Molecular mechanisms of cutis laxa- and distal renal tubular acidosis-causing mutations in V-ATPase a subunits, ATP6V0A2 and ATP6V0A4.

The a subunit is the largest of 15 different subunits that make up the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) complex, where it functions in proton translocation. In mammals, this subunit has four paralogous isoforms, a1-a4, which may encode signals for targeting assembled V-ATPases to specific intracellular locations. Despite the functional importance of the a subunit, its structure remains controversial. By studying molecular mechanisms of human disease-causing missense mutations within a subunit isoforms, we may identify domains critical for V-ATPase targeting, activity and/or regulation. cDNA-encoded FLAG-tagged human wildtype ATP6V0A2 (a2) and ATP6V0A4 (a4) subunits and their mutants, a2P405L (causing cutis laxa), and a4R449H and a4G820R (causing renal tubular acidosis, dRTA), were transiently expressed in HEK 293 cells. N-Glycosylation was assessed using endoglycosidases, revealing that a2P405L, a4R449H, and a4G820R were fully N-glycosylated. Cycloheximide (CHX) chase assays revealed that a2P405L and a4R449H were unstable relative to wildtype. a4R449H was degraded predominantly in the proteasomal pathway, whereas a2P405L was degraded in both proteasomal and lysosomal pathways. Immunofluorescence studies disclosed retention in the endoplasmic reticulum and defective cell-surface expression of a4R449H and defective Golgi trafficking of a2P405L Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed an increase in association of a4R449H with the V0 assembly factor VMA21, and a reduced association with the V1 sector subunit, ATP6V1B1 (B1). For a4G820R, where stability, degradation, and trafficking were relatively unaffected, 3D molecular modeling suggested that the mutation causes dRTA by blocking the proton pathway. This study provides critical information that may assist rational drug design to manage dRTA and cutis laxa.

N-linked glycosylation of a subunit isoforms is critical for vertebrate vacuolar H+ -ATPase (V-ATPase) biosynthesis.

The a subunit of the V0 membrane-integrated sector of human V-ATPase has four isoforms, a1-a4, with diverse and crucial functions in health and disease. They are encoded by four conserved paralogous genes, and their vertebrate orthologs have positionally conserved N-glycosylation sequons within the second extracellular loop, EL2, of the a subunit membrane domain. Previously, we have shown directly that the predicted sequon for the a4 isoform is indeed N-glycosylated. Here we extend our investigation to the other isoforms by transiently transfecting HEK 293 cells to express cDNA constructs of epitope-tagged human a1-a3 subunits, with or without mutations that convert Asn to Gln at putative N-glycosylation sites. Expression and N-glycosylation were characterized by immunoblotting and mobility shifts after enzymatic deglycosylation, and intracellular localization was determined using immunofluorescence microscopy. All unglycosylated mutants, where predicted N-glycosylation sites had been eliminated by sequon mutagenesis, showed increased relative mobility on immunoblots, identical to what was seen for wild-type a subunits after enzymatic deglycosylation. Cycloheximide-chase experiments showed that unglycosylated subunits were turned over at a higher rate than N-glycosylated forms by degradation in the proteasomal pathway. Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis showed that unglycosylated a subunits were retained in the ER, and co-immunoprecipitation studies showed that they were unable to associate with the V-ATPase assembly chaperone, VMA21. Taken together with our previous a4 subunit studies, these observations show that N-glycosylation is crucial in all four human V-ATPase a subunit isoforms for protein stability and ultimately for functional incorporation into V-ATPase complexes.

Controlled bone formation using ultrasound-triggered release of BMP-2 from liposomes.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) is used clinically to enhance implant-mediated bone regeneration. However, there are risks associated with the high rhBMP-2 dose that is required in the implant to mitigate diffusional loss over the therapeutic timespan. On-demand, localized control over delivery of rhBMP-2, days after implantation, would therefore be an attractive solution in the area of bone repair and reconstruction, yet this has posed a significant challenge, with little data to support in vivo efficacy to date. To address this, we have developed novel liposome-rhBMP-2 nanocomplexes that release rhBMP-2 in response to non-thermogenic, clinical diagnostic ultrasound exposure. In vitro validation shows that rhBMP-2 release is in proportion to applied ultrasound pressure and duration of exposure. Moreover, here we show in vivo validation of this ultrasound-triggered rhBMP-2 delivery system in a standard mouse bone regeneration model. Implanted into hindleg muscles, the liposome-rhBMP-2 nanocomplexes induced local bone formation only after ultrasound exposure. Such post-implantation control of delivery has potential to improve the safety, efficacy and cost of rhBMP-2 use in bone reconstruction. Furthermore, this first proof-of-concept demonstration of in vivo efficacy for ultrasound-triggered liposomal delivery of rhBMP-2 has broader implications for tunable delivery of a variety of drugs and biologics in medicine and tissue engineering.

N-Linked Glycosylation Is Required for Vacuolar H+ -ATPase (V-ATPase) a4 Subunit Stability, Assembly, and Cell Surface Expression.

The a subunit is the largest of 14 different subunits that make up the V-ATPase complex. In mammalian species this membrane protein has four paralogous isoforms, a1-a4. Clinically, a subunit isoforms are implicated in diverse diseases; however, little is known about their structure and function. The subunit has conserved, predicted N-glycosylation sites, and the a3 isoform has been directly shown to be N-glycosylated. Here we ask if human a4 (ATP6V0A4) is N-glycosylated at the predicted site, Asn489. We transfected HEK 293 cells, using the pCDNA3.1 expression-vector system, to express cDNA constructs of epitope-tagged human a4 subunit, with or without mutations to eliminate the putative glycosylation site. Glycosylation was characterized also by treatment with endoglycosidases; expression and localization were assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. Endoglycosidase-treated wild type (WT) a4 showed increased relative mobility on immunoblots, compared with untreated WT a4. This relative mobility was identical to that of unglycosylated mutant a4N489D , demonstrating that the a4 subunit is glycosylated. Cycloheximide pulse-chase experiments showed that the unglycosylated subunit degraded at a higher rate than the N-glycosylated form. Unglycosylated a4 was degraded mostly in the proteasomal pathway, but also, in part, through the lysosomal pathway. Immunofluorescence colocalization data showed that unglycosylated a4 was mostly retained in the ER, and that plasma membrane trafficking was defective. Co-immunoprecipitation studies suggested that a4N489D does not assemble with the V-ATPase V1 domain. Taken together, these data show that N-glycosylation plays a crucial role in a4 stability, and in V-ATPase assembly and trafficking to the plasma membrane. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2757-2768, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Novel techniques in the development of osteoporosis drug therapy: the osteoclast ruffled-border vacuolar H(+)-ATPase as an emerging target.

INTRODUCTION: Bone loss occurs in many diseases, including osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease. For osteoporosis alone, it is estimated that 75 million people are afflicted worldwide, with high risks of fractures and increased morbidity and mortality. The demand for treatment consumes an ever-increasing share of healthcare resources. Successive generations of antiresorptive bisphosphonate drugs have reduced side effects, minimized frequency of dosing, and increased efficacy in halting osteoporotic bone loss, but their shortcomings have remained significant to the extent that a monoclonal antibody antiresorptive has recently taken a significant market share. Yet this latter, paradigm-shifting approach has its own drawbacks. AREAS COVERED: This review summarizes recent literature on bone-remodeling cell and molecular biology and the background for existing approaches and emerging therapeutics and targets for treating osteoporosis. The authors discuss vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) molecular biology and the recent advances in targeting the osteoclast ruffled-border V-ATPase (ORV) for the development of novel antiresorptive drugs. They also cover examples from the V-ATPase-targeted drug discovery literature, including conventional molecular biology methods, in silico drug discovery, and gene therapy in more detail as proofs of concept. EXPERT OPINION: Existing therapeutic options for osteoporosis have limitations and inherent drawbacks. Thus, the search for novel approaches to osteoporosis drug discovery remains relevant. Targeting the ORV may be one of the more selective means of regulating bone resorption. Furthermore, this approach may be effective without removing active osteoclasts from the finely balanced osteoclast-osteoblast coupling required for normal bone remodeling.

Topology, glycosylation and conformational changes in the membrane domain of the vacuolar H+-ATPase a subunit.

Published topological models of the integral membrane a subunit of the vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase complex have not been in agreement with respect to either the number of transmembrane helices within the integral membrane domain, or their limits and orientations within the lipid bilayer. In the present work we have constructed a predictive model of the membrane insertion of the yeast a subunit, Vph1p, from a consensus of seven topology prediction algorithms. The model was tested experimentally using epitope tagging, green fluorescent protein fusion, and protease accessibility analysis in purified yeast vacuoles. Results suggest that a consensus prediction of eight transmembrane helices with both the amino-terminus and carboxyl-terminus in the cytoplasm is correct. Characterization of two glycosylation sites within the homologous mouse a subunit membrane domain further corroborates this topology. Moreover, the model takes into account published data on cytoplasmic and luminal accessibility of specific amino acids. Changes in the degree of protease accessibility in response to the V-ATPase substrate, MgATP, and the V-ATPase-specific inhibitor, concanamycin A, suggest that functional conformational changes occur in the large cytoplasmic loop between TM6 and TM7 of Vph1p. These data substantially confirm one topological model of the V-ATPase a subunit and support the notion that conformational changes occur within the membrane domain, possibly involving previously proposed axial rotation and/or linear displacement of TM7 in the proton transport cycle.

Luteolin inhibition of V-ATPase a3-d2 interaction decreases osteoclast resorptive activity.

V-ATPase-mediated acid secretion is required for osteoclast bone resorption. Osteoclasts are enriched in V-ATPase a3 and d2 subunit isoforms, and disruption of either of their genes impairs bone resorption. Using purified fusion proteins of a3 N-terminal domain (NTa3) and full-length d subunits we determined in a solid-phase binding assay that half-maximal binding of d1 or d2 to immobilized NTa3 occurs at 3.1 ± 0.4 or 3.6 ± 0.6 nM, respectively, suggesting equally high-affinity interactions. A high-throughput modification of this assay was then used to screen chemical libraries for a3-d2 interaction inhibitors, and luteolin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, was identified, with half-maximal inhibition at 2.4 ± 0.9 µM. Luteolin did not significantly affect NIH/3T3 or RAW 264.7 cell viability, nor did it affect cytokine-induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW 264.7 cells or bone marrow mononuclear cells at concentrations ≤ 40 µM. Luteolin inhibited osteoclast bone resorption with an EC(50) of approximately 2.5 µM, without affecting osteoclast actin ring formation. Luteolin-treated osteoclasts produced deeper resorption pits, but with decreased surface area, resulting in overall decreased pit volume. Luteolin did not affect transcription, or protein levels, of V-ATPase subunits a3, d2, and E, or V(1) V(0) assembly. Previous work has shown that luteolin can be effective in reducing bone resorption, and our studies suggest that this effect of luteolin may be through disruption of osteoclast V-ATPase a3-d2 interaction. We conclude that the V-ATPase a3-d2 interaction is a viable target for novel anti-resorptive therapeutics that potentially preserve osteoclast-osteoblast signaling important for bone remodeling.

Osteopetrosis mutation R444L causes endoplasmic reticulum retention and misprocessing of vacuolar H+-ATPase a3 subunit.

Osteopetrosis is a genetic bone disease characterized by increased bone density and fragility. The R444L missense mutation in the human V-ATPase a3 subunit (TCIRG1) is one of several known mutations in a3 and other proteins that can cause this disease. The autosomal recessive R444L mutation results in a particularly malignant form of infantile osteopetrosis that is lethal in infancy, or early childhood. We have studied this mutation using the pMSCV retroviral vector system to integrate the cDNA construct for green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused a3(R445L) mutant protein into the RAW 264.7 mouse osteoclast differentiation model. In comparison with wild-type a3, the mutant glycoprotein localized to the ER instead of lysosomes and its oligosaccharide moiety was misprocessed, suggesting inability of the core-glycosylated glycoprotein to traffic to the Golgi. Reduced steady-state expression of the mutant protein, in comparison with wild type, suggested that the former was being degraded, likely through the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway. In differentiated osteoclasts, a3(R445L) was found to degrade at an increased rate over the course of osteoclastogenesis. Limited proteolysis studies suggested that the R445L mutation alters mouse a3 protein conformation. Together, these data suggest that Arg-445 plays a role in protein folding, or stability, and that infantile malignant osteopetrosis caused by the R444L mutation in the human V-ATPase a3 subunit is another member of the growing class of protein folding diseases. This may have implications for early-intervention treatment, using protein rescue strategies.

V-ATPase subunit interactions: the long road to therapeutic targeting.

Over the last three decades, V-ATPases have emerged from the obscurity of poorly understood membrane proton transport phenomena to being recognized as ubiquitous proton pumps that underlie vital cellular processes in all eukaryotic and many prokaryotic cells. These exquisitely complex molecular motors also engage in diverse specialized roles contributing to development, tissue function and pH homeostasis within complex organisms. Increasingly, mutations and misappropriation of V-ATPase function have been linked to diseases, ranging from sclerosing bone pathologies and renal tubular acidosis to bone-loss disorders and cancer metastasis. Much remains to be learned about the details of V-ATPase cell and molecular biology; nevertheless, interest in V-ATPases as potential therapeutic targets has burgeoned in recent years. In this review, we present a history of our involvement and contributions to the understanding of V-ATPase structure and function and our nascent and ongoing contributions to translating the knowledge gained from basic research on the nature of V-ATPases into tools for drug discovery. We focus here primarily on the treatment of bone-loss pathologies, like osteoporosis, and present proof-of-concept for a drug screening strategy based on targeting a3-B2 subunit interactions within the V-ATPase complex.

Inhibition of osteoclast bone resorption by disrupting vacuolar H+-ATPase a3-B2 subunit interaction.

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPases (V-ATPases) are highly expressed in ruffled borders of bone-resorbing osteoclasts, where they play a crucial role in skeletal remodeling. To discover protein-protein interactions with the a subunit in mammalian V-ATPases, a GAL4 activation domain fusion library was constructed from an in vitro osteoclast model, receptor activator of NF-κB ligand-differentiated RAW 264.7 cells. This library was screened with a bait construct consisting of a GAL4 binding domain fused to the N-terminal domain of V-ATPase a3 subunit (NTa3), the a subunit isoform that is highly expressed in osteoclasts (a1 and a2 are also expressed, to a lesser degree, whereas a4 is kidney-specific). One of the prey proteins identified was the V-ATPase B2 subunit, which is also highly expressed in osteoclasts (B1 is not expressed). Further characterization, using pulldown and solid-phase binding assays, revealed an interaction between NTa3 and the C-terminal domains of both B1 and B2 subunits. Dual B binding domains of equal affinity were observed in NTa, suggesting a possible model for interaction between these subunits in the V-ATPase complex. Furthermore, the a3-B2 interaction appeared to be moderately favored over a1, a2, and a4 interactions with B2, suggesting a mechanism for the specific subunit assembly of plasma membrane V-ATPase in osteoclasts. Solid-phase binding assays were subsequently used to screen a chemical library for inhibitors of the a3-B2 interaction. A small molecule benzohydrazide derivative was found to inhibit osteoclast resorption with an IC(50) of ∼1.2 µm on both synthetic hydroxyapatite surfaces and dentin slices, without significantly affecting RAW 264.7 cell viability or receptor activator of NF-κB ligand-mediated osteoclast differentiation. Further understanding of these interactions and inhibitors may contribute to the design of novel therapeutics for bone loss disorders, such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Effects of human a3 and a4 mutations that result in osteopetrosis and distal renal tubular acidosis on yeast V-ATPase expression and activity.

V-ATPases are multimeric proton pumps. The 100-kDa "a" subunit is encoded by four isoforms (a1-a4) in mammals and two (Vph1p and Stv1p) in yeast. a3 is enriched in osteoclasts and is essential for bone resorption, whereas a4 is expressed in the distal nephron and acidifies urine. Mutations in human a3 and a4 result in osteopetrosis and distal renal tubular acidosis, respectively. Human a3 (G405R and R444L) and a4 (P524L and G820R) mutations were recreated in the yeast ortholog Vph1p, a3 (G424R and R462L), and a4 (W520L and G812R). Mutations in a3 resulted in wild type vacuolar acidification and growth on media containing 4 mM ZnCl2, 200 mM CaCl2, or buffered to pH 7.5 with V-ATPase hydrolytic and pumping activity decreased by 30-35%. Immunoblots confirmed wild type levels for V-ATPase a, A, and B subunits on vacuolar membranes. a4 G812R resulted in defective growth on selective media with V-ATPase hydrolytic and pumping activity decreased by 83-85% yet with wild type levels of a, A, and B subunits on vacuolar membranes. The a4 W520L mutation had defective growth on selective media with no detectable V-ATPase activity and reduced expression of a, A, and B subunits. The a4 W520L mutation phenotypes were dominant negative, as overexpression of wild type yeast a isoforms, Vph1p, or Stv1p, did not restore growth. However, deletion of endoplasmic reticulum assembly factors (Vma12p, Vma21p, and Vma22p) partially restored a and B expression. That a4 W520L affects both Vo and V1 subunits is a unique phenotype for any V-ATPase subunit mutation and supports the concerted pathway for V-ATPase assembly in vivo.