Regulation of urokinase receptor expression by phosphoglycerate kinase is independent of its catalytic activity

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) in cancer: A promising target for diagnosis and therapy

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) is the first critical enzyme to produce ATP in the glycolytic pathway. PGK1 is not only a metabolic enzyme but also a protein kinase, which mediates the tumor growth, migration and invasion through phosphorylation some important substrates. Moreover, PGK1 is associated with poor treatment and prognosis of cancers. This manuscript reviews the structure, functions, post-translational modifications (PTMs) of PGK1 and its relationship with tumors, which demonstrates that PGK1 has indispensable value in the tumor progression. The current review highlights the important role of PGK1 in anticancer treatments.

Ectopic expression of Pokkali phosphoglycerate kinase-2 (OsPGK2-P) improves yield in tobacco plants under salinity stress

KEY MESSAGE

Our results indicate that OsPGK2a-P gene is differentially regulated in contrasting rice cultivars under stress and its overexpression confers salt stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco. Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK; EC = 2.7.2.3) plays a major role for ATP production during glycolysis and 1, 3-bisphosphoglycerate production to participate in the Calvin cycle for carbon fixation in plants. Whole genome analysis of rice reveals the presence of four PGK genes (OsPgks) on different chromosomes. Comparative expression analysis of OsPgks in rice revealed highest level of transcripts for OsPgk2 at most of its developmental stages. Detailed characterization of OsPgk2 transcript and protein showed that it is strongly induced by salinity stress in two contrasting genotypes of rice, i.e., cv IR64 (salt sensitive) and landrace Pokkali (salt tolerant). Ectopic expression of OsPgk2a-P (isolated from Pokkali) in transgenic tobacco improved its salinity stress tolerance by higher chlorophyll retention and enhanced proline accumulation, besides maintaining better ion homeostasis. Ectopically expressing OsPgk2a-P transgenic tobacco plants showed tall phenotype with more number of pods than wild-type plants. Therefore, OsPgk2a-P appears to be a potential candidate for increasing salinity stress tolerance and enhanced yield in crop plants.

Phosphoglycerate kinase-1 is a predictor of poor survival and a novel prognostic biomarker of chemoresistance to paclitaxel treatment in breast cancer

Background:

Phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK1) has been recently documented in various malignancies; however, the molecular mechanisms of the variable PGK1 expression and its clinical significance in terms of survival status remain unclear.

Methods:

Real-time quantitative PCR (real-time qPCR) and western blotting were used to verify PGK1 expression in 46 fresh breast cancer tissues and matched normal tissues. A tissue microarray (TMA) comprising 401 breast cancer tissues and 123 matched normal tissues was investigated by immunohistochemistry for PGK1 expression. Then, the correlation between PGK1 expression and the clinicopathologic features was analysed.

Results:

PGK1 mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in breast cancer tissues compared with that in normal breast tissues. High PGK1 expression was significantly associated with higher histologic grade (P=0.009) and positive status of ER (P=0.004), Her-2 (P=0.026) and P53 (P=0.012). High levels of PGK1 expression were associated with worse overall survival (OS, P=0.02). Furthermore, patients who underwent paclitaxel chemotherapy with high levels PGK1 expression had shorter OS than did those with low levels of PGK1 expression (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that PGK1 (P=0.001) was an independent predictor in the patients treated with paclitaxel.

Conclusions:

PGK1 is a prognostic biomarker of chemoresistance to paclitaxel treatment in breast cancer.

Glycolysis, tumor metabolism, cancer growth and dissemination. A new pH-based etiopathogenic perspective and therapeutic approach to an old cancer question

Cancer cells acquire an unusual glycolytic behavior relative, to a large extent, to their intracellular alkaline pH (pHi). This effect is part of the metabolic alterations found in most, if not all, cancer cells to deal with unfavorable conditions, mainly hypoxia and low nutrient supply, in order to preserve its evolutionary trajectory with the production of lactate after ten steps of glycolysis. Thus, cancer cells reprogram their cellular metabolism in a way that gives them their evolutionary and thermodynamic advantage. Tumors exist within a highly heterogeneous microenvironment and cancer cells survive within any of the different habitats that lie within tumors thanks to the overexpression of different membrane-bound proton transporters. This creates a highly abnormal and selective proton reversal in cancer cells and tissues that is involved in local cancer growth and in the metastatic process. Because of this environmental heterogeneity, cancer cells within one part of the tumor may have a different genotype and phenotype than within another part. This phenomenon has frustrated the potential of single-target therapy of this type of reductionist therapeutic approach over the last decades. Here, we present a detailed biochemical framework on every step of tumor glycolysis and then proposea new paradigm and therapeutic strategy based upon the dynamics of the hydrogen ion in cancer cells and tissues in order to overcome the old paradigm of one enzyme-one target approach to cancer treatment. Finally, a new and integral explanation of the Warburg effect is advanced.

Regulation of urokinase expression at the posttranscription level by lung epithelial cells

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is expressed by lung epithelial cells and regulates fibrin turnover and epithelial cell viability. PMA, LPS, and TNF-alpha, as well as uPA itself, induce uPA expression in lung epithelial cells. PMA, LPS, and TNF-alpha induce uPA expression through increased synthesis as well as stabilization of uPA mRNA, while uPA increases its own expression solely through uPA mRNA stabilization. The mechanism by which lung epithelial cells regulate uPA expression at the level of mRNA stability is unclear. To elucidate this process, we sought to characterize protein-uPA mRNA interactions that regulate uPA expression. Regulation of uPA at the level of mRNA stability involves the interaction of a ~40 kDa cytoplasmic-nuclear shuttling protein with a 66 nt uPA mRNA 3'UTR sequence. We purified the uPA mRNA 3'UTR binding protein and identified it as ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2). We expressed recombinant RRM2 and confirmed its interaction with a specific 66 nt uPA 3'UTR sequence. Immunoprecipitation of cell lysates with anti-RRM2 antibody and RT-PCR for uPA mRNA confirmed that RRM2 binds to uPA mRNA. Treatment of Beas2B cells with uPA or LPS attenuated RRM2-endogenous uPA mRNA interactions, while overexpression of RRM2 inhibited uPA protein and mRNA expression through destabilization of uPA mRNA. LPS exposure of lung epithelial cells translocates RRM2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in a time-dependent manner, leading to stabilization of uPA mRNA. This newly recognized pathway could influence uPA expression and a broad range of uPA-dependent functions in lung epithelial cells in the context of lung inflammation and repair.

Proteome analysis of cold acclimation in sunflower

Cold acclimation is the phenomenon in which plants are exposed to low, but nonfreezing, temperatures before exposure to drastic temperatures. To investigate how sunflower plants adjust their metabolism during cold treatment, a comparative proteomic approach, based on spectral counting data, was adopted to identify differentially expressed proteins in leaves of freezing susceptible (Hopi) and tolerant (PI 543006 and BSD-2-691) lines after cold acclimation. In total 718, 675, and 769 proteins were confidently identified by tandem mass spectrometry in Hopi, PI 543006, and BSD-2-691 sunflower lines. Tolerant lines PI 543006 and BSD-2-691 showed the highest number of differentially expressed proteins, as 43, 72, and 168 proteins changed their expression in Hopi, PI 543006, and BSD-2-691 sunflower lines, respectively, at 95% confidence. Cold-responsive proteins were mostly involved in metabolism, protein synthesis, energy, and defense processes in all sunflower lines studied. Hierarchical clustering of all differentially expressed proteins resulted in the characterization of 14 different patterns of expression across Hopi, PI 543006, and BSD-2-691 and indicated that tolerant lines showed different proteome responses to cold acclimation.

Nucleotide-binding domain of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 reduces tumor growth by suppressing COX-2 expression

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK-1) is a multifunctional protein that is involved in the glycolytic pathway and the generation of the angiogenesis inhibitor angiostatin. In a previous study, we showed that the overexpression of full-length PGK-1 in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-1) can reduce tumor growth in vivo by downregulation of COX-2 expression. Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 has two functional domains: a catalytic domain (CD); and a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD). To identify the functional domain of PGK-1 responsible for its antitumor effects, we evaluated the tumorigenicity of LLC-1 cells overexpressing full-length PGK-1 (LLC-1/PGK), CD (LLC-1/CD), and NBD (LLC-1/NBD). Although no difference in tumor cell growth was observed in vitro, the tumor invasiveness was reduced in the LLC-1/PGK, LLC-1/CD, and LLC-1/NBD cells compared to parental LLC-1 cells in vivo. In addition, in vivo tumor growth retardation by LLC-1/CD and LLC-1/NBD cells was observed, similar to that by LLC-1/PGK cells. However, the reduced stability of COX-2 mRNA and downregulation of the COX-2 protein and its metabolite, prostaglandin E2, was only found in LLC-1/PGK and LLC-1/NBD cells. Low levels of COX-2 were also observed in the tumor mass formed by the modified cells when injected into mice. The results indicate that COX-2 suppression by PGK-1 is independent of its catalytic activity. COX-2 targeting by PGK-1 can be attributed to its NBD and is probably a result of the destabilization of COX-2 gene transcripts brought about by the mRNA-binding property of PGK-1.

Transition state analogue structures of human phosphoglycerate kinase establish the importance of charge balance in catalysis

Transition state analogue (TSA) complexes formed by phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) have been used to test the hypothesis that balancing of charge within the transition state dominates enzyme-catalyzed phosphoryl transfer. High-resolution structures of trifluoromagnesate (MgF(3)(-)) and tetrafluoroaluminate (AlF(4)(-)) complexes of PGK have been determined using X-ray crystallography and (19)F-based NMR methods, revealing the nature of the catalytically relevant state of this archetypal metabolic kinase. Importantly, the side chain of K219, which coordinates the alpha-phosphate group in previous ground state structures, is sequestered into coordinating the metal fluoride, thereby creating a charge environment complementary to the transferring phosphoryl group. In line with the dominance of charge balance in transition state organization, the substitution K219A induces a corresponding reduction in charge in the bound aluminum fluoride species, which changes to a trifluoroaluminate (AlF(3)(0)) complex. The AlF(3)(0) moiety retains the octahedral geometry observed within AlF(4)(-) TSA complexes, which endorses the proposal that some of the widely reported trigonal AlF(3)(0) complexes of phosphoryl transfer enzymes may have been misassigned and in reality contain MgF(3)(-).

Urokinase receptor expression involves tyrosine phosphorylation of phosphoglycerate kinase

The interaction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) with its receptor, uPAR, plays a central role in several pathophysiological processes, including cancer. uPA induces its own cell surface receptor expression through stabilization of uPAR mRNA. The mechanism involves binding of a 51 nt uPAR mRNA coding sequence with phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) to down regulate cell surface uPAR expression. Tyrosine phosphorylation of PGK mediated by uPA treatment enhances uPAR mRNA stabilization. In contrast, inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation augments PGK binding to uPAR mRNA and attenuates uPA-induced uPAR expression. Mapping the specific peptide region of PGK indicated that its first quarter (amino acids 1-100) interacts with uPAR mRNA. To determine if uPAR expression by uPA is regulated through activation of tyrosine residues of PGK, we mutated the specific tyrosine residue and tested mutant PGK for its ability to interfere with uPAR expression. Inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation by mutating Y76 residue abolished uPAR expression induced by uPA treatment. These findings collectively demonstrate that Y76 residue present in the first quarter of the PGK molecule is involved in lung epithelial cell surface uPAR expression. This region can effectively mimic the function of a whole PGK molecule in inhibiting tumor cell growth.

Phosphoglycerate kinase 1-overexpressing lung cancer cells reduce cyclooxygenase 2 expression and promote anti-tumor immunity in vivo

In addition to the known function in the glycolytic pathway, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK-1) promotes reduction of plasmin disulfide bonds leading to angiostatin formation and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. In this study, the effects of PGK-1 on anti- tumor immunity against lung cancer were evaluated using the Tet-Off control of PGK-1 expression in the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-1). There was no significant difference in cell proliferation between parental LLC-1 and LLC-1 transduced with PGK-1 (PGK-LLC-1). However, expression of PGK-1 was found to limit tumor growth in mice subcutaneously injected with the cell lines and tumor growth was restored after doxycycline treatment. In addition, the cell invasion ability of PGK-LLC-1 became weaker than that of LLC-1. Expressions of COX-2, TGF-beta1 and PGE2 were all found to be down-regulated in PGK-LLC-1. PGK-LLC-1 cells treated with doxycycline recovered their COX-2 protein expression. In the presence of conditioned medium from PGK-LLC-1, the endothelial cell migration was reduced. Moreover, PGK-LLC-1 also stimulated T lymphocytes to express higher levels of Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) and lower levels of IL-10 in comparison with parental LLC-1. PGK-LLC-1 cells restored the growth rate in immunodeficient mice when compared with the growth rate in normal mice. In the tissue sections, reduced COX-2 expressions and marked infiltrated CD3 T lymphocytes were observed in the PGK-LLC-1 injected group. These findings indicate that overexpression of PGK-1 in LLC-1 reduces the COX-2 expression, and, in turn, affect PGE2, cell invasion, angiogenesis, and the immune functions, and finally inhibit the tumor progression.

Monoclonal anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies cross-react with phosphoglycerate kinase 1 and inhibit the expression and production of IL-2 in activated Jurkat T cell line

Anti-double strand DNA antibodies (anti-dsDNA) involve in lupus nephritis. However, their role in tissue damage mechanism remains unclear. In this study, a 45-kDa cognate antigen of anti-dsDNA monoclonal antibodies 9D7 was identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and determined to be human phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK-1) by MALDI-TOF analysis. The binding of 9D7 to PGK-1 was not affected by DNase I but was inhibited by thymus dsDNA. Human SLE sera with high anti-dsDNA titers had a high affinity with PGK. In activated Jurkat T cells, 9D7 decreased the PGK-1 mRNA production and IL-2 promoter activity. Reduction in IL-2 gene expression and protein production were observed in the 9D7-treated cells. Because PGK-1 deficiency may cause mental tardy and hemolytic anemia, interaction between anti-dsDNA and PGK-1 may be important in lupus pathogenesis. Moreover, reduction in IL-2 production by anti-dsDNA suggests their role in increasing infection rate and decreasing proper generation of activation-induced cell death.