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Abruscato G, Tarantino R, Mauro M, Chiarelli R, Vizzini A, Arizza V, Vazzana M, Luparello C. Modulation of Glucose Consumption and Uptake in HepG2 Cells by Aqueous Extracts from the Coelomic Fluid of the Edible Holothuria tubulosa Sea Cucumber. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:378. [PMID: 38927258 PMCID: PMC11201224 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The cell-free aqueous extract from the coelomic fluid of Holothuria tubulosa was prepared and examined for its glucose-lowering effect on HepG2 cells in vitro. In particular, employing a combination of cytochemical, flow cytometric, PCR, and protein blot techniques, we evaluated its role on glucose internalization and storage and on the upregulation and surface translocation of the two glucose transporters GLUT-2 and -4. The changes in expression, synthesis, and/or activation of the GLUT2-related transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alpha (HNF1α) and the GLUT-4-translocation regulatory factors insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and AKT were also studied. Our results showed the improved glucose response by HepG2 cells, leading to an evident increase in glucose consumption/uptake and glycogen storage upon exposure. Moreover, the extract induced molecular reprogramming involving the upregulation of (i) IRS1 gene expression, (ii) the transcription and translation levels of HNF1α, AKT, and GLUT-4, (iii) the phosphorylation level of AKT, (iv) the synthesis of GLUT-2 protein, and (v) the translocation of GLUT-2 and -4 transporters onto the plasma membrane. Cumulatively, our results suggest that the coelomic fluid extract from H. tubulosa can be taken into consideration for the development of novel treatment agents against diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Abruscato
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
| | - Roberta Tarantino
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
| | - Manuela Mauro
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
| | - Roberto Chiarelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
| | - Aiti Vizzini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Arizza
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Mirella Vazzana
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Claudio Luparello
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy; (G.A.); (R.T.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (A.V.); (V.A.); (M.V.)
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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Gemović B, Perović V, Davidović R, Drljača T, Veljkovic N. Alignment-free method for functional annotation of amino acid substitutions: Application on epigenetic factors involved in hematologic malignancies. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244948. [PMID: 33395407 PMCID: PMC7781373 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For the last couple of decades, there has been a significant growth in sequencing data, leading to an extraordinary increase in the number of gene variants. This places a challenge on the bioinformatics research community to develop and improve computational tools for functional annotation of new variants. Genes coding for epigenetic regulators have important roles in cancer pathogenesis and mutations in these genes show great potential as clinical biomarkers, especially in hematologic malignancies. Therefore, we developed a model that specifically focuses on these genes, with an assumption that it would outperform general models in predicting the functional effects of amino acid substitutions. EpiMut is a standalone software that implements a sequence based alignment-free method. We applied a two-step approach for generating sequence based features, relying on the biophysical and biochemical indices of amino acids and the Fourier Transform as a sequence transformation method. For each gene in the dataset, the machine learning algorithm-Naïve Bayes was used for building a model for prediction of the neutral or disease-related status of variants. EpiMut outperformed state-of-the-art tools used for comparison, PolyPhen-2, SIFT and SNAP2. Additionally, EpiMut showed the highest performance on the subset of variants positioned outside conserved functional domains of analysed proteins, which represents an important group of cancer-related variants. These results imply that EpiMut can be applied as a first choice tool in research of the impact of gene variants in epigenetic regulators, especially in the light of the biomarker role in hematologic malignancies. EpiMut is freely available at https://www.vin.bg.ac.rs/180/tools/epimut.php.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branislava Gemović
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- * E-mail:
| | - Vladimir Perović
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Radoslav Davidović
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tamara Drljača
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nevena Veljkovic
- Laboratory for Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Heliant d.o.o., Belgrade, Serbia
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Kuang C, Wang F, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang H, Gong H, Zhou R, Zhou J. Molecular characterization of clathrin heavy chain (Chc) in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and its effect on vitellogenin (Vg) expression via the clathrin-mediated endocytic pathway. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 80:71-89. [PMID: 31828557 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-019-00438-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Clathrin plays an important role in arthropods, but its function in ticks has not been explored. Here, we describe the molecular characteristics of the clathrin heavy chain of the tick Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and its effects on yolk development. The open reading frame of the clathrin heavy chain (Chc) (Rh-Chc) gene consists of 5103 nucleotides encoding 670 amino acids, which is most closely related to that of Ixodes scapularis and relatively close to Homo sapiens and Drosophila melanogaster. Real-time qPCR revealed that Rh-Chc was expressed at all developmental stages and organs. After Rh-Chc is silenced, ticks did not feed and mortality rate was 100%. Moreover, Rh-Chc co-localized with Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) on oocyte membrane. Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of Vitellogenin (Vg) (Rh-Vg) was also closely related to Rh-Chc. Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of Vg was also closely related to Rh-Chc, Rh-Chc silencing slowed the development of oocytes in tick, and culture of ovary in vitro silenced Rh-Chc, the development of oocytes in ticks also slowed down. Overall, the results of this study indicated that Rh-Chc is a vital gene in the tick R. haemaphysaloides that plays an important role in its growth, development, and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceyan Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
- College of Animal Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, 402460, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haiyan Gong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Rongqiong Zhou
- College of Animal Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, 402460, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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Cheleschi S, Calamia V, Fernandez-Moreno M, Biava M, Giordani A, Fioravanti A, Anzini M, Blanco F. In vitro comprehensive analysis of VA692 a new chemical entity for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 64:86-100. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Dal Piaz F, Vera Saltos MB, Franceschelli S, Forte G, Marzocco S, Tuccinardi T, Poli G, Nejad Ebrahimi S, Hamburger M, De Tommasi N, Braca A. Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS) Identifies Laurifolioside as a New Clathrin Heavy Chain Modulator. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2016; 79:2681-2692. [PMID: 27704815 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Five new diterpenes (1-5) and a megastigmane derivative (6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Euphorbia laurifolia, along with several known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by NMR, MS, and ECD and by chemical methods. A chemical proteomics drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) approach to investigate the lathyrane diterpene 1, laurifolioside, on its putative cellular target(s) was performed. Clathrin heavy chain 1, a protein mainly involved in selective uptake of proteins, viruses, and other macromolecules at the plasma membrane of cells, was identified as the major interaction partner of compound 1. The modulation of clathrin activity by 1 was studied through microscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies, suggesting a new activity of lathyrane diterpenes in the modulation of trafficking pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Dal Piaz
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Salerno , Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Mariela Beatriz Vera Saltos
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas , ESPE, Avenida General Rumiñahui s/n, Sangolqui, Ecuador
| | - Silvia Franceschelli
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Salerno , Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Giovanni Forte
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Salerno , Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Stefania Marzocco
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Salerno , Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 33, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulio Poli
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 33, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Samad Nejad Ebrahimi
- Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University , G. C., Evin, Tehran, Iran
| | - Matthias Hamburger
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel , Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nunziatina De Tommasi
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Salerno , Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
| | - Alessandra Braca
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Pisa , Via Bonanno 33, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Insufficiency of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase is risk for lean non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21721. [PMID: 26883167 PMCID: PMC4756298 DOI: 10.1038/srep21721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although obesity is undoubtedly major risk for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the presence of lean NASH patients with normal body mass index has been recognized. Here, we report that the insufficiency of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) is a risk for the lean NASH. The Pemt−/− mice fed high fat-high sucrose (HFHS) diet were protected from diet-induced obesity and diabetes, while they demonstrated prominent steatohepatitis and developed multiple liver tumors. Pemt exerted inhibitory effects on p53-driven transcription by forming the complex with clathrin heavy chain and p53, and Pemt−/− mice fed HFHS diet demonstrated prominent apoptosis of hepatocytes. Furthermore, hypermethylation and suppressed mRNA expression of F-box protein 31 and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α resulted in the prominent activation of cyclin D1. PEMT mRNA expression in liver tissues of NASH patients was significantly lower than those with simple steatosis and we postulated the distinct clinical entity of lean NASH with insufficiency of PEMT activities.
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