Rosmarinic acid ameliorated oxidative stress, neuronal injuries, and mitochondrial dysfunctions mediated by polyglutamine and ɑ-synuclein in Caenorhabditis elegans models

Numerous natural antioxidants have been developed into agents for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) treatment. Rosmarinic acid (RA), an excellent antioxidant, exhibits neuroprotective activity, but its anti-NDs efficacy remains puzzling. Here, Caenorhabditis elegans models were employed to systematically reveal RA-mediated mechanisms in delaying NDs from diverse facets, including oxidative stress, the homeostasis of neural and protein, and mitochondrial disorders. Firstly, RA significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species accumulation, reduced peroxide malonaldehyde production, and strengthened the antioxidant defense system via increasing superoxide dismutase activity. Besides, RA reduced neuronal loss and ameliorated polyglutamine and ɑ-synuclein-mediated dyskinesia in NDs models. Further, in combination with the data and molecular docking results, RA may bind specifically to Huntington protein and ɑ-synuclein to prevent toxic protein aggregation and thus enhance proteostasis. Finally, RA ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction including increasing adenosine triphosphate and mitochondrial membrane potential levels and rescuing mitochondrial membrane proteins' expressions and mitochondrial structural abnormalities via regulating mitochondrial dynamics genes and improving the mitochondrial kinetic homeostasis. Thus, this study systematically revealed the RA-mediated neuroprotective mechanism and promoted RA as a promising nutritional intervention strategy to prevent NDs.

Targeting proteostasis network in osteoporosis: Pathological mechanisms and therapeutic implications

As the most common bone disease, osteoporosis (OP) increases bone fragility and makes patients more vulnerable to the threat of osteoporotic fractures. With the ageing population in today's society, OP has become a huge and growing public health problem. Unfortunately, the clear pathogenesis of OP is still under exploration, and effective interventions are still scarce. Therefore, exploring new targets for pharmacological interventions to develop promising therapeutic drugs for OP is of great clinical value. Previous studies have shown that normal bone remodeling depends on proteostasis, whereas loss of proteostasis during ageing leads to the dysfunctional proteostasis network (PN) that fails to maintain bone homeostasis. Nevertheless, only a few studies have revealed the pathophysiological relationship between bone metabolism and a single component of PN, yet the role of PN as a whole in the pathogenesis of OP is still under investigation. This review comprehensively summarized the role of PN in the pathogenesis of OP and further discussed the potential of PN as innovative drug targets for the therapy of OP.

Aggrephagy at a glance

Cells keep their proteome functional by the action of the proteostasis network, composed of the chaperones, the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy. The decline of this network results in the accumulation of protein aggregates and is associated with aging and disease. In this Cell Science at a Glance and accompanying poster, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms of the removal of protein aggregates by a selective autophagy pathway, termed aggrephagy. We outline how aggrephagy is regulated by post-translational modifications and via auxiliary proteins. We further describe alternative aggrephagy pathways in physiology and their disruption in pathology. In particular, we discuss aggrephagy pathways in neurons and accumulation of protein aggregates in a wide range of diseases. Finally, we highlight strategies to reprogram aggrephagy to treat protein aggregation diseases.

The role of the glycerol transporter channel Fps1p in cellular proteostasis during enhanced proteotoxic stress

In response to osmotic shock, the components of high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway regulate the level of intracellular glycerol in yeast and ensure cell survival. Glycerol is a compatible solute and a stabiliser of proteins. Its role in maintaining proteostasis is less explored. We show that mild stress in the form of dietary restriction leads to increased glycerol level which increases cell viability. However, dietary restriction coupled with protein aggregation decreases intracellular glycerol level and attenuates cell viability. The transcript level of FPS1, the glycerol transporter channel, remains unchanged. However, its activity is altered under enhanced proteotoxic stress. Our results provide evidence for a probable role of the Fps1p channel in the cellular proteostasis network. KEY POINTS: • Dietary restriction led to increased accumulation of glycerol in Fps1-deleted yeast cells. • This led to lower protein aggregation in these cells. • Increased production of glycerol under dietary restriction was not linked to increased level of Fps1.

Glaucoma and neuroinflammation: An overview

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy characterized by well-defined optic disc morphological changes (i.e., cup enlargement, neuroretinal border thinning, and notching, papillary vessel modifications) consequent to retinal ganglion cell loss, axonal degeneration, and lamina cribrosa remodeling. These modifications tend to be progressive and are the main cause of functional damage in glaucoma. Despite the latest findings about the pathophysiology of the disease, the exact trigger mechanisms and the mechanism of degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and their axons have not been completely elucidated. Neuroinflammation may play a role in both the development and the progression of the disease as a result of its effects on retinal environment and retinal ganglion cells. We summarize the latest findings about neuroinflammation in glaucoma and examine the connection between risk factors, neuroinflammation, and retinal ganglion cell degeneration.

Regulation of the proteostasis network during enterovirus infection: A feedforward mechanism for EV-A71 and EV-D68

The proteostasis network guarantees successful protein synthesis, folding, transportation, and degradation. Mounting evidence has revealed that this network maintains proteome integrity and is linked to cellular physiology, pathology, and virus infection. Human enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and EV-D68 are suspected causative agents of acute flaccid myelitis, a severe poliomyelitis-like neurologic syndrome with no known cure. In this context, further clarification of the molecular mechanisms underlying EV-A71 and EV-D68 infection is paramount. Here, we summarize the components of the proteostasis network that are intercepted by EV-A71 and EV-D68, as well as antivirals that target this network and may help develop improved antiviral drugs.

Does proteostasis get lost in translation? Implications for protein aggregation across the lifespan

Protein aggregation is a phenomenon of major relevance in neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, cataracts, diabetes and many other diseases. Research has unveiled that proteins also aggregate in multiple tissues during healthy aging yet, the biological and biomedical relevance of this apparently asymptomatic phenomenon remains to be understood. It is known that proteome homeostasis (proteostasis) is maintained by a balanced protein synthesis rate, high protein synthesis accuracy, efficient protein folding and continual tagging of damaged proteins for degradation, suggesting that protein aggregation during healthy aging may be associated with alterations in both protein synthesis and the proteostasis network (PN) pathways. In particular, dysregulation of protein synthesis and alterations in translation fidelity are hypothesized to lead to the production of misfolded proteins which could explain the occurrence of age-related protein aggregation. Nevertheless, some data on this topic is controversial and the biological mechanisms that lead to widespread protein aggregation remain to be elucidated. We review the recent literature about the age-related decline of proteostasis, highlighting the need to build an integrated view of protein synthesis rate, fidelity and quality control pathways in order to better understand the proteome alterations that occur during aging and in age-related diseases.

Potential Influence of Cyclo(His-Pro) on Proteostasis: Impact on Neurodegenerative Diseases

Protein function is dependent on assumption of the correct three-dimensional structure, achieved through the folding process. As a central element in ensuring cellular homeostasis, proteostasis i.e. the control of correct protein folding, trafficking and degradation, is a highly regulated process ensured by three integrated molecular pathways: i) the unfolded protein response (UPR) which is activated by the engulfment of misfolded proteins and results in protein re-folding through the expression of chaperones; ii) the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) which 'flags' misfolded proteins with ubiquitin, directing them to the 26S proteasome for proteolytic degradation; iii) autophagy that, through lysosomes, removes misfolded or aggregated proteins. All three of these proteostatic controls can be impaired by the aging process and by pathological mutations highlighting the potential role of proteostasis in conditions associated with aging such as neurodegeneration, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Indeed, neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by an interconnected triumvirate of deregulated proteostasis, neuroinflammation (i.e. the uncontrolled activation of microglial cells), and oxidative stress (i.e. the unbuffered increase in reactive oxygen species). The transcription factor Nrf2, classically associated with protection against oxidative stress, can also modulate the UPR, UPS and autophagy, while inhibiting the activation of NF-kB, the key transcription factor of the inflammatory response. In this review we focus on recent data from our laboratory and others demonstrating that the protective Nrf2 pathway can be activated by the endogenous cyclic dipeptide (His-Pro), thereby driving neuroprotective effects in different pathological settings. In this context we discuss the possible utility of clyclo (His-Pro) as a promising future therapeutic option for protein misfolding disorders.

Enzyme enhancement therapeutics for lysosomal storage diseases: Current status and perspective

Small-molecule- enzyme enhancement therapeutics (EETs) have emerged as attractive agents for the treatment of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), a broad group of genetic diseases caused by mutations in genes encoding lysosomal enzymes, or proteins required for lysosomal function. The underlying enzyme deficiencies characterizing LSDs cause a block in the stepwise degradation of complex macromolecules (e.g. glycosaminoglycans, glycolipids and others), such that undegraded or partially degraded substrates progressively accumulate in lysosomal and non-lysosomal compartments, a process leading to multisystem pathology via primary and secondary mechanisms. Missense mutations underlie many of the LSDs; the resultant mutant variant enzyme hydrolase is often impaired in its folding and maturation making it subject to rapid disposal by endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD). Enzyme deficiency in the lysosome is the result, even though the mutant enzyme may retain significant catalytic functioning. Small molecule modulators - pharmacological chaperones (PCs), or proteostasis regulators (PRs) are being identified through library screens and computational tools, as they may offer a less costly approach than enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for LSDs, and potentially treat neuronal forms of the diseases. PCs, capable of directly stabilizing the mutant protein, and PRs, which act on other cellular elements to enhance protein maturation, both allow a proportion of the synthesized variant protein to reach the lysosome and function. Proof-of-principle for PCs and PRs as therapeutic agents has been demonstrated for several LSDs, yet definitive data of their efficacy in disease models and/or in downstream clinical studies in many cases has yet to be achieved. Basic research to understand the cellular consequences of protein misfolding such as perturbed organellar crosstalk, redox status, and calcium balance is needed. Likewise, an elucidation of the early in cellulo pathogenic events underlying LSDs is vital and may lead to the discovery of new small molecule modulators and/or to other therapeutic approaches for driving proteostasis toward protein rescue.

Model systems of protein-misfolding diseases reveal chaperone modifiers of proteotoxicity

Chaperones and co-chaperones enable protein folding and degradation, safeguarding the proteome against proteotoxic stress. Chaperones display dynamic responses to exogenous and endogenous stressors and thus constitute a key component of the proteostasis network (PN), an intricately regulated network of quality control and repair pathways that cooperate to maintain cellular proteostasis. It has been hypothesized that aging leads to chronic stress on the proteome and that this could underlie many age-associated diseases such as neurodegeneration. Understanding the dynamics of chaperone function during aging and disease-related proteotoxic stress could reveal specific chaperone systems that fail to respond to protein misfolding. Through the use of suppressor and enhancer screens, key chaperones crucial for proteostasis maintenance have been identified in model organisms that express misfolded disease-related proteins. This review provides a literature-based analysis of these genetic studies and highlights prominent chaperone modifiers of proteotoxicity, which include the HSP70-HSP40 machine and small HSPs. Taken together, these studies in model systems can inform strategies for therapeutic regulation of chaperone functionality, to manage aging-related proteotoxic stress and to delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

Combination of Correctors Rescues CFTR Transmembrane-Domain Mutants by Mitigating their Interactions with Proteostasis

Background/Aims:

Premature degradation of mutated cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein causes cystic fibrosis (CF), the commonest Mendelian disease in Caucasians. Despite recent advances in precision medicines for CF patients, many CFTR mutants have not been characterized and the effects of these new therapeutic approaches are still unclear for those mutants.

Methods:

Cells transfected or stably expressing four CFTR transmembrane-domain mutants (G85E, E92K, L1077P, and M1101K) were used to: 1) characterize the mutants according to their protein expression, thermal sensitivity, and degradation pathways; 2) evaluate the effects of correctors in rescuing them; and 3) explore the effects of correctors on CFTR interactions with proteostasis components.

Results:

All four mutants exhibited lower protein expression than did wild type-CFTR, and they were degraded by proteasomes and aggresomes. At low temperature, only cells expressing the mutants L1077P and M1101K exhibited increased CFTR maturation. Co-administration of C4 and C18 showed the greatest effect, restoring functional expression and partial stability of CFTR bearing E92K, L1077P, or M1101K at the cell surface. However, this treatment was inefficient in rectifying the defect of CFTR bearing G85E. Correctors rescued CFTR mutants by reducing their interactions with proteostasis components associated with protein retention in the endoplasmic reticulum and ubiquitination.

Conclusion:

Co-administration of C4 and C18 rescued CFTR transmembrane-domain mutants by remodeling the CFTR interactome.

The amazing ubiquitin-proteasome system: structural components and implication in aging

Proteome quality control (PQC) is critical for the maintenance of cellular functionality and it is assured by the curating activity of the proteostasis network (PN). PN is constituted of several complex protein machines that under conditions of proteome instability aim to, firstly identify, and then, either rescue or degrade nonnative polypeptides. Central to the PN functionality is the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) which is composed from the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes and the proteasome; the latter is a sophisticated multi-subunit molecular machine that functions in a bimodal way as it degrades both short-lived ubiquitinated normal proteins and nonfunctional polypeptides. UPS is also involved in PQC of the nucleus, the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria and it also interacts with the other main cellular degradation axis, namely the autophagy-lysosome system. UPS functionality is optimum in the young organism but it is gradually compromised during aging resulting in increasing proteotoxic stress; these effects correlate not only with aging but also with most age-related diseases. Herein, we present a synopsis of the UPS components and of their functional alterations during cellular senescence or in vivo aging. We propose that mild UPS activation in the young organism will, likely, promote antiaging effects and/or suppress age-related diseases.