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Merigo F, Lagni A, Boschi F, Bernardi P, Conti A, Plebani R, Romano M, Sorio C, Lotti V, Sbarbati A. Loss of CFTR Reverses Senescence Hallmarks in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Bronchial Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6185. [PMID: 38892373 PMCID: PMC11172982 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 infection has been recently shown to induce cellular senescence in vivo. A senescence-like phenotype has been reported in cystic fibrosis (CF) cellular models. Since the previously published data highlighted a low impact of SARS-CoV-2 on CFTR-defective cells, here we aimed to investigate the senescence hallmarks in SARS-CoV-2 infection in the context of a loss of CFTR expression/function. We infected WT and CFTR KO 16HBE14o-cells with SARS-CoV-2 and analyzed both the p21 and Ki67 expression using immunohistochemistry and viral and p21 gene expression using real-time PCR. Prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection, CFTR KO cells displayed a higher p21 and lower Ki67 expression than WT cells. We detected lipid accumulation in CFTR KO cells, identified as lipolysosomes and residual bodies at the subcellular/ultrastructure level. After SARS-CoV-2 infection, the situation reversed, with low p21 and high Ki67 expression, as well as reduced viral gene expression in CFTR KO cells. Thus, the activation of cellular senescence pathways in CFTR-defective cells was reversed by SARS-CoV-2 infection while they were activated in CFTR WT cells. These data uncover a different response of CF and non-CF bronchial epithelial cell models to SARS-CoV-2 infection and contribute to uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind the reduced clinical impact of COVID-19 in CF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Merigo
- Anatomy and Histology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (P.B.); (A.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Anna Lagni
- Microbiology Section, Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Federico Boschi
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Paolo Bernardi
- Anatomy and Histology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (P.B.); (A.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Anita Conti
- Anatomy and Histology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (P.B.); (A.C.); (A.S.)
| | - Roberto Plebani
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (R.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Mario Romano
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (R.P.); (M.R.)
| | - Claudio Sorio
- General Pathology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Virginia Lotti
- Microbiology Section, Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Andrea Sbarbati
- Anatomy and Histology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (F.M.); (P.B.); (A.C.); (A.S.)
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Di Gregorio J, Appignani M, Flati V. Role of the Mitochondrial E3 Ubiquitin Ligases as Possible Therapeutic Targets in Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17176. [PMID: 38139010 PMCID: PMC10743160 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that targets specific proteins on their lysine residues. Depending on the type of ubiquitination, this modification ultimately regulates the stability or degradation of the targeted proteins. Ubiquitination is mediated by three different classes of enzymes: the E1 ubiquitin-activating enzymes, the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and, most importantly, the E3 ubiquitin ligases. E3 ligases are responsible for the final step of the ubiquitin cascade, interacting directly with the target proteins. E3 ligases can also be involved in DNA repair, cell cycle regulation and response to stress; alteration in their levels can be involved in oncogenic transformation and cancer progression. Of all the six hundred E3 ligases of the human genome, only three of them are specific to the mitochondrion: MARCH5, RNF185 and MUL1. Their alterations (that reflect on the alteration of the mitochondria functions) can be related to cancer progression, as underlined by the increasing research performed in recent years on these three mitochondrial enzymes. This review will focus on the function and mechanisms of the mitochondrial E3 ubiquitin ligases, as well as their important targets, in cancer development and progression, also highlighting their potential use for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vincenzo Flati
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (J.D.G.); (M.A.)
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