Mechanism of aggregation of UV-irradiated β(L)-crystallin

Mechanistic insights into the changes of biological activity and physicochemical characteristics in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei fortified milk powder during storage

To clarify the change mechanism of biological activity and physicochemical characteristics in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei JY025 fortified milk powder (LFMP) during storage, morphological observation, JY025 survival, storage stability, and metabolomics of LFMP were determined during the storage period in this study. The results showed that the LFMP had a higher survival rate of JY025 compared with the bacterial powder of JY025 (LBP) during storage, which suggested that milk powder matrix could reduce strain JY025 mortality under prolonged storage in the LFMP samples. The fortification of strain JY025 also affected the stability of milk powder during the storage period. There was lower water activity and higher glass transition temperature in LFMP samples compared with blank control milk powder (BCMP) during storage. Moreover, the metabolomics results of LFMP indicated that vitamin degradation, Maillard reaction, lipid oxidation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and lactobacilli metabolism are interrelated and influence each other to create complicated metabolism networks.

Radiolysis of myoglobin concentrated gels by protons: specific changes in secondary structure and production of carbon monoxide

While particle therapy has been used for decades for cancer treatment, there is still a lack of information on the molecular mechanisms of biomolecules radiolysis by accelerated ions. Here, we examine the effects of accelerated protons on highly concentrated native myoglobin, by means of Fourier transform infrared and UV-Visible spectroscopies. Upon irradiation, the secondary structure of the protein is drastically modified, from mostly alpha helices conformation to mostly beta elements at highest fluence. These changes are accompanied by significant production of carbon monoxide, which was shown to come from heme degradation under irradiation. The radiolytic yields of formation of denatured protein, carbon monoxide, and of heme degradation were determined, and found very close to each other: G+denatured Mb ≈ G+CO ≈ G-heme = 1.6 × 10-8 ± 0.1 × 10-8 mol/J = 0.16 ± 0.01 species/100 eV. The denaturation of the protein to a beta structure and the production of carbon monoxide under ion irradiation are phenomena that may play an important role in the biological effects of ionizing radiation.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Protein Aggregation in Age-Related Vision-Threatening Ocular Diseases

Protein aggregation is the etiopathogenesis of the three most profound vision-threatening eye diseases: age-related cataract, presbyopia, and age-related macular degeneration. This perspective organizes known information on ATP and protein aggregation with a fundamental unrecognized function of ATP. With recognition that maintenance of protein solubility is related to the high intracellular concentration of ATP in cells, tissues, and organs, we hypothesize that (1) ATP serves a critical molecular function for organismal homeostasis of proteins and (2) the hydrotropic feature of ATP prevents pathological protein aggregation while assisting in the maintenance of protein solubility and cellular, tissue, and organismal function. As such, the metabolite ATP plays an extraordinarily important role in the prevention of protein aggregation in the leading causes of vision loss or blindness worldwide.

Refolding Increases the Chaperone-like Activity of αH-Crystallin and Reduces Its Hydrodynamic Diameter to That of α-Crystallin

αH-Crystallin, a high molecular weight form of α-crystallin, is one of the major proteins in the lens nucleus. This high molecular weight aggregate (HMWA) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cataracts. We have shown that the chaperone-like activity of HMWA is 40% of that of α-crystallin from the lens cortex. Refolding with urea significantly increased-up to 260%-the chaperone-like activity of α-crystallin and slightly reduced its hydrodynamic diameter (Dh). HMWA refolding resulted in an increase in chaperone-like activity up to 120% and a significant reduction of Dh of protein particles compared with that of α-crystallin. It was shown that the chaperone-like activity of HMWA, α-crystallin, and refolded α-crystallin but not refolded HMWA was strongly correlated with the denaturation enthalpy measured with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC data demonstrated a significant increase in the native protein portion of refolded α-crystallin in comparison with authentic α-crystallin; however, the denaturation enthalpy of refolded HMWA was significantly decreased in comparison with authentic HMWA. The authors suggested that the increase in the chaperone-like activity of both α-crystallin and HMWA could be the result of the correction of misfolded proteins during renaturation and the rearrangement of protein supramolecular structures.

Modification and oxidative degradation of β-lactoglobulin by UVB irradiation

Ultraviolet (UV) B irradiation induces protein modification, especially the conformational rearrangement of proteins, and is therefore promising as a non-thermal and non-chemical functionalization technique. Nevertheless, UVB irradiation introduces radicals and oxidizes side chains resulting in the loss of food quality. Thus, assessing the UVB irradiation-based functionalization of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) versus its oxidative degradation is of interest. UVB irradiation of up to 8 h was successfully applied to loosen the rigid folding of BLG and increase its flexibility. Thereby, the cysteine at position 121 and hydrophobic regions became surface-exposed as indicated by the increase in accessible thiol groups and increased surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, we demonstrated the cleavage of the "outer" disulfide bond C⁶⁶-C¹⁶⁰ by LC-MS/MS after tryptic digestion of BLG. The 2-h-irradiated BLG showed adequate conformational rearrangement for protein functionalization while being minimally oxidized.

Oxidative damage to βL-crystallin in vitro by iron compounds formed in physiological buffers

β_L-crystallin aggregation due to oxidative damage in the presence of H₂O₂ and ferric chloride was studied in-vitro under conditions close to physiological. It was shown that the protein aggregation characterized by the nucleation time and the aggregation rate significantly depended on the composition of the isoosmotic buffers used, and decreased in the series HEPES buffer > Tris buffer > PBS. Ferric chloride at neutral pH was converted into water-insoluble iron hydroxide III (≡Fe^IIIOH). According to the data of scanning electron microscopy the ≡Fe^IIIOH particles formed in HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS practically did not differ in structure. However, the sizes of ≡Fe^IIIOH floating particles measured by dynamic light scattering differed significantly and were 44 ± 28 nm, 93 ± 66 nm, 433 ± 316 nm (Z_aver ± SD) for HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS, respectively. It was found by the spin trap method that the ability of ≡Fe^IIIOH to decompose H₂O₂ with the formation of a ^•OH decreases in the series HEPES buffer, Tris buffer, and PBS. The authors suggest that the ability to generate ^•OH during the decomposition of H₂O₂ is determined by the total surface area of ≡Fe^IIIOH particles, which significantly depends on the composition of the buffer in which these particles are formed.

Effect of Smartphone Light Fluxes on Cornea: A Biophysical Study

Objective

Biophysical study to investigate (a) the effects of smartphone light fluxes (SPLF) on isolated mammalian cornea and model protein (insulin), (b) to predict the possible visual interference of SPLF.

Materials and Methods

Fresh goat cornea and insulin protein were used as an experimental model system. The energy of absorbed SPLF was measured using chemical dosimeter. The effect of SPLF on the aggregation of model protein was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), DLS, were used for cornea imaging.

Results

The spectral emission peak of SPLF was observed at 380 nm and 420 nm. Absorbed radiation of SPLF was found to be 2.82 mWm^-2 and 1.92 mWm^-2 for collimated (focussed) and noncollimated (nonfocussed) condition, respectively. Secondary structural changes of insulin were observed by fluorescence and zeta potential after SPLF exposure. SEM study revealed the disorganization of the epithelial cell surface, increase in intercellular space, disorganization of primary epithelium layer, and exposure of the second layer is seen in depth. Differential Interference Microscopy showed an optical gradient in images that appears to be changed in specimen structure. Fluorescence microscopy showed disorganization in epithelial cell pattern. A significant difference in bio-molecular permeation was observed in the exposed cornea. Ultraviolet UV-visible spectroscopy study indicated a reduction in light transmission through the cornea.

Conclusions

The obtained results indicate changes in physicochemical and morphological modifications in the cornea and insulin modifications after exposed to SPLF.

Effect of cataract-associated mutations in the N-terminal domain of αB-crystallin (HspB5)

Physico-chemical properties of three cataract-associated missense mutants of αB-crystallin (HspB5) (R11H, P20S, R56W) were analyzed. The oligomers formed by the R11H mutant were smaller, whereas the oligomers of the P20S and R56W mutants were larger than those of the wild-type protein. The P20S mutant possessed lower thermal stability than the wild-type HspB5 or two other HspB5 mutants. All HspB5 mutants were able to form heterooligomeric complexes with αA-crystallin (HspB4), a genuine component of eye lens. However, the P20S and R56W mutants were less effective in the formation of these complexes and properties of heterooligomeric complexes formed by these mutants and HspB4 and analyzed by ion-exchange chromatography were different from those formed by the wild-type HspB5 and HspB4. All HspB5 variants also heterooligomerized with another partner protein, HspB6. Specifically for the P20S mutant forming two distinct sizes of homooligomers, only the smaller homooligomer population was able to interact with HspB6. P20S and R56W mutants possessed lower chaperone-like activity than the wild-type HspB5 when UV-irradiated β_L-crystallin was used as a model substrate. Importantly, all three mutations are localized in three earlier postulated short α-helical regions present in the N-terminal domain of αB-crystallin. These observations suggest an important structural and functional role of these regions. Correspondingly, therein localized mutations ultimately result in clinically relevant cataracts.

Application of Circular Dichroism and Fluorescence Spectroscopies To Assess Photostability of Water-Soluble Porcine Lens Proteins

The eye lens is mainly composed of the highly ordered water-soluble (WS) proteins named crystallins. The aggregation and insolubilization of these proteins lead to progressive lens opacification until cataract onset. Although this is a well-known disease, the mechanism of eye lens protein aggregation is not well understood; however, one of the recognized causes of proteins modification is related to the exposure to UV light. For this reason, the spectroscopic properties of WS lens proteins and their stability to UV irradiation have been evaluated by different biophysical methods including synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopies. Moreover, dynamic light scattering, gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy, and protein digestion followed by tandem LC-MS/MS analysis were used to study the morphological and structural changes in protein aggregates induced by exposure to UV light. Our results clearly indicated that the exposure to UV radiation modified the protein conformation, inducing a loss of ordered structure and aggregation. Furthermore, we confirmed that these changes were attributable to the generation of reactive oxygen species due to the irradiation of the protein sample. This approach, involving the photodenaturation of proteins, provides a benchmark in high-throughput screening of small molecules suitable to prevent protein denaturation and aggregation.

The mechanism of the interaction of α-crystallin and UV-damaged βL-crystallin

α-Crystallin maintains the transparency of the lens by preventing the aggregation of damaged proteins. The aim of our work was to study the chaperone-like activity of native α-crystallin in near physiological conditions (temperature, ionic power, pH) using UV-damaged β_L-crystallin as the target protein. α-Crystallin in concentration depended manner inhibits the aggregation of UV-damaged β_L-crystallin. DSC investigation has shown that refolding of denatured UV-damaged β_L-crystallin was not observed under incubation with α-crystallin. α-Crystallin and UV-damaged β_L-crystallin form dynamic complexes with masses from 75 to several thousand kDa. The content of UV-damaged β_L-crystallin in such complexes increases with the mass of the complex. Complexes containing >10% of UV-damaged β_L-crystallin are prone to precipitation whereas those containing <10% of the target protein are relatively stable. Formation of a stable 75 kDa complex is indicative of α-crystallin dissociation. We suppose that α-crystallin dissociation is the result of an interaction of comparable amounts of the chaperone-like protein and the target protein. In the lens simultaneous damage of such amounts of protein, mainly β and gamma-crystallins, is impossible. The authors suggest that in the lens rare molecules of the damaged protein interact with undissociated oligomers of α-crystallin, and thus preventing aggregation.

A thermal after-effect of UV irradiation of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b

Different test systems are used to characterize the anti-aggregation efficiency of molecular chaperone proteins and of low-molecular-weight chemical chaperones. Test systems based on aggregation of UV-irradiated protein are of special interest because they allow studying the protective action of different agents at physiological temperatures. The kinetics of UV-irradiated glycogen phosphorylase b (UV-Phb) from rabbit skeletal muscle was studied at 37°C using dynamic light scattering in a wide range of protein concentrations. It has been shown that the order of aggregation with respect to the protein is equal to unity. A conclusion has been made that the rate-limiting stage of the overall process of aggregation is heat-induced structural reorganization of a UV-Phb molecule, which contains concealed damage.

Multiple Aggregation Pathways in Human γS-Crystallin and Its Aggregation-Prone G18V Variant

Purpose

Cataract results from the formation of light-scattering precipitates due to point mutations or accumulated damage in the structural crystallins of the eye lens. Although excised cataracts are predominantly amorphous, in vitro studies show that crystallins are capable of adopting a variety of morphologies depending on the preparation method. Here we characterize thermal, pH-dependent, and UV-irradiated aggregates from wild-type human γS-crystallin (γS-WT) and its aggregation-prone variant, γS-G18V.

Methods

Aggregates of γS-WT and γS-G18V were prepared under acidic, neutral, and basic pH conditions and held at 25°C or 37°C for 48 hours. UV-induced aggregates were produced by irradiation with a 355-nm laser. Aggregation and fibril formation were monitored via turbidity and thioflavin T (ThT) assays. Aggregates were characterized using intrinsic aromatic fluorescence, powder x-ray diffraction, and mass spectrometry.

Results

γS-crystallin aggregates displayed different characteristics depending on the preparation method. γS-G18V produced a larger amount of detectable aggregates than did γS-WT and at less-extreme conditions. Aggregates formed under basic and acidic conditions yielded elevated ThT fluorescence; however, aggregates formed at low pH did not produce strongly turbid solutions. UV-induced aggregates produced highly turbid solutions but displayed only moderate ThT fluorescence. X-ray diffraction confirms amyloid character in low-pH samples and UV-irradiated samples, although the relative amounts vary.

Conclusions

γS-G18V demonstrates increased aggregation propensity compared to γS-WT when treated with heat, acid, or UV light. The resulting aggregates differ in their ThT fluorescence and turbidity, suggesting that at least two different aggregation pathways are accessible to both proteins under the conditions tested.

UV-B induced fibrillization of crystallin protein mixtures

Environmental factors, mainly oxidative stress and exposure to sunlight, induce the oxidation, cross-linking, cleavage, and deamination of crystallin proteins, resulting in their aggregation and, ultimately, cataract formation. Various denaturants have been used to initiate the aggregation of crystallin proteins in vitro. All of these regimens, however, are obviously far from replicating conditions that exist in vivo that lead to cataract formation. In fact, it is our supposition that only UV-B radiation may mimic the observed in vivo cause of crystallin alteration leading to cataract formation. This means of inducing cataract formation may provide the most appropriate in vitro platform for in-depth study of the fundamental cataractous fibril properties and allow for testing of possible treatment strategies. Herein, we showed that cataractous fibrils can be formed using UV-B radiation from α:β:γ crystallin protein mixtures. Characterization of the properties of formed aggregates confirmed the development of amyloid-like fibrils, which are in cross-β-pattern and possibly in anti-parallel β-sheet arrangement. Furthermore, we were also able to confirm that the presence of the molecular chaperone, α-crystallin, was able to inhibit fibril formation, as observed for ‘naturally’ occurring fibrils. Finally, the time-dependent fibrillation profile was found to be similar to the gradual formation of age-related nuclear cataracts. This data provided evidence for the initiation of fibril formation from physiologically relevant crystallin mixtures using UV-B radiation, and that the formed fibrils had several traits similar to that expected from cataracts developing in vivo.

Effects of green and red light in βL-crystallin and ovalbumin

The effects of visible light on biological systems have been widely studied. In particular, the alterations of blue light on the ocular lens have recently attracted much attention. Here, we present a study about the effects produced by green and red light on two different proteins: β_L-crystallin and ovalbumin. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence emission measurements, we found that both wavelengths induce structural changes in these proteins. We also observed that β_L-crystallin aggregates. Our work may advance our understanding about conformational and aggregation processes in proteins subjected to visible radiation and the possible relationship with cataracts. While blue light has been considered the only harmful component in the visible espectrum, our findings show the possibility that lower energy components may be also of some concern.

Effect of crowding on several stages of protein aggregation in test systems in the presence of α-crystallin

Macromolecular crowding can facilitate protein-protein interactions in the cell, in particular aggregation processes. To characterize the anti-aggregation activity of chaperones under conditions mimicking the crowded environment in the cell, two basic test systems are used. Test systems of the first type are based on aggregation of target proteins undergoing unfolding under different factors. Dithithreitol-induced aggregation of α-lactalbumin is used as such a system. The increase in the duration of lag phase after the addition of the crowder (polyethylene glycol; PEG) to the system containing α-crystallin has been interpreted as a retardation of the stages that are the rate-limiting stages of the general process of aggregation (the nucleation stage and the stages of clusterization of nuclei). Test systems of the second type are based on aggregation of UV-irradiated proteins. Such test systems permit investigating the effects of different agents directly on the stages of aggregation of unfolded protein. UV-irradiated glycogen phosphorylase b (Phb) is used as a target protein. Analysis of the initial rate of aggregation after the addition of PEG at different points in time to the mixture of UV-irradiated Phb and α-crystallin allowed estimating the time of half-conversion for the structural rearrangement of the primary UV-irradiated Phb-α-crystallin complex.

A potential role for endogenous proteins as sacrificial sunscreens and antioxidants in human tissues

Excessive ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure of the skin is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Although both exogenous sunscreens and endogenous tissue components (including melanins and tryptophan-derived compounds) reduce UVR penetration, the role of endogenous proteins in absorbing environmental UV wavelengths is poorly defined. Having previously demonstrated that proteins which are rich in UVR-absorbing amino acid residues are readily degraded by broadband UVB-radiation (containing UVA, UVB and UVC wavelengths) here we hypothesised that UV chromophore (Cys, Trp and Tyr) content can predict the susceptibility of structural proteins in skin and the eye to damage by physiologically relevant doses (up to 15.4 J/cm²) of solar UVR (95% UVA, 5% UVB). We show that: i) purified suspensions of UV-chromophore-rich fibronectin dimers, fibrillin microfibrils and β- and γ-lens crystallins undergo solar simulated radiation (SSR)-induced aggregation and/or decomposition and ii) exposure to identical doses of SSR has minimal effect on the size or ultrastructure of UV chromophore-poor tropoelastin, collagen I, collagen VI microfibrils and α-crystallin. If UV chromophore content is a factor in determining protein stability in vivo, we would expect that the tissue distribution of Cys, Trp and Tyr-rich proteins would correlate with regional UVR exposure. From bioinformatic analysis of 244 key structural proteins we identified several biochemically distinct, yet UV chromophore-rich, protein families. The majority of these putative UV-absorbing proteins (including the late cornified envelope proteins, keratin associated proteins, elastic fibre-associated components and β- and γ-crystallins) are localised and/or particularly abundant in tissues that are exposed to the highest doses of environmental UVR, specifically the stratum corneum, hair, papillary dermis and lens. We therefore propose that UV chromophore-rich proteins are localised in regions of high UVR exposure as a consequence of an evolutionary pressure to express sacrificial protein sunscreens which reduce UVR penetration and hence mitigate tissue damage.

Major structural proteins such as collagen I and tropoelastin are UVA-resistant.

In contrast, proteins which are rich in Cys, Trp and Tyr residues are UV-susceptible.

These proteins are concentrated in UV exposed tissues.

UV-chromophore (Cys, Trp, Tyr)-rich proteins may act as endogenous sunscreens.

Altering protein conformation to improve fermentative hydrogen production from protein wastewater

One important reason for low hydrogen production from protein wastewater is due to the native folded conformation of protein. In this study the enhancement of bio-hydrogen production from protein wastewater by altering protein conformation via pretreatment was reported. Firstly, the effect of different pretreatment methods (acid, alkali, heat, and ultraviolet) on hydrogen production from synthetic protein wastewater was compared. The hydrogen production from the ultraviolet pretreated wastewater was 111.3 mL/g-protein, which was 3.79-, 3.73-, 3.54-, and 1.36-fold of that from the unpretreated (blank), acid, alkali, and heat pretreated wastewater, respectively. Then, the reasons for ultraviolet pretreatment showing significantly higher hydrogen production than other pretreatments were investigated. It was found that all pretreatments did not cause the cleavage of peptide bond, but the ultraviolet one caused much greater damage of hydrogen bonding networks and unfolding of protein. Thus, during anaerobic fermentation much higher protease activity and protein utilization were observed, which resulted in the bio-hydrogen production being remarkably improved. Further studies indicated that the photo-oxidization of aromatic residues in protein was not the reason for ultraviolet pretreatment remarkably improving bio-hydrogen production. Finally, the application of ultraviolet pretreatment to enhance hydrogen production from real protein wastewater was testified.

Kinetics of aggregation of UV-irradiated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from rabbit skeletal muscle. Effect of agents possessing chaperone-like activity

An aggregation test system based on the aggregation of UV-irradiated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from rabbit skeletal muscle has been proposed. On the basis of the measurements of the enzyme activity and differential scanning calorimetry data a conclusion has been made that UV radiation results in formation of damaged protein molecules with lower thermostability. It was shown that the order of aggregation rate for UV-irradiated GAPDH with respect to the protein was close to 2. This means that such a test system allows detecting the effect of various agents exclusively on the stage of aggregation of unfolded protein molecules. The influence of α-crystallin and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) on aggregation of UV-irradiated GAPDH was studied. Despite the fact that HP-β-CD accelerates thermal aggregation of non-irradiated GAPDH, in the case of aggregation of UV-irradiated GAPDH HP-β-CD reveals a purely protective effect.

A protein aggregation based test for screening of the agents affecting thermostability of proteins

To search for agents affecting thermal stability of proteins, a test based on the registration of protein aggregation in the regime of heating with a constant rate was used. The initial parts of the dependences of the light scattering intensity (I) on temperature (T) were analyzed using the following empiric equation: I = K_agg(T−T₀)², where K_agg is the parameter characterizing the initial rate of aggregation and T₀ is a temperature at which the initial increase in the light scattering intensity is registered. The aggregation data are interpreted in the frame of the model assuming the formation of the start aggregates at the initial stages of the aggregation process. Parameter T₀ corresponds to the moment of the origination of the start aggregates. The applicability of the proposed approach was demonstrated on the examples of thermal aggregation of glycogen phosphorylase b from rabbit skeletal muscles and bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase studied in the presence of agents of different chemical nature. The elaborated approach to the study of protein aggregation may be used for rapid identification of small molecules that interact with protein targets.

Pulsed ultraviolet light reduces immunoglobulin E binding to Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) extract

Pulsed ultraviolet light (PUV), a novel food processing and preservation technology, has been shown to reduce allergen levels in peanut and soybean samples. In this study, the efficacy of using PUV to reduce the reactivity of the major shrimp allergen, tropomyosin (36-kDa), and to attenuate immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding to shrimp extract was examined. Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) extract was treated with PUV (3 pulses/s, 10 cm from light source) for 4 min. Tropomyosin was compared in the untreated, boiled, PUV-treated and [boiled+PUV]-treated samples, and changes in the tropomyosin levels were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). IgE binding of the treated extract was analyzed via immunoblot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using pooled human plasma containing IgE antibodies against shrimp allergens. Results showed that levels of tropomyosin and IgE binding were reduced following PUV treatment. However, boiling increased IgE binding, while PUV treatment could offset the increased allergen reactivity caused by boiling. In conclusion, PUV treatment reduced the reactivity of the major shrimp allergen, tropomyosin, and decreased the IgE binding capacity of the shrimp extract.