Comparative Metabolomic Analysis of Moringa oleifera Leaves of Different Geographical Origins and Their Antioxidant Effects on C2C12 Myotubes.

Moringa oleifera is widely grown throughout the tropics and increasingly used for its therapeutic and nutraceutical properties. These properties are attributed to potent antioxidant and metabolism regulators, including glucosinolates/isothiocyanates as well as flavonoids, polyphenols, and phenolic acids. Research to date largely consists of geographically limited studies that only examine material available locally. These practices make it unclear as to whether moringa samples from one area are superior to another, which would require identifying superior variants and distributing them globally. Alternatively, the finding that globally cultivated moringa material is essentially functionally equivalent means that users can easily sample material available locally. We brought together accessions of Moringa oleifera from four continents and nine countries and grew them together in a common garden. We performed a metabolomic analysis of leaf extracts (MOLE) using an LC-MSMS ZenoTOF 7600 mass spectrometry system. The antioxidant capacity of leaf samples evaluated using the Total Antioxidant Capacity assay did not show any significant difference between extracts. MOLE samples were then tested for their antioxidant activity on C2C12 myotubes challenged with an oxidative insult. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was added to the myotubes after pretreatment with different extracts. H2O2 exposure caused an increase in cell death that was diminished in all samples pretreated with moringa extracts. Our results show that Moringa oleifera leaf extract is effective in reducing the damaging effect of H2O2 in C2C12 myotubes irrespective of geographical origin. These results are encouraging because they suggest that the use of moringa for its therapeutic benefits can proceed without the need for the lengthy and complex global exchange of materials between regions.

EWS splicing regulation contributes to balancing Foxp1 isoforms required for neuronal differentiation.

Alternative splicing is a key regulatory process underlying the amplification of genomic information and the expansion of proteomic diversity, particularly in brain. Here, we identify the Ewing sarcoma protein (EWS) as a new player of alternative splicing regulation during neuronal differentiation. Knockdown of EWS in neuronal progenitor cells leads to premature differentiation. Transcriptome profiling of EWS-depleted cells revealed global changes in splicing regulation. Bioinformatic analyses and biochemical experiments demonstrated that EWS regulates alternative exons in a position-dependent fashion. Notably, several EWS-regulated splicing events are physiologically modulated during neuronal differentiation and EWS depletion in neuronal precursors anticipates the splicing-pattern of mature neurons. Among other targets, we found that EWS controls the alternative splicing of the forkhead family transcription factor FOXP1, a pivotal transcriptional regulator of neuronal differentiation, possibly contributing to the switch of gene expression underlying the neuronal differentiation program.

Personalized profiles of antioxidant signaling pathway in patients with tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The non-protein thiol glutathione is protective against infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and, together with the transcription factor NRF2 (the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), plays a crucial role in counteracting MTB-induced redox imbalance. Many genes implicated in the antioxidant response belong to the NRF2-signalling pathway, whose central role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis (TB) has been recently proposed. METHODS: In this study, we measured GSH levels in blood of patients with active TB and analysed the individual NRF2-mediated redox profile, in order to provide additional tools for discriminating the pathologic TB state and addressing therapeutic interventions. RESULTS: Our findings show a systemic individual modulation of GSH and NRF2 signaling pathway in patients with TB, with a "personalized" induction of NRF2-target genes. CONCLUSION: This study can provide useful tools to monitor the course of the infection and address patients' treatment.

Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 Activation Might Mitigate Clinical Symptoms in Friedreich's Ataxia: Clues of an "Out-Brain Origin" of the Disease From a Family Study.

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most frequent autosomal recessive ataxia in western countries, with a mean age of onset at 10-15 years. Patients manifest progressive cerebellar and sensory ataxia, dysarthria, lower limb pyramidal weakness, and other systemic manifestations. Previously, we described a family displaying two expanded GAA alleles not only in the proband affected by late-onset FRDA but also in the two asymptomatic family members: the mother and the younger sister. Both of them showed a significant reduction of frataxin levels, without any disease manifestation. Here, we analyzed if a protective mechanism might contribute to modulate the phenotype in this family. We particularly focused on the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), the first line of antioxidant defense in cells, and on the glutathione (GSH) system, an index of reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification ability. Our findings show a great reactivity of the GSH system to the frataxin deficiency, particularly in the asymptomatic mother, where the genes of GSH synthesis [glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL)] and GSSG detoxification [GSH S-reductase (GSR)] were highly responsive. The GSR was activated even in the asymptomatic sister and in the proband, reflecting the need of buffering the GSSG increase. Furthermore, and contrasting the NRF2 expression documented in FRDA tissues, NRF2 was highly activated in the mother and in the younger sister, while it was constitutively low in the proband. This suggests that, also under frataxin depletion, the endogenous stimulation of NRF2 in asymptomatic FRDA subjects may contribute to protect against the progressive oxidative damage, helping to prevent the onset of neurological symptoms and highlighting an "out-brain origin" of the disease.

Frataxin deficiency induces lipid accumulation and affects thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue.

Decreased expression of mitochondrial frataxin (FXN) causes Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), a neurodegenerative disease with type 2 diabetes (T2D) as severe comorbidity. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a mitochondria-enriched and anti-diabetic tissue that turns excess energy into heat to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Here we report that the FXN knock-in/knock-out (KIKO) mouse shows hyperlipidemia, reduced energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity, and elevated plasma leptin, recapitulating T2D-like signatures. FXN deficiency leads to disrupted mitochondrial ultrastructure and oxygen consumption as well as lipid accumulation in BAT. Transcriptomic data highlights cold intolerance in association with iron-mediated cell death (ferroptosis). Impaired PKA-mediated lipolysis and expression of genes controlling mitochondrial metabolism, lipid catabolism and adipogenesis were observed in BAT of KIKO mice as well as in FXN-deficient T37i brown and primary adipocytes. Significant susceptibility to ferroptosis was observed in adipocyte precursors that showed increased lipid peroxidation and decreased glutathione peroxidase 4. Collectively our data point to BAT dysfunction in FRDA and suggest BAT as promising therapeutic target to overcome T2D in FRDA.

Targeting NRF2 for the Treatment of Friedreich's Ataxia: A Comparison among Drugs.

NRF2 (Nuclear factor Erythroid 2-related Factor 2) signaling is impaired in Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA), an autosomal recessive disease characterized by progressive nervous system damage and degeneration of nerve fibers in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The loss of frataxin in patients results in iron sulfur cluster deficiency and iron accumulation in the mitochondria, making FRDA a fatal and debilitating condition. There are no currently approved therapies for the treatment of FRDA and molecules able to activate NRF2 have the potential to induce clinical benefits in patients. In this study, we compared the efficacy of six redox-active drugs, some already adopted in clinical trials, targeting NRF2 activation and frataxin expression in fibroblasts obtained from skin biopsies of FRDA patients. All of these drugs consistently increased NRF2 expression, but differential profiles of NRF2 downstream genes were activated. The Sulforaphane and N-acetylcysteine were particularly effective on genes involved in preventing inflammation and maintaining glutathione homeostasis, the dimethyl fumarate, omaxevolone, and EPI-743 in counteracting toxic products accumulation, the idebenone in mitochondrial protection. This study may contribute to develop synergic therapies, based on a combination of treatment molecules.

Post-transcriptional regulation of FUS and EWS protein expression by miR-141 during neural differentiation.

Brain development involves proliferation, migration and specification of neural progenitor cells, culminating in neuronal circuit formation. Mounting evidence indicates that improper regulation of RNA binding proteins (RBPs), including members of the FET (FUS, EWS, TAF15) family, results in defective cortical development and/or neurodegenerative disorders. However, in spite of their physiological relevance, the precise pattern of FET protein expression in developing neurons is largely unknown. Herein, we found that FUS, EWS and TAF15 expression is differentially regulated during brain development, both in time and in space. In particular, our study identifies a fine-tuned regulation of FUS and EWS during neuronal differentiation, whereas TAF15 appears to be more constitutively expressed. Mechanistically FUS and EWS protein expression is regulated at the post-transcriptional level during neuron differentiation and brain development. Moreover, we identified miR-141 as a key regulator of these FET proteins that modulate their expression levels in differentiating neuronal cells. Thus, our studies uncover a novel link between post-transcriptional regulation of FET proteins expression and neurogenesis.

Xenoestrogens alter estrogen receptor (ER) α intracellular levels.

17ß-estradiol (E2)-dependent estrogen receptor (ER) α intracellular concentration is a well recognized critical step in the pleiotropic effects elicited by E2 in several target tissues. Beside E2, a class of synthetic and plant-derived chemicals collectively named endocrine disruptors (EDs) or xenoestrogens bind to and modify both nuclear and extra-nuclear ERα activities. However, at the present no information is available on the ability of EDs to hamper ERα intracellular concentration. Here, the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) and naringenin (Nar), prototypes of synthetic and plant-derived ERα ligands, have been evaluated on ERα levels in MCF-7 cells. Both EDs mimic E2 in triggering ERα Ser118 phosphorylation and gene transcription. However, only E2 or BPA induce an increase of cell proliferation; whereas 24 hrs after Nar stimulation a dose-dependent decrease in cell number is reported. E2 or BPA treatment reduces ERα protein and mRNA levels after 24 hrs. Contrarily, Nar stimulation does not alter ERα content but reduces ERα mRNA levels like other ligands. Co-stimulation experiments indicate that 48 hrs of Nar treatment prevents the E2-induced ERα degradation and hijacks the physiological ability of E2:ERα complex to regulate gene transcription. Mechanistically, Nar induces ERα protein accumulation by preventing proteasomal receptor degradation via persistent activation of p38/MAPK pathway. As a whole these data demonstrate that ERα intracellular concentration is an important target through which EDs hamper the hormonal milieu of E2 target cells driving cells to different outcomes or mimicking E2 even in the absence of the hormone.

Identification of an estrogen receptor α non covalent ubiquitin-binding surface: role in 17ß-estradiol-induced transcriptional activity.

Ubiquitin (Ub)-binding domains (UBDs) located in Ub receptors decode the ubiquitination signal by non-covalently engaging the Ub modification on their binding partners and transduce the Ub signalling through Ub-based molecular interactions. In this way, inducible protein ubiquitination regulates diverse biological processes. The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the pleiotropic effects of the sex hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2). Fine regulation of E2 pleiotropic actions depends on E2-dependent ERα association with a plethora of binding partners and/or on the E2 modulation of receptor ubiquitination. Indeed, E2-induced ERα polyubiquitination triggers receptor degradation and transcriptional activity, and E2-dependent reduction in ERα monoubiquitination is crucial for E2 signalling. Monoubiquitinated proteins often contain UBDs, but whether non-covalent Ub-ERα binding could occur and play a role in E2-ERα signalling is unknown. Here, we report an Ub-binding surface within the ERα ligand binding domain that directs in vitro the receptor interaction with both ubiquitinated proteins and recombinant Ub chains. Mutational analysis reveals that ERα residues leucine 429 and alanine 430 are involved in Ub binding. Moreover, impairment of ERα association to ubiquitinated species strongly affects E2-induced ERα transcriptional activity. Considering the importance of UBDs in the Ub-based signalling network and the central role of different ERα binding partners in the modulation of E2-dependent effects, our discoveries provide novel insights into ERα activity that could also be relevant for ERα-dependent diseases.

Susceptibility of estrogen receptor rapid responses to xenoestrogens: Physiological outcomes.

17ß-Estradiol (E2) binding induces rapid modification in the conformation of its cognate receptors (i.e., ERα and ERß). These allosteric changes allow the association of ERs with cell specific transcriptional cofactors, thus determining cellular contexts specific variations in gene expression. In addition, E2-ER complexes could also interact with membrane and cytosolic signal molecules triggering extra-nuclear signalling pathways. The synergy between these mechanisms is necessary for E2-induced pleiotropic actions in target tissues. Besides E2, the ER ligand binding domains can accommodate many other natural and synthetic ligands. Several of these compounds act as agonist or antagonist of ER transcriptional activity due to their ability to modify the interactions between ERs and transcriptional co-regulators. However, the ability of natural or manmade ER ligands to affect the extra-nuclear interactions of the ERs has been rarely evaluated. Here, the ability of two diet-derived flavonoids (i.e., naringenin and quercetin) and of the synthetic food-contaminant bisphenol A to modulate specifically ER extra-nuclear signalling pathways will be reported. All the tested compounds bind to both ER subtypes even if lesser than E2 activating divergent signal transduction pathways. In fact, in the presence of ERα, both naringenin and quercetin decouple ERα activities by specifically interfering with ERα membrane initiating signals. On the other hand, bisphenol A, but not flavonoids, maintains ERß at the membrane thus impairing the activation of the downstream kinases. As a whole, extra-nuclear ER signals are highly susceptible to different ligands that, by unbalancing E2-induced cell functions drive cells to different functional endpoints.

Palmitoylation regulates 17ß-estradiol-induced estrogen receptor-α degradation and transcriptional activity.

The estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression through the binding to its cognate hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2). ERα transcriptional activity is regulated by E2-evoked 26S proteasome-mediated ERα degradation and ERα serine (S) residue 118 phosphorylation. Furthermore, ERα mediates fast cell responses to E2 through the activation of signaling cascades such as the MAPK/ERK and phosphoinositide-3-kinase/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 pathways. These E2 rapid effects require a population of the ERα located at the cell plasma membrane through palmitoylation, a dynamic enzymatic modification mediated by palmitoyl-acyl-transferases. However, whether membrane-initiated and transcriptional ERα activities integrate in a unique picture or represent parallel pathways still remains to be firmly clarified. Hence, we evaluated here the impact of ERα palmitoylation on E2-induced ERα degradation and S118 phosphorylation. The lack of palmitoylation renders ERα more susceptible to E2-dependent degradation, blocks ERα S118 phosphorylation and prevents E2-induced ERα estrogen-responsive element-containing promoter occupancy. Consequently, ERα transcriptional activity is prevented and the receptor addressed to the nuclear matrix subnuclear compartment. These data uncover a circuitry in which receptor palmitoylation links E2-dependent ERα degradation, S118 phosphorylation, and transcriptional activity in a unique molecular mechanism. We propose that rapid E2-dependent signaling could be considered as a prerequisite for ERα transcriptional activity and suggest an integrated model of ERα intracellular signaling where E2-dependent early extranuclear effects control late receptor-dependent nuclear actions.

Signaling functions of ubiquitin in the 17ß-estradiol (E2):estrogen receptor (ER) α network.

Protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are signaling alterations that allow coordinating the cellular responses with the changes in the extracellular environment. In this way, the posttranslationally-modified protein becomes a switch node in the transduction network activated by the specific extracellular stimuli. It is now clear that this is the case also for protein ubiquitination: this extremely versatile PTM controls cell physiology through the modulation of protein stability as well as through the modulation of the dynamics of the intracellular signaling cascades. Recent evidence clearly indicates that such a complex scheme appears to be valid also for the 17ß-estradiol (E2):estrogen receptor (ER) α signal transduction pathways. Indeed, beside the long standing notion that ERα ubiquitination is required for the regulation of receptor stability, several laboratories, including our own, have clearly indicated that ERα ubiquitination also serves non-degradative functions. This review will reconsider the role of ubiquitination in E2:ERα signaling by particularly highlighting how the functions of the non-degradative ubiquitination impact on ERα activities and contribute to the modulation of E2-dependent physiological processes.

17ß-Estradiol-induced cell proliferation requires estrogen receptor (ER) α monoubiquitination.

Protein monoubiquitination (monoUbq) (i.e., the attachment of one single ubiquitin to the substrate) is a non-proteolytic reversible modification that controls protein functions. Among other proteins, the estrogen receptor α (ERα), which mediates the pleiotropic effects of the cognate hormone 17ß-estradiol (E2), is a monoubiquitinated protein. Although it has been demonstrated that E2 rapidly reduces ERα monoUbq in breast cancer cells, the impact of monoUbq in the regulation of the ERα activities is poorly appreciated. Here, we show that mutation of the ERα monoUbq sites prevents the E2-induced ERα phosphorylation in the serine residue 118 (S118), reduces ERα transcriptional activity, and precludes the ERα-mediated extranuclear activation of signaling pathways (i.e., AKT activation) thus impeding the E2-induced cyclin D1 promoter activation and consequently cell proliferation. In addition, the interference with ERα monoUbq deregulates E2-induced association of ERα to the insulin like growth factor receptor (IGF-1-R). Altogether these data demonstrate an inherent role for monoUbq in ERα signaling and point to the physiological function of ERα monoUbq in the regulation of E2-induced cell proliferation.

17ß-estradiol regulates estrogen receptor α monoubiquitination.

Monoubiquitination is a nonproteolytic signal involved in a network of several different physiological processes. Recently, monoubiquitination has been discovered as a new post-transductional modification of the estrogen receptor α (ERα). However, at present no information is available about the role of the cognate ligand 17ß-estradiol (E2) in modulating this receptor post-transductional modification. Thus, we studied the E2-dependent modulation of ERα monoubiquitination in different cell lines. Here, we report that ERα monoubiquitination isnegatively modulated by E2. These results demonstrate thatERα monoubiquitination represents a new signalling modification that may modulate the E2:ERα-regulated cellular processes.