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Paoletti F. ATP binding to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and pro-Nerve Growth Factor (proNGF): an endogenous molecular switch modulating neurotrophins activity. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:1293-1304. [PMID: 38716884 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231089] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
ATP has recently been reconsidered as a molecule with functional properties which go beyond its recognized role of the energetic driver of the cell. ATP has been described as an allosteric modulator as well as a biological hydrotrope with anti-aggregation properties in the crowded cellular environment. The role of ATP as a modulator of the homeostasis of the neurotrophins (NTs), a growth factor protein family whose most known member is the nerve growth factor (NGF), has been investigated. The modulation of NTs by small endogenous ligands is still a scarcely described area, with few papers reporting on the topic, and very few reports on the molecular determinants of these interactions. However, a detailed atomistic description of the NTs interaction landscape is of urgent need, aiming at the identification of novel molecules as potential therapeutics and considering the wide range of potential pharmacological applications for NGF and its family members. This mini-review will focus on the unique cartography casting the interactions of the endogenous ligand ATP, in the interaction with NGF as well as with its precursor proNGF. These interactions revealed interesting features of the ATP binding and distinct differences in the binding mode between the highly structured mature NGF and its precursor, proNGF, which is characterized by an intrinsically unstructured domain. The overview on the recent available data will be presented, together with the future perspectives on the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Paoletti
- Institute of Crystallography - C.N.R. - Trieste Outstation, Area Science Park - Basovizza, S.S.14 - Km. 163.5, I-34149 Trieste, Italy
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Wang X, Yang T, Shi S, Xu C, Wang F, Dai D, Guan G, Zhang Y, Wang S, Wang J, Zhang B, Liu P, Bai X, Jin Y, Li X, Zhu C, Chen D, Xu Q, Guo Y. Heterogeneity-induced NGF-NGFR communication inefficiency promotes mitotic spindle disorganization in exhausted T cells through PREX1 suppression to impair the anti-tumor immunotherapy with PD-1 mAb in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e6736. [PMID: 38204220 PMCID: PMC10905245 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6736] [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: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanism of decreased T cells infiltrating tumor tissues in hepatocellular carcinoma is poorly understood. METHODS Cells were separated from the single-cell RNA-sequence dataset of hepatocellular carcinoma patients (GSE149614) for cell-cell communication. Flow cytometry, EDU staining, H3-Ser28 staining, confocal immunofluorescence staining, western blotting and naked microsubcutaneous tumors were performed for the mechanism of NGF-NGFR promoting proliferation. RESULTS The present study has revealed that during the process of T-cell infiltration from adjacent tissues to tumor tissues, an inefficiency in NGF-NGFR communication occurs in the tumor tissues. Importantly, NGF secreted by tumor cells interacts with NGFR present on the membranes of the infiltrated T cells, thereby promoting the proliferation through the activation of mitotic spindle signals. Mechanistically, the mediation of mitotic spindle signal activation promoting proliferation is executed by HDAC1-mediated inhibition of unclear trans-localization of PREX1. Furthermore, PD-1 mAb acts synergistically with the NGF-NGFR communication to suppress tumor progression in both mouse models and HCC patients. Additionally, NGF-NGFR communication was positively correlates with the PD-1/PDL-1 expression. However, expressions of NGF and NGFR are low in tumor tissues, which is responsible for the invasive clinicopathological features and the disappointing prognosis in HCC patients. CONCLUSION Inefficiency in NGF-NGFR communication impairs PD-1 mAb immunotherapy and could thus be utilized as a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of HCC patients in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Tongwang Yang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
- Academician WorkstationChangsha Medical UniversityChangshaChina
- Hunan Key Laboratory of the Research and Development of Novel Pharmaceutical PreparationsChangsha Medical UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Shangheng Shi
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Chuanshen Xu
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Feng Wang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Deshu Dai
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Ge Guan
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Yong Zhang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Shuxian Wang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Jianhong Wang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Bingliang Zhang
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Peng Liu
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Xiaoshuai Bai
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Yan Jin
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Xinqiang Li
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Cunle Zhu
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
| | - Dexi Chen
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
- Beijing Institute of HepatologyCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Qingguo Xu
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
- Academician WorkstationChangsha Medical UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Yuan Guo
- Liver Disease CenterThe Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao UniversityQingdaoChina
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Paoletti F, Covaceuszach S, Cassetta A, Calabrese AN, Novak U, Konarev P, Grdadolnik J, Lamba D, Golič Grdadolnik S. Distinct conformational changes occur within the intrinsically unstructured pro-domain of pro-Nerve Growth Factor in the presence of ATP and Mg 2. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4563. [PMID: 36605018 PMCID: PMC9878617 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF), the prototypical neurotrophic factor, is involved in the maintenance and growth of specific neuronal populations, whereas its precursor, proNGF, is involved in neuronal apoptosis. Binding of NGF or proNGF to TrkA, p75NTR , and VP10p receptors triggers complex intracellular signaling pathways that can be modulated by endogenous small-molecule ligands. Here, we show by isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR that ATP binds to the intrinsically disordered pro-peptide of proNGF with a micromolar dissociation constant. We demonstrate that Mg2+ , known to play a physiological role in neurons, modulates the ATP/proNGF interaction. An integrative structural biophysics analysis by small angle X-ray scattering and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry unveils that ATP binding induces a conformational rearrangement of the flexible pro-peptide domain of proNGF. This suggests that ATP may act as an allosteric modulator of the overall proNGF conformation, whose likely distinct biological activity may ultimately affect its physiological homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Paoletti
- Laboratory for Molecular Structural Dynamics, Theory DepartmentNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | | | - Alberto Cassetta
- Institute of Crystallography—C.N.R.—Trieste OutstationTriesteItaly
| | - Antonio N. Calabrese
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - Urban Novak
- Laboratory for Molecular Structural Dynamics, Theory DepartmentNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Petr Konarev
- A.V. Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography of Federal Scientific Research Centre “Crystallography and Photonics”Russian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | - Jože Grdadolnik
- Laboratory for Molecular Structural Dynamics, Theory DepartmentNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Doriano Lamba
- Institute of Crystallography—C.N.R.—Trieste OutstationTriesteItaly
- Interuniversity Consortium “Biostructures and Biosystems National Institute”RomeItaly
| | - Simona Golič Grdadolnik
- Laboratory for Molecular Structural Dynamics, Theory DepartmentNational Institute of ChemistryLjubljanaSlovenia
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4
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Russo L, Giacomelli C, Fortino M, Marzo T, Ferri G, Calvello M, Viegi A, Magrì A, Pratesi A, Pietropaolo A, Cardarelli F, Martini C, Rizzarelli E, Marchetti L, La Mendola D, Trincavelli ML. Neurotrophic Activity and Its Modulation by Zinc Ion of a Dimeric Peptide Mimicking the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor N-Terminal Region. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:3453-3463. [PMID: 36346920 PMCID: PMC9732821 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin (NT) essential for neuronal development and synaptic plasticity. Dysregulation of BDNF signaling is implicated in different neurological disorders. The direct NT administration as therapeutics has revealed to be challenging. This has prompted the design of peptides mimicking different regions of the BDNF structure. Although loops 2 and 4 have been thoroughly investigated, less is known regarding the BDNF N-terminal region, which is involved in the selective recognition of the TrkB receptor. Herein, a dimeric form of the linear peptide encompassing the 1-12 residues of the BDNF N-terminal (d-bdnf) was synthesized. It demonstrated to act as an agonist promoting specific phosphorylation of TrkB and downstream ERK and AKT effectors. The ability to promote TrkB dimerization was investigated by advanced fluorescence microscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, finding activation modes shared with BDNF. Furthermore, d-bdnf was able to sustain neurite outgrowth and increase the expression of differentiation (NEFM, LAMC1) and polarization markers (MAP2, MAPT) demonstrating its neurotrophic activity. As TrkB activity is affected by zinc ions in the synaptic cleft, we first verified the ability of d-bdnf to coordinate zinc and then the effect of such complexation on its activity. The d-bdnf neurotrophic activity was reduced by zinc complexation, demonstrating the role of the latter in tuning the activity of the new peptido-mimetic. Taken together our data uncover the neurotrophic properties of a novel BDNF mimetic peptide and pave the way for future studies to understand the pharmacological basis of d-bdnf action and develop novel BDNF-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Russo
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | | | | | - Tiziano Marzo
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Ferri
- Laboratorio
NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonio Magrì
- Istituto
di Cristallografia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pratesi
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università
di Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
| | | | | | - Claudia Martini
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy
| | - Enrico Rizzarelli
- Istituto
di Cristallografia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Catania 95126, Italy,Università
degli Studi di Catania, Catania 95124, Italy
| | - Laura Marchetti
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy,
| | - Diego La Mendola
- Dipartimento
di Farmacia, Università di Pisa, Pisa 56127, Italy,
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