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Ezz MA, Takahashi M, Rivera RM, Balboula AZ. Cathepsin L regulates oocyte meiosis and preimplantation embryo development. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13526. [PMID: 37417221 PMCID: PMC10771118 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Early embryonic loss, caused by reduced embryo developmental competence, is the major cause of subfertility in humans and animals. This embryo developmental competence is determined during oocyte maturation and the first embryo divisions. Therefore, it is essential to identify the underlying molecules regulating these critical developmental stages. Cathepsin L (CTSL), a lysosomal cysteine protease, is involved in regulating cell cycle progression, proliferation and invasion of different cell types. However, CTSL role in mammalian embryo development is unknown. Using bovine in vitro maturation and culture systems, we show that CTSL is a key regulator for embryo developmental competence. We employed a specific CTSL detection assay in live cells to show that CTSL activity correlates with meiotic progression and early embryo development. Inhibiting CTSL activity during oocyte maturation or early embryo development significantly impaired oocyte and embryo developmental competence as evidenced by lower cleavage, blastocyst and hatched blastocyst rates. Moreover, enhancing CTSL activity, using recombinant CTSL (rCTSL), during oocyte maturation or early embryo development significantly improved oocyte and embryo developmental competence. Importantly, rCTSL supplementation during oocyte maturation and early embryo development significantly improved the developmental competence of heat-shocked oocytes/embryos which are notoriously known for reduced quality. Altogether, these results provide novel evidence that CTSL plays a pivotal role in regulating oocyte meiosis and early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Aboul Ezz
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineMansoura UniversityMansouraEgypt
- Division of Animal SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
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Iribarren C, Hermosilla V, Morin V, Puchi M. Functional studies of MP62 during male chromatin decondensation in sea urchins. J Cell Biochem 2013; 114:1779-88. [PMID: 23444173 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.24520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In amphibians, sperm histone transition post-fertilization during male pronucleus formation is commanded by histone chaperone Nucleoplasmin (NPM). Here, we report the first studies to analyze the participation of a Nucleoplasmin-like protein on male chromatin remodeling in sea urchins. In this report, we present the molecular characterization of a nucleoplasmin-like protein that is present in non fertilized eggs and early zygotes in sea urchin specie Tetrapygus niger. This protein, named MP62 can interact with sperm histones in vitro. By male chromatin decondensation assays and immunodepletion experiments in vitro, we have demonstrated that this protein is responsible for sperm nucleosome disorganization. Furthermore, as amphibian nucleoplasmin MP62 is phosphorylated in vivo immediately post-fertilization and this phosphorylation is dependent on CDK-cyclin activities found after fertilization. As we shown, olomoucine and roscovitine inhibits male nucleosome decondensation, sperm histone replacement in vitro and MP62 phosphorylation in vivo. This is the first report of a nucleoplasmin-like activity in sea urchins participating during male pronucleus formation post-fecundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Iribarren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Morin V, Sanchez-Rubio A, Aze A, Iribarren C, Fayet C, Desdevises Y, Garcia-Huidobro J, Imschenetzky M, Puchi M, Genevière AM. The protease degrading sperm histones post-fertilization in sea urchin eggs is a nuclear cathepsin L that is further required for embryo development. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46850. [PMID: 23144790 PMCID: PMC3489855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis of sperm histones in the sea urchin male pronucleus is the consequence of the activation at fertilization of a maternal cysteine protease. We previously showed that this protein is required for male chromatin remodelling and for cell-cycle progression in the newly formed embryos. This enzyme is present in the nucleus of unfertilized eggs and is rapidly recruited to the male pronucleus after insemination. Interestingly, this cysteine-protease remains co-localized with chromatin during S phase of the first cell cycle, migrates to the mitotic spindle in M-phase and is re-located to the nuclei of daughter cells after cytokinesis. Here we identified the protease encoding cDNA and found a high sequence identity to cathepsin proteases of various organisms. A phylogenetical analysis clearly demonstrates that this sperm histone protease (SpHp) belongs to the cathepsin L sub-type. After an initial phase of ubiquitous expression throughout cleavage stages, SpHp gene transcripts become restricted to endomesodermic territories during the blastula stage. The transcripts are localized in the invaginating endoderm during gastrulation and a gut specific pattern continues through the prism and early pluteus stages. In addition, a concomitant expression of SpHp transcripts is detected in cells of the skeletogenic lineage and in accordance a pharmacological disruption of SpHp activity prevents growth of skeletal rods. These results further document the role of this nuclear cathepsin L during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Morin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Andrea Sanchez-Rubio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Antoine Aze
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
| | - Claudio Iribarren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Claire Fayet
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
| | - Yves Desdevises
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
| | - Jenaro Garcia-Huidobro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Maria Imschenetzky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Marcia Puchi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - Anne-Marie Genevière
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
- Unité Mixte de Recherche 7232, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Banyuls-sur-mer, France
- * E-mail:
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Semenova EV, Filatov MV. Study of chromatin decondensation factors in human spermatozoids by flow cytometry. Russ J Dev Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360411010097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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5
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Puchi M, García-Huidobro J, Cordova C, Aguilar R, Dufey E, Imschenetzky M, Bustos P, Morin V. A new nuclear protease with cathepsin L properties is present in HeLa and Caco-2 cells. J Cell Biochem 2010; 111:1099-106. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.22712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Abstract
Sea urchin embryos are characterized by an extremely simple mode of development, rapid cleavage, high transparency, and well-defined cell lineage. Although they are not suitable for genetic studies, other approaches are successfully used to unravel mechanisms and molecules involved in cell fate specification and morphogenesis. Microinjection is the elective method to study gene function in sea urchin embryos. It is used to deliver precise amounts of DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides, peptides, or antibodies into the eggs or even into blastomeres. Here we describe microinjection as it is currently applied in our laboratory and show how it has been used in gene perturbation analyses and dissection of cis-regulatory DNA elements.
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Morin V, Sanchez A, Quiñones K, Huidobro JG, Iribarren C, Bustos P, Puchi M, Genevière AM, Imschenetzky M. Cathepsin L inhibitor I blocks mitotic chromosomes decondensation during cleavage cell cycles of sea urchin embryos. J Cell Physiol 2008; 216:790-5. [PMID: 18425772 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.21459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We have previously reported that sperm histones (SpH) degradation after fertilization is catalyzed by a cystein-protease (SpH-protease). Its inhibition blocks the degradation of SpH in vivo and also aborts sea urchin development at the initial embryonic cell cycles. It remains unknown if this effect is a consequence of the persistence of SpH on zygotic chromatin, or if this protease is involved per-se in the progression of the embryonic cell cycles. To discriminate among these two options we have inhibited this protease at a time when male chromatin remodeling was completed and the embryos were engaged in the second cell cycle of the cleavage divisions. The role of this enzyme in cell cycle was initially analyzed by immuno-inhibiting its SpH degrading activity in one of the two blastomeres after the initial cleavage division, while the other blastomere was used as a control. We found that in the blastomere injected with the anti-SpH-protease antibodies the cytokinesis was arrested, the chromatin failed to decondense after mitosis and BrdU incorporation into DNA was blocked. Since the N-terminal sequence and the SpH protease was homologous to the cathepsin L (Cat L) family of proteases, we subsequently investigated if the deleterious effect of the inhibition of this protease is related to its Cat L activity. In this context we analyzed the effect of Cat L inhibitor I (Z-Phe-Phe-CH(2)F) on embryonic development. We found that the addition of 100 uM of this inhibitor to the embryos harvested at the time of the initial cleavage division (80 min p.i.) mimics perfectly the effects of the immuno-inhibition of this enzyme obtained by microinjecting the anti-SpH-protease antibodies. Taken together these results indicate that the activity of this protease is required for embryonic cell cycle progression. Interestingly, we observed that when this protease was inhibited the chromatin decondensation after mitosis was abolished indicating that the inhibition of this enzyme affects chromosomes decondensation after mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Morin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile
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Farady CJ, Egea PF, Schneider EL, Darragh MR, Craik CS. Structure of an Fab-protease complex reveals a highly specific non-canonical mechanism of inhibition. J Mol Biol 2008; 380:351-60. [PMID: 18514224 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2008] [Revised: 05/01/2008] [Accepted: 05/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The vast majority of protein protease inhibitors bind their targets in a substrate-like manner. This is a robust and efficient mechanism of inhibition but, due to the highly conserved architecture of protease active sites, these inhibitors often exhibit promiscuity. Inhibitors that show strict specificity for one protease usually achieve this selectivity by combining substrate-like binding in the active site with exosite binding on the protease surface. The development of new, specific inhibitors can be aided greatly by binding to non-conserved regions of proteases if potency can be maintained. Due to their ability to bind specifically to nearly any antigen, antibodies provide an excellent scaffold for creating inhibitors targeted to a single member of a family of highly homologous enzymes. The 2.2 A resolution crystal structure of an Fab antibody inhibitor in complex with the serine protease membrane-type serine protease 1 (MT-SP1/matriptase) reveals the molecular basis of its picomolar potency and specificity. The inhibitor has a distinct mechanism of inhibition; it gains potency and specificity through interactions with the protease surface loops, and inhibits by binding in the active site in a catalytically non-competent manner. In contrast to most naturally occurring protease inhibitors, which have diverse structures but converge to a similar inhibitory archetype, antibody inhibitors provide an opportunity to develop divergent mechanisms of inhibition from a single scaffold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Farady
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th St. Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94143-2240, USA
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Iribarren C, Morin V, Puchi M, Imschenetzky M. Sperm nucleosomes disassembly is a requirement for histones proteolysis during male pronucleus formation. J Cell Biochem 2008; 103:447-55. [PMID: 17541954 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.21410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We had previously reported that a cysteine-protease catalyzes the sperm histones (SpH) degradation associated to male chromatin remodeling in sea urchins. We found that this protease selectively degraded the SpH leaving maternal cleavage stage (CS) histone variants unaffected, therefore we named it SpH-protease. It is yet unknown if the SpH-protease catalyzes the SpH degradation while these histones are organized as nucleosomes or if alternatively these histones should be released from DNA before their proteolysis. To investigate this issue we had performed an in vitro assay in which polynucleosomes were exposed to the active purified protease. As shown in this report, we found that sperm histones organized as nucleosomes remains unaffected after their incubation with the protease. In contrast the SpH unbound and free from DNA were readily degraded. Interestingly, we also found that free DNA inhibits SpH proteolysis in a dose-dependent manner, further strengthening the requirement of SpH release from DNA before in order to be degraded by the SpH-protease. In this context, we have also investigated the presence of a sperm-nucleosome disassembly activity (SNDA) after fertilization. We found a SNDA associated to the nuclear extracts from zygotes that were harvested during the time of male chromatin remodeling. This SNDA was undetectable in the nuclear extracts from unfertilized eggs and in zygotes harvested after the fusion of both pronuclei. We postulate that this SNDA is responsible for the SpH release from DNA which is required for their degradation by the cysteine-protease associated to male chromatin remodeling after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Iribarren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
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Farady CJ, Sun J, Darragh MR, Miller SM, Craik CS. The mechanism of inhibition of antibody-based inhibitors of membrane-type serine protease 1 (MT-SP1). J Mol Biol 2007; 369:1041-51. [PMID: 17475279 PMCID: PMC2041882 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.03.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2007] [Accepted: 03/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms of inhibition of two novel scFv antibody inhibitors of the serine protease MT-SP1/matriptase reveal the basis of their potency and specificity. Kinetic experiments characterize the inhibitors as extremely potent inhibitors with K(I) values in the low picomolar range that compete with substrate binding in the S1 site. Alanine scanning of the loops surrounding the protease active site provides a rationale for inhibitor specificity. Each antibody binds to a number of residues flanking the active site, forming a unique three-dimensional binding epitope. Interestingly, one inhibitor binds in the active site cleft in a substrate-like manner, can be processed by MT-SP1 at low pH, and is a standard mechanism inhibitor of the protease. The mechanisms of inhibition provide a rationale for the effectiveness of these inhibitors, and suggest that the development of specific antibody-based inhibitors against individual members of closely related enzyme families is feasible, and an effective way to develop tools to tease apart complex biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Farady
- Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th St. Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Gourdet C, Iribarren C, Morin V, Bustos P, Puchi M, Imschenetzky M. Nuclear cysteine-protease involved in male chromatin remodeling after fertilization is ubiquitously distributed during sea urchin development. J Cell Biochem 2007; 101:1-8. [PMID: 17340626 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.21056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Previously we have identified a cysteine-protease involved in male chromatin remodeling which segregates into the nuclei of the two blastomeres at the first cleavage division. Here we have investigated the fate of this protease during early embryogenesis by immunodetecting this protein with antibodies elicited against its N-terminal sequence. As shown in this report, the major 60 kDa active form of this protease was found to be present in the extracts of chromosomal proteins obtained from all developmental stages analyzed. In morula and gastrula the 70 kDa inactive precursor, which corresponds to the major form of the zymogen found in unfertilized eggs, was detected. In plutei larvas, the major 60 kDa form of this enzyme was found together with a higher molecular weight precursor (90 kDa) which is consistent with the less abundant zymogen primarily detected in unfertilized eggs. As reported here, either the active protease or its zymogens were visualized in most of the embryonic territories indicating that this enzyme lacks a specific pattern of spatial-temporal developmental segregation. Taken together our results indicate that this protease persists in the embryo and is ubiquitously distributed up to larval stages of development, either as an active enzyme and/or as an inactive precursor. These results suggest that this enzyme may display yet unknown functions during embryonic development that complement its role in male chromatin remodeling after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gourdet
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile
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