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Battaglia L, Scorrano G, Spiaggia R, Basile A, Palmucci S, Foti PV, Spatola C, Iacomino M, Marinangeli F, Francia E, Comisi F, Corsello A, Salpietro V, Vittori A, David E. Neuroimaging features of WOREE syndrome: a mini-review of the literature. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1301166. [PMID: 38161429 PMCID: PMC10757851 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1301166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The WWOX gene encodes a 414-amino-acid protein composed of two N-terminal WW domains and a C-terminal short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) domain. WWOX protein is highly conserved among species and mainly expressed in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brain stem, thyroid, hypophysis, and reproductive organs. It plays a crucial role in the biology of the central nervous system, and it is involved in neuronal development, migration, and proliferation. Biallelic pathogenic variants in WWOX have been associated with an early infantile epileptic encephalopathy known as WOREE syndrome. Both missense and null variants have been described in affected patients, leading to a reduction in protein function and stability. The most severe WOREE phenotypes have been related to biallelic null/null variants, associated with the complete loss of function of the protein. All affected patients showed brain anomalies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), suggesting the pivotal role of WWOX protein in brain homeostasis and developmental processes. We provided a literature review, exploring both the clinical and radiological spectrum related to WWOX pathogenic variants, described to date. We focused on neuroradiological findings to better delineate the WOREE phenotype with diagnostic and prognostic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Battaglia
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Scorrano
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Rossana Spiaggia
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Basile
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Stefano Palmucci
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Pietro Valerio Foti
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Corrado Spatola
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Instituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Franco Marinangeli
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Therapy, University of L’aquila, L’aquila, Italy
| | - Elisa Francia
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO ROMA, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandro Vittori
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO ROMA, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele David
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
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Wainberg M, Andrews SJ, Tripathy SJ. Shared genetic risk loci between Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:113. [PMID: 37328865 PMCID: PMC10273745 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01244-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have indicated moderate genetic overlap between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neurodegenerative disorders traditionally considered etiologically distinct. However, the specific genetic variants and loci underlying this overlap remain almost entirely unknown. METHODS We leveraged state-of-the-art GWAS for ADRD, PD, and ALS. For each pair of disorders, we examined each of the GWAS hits for one disorder and tested whether they were also significant for the other disorder, applying Bonferroni correction for the number of variants tested. This approach rigorously controls the family-wise error rate for both disorders, analogously to genome-wide significance. RESULTS Eleven loci with GWAS hits for one disorder were also associated with one or both of the other disorders: one with all three disorders (the MAPT/KANSL1 locus), five with ADRD and PD (near LCORL, CLU, SETD1A/KAT8, WWOX, and GRN), three with ADRD and ALS (near GPX3, HS3ST5/HDAC2/MARCKS, and TSPOAP1), and two with PD and ALS (near GAK/TMEM175 and NEK1). Two of these loci (LCORL and NEK1) were associated with an increased risk of one disorder but decreased risk of another. Colocalization analysis supported a shared causal variant between ADRD and PD at the CLU, WWOX, and LCORL loci, between ADRD and ALS at the TSPOAP1 locus, and between PD and ALS at the NEK1 and GAK/TMEM175 loci. To address the concern that ADRD is an imperfect proxy for AD and that the ADRD and PD GWAS have overlapping participants (nearly all of which are from the UK Biobank), we confirmed that all our ADRD associations had nearly identical odds ratios in an AD GWAS that excluded the UK Biobank, and all but one remained nominally significant (p < 0.05) for AD. CONCLUSIONS In one of the most comprehensive investigations to date of pleiotropy between neurodegenerative disorders, we identify eleven genetic risk loci shared among ADRD, PD, and ALS. These loci support lysosomal/autophagic dysfunction (GAK/TMEM175, GRN, KANSL1), neuroinflammation/immunity (TSPOAP1), oxidative stress (GPX3, KANSL1), and the DNA damage response (NEK1) as transdiagnostic processes underlying multiple neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wainberg
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Shea J Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, 94143, USA
| | - Shreejoy J Tripathy
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, M5T 1R8, Canada.
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5T 1R8, Canada.
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Lin YH, Shih YH, Yap YV, Chen YW, Kuo HL, Liu TY, Hsu LJ, Kuo YM, Chang NS. Zfra Inhibits the TRAPPC6AΔ-Initiated Pathway of Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314510. [PMID: 36498839 PMCID: PMC9739312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
When WWOX is downregulated in middle age, aggregation of a protein cascade, including TRAPPC6AΔ (TPC6AΔ), TIAF1, and SH3GLB2, may start to occur, and the event lasts more than 30 years, which results in amyloid precursor protein (APP) degradation, amyloid beta (Aβ) generation, and neurodegeneration, as shown in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, by treating neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells with neurotoxin MPP+, upregulation and aggregation of TPC6AΔ, along with aggregation of TIAF1, SH3GLB2, Aβ, and tau, occurred. MPP+ is an inducer of Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting that TPC6AΔ is a common initiator for AD and PD pathogenesis. Zfra, a 31-amino-acid zinc finger-like WWOX-binding protein, is known to restore memory deficits in 9-month-old triple-transgenic (3xTg) mice by blocking the aggregation of TPC6AΔ, SH3GLB2, tau, and amyloid β, as well as inflammatory NF-κB activation. The Zfra4-10 peptide exerted a strong potency in preventing memory loss during the aging of 3-month-old 3xTg mice up to 9 months, as determined by a novel object recognition task (ORT) and Morris water maize analysis. Compared to age-matched wild type mice, 11-month-old Wwox heterozygous mice exhibited memory loss, and this correlates with pT12-WWOX aggregation in the cortex. Together, aggregation of pT12-WWOX may link to TPC6AΔ aggregation for AD progression, with TPC6AΔ aggregation being a common initiator for AD and PD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hao Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Hsiang Shih
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Ye Vone Yap
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Wei Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Lin Kuo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yun Liu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jin Hsu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Min Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY 10314, USA
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-6-2353535 (ext. 5268)
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Hypoglycemia, Vascular Disease and Cognitive Dysfunction in Diabetes: Insights from Text Mining-Based Reconstruction and Bioinformatics Analysis of the Gene Networks. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212419. [PMID: 34830301 PMCID: PMC8620086 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoglycemia has been recognized as a risk factor for diabetic vascular complications and cognitive decline, but the molecular mechanisms of the effect of hypoglycemia on target organs are not fully understood. In this work, gene networks of hypoglycemia and cardiovascular disease, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease were reconstructed using ANDSystem, a text-mining-based tool. The gene network of hypoglycemia included 141 genes and 2467 interactions. Enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes showed that the regulation of insulin secretion, glucose homeostasis, apoptosis, nitric oxide biosynthesis, and cell signaling are significantly enriched for hypoglycemia. Among the network hubs, INS, IL6, LEP, TNF, IL1B, EGFR, and FOS had the highest betweenness centrality, while GPR142, MBOAT4, SLC5A4, IGFBP6, PPY, G6PC1, SLC2A2, GYS2, GCGR, and AQP7 demonstrated the highest cross-talk specificity. Hypoglycemia-related genes were overrepresented in the gene networks of diabetic complications and comorbidity; moreover, 14 genes were mutual for all studied disorders. Eleven GO biological processes (glucose homeostasis, nitric oxide biosynthesis, smooth muscle cell proliferation, ERK1 and ERK2 cascade, etc.) were overrepresented in all reconstructed networks. The obtained results expand our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the deteriorating effects of hypoglycemia in diabetes-associated vascular disease and cognitive dysfunction.
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Steinberg DJ, Aqeilan RI. WWOX-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Models and Future Perspectives. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113082. [PMID: 34831305 PMCID: PMC8623516 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene was originally discovered as a putative tumor suppressor spanning the common fragile site FRA16D, but as time has progressed the extent of its pleiotropic function has become apparent. At present, WWOX is a major source of interest in the context of neurological disorders, and more specifically developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). This review article aims to introduce the many model systems used through the years to study its function and roles in neuropathies. Similarities and fundamental differences between rodent and human models are discussed. Finally, future perspectives and promising research avenues are suggested.
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WWOX and Its Binding Proteins in Neurodegeneration. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071781. [PMID: 34359949 PMCID: PMC8304785 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is known as one of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease. WWOX binds Tau via its C-terminal SDR domain and interacts with Tau phosphorylating enzymes ERK, JNK, and GSK-3β, and thereby limits AD progression. Loss of WWOX in newborns leads to severe neural diseases and early death. Gradual loss of WWOX protein in the hippocampus and cortex starting from middle age may slowly induce aggregation of a protein cascade that ultimately causes accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta plaques and intracellular tau tangles, along with reduction in inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, in AD patients over 70 years old. Age-related increases in pS14-WWOX accumulation in the brain promotes neuronal degeneration. Suppression of Ser14 phosphorylation by a small peptide Zfra leads to enhanced protein degradation, reduction in NF-κB-mediated inflammation, and restoration of memory loss in triple transgenic mice for AD. Intriguingly, tumor suppressors p53 and WWOX may counteract each other in vivo, which leads to upregulation of AD-related protein aggregation in the brain and lung. WWOX has numerous binding proteins. We reported that the stronger the binding between WWOX and its partners, the better the suppression of cancer growth and reduction in inflammation. In this regard, the stronger complex formation between WWOX and partners may provide a better blockade of AD progression. In this review, we describe whether and how WWOX and partner proteins control inflammatory response and protein aggregation and thereby limit AD progression.
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Normal cells repel WWOX-negative or -dysfunctional cancer cells via WWOX cell surface epitope 286-299. Commun Biol 2021; 4:753. [PMID: 34140629 PMCID: PMC8211909 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02271-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic cancer cells are frequently deficient in WWOX protein or express dysfunctional WWOX (designated WWOXd). Here, we determined that functional WWOX-expressing (WWOXf) cells migrate collectively and expel the individually migrating WWOXd cells. For return, WWOXd cells induces apoptosis of WWOXf cells from a remote distance. Survival of WWOXd from the cell-to-cell encounter is due to activation of the survival IκBα/ERK/WWOX signaling. Mechanistically, cell surface epitope WWOX286-299 (repl) in WWOXf repels the invading WWOXd to undergo retrograde migration. However, when epitope WWOX7-21 (gre) is exposed, WWOXf greets WWOXd to migrate forward for merge. WWOX binds membrane type II TGFβ receptor (TβRII), and TβRII IgG-pretreated WWOXf greet WWOXd to migrate forward and merge with each other. In contrast, TβRII IgG-pretreated WWOXd loses recognition by WWOXf, and WWOXf mediates apoptosis of WWOXd. The observatons suggest that normal cells can be activated to attack metastatic cancer cells. WWOXd cells are less efficient in generating Ca2+ influx and undergo non-apoptotic explosion in response to UV irradiation in room temperature. WWOXf cells exhibit bubbling cell death and Ca2+ influx effectively caused by UV or apoptotic stress. Together, membrane WWOX/TβRII complex is needed for cell-to-cell recognition, maintaining the efficacy of Ca2+ influx, and control of cell invasiveness.
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Banne E, Abudiab B, Abu-Swai S, Repudi SR, Steinberg DJ, Shatleh D, Alshammery S, Lisowski L, Gold W, Carlen PL, Aqeilan RI. Neurological Disorders Associated with WWOX Germline Mutations-A Comprehensive Overview. Cells 2021; 10:824. [PMID: 33916893 PMCID: PMC8067556 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional regulator WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a key player in a number of cellular and biological processes including tumor suppression. Recent evidence has emerged associating WWOX with non-cancer disorders. Patients harboring pathogenic germline bi-allelic WWOX variants have been described with the rare devastating neurological syndromes autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia 12 (SCAR12) (6 patients) and WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy (DEE28 or WOREE syndrome) (56 patients). Individuals with these syndromes present with a highly heterogenous clinical spectrum, the most common clinical symptoms being severe epileptic encephalopathy and profound global developmental delay. Knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology of these syndromes, the range of variants of the WWOX gene and its genotype-phenotype correlations is limited, hampering therapeutic efforts. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify and consolidate all the reported variants in WWOX to distinguish between disease-causing alleles and their associated severity, and benign variants, with the aim of improving diagnosis and increasing therapeutic efforts. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on WWOX, and analyze the pathogenic variants from published and unpublished reports by collecting entries from the ClinVar, DECIPHER, VarSome, and PubMed databases to generate the largest dataset of WWOX pathogenic variants. We estimate the correlation between variant type and patient phenotype, and delineate the impact of each variant, and used GnomAD to cross reference these variants found in the general population. From these searches, we generated the largest published cohort of WWOX individuals. We conclude with a discussion on potential personalized medicine approaches to tackle the devastating disorders associated with WWOX mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehud Banne
- The Genetic Institute, Kaplan Medical Center, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Rehovot 76100, Israel;
- The Rina Mor Genetic Institute, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon 58100, Israel
| | - Baraa Abudiab
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Sara Abu-Swai
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Srinivasa Rao Repudi
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Daniel J. Steinberg
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Diala Shatleh
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Sarah Alshammery
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences and Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead 2145, NSW, Australia; (S.A.); (W.G.)
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead 2145, NSW, Australia;
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wendy Gold
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences and Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead 2145, NSW, Australia; (S.A.); (W.G.)
- Molecular Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead and The Children’s Medical Research Institute, Westmead 2145, NSW, Australia
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, Kids Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead 2145, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter L. Carlen
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network and Department of Medicine, Physiology and BME, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1M8, Canada;
| | - Rami I. Aqeilan
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Department of Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (B.A.); (S.A.-S.); (D.J.S.); (S.R.R.); (D.S.)
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Tang BL. Defects in early secretory pathway transport machinery components and neurodevelopmental disorders. Rev Neurosci 2021; 32:851-869. [PMID: 33781010 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The early secretory pathway, provisionally comprising of vesicular traffic between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus, occurs constitutively in mammalian cells. Critical for a constant supply of secretory and plasma membrane (PM) materials, the pathway is presumably essential for general cellular function and survival. Neurons exhibit a high intensity in membrane dynamics and protein/lipid trafficking, with differential and polarized trafficking towards the somatodendritic and axonal PM domains. Mutations in genes encoding early secretory pathway membrane trafficking machinery components are known to result in neurodevelopmental or neurological disorders with disease manifestation in early life. Here, such rare disorders associated with autosomal recessive mutations in coat proteins, membrane tethering complexes and membrane fusion machineries responsible for trafficking in the early secretory pathway are summarily discussed. These mutations affected genes encoding subunits of coat protein complex I and II, subunits of transport protein particle (TRAPP) complexes, members of the YIP1 domain family (YIPF) and a SNAP receptor (SNARE) family member. Why the ubiquitously present and constitutively acting early secretory pathway machinery components could specifically affect neurodevelopment is addressed, with the plausible underlying disease etiologies and neuropathological mechanisms resulting from these mutations explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bor Luen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore117597, Singapore
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Chou YT, Lai FJ, Chang NS, Hsu LJ. Wwox Deficiency Causes Downregulation of Prosurvival ERK Signaling and Abnormal Homeostatic Responses in Mouse Skin. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:558432. [PMID: 33195192 PMCID: PMC7652735 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.558432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficiency of tumor suppressor WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) in humans and animals leads to growth retardation and premature death during postnatal developmental stages. Skin integrity is essential for organism survival due to its protection against dehydration and hypothermia. Our previous report demonstrated that human epidermal suprabasal cells express WWOX protein, and the expression is gradually increased toward the superficial differentiated cells prior to cornification. Here, we investigated whether abnormal skin development and homeostasis occur under Wwox deficiency that may correlate with early death. We determined that keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation were decreased, while apoptosis was increased in Wwox–/– mouse epidermis and primary keratinocyte cultures and WWOX-knockdown human HaCaT cells. Without WWOX, progenitor cells in hair follicle junctional zone underwent massive proliferation in early postnatal developmental stages and the stem/progenitor cell pools were depleted at postnatal day 21. These events lead to significantly decreased epidermal thickness, dehydration state, and delayed hair development in Wwox–/– mouse skin, which is associated with downregulation of prosurvival MEK/ERK signaling in Wwox–/– keratinocytes. Moreover, Wwox depletion results in substantial downregulation of dermal collagen contents in mice. Notably, Wwox–/– mice exhibit severe loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue and significant hypothermia. Collectively, our knockout mouse model supports the validity of WWOX in assisting epidermal and adipose homeostasis, and the involvement of prosurvival ERK pathway in the homeostatic responses regulated by WWOX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Tsen Chou
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Jie Lai
- Department of Dermatology, Chimei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.,Center for General Education, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jin Hsu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Bodnar B, DeGruttola A, Zhu Y, Lin Y, Zhang Y, Mo X, Hu W. Emerging role of NIK/IKK2-binding protein (NIBP)/trafficking protein particle complex 9 (TRAPPC9) in nervous system diseases. Transl Res 2020; 224:55-70. [PMID: 32434006 PMCID: PMC7442628 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
NFκB signaling and protein trafficking network play important roles in various biological and pathological processes. NIK-and-IKK2-binding protein (NIBP), also known as trafficking protein particle complex 9 (TRAPPC9), is a prototype member of a novel protein family, and has been shown to regulate both NFκB signaling pathway and protein transport/trafficking. NIBP is extensively expressed in the nervous system and plays an important role in regulating neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. NIBP/TRAPPC9 mutations have been linked to an autosomal recessive intellectual disability syndrome, called NIBP Syndrome, which is characterized by nonsyndromic autosomal recessive intellectual disability along with other symptoms such as obesity, microcephaly, and facial dysmorphia. As more cases of NIBP Syndrome are identified, new light is being shed on the role of NIBP/TRAPPC9 in the central nervous system developments and diseases. NIBP is also involved in the enteric nervous system. This review will highlight the importance of NIBP/TRAPPC9 in central and enteric nervous system diseases, and the established possible mechanisms for developing a potential therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany Bodnar
- Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; MD/PhD and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Arianna DeGruttola
- Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; MD/PhD and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Yuanjun Zhu
- Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Yonggang Zhang
- Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Chengdu, China
| | - Xianming Mo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenhui Hu
- Center for Metabolic Disease Research, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; MD/PhD and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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12
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Therapeutic Zfra4-10 or WWOX7-21 Peptide Induces Complex Formation of WWOX with Selective Protein Targets in Organs that Leads to Cancer Suppression and Spleen Cytotoxic Memory Z Cell Activation In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082189. [PMID: 32764489 PMCID: PMC7464583 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides strongly suppress cancer growth in vivo. Hypothetically, Zfra4-10 binds to the membrane Hyal-2 of spleen Z cells and activates the Hyal-2/WWOX/SMAD4 signaling for cytotoxic Z cell activation to kill cancer cells. Stimulation of membrane WWOX in the signaling complex by a WWOX epitope peptide, WWOX7-21, is likely to activate the signaling. Here, mice receiving Zfra4-10 or WWOX7-21 peptide alone exhibited an increased binding of endogenous tumor suppressor WWOX with ERK, C1qBP, NF-κB, Iba1, p21, CD133, JNK1, COX2, Oct4, and GFAP in the spleen, brain, and/or lung which led to cancer suppression. However, when in combination, Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 reduced the binding of WWOX with target proteins and allowed tumor growth in vivo. In addition to Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides, stimulating the membrane Hyal-2/WWOX complex with Hyal-2 antibody and sonicated hyaluronan (HAson) induced Z cell activation for killing cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, Zfra4-10 binds to membrane Hyal-2, induces dephosphorylation of WWOX at pY33 and pY61, and drives Z cell activation for the anticancer response. Thus, Zfra4-10 and WWOX7-21 peptides, HAson, and the Hyal-2 antibody are of therapeutic potential for cancer suppression.
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13
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Abstract
Shortly after its discovery in 2000, WWOX was hailed as a tumor suppressor gene. In subsequent years of research, this function was confirmed indisputably. Majority of tumors show high rate of loss of heterozygosity and decreased expression of WWOX. Nevertheless, over the years, the range of its known functions, at the cellular, organ and system levels, has expanded to include metabolism and endocrine system control and CNS differentiation and functioning. Despite of its function as a tumor suppressor gene, WWOX genetic alternations were found in a number of metabolic and neural diseases. A lack of WWOX protein as a consequence of germline mutations results in brain development disturbances and malfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Kośla
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Poland
| | - Ż Kałuzińska
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Poland
| | - A K Bednarek
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-752, Poland
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14
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Huang S, Hsu L, Chang N. Functional role of WW domain-containing proteins in tumor biology and diseases: Insight into the role in ubiquitin-proteasome system. FASEB Bioadv 2020; 2:234-253. [PMID: 32259050 PMCID: PMC7133736 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2019-00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) governs the protein degradation process and balances proteostasis and cellular homeostasis. It is a well-controlled mechanism, in which removal of the damaged or excessive proteins is essential in driving signal pathways for cell survival or death. Accumulation of damaged proteins and failure in removal may contribute to disease initiation such as in cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. In this notion, specific protein-protein interaction is essential for the recognition of targeted proteins in UPS. WW domain plays an indispensable role in the protein-protein interactions during signaling. Among the 51 WW domain-containing proteins in the human proteomics, near one-quarter of them are involved in the UPS, suggesting that WW domains are crucial modules for driving the protein-protein binding and subsequent ubiquitination and degradation. In this review, we detail a broad spectrum of WW domains in protein-protein recognition, signal transduction, and relevance to diseases. New perspectives in dissecting the molecular interactions are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenq‐Shyang Huang
- Graduate Program of Biotechnology in MedicineInstitute of Molecular and Cellular BiologyNational Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchuTaiwan, ROC
| | - Li‐Jin Hsu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and BiotechnologyNational Cheng Kung University College of MedicineTainanTaiwan, ROC
| | - Nan‐Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular MedicineNational Cheng Kung University College of MedicineTainanTaiwan, ROC
- Department of NeurochemistryNew York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNYUSA
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical SciencesCollege of MedicineChina Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan, ROC
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15
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Cheng YY, Chou YT, Lai FJ, Jan MS, Chang TH, Jou IM, Chen PS, Lo JY, Huang SS, Chang NS, Liou YT, Hsu PC, Cheng HC, Lin YS, Hsu LJ. Wwox deficiency leads to neurodevelopmental and degenerative neuropathies and glycogen synthase kinase 3β-mediated epileptic seizure activity in mice. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:6. [PMID: 32000863 PMCID: PMC6990504 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-0883-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human WWOX gene resides in the chromosomal common fragile site FRA16D and encodes a tumor suppressor WW domain-containing oxidoreductase. Loss-of-function mutations in both alleles of WWOX gene lead to autosomal recessive abnormalities in pediatric patients from consanguineous families, including microcephaly, cerebellar ataxia with epilepsy, mental retardation, retinal degeneration, developmental delay and early death. Here, we report that targeted disruption of Wwox gene in mice causes neurodevelopmental disorders, encompassing abnormal neuronal differentiation and migration in the brain. Cerebral malformations, such as microcephaly and incomplete separation of the hemispheres by a partial interhemispheric fissure, neuronal disorganization and heterotopia, and defective cerebellar midline fusion are observed in Wwox−/− mice. Degenerative alterations including severe hypomyelination in the central nervous system, optic nerve atrophy, Purkinje cell loss and granular cell apoptosis in the cerebellum, and peripheral nerve demyelination due to Schwann cell apoptosis correspond to reduced amplitudes and a latency prolongation of transcranial motor evoked potentials, motor deficits and gait ataxia in Wwox−/− mice. Wwox gene ablation leads to the occurrence of spontaneous epilepsy and increased susceptibility to pilocarpine- and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in preweaning mice. We determined that a significantly increased activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) occurs in Wwox−/− mouse cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. Inhibition of GSK3β by lithium ion significantly abolishes the onset of PTZ-induced seizure in Wwox−/− mice. Together, our findings reveal that the neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative deficits in Wwox knockout mice strikingly recapitulate the key features of human neuropathies, and that targeting GSK3β with lithium ion ameliorates epilepsy.
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16
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Van Bergen NJ, Guo Y, Al-Deri N, Lipatova Z, Stanga D, Zhao S, Murtazina R, Gyurkovska V, Pehlivan D, Mitani T, Gezdirici A, Antony J, Collins F, Willis MJH, Coban Akdemir ZH, Liu P, Punetha J, Hunter JV, Jhangiani SN, Fatih JM, Rosenfeld JA, Posey JE, Gibbs RA, Karaca E, Massey S, Ranasinghe TG, Sleiman P, Troedson C, Lupski JR, Sacher M, Segev N, Hakonarson H, Christodoulou J. Deficiencies in vesicular transport mediated by TRAPPC4 are associated with severe syndromic intellectual disability. Brain 2020; 143:112-130. [PMID: 31794024 PMCID: PMC6935753 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The conserved transport protein particle (TRAPP) complexes regulate key trafficking events and are required for autophagy. TRAPPC4, like its yeast Trs23 orthologue, is a core component of the TRAPP complexes and one of the essential subunits for guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity for Rab1 GTPase. Pathogenic variants in specific TRAPP subunits are associated with neurological disorders. We undertook exome sequencing in three unrelated families of Caucasian, Turkish and French-Canadian ethnicities with seven affected children that showed features of early-onset seizures, developmental delay, microcephaly, sensorineural deafness, spastic quadriparesis and progressive cortical and cerebellar atrophy in an effort to determine the genetic aetiology underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. All seven affected subjects shared the same identical rare, homozygous, potentially pathogenic variant in a non-canonical, well-conserved splice site within TRAPPC4 (hg19:chr11:g.118890966A>G; TRAPPC4: NM_016146.5; c.454+3A>G). Single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis revealed there was no haplotype shared between the tested Turkish and Caucasian families suggestive of a variant hotspot region rather than a founder effect. In silico analysis predicted the variant to cause aberrant splicing. Consistent with this, experimental evidence showed both a reduction in full-length transcript levels and an increase in levels of a shorter transcript missing exon 3, suggestive of an incompletely penetrant splice defect. TRAPPC4 protein levels were significantly reduced whilst levels of other TRAPP complex subunits remained unaffected. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and size exclusion chromatography demonstrated a defect in TRAPP complex assembly and/or stability. Intracellular trafficking through the Golgi using the marker protein VSVG-GFP-ts045 demonstrated significantly delayed entry into and exit from the Golgi in fibroblasts derived from one of the affected subjects. Lentiviral expression of wild-type TRAPPC4 in these fibroblasts restored trafficking, suggesting that the trafficking defect was due to reduced TRAPPC4 levels. Consistent with the recent association of the TRAPP complex with autophagy, we found that the fibroblasts had a basal autophagy defect and a delay in autophagic flux, possibly due to unsealed autophagosomes. These results were validated using a yeast trs23 temperature sensitive variant that exhibits constitutive and stress-induced autophagic defects at permissive temperature and a secretory defect at restrictive temperature. In summary we provide strong evidence for pathogenicity of this variant in a member of the core TRAPP subunit, TRAPPC4 that associates with vesicular trafficking and autophagy defects. This is the first report of a TRAPPC4 variant, and our findings add to the growing number of TRAPP-associated neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole J Van Bergen
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yiran Guo
- Center for Applied Genomics (CAG) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia, USA
| | - Noraldin Al-Deri
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Zhanna Lipatova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniela Stanga
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sarah Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rakhilya Murtazina
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Valeriya Gyurkovska
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Davut Pehlivan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
- Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Tadahiro Mitani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Alper Gezdirici
- Department of Medical Genetics, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, 34303, Turkey
| | - Jayne Antony
- TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
| | - Felicity Collins
- Western Sydney Genetics Program, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
- Medical Genomics Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mary J H Willis
- Department of Pediatrics, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Zeynep H Coban Akdemir
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Jaya Punetha
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Jill V Hunter
- Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Shalini N Jhangiani
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jawid M Fatih
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Jill A Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer E Posey
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Richard A Gibbs
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ender Karaca
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Sean Massey
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Thisara G Ranasinghe
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Patrick Sleiman
- Center for Applied Genomics (CAG) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia, USA
| | - Chris Troedson
- TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
| | - James R Lupski
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA
| | - Michael Sacher
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nava Segev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Center for Applied Genomics (CAG) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia, USA
| | - John Christodoulou
- Brain and Mitochondrial Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Royal Children’s Hospital, VIC, Australia
- Kids Research, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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17
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Chou PY, Lin SR, Lee MH, Schultz L, Sze CI, Chang NS. A p53/TIAF1/WWOX triad exerts cancer suppression but may cause brain protein aggregation due to p53/WWOX functional antagonism. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:76. [PMID: 31315632 PMCID: PMC6637503 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0382-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor suppressor WWOX physically binds p53 and TIAF1 and together induces apoptosis and tumor suppression. To understand the molecular action, here we investigated the formation of WWOX/TIAF1/p53 triad and its regulation of cancer cell migration, anchorage-independent growth, SMAD promoter activation, apoptosis, and potential role in neurodegeneration. Methods Time-lapse microscopy was used to measure the extent of cell migration. Protein/protein interactions were determined by co-immunoprecipitation, FRET microscopy, and yeast two-hybrid analysis. The WWOX/TIAF1/p53 triad-mediated cancer suppression was determined by measuring the extent of cell migration, anchorage-independent growth, SMAD promoter activation, and apoptosis. p53-deficient lung cancer cell growth in nude mice was carried out to assess the tumor suppressor function of ectopic p53 and/or WWOX. Results Wwox-deficient MEF cells exhibited constitutive Smad3 and p38 activation and migrated individually and much faster than wild type cells. TGF-β increased the migration of wild type MEF cells, but significantly suppressed Wwox knockout cell migration. While each of the triad proteins is responsive to TGF-β stimulation, ectopically expressed triad proteins suppressed cancer cell migration, anchorage-independent growth, and SMAD promoter activation, as well as caused apoptosis. The effects are due in part to TIAF1 polymerization and its retention of p53 and WWOX in the cytoplasm. p53 and TIAF1 were effective in suppressing anchorage-independent growth, and WWOX ineffective. p53 and TIAF1 blocked WWOX or Smad4-regulated SMAD promoter activation. WWOX suppressed lung cancer NCI-H1299 growth and inhibited splenomegaly by inflammatory immune response, and p53 blocked the event in nude mice. The p53/WWOX-cancer mice exhibited BACE upregulation, APP degradation, tau tangle formation, and amyloid β generation in the brain and lung. Conclusion The WWOX/TIAF1/p53 triad is potent in cancer suppression by blocking cancer cell migration, anchorage-independent growth and SMAD promoter activation, and causing apoptosis. Yet, p53 may functionally antagonize with WWOX. p53 blocks WWOX inhibition of inflammatory immune response induced by cancer, and this leads to protein aggregation in the brain as seen in the Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegeneration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-019-0382-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yi Chou
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101, Republic of China
| | - Sing-Ru Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101, Republic of China
| | - Ming-Hui Lee
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101, Republic of China
| | - Lori Schultz
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Guthrie Research Institute, Sayre, PA, 18840, USA
| | - Chun-I Sze
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101, Republic of China
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, 70101, Republic of China. .,Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Guthrie Research Institute, Sayre, PA, 18840, USA. .,Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA. .,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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18
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Strategies by which WWOX-deficient metastatic cancer cells utilize to survive via dodging, compromising, and causing damage to WWOX-positive normal microenvironment. Cell Death Discov 2019; 5:97. [PMID: 31123603 PMCID: PMC6529460 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-019-0176-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Proapoptotic tumor suppressor WWOX is upregulated in the early stage of cancer initiation, which probably provides limitation to cancer growth and progression. Later, WWOX protein is reduced to enhance cancer cell growth, migration, invasiveness and metastasis. To understand how WWOX works in controlling cancer progression, here we demonstrate that apoptotic stress mediated by ectopic WWOX stimulated cancer cells to secrete basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in order to support capillary microtubule formation. This event may occur in the cancer initiation stage. Later, when WWOX loss occurs in cancer cells, hyaluronidase production is then increased in the cancer cells to facilitate metastasis. We determined that inhibition of membrane hyaluronidase Tyr216-phosphorylated Hyal-2 by antibody suppresses cancer growth in vivo. WWOX-negative (WWOX-) cells dodged WWOX+cells in the microenvironment by migrating individually backward to avoid physical contacts and yet significantly upregulating the redox activity of WWOX+parental cells or other WWOX+cell types for causing apoptosis. Upon detecting the presence of WWOX+cells from a distance, WWOX- cells exhibit activation of MIF, Hyal-2, Eph, and Wnt pathways, which converges to MEK/ERK signaling and enables WWOX- cells to evade WWOX+cells. Inhibition of each pathway by antibody or specific chemicals enables WWOX- cells to merge with WWOX+cells. In addition, exogenous TGF-β assists WWOX- cells to migrate collectively forward and merge with WWOX+cells. Metastatic WWOX- cancer cells frequently secrete high levels of TGF-β, which conceivably assists them to merge with WWOX+cells in target organs and secure a new home base in the WWOX+microenvironment. Together, loss of WWOX allows cancer cells to develop strategies to dodge, compromise and even kill WWOX-positive cells in microenvironment.
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19
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Tanna M, Aqeilan RI. Modeling WWOX Loss of Function in vivo: What Have We Learned? Front Oncol 2018; 8:420. [PMID: 30370248 PMCID: PMC6194312 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The WW domain–containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene encompasses a common fragile sites (CFS) known as FRA16D, and is implicated in cancer. WWOX encodes a 46kDa adaptor protein, which contains two N-terminal WW–domains and a catalytic domain at its C–terminus homologous to short–chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family proteins. A high sequence conservation of WWOX orthologues from insects to rodents and ultimately humans suggest its significant role in physiology and homeostasis. Indeed, data obtained from several animal models including flies, fish, and rodents demonstrate WWOX in vivo requirement and that its deregulation results in severe pathological consequences including growth retardation, post–natal lethality, neuropathy, metabolic disorders, and tumorigenesis. Altogether, these findings set WWOX as an essential protein that is necessary to maintain normal cellular/physiological homeostasis. Here, we review and discuss lessons and outcomes learned from modeling loss of WWOX expression in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayur Tanna
- Faculty of Medicine, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research, Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Rami I Aqeilan
- Faculty of Medicine, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research, Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Cancer Biology & Genetics, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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20
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Sacher M, Shahrzad N, Kamel H, Milev MP. TRAPPopathies: An emerging set of disorders linked to variations in the genes encoding transport protein particle (TRAPP)-associated proteins. Traffic 2018; 20:5-26. [PMID: 30152084 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The movement of proteins between cellular compartments requires the orchestrated actions of many factors including Rab family GTPases, Soluble NSF Attachment protein REceptors (SNAREs) and so-called tethering factors. One such tethering factor is called TRAnsport Protein Particle (TRAPP), and in humans, TRAPP proteins are distributed into two related complexes called TRAPP II and III. Although thought to act as a single unit within the complex, in the past few years it has become evident that some TRAPP proteins function independently of the complex. Consistent with this, variations in the genes encoding these proteins result in a spectrum of human diseases with diverse, but partially overlapping, phenotypes. This contrasts with other tethering factors such as COG, where variations in the genes that encode its subunits all result in an identical phenotype. In this review, we present an up-to-date summary of all the known disease-related variations of genes encoding TRAPP-associated proteins and the disorders linked to these variations which we now call TRAPPopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sacher
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nassim Shahrzad
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Hiba Kamel
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Miroslav P Milev
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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21
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Liu CC, Ho PC, Lee IT, Chen YA, Chu CH, Teng CC, Wu SN, Sze CI, Chiang MF, Chang NS. WWOX Phosphorylation, Signaling, and Role in Neurodegeneration. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:563. [PMID: 30158849 PMCID: PMC6104168 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Homozygous null mutation of tumor suppressor WWOX/Wwox gene leads to severe neural diseases, metabolic disorders and early death in the newborns of humans, mice and rats. WWOX is frequently downregulated in the hippocampi of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In vitro analysis revealed that knockdown of WWOX protein in neuroblastoma cells results in aggregation of TRAPPC6AΔ, TIAF1, amyloid β, and Tau in a sequential manner. Indeed, TRAPPC6AΔ and TIAF1, but not tau and amyloid β, aggregates are present in the brains of healthy mid-aged individuals. It is reasonable to assume that very slow activation of a protein aggregation cascade starts sequentially with TRAPPC6AΔ and TIAF1 aggregation at mid-ages, then caspase activation and APP de-phosphorylation and degradation, and final accumulation of amyloid β and Tau aggregates in the brains at greater than 70 years old. WWOX binds Tau-hyperphosphorylating enzymes (e.g., GSK-3β) and blocks their functions, thereby supporting neuronal survival and differentiation. As a neuronal protective hormone, 17β-estradiol (E2) binds WWOX at an NSYK motif in the C-terminal SDR (short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase) domain. In this review, we discuss how WWOX and E2 block protein aggregation during neurodegeneration, and how a 31-amino-acid zinc finger-like Zfra peptide restores memory loss in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Chuan Liu
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chuan Ho
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - I-Ting Lee
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-An Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsien Chu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chuan Teng
- Department of Nursing, Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Nan Wu
- Department of Physiology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chun-I Sze
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Fu Chiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.,Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, United States.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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A missense mutation in TRAPPC6A leads to build-up of the protein, in patients with a neurodevelopmental syndrome and dysmorphic features. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2053. [PMID: 29391579 PMCID: PMC5794855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20658-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood onset clinical syndromes involving intellectual disability and dysmorphic features, such as polydactyly, suggest common developmental pathways link seemingly unrelated phenotypes. We identified a consanguineous family of Saudi origin with varying complex features including intellectual disability, speech delay, facial dysmorphism and polydactyly. Combining, microarray based comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) to identify regions of homozygosity, with exome sequencing, led to the identification of homozygous mutations in five candidate genes (RSPH6A, ANKK1, AMOTL1, ALKBH8, TRAPPC6A), all of which appear to be pathogenic as predicted by Proven, SIFT and PolyPhen2 and segregate perfectly with the disease phenotype. We therefore looked for differences in expression levels of each protein in HEK293 cells, expressing either the wild-type or mutant full-length cDNA construct. Unexpectedly, wild-type TRAPPC6A appeared to be unstable, but addition of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 stabilised its expression. Mutations have previously been reported in several members of the TRAPP complex of proteins, including TRAPPC2, TRAPPC9 and TRAPPC11, resulting in disorders involving skeletal abnormalities, intellectual disability, speech impairment and developmental delay. TRAPPC6A joins a growing list of proteins belonging to the TRAPP complex, implicated in clinical syndromes with neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
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23
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Huang SS, Chang NS. Phosphorylation/de-phosphorylation in specific sites of tumor suppressor WWOX and control of distinct biological events. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2018; 243:137-147. [PMID: 29310447 DOI: 10.1177/1535370217752350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal differentiation and growth of hematopoietic stem cells cause the development of hematopoietic diseases and hematopoietic malignancies. However, the molecular events underlying leukemia development are not well understood. In our recent study, we have demonstrated that calcium ionophore and phorbol ester force the differentiation of T lymphoblastic leukemia. The event involves a newly identified IκBα/WWOX/ERK signaling, in which WWOX is Ser14 phosphorylated. Additional evidence also reveals that pS14-WWOX is involved in enhancing cancer progression and metastasis and facilitating neurodegeneration. In this mini-review, we update the current knowledge for the functional roles of WWOX under physiological and pathological settings, and provide new insights regarding pS14-WWOX in T leukemia cell maturation, and switching the anticancer pY33-WWOX to pS14-WWOX for cancer promotion and disease progression. Impact statement WWOX was originally designated as a tumor suppressor. However, human newborns deficient in WWOX do not spontaneously develop tumors. Activated WWOX with Tyr33 phosphorylation is present in normal tissues and organs. However, when pY33-WWOX is overly induced under stress conditions, it becomes apoptotic to eliminate damaged cells. Notably, WWOX with Ser14 phosphorylation is upregulated in the lesions of cancer, as well as in the brain hippocampus and cortex with Alzheimer's disease. Suppression of pS14-WWOX by Zfra reduces cancer growth and mitigates Alzheimer's disease progression, suggesting that pS14-WWOX facilitates disease progression. pS14-WWOX can be regarded as a marker of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenq-Shyang Huang
- 1 Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC.,2 Graduate Program of Biotechnology in Medicine, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- 1 Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan, ROC.,3 Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.,4 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC
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24
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Hyaluronan activates Hyal-2/WWOX/Smad4 signaling and causes bubbling cell death when the signaling complex is overexpressed. Oncotarget 2017; 8:19137-19155. [PMID: 27845895 PMCID: PMC5386674 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant cancer cells frequently secrete significant amounts of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), hyaluronan (HA) and hyaluronidases to facilitate metastasizing to target organs. In a non-canonical signaling, TGF-β binds membrane hyaluronidase Hyal-2 for recruiting tumor suppressors WWOX and Smad4, and the resulting Hyal-2/WWOX/Smad4 complex is accumulated in the nucleus to enhance SMAD-promoter dependent transcriptional activity. Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that WWOX acts as a bridge to bind both Hyal-2 and Smad4. When WWOX-expressing cells were stimulated with high molecular weight HA, an increased formation of endogenous Hyal-2/WWOX/Smad4 complex occurred rapidly, followed by relocating to the nuclei in 20-40 min. In WWOX-deficient cells, HA failed to induce Smad2/3/4 relocation to the nucleus. To prove the signaling event, we designed a real time tri-molecular FRET analysis and revealed that HA induces the signaling pathway from ectopic Smad4 to WWOX and finally to p53, as well as from Smad4 to Hyal-2 and then to WWOX. An increased binding of the Smad4/Hyal-2/WWOX complex occurs with time in the nucleus that leads to bubbling cell death. In contrast, HA increases the binding of Smad4/WWOX/p53, which causes membrane blebbing but without cell death. In traumatic brain injury-induced neuronal death, the Hyal-2/WWOX complex was accumulated in the apoptotic nuclei of neurons in the rat brains in 24 hr post injury, as determined by immunoelectron microscopy. Together, HA activates the Hyal-2/WWOX/Smad4 signaling and causes bubbling cell death when the signaling complex is overexpressed.
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25
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Marin-Valencia I, Novarino G, Johansen A, Rosti B, Issa MY, Musaev D, Bhat G, Scott E, Silhavy JL, Stanley V, Rosti RO, Gleeson JW, Imam FB, Zaki MS, Gleeson JG. A homozygous founder mutation in TRAPPC6B associates with a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by microcephaly, epilepsy and autistic features. J Med Genet 2017. [PMID: 28626029 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2017-104627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transport protein particle (TRAPP) is a multisubunit complex that regulates membrane trafficking through the Golgi apparatus. The clinical phenotype associated with mutations in various TRAPP subunits has allowed elucidation of their functions in specific tissues. The role of some subunits in human disease, however, has not been fully established, and their functions remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE We aimed to expand the range of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with mutations in TRAPP subunits by exome sequencing of consanguineous families. METHODS Linkage and homozygosity mapping and candidate gene analysis were used to identify homozygous mutations in families. Patient fibroblasts were used to study splicing defect and zebrafish to model the disease. RESULTS We identified six individuals from three unrelated families with a founder homozygous splice mutation in TRAPPC6B, encoding a core subunit of the complex TRAPP I. Patients manifested a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by microcephaly, epilepsy and autistic features, and showed splicing defect. Zebrafish trappc6b morphants replicated the human phenotype, displaying decreased head size and neuronal hyperexcitability, leading to a lower seizure threshold. CONCLUSION This study provides clinical and functional evidence of the role of TRAPPC6B in brain development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Marin-Valencia
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gaia Novarino
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST), Klosterneuburg, Niederösterreich, Austria
| | - Anide Johansen
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Basak Rosti
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Mahmoud Y Issa
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Human Genetics and Genome Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Damir Musaev
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Gifty Bhat
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Eric Scott
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jennifer L Silhavy
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Valentina Stanley
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Rasim O Rosti
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jeremy W Gleeson
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Farhad B Imam
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Maha S Zaki
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Human Genetics and Genome Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Joseph G Gleeson
- Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Laboratory for Pediatric Brain Disease, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA
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26
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Lee MH, Shih YH, Lin SR, Chang JY, Lin YH, Sze CI, Kuo YM, Chang NS. Zfra restores memory deficits in Alzheimer's disease triple-transgenic mice by blocking aggregation of TRAPPC6AΔ, SH3GLB2, tau, and amyloid β, and inflammatory NF-κB activation. ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA-TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS 2017; 3:189-204. [PMID: 29067327 PMCID: PMC5651433 DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Zinc finger-like protein that regulates apoptosis (Zfra) is a naturally occurring 31-amino-acid protein. Synthetic peptides Zfra1–31 and Zfra4–10 are known to effectively block the growth of many types of cancer cells. Methods Ten-month-old triple-transgenic (3×Tg) mice for Alzheimer's disease (AD) received synthetic Zfra peptides via tail vein injections, followed by examining restoration of memory deficits. Results Zfra significantly downregulated TRAPPC6AΔ, SH3GLB2, tau, and amyloid β (Αβ) aggregates in the brains of 3×Tg mice and effectively restored their memory capabilities. Zfra inhibited melanoma-induced neuronal death in the hippocampus and plaque formation in the cortex. Mechanistically, Zfra blocked the aggregation of amyloid β 42 and many serine-containing peptides in vitro, suppressed tumor necrosis factor–mediated NF-κB activation, and bound cytosolic proteins for accelerating their degradation in ubiquitin/proteasome-independent manner. Discussion Zfra peptides exhibit a strong efficacy in blocking tau aggregation and amyloid Αβ formation and restore memory deficits in 3×Tg mice, suggesting its potential for treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hui Lee
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yao-Hsiang Shih
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Sing-Ru Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jean-Yun Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yu-Hao Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chun-I Sze
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yu-Min Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY, USA
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27
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Host Cellular Protein TRAPPC6AΔ Interacts with Influenza A Virus M2 Protein and Regulates Viral Propagation by Modulating M2 Trafficking. J Virol 2016; 91:JVI.01757-16. [PMID: 27795429 PMCID: PMC5165196 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01757-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) matrix protein 2 (M2) plays multiple roles in the early and late phases of viral infection. Once synthesized, M2 is translocated to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), travels to the Golgi apparatus, and is sorted at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) for transport to the apical plasma membrane, where it functions in virus budding. We hypothesized that M2 trafficking along with its secretory pathway must be finely regulated, and host factors could be involved in this process. However, no studies examining the role of host factors in M2 posttranslational transport have been reported. Here, we used a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system to screen for host proteins that interact with the M2 protein and identified transport protein particle complex 6A (TRAPPC6A) as a potential binding partner. We found that both TRAPPC6A and its N-terminal internal-deletion isoform, TRAPPC6A delta (TRAPPC6AΔ), interact with M2. Truncation and mutation analyses showed that the highly conserved leucine residue at position 96 of M2 is critical for mediating this interaction. The role of TRAPPC6AΔ in the viral life cycle was investigated by the knockdown of endogenous TRAPPC6AΔ with small interfering RNA (siRNA) and by generating a recombinant virus that was unable to interact with TRAPPC6A/TRAPPC6AΔ. The results indicated that TRAPPC6AΔ, through its interaction with M2, slows M2 trafficking to the apical plasma membrane, favors viral replication in vitro, and positively modulates virus virulence in mice. IMPORTANCE The influenza A virus M2 protein regulates the trafficking of not only other proteins but also itself along the secretory pathway. However, the host factors involved in the regulation of the posttranslational transport of M2 are largely unknown. In this study, we identified TRAPPC6A and its N-terminal internal-deletion isoform, TRAPPC6AΔ, as interacting partners of M2. We found that the leucine (L) residue at position 96 of M2 is critical for mediating this interaction, which leads us to propose that the high level of conservation of 96L is a consequence of M2 adaptation to its interacting host factor TRAPPC6A/TRAPPC6AΔ. Importantly, we discovered that TRAPPC6AΔ can positively regulate viral replication in vitro by modulating M2 trafficking to the plasma membrane.
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Trs33-Containing TRAPP IV: A Novel Autophagy-Specific Ypt1 GEF. Genetics 2016; 204:1117-1128. [PMID: 27672095 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.194910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ypt/Rab GTPases, key regulators of intracellular trafficking pathways, are activated by guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Here, we identify a novel GEF complex, TRAPP IV, which regulates Ypt1-mediated autophagy. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ypt1 GTPase is required for the initiation of secretion and autophagy, suggesting that it regulates these two distinct pathways. However, whether these pathways are coordinated by Ypt1 and by what mechanism is still unknown. TRAPP is a conserved modular complex that acts as a Ypt/Rab GEF. Two different TRAPP complexes, TRAPP I and the Trs85-containing TRAPP III, activate Ypt1 in the secretory and autophagic pathways, respectively. Importantly, whereas TRAPP I depletion copies Ypt1 deficiency in secretion, depletion of TRAPP III does not fully copy the autophagy phenotypes of autophagy-specific ypt1 mutations. If GEFs are required for Ypt/Rab function, this discrepancy implies the existence of an additional GEF that activates Ypt1 in autophagy. Trs33, a nonessential TRAPP subunit, was assigned to TRAPP I without functional evidence. We show that in the absence of Trs85, Trs33 is required for Ypt1-mediated autophagy and for the recruitment of core-TRAPP and Ypt1 to the preautophagosomal structure, which marks the onset of autophagy. In addition, Trs33 and Trs85 assemble into distinct TRAPP complexes, and we term the Trs33-containing autophagy-specific complex TRAPP IV. Because TRAPP I is required for Ypt1-mediated secretion, and either TRAPP III or TRAPP IV is required for Ypt1-mediated autophagy, we propose that pathway-specific GEFs activate Ypt1 in secretion and autophagy.
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29
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Chen SJ, Lin PW, Lin HP, Huang SS, Lai FJ, Sheu HM, Hsu LJ, Chang NS. UV irradiation/cold shock-mediated apoptosis is switched to bubbling cell death at low temperatures. Oncotarget 2016; 6:8007-18. [PMID: 25779665 PMCID: PMC4480731 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
When COS7 fibroblasts and other cells were exposed to UVC irradiation and cold shock at 4°C for 5 min, rapid upregulation and nuclear accumulation of NOS2, p53, WWOX, and TRAF2 occurred in 10-30 min. By time-lapse microscopy, an enlarging gas bubble containing nitric oxide (NO) was formed in the nucleus in each cell that finally popped out to cause "bubbling death". Bubbling occurred effectively at 4 and 22°C, whereas DNA fragmentation was markedly blocked at 4°C. When temperature was increased to 37°C, bubbling was retarded and DNA fragmentation occurred in 1 hr, suggesting that bubbling death is switched to apoptosis with increasing temperatures. Bubbling occurred prior to nuclear uptake of propidium iodide and DAPI stains. Arginine analog Nω-LAME inhibited NO synthase NOS2 and significantly suppressed the bubbling death. Unlike apoptosis, there were no caspase activation and flip-over of membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) during bubbling death. Bubbling death was significantly retarded in Wwox knockout MEF cells, as well as in cells overexpressing TRAF2 and dominant-negative p53. Together, UV/cold shock induces bubbling death at 4°C and the event is switched to apoptosis at 37°C. Presumably, proapoptotic WWOX and p53 block the protective TRAF2 to execute the bubbling death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Jung Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Wen Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin-Ping Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shenq-Shyang Huang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Feng-Jie Lai
- Department of Dermatology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hamm-Ming Sheu
- Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Jin Hsu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Center of Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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30
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Kim JJ, Lipatova Z, Segev N. TRAPP Complexes in Secretion and Autophagy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:20. [PMID: 27066478 PMCID: PMC4811894 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TRAPP is a highly conserved modular multi-subunit protein complex. Originally identified as a “transport protein particle” with a role in endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport, its multiple subunits and their conservation from yeast to humans were characterized in the late 1990s. TRAPP attracted attention when it was shown to act as a Ypt/Rab GTPase nucleotide exchanger, GEF, in the 2000s. Currently, three TRAPP complexes are known in yeast, I, II, and III, and they regulate two different intracellular trafficking pathways: secretion and autophagy. Core TRAPP contains four small subunits that self assemble to a stable complex, which has a GEF activity on Ypt1. Another small subunit, Trs20/Sedlin, is an adaptor required for the association of core TRAPP with larger subunits to form TRAPP II and TRAPP III. Whereas the molecular structure of the core TRAPP complex is resolved, the architecture of the larger TRAPP complexes, including their existence as dimers and multimers, is less clear. In addition to its Ypt/Rab GEF activity, and thereby an indirect role in vesicle tethering through Ypt/Rabs, a direct role for TRAPP as a vesicle tether has been suggested. This idea is based on TRAPP interactions with vesicle coat components. While much of the basic information about TRAPP complexes comes from yeast, mutations in TRAPP subunits were connected to human disease. In this review we will summarize new information about TRAPP complexes, highlight new insights about their function and discuss current controversies and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane J Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zhanna Lipatova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nava Segev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
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31
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Zfra activates memory Hyal-2+ CD3- CD19- spleen cells to block cancer growth, stemness, and metastasis in vivo. Oncotarget 2016; 6:3737-51. [PMID: 25686832 PMCID: PMC4414150 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Zfra is a 31-amino-acid zinc finger-like protein, which participates in the tumor necrosis factor signaling. Here, we determined that when nude mice and BALB/c mice were pre-injected with nanogram levels of a synthetic Zfra1–31 or truncated Zfra4–10 peptide via tail veins, these mice became resistant to the growth, metastasis and stemness of melanoma cells, and many malignant cancer cells. The synthetic peptides underwent self-polymerization in phosphate-buffered saline. Alteration of the Ser8 phosphorylation site to Gly8 abolished Zfra aggregation and its-mediated cancer suppression in vivo. Injected Zfra peptide autofluoresced due to polymerization and was trapped mainly in the spleen. Transfer of Zfra-stimulated spleen cells to naïve mice conferred resistance to cancer growth. Zfra-binding cells, designated Hyal-2+ CD3− CD19− Z cells, are approximately 25–30% in the normal spleen, but are significantly downregulated (near 0–3%) in tumor-growing mice. Zfra prevented the loss of Z cells caused by tumors. In vitro stimulation or education of naïve spleen cells with Zfra allowed generation of activated Z cells to confer a memory anticancer response in naïve or cancer-growing mice. In particular, Z cells are abundant in nude and NOD-SCID mice, and can be readily activated by Zfra to mount against cancer growth.
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Sze CI, Kuo YM, Hsu LJ, Fu TF, Chiang MF, Chang JY, Chang NS. A cascade of protein aggregation bombards mitochondria for neurodegeneration and apoptosis under WWOX deficiency. Cell Death Dis 2015; 6:e1881. [PMID: 26355344 PMCID: PMC4650446 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2015.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C I Sze
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Y M Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - L J Hsu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - T F Fu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - M F Chiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, MacKay Memorial Hospital Taipei, and Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - J Y Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - N S Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.,Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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Chang JY, Chang NS. WWOX dysfunction induces sequential aggregation of TRAPPC6AΔ, TIAF1, tau and amyloid β, and causes apoptosis. Cell Death Discov 2015; 1:15003. [PMID: 27551439 PMCID: PMC4981022 DOI: 10.1038/cddiscovery.2015.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregated vesicle-trafficking protein isoform TRAPPC6AΔ (TPC6AΔ) has a critical role in causing caspase activation, tau aggregation and Aβ generation in the brains of nondemented middle-aged humans, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 3-week-old Wwox gene knockout mice. WWOX blocks neurodegeneration via interactions with tau and tau-phosphorylating enzymes. WWOX deficiency leads to epilepsy, mental retardation and early death. Here, we demonstrated that TGF-β1 induces shuttling of endogenous wild-type TPC6A and TPC6AΔ in between nucleoli and mitochondria (~40-60 min per round trip), and WWOX reduces the shuttling time by 50%. TGF-β1 initially maximizes the binding of TPC6AΔ to the C-terminal tail of WWOX, followed by dissociation. TPC6AΔ then undergoes aggregation, together with TIAF1 (TGF-β1-induced antiapoptotic factor), in the mitochondria to induce apoptosis. An additional rescue scenario is that TGF-β1 induces Tyr33 phosphorylation and unfolding of WWOX and its the N-terminal WW domain slowly binds TPC6AΔ to block aggregation and apoptosis. Similarly, loss of WWOX induces TPC6AΔ polymerization first, then aggregation of TIAF1, amyloid β and tau, and subsequent cell death, suggesting that a cascade of protein aggregation leads to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-Y Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - N-S Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan
- Center for Infectious Disease and Signaling Research, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan
- Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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Abstract
Since its discovery in 2000, WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX, FOR or WOX1) has been considered as a tumor suppressor protein. Global research focus has been aimed mainly toward this direction. In this thematic issue, updated information has been collected regarding the structure, function and signaling of WWOX, along with its critical role as a tumor suppressor and participation in metabolism, neurodegeneration, ataxia, epilepsy, neural disorders, neuronal damages, and interactions with oncogenic viruses. WWOX is not a driver of cancer initiation. Chromosomal alterations in the WWOX gene enhance cancer progression. Importantly, a homozygous nonsense mutation of WWOX gene in humans leads to neural pathologies and early death, rather than spontaneous cancer development. These findings suggest new physiological functions of WWOX in metabolism and neural diseases, and these areas require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan-Shan Chang
- Experimental Biology and Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101 Taiwan; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210 USA; Department of Neurochemistry, NYS Institute of Basic Research for Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, 10314 USA
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