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The Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factors (CNFs)-A Family of Rho GTPase-Activating Bacterial Exotoxins. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120901. [PMID: 34941738 PMCID: PMC8709095 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytotoxic necrotizing factors (CNFs) are a family of Rho GTPase-activating single-chain exotoxins that are produced by several Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. Due to the pleiotropic activities of the targeted Rho GTPases, the CNFs trigger multiple signaling pathways and host cell processes with diverse functional consequences. They influence cytokinesis, tissue integrity, cell barriers, and cell death, as well as the induction of inflammatory and immune cell responses. This has an enormous influence on host-pathogen interactions and the severity of the infection. The present review provides a comprehensive insight into our current knowledge of the modular structure, cell entry mechanisms, and the mode of action of this class of toxins, and describes their influence on the cell, tissue/organ, and systems levels. In addition to their toxic functions, possibilities for their use as drug delivery tool and for therapeutic applications against important illnesses, including nervous system diseases and cancer, have also been identified and are discussed.
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Urbinati C, Cosentino L, Germinario EAP, Valenti D, Vigli D, Ricceri L, Laviola G, Fiorentini C, Vacca RA, Fabbri A, De Filippis B. Treatment with the Bacterial Toxin CNF1 Selectively Rescues Cognitive and Brain Mitochondrial Deficits in a Female Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome Carrying a MeCP2-Null Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6739. [PMID: 34201747 PMCID: PMC8269120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and a major cause of intellectual disability in females. No cure exists for RTT. We previously reported that the behavioural phenotype and brain mitochondria dysfunction are widely rescued by a single intracerebroventricular injection of the bacterial toxin CNF1 in a RTT mouse model carrying a truncating mutation of the MeCP2 gene (MeCP2-308 mice). Given the heterogeneity of MECP2 mutations in RTT patients, we tested the CNF1 therapeutic efficacy in a mouse model carrying a null mutation (MeCP2-Bird mice). CNF1 selectively rescued cognitive defects, without improving other RTT-related behavioural alterations, and restored brain mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activity in MeCP2-Bird mice. To shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential CNF1 effects on the behavioural phenotype, we compared treatment effects on relevant signalling cascades in the brain of the two RTT models. CNF1 provided a significant boost of the mTOR activation in MeCP2-308 hippocampus, which was not observed in the MeCP2-Bird model, possibly explaining the differential effects of CNF1. These results demonstrate that CNF1 efficacy depends on the mutation beared by MeCP2-mutated mice, stressing the need of testing potential therapeutic approaches across RTT models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Urbinati
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Livia Cosentino
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Elena Angela Pia Germinario
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.)
| | - Daniela Valenti
- Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Institute of Biomembranes, National Council of Research, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.V.); (R.A.V.)
| | - Daniele Vigli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Association for Research on Integrative Oncology Therapies (ARTOI), 00165 Rome, Italy;
| | - Rosa Anna Vacca
- Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, Institute of Biomembranes, National Council of Research, 70126 Bari, Italy; (D.V.); (R.A.V.)
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.)
| | - Bianca De Filippis
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (C.U.); (L.C.); (D.V.); (L.R.); (G.L.)
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3
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Travaglione S, Loizzo S, Vona R, Ballan G, Rivabene R, Giordani D, Guidotti M, Dupuis ML, Maroccia Z, Baiula M, Rimondini R, Campana G, Fiorentini C. The Bacterial Toxin CNF1 Protects Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells against 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Cell Damage: The Hypothesis of CNF1-Promoted Autophagy as an Antioxidant Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093390. [PMID: 32403292 PMCID: PMC7247702 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Several chronic neuroinflammatory diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), have the so-called ‘redox imbalance’ in common, a dynamic system modulated by various factors. Among them, alteration of the mitochondrial functionality can cause overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the consequent induction of oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis. Considering the failure of clinical trials with drugs that eliminate ROS directly, research currently focuses on approaches that counteract redox imbalance, thus restoring normal physiology in a neuroinflammatory condition. Herein, we used SH-SY5Y cells treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), a neurotoxin broadly employed to generate experimental models of PD. Cells were pre-treated with the Rho-modulating Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), before the addition of 6-OHDA. Then, cell viability, mitochondrial morphology and dynamics, redox profile as well as autophagic markers expression were assessed. We found that CNF1 preserves cell viability and counteracts oxidative stress induced by 6-OHDA. These effects are accompanied by modulation of the mitochondrial network and an increase in macroautophagic markers. Our results confirm the Rho GTPases as suitable pharmacological targets to counteract neuroinflammatory diseases and evidence the potentiality of CNF1, whose beneficial effects on pathological animal models have been already proven to act against oxidative stress through an autophagic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Travaglione
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-49903692
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Rosa Vona
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Giulia Ballan
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Roberto Rivabene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Danila Giordani
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Marco Guidotti
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Maria Luisa Dupuis
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Zaira Maroccia
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
| | - Monica Baiula
- University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (R.Rim); (G.C.)
| | - Roberto Rimondini
- University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (R.Rim); (G.C.)
| | - Gabriele Campana
- University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy; (M.B.); (R.Rim); (G.C.)
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (R.V.); (G.B.); (R.Riv); (D.G.); (M.G.); (M.L.D.); (Z.M.); or
- Association for Research on Integrative Oncology Therapies (ARTOI), 00165 Rome, Italy
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Colarusso A, Maroccia Z, Parrilli E, Germinario EAP, Fortuna A, Loizzo S, Ricceri L, Tutino ML, Fiorentini C, Fabbri A. Cnf1 Variants Endowed with the Ability to Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier: A New Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Glioblastoma. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12050291. [PMID: 32375387 PMCID: PMC7290510 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12050291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Among gliomas, primary tumors originating from glial cells, glioblastoma (GBM) identified as WHO grade IV glioma, is the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor. We have previously shown that the Escherichia coli protein toxin cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) is remarkably effective as an anti-neoplastic agent in a mouse model of glioma, reducing the tumor volume, increasing survival, and maintaining the functional properties of peritumoral neurons. However, being unable to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), CNF1 requires injection directly into the brain, which is a very invasive administration route. Thus, to overcome this pitfall, we designed a CNF1 variant characterized by the presence of an N-terminal BBB-crossing tag. The variant was produced and we verified whether its activity was comparable to that of wild-type CNF1 in GBM cells. We investigated the signaling pathways engaged in the cell response to CNF1 variants to provide preliminary data to the subsequent studies in experimental animals. CNF1 may represent a novel avenue for GBM therapy, particularly because, besides blocking tumor growth, it also preserves the healthy surrounding tissue, maintaining its architecture and functionality. This renders CNF1 the most interesting candidate for the treatment of brain tumors, among other potentially effective bacterial toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Colarusso
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario M. S. Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (A.C.); (E.P.); (M.L.T.)
| | - Zaira Maroccia
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
| | - Ermenegilda Parrilli
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario M. S. Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (A.C.); (E.P.); (M.L.T.)
| | - Elena Angela Pia Germinario
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
| | - Andrea Fortuna
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
| | - Maria Luisa Tutino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario M. S. Angelo, Via Cintia, 80126 Napoli, Italy; (A.C.); (E.P.); (M.L.T.)
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
- Association for Research on Integrative Oncological Therapies (ARTOI), 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy; (Z.M.); (E.A.P.G.); (A.F.); (S.L.); (L.R.); (C.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-4990-2939
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Matteucci A, Ricceri L, Fabbri A, Fortuna A, Travaglione S, Guidotti M, Martinelli A, Villa M, Pricci F, Maroccia Z, Campana G, Malchiodi-Albedi F, Fiorentini C, Loizzo S. Eye Drop Instillation of the Rac1 Modulator CNF1 Attenuates Retinal Gliosis and Ameliorates Visual Performance in a Rat Model of Hypertensive Retinopathy. Neuroscience 2019; 411:119-129. [PMID: 31128161 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In hypertensive retinopathy, the retinal damage due to high blood pressure is accompanied by increased expression of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), which indicates a role of neuroinflammatory processes in such a retinopathy. Proteins belonging to the Rho GTPase family, particularly Rac1, are involved in the activation of Müller glia and in the progression of photoreceptor degeneration, and may thus represent a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention following central nervous system inflammation. In this paper, we have observed that topical administration as eye drops of Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 (CNF1), a Rho GTPase modulator, surprisingly improves electrophysiological and behavioral visual performances in aged spontaneously hypertensive rats. Furthermore, such functional improvement is accompanied by a reduction of Rac1 activity and retinal GFAP expression. Our results suggest that Rac1 inhibition through CNF1 topical administration may represent a new strategy to target retinal gliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Matteucci
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Ricceri
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Fortuna
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Travaglione
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Guidotti
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Martinelli
- National Centre for Animal Research and Welfare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Marika Villa
- Department of Cardiovascular, Dysmetabolic and Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases, and Ageing, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Pricci
- Department of Cardiovascular, Dysmetabolic and Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases, and Ageing, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Zaira Maroccia
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Campana
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Zamboni, 33, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fiorella Malchiodi-Albedi
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy; Association for Research on Integrative Oncology Therapies (ARTOI), Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Fabbri A, Travaglione S, Maroccia Z, Guidotti M, Pierri CL, Primiano G, Servidei S, Loizzo S, Fiorentini C. The Bacterial Protein CNF1 as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy against Mitochondrial Diseases: A Pilot Study. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E1825. [PMID: 29933571 PMCID: PMC6073533 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Escherichia coli protein toxin cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), which acts on the Rho GTPases that are key regulators of the actin cytoskeleton, is emerging as a potential therapeutic tool against certain neurological diseases characterized by cellular energy homeostasis impairment. In this brief communication, we show explorative results on the toxin’s effect on fibroblasts derived from a patient affected by myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) that carries a mutation in the m.8344A>G gene of mitochondrial DNA. We found that, in the patient’s cells, besides rescuing the wild-type-like mitochondrial morphology, CNF1 administration is able to trigger a significant increase in cellular content of ATP and of the mitochondrial outer membrane marker Tom20. These results were accompanied by a profound F-actin reorganization in MERRF fibroblasts, which is a typical CNF1-induced effect on cell cytoskeleton. These results point at a possible role of the actin organization in preventing or limiting the cell damage due to mitochondrial impairment and at CNF1 treatment as a possible novel strategy against mitochondrial diseases still without cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Fabbri
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Sara Travaglione
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Zaira Maroccia
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Marco Guidotti
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Ciro Leonardo Pierri
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70124 Bari, Italy.
| | - Guido Primiano
- Unità di Neurofisiopatologia, Area Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Serenella Servidei
- Unità di Neurofisiopatologia, Area Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Italian Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Tantillo E, Colistra A, Vannini E, Cerri C, Pancrazi L, Baroncelli L, Costa M, Caleo M. Bacterial Toxins and Targeted Brain Therapy: New Insights from Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 (CNF1). Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061632. [PMID: 29857515 PMCID: PMC6032336 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria produce toxins to promote host invasion and, therefore, their survival. The extreme potency and specificity of these toxins confer to this category of proteins an exceptionally strong potential for therapeutic exploitation. In this review, we deal with cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF1), a cytotoxin produced by Escherichia coli affecting fundamental cellular processes, including cytoskeletal dynamics, cell cycle progression, transcriptional regulation, cell survival and migration. First, we provide an overview of the mechanisms of action of CNF1 in target cells. Next, we focus on the potential use of CNF1 as a pharmacological treatment in central nervous system’s diseases. CNF1 appears to impact neuronal morphology, physiology, and plasticity and displays an antineoplastic activity on brain tumors. The ability to preserve neural functionality and, at the same time, to trigger senescence and death of proliferating glioma cells, makes CNF1 an encouraging new strategy for the treatment of brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Tantillo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza Onlus (FPS), via Ferruccio Giovannini 13, San Giuliano Terme, 56017 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Antonella Colistra
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Departement of Biology, University of Pisa, via Luca Ghini 13, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Vannini
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Chiara Cerri
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
- Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, Piazza Velasca 5, 20122 Milano, Italy.
| | - Laura Pancrazi
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Laura Baroncelli
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Mario Costa
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Matteo Caleo
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Maroccia Z, Loizzo S, Travaglione S, Frank C, Fabbri A, Fiorentini C. New therapeutics from Nature: The odd case of the bacterial cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 101:929-937. [PMID: 29635902 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.02.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products may represent a rich source of new drugs. The enthusiasm toward this topic has recently been fueled by the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded for the discovery of avermectin and artemisinin, natural products from Bacteria and Plantae, respectively, which have targeted one of the major global health issues, the parasitic diseases. Specifically, bacteria either living in the environment or colonizing our body may produce compounds of unexpected biomedical value with the potentiality to be employed as therapeutic drugs. In this review, the fascinating history of CNF1, a protein toxin produced by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, is divulged. Even if produced by bacteria responsible for a variety of diseases, CNF1 can behave as a promising benefactor to mankind. By modulating the Rho GTPases, this bacterial product plays a key role in organizing the actin cytoskeleton, enhancing synaptic plasticity and brain energy level, rescuing cognitive deficits, reducing glioma growth in experimental animals. These abilities strongly suggest the need to proceed with the studies on this odd drug in order to pave the way toward clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaira Maroccia
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Loizzo
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Travaglione
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Frank
- Italian Centre for Rare Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Fabbri
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Fiorentini
- Italian Centre for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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