Structure of the complex of phosphorylated liver kinase B1 and 14-3-3ζ

Evaluating chemotherapeutic potential of soya-isoflavonoids against high penetrance genes in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer (BC) associated with a poor prognosis. Owing to the structural similarity with 17-β-estradiol, consumption of soya-isoflavonoids are associated with a reduced rate of hormone-receptive BC incidence, but their role in TNBC is not deciphered in detail. This present study thus aims to investigate the therapeutic binding dynamics of dietary soya-flavonoids with the six high penetrance (HP) receptors in TNBC, viz. BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, PTEN, STK11 and TP53. Out of the 14 soya-flavonoids screened based on ADMET descriptors and several other physicochemical, bioavailability, drug and lead-likeness properties, four hits were shortlisted (Daidzein, Genistein, Glycitein and Biochanin A). Docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation revealed Genistein as the most potential multi-target inhibitor of the six TNBC HP genes. Additionally, Genistein exhibited excellent binding specificity with PTEN, a potent mediator of the PI3K signaling pathway in TNBC. The binding interaction of PTEN and Genistein was further compared against a standardized FDA-approved chemotherapeutic inhibitor, Olaparib, computed through various MD trajectory analysis, principal component analysis and computation of free energy landscape. This study reveals a comparatively better binding dynamics of PTEN-Genistein than PTEN-Olaparib. With a significant global surge in biomarker-based precision therapeutics in oncology, the results of this exhaustive in-silico study thus encourage the prospect of validating PTEN as a druggable target of Genistein, a unique drug-receptor combination in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Identification and confirmation of 14-3-3 ζ as a novel target of ginsenosides in brain tissues

Background

Ginseng can help regulate brain excitability, promote learning and memory, and resist cerebral ischemia in the central nervous system. Ginsenosides are the major effective compounds of Ginseng, but their protein targets in the brain have not been determined.

Methods

We screened proteins that interact with the main components of ginseng (ginsenosides) by affinity chromatography and identified the 14-3-3 ζ protein as a potential target of ginsenosides in brain tissues.

Results

Biolayer interferometry (BLI) analysis showed that 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), a ginseng saponin metabolite, exhibited the highest direct interaction to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. Subsequently, BLI kinetics analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) assay showed that PPD specifically bound to the 14-3-3 ζ protein. The cocrystal structure of the 14-3-3 ζ protein-PPD complex showed that the main interactions occurred between the residues R56, R127, and Y128 of the 14-3-3 ζ protein and a portion of PPD. Moreover, mutating any of the above residues resulted in a significant decrease of affinity between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein.

Conclusion

Our results indicate the 14-3-3 ζ protein is the target of PPD, a ginsenoside metabolite. Crystallographic and mutagenesis studies suggest a direct interaction between PPD and the 14-3-3 ζ protein. This finding can help in the development of small-molecular compounds that bind to the 14-3-3 ζ protein on the basis of the structure of dammarane-type triterpenoid.

Rac1 S71 Mediates the Interaction between Rac1 and 14-3-3 Proteins

Both 14-3-3 proteins (14-3-3s) and Rho proteins regulate cytoskeleton remodeling and cell migration, which suggests a possible interaction between the signaling pathways regulated by these two groups of proteins. Indeed, more and more emerging evidence indicates the mutual regulation of these two signaling pathways. However, all of the data regarding the interaction between Rac1 signaling pathways and 14-3-3 signaling pathways are through either the upstream regulators or downstream substrates. It is not clear if Rac1 could interact with 14-3-3s directly. It is interesting to notice that the Rac1 sequence 68RPLSYP73 is likely a 14-3-3 protein binding motif following the phosphorylation of S71 by Akt. Thus, we hypothesize that Rac1 directly interacts with 14-3-3s. We tested this hypothesis in this research. By using mutagenesis, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), Rac1 activity assay, immunoblotting, and indirect immunofluorescence, we demonstrate that 14-3-3s interact with Rac1. This interaction is mediated by Rac1 S71 in both phosphorylation-dependent and -independent manners, but the phosphorylation-dependent interaction is much stronger. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) strongly stimulates the phosphorylation of Rac1 S71 and the interaction between 14-3-3s and Rac1. Mutating S71 to A completely abolishes both phosphorylation-dependent and -independent interactions between 14-3-3s and Rac1. The interaction between 14-3-3s and Rac1 mostly serve to regulate the activity and subcellular localization of Rac1. Among the seven 14-3-3 isoforms, 14-3-3η, -σ, and -θ showed interactions with Rac1 in both Cos-7 and HEK 293 cells. 14-3-3γ also binds to Rac1 in HEK 293 cells, but not in Cos-7 cells. We conclude that 14-3-3s interact with Rac1. This interaction is mediated by Rac1 S71 in both phosphorylation-dependent and -independent manners. The interaction between 14-3-3 and Rac1 mostly serves to regulate the activity and subcellular localization of Rac1. Among the seven 14-3-3 isoforms, 14-3-3η, -γ, -σ, and -θ interact with Rac1.

SUMOylation regulates LKB1 localization and its oncogenic activity in liver cancer

Background

Even though liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is usually described as a tumor suppressor in a wide variety of tissues, it has been shown that LKB1 aberrant expression is associated with bad prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Herein we have overexpressed LKB1 in human hepatoma cells and by using histidine pull-down assay we have investigated the role of the hypoxia-related post-translational modification of Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier (SUMO)ylation in the regulation of LKB1 oncogenic role. Molecular modelling between LKB1 and its interactors, involved in regulation of LKB1 nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and LKB1 activity, was performed. Finally, high affinity SUMO binding entities-based technology were used to validate our findings in a pre-clinical mouse model and in clinical HCC.

Findings

We found that in human hepatoma cells under hypoxic stress, LKB1 overexpression increases cell viability and aggressiveness in association with changes in LKB1 cellular localization. Moreover, by using site-directed mutagenesis, we have shown that LKB1 is SUMOylated by SUMO-2 at Lys178 hampering LKB1 nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and fueling hepatoma cell growth. Molecular modelling of SUMO modified LKB1 further confirmed steric impedance between SUMOylated LKB1 and the STe20-Related ADaptor cofactor (STRADα), involved in LKB1 export from the nucleus. Finally, we provide evidence that endogenous LKB1 is modified by SUMO in pre-clinical mouse models of HCC and clinical HCC, where LKB1 SUMOylation is higher in fast growing tumors.

Interpretation

Overall, SUMO-2 modification of LKB1 at Lys178 mediates LKB1 cellular localization and its oncogenic role in liver cancer.

Fund

This work was supported by grants from NIH (US Department of Health and Human services)-R01AR001576-11A1 (J.M.M and M.L.M-C.), Gobierno Vasco-Departamento de Salud 2013111114 (to M.L.M.-C), ELKARTEK 2016, Departamento de Industria del Gobierno Vasco (to M.L.M.-C), MINECO: SAF2017–87301-R and SAF2014–52097-R integrado en el Plan Estatal de Investigación Cientifica y Técnica y Innovación 2013–2016 cofinanciado con Fondos FEDER (to M.L.M.-C and J.M.M., respectively), BFU2015–71017/BMC MINECO/FEDER, EU (to A.D.Q. and I.D.M.), BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research): EITB Maratoia BIO15/CA/014; Instituto de Salud Carlos III:PIE14/00031, integrado en el Plan Estatal de Investigación Cientifica y Técnica y Innovacion 2013–2016 cofinanciado con Fondos FEDER (to M.L.M.-C and J.M.M), Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (T.C.D, P·F-T and M.L.M-C), Daniel Alagille award from EASL (to T.C.D), Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC Scientific Foundation) Rare Tumor Calls 2017 (to M.L.M and M.A), La Caixa Foundation Program (to M.L.M), Programma di Ricerca Regione-Università 2007–2009 and 2011–2012, Regione Emilia-Romagna (to E.V.), Ramón Areces Foundation and the Andalusian Government (BIO-198) (A.D.Q. and I.D.M.), ayudas para apoyar grupos de investigación del sistema Universitario Vasco IT971–16 (P.A.), MINECO:SAF2015–64352-R (P.A.), Institut National du Cancer, FRANCE, INCa grant PLBIO16–251 (M.S.R.), MINECO - BFU2016–76872-R to (E.B.). Work produced with the support of a 2017 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators, BBVA Foundation (M.V-R). Finally, Ciberehd_ISCIII_MINECO is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. We thank MINECO for the Severo Ochoa Excellence Accreditation to CIC bioGUNE (SEV-2016-0644). Funding sources had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Overexpression of LKB1 in human hepatoma cells during hypoxic stress induces deregulated cell growth and survival.

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SUMO-2 modifications of LKB1 at Lys178 occur in human hepatoma cells hampering its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling.

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LKB1 SUMOylation is augmented in pre-clinical mouse models and clinical HCC, being a hallmark of more aggressive HCC tumors.