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A Plasmodium falciparum ubiquitin-specific protease (PfUSP) is essential for parasite survival and its disruption enhances artemisinin efficacy. Biochem J 2023; 480:25-39. [PMID: 36511651 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Proteins associated with ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) are potential drug targets in the malaria parasite. The ubiquitination and deubiquitination are key regulatory processes for the functioning of UPS. In this study, we have characterized the biochemical and functional role of a novel ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) domain-containing protein of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (PfUSP). We have shown that the PfUSP is an active deubiquitinase associated with parasite endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Selection linked integration (SLI) method for C-terminal tagging and GlmS-ribozyme mediated inducible knock-down (iKD) of PfUSP was utilized to assess its functional role. Inducible knockdown of PfUSP resulted in a remarkable reduction in parasite growth and multiplication; specifically, PfUSP-iKD disrupted ER morphology and development, blocked the development of healthy schizonts, and hindered proper merozoite development. PfUSP-iKD caused increased ubiquitylation of specific proteins, disrupted organelle homeostasis and reduced parasite survival. Since the mode of action of artemisinin and the artemisinin-resistance are shown to be associated with the proteasome machinery, we analyzed the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on PfUSP-iKD parasites. Importantly, the PfUSP-knocked-down parasite showed increased sensitivity to dihydroartemisinin (DHA), whereas no change in chloroquine sensitivity was observed, suggesting a role of PfUSP in combating artemisinin-induced cellular stress. Together, the results show that Plasmodium PfUSP is an essential protease for parasite survival, and its inhibition increases the efficacy of artemisinin-based drugs. Therefore, PfUSP can be targeted to develop novel scaffolds for developing new antimalarials to combat artemisinin resistance.
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A cross-sectional survey of genetic counselors providing carrier screening regarding GBA variants and Parkinson disease susceptibility. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:747-755. [PMID: 35146589 PMCID: PMC8995214 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02430-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Adult-onset disease risks associated with carriers of recessive disease have and will continue to be identified. As carrier screening becomes more broadly utilized, providers face the dilemma of whether they should discuss these risks during discussions with prospective parents. This study aimed to understand whether preconception/prenatal genetic counselors (PPGCs) were aware of the risk of Parkinson disease in carriers of, and persons with, Gaucher disease and the reasons behind choosing whether to discuss this risk with patients. METHODS Eligible participants included board-certified or board-eligible genetic counselors who had counseled preconception/prenatal patients within the past 3 years. An online survey was distributed via the National Society of Genetic Counselors in November of 2017. RESULTS One hundred twenty genetic counselors completed the quantitative survey, distributed in Fall of 2017. While the majority of respondents knew of the Gaucher-related Parkinson's link (n = 78; 65%), just over one-third reported discussing it in preconception/prenatal settings (n = 30; 38.5%). Respondents reported discussing these links more consistently when disclosing positive results or when the patient/family approached the topic. Respondents cited the lack of professional guidelines as one of the main reasons for not discussing the link. CONCLUSION These results highlight an inconsistency in PPGCs' discussions of the Parkinson's risk in Gaucher disease carriers, and the need to develop guidelines regarding these issues to help standardize the care and education of patients.
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Platt FM. Emptying the stores: lysosomal diseases and therapeutic strategies. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2017; 17:133-150. [PMID: 29147032 DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2017.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) - designated as 'orphan' diseases - are inborn errors of metabolism caused by defects in genes that encode proteins involved in various aspects of lysosomal homeostasis. For many years, LSDs were viewed as unattractive targets for the development of therapies owing to their low prevalence. However, the development and success of the first commercial biologic therapy for an LSD - enzyme replacement therapy for type 1 Gaucher disease - coupled with regulatory incentives rapidly catalysed commercial interest in therapeutically targeting LSDs. Despite ongoing challenges, various therapeutic strategies for LSDs now exist, with many agents approved, undergoing clinical trials or in preclinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances M Platt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
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Borger DK, Aflaki E, Sidransky E. Applications of iPSC-derived models of Gaucher disease. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2015; 3:295. [PMID: 26697455 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.10.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K Borger
- Section of Molecular Neurogenetics, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Elma Aflaki
- Section of Molecular Neurogenetics, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Section of Molecular Neurogenetics, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Dashtipour K. Do genetic factors protect against Parkinson's disease? What I can learn from my healthy grandma. Med Hypotheses 2014; 83:637-9. [PMID: 25459129 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder and it affects 4-5% of people age 85 years or older. The etiopathogenesis of PD is a consequence of interaction between two factors, environmental pathogens and genetic susceptibility. If an environmental agent such as a toxin or pathogen were to play a major role in the causality of PD, it would need to be something relatively ubiquitous in our environment since we cannot find a specific population at risk. On the other hand, all efforts to implicate specific genetic sequences in risk of PD were futile since the great majority of PD cases are sporadic; however, if the majority of the population is exposed to a culpable environmental factor and only 5% of the population 85 years or older manifest the disorder, this raises an important question: Why and how does vast majority of the population not manifest with PD? It seems that we should investigate the certain genome or epigenetic alterations of the unaffected 95%. This large non affected population might have PD but they are not yet symptomatic and some may not be so for at least another 10 or 20 years. To further address this issue, we should screen and study the population that have been exposed to the environmental factor but with high certainty are not yet affected. Therefore the perfect population would be non-PD subjects who are 90 years or older. We believe the following are the unmet research needs that deserve more attention in PD. (1) More genetic studies. Comparison should be between PD subjects and non-PD control subjects who are 90 years old and above. (2) Study the mechanism of action of the candidate genes, as a subsequent examination of their gene products may lead to the discovery of neuroprotective agents in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khashayar Dashtipour
- Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, 11370 Anderson, Suite B-100, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
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Hamilton MJ, Lee M, Le Roch KG. The ubiquitin system: an essential component to unlocking the secrets of malaria parasite biology. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2014; 10:715-23. [PMID: 24481176 PMCID: PMC3990246 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb70506d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Exploration of the ubiquitin system in eukaryotes has shown that the chemical modification of proteins by ubiquitin, known as ubiquitylation, is an incredibly important post-translational event that is crucial to numerous cellular processes. Ubiquitylation is carried out by a series of enzymes that specifically target proteins to either change their activity or their location or earmark them for degradation. Using a wide range of genome-wide approaches, the ubiquitin system has been shown to be of particular importance in the survival and propagation of the human malaria parasites. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of the ubiquitin system in Plasmodium, and discuss its possible role in the development of drug resistant malaria strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Hamilton
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, Center for Disease Vector Research, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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Hennis MR, Seamans KW, Marvin MA, Casey BH, Goldberg MS. Behavioral and neurotransmitter abnormalities in mice deficient for Parkin, DJ-1 and superoxide dismutase. PLoS One 2013; 8:e84894. [PMID: 24386432 PMCID: PMC3873453 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of neurons in the substantia nigra that project to the striatum and release dopamine. The cause of PD remains uncertain, however, evidence implicates mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Although most cases of PD are sporadic, 5-10% of cases are caused by inherited mutations. Loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 were the first to be linked to recessively inherited Parkinsonism. Surprisingly, mice bearing similar loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 do not show age-dependent loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons or depletion of dopamine in the striatum. Although the normal cellular functions of Parkin and DJ-1 are not fully understood, we hypothesized that loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 render cells more sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis, we crossed mice deficient for Parkin and DJ-1 with mice deficient for the mitochondrial antioxidant protein Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD2) or the cytosolic antioxidant protein Cu-Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Aged Parkin-/-DJ-1-/- and Mn-superoxide dismutase triple deficient mice have enhanced performance on the rotorod behavior test. Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase triple deficient mice have elevated levels of dopamine in the striatum in the absence of nigral cell loss. Our studies demonstrate that on a Parkin/DJ-1 null background, mice that are also deficient for major antioxidant proteins do not have progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons but have behavioral and striatal dopamine abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan R. Hennis
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Katherine W. Seamans
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Marian A. Marvin
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Bradford H. Casey
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Matthew S. Goldberg
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Surprising behavioral and neurochemical enhancements in mice with combined mutations linked to Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 62:113-23. [PMID: 24075852 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2013] [Revised: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder behind Alzheimer's disease. There are currently no therapies proven to halt or slow the progressive neuronal cell loss in PD. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular causes of PD is needed to develop disease-modifying therapies. PD is an age-dependent disease that causes the progressive death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons results in locomotor symptoms such as slowness of movement, tremor, rigidity and postural instability. Abnormalities in other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, may also be involved in both the motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. Most cases of PD are sporadic but many families show a Mendelian pattern of inherited Parkinsonism and causative mutations have been identified in genes such as Parkin, DJ-1, PINK1, alpha-synuclein and leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2). Although the definitive causes of idiopathic PD remain uncertain, the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1) is reduced in PD brains and has been shown to be a key determinant of vulnerability to dopaminergic neuron loss in PD animal models. Furthermore, Gpx1 activity decreases with age in human substantia nigra but not rodent substantia nigra. Therefore, we crossed mice deficient for both Parkin and DJ-1 with mice deficient for Gpx1 to test the hypothesis that loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 cause PD by increasing vulnerability to Gpx1 deficiency. Surprisingly, mice lacking Parkin, DJ-1 and Gpx1 have increased striatal dopamine levels in the absence of nigral cell loss compared to wild type, Gpx1(-/-), and Parkin(-/-)DJ-1(-/-) mutant mice. Additionally, Parkin(-/-)DJ-1(-/-) mice exhibit improved rotarod performance and have increased serotonin in the striatum and hippocampus. Stereological analysis indicated that the increased serotonin levels were not due to increased serotonergic projections. The results of our behavioral, neurochemical and immunohistochemical analyses reveal that PD-linked mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 cause dysregulation of neurotransmitter systems beyond the nigrostriatal dopaminergic circuit and that loss-of-function mutations in Parkin and DJ-1 lead to adaptive changes in dopamine and serotonin especially in the context of Gpx1 deficiency.
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Bosco DA, LaVoie MJ, Petsko GA, Ringe D. Proteostasis and movement disorders: Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2011; 3:a007500. [PMID: 21844169 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a007500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a movement disorder that afflicts over one million in the U.S.; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) is less prevalent but also has a high incidence. The two disorders sometimes present together, making a comparative study of interest. Both ALS and PD are neurodegenerative diseases, and are characterized by the presence of intraneuronal inclusions; however, different classes of neurons are affected and the primary protein in the inclusions differs between the diseases, and in some cases is different in distinct forms of the same disease. These observations might suggest that the more general approach of proteostasis pathway alteration would be a powerful one in treating these disorders. Examining results from human genetics and studies in model organisms, as well as from biochemical and biophysical characterization of the proteins involved in both diseases, we find that most instances of PD can be considered as arising from the misfolding, and self-association to a toxic species, of the small neuronal protein α-synuclein, and that proteostasis strategies are likely to be of value for this disorder. For ALS, the situation is much more complex and less clear-cut; the available data are most consistent with a view that ALS may actually be a family of disorders, presenting similarly but arising from distinct and nonoverlapping causes, including mislocalization of some properly folded proteins and derangement of RNA quality control pathways. Applying proteostasis approaches to this disease may require rethinking or broadening the concept of what proteostasis means.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daryl A Bosco
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA
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Cerebral microvascular endothelium and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Expert Rev Mol Med 2011; 13:e19. [DOI: 10.1017/s1462399411001918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) pose a significant health challenge, but despite their diversity, they share many common features and mechanisms. For example, endothelial dysfunction has been implicated as a crucial event in the development of several CNS disorders, such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated neurocognitive disorder and traumatic brain injury. Breakdown of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) as a result of disruption of tight junctions and transporters, leads to increased leukocyte transmigration and is an early event in the pathology of these disorders. The brain endothelium is highly reactive because it serves as both a source of, and a target for, inflammatory proteins and reactive oxygen species. BBB breakdown thus leads to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of CNS disease. Furthermore, the physiology and pathophysiology of endothelial cells are closely linked to the functioning of their mitochondria, and mitochondrial dysfunction is another important mediator of disease pathology in the brain. The high concentration of mitochondria in cerebrovascular endothelial cells might account for the sensitivity of the BBB to oxidant stressors. Here, we discuss how greater understanding of the role of BBB function could lead to new therapeutic approaches for diseases of the CNS that target the dynamic properties of brain endothelial cells.
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Shachar T, Lo Bianco C, Recchia A, Wiessner C, Raas-Rothschild A, Futerman AH. Lysosomal storage disorders and Parkinson's disease: Gaucher disease and beyond. Mov Disord 2011; 26:1593-604. [PMID: 21618611 DOI: 10.1002/mds.23774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2011] [Revised: 03/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is associated with mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene, which result in the enzyme deficiency causing Gaucher disease, the most common lysosomal storage disorder. We have performed an exhaustive literature search and found that additional lysosomal storage disorders might be associated with Parkinson's disease, based on case reports, the appearance of pathological features such as α-synuclein deposits in the brain, and substantia nigra pathology. Our findings suggest that the search for biochemical and cellular pathways that link Parkinson's disease with lysosomal storage disorders should not be limited exclusively to changes that occur in Gaucher disease, such as changes in glucocerebrosidase activity or in glucosylceramide levels, but rather include changes that might be common to a wide variety of lysosomal storage disorders. Moreover, we propose that additional genetic, epidemiological, and clinical studies should be performed to check the precise incidence of mutations in genes encoding lysosomal proteins in patients displaying Parkinson's symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Shachar
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Schlossmacher MG, Mollenhauer B. Biomarker research in Parkinson’s disease: objective measures needed for patient stratification in future cause-directed trials. Biomark Med 2010; 4:647-50. [DOI: 10.2217/bmm.10.93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Schlossmacher
- Division of Neuroscience – OHRI, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, RGH #1412, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Brit Mollenhauer
- Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik, Kassel & Georg August Universitaet Goettingen, Germany
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