Characterization of the High-Affinity Drug Ligand Binding Site of Mouse Recombinant TSPO

The optimization of translocator protein (TSPO) ligands for Positron Emission Tomography as well as for the modulation of neurosteroids is a critical necessity for the development of TSPO-based diagnostics and therapeutics of neuropsychiatrics and neurodegenerative disorders. Structural hints on the interaction site and ligand binding mechanism are essential for the development of efficient TSPO ligands. Recently published atomic structures of recombinant mammalian and bacterial TSPO1, bound with either the high-affinity drug ligand PK 11195 or protoporphyrin IX, have revealed the membrane protein topology and the ligand binding pocket. The ligand is surrounded by amino acids from the five transmembrane helices as well as the cytosolic loops. However, the precise mechanism of ligand binding remains unknown. Previous biochemical studies had suggested that ligand selectivity and binding was governed by these loops. We performed site-directed mutagenesis to further test this hypothesis and measured the binding affinities. We show that aromatic residues (Y34 and F100) from the cytosolic loops contribute to PK 11195 access to its binding site. Limited proteolytic digestion, circular dichroism and solution two-dimensional (2-D) NMR using selective amino acid labelling provide information on the intramolecular flexibility and conformational changes in the TSPO structure upon PK 11195 binding. We also discuss the differences in the PK 11195 binding affinities and the primary structure between TSPO (TSPO1) and its paralogous gene product TSPO2.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of chemical tools for the study of Dolichol Linked Oligosaccharide Diphosphatase (DLODP)

Citronellyl- and solanesyl-based dolichol linked oligosaccharide (DLO) analogs were synthesized and tested along with undecaprenyl compounds for their ability to inhibit the release of [³H]OSP from [³H]DLO by mammalian liver DLO diphosphatase activity. Solanesyl (C45) and undecaprenyl (C55) compounds were 50-500 fold more potent than their citronellyl (C10)-based counterparts, indicating that the alkyl chain length is important for activity. The relative potency of the compounds within the citronellyl series was different to that of the solanesyl series with citronellyl diphosphate being 2 and 3 fold more potent than citronellyl-PP-GlcNAc₂ and citronellyl-PP-GlcNAc, respectively; whereas solanesyl-PP-GlcNAc and solanesyl-PP-GlcNAc₂ were 4 and 8 fold more potent, respectively, than solanesyl diphosphate. Undecaprenyl-PP-GlcNAc and bacterial Lipid II were 8 fold more potent than undecaprenyl diphosphate at inhibiting the DLODP assay. Therefore, at least for the more hydrophobic compounds, diphosphodiesters are more potent inhibitors of the DLODP assay than diphosphomonoesters. These results suggest that DLO rather than dolichyl diphosphate might be a preferred substrate for the DLODP activity.

Brefeldin A promotes the appearance of oligosaccharyl phosphates derived from Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol within the endomembrane system of HepG2 cells

We reported an oligosaccharide diphosphodolichol (DLO) diphosphatase (DLODP) that generates dolichyl-phosphate and oligosaccharyl phosphates (OSPs) from DLO in vitro. This enzyme could underlie cytoplasmic OSP generation and promote dolichyl-phosphate recycling from truncated endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-generated DLO intermediates. However, during subcellular fractionation, DLODP distribution is closer to that of a Golgi apparatus (GA) marker than those of ER markers. Here, we examined the effect of brefeldin A (BFA), which fuses the GA with the ER on OSP metabolism. In order to increase the steady state level of truncated DLO while allowing formation of mature DLO (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol), dolichyl-P-mannose Man7GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol mannosyltransferase was partially downregulated in HepG2 cells. We show that BFA provokes GA endomannosidase trimming of Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol to yield a Man8GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol structure that does not give rise to cytoplasmic Man8GlcNAc2-P. BFA also strikingly increased OSP derived from mature DLO within the endomembrane system without affecting levels of Man7GlcNAc2-PP-dolichol or cytoplasmic Man7GlcNAc2-P. The BFA-provoked increase in endomembrane-situated OSP is sensitive to nocodazole, and BFA causes partial redistribution of DLODP activity from GA- to ER-containing regions of density gradients. These findings are consistent with BFA-provoked microtubule-dependent GA-to-ER transport of a previously reported DLODP that acts to generate a novel endomembrane-situated OSP population.

Demonstration of an oligosaccharide-diphosphodolichol diphosphatase activity whose subcellular localization is different than those of dolichyl-phosphate-dependent enzymes of the dolichol cycle

Oligosaccharyl phosphates (OSPs) are hydrolyzed from oligosaccharide-diphosphodolichol (DLO) during protein N-glycosylation by an uncharacterized process. An OSP-generating activity has been reported in vitro, and here we asked if its biochemical characteristics are compatible with a role in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-situated DLO regulation. We demonstrate a Co(2+)-dependent DLO diphosphatase (DLODP) activity that splits DLO into dolichyl phosphate and OSP. DLODP has a pH optimum of 5.5 and is inhibited by vanadate but not by NaF. Polyprenyl diphosphates inhibit [(3)H]OSP release from [(3)H]DLO, the length of their alkyl chains correlating positively with inhibition potency. The diphosphodiester GlcNAc2-PP-solanesol is hydrolyzed to yield GlcNAc2-P and inhibits [(3)H]OSP release from [(3)H]DLO more effectively than the diphosphomonoester solanesyl diphosphate. During subcellular fractionation of liver homogenates, DLODP codistributes with microsomal markers, and density gradient centrifugation revealed that the distribution of DLODP is closer to that of Golgi apparatus-situated UDP-galactose glycoprotein galactosyltransferase than those of dolichyl-P-dependent glycosyltransferases required for DLO biosynthesis in the ER. Therefore, a DLODP activity showing selectivity toward lipophilic diphosphodiesters such as DLO, and possessing properties distinct from other lipid phosphatases, is identified. Separate subcellular locations for DLODP action and DLO biosynthesis may be required to prevent uncontrolled DLO destruction.

Mouse TSPO in a lipid environment interacting with a functionalized monolayer

Translocator protein TSPO is a membrane protein highly conserved in evolution which does not belong to any structural known family. TSPO is involved in physiological functions among which transport of molecules such as cholesterol to form steroids and bile salts in mammalian cells. Membrane protein structure determination remains a difficult task and needs concomitant approaches (for instance X-ray- or Electron-crystallography and NMR). Electron microscopy and two-dimensional crystallization under functionalized monolayers have been successfully developed for recombinant tagged proteins. The difficulty comes from the detergent carried by membrane proteins that disrupt the lipid monolayer. We identified the best conditions for injecting the histidine tagged recombinant TSPO in detergent in the subphase and to keep the protein stable. Reconstituted recombinant protein into a lipid bilayer favors its adsorption to functionalized monolayers and limits the disruption of the monolayer by reducing the amount of detergent. Finally, we obtained the first transmission electron microscopy images of recombinant mouse TSPO negatively stained bound to the lipid monolayer after injection into the subphase of pre-reconstituted TSPO in lipids. Image analysis reveals that circular objects could correspond to an association of at least four monomers of mouse TSPO. The different amino acid compositions and the location of the polyhistidine tag between bacterial and mouse TSPO could account for the formation of dimer versus tetramer, respectively. The difference in the loop between the first and second putative transmembrane domain may contribute to distinct monomer interaction, this is supported by differences in ligand binding parameters and biological functions of both proteins.