Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4F Complex Research Articles

High Paip1 Expression as a Potential Prognostic Marker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Translation plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of various human tumors. Paip1 and eIF4A1 are translation-associated proteins that mediate the function of eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between the expression status of Paip1 and eIF4A1 and clinicopathologic features in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Immunohistochemical analysis was used to evaluate the expression status of Paip1 and eIF4A1. Two pathologists independently interpreted the immunostained slides. The prognostic value of Paip1 and eIF4A1 was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier plotter. Among 173 HCC patients, 28 (16.1%) and 46 (26.6%) belonged in the Paip1 and eIF4A1 high-expression groups. High expression of Paip1 and eIF4A1 was associated with advanced TNM stage and more frequent vascular tumor invasion. Univariate analysis indicated that high Paip1 expression was associated with worse five-year overall survival (OS). Public dataset analysis by Kaplan-Meier plotter revealed that high mRNA expression of Paip1, and not of eIF4A1, was significantly associated with worse five-year OS and disease-free survival. Paip1 expression has a potential prognostic value in human HCC.

Inhibition of Poly(A)-binding protein with a synthetic RNA mimic reduces pain sensitization in mice

Nociceptors rely on cap-dependent translation to rapidly induce protein synthesis in response to pro-inflammatory signals. Comparatively little is known regarding the role of the regulatory factors bound to the 3′ end of mRNA in nociceptor sensitization. Poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) stimulates translation initiation by bridging the Poly(A) tail to the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex associated with the mRNA cap. Here, we use unbiased assessment of PABP binding specificity to generate a chemically modified RNA-based competitive inhibitor of PABP. The resulting RNA mimic, which we designated as the Poly(A) SPOT-ON, is more stable than unmodified RNA and binds PABP with high affinity and selectivity in vitro. We show that injection of the Poly(A) SPOT-ON at the site of an injury can attenuate behavioral response to pain. Collectively, these results suggest that PABP is integral for nociceptive plasticity. The general strategy described here provides a broad new source of mechanism-based inhibitors for RNA-binding proteins and is applicable for in vivo studies.

CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF Lb-PROTEASE FROM cDNA CLONE OF FOOT-AND- MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS

Foot-and –Mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a positive sense RNA virus and the genome codes for single polyprotein. The FMDV L protein is located at the N terminus of the polyprotein and is the first gene product released from the nascent polyprotein. The leader L protease which is involved in pathogenesis has two known functions: (i) auto-catalytic removal from the N terminus of the viral polyprotein and (ii) cleavage of the p220 subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex, which helps to shut off host protein synthesis. To explore the role of L protease in FMDV pathogenesis we generated synthetic FMDV genome lacking the L gene. The gene was amplified from an infectious cDNA clone of serotype Asia1. Primers corresponding to L protease were designed based on the sequence available in the data base. An amplified DNA of 546bp was purified and cloned into pET28 cloning vector. The sequence analysis revealed the presence of single Open Reading Frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 173 amino acid residues. The sequence alignment using BLAST search in NCBI gene Bank showed 91% homology with FMDV strain A isolate IND17/77 L protease gene. The recombinant plasmids pETLb was transferred into BL21 (DE3) pLysS cells and the IPTG induced expressed protein of 25 KDa was purified by nickel affinity column as per the manufacturer’s protocol (Sigma, USA). The specificity of the expressed protein in was confirmed by western blotting using convalescent cattle serum/ rabbit anti-bovine horse radish peroxidase conjugate and O-Dianisidine Dihydrochloride substrate.

Targeting the translational apparatus to improve leukemia therapy: roles of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway

It has become apparent that regulation of protein translation is an important determinant in controlling cell growth and leukemic transformation. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is often implicated in sensitivity and resistance to therapy. Dysregulated signaling through the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway is often the result of genetic alterations in critical components in this pathway as well as mutations at upstream growth factor receptors. Furthermore, this pathway is activated by autocrine transformation mechanisms. PTEN is a critical tumor suppressor gene and its dysregulation results in the activation of Akt. PTEN is often mutated, silenced and is often haploinsufficient. The mTOR complex1 (mTORC1) regulates the assembly of the eukaryotic initiation factor4F complex, which is critical for the translation of mRNAs that are important for cell growth, prevention of apoptosis and transformation. These mRNAs have long 5'-untranslated regions that are G+C rich, rendering them difficult to translate. Elevated mTORC1 activity promotes the translation of these mRNAs via the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. mTORC1 is a target of rapamycin and novel active-site inhibitors that directly target the TOR kinase activity. Although rapamycin and novel rapalogs are usually cytostatic and not cytotoxic for leukemic cells, novel inhibitors that target the kinase activities of PI3K and mTOR may prove more effective for leukemia therapy.

AICAR treatment for 14 days normalizes obesity-induced dysregulation of TORC1 signaling and translational capacity in fasted skeletal muscle

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 14 days of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1β-4-ribofuranoside (AICAR) treatment on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and mTOR-regulated processes (i.e., translation initiation) in obese mouse skeletal muscle. Our hypothesis was that daily treatment (14 days) with AICAR would normalize obesity-induced alterations in skeletal muscle mTOR signaling and mTOR-regulated processes to lean levels and positively affect muscle mass. Fourteen-week-old male, lean (L; 31.3 g body wt) wild-type and ob/ob (O; 59.6 g body wt) mice were injected with the AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR (A) at 0.5 mg·g body wt(-1)·day(-1) or saline control (C) for 14 days. At 24 h after the last injection (including a 12-h fast), all mice were killed, and the plantar flexor complex muscle (gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris) was excised for analysis. Muscle mass was lower in OC (159 ± 12 mg) than LC, LA, and OA (176 ± 10, 178 ± 9, and 166 ± 16 mg, respectively) mice, independent of a body weight change. A decrease in obese muscle mass corresponded with higher muscle cross section staining intensity for lipid and glycogen, higher blood glucose and insulin levels, and lower nuclear-enriched fractions for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α protein expression in OC skeletal muscle, which was normalized with AICAR treatment. AMPK and acetyl-cocarboxylase phosphorylation was reduced in OC mice and augmented by AICAR treatment in OA mice. Conversely, OC mice displayed higher activation of downstream targets (S6 kinase-1 and ribosomal protein S6) of mTOR and lower raptor-associated mTOR than LC mice, which were reciprocally altered after 14 days of AICAR treatment. Dysregulation of translational capacity was improved in OA mice, as assessed by sucrose density gradient fractionation of ribosomes, total and ribosome-associated RNA content, eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex formation, and eukaryotic initiation factor 4G phosphorylation. These data show that short-term (14 days) AMPK agonist treatment augments regulatory processes in atrophic obese mouse skeletal muscle through the normalization of mTOR signaling and mRNA translation closer to lean levels.

Silibinin inhibits translation initiation: implications for anticancer therapy

Silibinin is a nontoxic flavonoid reported to have anticancer properties. In this study, we show that silibinin exhibits antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Exposure to silibinin leads to a concentration-dependent decrease in global protein synthesis associated with reduced levels of eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex. Moreover, polysome profile analysis of silibinin-treated cells shows a decrease in polysome content and translation of cyclin D1 mRNA. Silibinin exerts its effects on translation initiation by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway by acting upstream of TSC2. Our results show that silibinin blocks mammalian target of rapamycin signaling with a concomitant reduction in translation initiation, thus providing a possible molecular mechanism of how silibinin can inhibit growth of transformed cells.

Blocking eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex formation does not inhibit the mTORC1-dependent activation of protein synthesis in cardiomyocytes

Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) causes the dissociation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E complex (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) from eIF4E, leading to increased eIF4F complex formation. mTORC1 positively regulates protein synthesis and is implicated in several diseases including cardiac hypertrophy, a potentially fatal disorder involving increased cardiomyocyte size. The importance of 4E-BP1 in mTORC1-regulated protein synthesis was investigated by overexpressing 4E-BP1, which blocks eIF4F formation in isolated primary cardiomyocytes without affecting other targets for mTORC1 signaling. Interestingly, blocking eIF4F formation did not impair the degree of activation of overall protein synthesis by the hypertrophic agent phenylephrine (PE), which, furthermore, remained dependent on mTORC1. Overexpressing 4E-BP1 also only had a small effect on PE-induced cardiomyocyte growth. Overexpressing 4E-BP1 did diminish the PE-stimulated synthesis of luciferase encoded by structured mRNAs, confirming that such mRNAs do require eIF4F for their translation in cardiomyocytes. These data imply that the substantial inhibition of cardiomyocyte protein synthesis and growth caused by inhibiting mTORC1 cannot be attributed to the activation of 4E-BP1 or loss of eIF4F complexes. Our data indicate that increased eIF4F formation plays, at most, only a minor role in the mTORC1-dependent activation of overall protein synthesis in these primary cells but is required for the translation of structured mRNAs. Therefore, other mTORC1 targets are more important in the inhibition by rapamycin of the rapid activation of protein synthesis and of cell growth.

Rapamycin Limits Formation of Active Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4F Complex Following Meal Feeding in Rat Hearts ,

Feeding promotes protein synthesis in cardiac muscle through a stimulation of the messenger RNA translation initiation phase of protein synthesis by enhancing assembly of active eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4F complex. The experiments reported herein examined the potential role for a rapamycin-sensitive signaling pathway in increasing formation of active eIF4G-eIF4E complex during meal feeding. Hearts from male Sprague-Dawley rats fed a meal consisting of rat nonpurified diet were sampled prior to and 3 h following the meal in the presence or absence of treatment with rapamycin, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1. Rapamycin prevented the meal feeding-induced stimulation of myocardial protein synthesis. Inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin decreased the association of rapamycin-associated TOR protein with mTOR and prevented the feeding-induced assembly of eIF4G-eIF4E complex. In contrast, the abundance of eIF4E binding protein-1 (4E-BP1)-eIF4E complex was unaffected by either meal feeding or rapamycin. Pretreatment with rapamycin completely prevented the feeding-induced phosphorylation of eIF4G(Ser1108), whereas the inhibitor only partially attenuated meal feeding-induced 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase1(Thr389) phosphorylation and extent of 4E-BP1 in the γ-form. Meal feeding-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase B on either Ser473 or Thr308 was unaffected by rapamycin. These findings suggest the extent of phosphorylation of eIF4G following meal feeding occurs by a rapamycin-sensitive mechanism in cardiac muscle. Furthermore, the rapamycin-sensitive reductions in phosphorylation of eIF4G may also lead to decreased formation of active eIF4G-eIF4E complex.

Insulin and IGF-I stimulate the formation of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex and protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes independent of availability of external amino acids

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of insulin and IGF-I on protein synthesis and translation initiation in C2C12 myotubes in nutrient-deprived Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS). The results showed that insulin and IGF-I increased protein synthesis by 62% and 35% respectively in DPBS, and the effect was not affected by rapamycin, but was blocked by LY294002. Insulin and IGF-I stimulated eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) binding protein (4EBP1) phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, and the stimulation was independent of availability of external amino acids. Both LY294002 and rapamycin blocked the insulin and IGF-I-induced increases in 4EBP1 phosphorylation. The results also showed that insulin and IGF-I were able to stimulate PKB/Akt phosphorylation, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3beta phosphorylation and mTOR phosphorylation in DPBS. Insulin and IGF-I increased the amount of eIF4G associated with eIF4E in nutrient-deprived C2C12 myotubes. The amount of 4EBP1 associated with eIF4E was decreased after insulin or IGF-I stimulation. We conclude that in C2C12 myotubes, insulin and IGF-I may regulate protein synthesis and translation initiation independent of external amino acid supply via the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase-PKB/Akt-mTOR pathway.

Suppression of human Mnk1 by small interfering RNA increases the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F activity in HEK293T cells

Short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have proved to be a useful tool in studying gene function in plants, invertebrates and mammalian systems. Herein, we report the use of siRNAs for targeting the human MAP kinase-interacting kinase Mnk1 gene. This study demonstrates the efficacy of the designed siRNA in silencing Mnk1 in the human cell line HEK293T and shows that Mnk1 suppression decreases eukaryotic initiation factor 4E phosphorylation without causing any change in global protein synthesis rate and cell proliferation. Interestingly, suppression of Mnk1 results in a significant increase in eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex formation after 72 h of transfection.

Caspase-3 is necessary and sufficient for cleavage of protein synthesis eukaryotic initiation factor 4G during apoptosis

Induction of apoptosis BJAB cells is accompanied by the rapid cleavage of protein synthesis eukaryotic initiation factor 4G and the appearance of a fragment of approximately 76 kDa. Inhibition of apoptotic proteases (caspases) has previously been shown to prevent the cleavage of eukaryotic initiation factor 4G. In MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells, which are deficient in caspase-3, eukaryotic initiation factor 4G is not cleaved but in vivo expression of caspase-3 restores eukaryotic initiation factor 4G cleavage following induction of apoptosis. Recombinant caspase-3 can also cleave eukaryotic initiation factor 4G to yield the 76 kDa fragment both in cell extracts and when the eukaryotic initiation factor 4G is presented in a purified eukaryotic initiation factor 4F complex. These results indicate that caspase-3 activity is necessary and sufficient for eukaryotic initiation factor 4G degradation.

Multiple Signaling Pathways Involved in the Metabolic Effects of Insulin

The metabolic effects of insulin are initiated by the binding of insulin to the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor within the plasma membrane of muscle and adipose and liver cells. The subsequent activation of the intracellular tyrosine protein kinase activity of the receptor leads to autophosphorylation of the receptor as well as phosphorylation of a number of intracellular proteins. This gives rise to the activation of Ras and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and hence to the activation of a number of serine/threonine protein kinases. Many of these kinases appear to be arranged in cascades, including a cascade that results in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and another that may result in the activation of protein kinase B, leading to the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 and the activation of the 70 kiloDalton ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70 S6 kinase). We have explored the role of these early events in the the stimulation of glycogen, fatty acid, and protein synthesis by insulin in rat epididymal fat cells. Comparisons have been made between the metabolic effects of insulin and those of epidermal growth factor, since these 2 agents have contrasting effects on p70 S6 kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase. The effects of wortmannin (which inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase), and rapamycin (which blocks the activation of p70 S6 kinase) have also been studied. These and other studies indicate that the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is probably not important in the acute metabolic effects of insulin, but may have a role in the regulation of gene transcription and hence the more long-term effects of insulin. The short-term metabolic effects of insulin appear to involve at least 3 distinct signaling pathways: (1) those leading to increases in glucose transport and the activation of glycogen synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, eukaryotic initiation factor-2B, and phosphodiesterase, which may involve phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase B; (2) those leading to some of the effects of insulin on protein synthesis (formation of eukaryotic initiation factor-4F complex, S6 phosphorylation, and activation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2), which may involve phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and p70 S6 kinase; and finally, (3) that leading to the activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase, which is unique in apparently not requiring activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.