Pyruvate kinase M2 is a PHD3-stimulated coactivator for hypoxia-inducible factor 1.

The pyruvate kinase isoforms PKM1 and PKM2 are alternatively spliced products of the PKM2 gene. PKM2, but not PKM1, alters glucose metabolism in cancer cells and contributes to tumorigenesis by mechanisms that are not explained by its known biochemical activity. We show that PKM2 gene transcription is activated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). PKM2 interacts directly with the HIF-1α subunit and promotes transactivation of HIF-1 target genes by enhancing HIF-1 binding and p300 recruitment to hypoxia response elements, whereas PKM1 fails to regulate HIF-1 activity. Interaction of PKM2 with prolyl hydroxylase 3 (PHD3) enhances PKM2 binding to HIF-1α and PKM2 coactivator function. Mass spectrometry and anti-hydroxyproline antibody assays demonstrate PKM2 hydroxylation on proline-403/408. PHD3 knockdown inhibits PKM2 coactivator function, reduces glucose uptake and lactate production, and increases O(2) consumption in cancer cells. Thus, PKM2 participates in a positive feedback loop that promotes HIF-1 transactivation and reprograms glucose metabolism in cancer cells.

α-lipoic acid ameliorates consequences of copper overload by up-regulating selenoproteins and decreasing redox misbalance.

α-lipoic acid (LA) is an essential cofactor for mitochondrial dehydrogenases and is required for cell growth, metabolic fuel production, and antioxidant defense. In vitro, LA binds copper (Cu) with high affinity and as an endogenous membrane permeable metabolite could be advantageous in mitigating the consequences of Cu overload in human diseases. We tested this hypothesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with inactivated Cu transporter Atp7a; these cells accumulate Cu and show morphologic changes and mitochondria impairment. Treatment with LA corrected the morphology of Atp7a-/- cells similar to the Cu chelator bathocuproinedisulfonate (BCS) and improved mitochondria function; however, the mechanisms of LA and BCS action were different. Unlike BCS, LA did not decrease intracellular Cu but instead increased selenium levels that were low in Atp7a-/- cells. Proteome analysis confirmed distinct cell responses to these compounds and identified upregulation of selenoproteins as the major effect of LA on preadipocytes. Upregulation of selenoproteins was associated with an improved GSH:GSSG ratio in cellular compartments, which was lowered by elevated Cu, and reversal of protein oxidation. Thus, LA diminishes toxic effects of elevated Cu by improving cellular redox environment. We also show that selenium levels are decreased in tissues of a Wilson disease animal model, especially in the liver, making LA an attractive candidate for supplemental treatment of this disease.

Atp7b-dependent choroid plexus dysfunction causes transient copper deficit and metabolic changes in the developing mouse brain.

Copper (Cu) has a multifaceted role in brain development, function, and metabolism. Two homologous Cu transporters, Atp7a (Menkes disease protein) and Atp7b (Wilson disease protein), maintain Cu homeostasis in the tissue. Atp7a mediates Cu entry into the brain and activates Cu-dependent enzymes, whereas the role of Atp7b is less clear. We show that during postnatal development Atp7b is necessary for normal morphology and function of choroid plexus (ChPl). Inactivation of Atp7b causes reorganization of ChPl' cytoskeleton and cell-cell contacts, loss of Slc31a1 from the apical membrane, and a decrease in the length and number of microvilli and cilia. In ChPl lacking Atp7b, Atp7a is upregulated but remains intracellular, which limits Cu transport into the brain and results in significant Cu deficit, which is reversed only in older animals. Cu deficiency is associated with down-regulation of Atp7a in locus coeruleus and catecholamine imbalance, despite normal expression of dopamine-ß-hydroxylase. In addition, there are notable changes in the brain lipidome, which can be attributed to inhibition of diacylglyceride-to-phosphatidylethanolamine conversion. These results identify the new role for Atp7b in developing brain and identify metabolic changes that could be exacerbated by Cu chelation therapy.

NEDD4L intramolecular interactions regulate its auto and substrate NaV1.5 ubiquitination.

NEDD4L is a HECT-type E3 ligase that catalyzes the addition of ubiquitin to intracellular substrates such as the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel, NaV1.5. The intramolecular interactions of NEDD4L regulate its enzymatic activity which is essential for proteostasis. For NaV1.5, this process is critical as alterations in Na+ current is involved in cardiac diseases including arrhythmias and heart failure. In this study, we perform extensive biochemical and functional analyses that implicate the C2 domain and the first WW-linker (1,2-linker) in the autoregulatory mechanism of NEDD4L. Through in vitro and electrophysiological experiments, the NEDD4L 1,2-linker was determined to be important in substrate ubiquitination of NaV1.5. We establish the preferred sites of ubiquitination of NEDD4L to be in the second WW-linker (2,3-linker). Interestingly, NEDD4L ubiquitinates the cytoplasmic linker between the first and second transmembrane domains of the channel (DI-DII) of NaV1.5. Moreover, we design a genetically encoded modulator of Nav1.5 that achieves Na+ current reduction using the NEDD4L HECT domain as cargo of a NaV1.5-binding nanobody. These investigations elucidate the mechanisms regulating the NEDD4 family and furnish a new molecular framework for understanding NaV1.5 ubiquitination.

Arginine methylation of RNA-binding proteins is impaired in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HD gene, coding for huntingtin protein (HTT). Mechanisms of HD cellular pathogenesis remain undefined and likely involve disruptions in many cellular processes and functions presumably mediated by abnormal protein interactions of mutant HTT. We previously found HTT interaction with several protein arginine methyl-transferase (PRMT) enzymes. Protein arginine methylation mediated by PRMT enzymes is an important post-translational modification with an emerging role in neurodegeneration. We found that normal (but not mutant) HTT can facilitate the activity of PRMTs in vitro and the formation of arginine methylation complexes. These interactions appear to be disrupted in HD neurons. This suggests an additional functional role for HTT/PRMT interactions, not limited to substrate/enzyme relationship, which may result in global changes in arginine protein methylation in HD. Our quantitative analysis of striatal precursor neuron proteome indicated that arginine protein methylation is significantly altered in HD. We identified a cluster highly enriched in RNA-binding proteins with reduced arginine methylation, which is essential to their function in RNA processing and splicing. We found that several of these proteins interact with HTT, and their RNA-binding and localization are affected in HD cells likely due to a compromised arginine methylation and/or abnormal interactions with mutant HTT. These studies reveal a potential new mechanism for disruption of RNA processing in HD, involving a direct interaction of HTT with methyl-transferase enzymes and modulation of their activity and highlighting methylation of arginine as potential new therapeutic target for HD.

The Interaction of Borrelia burgdorferi with Human Dendritic Cells: Functional Implications.

Dendritic cells bridge the innate and adaptive immune responses by serving as sensors of infection and as the primary APCs responsible for the initiation of the T cell response against invading pathogens. The naive T cell activation requires the following three key signals to be delivered from dendritic cells: engagement of the TCR by peptide Ags bound to MHC molecules (signal 1), engagement of costimulatory molecules on both cell types (signal 2), and expression of polarizing cytokines (signal 3). Initial interactions between Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, and dendritic cells remain largely unexplored. To address this gap in knowledge, we cultured live B. burgdorferi with monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mo-DCs) from healthy donors to examine the bacterial immunopeptidome associated with HLA-DR. In parallel, we examined changes in the expression of key costimulatory and regulatory molecules as well as profiled the cytokines released by dendritic cells when exposed to live spirochetes. RNA-sequencing studies on B. burgdorferi-pulsed dendritic cells show a unique gene expression signature associated with B. burgdorferi stimulation that differs from stimulation with lipoteichoic acid, a TLR2 agonist. These studies revealed that exposure of mo-DCs to live B. burgdorferi drives the expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as immunoregulatory molecules (e.g., PD-L1, IDO1, Tim3). Collectively, these studies indicate that the interaction of live B. burgdorferi with mo-DCs promotes a unique mature DC phenotype that likely impacts the nature of the adaptive T cell response generated in human Lyme disease.

The role of N-terminal phosphorylation of DGK-θ.

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are lipid kinases that mediate the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol (DAG) leading to the production of phosphatidic acid (PtdOH). To examine the role of phosphorylation on DGK-θ, we first identified the phosphorylated sites on endogenous DGK-θ from mouse brain and found four sites: S15, S17, which we refer to phosphomotif-1 sites, and S22 and S26 which we refer to as phosphomotif-2 sites. This study focused on the role of these phosphorylated sites on enzyme activity, membrane binding, thermal stability, and cellular half-life of DGK-θ. After generating a construct devoid of all non-catalytic phosphorylation sites (4A), we also generated other constructs to mimic phosphorylation of these residues by mutating them to glutamate (E). Our data demonstrate that an increase in membrane affinity requires the phosphorylation of all four endogenous sites as the phosphomimetic 4E but not other phosphomimietics. Furthermore, 4E also shows an increase in basal activity as well as an increase in the Syt1-induced activity compared to 4A. It is noteworthy that these phosphorylations had no effect on the thermal stability or cellular half-life of this enzyme. Interestingly, when only one phosphorylation domain (phosphomotif-1 or phosphomotif-2) contained phosphomimetics (S15E/S17E or S22E/S26E), the basal activity was also increased but membrane binding affinity was not increased. Furthermore, when only one residue in each domain mimicked an endogenous phosphorylated serine (S15E/S22E or S17E/S26E), the Syt1-induced activity as well as membrane binding affinity decreased relative to 4A. These results indicate that these endogenous phosphorylation sites contribute differentially to membrane binding and enzymatic activity.

Proteomic Changes in the Hippocampus after Repeated Explosive-Driven Blasts.

Repeated blast-traumatic brain injury (blast-TBI) has been hypothesized to cause persistent and unusual neurological and psychiatric symptoms in service members returning from war zones. Blast-wave primary effects have been supposed to induce damage and molecular alterations in the brain. However, the mechanisms through which the primary effect of an explosive-driven blast wave generate brain lesions and induce brain consequences are incompletely known. Prior findings from rat brains exposed to two consecutive explosive-driven blasts showed molecular changes (hyperphosphorylated-Tau, AQP4, S100ß, PDGF, and DNA-polymerase-ß) that varied in magnitude and direction across different brain regions. We aimed to compare, in an unbiased manner, the proteomic profile in the hippocampus of double blast vs sham rats using mass spectrometry (MS). Data showed differences in up- and down-regulation for protein abundances in the hippocampus of double blast vs sham rats. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-MS results showed 136 up-regulated and 94 down-regulated proteins between the two groups (10.25345/C52B8VP0X). These TMT-MS findings revealed changes never described before in blast studies, such as increases in MAGI3, a scaffolding protein at cell-cell junctions, which were confirmed by Western blotting analyses. Due to the absence of behavioral and obvious histopathological changes as described in our previous publications, these proteomic data further support the existence of an asymptomatic blast-induced molecular altered status (ABIMAS) associated with specific protein changes in the hippocampus of rats repeatedly expsosed to blast waves generated by explosive-driven detonations.

The Human Ganglioside Interactome in Live Cells Revealed Using Clickable Photoaffinity Ganglioside Probes.

Gangliosides, sialic acid bearing glycosphingolipids, are components of the outer leaflet of plasma membranes of all vertebrate cells. They contribute to cell regulation by interacting with proteins in their own membranes (cis) or their extracellular milieu (trans). As amphipathic membrane constituents, gangliosides present challenges for identifying their ganglioside protein interactome. To meet these challenges, we synthesized bifunctional clickable photoaffinity gangliosides, delivered them to plasma membranes of cultured cells, then captured and identified their interactomes using proteomic mass spectrometry. Installing probes on ganglioside lipid and glycan moieties, we captured cis and trans ganglioside-protein interactions. Ganglioside interactomes varied with the ganglioside structure, cell type, and site of the probe (lipid or glycan). Gene ontology revealed that gangliosides engage with transmembrane transporters and cell adhesion proteins including integrins, cadherins, and laminins. The approach developed is applicable to other gangliosides and cell types, promising to provide insights into molecular and cellular regulation by gangliosides.

Interaction of huntingtin with PRMTs and its subsequent arginine methylation affects HTT solubility, phase transition behavior and neuronal toxicity.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Post-translational modifications of huntingtin protein (HTT), such as phosphorylation, acetylation and ubiquitination, have been implicated in HD pathogenesis. Arginine methylation/dimethylation is an important modification with an emerging role in neurodegeneration; however, arginine methylation of HTT remains largely unexplored. Here we report nearly two dozen novel arginine methylation/dimethylation sites on the endogenous HTT from human and mouse brain and human cells suggested by mass spectrometry with data-dependent acquisition. Targeted quantitative mass spectrometry identified differential arginine methylation at specific sites in HD patient-derived striatal precursor cell lines compared to normal controls. We found that HTT can interact with several type I protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) via its N-terminal domain. Using a combination of in vitro methylation and cell-based experiments, we identified PRMT4 (CARM1) and PRMT6 as major enzymes methylating HTT at specific arginines. Alterations of these methylation sites had a profound effect on biochemical properties of HTT rendering it less soluble in cells and affected its liquid-liquid phase separation and phase transition patterns in vitro. We found that expanded HTT 1-586 fragment can form liquid-like assemblies, which converted into solid-like assemblies when the R200/205 methylation sites were altered. Methyl-null alterations increased HTT toxicity to neuronal cells, while overexpression of PRMT 4 and 6 was beneficial for neuronal survival. Thus, arginine methylation pathways that involve specific HTT-modifying PRMT enzymes and modulate HTT biochemical and toxic properties could provide targets for HD-modifying therapies.

Plasma proteomic analysis on neuropathic pain in idiopathic peripheral neuropathy patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Why only half of the idiopathic peripheral neuropathy (IPN) patients develop neuropathic pain remains unknown. By conducting a proteomics analysis on IPN patients, we aimed to discover proteins and new pathways that are associated with neuropathic pain. METHODS: We conducted unbiased mass-spectrometry proteomics analysis on blood plasma from 31 IPN patients with severe neuropathic pain and 29 IPN patients with no pain, to investigate protein biomarkers and protein-protein interactions associated with neuropathic pain. Univariate modeling was done with linear mixed modeling (LMM) and corrected for multiple testing. Multivariate modeling was performed using elastic net analysis and validated with internal cross-validation and bootstrapping. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, 73 proteins showed a p-value <.05 and 12 proteins showed a p-value <.01. None were significant after Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment for multiple testing. Elastic net analysis created a model containing 12 proteins with reasonable discriminatory power to differentiate between painful and painless IPN (false-negative rate 0.10, false-positive rate 0.18, and an area under the curve 0.75). Eight of these 12 proteins were clustered into one interaction network, significantly enriched for the complement and coagulation pathway (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p-value = .0057), with complement component 3 (C3) as the central node. Bootstrap validation identified insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), complement factor H-related protein 4 (CFHR4), and ferritin light chain (FTL), as the most discriminatory proteins of the original 12 identified. INTERPRETATION: This proteomics analysis suggests a role for the complement system in neuropathic pain in IPN.

Multiubiquitination of TRPV4 reduces channel activity independent of surface localization.

Ubiquitin (Ub)-mediated regulation of plasmalemmal ion channel activity canonically occurs via stimulation of endocytosis. Whether ubiquitination can modulate channel activity by alternative mechanisms remains unknown. Here, we show that the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) cation channel is multiubiquitinated within its cytosolic N-terminal and C-terminal intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Mutagenizing select lysine residues to block ubiquitination of the N-terminal but not C-terminal IDR resulted in a marked elevation of TRPV4-mediated intracellular calcium influx, without increasing cell surface expression levels. Conversely, enhancing TRPV4 ubiquitination via expression of an E3 Ub ligase reduced TRPV4 channel activity but did not decrease plasma membrane abundance. These results demonstrate Ub-dependent regulation of TRPV4 channel function independent of effects on plasma membrane localization. Consistent with ubiquitination playing a key negative modulatory role of the channel, gain-of-function neuropathy-causing mutations in the TRPV4 gene led to reduced channel ubiquitination in both cellular and Drosophila models of TRPV4 neuropathy, whereas increasing mutant TRPV4 ubiquitination partially suppressed channel overactivity. Together, these data reveal a novel mechanism via which ubiquitination of an intracellular flexible IDR domain modulates ion channel function independently of endocytic trafficking and identify a contributory role for this pathway in the dysregulation of TRPV4 channel activity by neuropathy-causing mutations.

Immortalized striatal precursor neurons from Huntington's disease patient-derived iPS cells as a platform for target identification and screening for experimental therapeutics.

We have previously established induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of Huntington's disease (HD), demonstrating CAG-repeat-expansion-dependent cell biological changes and toxicity. However, the current differentiation protocols are cumbersome and time consuming, making preparation of large quantities of cells for biochemical or screening assays difficult. Here, we report the generation of immortalized striatal precursor neurons (ISPNs) with normal (33) and expanded (180) CAG repeats from HD iPSCs, differentiated to a phenotype resembling medium spiny neurons (MSN), as a proof of principle for a more tractable patient-derived cell model. For immortalization, we used co-expression of the enzymatic component of telomerase hTERT and conditional expression of c-Myc. ISPNs can be propagated as stable adherent cell lines, and rapidly differentiated into highly homogeneous MSN-like cultures within 2 weeks, as demonstrated by immunocytochemical criteria. Differentiated ISPNs recapitulate major HD-related phenotypes of the parental iPSC model, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-withdrawal-induced cell death that can be rescued by small molecules previously validated in the parental iPSC model. Proteome and RNA-seq analyses demonstrate separation of HD versus control samples by principal component analysis. We identified several networks, pathways, and upstream regulators, also found altered in HD iPSCs, other HD models, and HD patient samples. HD ISPN lines may be useful for studying HD-related cellular pathogenesis, and for use as a platform for HD target identification and screening experimental therapeutics. The described approach for generation of ISPNs from differentiated patient-derived iPSCs could be applied to a larger allelic series of HD cell lines, and to comparable modeling of other genetic disorders.

Hepatic Steatosis in the Mouse Model of Wilson Disease Coincides with a Muted Inflammatory Response.

Wilson disease (WND) is caused by inactivation of the copper transporter ATP7B and copper accumulation in tissues. WND presentations vary from liver steatosis to inflammation, fibrosis, and liver failure. Diets influence the liver phenotype in WND, but findings are inconsistent. To better understand the impact of excess calories on liver phenotype in WND, the study compared C57BL/6J Atp7b-/- and C57BL/6J mice fed for 12 weeks with Western diet or normal chow. Serum and liver metabolites, body fat content, liver histology, hepatic proteome, and copper content were analyzed. Wild-type and Atp7b-/- livers showed striking similarities in their responses to Western diet, most notably down-regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis, altered nuclear receptor signaling, and changes in cytoskeleton. Western diet increased body fat content and induced liver steatosis in males and females regardless of genotype; however, the effects were less pronounced in Atp7b-/- mice compared with those in the wild type mice. Although hepatic copper remained elevated in Atp7b-/- mice, liver inflammation was reduced. The diet diminished signaling by Rho GTPases, integrin, IL8, and reversed changes in cell cycle machinery and cytoskeleton. Overall, high calories decreased inflammatory response in favor of steatosis without improving markers of cell viability. Similar changes of cellular pathways during steatosis development in wild-type and Atp7b-/- mice explain histologic overlap between WND and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease despite opposite copper changes in these disorders.

Differential Detection of O-GlcNAcylated proteins in the heart using antibodies.

Thousands of mammalian intracellular proteins are dynamically modified by O-linked ß-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Global changes in O-GlcNAcylation have been associated with the development of cardiomyopathy, heart failure, hypertension, and neurodegenerative disease. Levels of O-GlcNAc in cells and tissues can be detected using numerous approaches; however, immunoblotting using GlcNAc-specific antibodies and lectins is commonplace. The goal of this study was to optimize the detection of O-GlcNAc in heart lysates by immunoblotting. Using a combination of tissue fractionation, immunoblotting, and galactosyltransferase labeling, as well as hearts from wild-type and O-GlcNAc transferase transgenic mice, we demonstrate that contractile proteins in the heart are differentially detected by two commercially available antibodies (CTD110.6 and RL2). As CTD110.6 displays poor reactivity toward contractile proteins, and as these proteins represent a major fraction of the heart proteome, a better assessment of cardiac O-GlcNAcylation is obtained in total tissue lysates with RL2. The data presented highlight tissue lysis approaches that should aid the assessment of the cardiac O-GlcNAcylation by immunoblotting.

Lack of the MHC class II chaperone H2-O causes susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

DO (HLA-DO, in human; murine H2-O) is a highly conserved nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) accessory molecule mainly expressed in the thymic medulla and B cells. Previous reports have suggested possible links between DO and autoimmunity, Hepatitis C (HCV) infection, and cancer, but the mechanism of how DO contributes to these diseases remains unclear. Here, using a combination of various in vivo approaches, including peptide elution, mixed lymphocyte reaction, T-cell receptor (TCR) deep sequencing, tetramer-guided naïve CD4 T-cell precursor enumeration, and whole-body imaging, we report that DO affects the repertoire of presented self-peptides by B cells and thymic epithelium. DO induces differential effects on epitope presentation and thymic selection, thereby altering CD4 T-cell precursor frequencies. Our findings were validated in two autoimmune disease models by demonstrating that lack of DO increases autoreactivity and susceptibility to autoimmune disease development.

Tbx18 Orchestrates Cytostructural Transdifferentiation of Cardiomyocytes to Pacemaker Cells by Recruiting the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Program.

Previously, we reported that heterologous expression of an embryonic transcription factor, Tbx18, reprograms ventricular cardiomyocytes into induced pacemaker cells (Tbx18-iPMs), though the key pathways are unknown. Here, we have used a tandem mass tag proteomic approach to characterize the impact of Tbx18 on neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Tbx18 expression triggered vast proteome remodeling. Tbx18-iPMs exhibited increased expression of known pacemaker ion channels, including Hcn4 and Cx45 as well as upregulation of the mechanosensitive ion channels Piezo1, Trpp2 (PKD2), and TrpM7. Metabolic pathways were broadly downregulated, as were ion channels associated with ventricular excitation-contraction coupling. Tbx18-iPMs also exhibited extensive intracellular cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix remodeling, including 96 differentially expressed proteins associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). RNAseq extended coverage of low abundance transcription factors, revealing upregulation of EMT-inducing Snai1, Snai2, Twist1, Twist2, and Zeb2. Finally, network diffusion mapping of >200 transcriptional regulators indicates EMT and heart development factors occupy adjacent network neighborhoods downstream of Tbx18 but upstream of metabolic control factors. In conclusion, transdifferentiation of cardiac myocytes into pacemaker cells entails massive electrogenic, metabolic, and cytostructural remodeling. Structural changes exhibit hallmarks of the EMT. The results aid ongoing efforts to maximize the yield and phenotypic stability of engineered biological pacemakers.

Diverse mitochondrial abnormalities in a new cellular model of TAFFAZZIN deficiency are remediated by cardiolipin-interacting small molecules.

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked disorder of mitochondrial phospholipid metabolism caused by pathogenic variants in TAFFAZIN, which results in abnormal cardiolipin (CL) content in the inner mitochondrial membrane. To identify unappreciated pathways of mitochondrial dysfunction in BTHS, we utilized an unbiased proteomics strategy and identified that complex I (CI) of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and the mitochondrial quality control protease presenilin-associated rhomboid-like protein (PARL) are altered in a new HEK293-based tafazzin-deficiency model. Follow-up studies confirmed decreased steady state levels of specific CI subunits and an assembly factor in the absence of tafazzin; this decrease is in part based on decreased transcription and results in reduced CI assembly and function. PARL, a rhomboid protease associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane with a role in the mitochondrial response to stress, such as mitochondrial membrane depolarization, is increased in tafazzin-deficient cells. The increased abundance of PARL correlates with augmented processing of a downstream target, phosphoglycerate mutase 5, at baseline and in response to mitochondrial depolarization. To clarify the relationship between abnormal CL content, CI levels, and increased PARL expression that occurs when tafazzin is missing, we used blue-native PAGE and gene expression analysis to determine that these defects are remediated by SS-31 and bromoenol lactone, pharmacologic agents that bind CL or inhibit CL deacylation, respectively. These findings have the potential to enhance our understanding of the cardiac pathology of BTHS, where defective mitochondrial quality control and CI dysfunction have well-recognized roles in the pathology of diverse forms of cardiac dysfunction.

Phosphorylation of the FUS low-complexity domain disrupts phase separation, aggregation, and toxicity.

Neuronal inclusions of aggregated RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) are hallmarks of ALS and frontotemporal dementia subtypes. Intriguingly, FUS's nearly uncharged, aggregation-prone, yeast prion-like, low sequence-complexity domain (LC) is known to be targeted for phosphorylation. Here we map in vitro and in-cell phosphorylation sites across FUS LC We show that both phosphorylation and phosphomimetic variants reduce its aggregation-prone/prion-like character, disrupting FUS phase separation in the presence of RNA or salt and reducing FUS propensity to aggregate. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates the intrinsically disordered structure of FUS LC is preserved after phosphorylation; however, transient domain collapse and self-interaction are reduced by phosphomimetics. Moreover, we show that phosphomimetic FUS reduces aggregation in human and yeast cell models, and can ameliorate FUS-associated cytotoxicity. Hence, post-translational modification may be a mechanism by which cells control physiological assembly and prevent pathological protein aggregation, suggesting a potential treatment pathway amenable to pharmacologic modulation.

Biomonitoring of Ambient Outdoor Air Pollutant Exposure in Humans Using Targeted Serum Albumin Adductomics.

Outdoor air pollution, a spatially and temporally complex mixture, is a human carcinogen. However, ambient measurements may not reflect subject-level exposures, personal monitors do not assess internal dose, and spot assessments of urinary biomarkers may not recapitulate chronic exposures. Nucleophilic sites in serum albumin-particularly the free thiol at Cys34-form adducts with electrophiles. Due to the 4-week lifetime of albumin in circulation, accumulating adducts can serve as intermediate- to long-residence biomarkers of chronic exposure and implicate potential biological effects. Employing nanoflow liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (nLC-HRMS) and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), we have developed and validated a novel targeted albumin adductomics platform capable of simultaneously monitoring dozens of Cys34 adducts per sample in only 2.5 µL of serum, with on-column limits of detection in the low-femtomolar range. Using this platform, we characterized the magnitude and impact of ambient outdoor air pollution exposures with three repeated measurements over 84 days in n = 26 nonsmoking women (n = 78 total samples) from Qidong, China, an area with a rising burden of lung cancer incidence. In concordance with seasonally rising ambient concentrations of NO2, SO2, and PM10 measured at stationary monitors, we observed elevations in concentrations of Cys34 adducts of benzoquinone (p < 0.05), benzene diol epoxide (BDE; p < 0.05), crotonaldehyde (p < 0.01), and oxidation (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed significant elevations in oxidation and BDE adduct concentrations of 300% to nearly 700% per doubling of ambient airborne pollutant levels (p < 0.05). Notably, the ratio of irreversibly oxidized to reduced Cys34 rose more than 3-fold during the 84-day period, revealing a dramatic perturbation of serum redox balance and potentially serving as a portent of increased pollution-related mortality risk. Our targeted albumin adductomics assay represents a novel and flexible approach for sensitive and multiplexed internal dosimetry of environmental exposures, providing a new strategy for personalized biomonitoring and prevention.