Inhibition of eIF5A hypusination pathway as a new pharmacological target for stroke therapy

In eukaryotes, the polyamine pathway generates spermidine that activates the hypusination of the translation factor eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). Hypusinated-eIF5A modulates translation, elongation, termination and mitochondrial function. Evidence in model organisms like drosophila suggests that targeting polyamines synthesis might be of interest against ischemia. However, the potential of targeting eIF5A hypusination in stroke, the major therapeutic challenge specific to ischemia, is currently unknown. Using in vitro models of ischemic-related stress, we documented that GC7, a specific inhibitor of a key enzyme in the eIF5A activation pathway, affords neuronal protection. We identified the preservation of mitochondrial function and thereby the prevention of toxic ROS generation as major processes of GC7 protection. To represent a thoughtful opportunity of clinical translation, we explored whether GC7 administration reduces the infarct volume and functional deficits in an in vivo transient focal cerebral ischemia (tFCI) model in mice. A single GC7 pre- or post-treatment significantly reduces the infarct volume post-stroke. Moreover, GC7-post-treatment significantly improves mouse performance in the rotarod and Morris water-maze, highlighting beneficial effects on motor and cognitive post-stroke deficits. Our results identify the targeting of the polyamine-eIF5A-hypusine axis as a new therapeutic opportunity and new paradigm of research in stroke and ischemic diseases.

Insulin action on protein synthesis and its association with eIF5A expression and hypusination

The hormone insulin plays a central role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. In relation to protein metabolism, insulin stimulates amino acid uptake and activates protein synthesis in responsive cells by modulation of signal transduction pathways, such as associated to Akt/PkB, mTOR, S6Ks, 4E-BP1, and several translation initiation/elongation factors. In this context, there is no information on direct cellular treatment with insulin and effects on eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) regulation. The eIF5A protein contains an exclusive amino acid residue denominated hypusine, which is essential for its activity and synthesized by posttranslational modification of a specific lysine residue using spermidine as substrate. The eIF5A protein is involved in cellular proliferation and differentiation processes, as observed for satellite cells derived from rat muscles, revealing that eIF5A has an important role in muscle regeneration. The aim of this study was to determine whether eIF5A expression and hypusination are influenced by direct treatment of insulin on L6 myoblast cells. We observed that insulin increased the content of eIF5A transcripts. This effect occurred in cells treated or depleted of fetal bovine serum, revealing a positive insulin effect independent of other serum components. In addition, it was observed that hypusination follows the maintenance of eIF5A protein content in the serum depleted cells and treated with insulin. These results demonstrate that eIF5A is modulated by insulin, contributing the protein synthesis machinery control, as observed by puromycin incorporation in nascent proteins.

Overexpression of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) affects susceptibility to benznidazole in Trypanosoma cruzi populations

Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is a conserved protein with an essential role in translation elongation. Using one and two-dimensional western blotting, we showed that the eIF5A protein level was 2-fold lower in benznidazole (BZ)-resistant (BZR and 17LER) Trypanosoma cruzi populations than in their respective susceptible counterparts (BZS and 17WTS). To confirm the role of eIF5A in BZ resistance, we transfected BZS and 17WTS with the wild-type eIF5A or mutant eIF5A-S2A (in which serine 2 was replaced by alanine). Upon overexpressing eIF5A, both susceptible lines became approximately 3- and 5-fold more sensitive to BZ. In contrast, the eIF5A-S2A mutant did not alter its susceptibility to BZ. These data suggest that BZ resistance might arise from either decreasing the translation of proteins that require eIF5A, or as a consequence of differential levels of precursors for the hypusination reactions (e.g., spermidine and trypanothione), both of which alter BZ's effects in the parasite.

Targeting eIF5A Hypusination Prevents Anoxic Cell Death through Mitochondrial Silencing and Improves Kidney Transplant Outcome

The eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), which is highly conserved throughout evolution, has the unique characteristic of post-translational activation through hypusination. This modification is catalyzed by two enzymatic steps involving deoxyhypusine synthase (DHPS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). Notably, eIF5A may be involved in regulating the lifespan of Drosophila during long-term hypoxia. Therefore, we investigated the possibility of a link between eIF5A hypusination and cellular resistance to hypoxia/anoxia. Pharmacologic targeting of DHPS by N1-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane (GC7) or RNA interference-mediated inhibition of DHPS or DOHH induced tolerance to anoxia in immortalized mouse renal proximal cells. Furthermore, GC7 treatment of cells reversibly induced a metabolic shift toward glycolysis as well as mitochondrial remodeling and led to downregulated expression and activity of respiratory chain complexes, features characteristic of mitochondrial silencing. GC7 treatment also attenuated anoxia-induced generation of reactive oxygen species in these cells and in normoxic conditions, decreased the mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate of cultured cells and mice. In rats, intraperitoneal injection of GC7 substantially reduced renal levels of hypusinated eIF5A and protected against ischemia-reperfusion-induced renal injury. Finally, in the preclinical pig kidney transplant model, intravenous injection of GC7 before kidney removal significantly improved graft function recovery and late graft function and reduced interstitial fibrosis after transplant. This unconventional signaling pathway offers an innovative therapeutic target for treating hypoxic-ischemic human diseases and organ transplantation.

Targeting deoxyhypusine hydroxylase activity impairs cap-independent translation initiation driven by the 5'untranslated region of the HIV-1, HTLV-1, and MMTV mRNAs

Replication of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is dependent on eIF5A hypusination. Hypusine is formed post-translationally on the eIF5A precursor by two consecutive enzymatic steps; a reversible reaction involving the enzyme deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) and an irreversible step involving the enzyme deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). In this study we explored the effect of inhibiting DOHH activity and therefore eIF5A hypusination, on HIV-1 gene expression. Results show that the expression of proteins from an HIV-1 molecular clone is reduced when DOHH activity is inhibited by Deferiprone (DFP) or Ciclopirox (CPX). Next we evaluated the requirement of DOHH activity for internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-mediated translation initiation driven by the 5'untranslated region (5'UTR) of the full length HIV-1 mRNA. Results show that HIV-1 IRES activity relies on DOHH protein concentration and enzymatic activity. Similar results were obtained for IRES-dependent translation initiation mediated by 5'UTR of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) mRNAs. Interestingly, activity of the poliovirus IRES, was less sensitive to the targeting of DOHH suggesting that not all viral IRESs are equally dependent on the cellular concentration or the activity of DOHH. In summary we present evidence indicating that the cellular concentration of DOHH and its enzymatic activity play a role in HIV-1, HTLV-1 and MMTV IRES-mediated translation initiation.

Preventing Fusarium head blight of wheat and cob rot of maize by inhibition of fungal deoxyhypusine synthase

Upon posttranslational activation, the eukaryotic initiation factor-5A (eIF-5A) transports a subset of mRNAs out of the nucleus to the ribosomes for translation. Activation of the protein is an evolutionary highly conserved process that is unique to eIF-5A, the conversion of a lysine to a hypusine. Instrumental for the synthesis of hypusine is the first of two enzymatic reactions mediated by deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS). We show that DHS of wheat and the pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum, which causes one of the most destructive crop diseases worldwide, are transcriptionally upregulated during their pathogenic interaction. Although DHS of wheat, fungus, and human can be equally inhibited by the inhibitor CNI-1493 in vitro, application during infection of wheat and maize flowers results in strong inhibition of the pathogen without interference with kernel development. Our studies provide a novel strategy to selectively inhibit fungal growth without affecting plant growth. We identified fungal DHS as a target for the development of new inhibitors, for which CNI-1493 may serve as a lead substance.

Inhibition of multidrug-resistant HIV-1 by interference with cellular S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, can be specifically inhibited by the experimental drug SAM486A. The pharmaceutical interference with SAMDC activity results in the depletion of the intracellular pool of spermidine and spermine. In particular, low spermidine levels compromise hypusine modification and, thereby, activation of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A), which is a cellular cofactor of the essential human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulatory protein Rev. In the present study, we show that SAM486A efficiently suppresses HIV-1 replication, including the replication of viruses that are resistant to multiple reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors. At drug concentrations that efficiently inhibit the formation of progeny viruses, no toxic effects of SAM486A on cellular metabolism are observed. It is demonstrated that the antiretroviral effect of SAM486A is based on the fact that Rev activity is severely compromised in drug-treated cells. Thus, inhibition of cellular SAMDC activity may provide a novel strategy to achieve suppression of otherwise drug-resistant viruses.

The role of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A in the control of cell proliferation and apoptosis

In the past years, the attention of scientists has mainly focused on the study of the genetic information and alterations that regulate eukaryotic cell proliferation and that lead to neoplastic transformation. An increasing series of data are emerging about the involvement of the initiation phase of translational processes in the control of cell proliferation. In this paper we review the novel insights on the biochemical and molecular events leading to the initiation and its involvement in cell proliferation and tumourigenesis. We describe the structure, regulation and proposed functions of the eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) focusing the attention on its involvement in the regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation. Moreover, we describe the modulation of its activity (through the reduction of hypusine synthesis) in apoptosis induced either by tissue transglutaminase or interferon a. Finally, we propose eIF-5A as an additional target of anti-cancer strategies.

Cleavage of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4GII correlates with translation inhibition during apoptosis

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G (eIF4G), which has two homologs known as eIF4GI and eIF4GII, functions in a complex (eIF4F) which binds to the 5' cap structure of cellular mRNAs and facilitates binding of capped mRNA to 40S ribosomal subunits. Disruption of this complex in enterovirus-infected cells through eIF4G cleavage is known to block this step of translation initiation, thus leading to a drastic inhibition of cap-dependent translation. Here, we show that like eIF4GI, the newly identified homolog eIF4GII is cleaved during apoptosis in HeLa cells and can serve as a substrate for caspase 3. Proteolysis of both eIF4GI and eIF4GII occurs with similar kinetics and coincides with the profound translation inhibition observed in cisplatin-treated HeLa cells. Both eIF4GI and eIF4GII can be cleaved by caspase 3 with similar efficiency in vitro, however, eIF4GII is processed into additional fragments which destroy its core central domain and likely contributes to the shutoff of translation observed in apoptosis. Cell Death and Differentiation (2000) 7, 1234 - 1243.

Antisense RNA to eIF4E suppresses oncogenic properties of a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line

OBJECTIVE

The translation initiation factor eIF4E is elevated in all head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCCs) and appears to be essential in the progression of solid tumors. Overexpression of eIF4E results in preferential upregulation of two angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2). We wanted to determine whether reducing eIF4E in a HNSCC cell line could suppress its oncogenic properties and in turn decrease expression of VEGF and FGF-2.

METHODS

Levels of eIF4E protein expression were determined in a panel of HNSCC cell lines. An episomal vector containing antisense RNA to eIF4E was used to reduce the eIF4E level in one of these cell lines, FaDu. After a stable transfection, Western blot analysis was performed to determine the level of eIF4E and FGF-2 reduction, while an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the level of VEGF reduction. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to determine whether there was a reversion in the tumorigenic properties of the FaDu cells.

RESULTS

All six cell lines had elevated levels of eIF4E compared with Detroit 551, a normal cell line. Reducing eIF4E expression via antisense RNA suppressed both the tumorigenic and angiogenic properties of the FaDu cells, as demonstrated by loss of capacity to grow in soft agar, reduced expression of angiogenic factors, and loss of tumorigenicity in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Antisense RNA therapy to eIF4E can potentially be used as adjuvant therapy for head and neck cancers, particularly in cases in which elevated eIF4E is found in the surgical margins.

Impaired protein synthesis induced by acute alcohol intoxication is associated with changes in eIF4E in muscle and eIF2B in liver

BACKGROUND

Acute alcohol intoxication in rats decreases protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and, to a lesser extent, in liver. The purpose of the present study was to examine potential mechanisms for the inhibitory effect of acute ethanol exposure.

METHODS

Rats were injected intraperitoneally with either ethanol (75 mmol/kg) or saline, and tissues were examined 2.5 hr later. Rates of protein synthesis in vivo were determined by [3H]phenylalanine incorporation into protein, and various eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) were quantitated by Western blot analysis to identify possible mechanisms for regulating translation.

RESULTS

Protein synthesis in gastrocnemius and liver was decreased (39% and 21%, respectively) after alcohol administration, compared with saline-injected control animals. Alcohol administration did not alter tissue RNA content but diminished translational efficiency in muscle (43%) and liver (24%). Hepatic eIF2B activity was decreased 24% in alcohol-treated rats, and this was associated with a 95% increase in eIF2alpha phosphorylation. However, alcohol did not alter the amount of 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) bound to eIF4E, cIF4E bound to eIF4G, or the phosphorylation state of either 4E-BP1 or eIF4E. In contrast to liver, neither eIF2B activity nor the phosphorylation of eIF2alpha was affected in muscle of alcohol-treated rats. However, acute alcohol intoxication increased binding of 4E-BP1 to eIF4E (113%), decreased the amount of cIF4E bound to cIF4G (81%), and decreased the amount of 4E-BP1 in the phosphorylated gamma-form (77%). The plasma concentrations of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I were unchanged by alcohol, but muscle insulin-like growth factor-I messenger ribonucleic acid abundance was decreased 35%.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that acute alcohol intoxication decreases translation initiation and protein synthesis in liver and muscle via different mechanisms. Changes in eIF2B appear to predominate in liver, whereas alterations in eIF4E availability appear more critical in skeletal muscle for controlling translation initiation.

Orally administered leucine stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of postabsorptive rats in association with increased eIF4F formation

We investigated the protein synthetic response of skeletal muscle to an orally administered dose of leucine given alone or in combination with carbohydrate. Male rats were freely fed (F) or food deprived for 18 h; food-deprived rats were then administered saline (S), carbohydrate (CHO), leucine (L) or a combination of carbohydrate plus leucine (CL). CHO and CL meals were isocaloric and provided 15% of daily energy requirements. L and CL meals each delivered 270 mg leucine. Muscle protein synthesis in S was 65% of F (P<0.01) 1 h after meal administration. Concomitant with lower rates of protein synthesis, phosphorylation of the translational repressor, eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), was less in S, leading to greater association of 4E-BP1.eIF4E, and reduced formation of the active eIF4G.eIF4E complex compared with F (P<0.01). Oral administration of leucine (L or CL), but not CHO, restored protein synthesis equal to that in F and resulted in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation that was threefold greater than that of S (P<0.01). Consequently, formation of 4E-BP1.eIF4E was inhibited and eIF4G.eIF4E was not different from F. The amount of eIF4E in the phosphorylated form was greater in S and CHO (P<0.01) than in all other groups. In contrast, no differences in the phosphorylation state of eIF2alpha or the activity of eIF2B were noted among treatment groups. Serum insulin was elevated 2.6- and 3.7-fold in CHO and CL, respectively, but was not different in L, compared with S (P<0.05). These results suggest that leucine stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by enhancing eIF4F formation independently of increases in serum insulin.

The TOR (target of rapamycin) signal transduction pathway regulates the stability of translation initiation factor eIF4G in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Initiation factor eIF4G is an essential protein required for initiation of mRNA translation via the 5' cap-dependent pathway. It interacts with eIF4E (the mRNA 5' cap-binding protein) and serves as an anchor for the assembly of further initiation factors. With treatment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with rapamycin or with entry of cells into the diauxic phase, eIF4G is rapidly degraded, whereas initiation factors eIF4E and eIF4A remain stable. We propose that nutritional deprivation or interruption of the TOR signal transduction pathway induces eIF4G degradation.

Elevated expression of eIF4E and FGF-2 isoforms during vascularization of breast carcinomas

The translation initiation factor eIF4E is a novel protooncogene found over expressed in most breast carcinomas (Kerekatte et al., 1995), but the pathology where this elevation is initially manifested and its possible role in cancer progression are unknown. We report that eIF4E is markedly increased in vascularized malignant ductules of invasive carcinomas, whereas necrotic and avascular ductal carcinomas in situ display significantly lower levels. eIF4E facilitates the synthesis of FGF-2, a powerful tumor angiogenic factor. Conversely, reducing eIF4E with antisense RNA in MDA-435 cells suppresses their tumorigenic and angiogenic properties, consistent with loss of FGF-2 synthesis. These findings suggest a causal role for eIF4E in tumor vascularization.

Control of PHAS-I phosphorylation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes: effects of inhibiting protein phosphatases and the p70S6K signalling pathway

PHAS-I is a recently discovered regulator of translation initiation. Non-phosphorylated PHAS-I binds and inhibits eukaryotic initiation factor-4E, the mRNA cap-binding protein that mediates a rate-limiting step in translation initiation. When PHAS-I is phosphorylated in response to insulin, the PHAS-I/eukaryotic initiation factor-4E complex dissociates. The present study was conducted to investigate mechanisms involved in the control of PHAS-I. Phosphorylation of PHAS-I was monitored by immunoblotting after subjecting extracts to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. This was possible because phosphorylation markedly decreases the electrophoretic mobility of PHAS-I. Incubating 3T3-L1 adipocytes with rapamycin and wortmannin inhibited insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of PHAS-I at concentrations similar to those that inhibited activation of p70S6K. Both agents increased the amount of PHAS-I that co-purified with eukaryotic initiation factor-4E when extracts were fractionated using a cap affinity resin, indicating that PHAS-I binding to the initiation factor was increased. Incubating adipocytes with the protein phosphatase inhibitors, calyculin A and okadaic acid, increased PHAS-I phosphorylation and opposed the effects of rapamycin on decreasing PHAS-I phosphorylation. However, neither okadaic acid nor calyculin A abolished the effects of rapamycin on PHAS-I. These results suggest that the phosphorylation of PHAS-I in response to insulin occurs via the p70S6K signalling pathway. By regulating eukaryotic initiation factor-4E, PHAS-I may have important roles in the control of both protein synthesis and mitogenesis.

Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of initiation factor 4E is mediated by the MAP kinase pathway

The cap-binding initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is regulated by phosphorylation and by the inhibitory binding protein 4E-BP1. Here we show that insulin-induced phosphorylation of eIF4E is not significantly affected by rapamycin, but is sensitive to wortmannin, which inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase and blocks the activation of MAP kinase. Since PD098059, an inhibitor of MAP kinase activation, also blocks insulin-induced phosphorylation of eIF4E, the MAP kinase pathway seems to mediate this effect. Phosphorylated eIF4E can still bind to 4E-BP1. These data illustrate that (i) distinct signalling pathways mediate the phosphorylation of eIF4E and 4E-BP1 and (ii) phosphorylation of eIF4E, unlike that of 4E-BP1, does not lead directly to the release of 4E-BP1.

Insulin and phorbol ester stimulate initiation factor eIF-4E phosphorylation by distinct pathways in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing the insulin receptor

We have developed a one-dimensional isoelectric focusing technique to measure changes in the steady-state phosphorylation of the cap-binding initiation factor, eIF-4E. We have used a Chinese hamster ovary cell line transfected with the human insulin receptor (CHO.T cells) to study the regulation of eIF-4E phosphorylation by insulin and other stimuli. Exposure of CHO.T cells to insulin, phorbol ester or serum resulted in a rapid increase (up to twofold) in eIF-4E phosphorylation. As a control, we have also performed experiments with the parental cell line, CHO.K1 cells, in which both serum and phorbol ester, but not nanomolar concentrations of insulin, produce similar changes in eIF-4E phosphorylation. We have used two complementary approaches to study the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in these responses: a highly specific inhibitor of PKC and down-regulation of PKC by prior treatment of the cells with phorbol ester. In CHO.T cells, both approaches indicate that PKC is required for the response to phorbol ester but that insulin and serum each increase eIF-4E phosphorylation by a mechanism(s) independent of this protein kinase. Similarly, PKC is necessary for the effects of phorbol ester, but not of serum, on eIF-4E phosphorylation in CHO.K1 cells. These data indicate that multiple signal transduction mechanisms are involved in the modulation of eIF-4E phosphorylation and the implications of these findings are discussed.

Transient inhibition of foot-and-mouth disease virus infection of BHK-21 cells by antisense oligonucleotides directed against the second functional initiator AUG

The antiviral activity of antisense oligonucleotides corresponding to different regions of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) genome has been assessed in BHK-21 cells. The locations of the oligonucleotides used were: (i) two regions within the internal ribosome entry site (IRES), involved in the regulation of the translation initiation of the viral polyprotein; (ii) each of the two functional initiator AUGs; (iii) an internal sequence of P2A gene; and (iv) a region at the 3' end non-coding region. Cytoplasmic microinjection of oligodeoxyribonucleotides and oligoribonucleotides complementary to the second AUG resulted in a transient inhibition of viral VP1 expression in infected cells. Significant inhibitions, ranging from 35 to 52%, were obtained at 5 h post-infection using oligonucleotide concentrations of 125 microM and higher. The extent and duration of this inhibition seemed to be mediated by both a rapid transport to the nucleus and the short half-life of the oligonucleotide. This inhibition of FMDV protein synthesis was correlated with a reduction of virus yield of about 50%, as observed after the addition to the cell culture of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioate complementary to the second AUG.