24-catalyzed processing to lamin A. The LmnaL648R/L648R mice express only prelamin and no mature protein. Notably, nearly all survive to 65 to 70 wk, with ∼40% of male and 75% of female LmnaL648R/L648R mice having near-normal lifespans of 90 wk (almost 2 y). Starting at ∼10 wk of age, LmnaL648R/L648R mice of both sexes have lower body masses than controls. By ∼20 to 30 wk of age, they exhibit detectable cranial, mandibular, and dental defects similar to those observed in Zmpste24−/− mice and have decreased vertebral bone density compared to age- and sex-matched controls. Cultured embryonic fibroblasts from LmnaL648R/L648R mice have aberrant nuclear morphology that is reversible by treatment with a protein farnesyltransferase inhibitor. These novel mice provide a model to study the effects of farnesylated prelamin A during physiological aging.
Collapse
|