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ElFessi R, Khamessi O, De Waard M, Srairi-Abid N, Ghedira K, Marrouchi R, Kharrat R. Structure-Function Relationship of a Novel MTX-like Peptide (MTX1) Isolated and Characterized from the Venom of the Scorpion Maurus palmatus. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10472. [PMID: 39408804 PMCID: PMC11477167 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910472] [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: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Maurotoxin (MTX) is a 34-residue peptide from Scorpio maurus venom. It is reticulated by four disulfide bridges with a unique arrangement compared to other scorpion toxins that target potassium (K+) channels. Structure-activity relationship studies have not been well performed for this toxin family. The screening of Scorpio maurus venom was performed by different steps of fractionation, followed by the ELISA test, using MTX antibodies, to isolate an MTX-like peptide. In vitro, in vivo and computational studies were performed to study the structure-activity relationship of the new isolated peptide. We isolated a new peptide designated MTX1, structurally related to MTX. It demonstrated toxicity on mice eight times more effectively than MTX. MTX1 blocks the Kv1.2 and Kv1.3 channels, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, with IC50 values of 0.26 and 180 nM, respectively. Moreover, MTX1 competitively interacts with both 125I-apamin (IC50 = 1.7 nM) and 125I-charybdotoxin (IC50 = 5 nM) for binding to rat brain synaptosomes. Despite its high sequence similarity (85%) to MTX, MTX1 exhibits a higher binding affinity towards the Kv1.2 and SKCa channels. Computational analysis highlights the significance of specific residues in the β-sheet region, particularly the R27, in enhancing the binding affinity of MTX1 towards the Kv1.2 and SKCa channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rym ElFessi
- Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 13 Place Pasteur, BP74, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (R.E.); (O.K.); (R.M.)
| | - Oussema Khamessi
- Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 13 Place Pasteur, BP74, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (R.E.); (O.K.); (R.M.)
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics (LR20IPT09), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
| | - Michel De Waard
- l’Institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médical (INSERM), F-44000 Nantes, France;
| | - Najet Srairi-Abid
- LR20IPT01 Biomolécules, Venins et Applications Théranostiques, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Kais Ghedira
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics (LR20IPT09), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia;
| | - Riadh Marrouchi
- Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 13 Place Pasteur, BP74, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (R.E.); (O.K.); (R.M.)
| | - Riadh Kharrat
- Laboratory of Venoms and Therapeutic Biomolecules, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 13 Place Pasteur, BP74, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (R.E.); (O.K.); (R.M.)
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Li X, He W, Chen X, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Liu F, Li J, Zhao D, Xia P, Ma W, Wu T, Wang H, Yuan Y. TRIM45 facilitates NASH-progressed HCC by promoting fatty acid synthesis via catalyzing FABP5 ubiquitylation. Oncogene 2024; 43:2063-2077. [PMID: 38755308 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-03056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is rapidly surpassing viral hepatitis as the primary cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, understanding of NASH-progressed HCC remains poor, which might impede HCC diagnosis and therapy. In this study, we aim to identify shared transcriptional changes between NASH and HCC, of which we focused on E3 ligase TRIM45. We found TRIM45 exacerbates HCC cells proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Further transcriptome analysis revealed TRIM45 predominantly affects fatty acid metabolism and oleic acid restored impaired proliferation and metastasis of TRIM45-deficient HCC cells. IP-tandem mass spectrum and FABP5 depriving experiment indicated that TRIM45 enhance fatty acid synthesis depending on FABP5 presence. Interestingly, we found TRIM45 directly added K33-type and K63-type poly-ubiquitin chains to FABP5 NLS domain, which ultimately promoted FABP5 nuclear translocation. Nuclear FABP5 interacted with PPARγ to facilitate downstream lipid synthesis gene expression. We observed TRIM45 accelerated NASH-to-HCC transition and exacerbated both NASH and NASH-HCC with the enhanced fatty acid production in vivo. Moreover, high concentration of fatty acid increased TRIM45 expression. The established mechanism was substantiated by gene expression correlation in TCGA-LIHC. Collectively, our research revealed a common lipid reprograming process in NASH and HCC and identified the cyclical amplification of the TRIM45-FABP5-PPARγ-fatty acid axis. This signaling pathway offers potential therapeutic targets for therapeutic intervention in NASH and NASH-progressed HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomian Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenzhi He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Yangwenqing Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Fusheng Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinghua Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Dongli Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Peng Xia
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Weijie Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Tiangen Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
| | - Haitao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yufeng Yuan
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Clinical Medicine Research Center for Minimally Invasive Procedure of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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Bitencourt-Ferreira G, Villarreal MA, Quiroga R, Biziukova N, Poroikov V, Tarasova O, de Azevedo Junior WF. Exploring Scoring Function Space: Developing Computational Models for Drug Discovery. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:2361-2377. [PMID: 36944627 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230321103731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The idea of scoring function space established a systems-level approach to address the development of models to predict the affinity of drug molecules by those interested in drug discovery. OBJECTIVE Our goal here is to review the concept of scoring function space and how to explore it to develop machine learning models to address protein-ligand binding affinity. METHODS We searched the articles available in PubMed related to the scoring function space. We also utilized crystallographic structures found in the protein data bank (PDB) to represent the protein space. RESULTS The application of systems-level approaches to address receptor-drug interactions allows us to have a holistic view of the process of drug discovery. The scoring function space adds flexibility to the process since it makes it possible to see drug discovery as a relationship involving mathematical spaces. CONCLUSION The application of the concept of scoring function space has provided us with an integrated view of drug discovery methods. This concept is useful during drug discovery, where we see the process as a computational search of the scoring function space to find an adequate model to predict receptor-drug binding affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcos A Villarreal
- CONICET-Departamento de Matemática y Física, Instituto de Investigaciones en Fisicoquímica de Córdoba (INFIQC), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Quiroga
- CONICET-Departamento de Matemática y Física, Instituto de Investigaciones en Fisicoquímica de Córdoba (INFIQC), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nadezhda Biziukova
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str., 10/8, Moscow, 119121, Russia
| | - Vladimir Poroikov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str., 10/8, Moscow, 119121, Russia
| | - Olga Tarasova
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Str., 10/8, Moscow, 119121, Russia
| | - Walter F de Azevedo Junior
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS, Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil
- Specialization Program in Bioinformatics, The Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681 Porto Alegre / RS 90619-900, Brazil
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Hunting for Novel Routes in Anticancer Drug Discovery: Peptides against Sam-Sam Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810397. [PMID: 36142306 PMCID: PMC9499636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the diverse protein binding modules, Sam (Sterile alpha motif) domains attract attention due to their versatility. They are present in different organisms and play many functions in physiological and pathological processes by binding multiple partners. The EphA2 receptor contains a Sam domain at the C-terminus (EphA2-Sam) that is able to engage protein regulators of receptor stability (including the lipid phosphatase Ship2 and the adaptor Odin). Ship2 and Odin are recruited by EphA2-Sam through heterotypic Sam-Sam interactions. Ship2 decreases EphA2 endocytosis and consequent degradation, producing chiefly pro-oncogenic outcomes in a cellular milieu. Odin, through its Sam domains, contributes to receptor stability by possibly interfering with ubiquitination. As EphA2 is upregulated in many types of tumors, peptide inhibitors of Sam-Sam interactions by hindering receptor stability could function as anticancer therapeutics. This review describes EphA2-Sam and its interactome from a structural and functional perspective. The diverse design strategies that have thus far been employed to obtain peptides targeting EphA2-mediated Sam-Sam interactions are summarized as well. The generated peptides represent good initial lead compounds, but surely many efforts need to be devoted in the close future to improve interaction affinities towards Sam domains and consequently validate their anticancer properties.
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