scholarly journals How to rescue misfolded SERT, DAT and NET: targeting conformational intermediates with atypical inhibitors and partial releasers

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 861-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shreyas Bhat ◽  
Amy Hauck Newman ◽  
Michael Freissmuth

Abstract Point mutations in the coding sequence for solute carrier 6 (SLC6) family members result in clinically relevant disorders, which are often accounted for by a loss-of-function phenotype. In many instances, the mutated transporter is not delivered to the cell surface because it is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The underlying defect is improper folding of the transporter and is the case for many of the known dopamine transporter mutants. The monoamine transporters, i.e. the transporters for norepinephrine (NET/SLC6A2), dopamine (DAT/SLC6A3) and serotonin (SERT/SLC6A4), have a rich pharmacology; hence, their folding-deficient mutants lend themselves to explore the concept of pharmacological chaperoning. Pharmacochaperones are small molecules, which bind to folding intermediates with exquisite specificity and scaffold them to a folded state, which is exported from the ER and delivered to the cell surface. Pharmacochaperoning of mutant monoamine transporters, however, is not straightforward: ionic conditions within the ER are not conducive to binding of most typical monoamine transporter ligands. A collection of compounds exists, which are classified as atypical ligands because they trap monoamine transporters in unique conformational states. The atypical binding mode of some DAT inhibitors has been linked to their anti-addictive action. Here, we propose that atypical ligands and also compounds recently classified as partial releasers can serve as pharmacochaperones.

Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (23) ◽  
pp. e2170-e2181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oswaldo Lorenzo-Betancor ◽  
Patrick R. Blackburn ◽  
Emily Edwards ◽  
Rocío Vázquez-do-Campo ◽  
Eric W. Klee ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo identify novel genes involved in the etiology of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) or subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAHs) using whole-exome sequencing.MethodsWe performed whole-exome sequencing in 13 individuals from 3 families with an autosomal dominant IA/SAH inheritance pattern to look for candidate genes for disease. In addition, we sequenced PCNT exon 38 in a further 161 idiopathic patients with IA/SAH to find additional carriers of potential pathogenic variants.ResultsWe identified 2 different variants in exon 38 from the PCNT gene shared between affected members from 2 different families with either IA or SAH (p.R2728C and p.V2811L). One hundred sixty-four samples with either SAH or IA were Sanger sequenced for the PCNT exon 38. Five additional missense mutations were identified. We also found a second p.V2811L carrier in a family with a history of neurovascular diseases.ConclusionThe PCNT gene encodes a protein that is involved in the process of microtubule nucleation and organization in interphase and mitosis. Biallelic loss-of-function mutations in PCNT cause a form of primordial dwarfism (microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II), and ≈50% of these patients will develop neurovascular abnormalities, including IAs and SAHs. In addition, a complete Pcnt knockout mouse model (Pcnt−/−) published previously showed general vascular abnormalities, including intracranial hemorrhage. The variants in our families lie in the highly conserved PCNT protein-protein interaction domain, making PCNT a highly plausible candidate gene in cerebrovascular disease.


Blood ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 4266-4270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry H. Landowski ◽  
Ning Qu ◽  
Ibrahim Buyuksal ◽  
Jeffrey S. Painter ◽  
William S. Dalton

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is well documented as a physiological means of eliminating activated lymphocytes and maintaining immune homeostasis. Apoptosis has also been implicated in the targeting of tumor cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. One of the two primary mechanisms used in cell-mediated cytotoxicity is the Fas/FasLigand system. Activated or transformed cells expressing the Fas antigen on their surface are susceptible to killing by immune effector cells that express the Fas ligand. Many neoplastic cells, including those derived from patients with multiple myeloma, express Fas antigen on their surface, but do not undergo apoptosis in response to antigen crosslinking. One possibility for the lack of Fas-mediated apoptosis includes mutations in the Fas antigen. Loss of function mutations in the Fas antigen have been associated with congenital autoimmune disease in humans, and have been defined as the genetic defect the in lpr mice. Mutations in the Fas antigen have not been previously described in cancer patients. In this study, we show that mutations occur in the Fas antigen which may cause loss of function and contribute to the pathogenesis of the neoplastic disease, multiple myeloma. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, and DNA sequencing, we examined the cDNA structure of the Fas antigen in 54 bone marrow (BM) specimens obtained from myeloma patients. Six patient specimens (11%) did not express detectable levels of Fas antigen mRNA. Of the 48 BM specimens which did express Fas antigen, 5 (10%) displayed point mutations. All of the mutations identified were located in the cytoplasmic region of the Fas antigen known to be involved in transduction of an apoptotic signal. Two separate individuals demonstrated an identical mutation at a site previously shown to be mutated in the congenital autoimmune syndrome, ALPS. One patient exhibited a point mutation at a site only two amino acids removed from the documented lesion of the lprcg mouse. Although the functional status of these point mutations remains to be determined, we propose that Fas antigen mutations may contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of myeloma in some patients.


2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Willems ◽  
Melissa Gymrek ◽  
Gareth Highnam ◽  
The Genomes Project ◽  
David Mittelman ◽  
...  

Short Tandem Repeats are among the most polymorphic loci in the human genome. These loci play a role in the etiology of a range of genetic diseases and have been frequently utilized in forensics, population genetics, and genetic genealogy. Despite this plethora of applications, little is known about the variation of most STRs in the human population. Here, we report the largest-scale analysis of human STR variation to date. We collected information for nearly 700,000 STR loci across over 1,000 individuals in phase 1 of the 1000 Genomes Project. This process nearly saturated common STR variations. After employing a series of quality controls, we utilize this call set to analyze determinants of STR variation, assess the human reference genome?s representation of STR alleles, find STR loci with common loss-of-function alleles, and obtain initial estimates of the linkage disequilibrium between STRs and common SNPs. Overall, these analyses further elucidate the scale of genetic variation beyond classical point mutations. The resource is publicly available at http://strcat.teamerlich.org/ both in raw format and via a graphical interface. 


2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
David H. Vandorpe ◽  
Sabine Wilhelm ◽  
Lianwei Jiang ◽  
Oxana Ibraghimov-Beskrovnaya ◽  
Marina N. Chernova ◽  
...  

Polycystin-1 (PKD1) mutations account for ∼85% of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). We have shown previously that oocyte surface expression of a transmembrane fusion protein encoding part of the cytoplasmic COOH terminus of PKD1 increases activity of a Ca2+-permeable cation channel. We show here that human ADPKD mutations incorporated into this fusion protein attenuated or abolished encoded cation currents. Point mutations and truncations showed that cation current expression requires integrity of a region encompassing the putative coiled coil domain of the PKD1 cytoplasmic tail. Whereas these loss-of-function mutants did not exhibit dominant negative phenotypes, coexpression of a fusion protein expressing the interacting COOH-terminal cytoplasmic tail of PKD2 did suppress cation current. Liganding of the ectodomain of the PKD1 fusion protein moderately activated cation current. The divalent cation permeability and pharmacological profile of the current has been extended. Inducible expression of the PKD1 fusion in EcR-293 cells was also associated with activation of cation channels and increased Ca2+ entry.


Blood ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 4266-4270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry H. Landowski ◽  
Ning Qu ◽  
Ibrahim Buyuksal ◽  
Jeffrey S. Painter ◽  
William S. Dalton

Abstract Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is well documented as a physiological means of eliminating activated lymphocytes and maintaining immune homeostasis. Apoptosis has also been implicated in the targeting of tumor cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. One of the two primary mechanisms used in cell-mediated cytotoxicity is the Fas/FasLigand system. Activated or transformed cells expressing the Fas antigen on their surface are susceptible to killing by immune effector cells that express the Fas ligand. Many neoplastic cells, including those derived from patients with multiple myeloma, express Fas antigen on their surface, but do not undergo apoptosis in response to antigen crosslinking. One possibility for the lack of Fas-mediated apoptosis includes mutations in the Fas antigen. Loss of function mutations in the Fas antigen have been associated with congenital autoimmune disease in humans, and have been defined as the genetic defect the in lpr mice. Mutations in the Fas antigen have not been previously described in cancer patients. In this study, we show that mutations occur in the Fas antigen which may cause loss of function and contribute to the pathogenesis of the neoplastic disease, multiple myeloma. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, and DNA sequencing, we examined the cDNA structure of the Fas antigen in 54 bone marrow (BM) specimens obtained from myeloma patients. Six patient specimens (11%) did not express detectable levels of Fas antigen mRNA. Of the 48 BM specimens which did express Fas antigen, 5 (10%) displayed point mutations. All of the mutations identified were located in the cytoplasmic region of the Fas antigen known to be involved in transduction of an apoptotic signal. Two separate individuals demonstrated an identical mutation at a site previously shown to be mutated in the congenital autoimmune syndrome, ALPS. One patient exhibited a point mutation at a site only two amino acids removed from the documented lesion of the lprcg mouse. Although the functional status of these point mutations remains to be determined, we propose that Fas antigen mutations may contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of myeloma in some patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Patil Sneha ◽  
Urmi Shah ◽  
Seetharaman Balaji

Tetherin, an interferon-induced host protein encoded by the bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2/CD317/HM1.24) gene, is involved in obstructing the release of many retroviruses and other enveloped viruses by cross-linking the budding virus particles to the cell surface. This activity is antagonized in the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 wherein its accessory protein Viral Protein U (Vpu) interacts with tetherin, causing its downregulation from the cell surface. Vpu and tetherin connect through their transmembrane (TM) domains, culminating into events leading to tetherin degradation by recruitment of β-TrCP2. However, mutations in the TM domains of both proteins are reported to act as a resistance mechanism to Vpu countermeasure impacting tetherin’s sensitivity towards Vpu but retaining its antiviral activity. Our study illustrates the binding aspects of blood-derived, brain-derived, and consensus HIV-1 Vpu with tetherin through protein–protein docking. The analysis of the bound complexes confirms the blood-derived Vpu–tetherin complex to have the best binding affinity as compared to other two. The mutations in tetherin and Vpu are devised computationally and are subjected to protein–protein interactions. The complexes are tested for their binding affinities, residue connections, hydrophobic forces, and, finally, the effect of mutation on their interactions. The single point mutations in tetherin at positions L23Y, L24T, and P40T, and triple mutations at {L22S, F44Y, L37I} and {L23T, L37T, T45I}, while single point mutations in Vpu at positions A19H and W23Y and triplet of mutations at {V10K, A11L, A19T}, {V14T, I18T, I26S}, and {A11T, V14L, A15T} have revealed no polar contacts with minimal hydrophobic interactions between Vpu and tetherin, resulting in reduced binding affinity. Additionally, we have explored the aggregation potential of tetherin and its association with the brain-derived Vpu protein. This work is a possible step toward an understanding of Vpu–tetherin interactions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (24) ◽  
pp. 11148-11160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fardokht A. Abulwerdi ◽  
Matthew D. Shortridge ◽  
Joanna Sztuba-Solinska ◽  
Robert Wilson ◽  
Stuart F. J. Le Grice ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 335-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Buhrlage ◽  
Caleb A. Bates ◽  
Steven P. Rowe ◽  
Aaron R. Minter ◽  
Brian B. Brennan ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 855-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanada Masashi ◽  
Shih Lee Yung ◽  
Takahiro Suzuki ◽  
Motohiro Kato ◽  
Mamiko Yanagimoto Sakata ◽  
...  

Abstract Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal disorders of hematopoietic progenitors characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and high propensity to leukemias. Although a number of gene targets have been identified, in many MDS cases, particular genetic targets are unknown. In this study, we performed genome-wide profiling of copy number (CN) abnormalities and allelic imbalances in MDS genomes in order to clarify the distribution of LOH (loss of heterozygosity) and to identify their gene targets. We analyzed a total of 171MDS and MDS/MPD specimens, including 7 RA/RARS, 23 RCMD/RCMD-RS, 6 5q-syndrome, 30 RAEB-1, 40 RAEB-2, 4 therapy related-MDS/AML, 5 MDSu, 17 CMML-1, 16 CMML-2, 24 overt AML, using high-density SNP arrays. The data were analyzed by CNAG/AsCNAR software, which enabled allele-specific CN analysis and sensitive LOH detection. MDS showed characteristic CN profiles in SNP array analysis. Of particular interest is the finding of high frequency of CN-neutral LOH (Uniparental disomy,UPD) observed in 51 of 171 (30%) MDS cases. They preferentially involved 1p, 1q, 4q, 7q, 11q, 17p and other chromosomal segments, which were associated with homozygous mutations of both loss-of-function mutations and gain-of function mutations of tumor suppressor genes and cellular oncogenes, including TP53 (17p UPD), AML1/RUNX1 (21q UPD), Nras and cMPL (1p UPD), JAK-2 (9p UPD), and FLT3 (13q UPD). Next we tried to identify a new gene target in 11q UPD, which was most common UPD region in this study and many of these cases were CMML with a normal karyotype. The minimum 11q UPD segment is about 2Mb which existed in 11q23. We sequenced coding exons of c-cbl and detected homozygous mutations in 8 of 9 MDS cases with 11q UPD (CMML=5, RAEB=3, overt leukemia=1), but very rare in cases without 11q UPD (1/162), demonstrating that the mutation is tightly linked to 11q UPD. These mutations were 8 point mutations and 1 micro-deletion, they were accumulated in the linker or RING domain. These c-cbl mutants transformed NIH3T3 in a dominant fashion, in which they were phosphorylated and activate PI3K-Akt pathway. To investigate the functions of these mutants in hematopoietic cells, we introduced these mutants into c-kit(+)Sca1(+)Lin(−) murine bone marrow cells, it prolonged replating capacity of these hematopoietic progenitors, suggesting involvement of aberrant c-cbl functions in the myeloproliferative phenotypes frequently found in 11q-UPD positive cases. In conclusion, UPD is an important mechanism of development of MDS, in which both gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutations are duplicated with exclusion of wild-type allele. Analysis of 11q UPD disclosed novel gain-of-function mutations. Identification of the targets of UPDs in 1q, 4q and 7q should also be important to gain a novel insight into the pathogenesis of MDS.


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