Direct Ligand Research Articles

Clec12a: Quieting the Dead

Immune activation as a result of the recognition of damage-associated molecular patterns needs to be controlled. In this issue of Immunity, Neumann etal. (2014) demonstrates that Clec12a is a receptor for dead cells through the recognition of uric acid crystals and contributes to the dampening of the responses.

Evolutionary Origin and Conserved Structural Building Blocks of Riboswitches and Ribosomal RNAs: Riboswitches as Probable Target Sites for Aminoglycosides Interaction.

Riboswitches, as noncoding RNA sequences, control gene expression through direct ligand binding. Sporadic reports on the structural relation of riboswitches with ribosomal RNAs (rRNA), raises an interest in possible similarity between riboswitches and rRNAs evolutionary origins. Since aminoglycoside antibiotics affect microbial cells through binding to functional sites of the bacterial rRNA, finding any conformational and functional relation between riboswitches/rRNAs is utmost important in both of medicinal and basic research. Analysis of the riboswitches structures were carried out using bioinformatics and computational tools. The possible functional similarity of riboswitches with rRNAs was evaluated based on the affinity of paromomycin antibiotic (targeting "A site" of 16S rRNA) to riboswitches via docking method. There was high structural similarity between riboswitches and rRNAs, but not any particular sequence based similarity between them was found. The building blocks including "hairpin loop containing UUU", "peptidyl transferase center conserved hairpin A loop"," helix 45" and "S2 (G8) hairpin" as high identical rRNA motifs were detected in all kinds of riboswitches. Surprisingly, binding energies of paromomycin with different riboswitches are considerably better than the binding energy of paromomycin with "16S rRNA A site". Therefore the high affinity of paromomycin to bind riboswitches in comparison with rRNA "A site" suggests a new insight about riboswitches as possible targets for aminoglycoside antibiotics. These findings are considered as a possible supporting evidence for evolutionary origin of riboswitches/rRNAs and also their role in the exertion of antibiotics effects to design new drugs based on the concomitant effects via rRNA/riboswitches.

Signaling control of the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR)

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) plays a crucial role in the regulation of drug metabolism, energy homeostasis, and cancer development through modulating the transcription of its numerous target genes. Different from prototypical nuclear receptors, CAR can be activated by either direct ligand binding or ligand-independent (indirect) mechanisms both initiated with nuclear translocation of CAR from the cytoplasm. In comparison to the well-defined ligand-based activation, indirect activation of CAR appears to be exclusively involved in the nuclear translocation through mechanisms yet to be fully understood. Accumulating evidence reveals that without activation, CAR forms a protein complex in the cytoplasm where it can be functionally affected by multiple signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss recent progresses in our understanding of the signaling regulation of CAR nuclear accumulation and activation. We expect that this review will also provide greater insight into the similarity and difference between the mechanisms of direct vs. indirect human CAR activation.

Oxidative Addition to Palladium(0) Diphosphine Complexes: Observations of Mechanistic Complexity with Iodobenzene as Reactant

Using a combination of electrochemical and NMR techniques, the oxidative addition of PhX to three closely related bis-diphosphine P2Pd(0) complexes, where the steric bulk of just one substituent was varied, has been analysed quantitatively. For the complex derived from MetBu2P, a rapid reaction ensued with PhI following an associative mechanism, and data was also obtained by cyclic voltammetry for PhOTs, PhBr and PhCl, revealing distinct relative reactivities from the related (PCx3)2Pd complex (Cx = cyclohexyl) previously studied. The corresponding EttBu2P complex reacted more slowly with PhI and was studied by NMR spectroscopy. The reaction course indicated a mixture of pathways, with contribution from a component that was [PhI] independent. For the CxtBu2P complex, reaction was again monitored by NMR spectroscopy, and was even slower. At high PhI concentrations reaction was predominantly linear in [PhI], but at lower concentrations the [PhI] independent pathway was again observed, and an accelerating influence of the reaction product was observed over the concentration range. The NMR spectra of the EttBu2P and CxtBu2P complexes conducted in C6D6 shows some line broadening that was augmented on addition of PhI. NMR experiments carried out in parallel show that there is rapid ligand exchange between free phosphine and the Pd2Pd complex and also a slow ligand crossover between different P2Pd complexes. DFT calculations were carried out to further test the feasibility of C6D6 involvement in the oxidative addition process, and located Van der Waals complexes for association of the P2Pd(0) complexes with either PhI or benzene. PhI or solvent-assisted pathways for ligand loss are both lower in energy than direct ligand dissociation. Taken all together, these results provide a consistent explanation for the surprising complexity of an apparently simple reaction step. The clear dividing line between reactions that give a di- or monophosphine palladium complex after oxidative addition clarifies the participation of the ligand in coupling catalysis.

Identification Of Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 As Novel Binding Partners For Factor VIII

During biosynthesis, Factor VIII (FVIII) undergoes complex post-translational modification including significant glycosylation. Consequently each FVIII molecule can contains 25 N- and 6 O-linked glycans. These carbohydrate structures are of physiological significance. For example, FVIII glycan expression modulates intracellular trafficking and also regulates FVIII clearance by dendritic cells. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms through which glycan structures influence FVIII biology remains poorly defined. Interestingly, carbohydrate-binding galectins (Gal) -1 and -3 have recently been reported to bind human VWF. Moreover, these galectin interactions significantly influence VWF function. In this study, based upon similar glycans expression profiles, we hypothesised that galectins might also constitute novel binding partners for human FVIII.In brief, His-tagged Gal-1 and Gal-3 were expressed in E-coli and purified using nickel chromatography. Recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) was purified from different commercial concentrates. Subsequently, FVIII glycosylation was modified using specific exoglycosidases and quantified by lectin-binding ELISA. Galectin-FVIII interaction was characterised using modified immunosorbant assays and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).In plate–binding assays using purified proteins and SPR studies, both Gal-1 and Gal-3 bound to full length rFVIII in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Interestingly the apparent affinities of the galectin-FVIII interactions (Kd of 0.11 ± 0.02nM for Gal-1 and 0.21 ± 0.1nM for Gal-3 respectively) were unusually high for these lectins. Digestion with PNGase F to remove N-linked glycans ablated FVIII binding to Gal-1 (8.6 ± 1%; p<0.0001). In contrast, PNG-FVIII retained significant ability to bind Gal-3 (30.3 ± 3%; p<0.0001). However, combined FVIII digestion with both PNGase F and O glycosidase further attenuated Gal-3 binding (16.5 ± 2%; p<0.05). Cumulatively these findings suggest that whilst Gal-1 binding is mediated predominantly through the N-linked glycans of FVIII, both N- and O-linked glycans modulate its interaction with Gal-3.The majority of FVIII glycans are contained within the B domain. Unsurprisingly, Gal-1 and Gal-3 binding were both markedly attenuated for B domain deleted rFVIII compared to full length rFVIII (42 ± 1% and 26 ± 0.8%; p<0.0001). Previous studies have described different glycosylation profiles for specific full length commercial rFVIII products. To investigate the relevance of this differential glycosylation, we compared the galectin-binding properties of Advate® (CHO cell line) and Helixate® (BHK cell line). Interestingly, Gal-1 and Gal-3 both displayed significantly enhanced affinity for Helixate (107 ± 2% and 124 ± 1%; p<0.05). These findings are consistent with the fact that the N-linked glycans of BHK-derived FVIII express galactose α1-3 galactose epitopes which constitute preferential galectin-binding ligands.To determine whether FVIII interacts with galectins in vivo, immunoprecipitation studies were performed using plasma from VWF-/- mice. We observed that that both Gal-1 and Gal-3 were co-precipitated with FVIII even in the absence of VWF. Consequently, both the VWF-FVIII complex and free FVIII in plasma are likely to circulate in a complex with galectins. Importantly, recent studies have reported a prothrombotic phenotype in Gal-1/Gal-3 double deficient mice compared to wild type controls following ferric chloride injury. To investigate whether galectin-binding influences FVIII function, FVIII activity was assessed using a one-stage clotting assay in the presence of increasing galectin concentrations. Interestingly, preincubation of FVIII with Gal-1 (0.5-17µM) resulted in a significant dose-dependent prolongation of the APTT (58 ± 0.2 sec compared to 26 ± 3 secs, p<0.001) In contrast, no such effect was observed for galectin-3 up to 20µM, suggesting these galectins may have differential effects on FVIII biology.In conclusion, we identify Gal-1 and Gal-3 as novel direct ligands for human FVIII. Both the N- and O-linked carbohydrates of FVIII contribute to galectin binding. Importantly, different commercial FVIII concentrates do not interact with galectins in the same manner. Finally, we also demonstrate that plasma FVIII can circulate in complex with both Gal-1 and Gal-3, and that Gal-1 binding can inhibit the procoagulant function of FVIII. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Directing stem cell differentiation with antibodies

Stem cells are highly specialized cells endowed with unlimited replicative self-renewing potential. These cells are capable of either limited multipotent (adult stem cells, ASC) or unlimited pluripotent (embryonic stem cells, ESC) differentiation to somatic cell lineages. Control of this differentiation process holds great promise in areas such as tissue regeneration and the treatment of chronic degenerative diseases. The medical exploitation of this phenomenon is carried out using stem cells derived from different sources (e.g., ASC/ESC), developmental stages (e.g., mesenchymal cells), cellular reprogramming (e.g., induced pluripotent stem cells), or even nonstem cells in a process known as transdifferentiation (Fig. 1). Despite this wide diversity, all of the differentiation steps that drive these cells to the desired somatic cell lineage rely on the directed manipulation of endogenous pathways. This process is achieved primarily by direct ligand signaling to cell-surface receptors, or use of distinct combinations of transcription factors derived from these signals. Now in PNAS, Melidoni et al. (1), building upon earlier reports (2, 3), raise the exciting possibility of using combinatorial library-derived antibodies intimately linked to stem-cell phenotype as a powerful tool in controlling these differentiation events.

Gliadin is an uncatalogued Toll-like receptor ligand

Coeliac disease is a chronic intestinal inflammatory condition, which is caused by an inappropriate immune response to components of wheat family cereals in a genetically susceptible host. Gliadins are the major pathogenic constituent of wheat; their toxicity and immunogenicity depend on their amino acid sequence. They are known to initiate the innate and the adaptive immune response. Nevertheless, it is not yet known how they are recognised by the intestinal epithelium and immune cells. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the best-studied group of pattern recognition receptors, which play a critical role in the initiation of innate immunity through the recognition of pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns. Exogenous food-derived proteins are not yet recognised as TLR ligands. Gliadin can activate TLR signalling pathway in vitro. The existing evidence is suggestive of the direct contribution of gliadin and/or other wheat components to activating TLR signalling. However, the data available so far are controversial and are mainly focussed on TLR 2 and TLR4. It is hypothesised that gliadin is a direct ligand for one of the TLRs. If indeed gliadin is proven to be a direct ligand of TLRs, our understanding of the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases, such as colorectal cancer, will also be greatly influenced. In order to fully appreciate the role of gliadin as a direct TLR ligand, it should be proven to interact physically with and bind to one or more of the TLR molecules. Furthermore, it should be documented that TLR pathway activation is the downstream effect of gliadin/TLR binding.

In Situ Reaction Mechanism Studies on Lithium Hexadimethyldisilazide and Ozone Atomic Layer Deposition Process for Lithium Silicate

Reaction mechanisms in the LiN[Si(CH3)3]2–O3 atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for lithium silicate were investigated in situ with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) at several temperatures. In addition, ex situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurements were carried out to identify the bonds present in the films. QMS indicates typical combustion byproducts such as CO2 (m/z = 44), CO (m/z = 28), H2O (m/z = 18) and NO (m/z = 30) during the ozone pulse. Signals corresponding to the fragments of the ligands are present, but their low intensities imply that there are no direct ligand exchange reactions with the hydroxyl groups on the surface. QCM results confirm the decomposition of the ligand through complex reactions upon reaching the surface. Accordingly, several reaction pathways were drawn, and DFT calculations were performed to assess the reactivity of each reaction intermediate. The influence of the deposition temperature on several characteristics of the process such as composition of the film and growth per cycle was also explained.

Cyanidin, a natural flavonoid, is an agonistic ligand for liver X receptor alpha and beta and reduces cellular lipid accumulation in macrophages and hepatocytes

Cyanidin, a natural flavonoid abundant in fruits and vegetables, is known to regulate cellular lipid metabolism; however, its underlying mechanism of action and protein targets remain unknown. Here, the ligand binding activity of cyanidin on liver X receptors (LXRs) was investigated utilizing surface plasmon resonance and time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET) analyses. LXRs are nuclear receptors which function as critical transcription factors in the regulation of cellular lipid and glucose metabolism. This includes the stimulation of high-density-lipoprotein synthesis and activation of reverse cholesterol transport. The present findings show that cyanidin induces the transactivation of LXRs and binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of both LXRα and LXRβ with dissociation constants of 2.2 and 73.2μM, respectively. Cell-free FRET analysis demonstrated that cyanidin induces the recruitment of co-activator peptide for LXRα and LXRβ with EC50 of 3.5μM and 125.2μM, respectively. In addition, intracellular cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were reduced in macrophages following cyanidin stimulation. In cultured hepatocytes, cyanidin mildly induced SREBP1c gene expression but marginally affected cellular TG concentrations as well as reduced cellular cholesterol accumulations which activated the expression of genes for reverse cholesterol transport. Two cyanidin metabolites, procatechic acid and phloroglucinaldehyde, did not directly bind or activate LXRs. These results demonstrate that cyanidin is a direct ligand for both LXRα and LXRβ, suggesting that cyanidin may operate, at least in part, through modulation of cellular LXR activity.

Control of Protein Quality and Stoichiometries by N-Terminal Acetylation and the N-End Rule Pathway

N(α)-terminal acetylation of cellular proteins was recently discovered to create specific degradation signals termed Ac/N-degrons and targeted by the Ac/N-end rule pathway. We show that Hcn1, a subunit of the APC/C ubiquitin ligase, contains an Ac/N-degron that is repressed by Cut9, another APC/C subunit and the ligand of Hcn1. Cog1, a subunit of the Golgi-associated COG complex, is also shown to contain an Ac/N-degron. Cog2 and Cog3, direct ligands of Cog1, can repress this degron. The subunit decoy technique was used to show that the long-lived endogenous Cog1 is destabilized and destroyed via its activated (unshielded) Ac/N-degron if the total level of Cog1 increased in a cell. Hcn1 and Cog1 are the first examples of protein regulation through the physiologically relevant transitions that shield and unshield natural Ac/N-degrons. This mechanistically straightforward circuit can employ the demonstrated conditionality of Ac/N-degrons to regulate subunit stoichiometries and other aspects of protein quality control.

Characterisation of the prostaglandin E2-ethanolamide suppression of tumour necrosis factor-α production in human monocytic cells

Background and purposeProstaglandin ethanolamides or prostamides are naturally occurring neutral lipid derivatives of prostaglandins that have been shown to be synthesised in vivo following COX-facilitated oxygenation of arachidonoyl ethanolamine (anandamide). Although the actions of prostaglandins have been extensively studied, little is known about the physiological or pathophysiological effects of prostamides. Since prostaglandin E2 has potent immunosuppressive/immunomodulating actions, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the derivative, prostaglandin E2 ethanolamide (PGE2-EA), could modulate the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α in human blood and human monocytic cells and indicate whether this action involved the same receptor systems/signals as PGE2. Experimental approachWhole human blood, monocytes isolated from the blood or the human monocytic cell line THP-1 was incubated with LPS and the level of TNF-α produced was measured by ELISA assay. The actions of PGE2-EA were assessed on the LPS-induced TNF-α release. In addition, in order to ascertain the receptors involved, the levels of cyclic AMP in cells were measured in monocytes and THP-1 cells in response to PGE2-EA and directly compared to those of PGE2. The effect of PGE2-EA on the binding of radiolabelled PGE2 to cells was also measured. Cells were incubated with radiolabelled arachidonic acid and ethanolamine to estimate the production of PGE2-EA. Key resultsPGE2-EA potently suppressed TNF-α production in blood, monocytes and the cell line THP-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. This occurred via cyclic AMP pathways as indicated by agents which interfere with these pathways and also direct ligand binding experiments. It was also shown that the cells were able to endogenously produce PGE2-EA. Conclusions and implicationsThis study reports that PGE2-EA can downregulate the production of TNF-α by human mononuclear cells in response to an immune stimulus, i.e. LPS-activated TLR4, and that this appears to occur via a cAMP-dependent mechanism that most likely involves binding to the EP2 receptor.

Oxygen Mediates Vascular Smooth Muscle Relaxation in Hypoxia

The activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) by nitric oxide (NO) and other ligands has been extensively investigated for many years. In the present study we considered the effect of molecular oxygen (O2) on sGC both as a direct ligand and its affect on other ligands by measuring cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production, as an index of activity, as well as investigating smooth muscle relaxation under hypoxic conditions. Our isolated enzyme studies confirm the function of sGC is impaired under hypoxic conditions and produces cGMP in the presence of O2, importantly in the absence of NO. We also show that while O2 could partially affect the magnitude of sGC stimulation by NO when the latter was present in excess, activation by the NO independent, haem-dependent sGC stimulator 3-(5′-hydroxymethyl-2′-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1) was unaffected. Our in vitro investigation of smooth muscle relaxation confirmed that O2 alone in the form of a buffer bolus (equilibrated at 95% O2/5% CO2) had the ability to dilate vessels under hypoxic conditions and that this was dependent upon sGC and independent of eNOS. Our studies confirm that O2 can be a direct and important mediator of vasodilation through an increase in cGMP production. In the wider context, these observations are key to understanding the relative roles of O2 versus NO-induced sGC activation.

Functional Roles of the Non-Catalytic Calcium-Binding Sites in the N-Terminal Domain of Human Peptidylarginine Deiminase 4

This study investigated the functional roles of the N-terminal Ca2+ ion-binding sites, in terms of enzyme catalysis and stability, of peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4). Amino acid residues located in the N-terminal Ca2+-binding site of PAD4 were mutated to disrupt the binding of Ca2+ ions. Kinetic data suggest that Asp155, Asp157 and Asp179, which directly coordinate Ca3 and Ca4, are essential for catalysis in PAD4. For D155A, D157A and D179A, the k cat/K m,BAEE values were 0.02, 0.63 and 0.01 s−1mM−1 (20.8 s−1mM−1 for WT), respectively. Asn153 and Asp176 are directly coordinated with Ca3 and indirectly coordinated with Ca5 via a water molecule. However, N153A displayed low enzymatic activity with a k cat value of 0.3 s−1 (13.3 s−1 for wild-type), whereas D176A retained some catalytic power with a k cat of 9.7 s−1. Asp168 is the direct ligand for Ca5, and Ca5 coordination by Glu252 is mediated by two water molecules. However, mutation of these two residues to Ala did not cause a reduction in the k cat/K m,BAEE values, which indicates that the binding of Ca5 may not be required for PAD4 enzymatic activity. The possible conformational changes of these PAD4 mutants were examined. Thermal stability analysis of the PAD4 mutants in the absence or presence of Ca2+ indicated that the conformational stability of the enzyme is highly dependent on Ca2+ ions. In addition, the results of urea-induced denaturation for the N153, D155, D157 and D179 series mutants further suggest that the binding of Ca2+ ions in the N-terminal Ca2+-binding site stabilizes the overall conformational stability of PAD4. Therefore, our data strongly suggest that the N-terminal Ca2+ ions play critical roles in the full activation of the PAD4 enzyme.

Organometallic Ionic Liquids from Cationic Arene–Ruthenium Complexes

Ionic liquids comprised of cationic arene–ruthenium chelate complexes and the bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide anion (=Tf2N), [(arene)RuCl(L)](Tf2N), where L = MeS(CH2)nSR (R = Me, Bu; n = 1–3), Me2N(CH2)2NMe2 and arene = p-cymene, C6H6, have been prepared, and their thermal properties, structures, and reactivities have been investigated. These liquids undergo direct ligand exchange reactions in line with their thermal stabilities. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the thermal stabilities of the complexes are higher as the bridging group of the chelate ligand becomes longer. The complexes with MeSCH2SMe transform thermally into dinuclear complexes. The coordination structures were determined crystallographically.

Evaluation of quantitative probes for weaker Cu(i) binding sites completes a set of four capable of detecting Cu(i) affinities from nanomolar to attomolar

Copper plays essential roles in biology, but abnormal interactions are damaging. Reliable quantification of copper-protein interactions will underpin the molecular understanding of copper nutrition and toxicity. We have previously established two high affinity probes, Bathocuproine disulfonate (Bcs) and Bicinchoninate (Bca) anions, that are capable of in vitro quantification of Cu(i) binding with affinities from pico- to atto-molar concentrations. Quantitative probes are required for Cu(i) binding of lower affinity for proteins and peptides typically associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The present work evaluates two classic Fe(ii) ligands Ferene S (Fs) and Ferrozine (Fz) as quantitative probes for Cu(i). Both react with Cu(i) quantitatively to yield well-defined complex anions [Cu(I)(Fs)2](3-) (λmax = 484 nm, ε = 6700 cm(-1) M(-1)) and [Cu(I)(Fz)2](3-) (λmax = 470 nm, ε = 4320 cm(-1) M(-1)). These complexes are sensitive to aerial oxidation (E1/2∼ +0.36 V vs. SHE) and to substitution by other ligands (e.g., Cl(-), MeCN). However, they can be protected effectively under anaerobic conditions by suitable reductants and an excess of the free probe ligands. Formation constants β2 were determined by two approaches: direct metal ion titration and ligand competition. They provided estimates which differed by ∼3 orders of magnitude. The sources of these differences were examined carefully to consolidate the affinities of the two probes to a unified standard (10(15.1) M(-2) for Fz and 10(13.7) M(-2) for Fs). It is apparent that application of direct metal ion titrations to quantification of Cu(i) binding affinities is problematical and should be avoided. The four ligands Bcs, Bca, Fz and Fs in combination form a set of versatile probes for ligand competition experiments and are capable of detecting and differentiating an extended spectrum of Cu(i) binding affinities from nano- to atto-molar concentrations. Selected examples of quantification of weaker Cu(i) binding in proteins and peptides are provided, including that of an amyloid-β peptide.

Unsolved Mysteries in NLR Biology

NOD-like receptors (NLRs) are a class of cytoplasmic pattern-recognition receptors. Although most NLRs play some role in immunity, their functions range from regulating antigen presentation (NLRC5, CIITA) to pathogen/damage sensing (NLRP1, NLRP3, NLRC1/2, NLRC4) to suppression or modulation of inflammation (NLRC3, NLRP6, NLRP12, NLRX1). However, NLRP2, NLRP5, and NLRP7 are also involved in non-immune pathways such as embryonic development. In this review, we highlight some of the least well-understood aspects of NLRs, including the mechanisms by which they sense pathogens or damage. NLRP3 recognizes a diverse range of stimuli and numerous publications have presented potential unifying models for NLRP3 activation, but no single mechanism proposed thus far appears to account for all possible NLRP3 activators. Additionally, NLRC3, NLRP6, and NLRP12 inhibit NF-κB activation, but whether direct ligand sensing is a requirement for this function is not known. Herein, we review the various mechanisms of sensing and activation proposed for NLRP3 and other inflammasome activators. We also discuss the role of NLRC3, NLRP6, NLRP12, and NLRX1 as inhibitors and how they are activated and function in their roles to limit inflammation. Finally, we present an overview of the emerging roles that NLRP2, NLRP5, and NLRP7 play during embryonic development and postulate on the potential pathways involved.

Abstract P5-07-01: Defining the mechanism of breast cancer growth by chemokine receptor CXCR7 and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor coupling interaction.

Abstract Introduction: Breast cancer (BrCa) ranks second in both incidence and cancer deaths for women in the USA. Recent advances have revealed a significant contribution of chemokines and their receptors in tumor growth, survival after chemotherapy, and organ-specific metastasis. CXCR7 is the latest CXC-chemokine receptor implicated in BrCa growth. It is endogenously over expressed in BrCa, but its mechanism of tumor growth enhancement is still not clearly defined. CXCR7 heterodimerizes with CXCR4 and binds to SDF-1 (CXCL12) and CXCL11. No direct ligand mediated physiological action has been implicated for CXCR7 in BrCa other than facilitating CXCR4-mediated cell motility, however, studies in other cancers have implicated CXCR7 in cell proliferation, anti-apoptotic activity and cell-cell adhesion. The expression pattern of CXCR7 in BrCa tissues and its potential contribution in BrCa cell proliferation and survival were investigated in representative BrCa cell lines using knock down and knock-in experiments. Results: CXCR7 was only expressed in ER-α positive BrCa cells (e.g., MCF-7) and was not found in BrCa cells with known metastatic potential (MDA-MB231 and SKBr3). Depletion of CXCR7 in MCF-7 BrCa cells by both siRNA and shRNA decreased cell proliferation and caused cell cycle arrest. Since CXCR7 is an atypical G-protein coupled receptor where ligand activation does not elicit conventional intracellular signaling, we hypothesized that CXCR7 regulates BrCa proliferation through interaction with EGFR or activating other potential targets of MAP-kinase activation. CXCR7 depletion reduced site-specific phosphorylation of EGFR at Tyrosine 1110 after EGF-stimulation. CXCR7 depletion also reduced phosphorylation of ERK-1/2, indicating a potentially direct interaction with mitogenic signaling in MCF-7 cells. We tested for direct interaction of CXCR7 with EGFR by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence studies. We found EGFR and CXCR7 co-immunoprecipitate and co-localize as demonstrated by confocal microscopy. Interestingly, our results also demonstrate CXCR7 and EGFR are co-localized before EGF stimulation. Further corroboration of CXCR7-EGFR interaction was established using the proximity ligation assay (PLA) technique that allowed us to visualize CXCR7-EGFR co-localization both in cell culture and in human normal and breast cancer tissue. Conclusion: This data demonstrates an important role for CXCR7 in BrCa growth and explores the mechanism of action of direct coupling of EGFR with CXCR7. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-07-01.

Crystal Structures of Two Transcriptional Regulators from Bacillus cereus Define the Conserved Structural Features of a PadR Subfamily

PadR-like transcriptional regulators form a structurally-related family of proteins that control the expression of genes associated with detoxification, virulence and multi-drug resistance in bacteria. Only a few members of this family have been studied by genetic, biochemical and biophysical methods, and their structure/function relationships are still largely undefined. Here, we report the crystal structures of two PadR-like proteins from Bacillus cereus, which we named bcPadR1 and bcPadR2 (products of gene loci BC4206 and BCE3449 in strains ATCC 14579 and ATCC 10987, respectively). BC4206, together with its neighboring gene BC4207, was previously shown to become significantly upregulated in presence of the bacteriocin AS-48. DNA mobility shift assays reveal that bcPadR1 binds to a 250 bp intergenic region containing the putative BC4206–BC4207 promoter sequence, while in-situ expression of bcPadR1 decreases bacteriocin tolerance, together suggesting a role for bcPadR1 as repressor of BC4206–BC4207 transcription. The function of bcPadR2 (48% identical in sequence to bcPadR1) is unknown, but the location of its gene just upstream from genes encoding a putative antibiotic ABC efflux pump, suggests a role in regulating antibiotic resistance. The bcPadR proteins are structurally similar to LmrR, a PadR-like transcription regulator in Lactococcus lactis that controls expression of a multidrug ABC transporter via a mechanism of multidrug binding and induction. Together these proteins define a subfamily of conserved, relatively small PadR proteins characterized by a single C-terminal helix for dimerization. Unlike LmrR, bcPadR1 and bcPadR2 lack a central pore for ligand binding, making it unclear whether the transcriptional regulatory roles of bcPadR1 and bcPadR2 involve direct ligand recognition and induction.

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) Interactions in Solution Studied by NMR

PCNA is an essential factor for DNA replication and repair. It forms a ring shaped structure of 86 kDa by the symmetric association of three identical protomers. The ring encircles the DNA and acts as a docking platform for other proteins, most of them containing the PCNA Interaction Protein sequence (PIP-box). We have used NMR to characterize the interactions of PCNA with several other proteins and fragments in solution. The binding of the PIP-box peptide of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 to PCNA is consistent with the crystal structure of the complex. A shorter p21 peptide binds with reduced affinity but retains most of the molecular recognition determinants. However the binding of the corresponding peptide of the tumor suppressor ING1 is extremely weak, indicating that slight deviations from the consensus PIP-box sequence dramatically reduce the affinity for PCNA, in contrast with a proposed less stringent PIP-box sequence requirement. We could not detect any binding between PCNA and the MCL-1 or the CDK2 protein, reported to interact with PCNA in biochemical assays. This suggests that they do not bind directly to PCNA, or they do but very weakly, with additional unidentified factors stabilizing the interactions in the cell. Backbone dynamics measurements show three PCNA regions with high relative flexibility, including the interdomain connector loop (IDCL) and the C-terminus, both of them involved in the interaction with the PIP-box. Our work provides the basis for high resolution studies of direct ligand binding to PCNA in solution.

Tuning the Adsorption Properties of UiO-66 via Ligand Functionalization

UiO-66 is one of the few known water-stable MOFs that are readily amenable to direct ligand substitution. In this work, UiO-66 has been synthesized with amino-, nitro-, methoxy-, and naphthyl-substituted ligands to impart polar, basic, and hydrophobic characteristics. Pure-component CO(2), CH(4), N(2), and water vapor adsorption isotherms were measured in the materials to study the effect of the functional group on the adsorption behavior. Heats of adsorption were calculated for each pure gas on each material. The results indicate that the amino-functionalized material possesses the best adsorption properties for each pure gas due to a combination of polarity and small functional group size. The naphthyl-functionalized material exhibits a good combination of inhibited water vapor adsorption and high selectivity for CO(2) over CH(4) and N(2).