1
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Wang J, Yang X, Xu M, Liu H, Liu L, Tan Z. Distinct cellular microenvironment with cytotypic effects regulates orderly regeneration of vascular tissues. Mater Today Bio 2024; 26:101033. [PMID: 38533377 PMCID: PMC10963652 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Regeneration of the architecturally complex blood vascular system requires precise temporal and spatial control of cell behaviours. Additional components must be integrated into the structure to achieve clinical success for in situ tissue engineering. Consequently, this study proposed a universal method for including any substrate type in vascular cell extracellular matrices (VCEM) via regulating selective adhesion to promote vascular tissue regeneration. The results uncovered that the VCEM worked as cell adhesion substrates, exhibited cell type specificity, and functioned as an address signal for recognition by vascular cells, which resulted in matching with the determined cells. The qPCR and immunofluorescence results revealed that a cell type-specific VCEM could be designed to promote or inhibit cell adhesion, consistenting with the expression patterns of eyes absent 3 (Eya3). In addition, a 3D vascular graft combined with VCEM which could recapitulate the vascular cell-like microenvironment was fabricated. The vascular graft revealed a prospective role for cellular microenvironment in the establishment of vascular cell distribution and tissue architecture, and potentiated the orderly regeneration and functional recovery of vascular tissues in vivo. The findings demonstrate that differential adhesion between cell types due to the cellular microenvironment is sufficient to drive the complex assembly of engineered blood vessel functional units, and underlies hierarchical organization during vascular regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Wang
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Institute of Shenzhen, Hunan University Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Xun Yang
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University), Shenzhen, 518028, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Miaomiao Xu
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Greater Bay Area Institute for Innovation, Hunan University, Guangzhou, 511300, China
| | - Hui Liu
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Greater Bay Area Institute for Innovation, Hunan University, Guangzhou, 511300, China
| | - Lijun Liu
- Department of Traumatic Orthopedics, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University), Shenzhen, 518028, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Zhikai Tan
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Institute of Shenzhen, Hunan University Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Greater Bay Area Institute for Innovation, Hunan University, Guangzhou, 511300, China
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2
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Hughes CJ, Alderman C, Wolin AR, Fields KM, Zhao R, Ford HL. All eyes on Eya: A unique transcriptional co-activator and phosphatase in cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189098. [PMID: 38555001 PMCID: PMC11111358 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189098] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The Eya family of proteins (consisting of Eyas1-4 in mammals) play vital roles in embryogenesis by regulating processes such as proliferation, migration/invasion, cellular survival and pluripotency/plasticity of epithelial and mesenchymal states. Eya proteins carry out such diverse functions through a unique combination of transcriptional co-factor, Tyr phosphatase, and PP2A/B55α-mediated Ser/Thr phosphatase activities. Since their initial discovery, re-expression of Eyas has been observed in numerous tumor types, where they are known to promote tumor progression through a combination of their transcriptional and enzymatic activities. Eya proteins thus reinstate developmental processes during malignancy and represent a compelling class of therapeutic targets for inhibiting tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor J Hughes
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Christopher Alderman
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Arthur R Wolin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Kaiah M Fields
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Rui Zhao
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America.
| | - Heide L Ford
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America.
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3
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Hwang GH, Pazyra-Murphy MF, Seo HS, Dhe-Paganon S, Stopka SA, DiPiazza M, Sutter N, Gero TW, Volkert A, Ombelets L, Dittemore G, Rees MG, Ronan MM, Roth JA, Agar NYR, Scott DA, Segal RA. A Benzarone Derivative Inhibits EYA to Suppress Tumor Growth in SHH Medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2024; 84:872-886. [PMID: 38486486 PMCID: PMC10948029 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-3784] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is one of the most common malignant brain tumors of children, and 30% of medulloblastomas are driven by gain-of-function genetic lesions in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway. EYA1, a haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase and transcription factor, is critical for tumorigenesis and proliferation of SHH medulloblastoma (SHH-MB). Benzarone and benzbromarone have been identified as allosteric inhibitors of EYA proteins. Using benzarone as a point of departure, we developed a panel of 35 derivatives and tested them in SHH-MB. Among these compounds, DS-1-38 functioned as an EYA antagonist and opposed SHH signaling. DS-1-38 inhibited SHH-MB growth in vitro and in vivo, showed excellent brain penetrance, and increased the lifespan of genetically engineered mice predisposed to fatal SHH-MB. These data suggest that EYA inhibitors represent promising therapies for pediatric SHH-MB. SIGNIFICANCE Development of a benzarone derivative that inhibits EYA1 and impedes the growth of SHH medulloblastoma provides an avenue for improving treatment of this malignant pediatric brain cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace H. Hwang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maria F. Pazyra-Murphy
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hyuk-Soo Seo
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sirano Dhe-Paganon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylwia A. Stopka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marina DiPiazza
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nizhoni Sutter
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Kulanui St, HI, USA
| | - Thomas W. Gero
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alison Volkert
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lincoln Ombelets
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Georgia Dittemore
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Nathalie Y. R. Agar
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A. Scott
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosalind A. Segal
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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de la Peña Avalos B, Paquet N, Tropée R, Coulombe Y, Palacios H, Leung J, Masson JY, Duijf PG, Dray E. The protein phosphatase EYA4 promotes homologous recombination (HR) through dephosphorylation of tyrosine 315 on RAD51. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1173-1187. [PMID: 38084915 PMCID: PMC10853800 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient DNA repair and limitation of genome rearrangements rely on crosstalk between different DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways, and their synchronization with the cell cycle. The selection, timing and efficacy of DSB repair pathways are influenced by post-translational modifications of histones and DNA damage repair (DDR) proteins, such as phosphorylation. While the importance of kinases and serine/threonine phosphatases in DDR have been extensively studied, the role of tyrosine phosphatases in DNA repair remains poorly understood. In this study, we have identified EYA4 as the protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates RAD51 on residue Tyr315. Through its Tyr phosphatase activity, EYA4 regulates RAD51 localization, presynaptic filament formation, foci formation, and activity. Thus, it is essential for homologous recombination (HR) at DSBs. DNA binding stimulates EYA4 phosphatase activity. Depletion of EYA4 decreases single-stranded DNA accumulation following DNA damage and impairs HR, while overexpression of EYA4 in cells promotes dephosphorylation and stabilization of RAD51, and thereby nucleoprotein filament formation. Our data have implications for a pathological version of RAD51 in EYA4-overexpressing cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara de la Peña Avalos
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Nicolas Paquet
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Romain Tropée
- Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Yan Coulombe
- Genome Stability Laboratory, CHU de Québec Research Center, HDQ Pavilion, Oncology Division, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Hannah Palacios
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Justin W Leung
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Health and Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jean-Yves Masson
- Genome Stability Laboratory, CHU de Québec Research Center, HDQ Pavilion, Oncology Division, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Pascal H G Duijf
- Centre for Cancer Biology, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia & SA Pathology, Adelaide SA, Australia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eloïse Dray
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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5
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de la Peña Avalos B, Tropée R, Duijf PHG, Dray E. EYA4 promotes breast cancer progression and metastasis through its role in replication stress avoidance. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:158. [PMID: 37777742 PMCID: PMC10543271 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01861-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The Eyes Absent (EYA) family of proteins is an atypical group of four dual-functioning protein phosphatases (PP), which have been linked to many vital cellular processes and organogenesis pathways. The four family members of this PP family possess transcriptional activation and phosphatase functions, with serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphatase domains. EYA4 has been associated with several human cancers, with tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting roles. However, EYA4 is the least well-characterized member of this unique family of PP, with its biological functions and molecular mechanisms in cancer progression, particularly in breast cancer, still largely unknown. In the present study, we found that the over-expression of EYA4 in breast tissue leads to an aggressive and invasive breast cancer phenotype, while the inhibition of EYA4 reduced tumorigenic properties of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Cellular changes downstream of EYA4, including cell proliferation and migration, may explain the increased metastatic power of breast cancer cells over-expressing EYA4. Mechanistically, EYA4 prevents genome instability by inhibiting the accumulation of replication-associated DNA damage. Its depletion results in polyploidy as a consequence of endoreplication, a phenomenon that can occur in response to stress. The absence of EYA4 leads to spontaneous replication stress characterized by the activation of the ATR pathway, sensitivity to hydroxyurea, and accumulation of endogenous DNA damage as indicated by increased γH2AX levels. In addition, we show that EYA4, specifically its serine/threonine phosphatase domain, plays an important and so far, unexpected role in replication fork progression. This phosphatase activity is essential for breast cancer progression and metastasis. Taken together, our data indicate that EYA4 is a novel potential breast cancer oncogene that supports primary tumor growth and metastasis. Developing therapeutics aimed at the serine/threonine phosphatase activity of EYA4 represents a robust strategy for killing breast cancer cells, to limit metastasis and overcome chemotherapy resistance caused by endoreplication and genomic rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara de la Peña Avalos
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Romain Tropée
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Present Address: Southern RNA, Springfield Central, QLD, 4300, Australia
| | - Pascal H G Duijf
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Cancer Biology, Clinical and Health Sciences, & SA Pathology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eloïse Dray
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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6
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de la Peña Avalos B, Tropée R, Duijf PHG, Dray E. EYA4 drives breast cancer progression and metastasis through its novel role in replication stress avoidance. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2917471. [PMID: 37292941 PMCID: PMC10246277 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2917471/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Eyes Absent (EYA) family of proteins is an atypical group of four dual-functioning protein phosphatases, which have been linked to many vital cellular processes and organogenesis pathways. Like the other isoforms, EYA4 possesses transcriptional activation and phosphatase functions, with serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphatase domains. EYA4 has been associated with several human cancers, with tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting roles. However, EYA4 is the least well-characterized member of this unique family of phosphatases, with its biological functions and molecular mechanisms in cancer progression, particularly in breast cancer, still largely unknown. In the present study, we found that the over-expression of EYA4 in breast tissue leads to an aggressive and invasive breast cancer phenotype, while the inhibition of EYA4 reduced tumorigenic properties of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo . Cellular changes downstream of EYA4, including cell proliferation and migration, may explain the increased metastatic power of breast cancer cells over-expressing EYA4. Mechanistically, EYA4 prevents genome instability by inhibiting the accumulation of replication-associated DNA damage. Its depletion results in polyploidy as a consequence of endoreplication, a phenomenon that can occur in response to stress. The absence of EYA4 leads to spontaneous replication stress characterized by the activation of the ATR pathway, sensitivity to hydroxyurea, and accumulation of endogenous DNA damage as indicated by increased γH2AX levels. In addition, we show that EYA4, specifically its serine/threonine phosphatase domain, plays an important and so far, unexpected role in replication fork progression. This phosphatase activity is essential for breast cancer progression and metastasis. Taken together, our data indicate that EYA4 is a novel breast cancer oncogene that supports primary tumor growth and metastasis. Developing therapeutics aimed at the serine/threonine phosphatase activity of EYA4 represents a robust strategy for killing breast cancer cells, to limit metastasis and overcome chemotherapy resistance caused by endoreplication and genomic rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eloïse Dray
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
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7
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Eya-controlled affinity between cell lineages drives tissue self-organization during Drosophila oogenesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6377. [PMID: 36289235 PMCID: PMC9605976 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33845-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative morphogenesis of cell lineages underlies the development of functional units and organs. To study mechanisms driving the coordination of lineages, we investigated soma-germline interactions during oogenesis. From invertebrates to vertebrates, oocytes develop as part of a germline cyst that consists of the oocyte itself and so-called nurse cells, which feed the oocyte and are eventually removed. The enveloping somatic cells specialize to facilitate either oocyte maturation or nurse cell removal, which makes it essential to establish the right match between germline and somatic cells. We uncover that the transcriptional regulator Eya, expressed in the somatic lineage, controls bilateral cell-cell affinity between germline and somatic cells in Drosophila oogenesis. Employing functional studies and mathematical modelling, we show that differential affinity and the resulting forces drive somatic cell redistribution over the germline surface and control oocyte growth to match oocyte and nurse cells with their respective somatic cells. Thus, our data demonstrate that differential affinity between cell lineages is sufficient to drive the complex assembly of inter-lineage functional units and underlies tissue self-organization during Drosophila oogenesis.
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8
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Elhassan RM, Hou X, Fang H. Recent advances in the development of allosteric protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors for drug discovery. Med Res Rev 2021; 42:1064-1110. [PMID: 34791703 DOI: 10.1002/med.21871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) superfamily catalyzes tyrosine de-phosphorylation which affects a myriad of cellular processes. Imbalance in signal pathways mediated by PTPs has been associated with development of many human diseases including cancer, metabolic, and immunological diseases. Several compelling evidence suggest that many members of PTP family are novel therapeutic targets. However, the clinical development of conventional PTP-based active-site inhibitors originally was hampered by the poor selectivity and pharmacokinetic properties. In this regard, PTPs has been widely dismissed as "undruggable." Nonetheless, allosteric modulation has become increasingly an influential and alternative approach that can be exploited for drug development against PTPs. Unlike active-site inhibitors, allosteric inhibitors exhibit a remarkable target-selectivity, drug-likeness, potency, and in vivo activity. Intriguingly, there has been a high interest in novel allosteric PTPs inhibitors within the last years. In this review, we focus on the recent advances of allosteric inhibitors that have been explored in drug discovery and have shown an excellent result in the development of PTPs-based therapeutics. A special emphasis is placed on the structure-activity relationship and molecular mechanistic studies illustrating applications in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham M Elhassan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xuben Hou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hao Fang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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9
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Almasoudi SH, Schlosser G. Otic Neurogenesis in Xenopus laevis: Proliferation, Differentiation, and the Role of Eya1. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:722374. [PMID: 34616280 PMCID: PMC8488300 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.722374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Using immunostaining and confocal microscopy, we here provide the first detailed description of otic neurogenesis in Xenopus laevis. We show that the otic vesicle comprises a pseudostratified epithelium with apicobasal polarity (apical enrichment of Par3, aPKC, phosphorylated Myosin light chain, N-cadherin) and interkinetic nuclear migration (apical localization of mitotic, pH3-positive cells). A Sox3-immunopositive neurosensory area in the ventromedial otic vesicle gives rise to neuroblasts, which delaminate through breaches in the basal lamina between stages 26/27 and 39. Delaminated cells congregate to form the vestibulocochlear ganglion, whose peripheral cells continue to proliferate (as judged by EdU incorporation), while central cells differentiate into Islet1/2-immunopositive neurons from stage 29 on and send out neurites at stage 31. The central part of the neurosensory area retains Sox3 but stops proliferating from stage 33, forming the first sensory areas (utricular/saccular maculae). The phosphatase and transcriptional coactivator Eya1 has previously been shown to play a central role for otic neurogenesis but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Using an antibody specifically raised against Xenopus Eya1, we characterize the subcellular localization of Eya1 proteins, their levels of expression as well as their distribution in relation to progenitor and neuronal differentiation markers during otic neurogenesis. We show that Eya1 protein localizes to both nuclei and cytoplasm in the otic epithelium, with levels of nuclear Eya1 declining in differentiating (Islet1/2+) vestibulocochlear ganglion neurons and in the developing sensory areas. Morpholino-based knockdown of Eya1 leads to reduction of proliferating, Sox3- and Islet1/2-immunopositive cells, redistribution of cell polarity proteins and loss of N-cadherin suggesting that Eya1 is required for maintenance of epithelial cells with apicobasal polarity, progenitor proliferation and neuronal differentiation during otic neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gerhard Schlosser
- School of Natural Sciences, National University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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10
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Sharif SB, Zamani N, Chadwick BP. BAZ1B the Protean Protein. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101541. [PMID: 34680936 PMCID: PMC8536118 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The bromodomain adjacent to the zinc finger domain 1B (BAZ1B) or Williams syndrome transcription factor (WSTF) are just two of the names referring the same protein that is encoded by the WBSCR9 gene and is among the 26-28 genes that are lost from one copy of 7q11.23 in Williams syndrome (WS: OMIM 194050). Patients afflicted by this contiguous gene deletion disorder present with a range of symptoms including cardiovascular complications, developmental defects as well as a characteristic cognitive and behavioral profile. Studies in patients with atypical deletions and mouse models support BAZ1B hemizygosity as a contributing factor to some of the phenotypes. Focused analysis on BAZ1B has revealed this to be a versatile nuclear protein with a central role in chromatin remodeling through two distinct complexes as well as being involved in the replication and repair of DNA, transcriptional processes involving RNA Polymerases I, II, and III as well as possessing kinase activity. Here, we provide a comprehensive review to summarize the many aspects of BAZ1B function including its recent link to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin Behrouz Sharif
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
| | - Nina Zamani
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
| | - Brian P. Chadwick
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
- Correspondence:
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11
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Almasoudi SH, Schlosser G. Eya1 protein distribution during embryonic development of Xenopus laevis. Gene Expr Patterns 2021; 42:119213. [PMID: 34536585 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2021.119213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Eya1 and other Eya proteins are important regulators of progenitor proliferation, cell differentiation and morphogenesis in all three germ layers. At present, most of our knowledge of Eya1 distribution is based on in situ hybridization for Eya1 mRNA. However, to begin to dissect the mechanisms underlying Eya1 functions, we need a better understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of Eya1 proteins during embryonic development, their subcellular localization and their levels of expression in various tissues. Here we report the localization of Eya1 protein throughout embryonic development from neural plate stages to tadpole stages of Xenopus laevis using a specific antibody for Xenopus Eya1. Our study confirms the expression of Eya1 protein in cranial placodes, placodally derived sensory primordia (olfactory epithelium, otic vesicle, lateral line primordia) and cranial ganglia, as well as in somites, secondary heart field and pharyngeal endoderm. In addition, we report here a novel expression of Eya1 proteins in scattered epidermal cells in Xenopus. Our findings also reveal that, while being predominantly expressed in nuclei in most expression domains, Eya1 protein is also localized to the cytoplasm, in particular in the early preplacodal ectoderm, some placode-derived ganglia and a subset of epidermal cells. While some cytoplasmic roles of Eya1 have been previously described in other contexts, the functions of cytoplasmic Eya1 in the preplacodal ectoderm, cranial ganglia and epidermal cells remain to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gerhard Schlosser
- School of Natural Sciences, National University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
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12
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Kim J, She C, Potez M, Huang P, Wu Q, Prager BC, Qiu Z, Bao S, Rich JN, Liu JKC. Phage display targeting identifies EYA1 as a regulator of glioblastoma stem cell maintenance and proliferation. Stem Cells 2021; 39:853-865. [PMID: 33594762 PMCID: PMC10741052 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) ranks among the most lethal of human malignancies with GBM stem cells (GSCs) that contribute to tumor growth and therapeutic resistance. Identification and isolation of GSCs continue to be a challenge, as definitive methods to purify these cells for study or targeting are lacking. Here, we leveraged orthogonal in vitro and in vivo phage display biopanning strategies to isolate a single peptide with GSC-specific binding properties. In silico analysis of this peptide led to the isolation of EYA1 (Eyes Absent 1), a tyrosine phosphatase and transcriptional coactivator. Validating the phage discovery methods, EYA1 was preferentially expressed in GSCs compared to differentiated tumor progeny. MYC is a central mediator of GSC maintenance but has been resistant to direct targeting strategies. Based on correlation and colocalization of EYA1 and MYC, we interrogated a possible interaction, revealing binding of EYA1 to MYC and loss of MYC expression upon targeting EYA1. Supporting a functional role for EYA1, targeting EYA1 expression decreased GSC proliferation, migration, and self-renewal in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Collectively, our results suggest that phage display can identify novel therapeutic targets in stem-like tumor cells and that an EYA1-MYC axis represents a potential therapeutic paradigm for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- JongMyung Kim
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612
| | - Chunhua She
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612
| | - Marine Potez
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612
| | - Ping Huang
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195
| | - Qiulian Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Briana C. Prager
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Zhixin Qiu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Shideng Bao
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195
| | - Jeremy N. Rich
- Department of Medicine, Division of Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - James K. C. Liu
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612
- University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
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Ramos S, Chelemen F, Pagone V, Elshaer N, Irles P, Piulachs MD. Eyes absent in the cockroach panoistic ovaries regulates proliferation and differentiation through ecdysone signalling. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 123:103407. [PMID: 32417417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Eyes absent (Eya), is a protein structurally conserved from hydrozoans to humans, for which two basic roles have been reported: it can act as a transcription cofactor and as a protein tyrosine phosphatase. Eya was discovered in the fly Drosophila melanogaster in relation to its function in eye development, and the same function was later reported in other insects. Eya is also involved in insect oogenesis, although studies in this sense are limited to D. melanogaster, which has meroistic ovaries, and where eya mutations abolish gonad formation. In the present work we studied the function of eya in the panoistic ovary of the cockroach Blattella germanica. We show that eya is essential for correct development of panoistic ovaries. In B. germanica, eya acts at different level and in a distinct way in the germarium and the vitellarium. In the germarium, eya contributes to maintain the correct number of somatic and germinal cells by regulating the expression of steroidogenic genes in the ovary. In the vitellarium, eya facilitates follicle cells proliferation and contributes to regulate the cell program, in the context of basal ovarian follicle maturation. Thus, eya-depleted females of B. germanica arrest the growth and maturation of basal ovarian follicles and become sterile.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ramos
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Chelemen
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - V Pagone
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Elshaer
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Egypt
| | - P Irles
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Ciencias Agronomicas y Veterinarias, Universidad de O'Higgins, Chile
| | - M D Piulachs
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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Mechanisms of Action for Small Molecules Revealed by Structural Biology in Drug Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155262. [PMID: 32722222 PMCID: PMC7432558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-molecule drugs are organic compounds affecting molecular pathways by targeting important proteins. These compounds have a low molecular weight, making them penetrate cells easily. Small-molecule drugs can be developed from leads derived from rational drug design or isolated from natural resources. A target-based drug discovery project usually includes target identification, target validation, hit identification, hit to lead and lead optimization. Understanding molecular interactions between small molecules and their targets is critical in drug discovery. Although many biophysical and biochemical methods are able to elucidate molecular interactions of small molecules with their targets, structural biology is the most powerful tool to determine the mechanisms of action for both targets and the developed compounds. Herein, we reviewed the application of structural biology to investigate binding modes of orthosteric and allosteric inhibitors. It is exemplified that structural biology provides a clear view of the binding modes of protease inhibitors and phosphatase inhibitors. We also demonstrate that structural biology provides insights into the function of a target and identifies a druggable site for rational drug design.
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15
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Bheri M, Mahiwal S, Sanyal SK, Pandey GK. Plant protein phosphatases: What do we know about their mechanism of action? FEBS J 2020; 288:756-785. [PMID: 32542989 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation is a major reversible post-translational modification. Protein phosphatases function as 'critical regulators' in signaling networks through dephosphorylation of proteins, which have been phosphorylated by protein kinases. A large understanding of their working has been sourced from animal systems rather than the plant or the prokaryotic systems. The eukaryotic protein phosphatases include phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPP), metallo-dependent protein phosphatases (PPM), protein tyrosine (Tyr) phosphatases (PTP), and aspartate (Asp)-dependent phosphatases. The PPP and PPM families are serine(Ser)/threonine(Thr)-specific phosphatases (STPs), while PTP family is Tyr specific. Dual-specificity phosphatases (DsPTPs/DSPs) dephosphorylate Ser, Thr, and Tyr residues. PTPs lack sequence homology with STPs, indicating a difference in catalytic mechanisms, while the PPP and PPM families share a similar structural fold indicating a common catalytic mechanism. The catalytic cysteine (Cys) residue in the conserved HCX5 R active site motif of the PTPs acts as a nucleophile during hydrolysis. The PPP members require metal ions, which coordinate the phosphate group of the substrate, followed by a nucleophilic attack by a water molecule and hydrolysis. The variable holoenzyme assembly of protein phosphatase(s) and the overlap with other post-translational modifications like acetylation and ubiquitination add to their complexity. Though their functional characterization is extensively reported in plants, the mechanistic nature of their action is still being explored by researchers. In this review, we exclusively overview the plant protein phosphatases with an emphasis on their mechanistic action as well as structural characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malathi Bheri
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Swati Mahiwal
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Sibaji K Sanyal
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Girdhar K Pandey
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
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EYES ABSENT and TIMELESS integrate photoperiodic and temperature cues to regulate seasonal physiology in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:15293-15304. [PMID: 32541062 PMCID: PMC7334534 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2004262117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracting information regarding calendar time from seasonal changes in photoperiod and temperature is critical for organisms to maintain annual cycles in physiology and behavior. Here we found that, in flies, EYES ABSENT (EYA) protein acts as a seasonal sensor by adjusting its abundance and phase in response to changes in photoperiod and temperature. We show that the manipulation of EYA levels is sufficient to impair the ability of female Drosophila to regulate seasonal variation in reproductive dormancy. Finally, our results suggest an important role for the circadian clock protein TIMELESS (TIM) in modulating EYA level through its ability to measure night length, linking the circadian clock to seasonal timing. Organisms possess photoperiodic timing mechanisms to detect variations in day length and temperature as the seasons progress. The nature of the molecular mechanisms interpreting and signaling these environmental changes to elicit downstream neuroendocrine and physiological responses are just starting to emerge. Here, we demonstrate that, in Drosophila melanogaster, EYES ABSENT (EYA) acts as a seasonal sensor by interpreting photoperiodic and temperature changes to trigger appropriate physiological responses. We observed that tissue-specific genetic manipulation of eya expression is sufficient to disrupt the ability of flies to sense seasonal cues, thereby altering the extent of female reproductive dormancy. Specifically, we observed that EYA proteins, which peak at night in short photoperiod and accumulate at higher levels in the cold, promote reproductive dormancy in female D. melanogaster. Furthermore, we provide evidence indicating that the role of EYA in photoperiodism and temperature sensing is aided by the stabilizing action of the light-sensitive circadian clock protein TIMELESS (TIM). We postulate that increased stability and level of TIM at night under short photoperiod together with the production of cold-induced and light-insensitive TIM isoforms facilitate EYA accumulation in winter conditions. This is supported by our observations that tim null mutants exhibit reduced incidence of reproductive dormancy in simulated winter conditions, while flies overexpressing tim show an increased incidence of reproductive dormancy even in long photoperiod.
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17
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Gonçalves AP, Chow KM, Cea-Sánchez S, Glass NL. WHI-2 Regulates Intercellular Communication via a MAP Kinase Signaling Complex. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:3162. [PMID: 32038591 PMCID: PMC6987382 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation of the fungal mycelial network is facilitated by somatic cell fusion of germinating asexual spores (or germlings). Neurospora crassa germlings in close proximity display chemotropic growth that is dependent upon an intracellular network of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. Approximately 80 genes involved in intercellular communication and fusion have been identified, including three mutants with similar morphological phenotypes: Δwhi-2, Δcsp-6, and Δamph-1. Here we show that WHI-2 localizes to the cell periphery and regulates endocytosis, mitochondrial organization, sporulation, and cell fusion. WHI-2 was required to transduce signals through a conserved MAPK pathway (NRC-1/MEK-2/MAK-2) and target transcription factors (PP-1/ADV-1). The amph-1 locus encodes a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain-containing protein and mis-expression of whi-2 compensated for the cell fusion and endocytosis deficiencies of a Δamph-1 mutant. The csp-6 locus encodes a haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase whose activity was essential for cell fusion. Although fusion-deficient with themselves, cells that lacked whi-2, csp-6, or amph-1 showed a low frequency of chemotropic interactions with wild type cells. We hypothesize that WHI-2 could be important for signal perception during chemotropic interactions via a role in endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pedro Gonçalves
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Karen M Chow
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Sara Cea-Sánchez
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - N Louise Glass
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States.,Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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18
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Kang C, Keller TH. Probing biological mechanisms with chemical tools. Pharmacol Res 2020; 153:104656. [PMID: 31962154 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally small molecules have mainly been used to inhibit biochemical activities of proteins, however such compounds can also be used to change the conformational energy landscape of proteins. Tool compounds that modulate protein conformations often reveal unexpected biological mechanisms, which have therapeutic potential. We discuss two examples where screening hits were found to bind to unexpected binding pockets on well known proteins, establishing new routes for the inhibition of proteins that were thought to be undruggable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congbao Kang
- Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 10 Biopolis Road, Chromos, #05-01, 138670, Singapore
| | - Thomas H Keller
- Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 10 Biopolis Road, Chromos, #05-01, 138670, Singapore.
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Anantharajan J, Zhou H, Zhang L, Hotz T, Vincent MY, Blevins MA, Jansson AE, Kuan JWL, Ng EY, Yeo YK, Baburajendran N, Lin G, Hung AW, Joy J, Patnaik S, Marugan J, Rudra P, Ghosh D, Hill J, Keller TH, Zhao R, Ford HL, Kang C. Structural and Functional Analyses of an Allosteric EYA2 Phosphatase Inhibitor That Has On-Target Effects in Human Lung Cancer Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:1484-1496. [PMID: 31285279 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-1239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
EYA proteins (EYA1-4) are critical developmental transcriptional cofactors that contain an EYA domain (ED) harboring Tyr phosphatase activity. EYA proteins are largely downregulated after embryogenesis but are reexpressed in cancers, and their Tyr phosphatase activity plays an important role in the DNA damage response and tumor progression. We previously identified a class of small-molecule allosteric inhibitors that specifically inhibit the Tyr phosphatase activity of EYA2. Herein, we determined the crystal structure of the EYA2 ED in complex with NCGC00249987 (a representative compound in this class), revealing that it binds to an induced pocket distant from the active site. NCGC00249987 binding leads to a conformational change of the active site that is unfavorable for Mg2+ binding, thereby inhibiting EYA2's Tyr phosphatase activity. We demonstrate, using genetic mutations, that migration, invadopodia formation, and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells are dependent on EYA2 Tyr phosphatase activity, whereas growth and survival are not. Further, we demonstrate that NCGC00249987 specifically targets migration, invadopodia formation, and invasion of lung cancer cells, but that it does not inhibit cell growth or survival. The compound has no effect on lung cancer cells carrying an EYA2 F290Y mutant that abolishes compound binding, indicating that NCGC00249987 is on target in lung cancer cells. These data suggest that the NCGC00249987 allosteric inhibitor can be used as a chemical probe to study the function of the EYA2 Tyr phosphatase activity in cells and may have the potential to be developed into an antimetastatic agent for cancers reliant on EYA2's Tyr phosphatase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hengbo Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Lingdi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Taylor Hotz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Melanie Y Vincent
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Melanie A Blevins
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Anna E Jansson
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Yee Khoon Yeo
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Grace Lin
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alvin W Hung
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joma Joy
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Samarjit Patnaik
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Juan Marugan
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Pratyaydipta Rudra
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Debashis Ghosh
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jeffrey Hill
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Thomas H Keller
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
| | - Heide L Ford
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - CongBao Kang
- Experimental Drug Discovery Centre, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
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Identification of Key Signaling Pathways Orchestrating Substrate Topography Directed Osteogenic Differentiation Through High-Throughput siRNA Screening. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1001. [PMID: 30700820 PMCID: PMC6353928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37554-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrous scaffolds are used for bone tissue engineering purposes with great success across a variety of polymers with different physical and chemical properties. It is now evident that the correct degree of curvature promotes increased cytoskeletal tension on osteoprogenitors leading to osteogenic differentiation. However, the mechanotransductive pathways involved in this phenomenon are not fully understood. To achieve a reproducible and specific cellular response, an increased mechanistic understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving the fibrous scaffold mediated bone regeneration must be understood. High throughput siRNA mediated screening technology has been utilized for dissecting molecular targets that are important in certain cellular phenotypes. In this study, we used siRNA mediated gene silencing to understand the osteogenic differentiation observed on fibrous scaffolds. A high-throughput siRNA screen was conducted using a library collection of 863 genes including important human kinase and phosphatase targets on pre-osteoblast SaOS-2 cells. The cells were grown on electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) scaffolds with a diameter of 0.938 ± 0.304 µm and a flat surface control. The osteogenic transcription factor RUNX2 was quantified with an in-cell western (ICW) assay for the primary screen and significant targets were selected via two sample t-test. After selecting the significant targets, a secondary screen was performed to identify osteoinductive markers that also effect cell shape on fibrous topography. Finally, we report the most physiologically relevant molecular signaling mechanisms that are involved in growth factor free, fibrous topography mediated osteoinduction. We identified GTPases, membrane channel proteins, and microtubule associated targets that promote an osteoinductive cell shape on fibrous scaffolds.
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21
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Gohla A. Do metabolic HAD phosphatases moonlight as protein phosphatases? BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2019; 1866:153-166. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Swingle MR, Honkanen RE. Inhibitors of Serine/Threonine Protein Phosphatases: Biochemical and Structural Studies Provide Insight for Further Development. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:2634-2660. [PMID: 29737249 PMCID: PMC10013172 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180508095242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reversible phosphorylation of proteins regulates many key functions in eukaryotic cells. Phosphorylation is catalyzed by protein kinases, with the majority of phosphorylation occurring on side chains of serine and threonine residues. The phosphomonoesters generated by protein kinases are hydrolyzed by protein phosphatases. In the absence of a phosphatase, the half-time for the hydrolysis of alkyl phosphate dianions at 25º C is over 1 trillion years; knon ~2 x 10-20 sec-1. Therefore, ser/thr phosphatases are critical for processes controlled by reversible phosphorylation. METHODS This review is based on the literature searched in available databases. We compare the catalytic mechanism of PPP-family phosphatases (PPPases) and the interactions of inhibitors that target these enzymes. RESULTS PPPases are metal-dependent hydrolases that enhance the rate of hydrolysis ([kcat/kM]/knon ) by a factor of ~1021, placing them among the most powerful known catalysts on earth. Biochemical and structural studies indicate that the remarkable catalytic proficiencies of PPPases are achieved by 10 conserved amino acids, DXH(X)~26DXXDR(X)~20- 26NH(X)~50H(X)~25-45R(X)~30-40H. Six act as metal-coordinating residues. Four position and orient the substrate phosphate. Together, two metal ions and the 10 catalytic residues position the phosphoryl group and an activated bridging water/hydroxide nucleophile for an inline attack upon the substrate phosphorous atom. The PPPases are conserved among species, and many structurally diverse natural toxins co-evolved to target these enzymes. CONCLUSION Although the catalytic site is conserved, opportunities for the development of selective inhibitors of this important group of metalloenzymes exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Swingle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile AL 36688, United States
| | - Richard E Honkanen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile AL 36688, United States
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Luo M, Li Y, Shi X, Yang W, Zhou F, Sun N, He J. Aberrant methylation of EYA4 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2018; 109:1811-1824. [PMID: 29660222 PMCID: PMC5989845 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
EYA4, one of the four members of the EYA gene family, is associated with several human cancers. However, its biological functions and molecular mechanisms in the progression of cancer, particularly in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), remain unknown. In the present study, we found that EYA4 was underexpressed and hypermethylated in most of the ESCC cell lines tested (85.7%, 6/7). Treatment with 5‐aza‐dC and/or trichostatin A (TSA) restored EYA4 expression in ESCC cell lines, which indicates that EYA4 expression was epigenetically regulated. Similarly, EYA4 was aberrantly hypermethylated in ESCC tissues (78%, 39/50) and downregulation of EYA4 occurred in approximately 65% of primary ESCC at protein level where it was associated significantly with TNM stage and lymph node metastases. Knockdown of EYA4 in KYSE30 and KYSE70 ESCC cells using small hairpin RNA increased migration and invasive motility in vitro. Conversely, the overexpression of EYA4 in KYSE180 and KYSE450 promoted an epithelial phenotype, which consisted of decreased migration and invasion abilities and a decrease in TGF‐β1‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. Mechanistically, EYA4 overexpression reduced the phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3β, which led to the inactivation of slug. In addition, we found that TGF‐β1 decreased EYA4 expression in both a dose‐dependent and a time‐dependent manner in KYSE30 cells, accompanied by an increase in the expression of DNA methyltransferases, especially DNMT3A. In summary, EYA4 is frequently hypermethylated in ESCC and may function as a tumor suppressor gene in the development of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Luo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejiao Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Zhou
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Sun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Zhang L, Zhou H, Li X, Vartuli RL, Rowse M, Xing Y, Rudra P, Ghosh D, Zhao R, Ford HL. Eya3 partners with PP2A to induce c-Myc stabilization and tumor progression. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1047. [PMID: 29535359 PMCID: PMC5849647 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03327-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eya genes encode a unique family of multifunctional proteins that serve as transcriptional co-activators and as haloacid dehalogenase-family Tyr phosphatases. Intriguingly, the N-terminal domain of Eyas, which does not share sequence similarity to any known phosphatases, contains a separable Ser/Thr phosphatase activity. Here, we demonstrate that the Ser/Thr phosphatase activity of Eya is not intrinsic, but arises from its direct interaction with the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-B55α holoenzyme. Importantly, Eya3 alters the regulation of c-Myc by PP2A, increasing c-Myc stability by enabling PP2A-B55α to dephosphorylate pT58, in direct contrast to the previously described PP2A-B56α-mediated dephosphorylation of pS62 and c-Myc destabilization. Furthermore, Eya3 and PP2A-B55α promote metastasis in a xenograft model of breast cancer, opposing the canonical tumor suppressive function of PP2A-B56α. Our study identifies Eya3 as a regulator of PP2A, a major cellular Ser/Thr phosphatase, and uncovers a mechanism of controlling the stability of a critical oncogene, c-Myc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingdi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Hengbo Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Xueni Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Rebecca L Vartuli
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Michael Rowse
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 53705, WI, USA
| | - Yongna Xing
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 53705, WI, USA
| | - Pratyaydipta Rudra
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Debashis Ghosh
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
| | - Heide L Ford
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
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25
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Li Z, Qiu R, Qiu X, Tian T. EYA2 promotes lung cancer cell proliferation by downregulating the expression of PTEN. Oncotarget 2017; 8:110837-110848. [PMID: 29340020 PMCID: PMC5762288 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite advances have been made in diagnosis and therapeutic strategies, the prognosis of lung cancer is still very poor. Eyes absent transcriptional cofactor EYA2 has been shown to promote lung cancer cell growth, however, the underlying molecular mechanism is still not fully understood. In the present study, we found that EYA2 was up-regulated in lung cancer, and EYA2 led to increased cell proliferation by inhibiting Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) expression via modulation of miR-93. Additionally, survival analysis showed that lung cancer patients with higher EYA2 expression predicted a worse prognosis. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that EYA2 may play an important role in lung cancer occurrence and progression. Targeting EYA2 may provide a feasible approach in developing novel anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoming Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ran Qiu
- Wuhan Institute of Bioengineering, Wuhan, China
| | - Xia Qiu
- Department of Medicine, Shangqiu Medical School, Shangqiu, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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26
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Mutations that impair Eyes absent tyrosine phosphatase activity in vitro reduce robustness of retinal determination gene network output in Drosophila. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187546. [PMID: 29108015 PMCID: PMC5673202 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A limited collection of signaling networks and transcriptional effectors directs the full spectrum of cellular behaviors that comprise development. One mechanism to diversify regulatory potential is to combine multiple biochemical activities into the same protein. Exemplifying this principle of modularity, Eyes absent (Eya), originally identified as a transcriptional co-activator within the retinal determination gene network (RDGN), also harbors tyrosine and threonine phosphatase activities. Although mounting evidence argues for the importance of Eya’s phosphatase activities to mammalian biology, genetic rescue experiments in Drosophila have shown that the tyrosine phosphatase function is dispensable for normal development. In this study, we repeated these rescue experiments in genetically sensitized backgrounds in which the dose of one or more RDGN factor was reduced. Heterozygosity for sine oculis or dachshund, both core RDGN members, compromised the ability of phosphatase-dead eya, but not of the control wild type eya transgene, to rescue the retinal defects and reduced viability associated with eya loss. We speculate that Eya’s tyrosine phosphatase activity, although non-essential, confers robustness to RDGN output.
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Meeusen B, Janssens V. Tumor suppressive protein phosphatases in human cancer: Emerging targets for therapeutic intervention and tumor stratification. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 96:98-134. [PMID: 29031806 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant protein phosphorylation is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells, and in many cases a prerequisite to sustain tumor development and progression. Like protein kinases, protein phosphatases are key regulators of cell signaling. However, their contribution to aberrant signaling in cancer cells is overall less well appreciated, and therefore, their clinical potential remains largely unexploited. In this review, we provide an overview of tumor suppressive protein phosphatases in human cancer. Along their mechanisms of inactivation in defined cancer contexts, we give an overview of their functional roles in diverse signaling pathways that contribute to their tumor suppressive abilities. Finally, we discuss their emerging roles as predictive or prognostic markers, their potential as synthetic lethality targets, and the current feasibility of their reactivation with pharmacologic compounds as promising new cancer therapies. We conclude that their inclusion in clinical practice has obvious potential to significantly improve therapeutic outcome in various ways, and should now definitely be pushed forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Meeusen
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation & Proteomics, Dept. of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven & Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Veerle Janssens
- Laboratory of Protein Phosphorylation & Proteomics, Dept. of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven & Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
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28
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Six1 and Eya1 both promote and arrest neuronal differentiation by activating multiple Notch pathway genes. Dev Biol 2017; 431:152-167. [PMID: 28947179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor Six1 and its cofactor Eya1 are important regulators of neurogenesis in cranial placodes, activating genes promoting both a progenitor state, such as hes8, and neuronal differentiation, such as neurog1. Here, we use gain and loss of function studies in Xenopus laevis to elucidate how these genes function during placodal neurogenesis. We first establish that hes8 is activated by Notch signaling and represses neurog1 and neuronal differentiation, indicating that it mediates lateral inhibition. Using hes8 knockdown we demonstrate that hes8 is essential for limiting neuronal differentiation during normal placode development. We next show that Six1 and Eya1 cell autonomously activate both hes8 and neurog1 in a dose-dependent fashion, with increasing upregulation at higher doses, while neuronal differentiation is increasingly repressed. However, high doses of Six1 and Eya1 upregulate neurog1 only transiently, whereas low doses of Six1 and Eya1 ultimately promote both neurog1 expression and neuronal differentiation. Finally, we show that Six1 and Eya1 can activate hes8 and arrest neuronal differentiation even when Notch signaling is blocked. Our findings indicate that Six1 and Eya1 can both promote and arrest neuronal differentiation by activating the Notch pathway genes neurog1 and hes8, respectively, revealing a novel mechanism of Six1/Eya1 action during placodal neurogenesis.
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29
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Small molecule targeting of PTPs in cancer. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 96:171-181. [PMID: 28943273 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) undeniably have a central role in the development and progression of human cancers. Historically, however, PTPs have not been viewed as privileged drug targets, and progress on identifying potent, selective, and cell-active small molecule PTP inhibitors has suffered accordingly. This situation is rapidly changing, however, due to biochemical advances in the study of PTPs and recent small molecule screening campaigns, which have identified potent and mechanistically diverse lead structures. These compounds are facilitating the exploration of the fundamental cellular processes controlled by PTPs in cancers, and could form the inflection point for new therapeutic paradigms for the treatment of a range of cancers. Herein, we review recent advances in the discovery and biological annotation of cancer-relevant small molecule PTP inhibitors.
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Neuronal cell fate specification by the molecular convergence of different spatio-temporal cues on a common initiator terminal selector gene. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006729. [PMID: 28414802 PMCID: PMC5411104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The extensive genetic regulatory flows underlying specification of different neuronal subtypes are not well understood at the molecular level. The Nplp1 neuropeptide neurons in the developing Drosophila nerve cord belong to two sub-classes; Tv1 and dAp neurons, generated by two distinct progenitors. Nplp1 neurons are specified by spatial cues; the Hox homeotic network and GATA factor grn, and temporal cues; the hb -> Kr -> Pdm -> cas -> grh temporal cascade. These spatio-temporal cues combine into two distinct codes; one for Tv1 and one for dAp neurons that activate a common terminal selector feedforward cascade of col -> ap/eya -> dimm -> Nplp1. Here, we molecularly decode the specification of Nplp1 neurons, and find that the cis-regulatory organization of col functions as an integratory node for the different spatio-temporal combinatorial codes. These findings may provide a logical framework for addressing spatio-temporal control of neuronal sub-type specification in other systems.
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31
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Kim BM, Kang S, Ahn DH, Kim JH, Ahn I, Lee CW, Cho JL, Min GS, Park H. First Insights into the Subterranean Crustacean Bathynellacea Transcriptome: Transcriptionally Reduced Opsin Repertoire and Evidence of Conserved Homeostasis Regulatory Mechanisms. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170424. [PMID: 28107438 PMCID: PMC5249073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bathynellacea (Crustacea, Syncarida, Parabathynellidae) are subterranean aquatic crustaceans that typically inhabit freshwater interstitial spaces (e.g., groundwater) and are occasionally found in caves and even hot springs. In this study, we sequenced the whole transcriptome of Allobathynella bangokensis using RNA-seq. De novo sequence assembly produced 74,866 contigs including 28,934 BLAST hits. Overall, the gene sequences were most similar to those of the waterflea Daphnia pulex. In the A. bangokensis transcriptome, no opsin or related sequences were identified, and no contig aligned to the crustacean visual opsins and non-visual opsins (i.e. arthropsins, peropsins, and melaopsins), suggesting potential regressive adaptation to the dark environment. However, A. bangokensis expressed conserved gene family sets, such as heat shock proteins and those related to key innate immunity pathways and antioxidant defense systems, at the transcriptional level, suggesting that this species has evolved adaptations involving molecular mechanisms of homeostasis. The transcriptomic information of A. bangokensis will be useful for investigating molecular adaptations and response mechanisms to subterranean environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Mi Kim
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Seunghyun Kang
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Do-Hwan Ahn
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jin-Hyoung Kim
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Inhye Ahn
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
- Polar Sciences, University of Science & Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Chi-Woo Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Joo-Lae Cho
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju, South Korea
| | - Gi-Sik Min
- Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyun Park
- Unit of Polar Genomics, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
- Polar Sciences, University of Science & Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
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32
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Retinal Expression of the Drosophila eyes absent Gene Is Controlled by Several Cooperatively Acting Cis-regulatory Elements. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006462. [PMID: 27930646 PMCID: PMC5145141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The eyes absent (eya) gene of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a member of an evolutionarily conserved gene regulatory network that controls eye formation in all seeing animals. The loss of eya leads to the complete elimination of the compound eye while forced expression of eya in non-retinal tissues is sufficient to induce ectopic eye formation. Within the developing retina eya is expressed in a dynamic pattern and is involved in tissue specification/determination, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell fate choice. In this report we explore the mechanisms by which eya expression is spatially and temporally governed in the developing eye. We demonstrate that multiple cis-regulatory elements function cooperatively to control eya transcription and that spacing between a pair of enhancer elements is important for maintaining correct gene expression. Lastly, we show that the loss of eya expression in sine oculis (so) mutants is the result of massive cell death and a progressive homeotic transformation of retinal progenitor cells into head epidermis. Activation of a gene requires interactions between enhancer and promoter elements. It has been known for some time that transcription of a gene expressed in a complex pattern or in multiple tissues is regulated by an array of enhancers. Recent studies have also demonstrated that multiple enhancers can regulate a single expression pattern within a single tissue. In this study we asked how the expression pattern of eyes absent (eya) is regulated at the level of the enhancer in the developing retina. We found that several adjacently positioned enhancer elements function cooperatively to control temporal and spatial expression of eya and that the spacing between two of these cis-regulatory elements is important to their function. This study shows the importance of enhancer cooperation and architecture in regulating complex and dynamically changing expression patterns.
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