Secretion of a low-molecular-weight species of endogenous GRP94 devoid of the KDEL motif during endoplasmic reticulum stress in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

GRP94 (glucose-regulated protein 94) is a well-studied chaperone with a lysine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and leucine (KDEL) motif at its C-terminal, which is responsible for GRP94 localization in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). GRP94 is upregulated during ER stress to help fold unfolded proteins or direct proteins to ER-associated degradation. In a previous study, engineered GRP94 without the KDEL motif stimulated a powerful immune response in vaccine cells. In this report, we show that endogenous GRP94 is naturally secreted into the medium in a truncated form that lacks the KDEL motif in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The secretion of the truncated form of GRP94 was stimulated by the induction of ER stress. These truncations prevent GRP94 recognition by KDEL receptors and retention inside the cell. This study sheds light on a potential trafficking phenomenon during the unfolded protein response that may help understand the functional role of GRP94 as a trafficking molecule.

[Stanford Type B Acute Aortic Dissection Complicated by Lower Limb Ischemia Late after Abdominal Aortic Graft Replacement].

Leg ischemia is a serious complication of acute aortic dissection. Few cases of lower extremity ischemia due to dissection late after abdominal aortic graft replacement have been reported. Critical limb ischemia occurs when true lumen blood flow is obstructed by the false lumen at the proximal anastomosis of the abdominal aortic graft. Usually, the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is reimplanted to the aortic graft to avoid intestinal ischemia. We therein report a case of Stanford type B acute aortic dissection, in which previously reimplanted IMA prevented bilateral lower extremity ischemia. A 58-years-old male with a history of abdominal aortic replacement experienced sudden onset of epigastralgia and subsequent pain in the back and the right lower limb and was admitted to the authors' hospital. Computed tomography (CT) revealed Stanford type B acute aortic dissection, and occlusion of the abdominal aortic graft, and the right common iliac artery. However, the left common iliac artery was perfused through the reconstructed IMA during previous abdominal aortic replacement. The patient underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair and thrombectomy, and had an uneventful recovery. For residual arterial thrombi in the abdominal aortic graft, oral warfarin potassium was administered for 16 days until the day of discharge. Since then, the thrombus has dissolved and the patient has been doing well without any lower extremity disorders.

Giant aneurysmal coronary artery fistula originating from the left circumflex artery: Two case reports.

Coronary artery fistula (CAF) is one of the most common coronary artery anomalies. The most common fistulas originate from the right coronary artery and drain into the right heart structures. Due to the variety of coronary fistulas, the surgical treatment strategy is individualized for each case. We report two cases of giant aneurysmal CAF originating from the left circumflex artery. One case required coronary artery bypass grafting, while the other did not.

Early results of expanding the anatomical indications for using a Gore Iliac branch endoprosthesis to treat aortoiliac and iliac aneurysms.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and anatomical suitability of using a Gore Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis (IBE) in aortoiliac and iliac aneurysm repair. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2020, 20 patients underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with a Gore IBE device (bilateral IBE, n = 1) after expanding the instructions for use (IFU) criteria. We evaluated the early clinical outcomes and suitability of the IFU criteria, retrospectively. RESULTS: Six patients (30%) met all the IFU criteria. Anatomical suitability according to the IFU criteria for the collective total of 21 IBE limbs was confirmed for 10 (47.6%) proximal common iliac arteries, 21 (100%) external iliac arteries, 18 (85.7%) internal iliac arteries, and in the length from the lowest renal artery to the iliac bifurcation in 15 (71.8%) patients. Assisted primary technical success was achieved in all patients with various bail-out techniques. One patient (5%) required a bare-stent insertion 7 days after EVAR for severe stenosis in the ipsilateral limb caused by a small terminal aorta. There was no case of occlusion of an iliac branch component device. CONCLUSIONS: Gore IBEs were implanted safely and effectively with various bail-out techniques to repair aortoiliac and iliac aneurysms in our Japanese patients with a low rate of inclusion IFU criteria.

[Repeated Heart Failure after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using Self-expandable Bioprosthetic Valve:Report of a Case].

The patient was an 81-year-old man. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation( TAVI) was performed for severe aortic stenosis using Evolut R. The patient moved to intensive care unit without an adverse event after the operation. But repeated acute heart failure occurred several times during hospital stay. Mitral regurgitation (MR) was worsened from mild at baseline to moderate or more by transthoracic echocardiography. Various factors that worsened MR after TAVI have been reported, and treatment strategy for severe aortic stenosis patients with MR should be carefully developed.

[Rupture of Tuberculous Infective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm after Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Instillation Therapy].

The patient was a 74-year-old male who had undergone intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin(BCG) instillation therapy for bladder cancer. He visited our hospital with chief complaints of fever and abdominal pain. Abdominal aortic aneurysmal rupture and iliopsoas muscle abscess were confirmed by computed tomography( CT). We performed semi-emergency surgery, including replacement of the abdominal aorta with a synthetic graft, iliopsoas abscess debridement, and omentopexy. A rifampicin-bonded synthetic graft was used because of the possibility of tuberculous involvement after BCG instillation therapy. Examination of the tissues collected during surgery were positive for tuberculosis deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and showed multiple giant cell granulomas with caseous necrosis, which both strongly suggested involvement of tuberculosis. Therefore, 4 types of antituberculous drugs were administered for 40 days. This case shows that an infective aneurysm should be suspected when fever and abdominal pain develop after intravesical BCG instillation therapy.

[Thrombus in the Right Atrial Appendage Detected Incidentally during Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting;Report of a Case].

A 71-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for treatment of complete atrioventricular block. By cardiac catheterization, chronic occlusion was confirmed in the right coronary artery and circumflex branch, and coronary artery bypass grafting was planned. Although atrioventricular block disappeared by discontinuance of ß-blocker, paroxysmal atrial flutter had been confirmed before surgery. After an incision into the pericardium, changes in the color of the right atrial appendage were observed, and a thrombus was detected at the site by epicardial echography. The right atrial appendage was removed together with the thrombus, and coronary artery bypass grafting was performed as scheduled. Pathological findings suggested myocardial tissues with ischemic changes and an organized thrombus exhibiting granulomatous changes. This case suggested the need to observe the right atrial appendage carefully during cardiac surgery in patients with risk factors for atrial thrombus.

[Surgical Repair of Kommerell's Diverticulum with Right Sided Aortic Arch;Report of a Case].

A 54-year-old woman was referred for assessment of dysphagia and extrinsic compression of the esophagus detected by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Computed tomography revealed the rightsided aortic arch with mirror image branching and Kommerell's diverticulum. To relieve the esophageal compression, surgical intervention was indicated. Descending aortic replacement with a Dacron graft was performed through right thoracotomy under partial cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was discharged without any complication, and her dysphagia disappeared.

Structural Basis for the Serratia marcescens Lipase Secretion System: Crystal Structures of the Membrane Fusion Protein and Nucleotide-Binding Domain.

Serratia marcescens secretes a lipase, LipA, through a type I secretion system (T1SS). The T1SS for LipA, the Lip system, is composed of an inner membrane ABC transporter with its nucleotide-binding domains (NBD), LipB, a membrane fusion protein, LipC, and an outer membrane channel protein, LipD. Passenger protein secreted by this system has been functionally and structurally characterized well, but relatively little information about the transporter complex is available. Here, we report the crystallographic studies of LipC without the membrane anchor region, LipC-, and the NBD of LipB (LipB-NBD). LipC- crystallographic analysis has led to the determination of the structure of the long α-helical and lipoyl domains, but not the area where it interacts with LipB, suggesting that the region is flexible without LipB. The long α-helical domain has three α-helices, which interacts with LipD in the periplasm. LipB-NBD has the common overall architecture and ATP hydrolysis activity of ABC transporter NBDs. Using the predicted models of full-length LipB and LipD, the overall structural insight into the Lip system is discussed.

8-(3-chloro-4-methoxybenzyl)-8H-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one derivatives as potent and selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors.

A novel series of highly selective phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors was found. 8H-Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one derivatives bearing an (S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl group at the 2-position and a 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzyl group at the 8-position exhibited potent PDE5 inhibitory activities and high PDE5 selectivity over PDE6. Among the synthesized compounds, the 5-methyl analogue (5b) showed the most potent relaxant effect on isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum with an EC30 value of 0.85 nM.

Crystal structure and thermodynamic and kinetic stability of metagenome-derived LC-cutinase.

The crystal structure of metagenome-derived LC-cutinase with polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-degrading activity was determined at 1.5 Å resolution. The structure strongly resembles that of Thermobifida alba cutinase. Ser165, Asp210, and His242 form the catalytic triad. Thermal denaturation and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl)-induced unfolding of LC-cutinase were analyzed at pH 8.0 by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The midpoint of the transition of the thermal denaturation curve, T1/2, and that of the GdnHCl-induced unfolding curve, Cm, at 30 °C were 86.2 °C and 4.02 M, respectively. The free energy change of unfolding in the absence of GdnHCl, ΔG(H2O), was 41.8 kJ mol(-1) at 30 °C. LC-cutinase unfolded very slowly in GdnHCl with an unfolding rate, ku(H2O), of 3.28 × 10(-6) s(-1) at 50 °C. These results indicate that LC-cutinase is a kinetically robust protein. Nevertheless, the optimal temperature for the activity of LC-cutinase toward p-nitrophenyl butyrate (50 °C) was considerably lower than the T1/2 value. It increased by 10 °C in the presence of 1% polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000. It also increased by at least 20 °C when PET was used as a substrate. These results suggest that the active site is protected from a heat-induced local conformational change by binding of PEG or PET. LC-cutinase contains one disulfide bond between Cys275 and Cys292. To examine whether this disulfide bond contributes to the thermodynamic and kinetic stability of LC-cutinase, C275/292A-cutinase without this disulfide bond was constructed. Thermal denaturation studies and equilibrium and kinetic studies of the GdnHCl-induced unfolding of C275/292A-cutinase indicate that this disulfide bond contributes not only to the thermodynamic stability but also to the kinetic stability of LC-cutinase.

Structural and mechanistic insights into the kynurenine aminotransferase-mediated excretion of kynurenic acid.

Kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) is a homodimeric pyridoxal protein that mediates the catalytic conversion of kynurenine (KYN) to kynurenic acid (KYA), an endogenous N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. KAT is involved in the biosynthesis of glutamic and aspartic acid, functions as a neurotransmitter for the NMDA receptor in mammals, and is regulated by allosteric mechanisms. Its importance in various diseases such as schizophrenia makes KAT a highly attractive drug target. Here, we present the crystal structure of the Pyrococcus horikoshii KAT (PhKAT) in complex with pyridoxamine phosphates (PMP), KYN, and KYA. Surprisingly, the PMP was bound to the LYS-269 of phKAT by forming a covalent hydrazine bond. This crystal structure clearly shows that an amino group of KYN was transaminated to PLP, which forms a Schiff's base with the LYS-269 of the KYN. Thus, our structure confirms that the PMPs represent an intermediate state during the KAT reaction. Thus, PhKAT catalyzes the sequential conversion of KYN to KYA via the formation of an intermediate 4-(2-aminophenyl)-2,4-dioxobutanoate (4AD), which is spontaneously converted to KYA in the absence of an amino group acceptor. Furthermore, we identified the two entry and exit sites of the PhKAT homodimer for KYN and KYA, respectively. The structural data on PhKAT presented in this manuscript contributes to further the understanding of transaminase enzyme reaction mechanisms.

Structural basis for salt-dependent folding of ribonuclease H1 from halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. NRC-1.

RNase H1 from extreme halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 (Halo-RNase H1) requires ⩾2M NaCl, ⩾10mM MnCl2, or ⩾300mM MgCl2 for folding. To understand the structural basis for this salt-dependent folding of Halo-RNase H1, the crystal structure of Halo-RNase H1 was determined in the presence of 10mM MnCl2. The structure of Halo-RNase H1 highly resembles those of metagenome-derived LC11-RNase H1 and Sulfolobus tokodaii RNase H1 (Sto-RNase H1), except that it contains two Mn(2+) ions at the active site and has three bi-aspartate sites on its surface. To examine whether negative charge repulsion at these sites are responsible for low-salt denaturation of Halo-RNase H1, a series of the mutant proteins of Halo-RNase H1 at these sites were constructed. The far-UV CD spectra of these mutant proteins measured in the presence of various concentrations of NaCl suggest that these mutant proteins exist in an equilibrium between a partially folded state and a folded state. However, the fraction of the protein in a folded state is nearly 0% for the active site mutant, 40% for the bi-aspartate site mutant, and 70% for the mutant at both sites in the absence of salt. The active site mutant requires relatively low concentration (∼0.5M) of salt for folding. These results suggest that suppression of negative charge repulsion at both active and bi-aspartate sites by salt is necessary to yield a folded protein.

Design and synthesis of novel 5-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)-4-aminopyrimidine derivatives as potent and selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors: scaffold hopping using a pseudo-ring by intramolecular hydrogen bond formation.

5-(3,4,5-Trimethoxybenzoyl)-4-amimopyrimidine derivatives were found as a novel chemical class of potent and highly selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. A pseudo-ring formed by an intramolecular hydrogen bond constrained the conformation of 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzylamino and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl substituents and led to the discovery of T-6932 (19a) with a potent PDE5 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.13 nM) and a high selectivity over PDE6 (IC50 ratio: PDE6/PDE5 = 2400). Further modification at the 2-position of T-6932 resulted in the finding of 26, which exhibited potent relaxant effects on isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum (EC30 = 11 nM) with a high PDE5 selectivity over PDE6 (IC50 ratio: PDE6/PDE5 = 2800).

The discovery of avanafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a novel pyrimidine-5-carboxamide derivative as a potent and highly selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor.

Novel pyrimidine-5-carboxamide derivatives bearing a 3-chloro-4-methoxybenzylamino group at the 4-position were identified as potent and highly selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. Among them, we successfully found 10j (avanafil) which exhibited a potent relaxant effect on isolated rabbit cavernosum (EC30=2.1 nM) and a high isozyme selectivity.

Proteolysis of abnormal prion protein with a thermostable protease from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1.

The abnormal prion protein (scrapie-associated prion protein, PrP(Sc)) is considered to be included in the group of infectious agents of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Since PrP(Sc) is highly resistant to normal sterilization procedures, the decontamination of PrP(Sc) is a significant public health issue. In the present study, a hyperthermostable protease, Tk-subtilisin, was used to degrade PrP(Sc). Although PrP(Sc) is known to be resistant toward proteolytic enzymes, Tk-subtilisin was able to degrade PrP(Sc) under extreme conditions. The level of PrP(Sc) in brain homogenates was found to decrease significantly in vitro following Tk-subtilisin treatment at 100 °C, whereas some protease-resistant fractions remain after proteinase K treatment. Rather small amounts of Tk-subtilisin (0.3 U) were required to degrade PrP(Sc) at 100 °C and pH 8.0. In addition, Tk-subtilisin was observed to degrade PrP(Sc) in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate or other industrial surfactants. Although several proteases degrading PrP(Sc) have been reported, practical decontamination procedures using enzymes are not available. This report aims to provide basic information for the practical use of a proteolytic enzyme for PrP(Sc) degradation.

Sar1A overexpression in Chinese hamster ovary cells and its effects on antibody productivity and secretion.

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most widely used for therapeutic antibody production. In cell line development, engineering secretion processes such as folding-related protein upregulation is an effective way of constructing cell lines with high recombinant protein productivity. However, there have been few studies on the transport of recombinant proteins between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus. In this study, Sar1A, a protein involved in COPII vesicle formation, was focused on to improve antibody productivity by enhancing COPII vesicle-mediated antibody transport from the ER to the Golgi apparatus, and to clarify its effect on the secretion process. The constructed Sar1A-overexpressing CHO cell lines were batch-cultured, in which they showed an increased specific antibody production rate. The intracellular antibody accumulation and the specific localization of the intracellular antibodies were investigated by chase assay using a translation inhibitor and observed by immunofluorescence-based imaging analysis. The results showed that Sar1A overexpression reduced intracellular antibody accumulation, especially in the ER. The effects of the engineered antibody transport on the antibody's glycosylation profile and the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and UPR-related gene expression evaluation, respectively. Sar1A overexpression lowered glycan galactosylation and induced a stronger UPR at the end of the batch culture. Sar1A overexpression enhanced the antibody productivity of CHO cells by modifying their secretion process. This approach could also contribute to the production of not only monoclonal antibodies but also other therapeutic proteins that require transport by COPII vesicles.

Rational design approach to improve the solubility of the ß-sandwich domain 1 of a thermophilic protein.

The ß-sandwich domain 1 (SD1) of islandisin is a stable thermophilic protein with surface loops that can be redesigned for specific target binding, architecturally comparable to the variable domain of immunoglobulin (IgG). SD1's propensity to aggregate due to incorrect folding and subsequent accumulation in Escherichia coli inclusion bodies limits its use in biotechnological applications. We rationally designed SD1 for improved variants that were expressed in soluble forms in E. coli while maintaining the intrinsic thermal stability of the protein (melting temperature (Tm) = 73). We used FoldX's ΔΔG predictions to find beneficial mutations and aggregation-prone regions (APRs) using Tango. The S26K substitution within protein core residues did not affect protein stability. Among the soluble mutants studied, the S26K/Q91P combination significantly improved the expression and solubility of SD1. We also examined the effects of the surface residue, pH, and concentration on the solubility of SD1. We showed that the surface polarity of proteins had little or no effect on solubility, whereas surface charges played a substantial role. The storage stability of several SD1 variants was impaired at pH values near their isoelectric point, and pH levels resulting in highly charged groups. We observed that mutations that create an uneven distribution of charged groups on the SD1 surface could enhance protein solubility by eliminating favorable protein-protein surface charge interactions. Our findings suggest that SD1 is mutationally tolerant to new functionalities, thus providing a novel perspective for the application of rational design to improve the solubility of targeted proteins.

Formation of the high-affinity calcium binding site in pro-subtilisin E with the insertion sequence IS1 of pro-Tk-subtilisin.

Subtilisin E is activated from its inactive precursor Pro-subtilisin E by autoprocessing and degradation of the propeptide. Subtilisin E has two calcium binding sites, the high-affinity Ca1 site and the low-affinity Ca2 site. The Ca1 site is conserved in various subtilisin-like proteases and is important for stability. This site is not formed in Pro-subtilisin E, because the structural rearrangement of the N-terminal region of the subtilisin domain upon autoprocessing is necessary for the formation of this site. As a result, Pro-subtilisin E is not fully folded. In contrast, Pro-Tk-subtilisin from Thermococcus kodakarensis is fully folded, because it does not require the structural rearrangement upon autoprocessing for the formation of the Ca1 site due to the presence of the insertion sequence IS1 between the propeptide and subtilisin domains. To examine whether the Ca1 site is formed in Pro-subtilisin E by inserting IS1 between the propeptide and subtilisin domains, the Pro-subtilisin E mutant with this insertion, IS1-Pro-subtilisin E, and its active site mutants, IS1-Pro-S221A and IS1-Pro-S221C, were constructed and characterized. The crystal structure of IS1-Pro-S221A revealed that this protein is fully folded and the Ca1 site is formed. In this structure, IS1 serves as a linker that brings the N-terminus of the subtilisin domain near the Ca1 site. IS1-Pro-S221A in a calcium-bound form was more stable than that in a calcium-free form by 13.1 °C. IS1-Pro-S221C was more rapidly autoprocessed than Pro-S221C. These results suggest that IS1 facilitates the formation of the Ca1 site and the complete folding of Pro-subtilisin E and thereby accelerates its autoprocessing.

Evolvability of thermophilic proteins from archaea and bacteria.

Proteins from thermophiles possess high thermostability. The stabilization mechanisms differ between archaeal and bacterial proteins, whereby archaeal proteins are mainly stabilized via hydrophobic interactions and bacterial proteins by ion pairs. High stability is an important factor in promoting protein evolution, but the precise means by which different stabilization mechanisms affect the evolution process remain unclear. In this study, we investigated a random mutational drift of esterases from thermophilic archaea and bacteria at high temperatures. Our results indicate that mutations in archaeal proteins lead to improved function with no loss of stability, while mutant bacterial proteins are largely destabilized with decreased activity at high temperatures. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that archaeal proteins possess higher "evolvability" than bacterial proteins under temperature selection and are additionally able to evolve into eukaryotic proteins.