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Curcio R, Frattaruolo L, Marra F, Pesole G, Vozza A, Cappello AR, Fiorillo M, Lauria G, Ahmed A, Fiermonte G, Capobianco L, Dolce V. Two functionally different mitochondrial phosphate carriers support Drosophila melanogaster OXPHOS throughout distinct developmental stages. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2024; 1871:119615. [PMID: 37898376 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2023.119615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rosita Curcio
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Luca Frattaruolo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Federica Marra
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Graziano Pesole
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Angelo Vozza
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Cappello
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Marco Fiorillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Graziantonio Lauria
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Amer Ahmed
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fiermonte
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Environment, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy.
| | - Loredana Capobianco
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Vincenza Dolce
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy.
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A Picrocrocin-Enriched Fraction from a Saffron Extract Affects Lipid Homeostasis in HepG2 Cells through a Non-Statin-like Mode. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043060. [PMID: 36834472 PMCID: PMC9965904 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dyslipidemia is a lipid metabolism disorder associated with the loss of the physiological homeostasis that ensures safe levels of lipids in the organism. This metabolic disorder can trigger pathological conditions such as atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. In this regard, statins currently represent the main pharmacological therapy, but their contraindications and side effects limit their use. This is stimulating the search for new therapeutic strategies. In this work, we investigated in HepG2 cells the hypolipidemic potential of a picrocrocin-enriched fraction, analyzed by high-resolution 1H NMR and obtained from a saffron extract, the stigmas of Crocus sativus L., a precious spice that has already displayed interesting biological properties. Spectrophotometric assays, as well as expression level of the main enzymes involved in lipid metabolism, have highlighted the interesting hypolipidemic effects of this natural compound; they seem to be exerted through a non-statin-like mechanism. Overall, this work provides new insights into the metabolic effects of picrocrocin, thus confirming the biological potential of saffron and paving the way for in vivo studies that could validate this spice or its phytocomplexes as useful adjuvants in balancing blood lipid homeostasis.
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Citrate Regulates the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mitochondrial GDP/GTP Carrier (Ggc1p) by Triggering Unidirectional Transport of GTP. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8080795. [PMID: 36012783 PMCID: PMC9410265 DOI: 10.3390/jof8080795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The yeast mitochondrial transport of GTP and GDP is mediated by Ggc1p, a member of the mitochondrial carrier family. The physiological role of Ggc1p in S. cerevisiae is probably to transport GTP into mitochondria in exchange for GDP generated in the matrix. ggc1Δ cells exhibit lower levels of GTP and increased levels of GDP in mitochondria, are unable to grow on nonfermentable substrates and lose mtDNA. Because in yeast, succinyl-CoA ligase produces ATP instead of GTP, and the mitochondrial nucleoside diphosphate kinase is localized in the intermembrane space, Ggc1p is the only supplier of mitochondrial GTP required for the maturation of proteins containing Fe-S clusters, such as aconitase [4Fe-4S] and ferredoxin [2Fe-2S]. In this work, it was demonstrated that citrate is a regulator of purified and reconstituted Ggc1p by trans-activating unidirectional transport of GTP across the proteoliposomal membrane. It was also shown that the binding site of Ggc1p for citrate is different from the binding site for the substrate GTP. It is proposed that the citrate-induced GTP uniport (CIGU) mediated by Ggc1p is involved in the homeostasis of the guanine nucleotide pool in the mitochondrial matrix.
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Drosophila melanogaster Uncoupling Protein-4A (UCP4A) Catalyzes a Unidirectional Transport of Aspartate. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031020. [PMID: 35162943 PMCID: PMC8834685 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) form a distinct subfamily of the mitochondrial carrier family (MCF) SLC25. Four UCPs, DmUCP4A-C and DmUCP5, have been identified in Drosophila melanogaster on the basis of their sequence homology with mammalian UCP4 and UCP5. In a Parkinson’s disease model, DmUCP4A showed a protective role against mitochondrial dysfunction, by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP synthesis. To date, DmUCP4A is still an orphan of a biochemical function, although its possible involvement in mitochondrial uncoupling has been ruled out. Here, we show that DmUCP4A expressed in bacteria and reconstituted in phospholipid vesicles catalyzes a unidirectional transport of aspartate, which is saturable and inhibited by mercurials and other mitochondrial carrier inhibitors to various degrees. Swelling experiments carried out in yeast mitochondria have demonstrated that the unidirectional transport of aspartate catalyzed by DmUCP4 is not proton-coupled. The biochemical function of DmUCP4A has been further confirmed in a yeast cell model, in which growth has required an efflux of aspartate from mitochondria. Notably, DmUCP4A is the first UCP4 homolog from any species to be biochemically characterized. In Drosophila melanogaster, DmUCP4A could be involved in the transport of aspartate from mitochondria to the cytosol, in which it could be used for protein and nucleotide synthesis, as well as in the biosynthesis of ß-alanine and N-acetylaspartate, which play key roles in signal transmission in the central nervous system.
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The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier (AGC or Aralar1) isoforms in D. melanogaster: biochemical characterization, gene structure, and evolutionary analysis. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2021; 1865:129854. [PMID: 33497735 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In man two mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier (AGC) isoforms, known as aralar and citrin, are required to accomplish several metabolic pathways. In order to fill the existing gap of knowledge in Drosophila melanogaster, we have studied aralar1 gene, orthologue of human AGC-encoding genes in this organism. METHODS The blastp algorithm and the "reciprocal best hit" approach have been used to identify the human orthologue of AGCs in Drosophilidae and non-Drosophilidae. Aralar1 proteins have been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and functionally reconstituted into liposomes for transport assays. RESULTS The transcriptional organization of aralar1 comprises six isoforms, three constitutively expressed (aralar1-RA, RD and RF), and the remaining three distributed during the development or in different tissues (aralar1-RB, RC and RE). Aralar1-PA and Aralar1-PE, representative of all isoforms, have been biochemically characterized. Recombinant Aralar1-PA and Aralar1-PE proteins share similar efficiency to exchange glutamate against aspartate, and same substrate affinities than the human isoforms. Interestingly, although Aralar1-PA and Aralar1-PE diverge only in their EF-hand 8, they greatly differ in their specific activities and substrate specificity. CONCLUSIONS The tight regulation of aralar1 transcripts expression and the high request of aspartate and glutamate during early embryogenesis suggest a crucial role of Aralar1 in this Drosophila developmental stage. Furthermore, biochemical characterization and calcium sensitivity have identified Aralar1-PA and Aralar1-PE as the human aralar and citrin counterparts, respectively. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The functional characterization of the fruit fly mitochondrial AGC transporter represents a crucial step toward a complete understanding of the metabolic events acting during early embryogenesis.
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Haridhasapavalan KK, Sundaravadivelu PK, Thummer RP. Codon Optimization, Cloning, Expression, Purification, and Secondary Structure Determination of Human ETS2 Transcription Factor. Mol Biotechnol 2020; 62:485-494. [PMID: 32808171 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-020-00266-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factor ETS2 regulates genes involved in development, differentiation, angiogenesis, proliferation, and apoptosis. In addition, it is one of the core reprogramming factors responsible for the generation of human cardiomyocytes from adult somatic cells. In this study, we report the heterologous expression of human ETS2 in E. coli to produce a highly pure recombinant protein. To accomplish this, the codon-optimized 1507 bp coding sequence of the human ETS2 gene in fusion with a His-tag, a cell-penetrating peptide, and a nuclear localization sequence was cloned in the protein expression vector and transformed into E. coli strain BL21(DE3) for expression. The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity under native conditions using immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, and its identity was confirmed by Western blotting with an ETS2 antibody. Using far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, we have demonstrated that the recombinant protein has retained its secondary structure, predominantly comprising of random coils and β-sheets. Prospectively, this biological recombinant ETS2 protein can substitute viral and genetic forms of ETS2 in a cell reprogramming process to facilitate the generation of clinical-grade cells. It can also be used to investigate its molecular role in various biological processes and diseases and for biochemical and structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Kumar Haridhasapavalan
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Sundaravadivelu
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India
| | - Rajkumar P Thummer
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India.
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Armentano B, Curcio R, Brindisi M, Mancuso R, Rago V, Ziccarelli I, Frattaruolo L, Fiorillo M, Dolce V, Gabriele B, Cappello AR. 5-(Carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones as a Promising Class of Heterocycles Inducing Apoptosis Triggered by Increased ROS Levels and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Breast and Cervical Cancer. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8020035. [PMID: 32085547 PMCID: PMC7168333 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8020035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxazolidinones are antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis by binding the 50S ribosomal subunit. Recently, numerous worldwide researches focused on their properties and possible involvement in cancer therapy have been conducted. Here, we evaluated in vitro the antiproliferative activity of some 5-(carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones on MCF-7 and HeLa cells. The tested compounds displayed a wide range of cytotoxicity on these cancer cell lines, measured by MTT assay, exhibiting no cytotoxicity on non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells. Among the nine tested derivatives, four displayed a good anticancer potential. Remarkably, OI compound showed IC50 values of 17.66 and 31.10 µM for MCF-7 and HeLa cancer cells, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed OI effect on the cell cycle by FACS analysis, highlighting a G1 phase arrest after 72 h, supported by a low expression level of Cyclin D1 protein. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential was reduced after OI treatment driven by high levels of ROS. These findings demonstrate that OI treatment can inhibit MCF-7 and HeLa cell proliferation and induce apoptosis by caspase-9 activation and cytochrome c release in the cytosol. Hence, 5-(carbamoylmethylene)-oxazolidin-2-ones have a promising anticancer activity, in particular, OI derivative could represent a good candidate for in vivo further studies and potential clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biagio Armentano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
| | - Rosita Curcio
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
| | - Matteo Brindisi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
| | - Raffaella Mancuso
- Laboratory of Industrial and Synthetic Organic Chemistry (LISOC), Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci 12/C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; (R.M.); (I.Z.); (B.G.)
| | - Vittoria Rago
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
| | - Ida Ziccarelli
- Laboratory of Industrial and Synthetic Organic Chemistry (LISOC), Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci 12/C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; (R.M.); (I.Z.); (B.G.)
| | - Luca Frattaruolo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
- Correspondence: (L.F.); (M.F.); (A.R.C.)
| | - Marco Fiorillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
- Translational Medicine, School of Environment and Life Sciences, Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), University of Salford, Greater Manchester M5 4WT, UK
- Correspondence: (L.F.); (M.F.); (A.R.C.)
| | - Vincenza Dolce
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
| | - Bartolo Gabriele
- Laboratory of Industrial and Synthetic Organic Chemistry (LISOC), Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci 12/C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; (R.M.); (I.Z.); (B.G.)
| | - Anna Rita Cappello
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy; (B.A.); (R.C.); (M.B.); (V.R.); (V.D.)
- Correspondence: (L.F.); (M.F.); (A.R.C.)
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