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Joaquín-Ovalle FM, Guihurt G, Barcelo-Bovea V, Hani-Saba A, Fontanet-Gómez NC, Ramirez-Paz J, Kashino Y, Torres-Martinez Z, Doble-Cacho K, Delinois LJ, Delgado Y, Griebenow K. Oxidative Stress- and Autophagy-Inducing Effects of PSI-LHCI from Botryococcus braunii in Breast Cancer Cells. BioTech (Basel) 2022; 11:9. [PMID: 35822782 PMCID: PMC9264392 DOI: 10.3390/biotech11020009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Botryococcus braunii (B. braunii) is a green microalga primarily found in freshwater, reservoirs, and ponds. Photosynthetic pigments from algae have shown many bioactive molecules with therapeutic potential. Herein, we report the purification, characterization, and anticancer properties of photosystem I light-harvesting complex I (PSI-LHCI) from the green microalga B. braunii UTEX2441. The pigment-protein complex was purified by sucrose density gradient and characterized by its distinctive peaks using absorption, low-temperature (77 K) fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic analyses. Protein complexes were resolved by blue native-PAGE and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE. Triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were incubated with PSI-LHCI for all of our experiments. Cell viability was assessed, revealing a significant reduction in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. We confirmed the internalization of PSI-LHCI within the cytoplasm and nucleus after 12 h of incubation. Cell death mechanism by oxidative stress was confirmed by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and specifically superoxide. Furthermore, we monitored autophagic flux, apoptotic and necrotic features after treatment with PSI-LHCI. Treated MDA-MB-231 cells showed positive autophagy signals in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and necrotic morphology by the permeabilization of the cell membrane. Our findings demonstrated for the first time the cytotoxic properties of B. braunii PSI-LHCI by the induction of ROS and autophagy in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freisa M. Joaquín-Ovalle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Grace Guihurt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Vanessa Barcelo-Bovea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Andraous Hani-Saba
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Nicole C. Fontanet-Gómez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Josell Ramirez-Paz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Yasuhiro Kashino
- Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, Kobe 678-1297, Japan;
| | - Zally Torres-Martinez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Katerina Doble-Cacho
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Louis J. Delinois
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
| | - Yamixa Delgado
- Biochemistry & Pharmacology Department, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas 00725, Puerto Rico
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (F.M.J.-O.); (G.G.); (V.B.-B.); (A.H.-S.); (N.C.F.-G.); (J.R.-P.); (Z.T.-M.); (K.D.-C.); (L.J.D.)
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Delinois LJ, De León-Vélez O, Vázquez-Medina A, Vélez-Cabrera A, Marrero-Sánchez A, Nieves-Escobar C, Alfonso-Cano D, Caraballo-Rodríguez D, Rodriguez-Ortiz J, Acosta-Mercado J, Benjamín-Rivera JA, González-González K, Fernández-Adorno K, Santiago-Pagán L, Delgado-Vergara R, Torres-Ávila X, Maser-Figueroa A, Grajales-Avilés G, Miranda Méndez GI, Santiago-Pagán J, Nieves-Santiago M, Álvarez-Carrillo V, Griebenow K, Tinoco AD. Cytochrome c: Using Biological Insight toward Engineering an Optimized Anticancer Biodrug. Inorganics (Basel) 2021; 9:83. [PMID: 35978717 PMCID: PMC9380692 DOI: 10.3390/inorganics9110083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The heme protein cytochrome c (Cyt c) plays pivotal roles in cellular life and death processes. In the respiratory chain of mitochondria, it serves as an electron transfer protein, contributing to the proliferation of healthy cells. In the cell cytoplasm, it activates intrinsic apoptosis to terminate damaged cells. Insight into these mechanisms and the associated physicochemical properties and biomolecular interactions of Cyt c informs on the anticancer therapeutic potential of the protein, especially in its ability to subvert the current limitations of small molecule-based chemotherapy. In this review, we explore the development of Cyt c as an anticancer drug by identifying cancer types that would be receptive to the cytotoxicity of the protein and factors that can be finetuned to enhance its apoptotic potency. To this end, some information is obtained by characterizing known drugs that operate, in part, by triggering Cyt c induced apoptosis. The application of different smart drug delivery systems is surveyed to highlight important features for maintaining Cyt c stability and activity and improving its specificity for cancer cells and high drug payload release while recognizing the continuing limitations. This work serves to elucidate on the optimization of the strategies to translate Cyt c to the clinical market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis J. Delinois
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Omar De León-Vélez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Adriana Vázquez-Medina
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Alondra Vélez-Cabrera
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Amanda Marrero-Sánchez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | | | - Daniela Alfonso-Cano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | | | - Jael Rodriguez-Ortiz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Jemily Acosta-Mercado
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Josué A. Benjamín-Rivera
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Kiara González-González
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Kysha Fernández-Adorno
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Lisby Santiago-Pagán
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Rafael Delgado-Vergara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Xaiomy Torres-Ávila
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Andrea Maser-Figueroa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | | | | | - Javier Santiago-Pagán
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Miguel Nieves-Santiago
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Vanessa Álvarez-Carrillo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
| | - Arthur D. Tinoco
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Río Piedras, PR 00931, USA
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Torres-Martinez Z, Delgado Y, Ferrer-Acosta Y, Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Joaquín-Ovalle FM, Delinois LJ, Griebenow K. Key genes and drug delivery systems to improve the efficiency of chemotherapy. Cancer Drug Resist 2021; 4:163-191. [PMID: 34142021 PMCID: PMC8208690 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2020.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells can develop resistance to anticancer drugs, thereby becoming tolerant to treatment through different mechanisms. The biological mechanisms leading to the generation of anticancer treatment resistance include alterations in transmembrane proteins, DNA damage and repair mechanisms, alterations in target molecules, and genetic responses, among others. The most common anti-cancer drugs reported to develop resistance to cancer cells include cisplatin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and fluorouracil. These anticancer drugs have different mechanisms of action, and specific cancer types can be affected by different genes. The development of drug resistance is a cellular response which uses differential gene expression, to enable adaptation and survival of the cell to diverse threatening environmental agents. In this review, we briefly look at the key regulatory genes, their expression, as well as the responses and regulation of cancer cells when exposed to anticancer drugs, along with the incorporation of alternative nanocarriers as treatments to overcome anticancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zally Torres-Martinez
- Chemistry Department, University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
| | - Yamixa Delgado
- Biochemistry & Pharmacology Department, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR 00726, USA
| | - Yancy Ferrer-Acosta
- Neuroscience Department, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon, PR 00956, USA
| | | | - Freisa M Joaquín-Ovalle
- Chemistry Department, University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
| | - Louis J Delinois
- Chemistry Department, University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Chemistry Department, University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras campus, San Juan, PR 00936, USA
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Delinois LJ, Peón H, Villalobos-Santos JC, Ramírez-Paz J, Miller J, Griebenow KH, Tinoco AD. A Cytochrome c-Chlorotoxin Hybrid Protein as a Possible Antiglioma Drug. ChemMedChem 2020; 15:2185-2192. [PMID: 32918396 PMCID: PMC7722079 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Malignant gliomas are the most lethal form of primary brain tumors. Despite advances in cancer therapy, the prognosis of glioma patients has remained poor. Cytochrome c (Cytc), an endogenous heme-based protein, holds tremendous potential to treat gliomas because of its innate capacity to trigger apoptosis. To this end, a hybrid cytochrome c-chlorotoxin (Cytc-CTX) protein was biosynthesized to enable cellular uptake of the cell impenetrable Cytc using CTX transporters. A nucleotide sequence containing 1 : 1 Cytc and CTX was constructed and separated by a hexahistidine-tag and an enterokinase cleavage site. The sequence was cloned into a pBTR1 plasmid, expressed in Escherichia coli, purified via 2-dimensional chromatography. The identity and size of the protein were determined by Western blot and mass spectrometry. Cytc in this soluble hybrid protein has similar structure and stability as human Cytc and the hybrid protein is endocytosed into a glioma cell line, while displaying potent cytotoxicity and a favorable therapeutic index. Its facile, low-cost, and high yield synthesis, biocompatibility, and robustness suggest that the hybrid protein is a promising candidate for antiglioma drug evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis J Delinois
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
| | - Harold Peón
- Academia del Perpetuo Socorro High School, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00907, USA
| | - Juan C Villalobos-Santos
- Biology Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
| | - Josell Ramírez-Paz
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
| | - Jennifer Miller
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
| | - Kai H Griebenow
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
| | - Arthur D Tinoco
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00925, USA
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Ramirez-Paz J, Saxena M, Delinois LJ, Joaquín-Ovalle FM, Lin S, Chen Z, Rojas-Nieves VA, Griebenow K. Thiol-maleimide poly(ethylene glycol) crosslinking of L-asparaginase subunits at recombinant cysteine residues introduced by mutagenesis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197643. [PMID: 30052638 PMCID: PMC6063399 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
L-Asparaginase is an enzyme successfully being used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, some disadvantages still limit its full application potential, e.g., allergic reactions, pancreatitis, and blood clotting impairment. Therefore, much effort has been directed at improving its performance. A popular strategy is to randomly conjugate L-asparaginase with mono-methoxy polyethylene glycol, which became a commercial FDA approved formulation widely used in recent years. To improve this formulation by PEGylation, herein we performed cysteine-directed conjugation of the L-asparaginase subunits to prevent dissociation-induced loss of activity. The recombinant cysteine conjugation sites were introduced by mutagenesis at surface-exposed positions on the protein to avoid affecting the catalytic activity. Three conjugates were obtained using different linear PEGs of 1000, 2000, and 5000 g/mol, with physical properties ranging from a semi-solid gel to a fully soluble state. The soluble-conjugate exhibited higher catalytic activity than the non-conjugated mutant, and the same activity than the native enzyme. The cysteine-directed crosslinking of the L-asparaginase subunits produced a higher molecular weight conjugate compared to the native tetrameric enzyme. This strategy might improve L-asparaginase efficiency for leukemia treatment by reducing glomerular filtration due to the increase in hydrodynamic size thus extending half-live, while at the same time retaining full catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josell Ramirez-Paz
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Manoj Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Louis J. Delinois
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Freisa M. Joaquín-Ovalle
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Shiru Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Zhongfang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Virginia A. Rojas-Nieves
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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