Doxycycline decelerates aging in progeria mice

Beyond the antimicrobial activity, doxycycline (DOX) exhibits longevity-promoting effect in nematodes, while its effect on mammals is unclear. Here, we applied a mouse model of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), Zmpste24 knockout (KO) mice, and analyzed the antiaging effect of DOX. We found that the DOX treatment prolongs lifespan and ameliorates progeroid features of Zmpste24 KO mice, including the decline of body and tissue weight, exercise capacity and cortical bone density, and the shortened colon length. DOX treatment alleviates the abnormal nuclear envelope in multiple tissues, and attenuates cellular senescence and cell death of Zmpste24 KO and HGPS fibroblasts. DOX downregulates the level of proinflammatory IL6 in both serum and tissues. Moreover, the elevated α-tubulin (K40) acetylation mediated by NAT10 in progeria, is rescued by DOX treatment in the aorta tissues in Zmpste24 KO mice and fibroblasts. Collectively, our study uncovers that DOX can decelerate aging in progeria mice via counteracting IL6 expression and NAT10-mediated acetylation of α-tubulin.

HTRA1 promotes EMT through the HDAC6/Ac-α-tubulin pathway in human GBM cells

BACKGROUND

The infiltrative nature of human gliomas renders complete surgical removal of tumors futile. Thus, illuminating mechanisms of their infiltrative properties may improve therapies and outcomes of glioma patients.

METHODS

Comprehensive bioinformatic analyses of PRSS family were undertaken. Transfection of HTRA1 siRNAs was used to suppress HTRA1 expression. CCK-8, EdU, and colony formation assay were employed to assess cell viability, and cell migration/invasion was detected by transwell, wound healing, and 3D tumor spheroid invasion assays. Immunoprecipitation was applied to study the mechanism that HTRA1 affected cell migration. In addition, in situ xenograft tumor model was employed to explore the role of HTRA1 in glioma growth in vivo.

RESULTS

HTRA1 knockdown could lead to suppression of cell viability, migration and invasion, as well as increased apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation results indicates HTRA1 might facilitate combination between HDAC6 and α-tubulin to enhance cell migration by decreasing α-tubulin acetylation. Besides, HTRA1 knockdown inhibited the growth of xenografts derived from orthotopic implantation of GBM cells and prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that HTRA1 promotes the proliferation and migration of GBM cells in vitro and in vivo, and thus may be a potential target for treatment in gliomas.

Centrosome amplification fine tunes tubulin acetylation to differentially control intracellular organization

Intracellular organelle organization is conserved in eukaryotic cells and is primarily achieved through active transport by motor proteins along the microtubule cytoskeleton. Microtubule post-translational modifications (PTMs) can contribute to microtubule diversity and differentially regulate motor-mediated transport. Here, we show that centrosome amplification, commonly observed in cancer and shown to promote aneuploidy and invasion, induces a global change in organelle positioning towards the cell periphery and facilitates nuclear migration through confined spaces. This reorganization requires kinesin-1 and is analogous to the loss of dynein. Cells with amplified centrosomes display increased levels of acetylated tubulin, a PTM that could enhance kinesin-1-mediated transport. Depletion of α-tubulin acetyltransferase 1 (αTAT1) to block tubulin acetylation rescues the displacement of centrosomes, mitochondria, and vimentin but not Golgi or endosomes. Analyses of the distribution of total and acetylated microtubules indicate that the polarized distribution of modified microtubules, rather than levels alone, plays an important role in the positioning of specific organelles, such as the centrosome. We propose that increased tubulin acetylation differentially impacts kinesin-1-mediated organelle displacement to regulate intracellular organization.

HDAC-6 inhibition ameliorates the early neuropathology in a mouse model of Krabbe disease

Introduction

In Krabbe disease (KD), mutations in β-galactosylceramidase (GALC), a lysosomal enzyme responsible for the catabolism of galactolipids, leads to the accumulation of its substrates galactocerebroside and psychosine. This neurologic condition is characterized by a severe and progressive demyelination together with neuron-autonomous defects and degeneration. Twitcher mice mimic the infantile form of KD, which is the most common form of the human disease. The Twitcher CNS and PNS present demyelination, axonal loss and neuronal defects including decreased levels of acetylated tubulin, decreased microtubule stability and impaired axonal transport.

Methods

We tested whether inhibiting the α-tubulin deacetylase HDAC6 with a specific inhibitor, ACY-738, was able to counteract the early neuropathology and neuronal defects of Twitcher mice.

Results

Our data show that delivery of ACY-738 corrects the low levels of acetylated tubulin in the Twitcher nervous system. Furthermore, it reverts the loss myelinated axons in the sciatic nerve and in the optic nerve when administered from birth to postnatal day 9, suggesting that the drug holds neuroprotective properties. The extended delivery of ACY-738 to Twitcher mice delayed axonal degeneration in the CNS and ameliorated the general presentation of the disease. ACY-738 was effective in rescuing neuronal defects of Twitcher neurons, stabilizing microtubule dynamics and increasing the axonal transport of mitochondria.

Discussion

Overall, our results support that ACY-738 has a neuroprotective effect in KD and should be considered as an add-on therapy combined with strategies targeting metabolic correction.

The Role of Runx2 in Microtubule Acetylation in Bone Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells

Bone metastasis of breast cancer results in severe bone loss, fractures, and death. Crosstalk between breast cancer cells and bone resident cells promotes osteoclast activity and the release of growth factors from the bone matrix resulting in aggressive tumor growth and bone loss. We and others have shown that Runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2) promotes metastatic tumor growth-associated bone loss. Breast cancer cells also induce autophagy to survive metabolic stress at the metastatic site. Recently, we reported a Runx2-dependent increase in autophagy. In this study, to examine the underlying mechanisms of metastasis and tumor resistance to stress, we used a bone metastatic isogenic variant of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells isolated from a xenograft tumor mouse model of metastasis. Our results with immunofluorescence and biochemical approaches revealed that Runx2 promotes microtubule (MT) stability to facilitate autophagy. Stable MTs are critical for autophagosome trafficking and display increased acetylation at Lysine 40 of α-tubulin. Runx2 silencing decreases acetylated α-tubulin levels. The expression levels of HDAC6 and αTAT1, which serve to regulate the acetylation of α-tubulin, were not altered with Runx2 silencing. We found that HDAC6 interaction with α-tubulin is inhibited by Runt-related factor-2 (Runx2). We show that the expression of wild-type Runx2 can restore the acetylated polymer of MTs in Runx2 knockdown cells, while the C-terminal deletion mutant fails to rescue the polymer of MTs. Importantly, cellular stress, such as glucose starvation also increases the acetylation of α-tubulin. We found that the loss of Runx2 increases the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to MT-targeting agents. Overall, our results indicate a novel regulatory mechanism of microtubule acetylation and suggest that Runx2 and acetylated microtubules may serve as therapeutic targets for bone metastatic tumors.

Comparison of Cellular Target Engagement Methods for the Tubulin Deacetylases Sirt2 and HDAC6: NanoBRET, CETSA, Tubulin Acetylation, and PROTACs

The tubulin deacetylases Sirt2 and HDAC6 have been associated with the development of various diseases. Herein, we discuss recent approaches that enable cellular target engagement studies for these deacetylases and thus play a critical role in the evaluation of small molecule inhibitors of Sirt2 or HDAC6 as potential therapeutic agents.

Transthyretin Promotes Axon Growth via Regulation of Microtubule Dynamics and Tubulin Acetylation

Transthyretin (TTR), a plasma and cerebrospinal fluid protein, increases axon growth and organelle transport in sensory neurons. While neurons extend their axons, the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton is crucial for the segregation of functional compartments and axonal outgrowth. Herein, we investigated whether TTR promotes axon elongation by modulating MT dynamics. We found that TTR KO mice have an intrinsic increase in dynamic MTs and reduced levels of acetylated α-tubulin in peripheral axons. In addition, they failed to modulate MT dynamics in response to sciatic nerve injury, leading to decreased regenerative capacity. Importantly, restoring acetylated α-tubulin levels of TTR KO dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons using an HDAC6 inhibitor is sufficient to completely revert defective MT dynamics and neurite outgrowth. In summary, our results reveal a new role for TTR in the modulation of MT dynamics by regulating α-tubulin acetylation via modulation of the acetylase ATAT1, and suggest that this activity underlies TTR neuritogenic function.

Type-3 Hyaluronan Synthase Attenuates Tumor Cells Invasion in Human Mammary Parenchymal Tissues

The microenvironment for tumor growth and developing metastasis should be essential. This study demonstrated that the hyaluronic acid synthase 3 (HAS3) protein and its enzymatic product hyaluronic acid (HA) encompassed in the subcutaneous extracellular matrix can attenuate the invasion of human breast tumor cells. Decreased HA levels in subcutaneous Has3-KO mouse tissues promoted orthotopic breast cancer (E0771) cell-derived allograft tumor growth. MDA-MB-231 cells premixed with higher concentration HA attenuate tumor growth in xenografted nude mice. Human patient-derived xenotransplantation (PDX) experiments found that HA selected the highly migratory breast cancer cells with CD44 expression accumulated in the tumor/stroma junction. In conclusion, HAS3 and HA were detected in the stroma breast tissues at a high level attenuates effects for induced breast cancer cell death, and inhibit the cancer cells invasion at the initial stage. However, the highly migratory cancer cells were resistant to the HA-mediated effects with unknown mechanisms.

S6K1 Is Indispensible for Stress-Induced Microtubule Acetylation and Autophagic Flux

Autophagy is a specific macromolecule and organelle degradation process. The target macromolecule or organelle is first enclosed in an autophagosome, and then delivered along acetylated microtubules to the lysosome. Autophagy is triggered by stress and largely contributes to cell survival. We have previously shown that S6K1 kinase is essential for autophagic flux under stress conditions. Here, we aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of S6K1 involvement in autophagy. We stimulated autophagy in S6K1/2 double-knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts by exposing them to different stress conditions. Transient gene overexpression or silencing, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and ratiometric fluorescence analyses revealed that the perturbation of autophagic flux in S6K1-deficient cells did not stem from impaired lysosomal function. Instead, the absence of S6K1 abolished stress-induced tubulin acetylation and disrupted the acetylated microtubule network, in turn impairing the autophagosome-lysosome fusion. S6K1 overexpression restored tubulin acetylation and autophagic flux in stressed S6K1/2-deficient cells. Similar effect of S6K1 status was observed in prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, overexpression of an acetylation-mimicking, but not acetylation-resistant, tubulin variant effectively restored autophagic flux in stressed S6K1/2-deficient cells. Collectively, S6K1 controls tubulin acetylation, hence contributing to the autophagic flux induced by different stress conditions and in different cells.

Expression of α-Tubulin Acetyltransferase 1 and Tubulin Acetylation as Selective Forces in Cell Competition

The wound healing response of fibroblasts critically depends on the primary cilium, a sensory organelle protruding into the environment and comprising a stable axonemal structure. A characteristic marker for primary cilia is acetylation of axonemal tubulin. Although formation of primary cilia is under cell cycle control, the environmental cues affecting ciliation are not fully understood. Our purpose was, therefore, to study the impact of culture conditions on cilia formation in NIH3T3 fibroblasts. We quantified ciliation in different NIH3T3 sub-cell lines and culture conditions by immunodetection of primary cilia and counting. Quantitative Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and proliferation assays completed our investigation. We observed large differences between NIH3T3 sub-cell lines in their ability to generate acetylated primary cilia that correlated with cytoplasmic tubulin acetylation. We found no increased activity of the major tubulin deacetylase, HDAC6, but instead reduced expression of the α-tubulin acetyltransferase 1 (Atat1) as being causative. Our observations demonstrate that cells with reduced expression of Atat1 and tubulin acetylation proliferate faster, eventually displacing all other cells in the population. Expression of Atat1 and tubulin acetylation are therefore selective forces in cell competition.

SLAC2B-dependent microtubule acetylation regulates extracellular matrix-mediated intracellular TM4SF5 traffic to the plasma membranes

Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) translocates intracellularly and promotes cell migration, but how subcellular TM4SF5 traffic is regulated to guide cellular migration is unknown. We investigated the influences of the extracellular environment and intracellular signaling on the TM4SF5 traffic with regard to migration directionality. Cell adhesion to fibronectin (FN) but not poly-l-lysine enhanced the traffic velocity and straightness of the TM4SF5_WT (but not palmitoylation-deficient mutant TM4SF5 Pal - ) toward the leading edges, depending on tubulin acetylation. Acetylated-microtubules in SLAC2B-positive cells reached mostly the juxtanuclear regions, but reached-out toward the leading edges upon SLAC2B suppression. TM4SF5 expression caused SLAC2B not to be localized at the leading edges. TM4SF5 colocalization with HDAC6 depended on paxillin expression. The trimeric complex consisting of TM4SF5, HDAC6, and SLAC2B might, thus, be enriched at the perinuclear cytosols toward the leading edges. More TM4SF5_WT translocation to the leading edges was possible when acetylated-microtubules reached the frontal edges following HDAC6 inhibition by paxillin presumably at new cell-FN adhesions, leading to persistent cell migration. Collectively, this study revealed that cell-FN adhesion and microtubule acetylation could control intracellular traffic of TM4SF5 vesicles to the leading edges via coordinated actions of paxillin, SLAC2B, and HDAC6, leading to TM4SF5-dependent cell migration.

RASSF1A Regulates Spindle Organization by Modulating Tubulin Acetylation via SIRT2 and HDAC6 in Mouse Oocytes

Dynamic changes in microtubules during cell cycle progression are essential for spindle organization to ensure proper segregation of chromosomes. There is growing evidence that post translational modifications of tubulins are the key factors that contribute to microtubule dynamics. However, how dynamic properties of microtubules are regulated in mouse oocytes is unclear. Here, we show that tumor suppressor RASSF1A is required for tubulin acetylation by regulating SIRT2 and HDAC6 during meiotic maturation in mouse oocytes. We found that RASSF1A was localized at the spindle microtubules in mouse oocytes. Knockdown of RASSF1A perturbed meiotic progression by impairing spindle organization and chromosome alignment. Moreover, RASSF1A knockdown disrupted kinetochore-microtubule (kMT) attachment, which activated spindle assembly checkpoint and increased the incidence of aneuploidy. In addition, RASSF1A knockdown decreased tubulin acetylation by increasing SIRT2 and HDAC6 levels. Notably, defects in spindle organization and chromosome alignment after RASSF1A knockdown were rescued not only by inhibiting SIRT2 or HDAC6 activity, but also by overexpressing acetylation mimicking K40Q tubulin. Therefore, our results demonstrated that RASSF1A regulates SIRT2- and HDAC6-mediated tubulin acetylation for proper spindle organization during oocyte meiotic maturation.

Ascleposide, a natural cardenolide, induces anticancer signaling in human castration-resistant prostatic cancer through Na+ /K+ -ATPase internalization and tubulin acetylation

BACKGROUND

Cardiac glycosides, which inhibit Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase, display inotropic effects for the treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia. Recent studies have suggested signaling downstream of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase action in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis and have revealed the anticancer activity of cardiac glycosides. The study aims to characterize the anticancer potential of ascleposide, a natural cardenolide, and to uncover its primary target and underlying mechanism against human castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

Cell proliferation was examined in CRPC PC-3 and DU-145 cells using sulforhodamine B assay, carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester staining assay and clonogenic examination. Flow cytometric analysis was used to detect the distribution of cell cycle phase, mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ levels, and reactive oxygen species production. Protein expression was examined using Western blot analysis. Endocytosis of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase was determined using confocal immunofluorescence microscopic examination.

RESULTS

Ascleposide induced an increase of intracellular Na⁺ and a potent antiproliferative effect. It also induced a decrease of G1 phase distribution while an increase in both G2/M and apoptotic sub-G1 phases, and downregulated several cell cycle regulator proteins, including cyclins, Cdk, p21, and p27 Cip/Kip proteins, Rb and c-Myc. Ascleposide decreased the expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 members (eg, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1) but upregulated proapoptotic member (eg, Bak), leading to a significant loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of both caspase-9 and caspase-3. Ascleposide also dramatically induced tubulin acetylation, leading to inhibition of the catalytic activity of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase. Notably, extracellular high K⁺ (16 mM) significantly blunted ascleposide-mediated effects. Furthermore, ascleposide induced a p38 MAPK-dependent endocytosis of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase and downregulated the protein expression of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase α1 subunit.

CONCLUSION

Ascleposide displays antiproliferative and apoptotic activities dependent on the inhibition of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase pumping activity through p38 MAPK-mediated endocytosis of Na⁺ /K⁺ -ATPase and downregulation of α1 subunit, which in turn cause tubulin acetylation and cell cycle arrest. Cell apoptosis is ultimately triggered by the activation of caspase cascade attributed to mitochondrial damage through the downregulation of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 protein expressions while upregulation of Bak protein levels. The data also suggest the potential of ascleposide in anti-CRPC development.

Microtubule-Associated Proteins with Regulatory Functions by Day and Pathological Potency at Night

The sensing, integrating, and coordinating features of the eukaryotic cells are achieved by the complex ultrastructural arrays and multifarious functions of the cytoskeleton, including the microtubule network. Microtubules play crucial roles achieved by their decoration with proteins/enzymes as well as by posttranslational modifications. This review focuses on the Tubulin Polymerization Promoting Protein (TPPP/p25), a new microtubule associated protein, on its "regulatory functions by day and pathological functions at night". Physiologically, the moonlighting TPPP/p25 modulates the dynamics and stability of the microtubule network by bundling microtubules and enhancing the tubulin acetylation due to the inhibition of tubulin deacetylases. The optimal endogenous TPPP/p25 level is crucial for its physiological functions, to the differentiation of oligodendrocytes, which are the major constituents of the myelin sheath. Pathologically, TPPP/p25 forms toxic oligomers/aggregates with α-synuclein in neurons and oligodendrocytes in Parkinson's disease and Multiple System Atrophy, respectively; and their complex is a potential therapeutic drug target. TPPP/p25-derived microtubule hyperacetylation counteracts uncontrolled cell division. All these issues reveal the anti-mitotic and α-synuclein aggregation-promoting potency of TPPP/p25, consistent with the finding that Parkinson's disease patients have reduced risk for certain cancers.

Tubulin Acetylation Mediates Bisphenol A Effects on the Microtubule Arrays of Allium cepa and Triticum turgidum

The effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a prevalent endocrine disruptor, on both interphase and mitotic microtubule array organization was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy in meristematic root cells of Triticum turgidum (durum wheat) and Allium cepa (onion). In interphase cells of A. cepa, BPA treatment resulted in substitution of cortical microtubules by annular/spiral tubulin structures, while in T. turgidum BPA induced cortical microtubule fragmentation. Immunolocalization of acetylated α-tubulin revealed that cortical microtubules of T. turgidum were highly acetylated, unlike those of A. cepa. In addition, elevation of tubulin acetylation by trichostatin A in A. cepa resulted in microtubule disruption similar to that observed in T. turgidum. BPA also disrupted all mitotic microtubule arrays in both species. It is also worth noting that mitotic microtubule arrays were acetylated in both plants. As assessed by BPA removal, its effects are reversible. Furthermore, taxol-stabilized microtubules were resistant to BPA, while recovery from oryzalin treatment in BPA solution resulted in the formation of ring-like tubulin conformations. Overall, these findings indicate the following: (1) BPA affects plant mitosis/cytokinesis by disrupting microtubule organization. (2) Microtubule disassembly probably results from impairment of free tubulin subunit polymerization. (3) The differences in cortical microtubule responses to BPA among the species studied are correlated to the degree of tubulin acetylation.

Myc-nick promotes efferocytosis through M2 macrophage polarization during resolution of inflammation

A key event required for effective resolution of inflammation is efferocytosis, which is defined as phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells mostly by macrophages acquiring an alternatively activated phenotype (M2). c-Myc has been reported to play a role in alternative activation of human macrophages and is proposed as one of the M2 macrophage markers. We found that M2-like peritoneal macrophages from zymosan A-treated mice exhibited a marked accumulation of Myc-nick, a truncated protein generated by a Calpain-mediated proteolytic cleavage of full-length c-Myc. Further, ectopic expression of Myc-nick in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages promoted the M2 polarization and, consequently, enhanced their efferocytic capability. Notably, Myc-nick-induced efferocytosis was found to be tightly associated with α-tubulin acetylation by K acetyltransferase 2a (Kat2a/Gcn5) activity. These findings suggest Myc-nick as a novel proresolving mediator that has a fundamental function in maintaining homeostasis under inflammatory conditions.-Zhong, X., Lee, H.-N., Kim, S. H., Park, S.-A., Kim, W., Cha, Y.-N., Surh, Y.-J. Myc-nick promotes efferocytosis through M2 macrophage polarization during resolution of inflammation.

Tubulin acetylation accompanies autophagy development induced by different abiotic stimuli in Arabidopsis thaliana

Microtubules (MTs) play an important role in the regulation of autophagy development in yeast and animal as well as in plant cells. MTs participate in maturation and traffic of autophagosomes through their dynamic state changes and post-translational modifications of tubulin, namely acetylation. We subjected Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings to metabolic-, salt-, osmotic stresses as well as irradiation of ultraviolet B and investigated the involvement of plant MTs in the development of stress-induced autophagy via tubulin acetylation. For this purpose Arabidopsis thaliana line expressing autophagy-related protein 8 h (atg8h)-GFP was generated to investigate autophagy, applying the level of free GFP as an indicator of autophagy development. Using autophagosome confocal imaging and Western blot analysis of Atg8 post-translational lipidation and synchronous GFP release it was shown that all examined stressful stimuli led to pronounced development of autophagy, particularly in different root tissues. Moreover, autophagy development was accompanied by α-tubulin acetylation under all stressful conditions. Presented data indicate the possible role of the post-translational acetylation of α-tubulin in the mediation of plant stress-induced autophagy.

Partial Immunoblotting of 2D-Gels: A Novel Method to Identify Post-Translationally Modified Proteins Exemplified for the Myelin Acetylome

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a key role in regulating protein function, yet their identification is technically demanding. Here, we present a straightforward workflow to systematically identify post-translationally modified proteins based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Upon colloidal Coomassie staining the proteins are partially transferred, and the investigated PTMs are immunodetected. This strategy allows tracking back the immunopositive antigens to the corresponding spots on the original gel, from which they are excised and mass spectrometrically identified. Candidate proteins are validated on the same membrane by immunodetection using a second fluorescence channel. We exemplify the power of partial immunoblotting with the identification of lysine-acetylated proteins in myelin, the oligodendroglial membrane that insulates neuronal axons. The excellent consistency of the detected fluorescence signals at all levels allows the differential comparison of PTMs across multiple conditions. Beyond PTM screening, our multi-level workflow can be readily adapted to clinical applications such as identifying auto-immune antigens or host-pathogen interactions.

EWSR1 regulates mitosis by dynamically influencing microtubule acetylation

EWSR1, participating in transcription and splicing, has been identified as a translocation partner for various transcription factors, resulting in translocation, which in turn plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis. Recent studies have investigated the role of EWSR1 in mitosis. However, the effect of EWSR1 on mitosis is poorly understood. Here, we observed that depletion of EWSR1 resulted in cell cycle arrest in the mitotic phase, mainly due to an increase in the time from nuclear envelope breakdown to metaphase, resulting in a high percentage of unaligned chromosomes and multipolar spindles. We also demonstrated that EWSR1 is a spindle-associated protein that interacts with α-tubulin during mitosis. EWSR1 depletion increased the cold-sensitivity of spindle microtubules, and decreased the rate of spindle assembly. EWSR1 regulated the level of microtubule acetylation in the mitotic spindle; microtubule acetylation was rescued in EWSR1-depleted mitotic cells following suppression of HDAC6 activity by its specific inhibitor or siRNA treatment. In summary, these results suggest that EWSR1 regulates the acetylation of microtubules in a cell cycle-dependent manner through its dynamic location on spindle MTs, and may be a novel regulator for mitosis progress independent of its translocation.

Bicyclic-Capped Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitors with Improved Activity in a Model of Axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a disorder of the peripheral nervous system where progressive degeneration of motor and sensory nerves leads to motor problems and sensory loss and for which no pharmacological treatment is available. Recently, it has been shown in a model for the axonal form of CMT that histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) can serve as a target for the development of a pharmacological therapy. Therefore, we aimed at developing new selective and activity-specific HDAC6 inhibitors with improved biochemical properties. By utilizing a bicyclic cap as the structural scaffold from which to build upon, we developed several analogues that showed improved potency compared to tubastatin A while maintaining excellent selectivity compared to HDAC1. Further screening in N2a cells examining both the acetylation of α-tubulin and histones narrowed down the library of compounds to three potent and selective HDAC6 inhibitors. In mutant HSPB1-expressing DRG neurons, serving as an in vitro model for CMT2, these inhibitors were able to restore the mitochondrial axonal transport deficits. Combining structure-based development of HDAC6 inhibitors, screening in N2a cells and in a neuronal model for CMT2F, and preliminary ADMET and pharmacokinetic profiles, resulted in the selection of compound 23d that possesses improved biochemical, functional, and druglike properties compared to tubastatin A.

Bisindole-PBD regulates breast cancer cell proliferation via SIRT-p53 axis

In a previous study we reported the role of potent bisindole-PBD conjugate as an inclusion in the arsenal of breast cancer therapeutics. In breast cancer cell proliferation, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway plays a crucial role by prosurvival mechanism that inhibits programmed cell death. Here, 2 breast cancer cells lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 were treated with Vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid / SAHA) and bisindole-PBD (5b). We have investigated the effect on PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and SIRT expression including epigenetic regulation. There was consistent decrease in the level of PI3K, AKT, mTOR proteins upon treatment of 5b in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines compared to untreated controls. Treatment with caspase inhibitor (Q-VD-OPH) confirmed that the effect of 5b on PI3K signaling was ahead of apoptosis. Real time PCR and western blot analysis showed profound reduction in the mRNA and protein levels of SIRT1 and SIRT2. Molecular docking studies also supported the interaction of 5b with various amino acids of SIRT2 proteins. Treatment with 5b caused epigenetic changes that include increase of acetylated forms of p53, increase of histone acetylation at p21 promoter as well as decrease in methylation state of p21 gene. Compound 5b thus acts as SIRT inhibitor and cause p53 activation via inhibition of growth factor signaling and activation of p53 dependent apoptotic signaling. This present study focuses bisindole-PBD on epigenetic alteration putting 5b as a promising therapeutic tool in the realm of breast cancer research.

The dynein inhibitor Ciliobrevin D inhibits the bidirectional transport of organelles along sensory axons and impairs NGF-mediated regulation of growth cones and axon branches

The axonal transport of organelles is critical for the development, maintenance, and survival of neurons, and its dysfunction has been implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases. Retrograde axon transport is mediated by the motor protein dynein. In this study, using embryonic chicken dorsal root ganglion neurons, we investigate the effects of Ciliobrevin D, a pharmacological dynein inhibitor, on the transport of axonal organelles, axon extension, nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced branching and growth cone expansion, and axon thinning in response to actin filament depolymerization. Live imaging of mitochondria, lysosomes, and Golgi-derived vesicles in axons revealed that both the retrograde and anterograde transport of these organelles was inhibited by treatment with Ciliobrevin D. Treatment with Ciliobrevin D reversibly inhibits axon extension and transport, with effects detectable within the first 20 min of treatment. NGF induces growth cone expansion, axonal filopodia formation and branching. Ciliobrevin D prevented NGF-induced formation of axonal filopodia and branching but not growth cone expansion. Finally, we report that the retrograde reorganization of the axonal cytoplasm which occurs on actin filament depolymerization is inhibited by treatment with Ciliobrevin D, indicating a role for microtubule based transport in this process, as well as Ciliobrevin D accelerating Wallerian degeneration. This study identifies Ciliobrevin D as an inhibitor of the bidirectional transport of multiple axonal organelles, indicating this drug may be a valuable tool for both the study of dynein function and a first pass analysis of the role of axonal transport.

Serum-induced neurite retraction in CAD cells--involvement of an ATP-actin retractile system and the lack of microtubule-associated proteins

Cultured catecholamine-differentiated cells [which lack the microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs): MAP1B, MAP2, Tau, STOP, and Doublecortin] proliferate in the presence of fetal bovine serum, and, in its absence, cease dividing and generate processes similar to the neurites of normal neurons. The reintroduction of serum induces neurite retraction, and proliferation resumes. The neurite retraction process in catecholamine-differentiated cells was partially characterized in this study. Microtubules in the cells were found to be in a highly dynamic state, and tubulin in the microtubules consisted primarily of the tyrosinated and deacetylated isotypes. Increased levels of acetylated or Δ2-tubulin (which are normally absent) did not prevent serum-induced neurite retraction. Treatment of differentiated cells with lysophosphatidic acid or adenosine deaminase induced neurite retraction. Inhibition of Rho-associated protein kinase, ATP depletion and microfilament disruption each (individually) blocked serum-induced neurite retraction, suggesting that an ATP-dependent actomyosin system underlies the mechanism of neurite retraction. Nocodazole treatment induced neurite retraction, but this effect was blocked by pretreatment with the microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel (Taxol). Paclitaxel did not prevent serum-induced or lysophosphatidic acid-induced retraction, suggesting that integrity of microtubules (despite their dynamic state) is necessary to maintain neurite elongation, and that paclitaxel-induced stabilization alone is not sufficient to resist the retraction force induced by serum. Transfection with green fluorescent protein-Tau conferred resistance to retraction caused by serum. We hypothesize that, in normal neurons (cultured or in vivo), MAPs are necessary not only to stabilize microtubules, but also to establish interactions with other cytoskeletal or membrane components to form a stable structure capable of resisting the retraction force.

A selective histone deacetylase-6 inhibitor improves BDNF trafficking in hippocampal neurons from Mecp2 knockout mice: implications for Rett syndrome

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the transcriptional modulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). One of the most prominent gene targets of MeCP2 is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf), a potent modulator of activity-dependent synaptic development, function and plasticity. Dysfunctional BDNF signaling has been demonstrated in several pathophysiological mechanisms of RTT disease progression. To evaluate whether the dynamics of BDNF trafficking is affected by Mecp2 deletion, we analyzed movements of BDNF tagged with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in cultured hippocampal neurons by time-lapse fluorescence imaging. We found that both anterograde and retrograde vesicular trafficking of BDNF-YFP are significantly impaired in Mecp2 knockout hippocampal neurons. Selective inhibitors of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) show neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases and stimulate microtubule-dependent vesicular trafficking of BDNF-containing dense core vesicles. Here, we show that the selective HDAC6 inhibitor Tubastatin-A increased the velocity of BDNF-YFP vesicles in Mecp2 knockout neurons in both directions by increasing α–tubulin acetylation. Tubastatin-A also restored activity-dependent BDNF release from Mecp2 knockout neurons to levels comparable to those shown by wildtype neurons. These findings demonstrate that a selective HDAC6 inhibitor is a potential pharmacological strategy to reverse cellular and synaptic impairments in RTT resulting from impaired BDNF signaling.

HDAC6 inhibition results in tau acetylation and modulates tau phosphorylation and degradation in oligodendrocytes

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a unique member of the HDAC family. It is localized within the cytoplasm and has unique substrate specificities for nonhistone proteins, such as α-tubulin. Furthermore, it plays a major role in protein aggregate formation and recently was demonstrated to interact with the microtubule associated protein tau and tau was identified as a possible substrate for HDAC6 in neurons. This study was undertaken to investigate whether HDAC6 is present in oligodendrocytes and whether it is involved in tubulin and tau acetylation in these cells. We show for the first time that HDAC6 is expressed in cultured rat brain oligodendrocytes. Its inhibition by the specific HDAC6 inhibitor tubastatin A (TST) leads to morphological alterations, microtubule bundling, and tubulin acetylation, and changes in tau-isoform expression and phosphorylation. Furthermore, the microtubule binding activity of tau was reduced. Using the oligodendroglial cell lines OLN-t40 and OLN-t44, which were genetically engineered to express either the longest human tau isoform with four microtubule binding repeats (4R-tau), or the shortest tau isoform with three repeats (3R-tau), respectively, we demonstrate that tau is acetylated by HDAC6 within the 4R-binding domain. Tau acetylation reduced its turnover rate and acetylated tau was degraded slower in these cells. TST and shRNA-mediated knockdown of HDAC6 in oligodendroglia cells caused an increase in pathological hyperphosphorylated tau detectable with the 12E8 antibody. Hence HDAC6 and dysregulation of the deacetylation and acetylation process in oligodendrocytes may contribute to diseases with oligodendroglial pathology.

Antidepressant-like properties of novel HDAC6-selective inhibitors with improved brain bioavailability

HDAC inhibitors have been reported to produce antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects in animal models, however, poor brain bioavailability or lack of isoform selectivity of current probes has limited our understanding of their mode of action. We report the characterization of novel pyrimidine hydroxyl amide small molecule inhibitors of HDAC6, brain bioavailable upon systemic administration. We show that two compounds in this family, ACY-738 and ACY-775, inhibit HDAC6 with low nanomolar potency and a selectivity of 60- to 1500-fold over class I HDACs. In contrast to tubastatin A, a reference HDAC6 inhibitor with similar potency and peripheral activity, but more limited brain bioavailability, ACY-738 and ACY-775 induce dramatic increases in α-tubulin acetylation in brain and stimulate mouse exploratory behaviors in novel, but not familiar environments. Interestingly, despite a lack of detectable effect on histone acetylation, we show that ACY-738 and ACY-775 share the antidepressant-like properties of other HDAC inhibitors, such as SAHA and MS-275, in the tail suspension test and social defeat paradigm. These effects of ACY-738 and ACY-775 are directly attributable to the inhibition of HDAC6 expressed centrally, as they are fully abrogated in mice with a neural-specific loss of function of HDAC6. Furthermore, administered in combination, a behaviorally inactive dose of ACY-738 markedly potentiates the anti-immobility activity of a subactive dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram. Our results validate new isoform-selective probes for in vivo pharmacological studies of HDAC6 in the CNS and reinforce the viability of this HDAC isoform as a potential target for antidepressant development.

Tubacin prevents neuronal migration defects and epileptic activity caused by rat Srpx2 silencing in utero

Altered development of the human cerebral cortex can cause severe malformations with often intractable focal epileptic seizures and may participate in common pathologies, notably epilepsy. This raises important conceptual and therapeutic issues. Two missense mutations in the sushi repeat-containing protein SRPX2 had been previously identified in epileptic disorders with or without structural developmental alteration of the speech cortex. In the present study, we aimed to decipher the precise developmental role of SRPX2, to have a better knowledge on the consequences of its mutations, and to start addressing therapeutic issues through the design of an appropriate animal model. Using an in utero Srpx2 silencing approach, we show that SRPX2 influences neuronal migration in the developing rat cerebral cortex. Wild-type, but not the mutant human SRPX2 proteins, rescued the neuronal migration phenotype caused by Srpx2 silencing in utero, and increased alpha-tubulin acetylation. Following in utero Srpx2 silencing, spontaneous epileptiform activity was recorded post-natally. The neuronal migration defects and the post-natal epileptic consequences were prevented early in embryos by maternal administration of tubulin deacetylase inhibitor tubacin. Hence epileptiform manifestations of developmental origin could be prevented in utero, using a transient and drug-based therapeutic protocol.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors as novel anticancer therapeutics

Histone deacetylase inhibitors represent a promising new class of compounds for the treatment of cancer. Inhibitors of this kind currently under clinical evaluation mainly target the classical (Rpd3/Hda1) family of histone deacetylases. Of particular note, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first histone deacetylase inhibitor (Zolinza: Merck and Co., Whitehouse Station, NJ, U.S.A.) for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Dozens of such inhibitors are now in phase ii-iii clinical trials, sometimes in combination with other chemotherapy drugs, for diverse cancer types, including both hematologic and solid tumours. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the histone deacetylase superfamily, highlight the positive results of deacetylase inhibitors in cancer clinical trials, and comment on the prospects for the next generation of such inhibitors.