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El Salamouni NS, Buckley BJ, Lee R, Ranson M, Kelso MJ, Yu H. Ion Transport and Inhibitor Binding by Human NHE1: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Free Energy Calculations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:440-450. [PMID: 38185879 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The human Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE1) plays a crucial role in maintaining intracellular pH by regulating the electroneutral exchange of a single intracellular H+ for one extracellular Na+ across the plasma membrane. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing ion transport and the binding of inhibitors is of importance in the development of anticancer therapeutics targeting NHE1. In this context, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the recent cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of outward- and inward-facing conformations of NHE1. These simulations allowed us to explore the dynamics of the protein, examine the ion-translocation pore, and confirm that Asp267 is the ion-binding residue. Our free energy calculations did not show a significant difference between Na+ and K+ binding at the ion-binding site. Consequently, Na+ over K+ selectivity cannot be solely explained by differences in ion binding. Our MD simulations involving NHE1 inhibitors (cariporide and amiloride analogues) maintained stable interactions with Asp267 and Glu346. Our study highlights the importance of the salt bridge between the positively charged acylguanidine moiety and Asp267, which appears to play a role in the competitive inhibitory mechanism for this class of inhibitors. Our computational study provides a detailed mechanistic interpretation of experimental data and serves the basis of future structure-based inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehad S El Salamouni
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Buckley
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Richmond Lee
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Michael J Kelso
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Haibo Yu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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Zeitlmayr S, Cami D, Selmani B, Gudermann T, Breit A. A dual role for ERK-1/2 in the regulation of plasmin activity and cell migration in metastatic NSCLC-H1299 cells. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:3113-3128. [PMID: 37712947 PMCID: PMC10567951 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03600-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Occupational and environmental exposure of various toxins or cigarette smoke causes non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); a devastating disease with a very low survival rate after metastasis. Increased activity of plasmin is a hallmark in NSCLC metastasis. It is accepted that metastatic cells exhibit higher plasmin activity than cells from primary tumors. Mechanisms behind this elevation, however, are barely understood. We compared plasmin activity and cell migration of A549 cells derived from a primary lung tumor with metastatic H1299 lung cells isolated from lymph nodes. Surprisingly, we found higher plasmin activity and migration for A549 cells. mRNA levels of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were higher in H1299 cells and activity of extracellular-regulated kinases-1/2 (ERK-1/2) was increased. An inhibitor of ERK-1/2 decreased PAI-1 mRNA levels and increased plasmin activity or cell migration in H1299 cells. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) decreased plasmin activity and migration in A549 cells but enhanced both in H1299 cells. The cytokine massively increased PAI-1 and decreased urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) levels in A549 cells but strongly induced uPA and only weakly PAI- 1 expression in H1299 cells. Consequently, TGF-β enhanced plasmin activity and cell migration in H1299. Additionally, TGF-β activated ERK-1/2 stronger in H1299 than in A549 cells. Accordingly, an ERK-1/2 inhibitor completely reversed the effects of TGF-β on uPA expression, plasmin activity and migration in H1299 cells. Hence, we provide first data indicating TGF-β-promoted increased plasmin activity and suggest that blocking TGF-β-promoted ERK-1/2 activity might be a straightforward approach to inhibit NSCLC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Zeitlmayr
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Goethestrasse 33, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Ditila Cami
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Goethestrasse 33, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Belinda Selmani
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Goethestrasse 33, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Gudermann
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Goethestrasse 33, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Breit
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Goethestrasse 33, 80336, Munich, Germany.
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Kumar AA, Vine KL, Ranson M. Recent Advances in Targeting the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator with Nanotherapeutics. Mol Pharm 2023. [PMID: 37119285 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
The aberrant proteolytic landscape of the tumor microenvironment is a key contributor of cancer progression. Overexpression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and/or its associated cell-surface receptor (uPAR) in tumor versus normal tissue is significantly associated with worse clinicopathological features and poorer patient survival across multiple cancer types. This is linked to mechanisms that facilitate tumor cell invasion and migration, via direct and downstream activation of various proteolytic processes that degrade the extracellular matrix─ultimately leading to metastasis. Targeting uPA has thus long been considered an attractive anticancer strategy. However, poor bioavailability of several uPA-selective small-molecule inhibitors has limited early clinical progress. Nanodelivery systems have emerged as an exciting method to enhance the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of existing chemotherapeutics, allowing increased circulation time, improved bioavailability, and targeted delivery to tumor tissue. Combining uPA inhibitors with nanoparticle-based delivery systems thus offers a remarkable opportunity to overcome existing PK challenges associated with conventional uPA inhibitors, while leveraging potent candidates into novel targeted nanotherapeutics for an improved anticancer response in uPA positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashna A Kumar
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Kara L Vine
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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Zhou Y, Wu J, Xue G, Li J, Jiang L, Huang M. Structural study of the uPA-nafamostat complex reveals a covalent inhibitory mechanism of nafamostat. Biophys J 2022; 121:3940-3949. [PMID: 36039386 PMCID: PMC9674978 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nafamostat mesylate (NM) is a synthetic compound that inhibits various serine proteases produced during the coagulation cascade and inflammation. Previous studies showed that NM was a highly safe drug for the treatment of different cancers, but the precise functions and mechanisms of NM are not clear. In this study, we determined a series of crystal structures of NM and its hydrolysates in complex with a serine protease (urokinase-type plasminogen activator [uPA]). These structures reveal that NM was cleaved by uPA and that a hydrolyzed product (4-guanidinobenzoic acid [GBA]) remained covalently linked to Ser195 of uPA, and the other hydrolyzed product (6-amidino-2-naphthol [6A2N]) released from uPA. Strikingly, in the inactive uPA (uPA-S195A):NM structure, the 6A2N side of intact NM binds to the specific pocket of uPA. Molecular dynamics simulations and end-point binding free-energy calculations show that the conf1 of NM (6A2N as P1 group) in the uPA-S195A:NM complex may be more stable than conf2 of NM (GBA as P1 group). Moreover, in the structure of uPA:NM complex, the imidazole group of His57 flips further away from Ser195 and disrupts the stable canonical catalytic triad conformation. These results not only reveal the inhibitory mechanism of NM as an efficient serine protease inhibitor but also might provide the structural basis for the further development of serine protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Juhong Wu
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Guangpu Xue
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Jinyu Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China
| | - Longguang Jiang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Enzyme Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China.
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, P.R. China.
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Hall D. Biophysical Reviews: from the umbra of 2020-2021 into the antumbra of 2022. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:3-12. [PMID: 35222731 PMCID: PMC8864210 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-00938-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This sub-Editorial for Volume 14 Issue 1 (2022) first makes comment on the current issue and then describes matters of interest related to the journal's activities in 2022-chief among which are (i.) the announcement of the winner of the 2022 Michèle Auger Award for Young Scientists' Independent Research, (ii.) an outline of this year's finalized Special Issue (SI) lineup, (iii.) a description of a new production service offered by Springer to those submitting to the Biophysical Reviews journal, and (iv.) an introduction of newly appointed members of the Biophysical Reviews' Editorial Board.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Hall
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1164 Japan
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland
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Kumar AA, Buckley BJ, Ranson M. The Urokinase Plasminogen Activation System in Pancreatic Cancer: Prospective Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets. Biomolecules 2022; 12:152. [PMID: 35204653 PMCID: PMC8961517 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy that features high recurrence rates and the poorest prognosis of all solid cancers. The urokinase plasminogen activation system (uPAS) is strongly implicated in the pathophysiology and clinical outcomes of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which accounts for more than 90% of all pancreatic cancers. Overexpression of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) or its cell surface receptor uPAR is a key step in the acquisition of a metastatic phenotype via multiple mechanisms, including the increased activation of cell surface localised plasminogen which generates the serine protease plasmin. This triggers multiple downstream processes that promote tumour cell migration and invasion. Increasing clinical evidence shows that the overexpression of uPA, uPAR, or of both is strongly associated with worse clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in PDAC patients. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the uPAS in the pathogenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer, with a focus on PDAC, and summarises the substantial body of evidence that supports the role of uPAS components, including plasminogen receptors, in this disease. The review further outlines the clinical utility of uPAS components as prospective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PDAC, as well as a rationale for the development of novel uPAS-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashna A. Kumar
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; (A.A.K.); (B.J.B.)
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Buckley
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; (A.A.K.); (B.J.B.)
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; (A.A.K.); (B.J.B.)
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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