Molecular mechanism of glutaminase activation through filamentation and the role of filaments in mitophagy protection.

Glutaminase (GLS), which deaminates glutamine to form glutamate, is a mitochondrial tetrameric protein complex. Although inorganic phosphate (Pi) is known to promote GLS filamentation and activation, the molecular basis of this mechanism is unknown. Here we aimed to determine the molecular mechanism of Pi-induced mouse GLS filamentation and its impact on mitochondrial physiology. Single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy revealed an allosteric mechanism in which Pi binding at the tetramer interface and the activation loop is coupled to direct nucleophile activation at the active site. The active conformation is prone to enzyme filamentation. Notably, human GLS filaments form inside tubulated mitochondria following glutamine withdrawal, as shown by in situ cryo-electron tomography of cells thinned by cryo-focused ion beam milling. Mitochondria with GLS filaments exhibit increased protection from mitophagy. We reveal roles of filamentous GLS in mitochondrial morphology and recycling.

Glutaminase Affects the Transcriptional Activity of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ (PPARγ) via Direct Interaction.

Phosphate-activated glutaminases catalyze the deamidation of glutamine to glutamate and play key roles in several physiological and pathological processes. In humans, GLS encodes two multidomain splicing isoforms: KGA and GAC. In both isoforms, the canonical glutaminase domain is flanked by an N-terminal region that is folded into an EF-hand-like four-helix bundle. However, the splicing event replaces a well-structured three-repeat ankyrin domain in KGA with a shorter, unordered C-terminal stretch in GAC. The multidomain architecture, which contains putative protein-protein binding motifs, has led to speculation that glutaminases are involved in cellular processes other than glutamine metabolism; in fact, some proteins have been identified as binding partners of KGA and the isoforms of its paralogue gene, GLS2. Here, a yeast two-hybrid assay identified nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) as a new binding partner of the glutaminase. We show that KGA and GAC directly bind PPARγ with a low-micromolar dissociation constant; the interaction involves the N-terminal and catalytic domains of glutaminases as well as the ligand-binding domain of the nuclear receptor. The interaction occurs within the nucleus, and by sequestering PPARγ from its responsive element DR1, the glutaminases decreased nuclear receptor activity as assessed by a luciferase reporter assay. Altogether, our findings reveal an unexpected glutaminase-binding partner and, for the first time, directly link mitochondrial glutaminases to an unanticipated role in gene regulation.

Guanylate-binding protein-1 is a potential new therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by a lack of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression (ESR and PGR, respectively) and an absence of human epithelial growth factor receptor (ERBB2) amplification. Approximately 15-20% of breast malignancies are TNBC. Patients with TNBC often have an unfavorable prognosis. In addition, TNBC represents an important clinical challenge since it does not respond to hormone therapy. METHODS: In this work, we integrated high-throughput mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data from normal and tumor tissues (obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas, TCGA) and cell lines obtained through in-house sequencing or available from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to generate a unified list of differentially expressed (DE) genes. Methylome and proteomic data were integrated to our analysis to give further support to our findings. Genes that were overexpressed in TNBC were then curated to retain new potentially druggable targets based on in silico analysis. Knocking-down was used to assess gene importance for TNBC cell proliferation. RESULTS: Our pipeline analysis generated a list of 243 potential new targets for treating TNBC. We finally demonstrated that knock-down of Guanylate-Binding Protein 1 (GBP1 ), one of the candidate genes, selectively affected the growth of TNBC cell lines. Moreover, we showed that GBP1 expression was controlled by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in breast cancer cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that GBP1 is a new potential druggable therapeutic target for treating TNBC with enhanced EGFR expression.

A S-nitrosação do mTORC1 reduz a proliferação de linhagens tumorais humanas / S-nitrosation of mTORC1 reduces cancer cell proliferation

A S-nitrosação é uma modificação pós-traducional dinâmica e reversível de proteínas que controla importantes funções celulares através da alteração de resíduos tióis de cisteínas pelo óxido nítrico (NO). Assim como a fosforilação, a S-nitrosação é capaz de alterar a conformação, a atividade e a função de proteínas e contribui em grande parte para a influência ubíqua do NO nas vias de transdução de sinal celulares. Inúmeras evidências apontam para um papel crucial da S-nitrosação não apenas na fisiologia dos organismos, mas também em inúmeras doenças humanas, entre elas o câncer. Entretanto, trata-se de um mecanismo ainda pouco explorado de modulação de proteínas envolvidas com a progressão tumoral, como as presentes na via do mTOR. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho é analisar os mecanismos pelos quais o NO afeta a função do mTOR. A análise da S-nitrosação do mTOR foi realizada através do Biotin Switch Method e demonstra que o doador exógeno de NO, GSNO, aumenta os níveis de mTOR S-nitrosada. Além disso, a GSNO reduz a fosforilação das proteínas mTOR, p70S6K e 4EBP-1 de forma tempo- e dose-dependente. A fosforilação da proteína p70S6K, reduzida pela exposição ao NO, é restaurada pela adição do agente redutor e denitrosante DTT. Entretanto, o pré-tratamento das linhagens celulares PC-3, DU145 e MCF-7 com o inibidor da guanilil ciclase, ODQ, ou com o sequestrador de NO livre, PTIO, não reverte o efeito da GSNO na fosforilação das proteínas mTOR, p70S6K e 4EBP-1, corroborando a hipótese de que o mTORC1 é modulado por S-nitrosação. A viabilidade das linhagens tumorais humanas PC3, DU145, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, HT-29, CACO-2 e A549 também diminui após exposição aos doadores de NO, sendo observada redução da proliferação e aumento da morte celular. As linhagens PC-3, MCF-7 e MDA-MB-468, que apresentam mutações ativadoras na cascada de sinalização PI3K-mTOR, são mais sensíveis à presença do NO. Assim, a S-nitrosação do mTORC1 é uma importante modificação...

S-Nitrosation is a dynamic and reversible post-translational modification of proteins that controls important cellular functions through the modification of cysteine thiol side chains by nitric oxide (NO). mTOR signaling pathway deregulation is involved in various cancer types and contributes to cancer cell proliferation as well as growth factor independence. The aim of this work was to analyze the mechanisms by which S-nitrosogluthatione (GSNO) affects mTOR function. S-nitrosation of mTOR was assessed by the Biotin Switch Method. GSNO was shown to S-nitrosate mTOR with a consequent time- and dose-dependent decrease in the phosphorylation of mTOR and S6K proteins, which were reversed by the addition of the denitrosating agent DTT. Pre-treatments of cells with the inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, ODQ, or with the NO scavenger, PTIO, had no effect on the GSNO-mediated decrease in phosphorylation of mTOR and its substrates p70S6K and 4EBP-1. Results also demonstrated that cancer cell line viability decreased after exposure to the NO donors GSNO and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-cysteine (SNAC), altering proliferation and increasing cell death. PC-3, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines, which have mutations in the PI3K-mTOR pathway, showed a greater response to GSNO. Therefore, S-nitrosation is a novel post-translational modification capable of modulating mTOR activity, with possible therapeutic implications..