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Rybak JA, Sahoo AR, Kim S, Pyron RJ, Pitts SB, Guleryuz S, Smith AW, Buck M, Barrera FN. Allosteric inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor through disruption of transmembrane interactions. J Biol Chem 2023:104914. [PMID: 37315787 PMCID: PMC10362150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) commonly targeted for inhibition by anti-cancer therapeutics. Current therapeutics target EGFR's kinase domain or extracellular region. However, these types of inhibitors are not specific for tumors over healthy tissue and therefore cause undesirable side effects. Our lab has recently developed a new strategy to regulate RTK activity by designing a peptide that specifically binds to the transmembrane (TM) region of the RTK to allosterically modify kinase activity. These peptides are acidity-responsive, allowing them to preferentially target acidic environments like tumors. We have applied this strategy to EGFR and created the PET1 peptide. We observed that PET1 behaves as a pH-responsive peptide that modulates the configuration of the EGFR TM through a direct interaction. Our data indicated that PET1 inhibits EGFR-mediated cell migration. Finally, we investigated the mechanism of inhibition through molecular dynamics simulations, which showed that PET1 sits between the two EGFR TM helices; this molecular mechanism was additionally supported by AlphaFold-Multimer predictions. We propose that the PET1-induced disruption of native TM interactions disturbs the conformation of the kinase domain in such a way that it inhibits EGFR's ability to send migratory cell signals. This study is a proof-of-concept that acidity-responsive membrane peptide ligands can be generally applied to RTKs. In addition, PET1 constitutes a viable approach to therapeutically target the TM of EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Rybak
- Department of Genome Sciences and Technology, University of Tennessee, 1311 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Amita R Sahoo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Soyeon Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, 190 Buchtel Common, Akron, Ohio 44325, USA
| | - Robert J Pyron
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 1311 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Savannah B Pitts
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 1311 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Saffet Guleryuz
- Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, 1924 Alcoa Hwy, Knoxville, TN, 37920, USA
| | - Adam W Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, 190 Buchtel Common, Akron, Ohio 44325, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX 79409
| | - Matthias Buck
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 1311 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Russell CM, Schaefer KG, Dixson AC, Gray ALH, Pyron RJ, Schuck RJ, Alves DS, Do T, King G, Barrera FN. Polymers of the candidalysin peptide become membrane pores. Biophys J 2023; 122:155a. [PMID: 36782722 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Russell
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | | | - Andrew C Dixson
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Amber L H Gray
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Robert J Pyron
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Ryan J Schuck
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Daiane S Alves
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Thanh Do
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Gavin King
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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Rybak JA, Sahoo AR, Kim S, Pyron RJ, Pitts SB, Smith AW, Buck M, Barrera FN. Inhibition of EGFR via an acidity-responsive transmembrane peptide ligand. Biophys J 2023; 122:369a-370a. [PMID: 36783874 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.2036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Rybak
- Genome Science & Technology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Amita R Sahoo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Savannah B Pitts
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Adam W Smith
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Matthias Buck
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
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Russell CM, Schaefer KG, Dixson A, Gray ALH, Pyron RJ, Alves DS, Moore N, Conley EA, Schuck RJ, White TA, Do TD, King GM, Barrera FN. The Candida albicans virulence factor candidalysin polymerizes in solution to form membrane pores and damage epithelial cells. eLife 2022; 11:e75490. [PMID: 36173096 PMCID: PMC9522247 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans causes severe invasive candidiasis. C. albicans infection requires the virulence factor candidalysin (CL) which damages target cell membranes. However, the mechanism that CL uses to permeabilize membranes is unclear. We reveal that CL forms membrane pores using a unique mechanism. Unexpectedly, CL readily assembled into polymers in solution. We propose that the basic structural unit in polymer formation is a CL oligomer, which is sequentially added into a string configuration that can close into a loop. CL loops appear to spontaneously insert into the membrane to become pores. A CL mutation (G4W) inhibited the formation of polymers in solution and prevented pore formation in synthetic lipid systems. Epithelial cell studies showed that G4W CL failed to activate the danger response pathway, a hallmark of the pathogenic effect of CL. These results indicate that CL polymerization in solution is a necessary step for the damage of cellular membranes. Analysis of CL pores by atomic force microscopy revealed co-existence of simple depressions and more complex pores, which are likely formed by CL assembled in an alternate oligomer orientation. We propose that this structural rearrangement represents a maturation mechanism that stabilizes pore formation to achieve more robust cellular damage. To summarize, CL uses a previously unknown mechanism to damage membranes, whereby pre-assembly of CL loops in solution leads to formation of membrane pores. Our investigation not only unravels a new paradigm for the formation of membrane pores, but additionally identifies CL polymerization as a novel therapeutic target to treat candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Russell
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Katherine G Schaefer
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
| | - Andrew Dixson
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Amber LH Gray
- Department of Chemistry, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Robert J Pyron
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Daiane S Alves
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Nicholas Moore
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Elizabeth A Conley
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
| | - Ryan J Schuck
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Tommi A White
- Department of Biochemistry, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
- Electron Microscopy Core, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
| | - Thanh D Do
- Department of Chemistry, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
| | - Gavin M King
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of MissouriColumbiaUnited States
| | - Francisco N Barrera
- Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of TennesseeKnoxvilleUnited States
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Russell CM, Schaefer KG, Gray AL, Dixson AC, Pyron RJ, Moore N, Conley E, Alves DS, White T, Do T, King G, Barrera FN. The Candida albicans virulence factor candidalysin must self-assemble in solution to form membrane pores. Biophys J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.1634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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