Isoquercetin for thromboinflammation in sickle cell disease: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: Data from a small trial in patients with cancer suggest that isoquercetin (IQ) treatment lowered thrombosis biomarkers and prevented clinical thrombosis, but, to our knowledge, no studies of IQ have been conducted to target thromboinflammation in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adults with steady-state SCD (hemoglobin SS [HbSS], HbSß0thal, HbSß+thal, or HbSC). The primary outcome was the change in plasma soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) after treatment compared with baseline, analyzed in the intention-to-treat population. Between November 2019 and July 2022, 46 patients (aged 40 ± 11 years, 56% female, 75% under hydroxyurea treatment) were randomized to receive IQ (n = 23) or placebo (n = 23). IQ was well tolerated and all the adverse events (AEs; n = 21) or serious AEs (n = 14) recorded were not attributable to the study drug. The mean posttreatment change for sP-selectin showed no significant difference between the treatment groups (IQ, 0.10 ± 6.53 vs placebo, 0.74 ± 4.54; P = .64). In patients treated with IQ, whole-blood coagulation (P = .03) and collagen-induced platelet aggregation (P = .03) were significantly reduced from the baseline. Inducible mononuclear cell tissue factor gene expression and plasma protein disulfide isomerase reductase activity were also significantly inhibited (P = .003 and P = .02, respectively). Short-term fixed-dose IQ in patients with SCD was safe with no off-target bleeding and was associated with changes from the baseline in the appropriate direction for several biomarkers of thromboinflammation. The trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04514510.

ARH Family of ADP-Ribose-Acceptor Hydrolases.

The ARH family of ADP-ribose-acceptor hydrolases consists of three 39-kDa members (ARH1-3), with similarities in amino acid sequence. ARH1 was identified based on its ability to cleave ADP-ribosyl-arginine synthesized by cholera toxin. Mammalian ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTCs) mimicked the toxin reaction, with ARTC1 catalyzing the synthesis of ADP-ribosyl-arginine. ADP-ribosylation of arginine was stereospecific, with ß-NAD+ as substrate and, α-anomeric ADP-ribose-arginine the reaction product. ARH1 hydrolyzed α-ADP-ribose-arginine, in addition to α-NAD+ and O-acetyl-ADP-ribose. Thus, ADP-ribose attached to oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing functional groups was a substrate. Arh1 heterozygous and knockout (KO) mice developed tumors. Arh1-KO mice showed decreased cardiac contractility and developed myocardial fibrosis. In addition to Arh1-KO mice showed increased ADP-ribosylation of tripartite motif-containing protein 72 (TRIM72), a membrane-repair protein. ARH3 cleaved ADP-ribose from ends of the poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) chain and released the terminal ADP-ribose attached to (serine)protein. ARH3 also hydrolyzed α-NAD+ and O-acetyl-ADP-ribose. Incubation of Arh3-KO cells with H2O2 resulted in activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP)-1, followed by increased nuclear PAR, increased cytoplasmic PAR, leading to release of Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF) from mitochondria. AIF, following nuclear translocation, stimulated endonucleases, resulting in cell death by Parthanatos. Human ARH3-deficiency is autosomal recessive, rare, and characterized by neurodegeneration and early death. Arh3-KO mice developed increased brain infarction following ischemia-reperfusion injury, which was reduced by PARP inhibitors. Similarly, PARP inhibitors improved survival of Arh3-KO cells treated with H2O2. ARH2 protein did not show activity in the in vitro assays described above for ARH1 and ARH3. ARH2 has a restricted tissue distribution, with primary involvement of cardiac and skeletal muscle. Overall, the ARH family has unique functions in biological processes and different enzymatic activities.

Humanin selectively prevents the activation of pro-apoptotic protein BID by sequestering it into fibers.

Members of the B-cell lymphoma (BCL-2) protein family regulate mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP), a phenomenon in which mitochondria become porous and release death-propagating complexes during the early stages of apoptosis. Pro-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins oligomerize at the mitochondrial outer membrane during MOMP, inducing pore formation. Of current interest are endogenous factors that can inhibit pro-apoptotic BCL-2 mitochondrial outer membrane translocation and oligomerization. A mitochondrial-derived peptide, Humanin (HN), was reported being expressed from an alternate ORF in the mitochondrial genome and inhibiting apoptosis through interactions with the pro-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins. Specifically, it is known to complex with BAX and BID. We recently reported the fibrillation of HN and BAX into ß-sheets. Here, we detail the fibrillation between HN and BID. These fibers were characterized using several spectroscopic techniques, protease fragmentation with mass analysis, and EM. Enhanced fibrillation rates were detected with rising temperatures or pH values and the presence of a detergent. BID fibers are similar to those produced using BAX; however, the structures differ in final conformations of the BCL-2 proteins. BID fibers display both types of secondary structure in the fiber, whereas BAX was converted entirely to ß-sheets. The data show that two distinct segments of BID are incorporated into the fiber structure, whereas other portions of BID remain solvent-exposed and retain helical structure. Similar analyses show that anti-apoptotic BCL-xL does not form fibers with humanin. These results support a general mechanism of sequestration of pro-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins into fibers by HN to inhibit MOMP.

Humanin induces conformational changes in the apoptosis regulator BAX and sequesters it into fibers, preventing mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization.

The mitochondrial, or intrinsic, apoptosis pathway is regulated mainly by members of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) protein family. BCL-2-associated X apoptosis regulator (BAX) plays a pivotal role in the initiation of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis as one of the factors causing mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Of current interest are endogenous BAX ligands that inhibit its MOMP activity. Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs) are a recently identified class of mitochondrial retrograde signaling molecules and are reported to be potent apoptosis inhibitors. Among them, humanin (HN) has been shown to suppress apoptosis by inhibiting BAX translocation to the mitochondrial outer membrane, but the molecular mechanism of this interaction is unknown. Here, using recombinant protein expression, along with light-scattering, CD, and fluorescence spectroscopy, we report that HN and BAX can form fibers together in vitro Results from negative stain EM experiments suggest that BAX undergoes secondary and tertiary structural rearrangements and incorporates into the fibers, and that its membrane-associating C-terminal helix is important for the fibrillation process. Additionally, HN mutations known to alter its anti-apoptotic activity affect fiber morphology. Our findings reveal for the first time a potential mechanism by which BAX can be sequestered by fibril formation, which can prevent it from initiating MOMP and committing the cell to apoptosis.

The ARH and Macrodomain Families of α-ADP-ribose-acceptor Hydrolases Catalyze α-NAD+ Hydrolysis.

ADP-ribosyltransferases transfer ADP-ribose from ß-NAD+ to acceptors; ADP-ribosylated acceptors are cleaved by ADP-ribosyl-acceptor hydrolases (ARHs) and proteins containing ADP-ribose-binding modules termed macrodomains. On the basis of the ADP-ribosyl-arginine hydrolase 1 (ARH1) stereospecific hydrolysis of α-ADP-ribosyl-arginine and the hypothesis that α-NAD+ is generated as a side product of ß-NAD+/ NADH metabolism, we proposed that α-NAD+ was a substrate of ARHs and macrodomain proteins. Here, we report that ARH1, ARH3, and macrodomain proteins (i.e., MacroD1, MacroD2, C6orf130 (TARG1), Af1521, hydrolyzed α-NAD+ but not ß-NAD+. ARH3 had the highest α-NADase specific activity. The ARH and macrodomain protein families, in stereospecific reactions, cleave ADP-ribose linkages to N- or O- containing functional groups; anomerization of α- to ß-forms (e.g., α-ADP-ribosyl-arginine to ß-ADP-ribose- (arginine) protein) may explain partial hydrolysis of ADP-ribosylated acceptors with an increase in content of ADP-ribosylated substrates. Af1521 and ARH3 crystal structures with bound ADP-ribose revealed similar ADP-ribose-binding pockets with the catalytic residues of the ARH and macrodomain protein families in the N-terminal helix and loop. Although the biological roles of the ARHs and macrodomain proteins differ, they share enzymatic and structural properties that may regulate metabolites such as α-NAD+.

Sirt1 carboxyl-domain is an ATP-repressible domain that is transferrable to other proteins.

Sirt1 is an NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase that regulates many physiological functions, including stress resistance, adipogenesis, cell senescence and energy production. Sirt1 can be activated by energy deprivation, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we report that Sirt1 is negatively regulated by ATP, which binds to the C-terminal domain (CTD) of Sirt1. ATP suppresses Sirt1 activity by impairing the CTD's ability to bind to the deacetylase domain as well as its ability to function as the substrate recruitment site. ATP, but not NAD+, causes a conformational shift to a less compact structure. Mutations that prevent ATP binding increase Sirt1's ability to promote stress resistance and inhibit adipogenesis under high-ATP conditions. Interestingly, the CTD can be attached to other proteins, thereby converting them into energy-regulated proteins. These discoveries provide insight into how extreme energy deprivation can impact Sirt1 activity and underscore the complex nature of Sirt1 structure and regulation.

Efficient Generation of ß-Globin-Expressing Erythroid Cells Using Stromal Cell-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells represent an ideal source for in vitro modeling of erythropoiesis and a potential alternative source for red blood cell transfusions. However, iPS cell-derived erythroid cells predominantly produce ε- and γ-globin without ß-globin production. We recently demonstrated that ES cell-derived sacs (ES sacs), known to express hemangioblast markers, allow for efficient erythroid cell generation with ß-globin production. In this study, we generated several iPS cell lines derived from bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) and peripheral blood erythroid progenitors (EPs) from sickle cell disease patients, and evaluated hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) generation after iPS sac induction as well as subsequent erythroid differentiation. MSC-derived iPS sacs yielded greater amounts of immature hematopoietic progenitors (VEGFR2 + GPA-), definitive HSPCs (CD34 + CD45+), and megakaryoerythroid progenitors (GPA + CD41a+), as compared to EP-derived iPS sacs. Erythroid differentiation from MSC-derived iPS sacs resulted in greater amounts of erythroid cells (GPA+) and higher ß-globin (and ßS-globin) expression, comparable to ES sac-derived cells. These data demonstrate that human MSC-derived iPS sacs allow for more efficient erythroid cell generation with higher ß-globin production, likely due to heightened emergence of immature progenitors. Our findings should be important for iPS cell-derived erythroid cell generation. Stem Cells 2017;35:586-596.

Increased activity of TNAP compensates for reduced adenosine production and promotes ectopic calcification in the genetic disease ACDC.

ACDC (arterial calcification due to deficiency of CD73) is an autosomal recessive disease resulting from loss-of-function mutations in NT5E, which encodes CD73, a 5'-ectonucleotidase that converts extracellular adenosine monophosphate to adenosine. ACDC patients display progressive calcification of lower extremity arteries, causing limb ischemia. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), which converts pyrophosphate (PPi) to inorganic phosphate (Pi), and extracellular purine metabolism play important roles in other inherited forms of vascular calcification. Compared to cells from healthy subjects, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (iMSCs) from ACDC patients displayed accelerated calcification and increased TNAP activity when cultured under conditions that promote osteogenesis. TNAP activity generated adenosine in iMSCs derived from ACDC patients but not in iMSCs from control subjects, which have CD73. In response to osteogenic stimulation, ACDC patient-derived iMSCs had decreased amounts of the TNAP substrate PPi, an inhibitor of extracellular matrix calcification, and exhibited increased activation of AKT, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), and the 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), a pathway that promotes calcification. In vivo, teratomas derived from ACDC patient cells showed extensive calcification and increased TNAP activity. Treating mice bearing these teratomas with an A2b adenosine receptor agonist, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin, or the bisphosphonate etidronate reduced calcification. These results show that an increase of TNAP activity in ACDC contributes to ectopic calcification by disrupting the extracellular balance of PPi and Pi and identify potential therapeutic targets for ACDC.

The histone-fold complex MHF is remodeled by FANCM to recognize branched DNA and protect genome stability.

Histone-fold proteins typically assemble in multiprotein complexes to bind duplex DNA. However, one histone-fold complex, MHF, associates with Fanconi anemia (FA) protein FANCM to form a branched DNA remodeling complex that senses and repairs stalled replication forks and activates FA DNA damage response network. How the FANCM-MHF complex recognizes branched DNA is unclear. Here, we solved the crystal structure of MHF and its complex with the MHF-interaction domain (referred to as MID) of FANCM, and performed structure-guided mutagenesis. We found that the MID-MHF complex consists of one histone H3-H4-like MHF heterotetramer wrapped by a single polypeptide of MID. We identified a zinc atom-liganding structure at the central interface between MID and MHF that is critical for stabilization of the complex. Notably, the DNA-binding surface of MHF was altered by MID in both electrostatic charges and allosteric conformation. This leads to a switch in the DNA-binding preference - from duplex DNA by MHF alone, to branched DNA by the MID-MHF complex. Mutations that disrupt either the composite DNA-binding surface or the protein-protein interface of the MID-MHF complex impaired activation of the FA network and genome stability. Our data provide the structural basis of how FANCM and MHF work together to recognize branched DNA, and suggest a novel mechanism by which histone-fold complexes can be remodeled by their partners to bind special DNA structures generated during DNA metabolism.

Regulation of the actin-activated MgATPase activity of Acanthamoeba myosin II by phosphorylation of serine 639 in motor domain loop 2.

It had been proposed previously that only filamentous forms of Acanthamoeba myosin II have actin-activated MgATPase activity and that this activity is inhibited by phosphorylation of up to four serine residues in a repeating sequence in the C-terminal nonhelical tailpiece of the two heavy chains. We have reinvestigated these issues using recombinant WT and mutant myosins. Contrary to the earlier proposal, we show that two nonfilamentous forms of Acanthamoeba myosin II, heavy meromyosin and myosin subfragment 1, have actin-activated MgATPase that is down-regulated by phosphorylation. By mass spectroscopy, we identified five serines in the heavy chains that can be phosphorylated by a partially purified kinase preparation in vitro and also are phosphorylated in endogenous myosin isolated from the amoebae: four serines in the nonhelical tailpiece and Ser639 in loop 2 of the motor domain. S639A mutants of both subfragment 1 and full-length myosin had actin-activated MgATPase that was not inhibited by phosphorylation of the serines in the nonhelical tailpiece or their mutation to glutamic acid or aspartic acid. Conversely, S639D mutants of both subfragment 1 and full-length myosin were inactive, irrespective of the phosphorylation state of the serines in the nonhelical tailpiece. To our knowledge, this is the first example of regulation of the actin-activated MgATPase activity of any myosin by modification of surface loop 2.

A ubiquitin-binding protein, FAAP20, links RNF8-mediated ubiquitination to the Fanconi anemia DNA repair network.

The Fanconi anemia (FA) protein network is necessary for repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), but its control mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that the network is regulated by a ubiquitin signaling cascade initiated by RNF8 and its partner, UBC13, and mediated by FAAP20, a component of the FA core complex. FAAP20 preferentially binds the ubiquitin product of RNF8-UBC13, and this ubiquitin-binding activity and RNF8-UBC13 are both required for recruitment of FAAP20 to ICLs. Both RNF8 and FAAP20 are required for recruitment of FA core complex and FANCD2 to ICLs, whereas RNF168 can modulate efficiency of the recruitment. RNF8 and FAAP20 are needed for efficient FANCD2 monoubiquitination, a key step of the FA network; RNF8 and the FA core complex work in the same pathway to promote cellular resistance to ICLs. Thus, the RNF8-FAAP20 ubiquitin cascade is critical for recruiting FA core complex to ICLs and for normal function of the FA network.

Interactions of the acidic domain and SRF interacting motifs with the NKX3.1 homeodomain.

NKX3.1 is a prostate tumor suppressor belonging to the NK-2 family of homeodomain (HD) transcription factors. NK-2 family members often possess a stretch of 10-15 residues enriched in acidic amino acids, the acidic domain (AD), in the flexible, disordered region N-terminal to the HD. Interactions between the N-terminal region of NKX3.1 and its homeodomain affect protein stability and DNA binding. CD spectroscopy measuring the thermal unfolding of NKX3.1 constructs showed a 2 degrees C intramolecular stabilization of the HD by the N-terminal region containing the acidic domain (residues 85-96). CD of mixtures of various N-terminal peptides with a construct containing just the HD showed that the acidic domain and the following region, the SRF interacting (SI) motif (residues 99-105), was necessary for this stabilization. Phosphorylation of the acidic domain is known to slow proteasomal degradation of NKX3.1 in prostate cells, and NMR spectroscopy was used to measure and map the interaction of the HD with phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of the AD peptide. The interaction with the phosphorylated AD peptide was considerably stronger (K(d) = 0.5 +/- 0.2 mM), resulting in large chemical shift perturbations for residues Ser150 and Arg175 in the HD, as well as a 2 degrees C increase in the HD thermal stability compared to that of the nonphosphorylated form. NKX3.1 constructs with AD phosphorylation site threonine residues (89 and 93) mutated to glutamate were 4 degrees C more stable than HD alone. Using polymer theory, effective concentrations for interactions between domains connected by flexible linkers are predicted to be in the millimolar range, and thus, the weak intramolecular interactions observed here could conceivably modulate or compete with stronger, intermolecular interactions with the NKX3.1 HD.

Novel protective mechanism against irreversible hyperoxidation of peroxiredoxin: Nalpha-terminal acetylation of human peroxiredoxin II.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a group of peroxidases containing a cysteine thiol at their catalytic site. During peroxidase catalysis, the catalytic cysteine, referred to as the peroxidatic cysteine (C(P)), cycles between thiol (C(P)-SH) and disulfide (-S-S-) states via a sulfenic (C(P)-SOH) intermediate. Hyperoxidation of the C(P) thiol to its sulfinic (C(P)-SO(2)H) derivative has been shown to be reversible, but its sulfonic (C(P)-SO(3)H) derivative is irreversible. Our comparative study of hyperoxidation and regeneration of Prx I and Prx II in HeLa cells revealed that Prx II is more susceptible than Prx I to hyperoxidation and that the majority of the hyperoxidized Prx II formation is reversible. However, the hyperoxidized Prx I showed much less reversibility because of the formation of its irreversible sulfonic derivative, as verified with C(P)-SO(3)H-specific antiserum. In an attempt to identify the multiple hyperoxidized spots of the Prx I on two-dimensional PAGE analysis, an N-acetylated Prx I was identified as part of the total Prx I using anti-acetylated Lys antibody. Using peptidyl-Asp metalloendopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.33) peptide fingerprints, we found that N(alpha)-terminal acetylation (N(alpha)-Ac) occurred exclusively on Prx II after demethionylation. N(alpha)-Ac of Prx II blocks Prx II from irreversible hyperoxidation without altering its affinity for hydrogen peroxide. A comparative study of non-N(alpha)-acetylated and N(alpha)-terminal acetylated Prx II revealed that N(alpha)-Ac of Prx II induces a significant shift in the circular dichroism spectrum and elevation of T(m) from 59.6 to 70.9 degrees C. These findings suggest that the structural maintenance of Prx II by N(alpha)-Ac may be responsible for preventing its hyperoxidation to form C(P)-SO(3)H.

Solution NMR structure of selenium-binding protein from Methanococcus vannielii.

Selenium is an important nutrient. The lack of selenium will suppress expression of various enzymes that will lead to cell abnormality and diseases. However, high concentrations of free selenium are toxic to the cell because it adversely affects numerous cell metabolic pathways. In Methanococcus vannielii, selenium transport in the cell is established by the selenium-binding protein, SeBP. SeBP sequesters selenium during transport, thus regulating the level of free selenium in the cell, and delivers it specifically to the selenophosphate synthase enzyme. In solution, SeBP is an oligomer of 8.8-kDa subunits. It is a symmetric pentamer. The solution structure of SeBP was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Each subunit of SeBP is composed of an alpha-helix on top of a 4-stranded twisted beta-sheet. The stability of the five subunits stems mainly from hydrophobic interactions and supplemented by hydrogen bond interactions. The loop containing Cys(59) has been shown to be important for selenium binding, is flexible, and adopts multiple conformations. However, the cysteine accessibility is restricted in the structure, reducing the possibility of the binding of free selenium readily. Therefore, a different selenium precursor or other factors might be needed to facilitate opening of this loop to expose Cys(59) for selenium binding.

ERp16, an endoplasmic reticulum-resident thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase: biochemical properties and role in apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress.

We have characterized the properties and putative role of a mammalian thioredoxin-like protein, ERp16 (previously designated ERp18, ERp19, or hTLP19). The predicted amino acid sequence of the 172-residue human protein contains an NH(2)-terminal signal peptide, a thioredoxin-like domain with an active site motif (CGAC), and a COOH-terminal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention sequence (EDEL). Analyses indicated that the mature protein (comprising 146 residues) is generated by cleavage of the 26-residue signal peptide and is localized in the lumen of the ER. Biochemical experiments with the recombinant mature protein revealed it to be a thioldisulfide oxidoreductase. Its redox potential was about -165 mV; its active site cysteine residue Cys(66) was nucleophilic with a pK(a) value of approximately 6.6; it catalyzed the formation, reduction, and isomerization of disulfide bonds, with the unusual CGAC active site motif being responsible for these activities; and it existed as a dimer and underwent a redox-dependent conformational change. The observations that the redox potential of ERp16 (-165 mV) was within the range of that of the ER (-135 to -185 mV) and that ERp16 catalyzed disulfide isomerization of scrambled ribonuclease A suggest a role for ERp16 in protein disulfide isomerization in the ER. Expression of ERp16 in HeLa cells inhibited the induction of apoptosis by agents that elicit ER stress, including brefeldin A, tunicamycin, and dithiothreitol. In contrast, expression of a catalytically inactive mutant of ERp16 potentiated such apoptosis, as did depletion of ERp16 by RNA interference. Our results suggest that ERp16 mediates disulfide bond formation in the ER and plays an important role in cellular defense against prolonged ER stress.

Mutagenesis and modeling of the peroxiredoxin (Prx) complex with the NMR structure of ATP-bound human sulfiredoxin implicate aspartate 187 of Prx I as the catalytic residue in ATP hydrolysis.

The catalytic cysteine of certain members of the peroxiredoxin (Prx) family can be hyperoxidized to cysteinesulfinic acid during reduction of peroxides. Sulfiredoxin is responsible for the ATP-dependent reduction of cysteinesulfinic acid (SO2H) of hyperoxidized Prx. Here we report the NMR solution structure of human sulfiredoxin (hSrx), both with and without bound ATP, and we model the complex of ATP-bound hSrx with Prx. Binding ATP causes only small changes in the NMR structure of hSrx, and the bound ATP conformation is quite similar to that seen for the previously reported X-ray structure of the ADP-hSrx complex. Although hSrx binds ATP, it does not catalyze hydrolysis by itself and has no catalytic acid residue typical of most ATPase and kinase family proteins. For modeling the complex, the ATP-bound hSrx was docked to hyperoxidized Prx II using EMAP of CHARMM. In the model complex, Asn186 of Prx II (Asp187 of Prx I) is in contact with the hSrx-bound ATP beta- and gamma-phosphate groups. Asp187 of Prx I was mutated to alanine and asparagine, and binding and activity of the mutants with hSrx were compared to those of the wild type. For the D187N mutant, both binding and hydrolysis and reduction activities were comparable to those of the wild type, whereas for D187A, binding was unimpaired but ATP hydrolysis and reduction did not occur. The modeling and mutagenesis analyses strongly implicate Asp187 of Prx I as the catalytic residue responsible for ATP hydrolysis in the cysteinesulfinic acid reduction of Prx by hSrx.

Molecular mechanism of the reduction of cysteine sulfinic acid of peroxiredoxin to cysteine by mammalian sulfiredoxin.

Among many proteins with cysteine sulfinic acid (Cys-SO2H) residues, the sulfinic forms of certain peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are selectively reduced by sulfiredoxin (Srx) in the presence of ATP. All Srx enzymes contain a conserved cysteine residue. To elucidate the mechanism of the Srx-catalyzed reaction, we generated various mutants of Srx and examined their interaction with PrxI, their ATPase activity, and their ability to reduce sulfinic PrxI. Our results suggest that three surface-exposed amino acid residues, corresponding to Arg50, Asp57, and Asp79 of rat Srx, are critical for substrate recognition. The presence of the sulfinic form (but not the reduced form) of PrxI induces the conserved cysteine of Srx to take the gamma-phosphate of ATP and then immediately transfers the phosphate to the sulfinic moiety of PrxI to generate a sulfinic acid phosphoryl ester (Prx-Cys-S(=O)OPO3(2-)). This ester is reductively cleaved by a thiol molecule (RSH) such as GSH, thioredoxin, and dithiothreitol to produce a disulfide-S-monoxide (Prx-Cys-S(=O)-S-R). The disulfide-S-monoxide is further reduced through the oxidation of three thiol equivalents to complete the catalytic cycle and regenerate Prx-Cys-SH.

The RING-H2-finger protein APC11 as a target of hydrogen peroxide.

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) is a ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3) that targets cell cycle regulators such as cyclin B and securin for degradation. The APC11 subunit functions as the catalytic core of this complex and mediates the transfer of ubiquitin from a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) to the substrate. APC11 contains a RING-H2-finger domain, which includes one histidine and seven cysteine residues that coordinate two Zn(2+) ions. We now show that exposure of purified APC11 to H(2)O(2) (0.1 to 1 mM) induced the release of bound zinc as a result of the oxidation of cysteine residues. It also impaired the physical interaction between APC11 and the E2 enzyme Ubc4 as well as inhibited the ubiquitination of cyclin B1 by APC11. The release of HeLa cells from metaphase arrest in the presence of exogenous H(2)O(2) inhibited the ubiquitination of cyclin B1 as well as the degradation of cyclin B1 and securin that were apparent in the absence of H(2)O(2). The presence of H(2)O(2) also blocked the co-immunoprecipitation of Ubc4 with APC11 and delayed the exit of cells from mitosis. Inhibition of APC11 function by H(2)O(2) thus likely contributes to the delay in cell cycle progression through mitosis that is characteristic of cells subjected to oxidative stress.

Eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein-3 use different modes of action.

Eotaxin selectively binds CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 3, whereas monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-3 binds CCR1, CCR2, and CCR3. To identify the functional determinants of the chemokines, we generated four reciprocal chimeric chemokines-M10E9, M22E21, E8M11, and E20M23-by shuffling the N-terminus and N-loop of eotaxin and MCP-3. M22E21 and E8M11, which shared the N-loop from MCP-3, bound to monocytes with high affinity, and activated monocytes. In contrast, M10E9 and E20M23, which lacked the N-loop, failed to bind and transduce monocyte responses, identifying the N-loop of MCP-3 as the selectivity determinant for CCR1/CCR2. A BIAcore assay with an N-terminal peptide of CCR3 (residues 1-35) revealed that all chimeras except E20M23 exhibited varying degrees of binding affinity with commensurate chemotaxis activity of eosinophils. Surprisingly, E20M23 could neither bind the CCR3 peptide nor activate eosinophils, despite having both N-terminal motifs from eotaxin. These results suggest that the two N-terminal motifs of eotaxin must cooperate with other regions to successfully bind and activate CCR3.