A specialized integrin-binding motif enables proTGF-ß2 activation by integrin αVß6 but not αVß8.

Activation of latent transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß2 is incompletely understood. Unlike TGF-ß1 and ß3, the TGF-ß2 prodomain lacks a seven-residue RGDLXX (L/I) integrin-recognition motif and is thought not to be activated by integrins. Here, we report the surprising finding that TGF-ß2 contains a related but divergent 13-residue integrin-recognition motif (YTSGDQKTIKSTR) that specializes it for activation by integrin αVß6 but not αVß8. Both classes of motifs compete for the same binding site in αVß6. Multiple changes in the longer motif underlie its specificity. ProTGF-ß2 structures define interesting differences from proTGF-ß1 and the structural context for activation by αVß6. Some integrin-independent activation is also seen for proTGF-ß2 and even more so for proTGF-ß3. Our findings have important implications for therapeutics to αVß6 in clinical trials for fibrosis, in which inhibition of TGF-ß2 activation has not been anticipated.

Tolloid cleavage activates latent GDF8 by priming the pro-complex for dissociation.

Growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8)/myostatin is a latent TGF-ß family member that potently inhibits skeletal muscle growth. Here, we compared the conformation and dynamics of precursor, latent, and Tolloid-cleaved GDF8 pro-complexes to understand structural mechanisms underlying latency and activation of GDF8. Negative stain electron microscopy (EM) of precursor and latent pro-complexes reveals a V-shaped conformation that is unaltered by furin cleavage and sharply contrasts with the ring-like, cross-armed conformation of latent TGF-ß1. Surprisingly, Tolloid-cleaved GDF8 does not immediately dissociate, but in EM exhibits structural heterogeneity consistent with partial dissociation. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange was not affected by furin cleavage. In contrast, Tolloid cleavage, in the absence of prodomain-growth factor dissociation, increased exchange in regions that correspond in pro-TGF-ß1 to the α1-helix, latency lasso, and ß1-strand in the prodomain and to the ß6'- and ß7'-strands in the growth factor. Thus, these regions are important in maintaining GDF8 latency. Our results show that Tolloid cleavage activates latent GDF8 by destabilizing specific prodomain-growth factor interfaces and primes the growth factor for release from the prodomain.

Structure of bone morphogenetic protein 9 procomplex.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the TGF-ß family, whose 33 members regulate multiple aspects of morphogenesis. TGF-ß family members are secreted as procomplexes containing a small growth factor dimer associated with two larger prodomains. As isolated procomplexes, some members are latent, whereas most are active; what determines these differences is unknown. Here, studies on pro-BMP structures and binding to receptors lead to insights into mechanisms that regulate latency in the TGF-ß family and into the functions of their highly divergent prodomains. The observed open-armed, nonlatent conformation of pro-BMP9 and pro-BMP7 contrasts with the cross-armed, latent conformation of pro-TGF-ß1. Despite markedly different arm orientations in pro-BMP and pro-TGF-ß, the arm domain of the prodomain can similarly associate with the growth factor, whereas prodomain elements N- and C-terminal to the arm associate differently with the growth factor and may compete with one another to regulate latency and stepwise displacement by type I and II receptors. Sequence conservation suggests that pro-BMP9 can adopt both cross-armed and open-armed conformations. We propose that interactors in the matrix stabilize a cross-armed pro-BMP conformation and regulate transition between cross-armed, latent and open-armed, nonlatent pro-BMP conformations.

2, 2'- and 4, 4'-Cyanines are transporter-independent in vitro dopaminergic toxins with the specificity and mechanism of toxicity similar to MPP⁺.

Specific uptake through dopamine transporter followed by the inhibition of the mitochondrial complex-I have been accepted as the cause of the specific dopaminergic toxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+) ). However, MPP(+) is taken up into many cell types through other transporters, suggesting that, in addition to the efficient uptake, intrinsic vulnerability of dopaminergic cells may also contribute to their high sensitivity to MPP(+) and similar toxins. To test this possibility, two simple cyanines were employed in a comparative study based on their unique characteristics and structural similarity to MPP(+) . Here, we show that they freely accumulate in dopaminergic (MN9D and SH-SY5Y) as well as in liver (HepG2) cells, but are specifically and highly toxic to dopaminergic cells with IC50s in the range of 50-100 nM, demonstrating that they are about 1000-fold more toxic than MPP(+) under similar experimental conditions. They cause mitochondrial depolarization non-specifically, but increase the reactive oxygen species specifically in dopaminergic cells leading to the apoptotic cell death parallel to MPP(+) . These and other findings suggest that the specific dopaminergic toxicity of these cyanines is due to the inherent vulnerability of dopaminergic cells toward mitochondrial toxins that lead to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the specific dopaminergic toxicity of MPP(+) must also be, at least partly, due to the specific vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons. Thus, these cyanines could be stronger in vivo dopaminergic toxins than MPP(+) and their in vivo toxicities must be evaluated. Here, we show that cationic lipophilic cyanines with structural similarity to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+) ) freely accumulate non-specifically, but only toxic to dopaminergic cells. They are 1000-fold more toxic than MPP(+) under similar conditions. They cause mitochondrial depolarization non-specifically, but increase the ROS specifically in dopaminergic cells leading to the apoptotic cell death parallel to MPP(+) . Thus, the specific dopaminergic toxicity of MPP(+) and related toxins could be due to the intrinsic vulnerability of dopaminergic cells toward mitochondrial oxidative stress.

Hyperactive BMP signaling induced by ALK2(R206H) requires type II receptor function in a Drosophila model for classic fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.

BACKGROUND: Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by episodic deposition of heterotopic bone in place of soft connective tissue. All FOP-associated mutations map to the BMP type I receptor, ALK2, with the ALK2(R206H) mutant form found in the vast majority of patients. The mechanism(s) regulating the expressivity of hyperactive ALK2(R206H) signaling throughout a patient's life is not well understood. RESULTS: In Drosophila, human ALK2(R206H) receptor induces hyperactive BMP signaling. As in vertebrates, elevated signaling associated with ALK2(R206H) in Drosophila is ligand-independent. We found that a key determinant for ALK2(R206H) hyperactivity is a functional type II receptor. Furthermore, our results indicate that like its Drosophila ortholog, Saxophone (Sax), wild-type ALK2 can antagonize, as well as promote, BMP signaling. CONCLUSIONS: The dual function of ALK2 is of particular interest given the heterozygous nature of FOP, as the normal interplay between such disparate behaviors could be shifted by the presence of ALK2(R206H) receptors. Our studies provide a compelling example for Drosophila as a model organism to study the molecular underpinnings of complex human syndromes such as FOP.

Extracellular H+ Ions are a Novel Signal for Tyrosine Hydroxylase Activation in Catecholaminergic Cells.

Tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. Short-term TH activity is proposed to be regulated by the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of regulatory domains Ser 40, 31, and/or 19 in response to membrane depolarization coupled increase in intracellular Ca2+. Here, we present in situ evidence to support that extracellular H+ ions ([H+]o) are an intracellular or extracellular Ca2+-independent novel signal for TH activation in catecholaminergic MN9D and PC12 cells. [H+]o-mediated TH activation is a short-term process coupled with a Na+-independent Cl-/HCO3- exchanger-mediated increase of intracellular hydrogen ions ([H+]i). While extracellular Ca2+ is not required for [H+]o-mediated TH activation, [H+]o does not increase the cytosolic Ca2+ levels in neuronal or non-neuronal cells in the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+. Although [H+]o-mediated TH activation is associated with a significant increase in Ser 40 phosphorylation, major protein kinases proposed to be responsible for this process appear to be not involved. However, we have not been able to identify the protein kinase(s) involved in [H+]o-mediated phosphorylation of TH at present. Studies with a pan-phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid (OA), appear to indicate that the inhibition of phosphatase activities may not play a significant role in H+-mediated activation of TH. The relevance of these findings to the physiological TH activation mechanism and hypoxia, ischemia, and trauma-induced selective dopaminergic neural death is being discussed in this paper.

Polypeptide Substrate Accessibility Hypothesis: Gain-of-Function R206H Mutation Allosterically Affects Activin Receptor-like Protein Kinase Activity.

Although structurally similar to type II counterparts, type I or activin receptor-like kinases (ALKs) are set apart by a metastable helix-loop-helix (HLH) element preceding the protein kinase domain that, according to a longstanding paradigm, serves passive albeit critical roles as an inhibitor-to-substrate-binding switch. A single recurrent mutation in the codon of the penultimate residue, directly adjacent the position of a constitutively activating substitution, causes milder activation of ACVR1/ALK2 leading to sporadic heterotopic bone deposition in patients presenting with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP. To determine the protein structural-functional basis for the gain of function, R206H mutant, Q207D (aspartate-substituted caALK2) and HLH subdomain-truncated (208 Ntrunc) forms were compared to one another and the wild-type enzyme through in vitro kinase and protein-protein interaction analyses that were complemented by signaling read-out (p-Smad) in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and Drosophila S2 cells. Contrary to the paradigm, the HLH subdomain actively suppressed the phosphotransferase activity of the enzyme, even in the absence of FKBP12. Unexpectedly, perturbation of the HLH subdomain elevated kinase activity at a distance, i.e., allosterically, at the ATP-binding and polypeptide-interacting active site cleft. Accessibility to polypeptide substrate (BMP Smad C-terminal tails) due to allosterically altered conformations of type I active sites within heterohexameric cytoplasmic signaling complexes-assembled noncanonically by activin-type II receptors extracellularly-is hypothesized to produce a gain of function of the R206H mutant protein responsible for episodic heterotopic ossification in FOP.

De novo design of highly selective miniprotein inhibitors of integrins αvß6 and αvß8.

The RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-binding integrins αvß6 and αvß8 are clinically validated cancer and fibrosis targets of considerable therapeutic importance. Compounds that can discriminate between the two closely related integrin proteins and other RGD integrins, stabilize specific conformational states, and have sufficient stability enabling tissue restricted administration could have considerable therapeutic utility. Existing small molecules and antibody inhibitors do not have all of these properties, and hence there is a need for new approaches. Here we describe a method for computationally designing hyperstable RGD-containing miniproteins that are highly selective for a single RGD integrin heterodimer and conformational state, and use this strategy to design inhibitors of αvß6 and αvß8 with high selectivity. The αvß6 and αvß8 inhibitors have picomolar affinities for their targets, and >1000-fold selectivity over other RGD integrins. CryoEM structures are within 0.6-0.7Å root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) to the computational design models; the designed αvß6 inhibitor and native ligand stabilize the open conformation in contrast to the therapeutic anti-αvß6 antibody BG00011 that stabilizes the bent-closed conformation and caused on-target toxicity in patients with lung fibrosis, and the αvß8 inhibitor maintains the constitutively fixed extended-closed αvß8 conformation. In a mouse model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, the αvß6 inhibitor potently reduced fibrotic burden and improved overall lung mechanics when delivered via oropharyngeal administration mimicking inhalation, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of de novo designed integrin binding proteins with high selectivity.

De novo design of highly selective miniprotein inhibitors of integrins αvß6 and αvß8.

The RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-binding integrins αvß6 and αvß8 are clinically validated cancer and fibrosis targets of considerable therapeutic importance. Compounds that can discriminate between homologous αvß6 and αvß8 and other RGD integrins, stabilize specific conformational states, and have high thermal stability could have considerable therapeutic utility. Existing small molecule and antibody inhibitors do not have all these properties, and hence new approaches are needed. Here we describe a generalized method for computationally designing RGD-containing miniproteins selective for a single RGD integrin heterodimer and conformational state. We design hyperstable, selective αvß6 and αvß8 inhibitors that bind with picomolar affinity. CryoEM structures of the designed inhibitor-integrin complexes are very close to the computational design models, and show that the inhibitors stabilize specific conformational states of the αvß6 and the αvß8 integrins. In a lung fibrosis mouse model, the αvß6 inhibitor potently reduced fibrotic burden and improved overall lung mechanics, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of de novo designed integrin binding proteins with high selectivity.

Protection of the Prodomain α1-Helix Correlates with Latency in the Transforming Growth Factor-ß Family.

The 33 members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) family are fundamentally important for organismal development and homeostasis. Family members are synthesized and secreted as pro-complexes of non-covalently associated prodomains and growth factors (GF). Pro-complexes from a subset of family members are latent and require activation steps to release the GF for signaling. Why some members are latent while others are non-latent is incompletely understood, particularly because of large family diversity. Here, we have examined representative family members in negative stain electron microscopy (nsEM) and hydrogen deuterium exchange (HDX) to identify features that differentiate latent from non-latent members. nsEM showed three overall pro-complex conformations that differed in prodomain arm domain orientation relative to the bound growth factor. Two cross-armed members, TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß2, were each latent. However, among V-armed members, GDF8 was latent whereas ActA was not. All open-armed members, BMP7, BMP9, and BMP10, were non-latent. Family members exhibited remarkably varying HDX patterns, consistent with large prodomain sequence divergence. A strong correlation emerged between latency and protection of the prodomain α1-helix from exchange. Furthermore, latency and protection from exchange correlated structurally with increased α1-helix buried surface area, hydrogen bonds, and cation-pi bonds. Moreover, a specific pattern of conserved basic and hydrophobic residues in the α1-helix and aromatic residues in the interacting fastener were found only in latent members. Thus, this first comparative survey of TGF-ß family members reveals not only diversity in conformation and dynamics but also unique features that distinguish latent members.

Characteristics of the mitochondrial and cellular uptake of MPP+, as probed by the fluorescent mimic, 4'I-MPP.

The discovery that 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) selectively destroys dopaminergic neurons and causes Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms in mammals has strengthened the environmental hypothesis of PD. The current model for the dopaminergic toxicity of MPP+ is centered on its uptake into dopaminergic neurons, accumulation into the mitochondria, inhibition of the complex-I leading to ATP depletion, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and apoptotic cell death. However, some aspects of this mechanism and the details of the cellular and mitochondrial accumulation of MPP+ are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize a structural and functional MPP+ mimic which is suitable to study the cellular distribution and mitochondrial uptake of MPP+ in live cells and use it to identify the molecular details of these processes to advance the understanding of the mechanism of the selective dopaminergic toxicity of MPP+. Here we report the characterization of the fluorescent MPP+ derivative, 1-methyl-4-(4'-iodophenyl)pyridinium (4'I-MPP+), as a suitable candidate for this purpose. Using this novel probe, we show that cytosolic/mitochondrial Ca2+ play a critical role through the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) in the mitochondrial and cellular accumulation of MPP+ suggesting for the first time that MPP+ and related mitochondrial toxins may also exert their toxic effects through the perturbation of Ca2+ homeostasis in dopaminergic cells. We also found that the specific mitochondrial NCX (mNCX) inhibitors protect dopaminergic cells from the MPP+ and 4'I-MPP+ toxicity, most likely through the inhibition of the mitochondrial uptake, which could potentially be exploited for the development of pharmacological agents to protect the central nervous system (CNS) dopaminergic neurons from PD-causing environmental toxins.

Gene Expression-Based Screen for Parkinson's Disease Identifies GW8510 as a Neuroprotective Agent.

We carried out a gene expression-based in silico screen in order to identify small molecules with gene-expression profiles that are anticorrelated with a gene-expression profile for Parkinson's disease (PD). We identified the cyclin-dependent kinase 2/5 (CDK2/5) inhibitor GW8510 as our most significant hit and characterized its effects in rodent MN9D cells and in human neuronal cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. GW8510 demonstrated neuroprotective ability in MN9D cells in the presence of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridium (MPP(+)), a widely used neurotoxin model for Parkinson's disease. In order to delineate the nature and extent of GW8510's neuroprotective properties, we studied GW8510 in human neuronal cells in the context of various mechanisms of cellular stress. We found that GW8510 was protective against small-molecule mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stressors. Our findings illustrate an approach to using small-molecule gene expression libraries to identify compounds with therapeutic potential in human diseases.

Nuclear export modulates the cytoplasmic Sir2 homologue Hst2.

Modulating transcription factors is crucial to executing sophisticated gene expression programs. The silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) family of NAD-dependent protein deacetylases influences transcription by targeting proteins such as histones, p53 and forkhead-box family transcription factors. Although apparently cytoplasmic, both mammalian SIRT2 and its yeast orthologue Hst2 have been implicated in transcriptional regulation. Here, we show that Hst2 moves between the nucleus and cytoplasm, but is largely cytoplasmic owing to efficient nuclear export. This nuclear exclusion is mediated by the exportin chromosomal region maintenance 1 (Crm1) and a putative leucine-rich nuclear export sequence in Hst2, which overlaps a unique autoregulatory helix. Disruption of Hst2 export shows that nuclear exclusion inhibits the activity of Hst2 as a transcriptional repressor. Our identification of putative nuclear export sequences in numerous vertebrate SIRT2 proteins shows that active nuclear export can be a conserved mechanism for regulating Sir2 homologues.