Hsp90 Machine Research Articles

Abstract 12: A novel Hsp90 machine inhibitor combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy

Abstract Molecular chaperones are guardians of the proteome and of cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation in the function of the Hsp90 chaperoning machine in particular has been implicated in metabolic, oncological, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases. Targeting Hsp90 has been shown to have a combinatorial impact on dysfunctional circuitries that underlie human cancers. Thus, several inhibitors targeting the N-terminal ATP-binding pocket of Hsp90 are undergoing clinical trials as anticancer agents. They inactivate the ATPase activity of the chaperone, causing proteasomal degradation of its “client” oncogenic proteins. Although these inhibitors provided a proof-of-principal that Hsp90 is a valuable therapeutic target, they exhibit modest activity in the clinic, in part because they concomitantly induce a heat shock response (HSR), which turns on pro-survival pathways. Consequently, new mechanisms to inhibit the Hsp90 chaperone machine that do not induce the heat shock response are needed. To address this, we have developed a unique high throughput screen (HTS) based on the progesterone receptor (PR) and the five purified chaperones required for folding steroid receptors, i.e., Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp40, Hsp70/Hsp90 organizing protein (Hop), and p23. During our preliminary screening of natural products, we discovered that the compound AD07 kills cancer cells through inhibition of the Hsp90 machine without a significant induction of HSR. In addition, AD07 induces a powerful T cell-mediated immune response, resulting in highly efficient tumor killing in a syngeneic mouse model and long-term memory against the primary tumor. At the molecular level, AD07 reduces the protein levels of two key mediators of tumor-induced immune tolerance: programmed cell death ligand-1 (PDL-1) and indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO). We therefore propose that AD07 is a promising anti-tumor agent targeting the Hsp90 machine through a novel mechanism of action involving cancer cell toxicity, which increases its immunogenicity, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment to reduce immunotolerance. Citation Format: Ahmed Chadli, Nada Eisa, Vincent Crowley, Sumin Lu, Yasmeen Jilani, Hasan Korkaya, Brian Blagg. A novel Hsp90 machine inhibitor combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 12.

The multiple facets of the Hsp90 machine.

The Ninth International Conference on the Hsp90 Chaperone Machine concluded in October 2018, in Leysin, Switzerland. The program highlighted findings in various areas, including integrated insights into the molecular mechanism of Hsp90, cochaperones, and clients’ structure and function.

Progesterone Receptor Chaperone Complex–Based High-Throughput Screening Assay: Identification of Capsaicin as an Inhibitor of the Hsp90 Machine

Hsp90 and its co-chaperones are known to be important for cancer cell survival. The N-terminal inhibitors of Hsp90 that are in ongoing clinical trials as antitumor agents have unfortunately shown disappointing efficacies in the clinic. Thus, novel inhibitors of the Hsp90 machine with a different mechanism of action are urgently needed. We report here the development of a novel high-throughput screening assay platform to identify small-molecule inhibitors of Hsp90 and its co-chaperones. This assay quantitatively measures the ability of Hsp90 and its co-chaperones to refold/protect the progesterone receptor, a physiological client of Hsp90, in a 96-well plate format. We screened the National Institutes of Health clinical collection drug library and identified capsaicin as a hit molecule. Capsaicin is a Food and Drug Administration–approved drug for topical use in pain management. Cell survival assays showed that capsaicin selectively kills cancer cells and destabilizes several Hsp90 client proteins. Thus, our data may explain the seemingly pleotropic effect of capsaicin.

Identification of two p23 co-chaperone isoforms in Leishmania braziliensis exhibiting similar structures and Hsp90 interaction properties despite divergent stabilities.

The small acidic protein called p23 acts as a co-chaperone for heat-shock protein of 90 kDa (Hsp90) during its ATPase cycle. p23 proteins inhibit Hsp90 ATPase activity and show intrinsic chaperone activity. A search for p23 in protozoa, especially trypanosomatids, led us to identify two putative proteins in the Leishmania braziliensis genome that share approximately 30% identity with each other and with the human p23. To understand the presence of two p23 isoforms in trypanosomatids, we obtained the recombinant p23 proteins of L. braziliensis (named Lbp23A and Lbp23B) and performed structural and functional studies. The recombinant proteins share similar solution structures; however, temperature- and chemical-induced unfolding experiments showed that Lbp23A is more stable than Lbp23B, suggesting that they may have different functions. Lbp23B prevented the temperature-induced aggregation of malic dehydrogenase more efficiently than did Lbp23A, whereas the two proteins had equivalent efficiencies with respect to preventing the temperature-induced aggregation of luciferase. Both proteins interacted with L. braziliensis Hsp90 (LbHsp90) and inhibited its ATPase activity, although their efficiencies differed. In vivo identification studies suggested that both proteins are present in L. braziliensis cells grown under different conditions, although Lbp23B may undergo post-translation modifications. Interaction studies indicated that both Lbp23 proteins interact with LbHsp90. Taken together, our data suggest that the two protozoa p23 isoforms act similarly when regulating Hsp90 function. However, they also have some differences, indicating that the L. braziliensis Hsp90 machine has features providing an opportunity for novel forms of selective inhibition of protozoan Hsp90.

Bioactive metabolites from Chaetomium aureum: Structure elucidation and inhibition of the Hsp90 machine chaperoning activity

Chemical investigation of the EtOAc extract of the fungus Chaetomium aureum, an endophyte of the Moroccan medicinal plant Thymelaea lythroides, afforded one new resorcinol derivative named chaetorcinol, together with five known metabolites. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry as well as by comparison with the literature. All compounds were tested for their activity towards the Hsp90 chaperoning machine in vitro using the progesterone receptor (PR) and rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL). Among the isolated compounds, only sclerotiorin efficiently inhibited the Hsp90 machine chaperoning activity. However, sclerotiorin showed no cytotoxic effect on breast cancer Hs578T, MDA-MB-231 and prostate cancer LNCaP cell lines. Interestingly, deacetylation of sclerotiorin increased its cytotoxicity toward the tested cell lines over a period of 48h.

Abstract 3197: Gedunin inactivates the co-chaperone p23 causing cancer cell death by apoptosis

Abstract Pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 is an exciting option for cancer therapy. The clinical efficacy of Hsp90 inhibitors is, however, less than expected. Binding of the co-chaperone p23 to Hsp90, and induced overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins, Hsp70 and Hsp27, are thought to contribute to this outcome. Herein, we report that the natural product, gedunin, may provide a new alternative to inactivate the Hsp90 machine. We show that gedunin directly binds to p23 and inactivates it, without overexpression of Hsp27 and relatively modest induction of Hsp70. Using molecular docking and mutational analysis, we mapped the gedunin-binding site on p23. Functional analysis shows that gedunin inhibits p23 chaperoning activity, blocks its cellular interaction with Hsp90 and interferes with p23-mediated gene regulation. Cell treatment with gedunin leads to cancer cell death by apoptosis through inactivation of p23 and activation of caspase 7, which cleaves p23 at the C-terminus. These results provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of action of this promising lead compound. Citation Format: Chaitanya A. Patwardhan, Laura B. Peterson, Brian Blagg, Ahmed Chadli. Gedunin inactivates the co-chaperone p23 causing cancer cell death by apoptosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3197. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3197

Modulation of the Hsp90 Chaperone Cycle by a Stringent Client Protein

Hsp90 is the most abundant molecular chaperone in the eukaryotic cell. One of the most stringent clients is the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), whose invivo function strictly depends on the interaction with the Hsp90 machinery. However, the molecular mechanism of this interaction has been elusive. Here we have reconstituted the interaction of Hsp90 with hormone-bound GR using purified components. Our biochemical and structural analyses define the binding site for GR on Hsp90 and reveal that binding of GR modulates the conformational cycle of Hsp90. FRET experiments demonstrate that a partially closed form of the Hsp90 dimer is the preferred conformation for interaction. Consistent with this, the conformational cycle of Hsp90 is decelerated, and its ATPase activity decreases. Hsp90 cochaperones differentially affect formation of the Hsp90-GR complex, serving as control elements for cycle progression and revealing an intricate interplay of client and cochaperones as molecular modulators of the Hsp90 machine.

Gedunin Inactivates the Co-chaperone p23 Protein Causing Cancer Cell Death by Apoptosis

Pharmacological inhibition of Hsp90 is an exciting option for cancer therapy. The clinical efficacy of Hsp90 inhibitors is, however, less than expected. Binding of the co-chaperone p23 to Hsp90 and induced overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins Hsp70 and Hsp27 are thought to contribute to this outcome. Herein, we report that the natural product gedunin may provide a new alternative to inactivate the Hsp90 machine. We show that gedunin directly binds to p23 and inactivates it, without overexpression of Hsp27 and relatively modest induction of Hsp70. Using molecular docking and mutational analysis, we mapped the gedunin-binding site on p23. Functional analysis shows that gedunin inhibits the p23 chaperoning activity, blocks its cellular interaction with Hsp90, and interferes with p23-mediated gene regulation. Cell treatment with gedunin leads to cancer cell death by apoptosis through inactivation of p23 and activation of caspase 7, which cleaves p23 at the C terminus. These results provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of action of this promising lead compound.

P23/Sba1p Protects against Hsp90 Inhibitors Independently of Its Intrinsic Chaperone Activity

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 assists a subset of cellular proteins and is essential in eukaryotes. A cohort of cochaperones contributes to and regulates the multicomponent Hsp90 machine. Unlike the biochemical activities of the cochaperone p23, its in vivo functions and the structure-function relationship remain poorly understood, even in the genetically tractable model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The SBA1 gene that encodes the p23 ortholog in this species is not an essential gene. We found that in the absence of p23/Sba1p, yeast and mammalian cells are hypersensitive to Hsp90 inhibitors. This protective function of Sba1p depends on its abilities to bind Hsp90 and to block the Hsp90 ATPase and inhibitor binding. In contrast, the protective function of Sba1p does not require the Hsp90-independent molecular chaperone activity of Sba1p. The structure-function analysis suggests that Sba1p undergoes considerable structural rearrangements upon binding Hsp90 and that the large size of the p23/Sba1p-Hsp90 interaction surface facilitates maintenance of high affinity despite sequence divergence during evolution. The large interface may also contribute to preserving a protective function in an environment in which Hsp90 inhibitory compounds can be produced by various microorganisms.

Partners in surveillance and quality control

Partners in surveillance and quality control

A Grp on the Hsp90 Mechanism

In a recent issue of Molecular Cell, Dollins et al. (2007) present the crystal structure of Grp94, which highlights the similarity between Grp94 and Hsp90 and provides insight into the resting state of Grp94 and potentially other Hsp90 family members.

Functioning of the Hsp90 machine in chaperoning checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and the progesterone receptor (PR)

Hsp90 is an abundant and highly conserved chaperone that functions at later stages of protein folding to maintain and regulate the activity of client proteins. Using a recently described in vitro system to fold a functional model kinase Chk1, we performed a side-by-side comparison of the Hsp90-dependent chaperoning of Chk1 to that of the progesterone receptor (PR) and show that these distinct types of clients have different chaperoning requirements. The less stable PR required more total chaperone protein(s) and p23, whereas Chk1 folding was critically dependent on Cdc37. When the 2 clients were reconstituted under identical conditions, each client folding was dose dependent for Hsp90 protein levels and was inhibited by geldanamycin. Using this tractable system, we found that Chk1 kinase folding was more effective if we used a type II Hsp40 cochaperone, whereas PR is chaperoned equally well with a type I or type II Hsp40. Additional dissection of Chk1-chaperone complexes and the resulting kinase activity suggests that kinase folding, like that previously shown for PR, is a dynamic, multistep process. Importantly, the cochaperones Hop and Cdc37 cooperate as the kinase transitions from immature Hsp70- to mature Hsp90-predominant complexes.

Functioning of the Hsp90 machine in chaperoning checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and the progesterone receptor (PR)

Functioning of the Hsp90 machine in chaperoning checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and the progesterone receptor (PR)

Novobiocin induces a distinct conformation of Hsp90 and alters Hsp90-cochaperone-client interactions.

Hsp90 functions to facilitate the folding of newly synthesized and denatured proteins. Hsp90 function is modulated through its interactions with cochaperones and the binding and hydrolysis of ATP. Recently, novobiocin has been shown to bind to a second nucleotide binding site located within the C-terminal domain of Hsp90. In this report, we have examined the effect of novobiocin on Hsp90 function in reticulocyte lysate. Novobiocin specifically inhibited the maturation of the heme-regulated eIF2alpha kinase (HRI) in a concentration-dependent manner. Novobiocin induced the dissociation of Hsp90 and Cdc37 from immature HRI, while the Hsp90 cochaperones p23, FKBP52, and protein phosphatase 5 remained associated with immature HRI. Proteolytic fingerprinting of Hsp90 indicated that novobiocin had a distinct effect on the conformation of Hsp90, and molybdate lowered the concentration of novobiocin required to alter Hsp90's conformation by 10-fold. The recombinant C-terminal domain of Hsp90 adopted a proteolytic resistant conformation in the presence of novobiocin, indicating that alteration of Hsp90/cochaperone interactions was not the cause of the novobiocin-induced protease resistance within Hsp90's C-terminal domain. The concentration dependence of this novobiocin-induced conformation change correlated with the dissociation of Hsp90 and Cdc37 from immature HRI and novobiocin-induced inhibition of Hsp90/Cdc37-dependent activation of HRI's autokinase activity. The data suggest that binding of novobiocin to the C-terminal nucleotide binding site of Hsp90 induces a change in Hsp90's conformation leading to the dissociation of bound kinase. The unique structure and properties of novobocin-bound Hsp90 suggest that it may represent the "client-release" conformation of the Hsp90 machine.

High affinity binding of Hsp90 is triggered by multiple discrete segments of its kinase clients.

The 90 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) cooperates with its co-chaperone Cdc37 to provide obligatory support to numerous protein kinases involved in the regulation of cellular signal transduction pathways. In this report, crystal structures of protein kinases were used to guide the dissection of two kinases [the Src-family tyrosine kinase, Lck, and the heme-regulated eIF2alpha kinase (HRI)], and the association of Hsp90 and Cdc37 with these constructs was assessed. Hsp90 interacted with both the N-terminal (NL) and C-terminal (CL) lobes of the kinases' catalytic domains. In contrast, Cdc37 interacted only with the NL. The Hsp90 antagonist molybdate was necessary to stabilize the interactions between isolated subdomains and Hsp90 or Cdc37, but the presence of both lobes of the kinases' catalytic domain generated a stable salt-resistant chaperone-client heterocomplex. The Hsp90 co-chaperones FKBP52 and p23 interacted with the catalytic domain and the NL of Lck, whereas protein phosphatase 5 demonstrated unique modes of kinase binding. Cyp40 was a salt labile component of Hsp90 complexes formed with the full-length, catalytic domains, and N-terminal catalytic lobes of Lck and HRI. Additionally, dissections identify a specific kinase motif that triggers Hsp90's conformational switching to a high-affinity client binding state. Results indicate that the Hsp90 machine acts as a versatile chaperone that recognizes multiple regions of non-native proteins, while Cdc37 binds to a more specific kinase segment, and that concomitant recognition of multiple client segments is communicated to generate or stabilize high-affinity chaperone-client heterocomplexes.