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Floch A, Galochkina T, Pirenne F, Tournamille C, de Brevern AG. Molecular dynamics of the human RhD and RhAG blood group proteins. Front Chem 2024; 12:1360392. [PMID: 38566898 PMCID: PMC10985258 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1360392] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Blood group antigens of the RH system (formerly known as "Rhesus") play an important role in transfusion medicine because of the severe haemolytic consequences of antibodies to these antigens. No crystal structure is available for RhD proteins with its partner RhAG, and the precise stoichiometry of the trimer complex remains unknown. Methods: To analyse their structural properties, the trimers formed by RhD and/or RhAG subunits were generated by protein modelling and molecular dynamics simulations were performed. Results: No major differences in structural behaviour were found between trimers of different compositions. The conformation of the subunits is relatively constant during molecular dynamics simulations, except for three large disordered loops. Discussion: This work makes it possible to propose a reasonable stoichiometry and demonstrates the potential of studying the structural behaviour of these proteins to investigate the hundreds of genetic variants relevant to transfusion medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Floch
- University Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955 Equipe Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Créteil, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie Médicale de Référence en Immuno-Hématologie Moléculaire, Etablissement Français du Sang Ile-de-France, Créteil, France
| | - Tatiana Galochkina
- Université Paris Cité and Université des Antilles and Université de la Réunion, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, DSIMB Bioinformatics team, Paris, France
| | - France Pirenne
- University Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955 Equipe Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Créteil, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie Médicale de Référence en Immuno-Hématologie Moléculaire, Etablissement Français du Sang Ile-de-France, Créteil, France
| | - Christophe Tournamille
- University Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955 Equipe Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Créteil, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie Médicale de Référence en Immuno-Hématologie Moléculaire, Etablissement Français du Sang Ile-de-France, Créteil, France
| | - Alexandre G. de Brevern
- Université Paris Cité and Université des Antilles and Université de la Réunion, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, UMR_S1134, BIGR, INSERM, DSIMB Bioinformatics team, Paris, France
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Floch A, Pirenne F, Barrault A, Chami B, Toly-Ndour C, Tournamille C, de Brevern AG. Insights into anti-D formation in carriers of RhD variants through studies of 3D intraprotein interactions. Transfusion 2021; 61:1286-1301. [PMID: 33586199 DOI: 10.1111/trf.16301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many RhD variants associated with anti-D formation (partial D) in carriers exposed to the conventional D antigen carry mutations affecting extracellular loop residues. Surprisingly, some carry mutations affecting transmembrane or intracellular domains, positions not thought likely to have a major impact on D epitopes. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A wild-type Rh trimer (RhD1 RhAG2 ) was modeled by comparative modeling with the human RhCG structure. Taking trimer conformation, residue accessibility, and position relative to the lipid bilayer into account, we redefine the domains of the RhD protein. We generated models for RhD variants carrying one or two amino acid substitutions associated with anti-D formation in published articles (25 variants) or abstracts (12 variants) and for RHD*weak D type 38. We determined the extracellular substitutions and compared the interactions of the variants with those of the standard RhD. RESULTS The findings of the three-dimensional (3D) analysis were correlated with anti-D formation for 76% of RhD variants: 15 substitutions associated with anti-D formation concerned extracellular residues, and structural differences in intraprotein interactions relative to standard RhD were observed in the others. We discuss the mechanisms by which D epitopes may be modified in variants in which the extracellular residues are identical to those of standard RhD and provide arguments for the benignity of p.T379M (RHD*DAU0) and p.G278D (RHD*weak D type 38) in transfusion medicine. CONCLUSION The study of RhD intraprotein interactions and the precise redefinition of residue accessibility provide insight into the mechanisms through which RhD point mutations may lead to anti-D formation in carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Floch
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Creteil, France.,Etablissement francais du sang Ile-de-France, Creteil, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - France Pirenne
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Creteil, France.,Etablissement francais du sang Ile-de-France, Creteil, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Barrault
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Creteil, France.,Etablissement francais du sang Ile-de-France, Creteil, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Btissam Chami
- Etablissement francais du sang Ile-de-France, Creteil, France
| | - Cécile Toly-Ndour
- Unité Fonctionnelle d'expertise en Immuno-Hémobiologie Périnatale, Centre National de Référence en Hémobiologie Périnatale (CNRHP), Service de Médecine Fœtale, Pôle Périnatalité, Hôpital Trousseau, GH HUEP, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Tournamille
- Univ Paris Est Creteil, INSERM U955, Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, IMRB, Creteil, France.,Etablissement francais du sang Ile-de-France, Creteil, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre G de Brevern
- Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge UMR_S1134, Inserm, Université de la Réunion, Université des Antilles, Paris, France.,Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine (INTS), Paris, France
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Mankelow TJ, Satchwell TJ, Burton NM. Refined views of multi-protein complexes in the erythrocyte membrane. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2012; 49:1-10. [PMID: 22465511 PMCID: PMC4443426 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2012.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The erythrocyte membrane has been extensively studied, both as a model membrane system and to investigate its role in gas exchange and transport. Much is now known about the protein components of the membrane, how they are organised into large multi-protein complexes and how they interact with each other within these complexes. Many links between the membrane and the cytoskeleton have also been delineated and have been demonstrated to be crucial for maintaining the deformability and integrity of the erythrocyte. In this study we have refined previous, highly speculative molecular models of these complexes by including the available data pertaining to known protein-protein interactions. While the refined models remain highly speculative, they provide an evolving framework for visualisation of these important cellular structures at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Mankelow
- Bristol Institute for Transfusion Sciences, N.H.S. Blood & Transplant, UK
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