Secretory Load Research Articles

Alteration of cellular events in tooth development by chemical chaperon, Tauroursodeoxycholic acid treatment

Several factors, including genetic and environmental insults, impede protein folding and secretion in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Accumulation of unfolded or mis-folded protein in the ER manifests as ER stress. To cope with this morbid condition of the ER, recent data has suggested that the intracellular event of an unfolded protein response plays a critical role in managing the secretory load and maintaining proteostasis in the ER. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a chemical chaperone and hydrophilic bile acid that is known to inhibit apoptosis by attenuating ER stress. Numerous studies have revealed that TUDCA affects hepatic diseases, obesity, and inflammatory illnesses. Recently, molecular regulation of ER stress in tooth development, especially during the secretory stage, has been studied. Therefore, in this study, we examined the developmental role of ER stress regulation in tooth morphogenesis using in vitro organ cultivation methods with a chemical chaperone treatment, TUDCA. Altered cellular events including proliferation, apoptosis, and dentinogenesis were examined using immunostaining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. In addition, altered localization patterns of the formation of hard tissue matrices related to molecules, including amelogenin and nestin, were examined to assess their morphological changes. Based on our findings, modulating the role of the chemical chaperone TUDCA in tooth morphogenesis, especially through the modulation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis, could be applied as a supporting data for tooth regeneration for future studies.

Secrets of secretion-How studies of the Drosophila salivary gland have informed our understanding of the cellular networks underlying secretory organ form and function.

Secretory organs are critical for organismal survival. Yet, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms governing their development and maintenance remain unclear for most model secretory organs. The Drosophila embryonic salivary gland (SG) remedies this deficiency as one of the few organs wherein direct connections from the expression of the early patterning genes to cell specification to organ architecture and functional specialization can be made. Few other models of secretion can be accorded this distinction. Studies from the past three decades have made enormous strides in parsing out the roles of distinct transcription factors (TFs) that direct major steps in furnishing this secretory organ. In the first step of specifying the salivary gland, the activity of the Hox factors Sex combs reduced, Extradenticle, and Homothorax activate expression of fork head (fkh), sage, and CrebA, which code for the major suite of TFs that carry forward the task of organ building and maintenance. Then, in the second key step of building the SG, the program for cell fate maintenance and morphogenesis is deployed. Fkh maintains the secretory cell fate by regulating its own expression and that of sage and CrebA. Fkh and Sage maintain secretory cell viability by actively blocking apoptotic cell death. Fkh, along with two other TFs, Hkb and Rib, also coordinates organ morphogenesis, transforming two plates of precursor cells on the embryo surface into elongated internalized epithelial tubes. Acquisition of functional specialization, the third key step, is mediated by CrebA and Fkh working in concert with Sage and yet another TF, Sens. CrebA directly upregulates expression of all of the components of the secretory machinery as well as other genes (e.g., Xbp1) necessary for managing the physiological stress that inexorably accompanies high secretory load. Secretory cargo specificity is controlled by Sage and Sens in collaboration with Fkh. Investigations have also uncovered roles for various signaling pathways, e.g., Dpp signaling, EGF signaling, GPCR signaling, and cytoskeletal signaling, and their interactions within the gene regulatory networks that specify, build, and specialize the SG. Collectively, studies of the SG have expanded our knowledge of secretory dynamics, cell polarity, and cytoskeletal mechanics in the context of organ development and function. Notably, the embryonic SG has made the singular contribution as a model system that revealed the core function of CrebA in scaling up secretory capacity, thus, serving as the pioneer system in which the conserved roles of the mammalian Creb3/3L-family orthologues were first discovered.

A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Preferential Elimination of Multiple Myeloma Cells By Targeting Protein Disulfide Isomerase

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a genetically complex hematological disease which is characterized by clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow and secretion of monoclonal antibodies and cytokines that can damage bone, bone marrow, and kidney function1. MM cells constantly operate at the limit of their unfolded protein response (UPR) in the face of a secretory load of immunoglobin (Ig) and cytokines that is unparalleled by any other mammalian cell 2,3 and microenvironmental factors that aggravate the degree of physiologic misfolding that occurs during synthesis of secreted proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) are indispensable for folding of secreted proteins that require intramolecular disulfide-bond arrangement 4 like antibodies and many cytokines. As the main PDI family member, near-complete function of PDIA1 is essential for survival of MM cells while its inhibition should be manageable by the UPR in normal cells creating an opportunity for a large therapeutic window for PDI inhibitors in MM. Previously, we discovered and characterized an irreversible PDI inhibitor (CCF642) that induced cell death in MM cells at doses that did not affect survival of normal bone marrow cells. However, CCF642 has poor solubility and suboptimal selectivity precluding clinical translation. Using structure guided medicinal chemistry, we developed and characterized a highly potent and selective PDI inhibitor, with 10-fold higher potency (Fig 1B) and selectivity. CCF642-34 showed remarkable selectivity against PDIA1 and off-target bindings were eliminated when compared to CCF642 (Fig 1C). In addition to improved selectivity and in vitro PDI inhibition, CCF642-34 demonstrated more than 3-fold higher potency compared to CCF642 against MM1.S and bortezomib resistant MM1.S cells remained sensitive to CCF642-34. Importantly, the novel analogue CCF642-34 has 18-fold better potency in restricting the colony forming abilities of RPMI1640 cells while at no effect on the clonogenic potential of CD34+ cells derived from healthy bone marrow was observed at equivalent doses. CCF642-34 induces ER stress in MM1.S cells as observed in dose and time dependent cleavage of XBP1, IRE1α oligomerization and the profound induction of programmed cell death reflected by PARP and caspase 3 cleavage. To further analyze the modes of action of CCF642-34 and CCF642 we performed RNAseq after treatment of MM1.S cells and found exclusive induction of genes associated with UPR and downstream cell cycle and apoptotic responses for CCF642-34 while additional genes affecting were detected after CCF642 treatment. There were 362 and 568 differentially expressed genes in CCF642-34 and CCF-642 (compared to controls) treated MM1.S cells, respectively. Among these differentially expressed genes 87 down regulated and 142 upregulated were common to both, including downregulation of cell division and mitotic cell cycle process, and upregulation of response to ER stress, unfolded protein response, and apoptotic process gene sets. Results confirm that both CCF642 and CCF642-34 treatment act by inducing lethal ER-stress with greater selectivity for CCF642-34. Accordingly, hierarchical clustering showed distinct gene expression profiles in 642-34 and 642 treated MM1S cells (Fig. 2). CCF642-34 is orally bioavailable and highly efficacious in against established multiple myeloma in a syngeneic 5TGM1-luc/C57BL/KaLwRij model of myeloma. All vehicle control animals were dead by 52 days while 3 out of 6 mice lived beyond 6 months with no sign of relapse. In summary, we synthesized and characterized a novel lead PDIA1 inhibitor based on structure-guided medicinal chemistry that has improved pharmacologic properties to act as novel lead for clinical translation.

CrebA increases secretory capacity through direct transcriptional regulation of the secretory machinery, a subset of secretory cargo, and other key regulators.

Specialization of many cells, including the acinar cells of the salivary glands and pancreas, milk-producing cells of mammary glands, mucus-secreting goblet cells, antibody-producing plasma cells, and cells that generate the dense extracellular matrices of bone and cartilage, requires scaling up both secretory machinery and cell-type specific secretory cargo. Using tissue-specific genome-scale analyses, we determine how increases in secretory capacity are coordinated with increases in secretory load in the Drosophila salivary gland (SG), an ideal model for gaining mechanistic insight into the functional specialization of secretory organs. Our findings show that CrebA, a bZIP transcription factor, directly binds genes encoding the core secretory machinery, including protein components of the signal recognition particle and receptor, ER cargo translocators, Cop I and Cop II vesicles, as well as the structural proteins and enzymes of these organelles. CrebA directly binds a subset of SG cargo genes and CrebA binds and boosts expression of Sage, a SG-specific transcription factor essential for cargo expression. To further enhance secretory output, CrebA binds and activates Xbp1 and Tudor-SN. Thus, CrebA directly upregulates the machinery of secretion and additional factors to increase overall secretory capacity in professional secretory cells; concomitant increases in cargo are achieved both directly and indirectly.

Increased synthesis and deposition of extracellular matrix proteins leads to endoplasmic reticulum stress in the trabecular meshwork

Increased synthesis and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the trabecular meshwork (TM) is associated with TM dysfunction and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation in glaucoma. However, it is not understood how ECM accumulation leads to TM dysfunction and IOP elevation. Using a mouse model of glucocorticoid (GC)-induced glaucoma, primary human TM cells and human post-mortem TM tissues, we show that increased ECM accumulation leads to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the TM. The potent GC, dexamethasone (Dex) increased the secretory protein load of ECM proteins in the ER of TM cells, inducing ER stress. Reduction of fibronectin, a major regulator of ECM structure, prevented ER stress in Dex-treated TM cells. Overexpression of fibronectin via treatment with cellular fibronectin also induced chronic ER stress in primary human TM cells. Primary human TM cells grown on ECM derived from Dex-treated TM cells induced ER stress markers. TM cells were more prone to ER stress from ECM accumulation compared to other ocular cell types. Moreover, increased co-localization of ECM proteins with ER stress markers was observed in human post-mortem glaucomatous TM tissues. These data indicate that ER stress is associated with increased ECM accumulation in mouse and human glaucomatous TM tissues.

Inhibition of IRE1α-mediated XBP1 mRNA cleavage by XBP1 reveals a novel regulatory process during the unfolded protein response.

Background: The mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) continuously adapts to the cellular secretory load by the activation of an unfolded protein response (UPR). This stress response results in expansion of the ER, upregulation of proteins involved in protein folding and degradation, and attenuation of protein synthesis. The response is orchestrated by three signalling pathways each activated by a specific signal transducer, either inositol requiring enzyme α (IRE1α), double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK) or activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). Activation of IRE1α results in its oligomerisation, autophosphorylation and stimulation of its ribonuclease activity. The ribonuclease initiates the splicing of an intron from mRNA encoding the transcription factor, X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), as well as degradation of specific mRNAs and microRNAs. Methods: To investigate the consequence of expression of exogenous XBP1, we generated a stable cell-line expressing spliced XBP1 mRNA under the control of an inducible promotor. Results: Following induction of expression, high levels of XBP1 protein were detected, which allowed upregulation of target genes in the absence of induction of the UPR. Remarkably under stress conditions, the expression of exogenous XBP1 repressed splicing of endogenous XBP1 mRNA without repressing the activation of PERK. Conclusions: These results illustrate that a feedback mechanism exists to attenuate Ire1α ribonuclease activity in the presence of XBP1.

Inhibition of IRE1α-mediated XBP1 mRNA cleavage by XBP1 reveals a novel regulatory process during the unfolded protein response

Background: The mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) continuously adapts to the cellular secretory load by the activation of an unfolded protein response (UPR). This stress response results in expansion of the ER, upregulation of proteins involved in protein folding and degradation, and attenuation of protein synthesis. The response is orchestrated by three signalling pathways each activated by a specific signal transducer, either inositol requiring enzyme α (IRE1α), double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK) or activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). Activation of IRE1α results in its oligomerisation, autophosphorylation and stimulation of its ribonuclease activity. The ribonuclease initiates the splicing of an intron from mRNA encoding the transcription factor, X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), as well as degradation of specific mRNAs and microRNAs. Methods: To investigate the consequence of expression of exogenous XBP1, we generated a stable cell-line expressing spliced XBP1 mRNA under the control of an inducible promotor. Results: Following induction of expression, high levels of XBP1 protein were detected, which allowed upregulation of target genes in the absence of induction of the UPR. Remarkably under stress conditions, the expression of exogenous XBP1 repressed splicing of endogenous XBP1 mRNA without repressing the activation of PERK. Conclusions: These results illustrate that a feedback mechanism exists to attenuate Ire1α ribonuclease activity in the presence of XBP1.

Inhibition of IRE1α-mediated XBP1 mRNA cleavage by XBP1 reveals a novel regulatory process during the unfolded protein response

Background: The mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) continuously adapts to the cellular secretory load by the activation of an unfolded protein response (UPR). This stress response results in expansion of the ER, upregulation of proteins involved in protein folding and degradation, and attenuation of protein synthesis. The response is orchestrated by three signalling pathways each activated by a specific signal transducer, either inositol requiring enzyme α (IRE1α), double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK) or activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). Activation of IRE1α results in its oligomerisation, autophosphorylation and stimulation of its ribonuclease activity. The ribonuclease initiates the splicing of an intron from mRNA encoding the transcription factor, X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), as well as degradation of specific mRNAs and microRNAs. Methods: To investigate the consequence of expression of exogenous XBP1, we generated a stable cell-line expressing spliced XBP1 mRNA under the control of an inducible promotor. Results: Following induction of expression, high levels of XBP1 protein were detected, which allowed upregulation of target genes in the absence of induction of the UPR. Remarkably under stress conditions, the expression of exogenous XBP1 repressed splicing of endogenous XBP1 mRNA without repressing the activation of PERK. Conclusions: These results illustrate that a feedback mechanism exists to attenuate activation of the Ire1α ribonuclease activity in the presence of XBP1.

PRIMA-1 targets the vulnerability of multiple myeloma of deregulated protein homeostasis through the perturbation of ER stress via p73 demethylation.

Despite therapeutic advancement, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable with drug resistance being one of the main challenges in the clinic. Myeloma cells possess high protein secretory load, leading to increased intracellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Hence, they are vulnerable to further perturbation to its protein homeostasis. In studying the therapeutic mechanism of PRIMA-1 (mutant-p53-reactivating-agent), we uncovered its novel p53-independent-mechanism that can be exploited for myeloma. Despite its inability in restoring the wild type-p53 protein conformation and transcriptional function in the mutant-p53-human-myeloma-cells, PRIMA-1 was efficacious against myeloma cells with differential p53 genotypes. Strikingly, cells without p53 expression demonstrated highest drug sensitivity. Genome-wide gene-expression analysis revealed the involvement of ER stress/UPR-pathway in inducing PRIMA-1-toxicity. UPR markers, HSP70, CHOP and GADD34, were significantly up-regulated, concomitantly with the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, there was a global attenuation of protein synthesis, correlated with phospho-eIF2a up-regulation. Mechanistically, we identified that PRIMA-1 could cause the demethylation of TP73, through DNMT1 depletion, to subsequently enhance UPR. Of clinical significance, we observed that PRIMA-1 had additive therapeutic effects with another UPR-inducing-agent, bortezomib. Importantly, it can partially re-sensitize bortezomib-resistant cells to bortezomib. Given that MM is already stressed at the baseline in the ER, our results implicated that PRIMA-1 is a potential therapeutic option in MM by targeting its Achilles heel.

Abstract P2-07-01: EMT activates PERK-eIF2α signaling and sensitizes cells to perturbations in endoplasmic reticulum function

Abstract Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in cancer progression. By undergoing an EMT, cancer cells acquire a spectrum of malignant properties, including invasiveness, multi-drug resistance and stem-like traits. Although they play an important role in tumor progression and resistance, few vulnerabilities of EMT cancer cells have been reported to date. To identify specific vulnerabilities of EMT cells, Using small molecule and RNAi screens, we have discovered that induction of EMT greatly sensitizes cells to agents that perturb endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function. This unexpected sensitivity to ER stress is mainly due to the expression and secretion of large amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins by cells that have undergone an EMT. In line with their increased secretory load, EMT cells display a branched ER morphology and constitutively activate the PERK-eIF2α branch of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Using a PERK-specific inhibitor, we found that PERK activation is also required for EMT cells to invade and metastasize. In human tumor tissues, EMT gene expression correlates strongly with both ECM and PERK-eIF2α genes. In summary, our findings identify a novel vulnerability of cells that have undergone an EMT, and demonstrate that the PERK branch of the UPR is required for their malignancy. Citation Format: Yuxiong Feng, Ethan S Sokol, Catherine A Del Vecchio, Sandhya Sanduja, Jasper HL Claessen, Theresa A Proia, Dexter X Jin, Ferenc Reinhardt, Hidde L Ploegh, Qiu Wang, Piyush B Gupta. EMT activates PERK-eIF2α signaling and sensitizes cells to perturbations in endoplasmic reticulum function [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-07-01.

Induction of excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress in the Drosophila male accessory gland results in infertility.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs when misfolded proteins accumulate in the lumen of the ER. A cell responds to ER stress with the unfolded protein response (UPR), a complex program of transcriptional and translational changes aimed at clearing misfolded proteins. Secretory tissues and cells are particularly well adapted to respond to ER stress because their function requires high protein production and secretory load. The insect male accessory gland (AG) is a secretory tissue involved in male fertility. The AG secretes many seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) essential for male reproduction. Among adult Drosophila tissues, we find that genes upregulated by ER stress are most highly expressed in the AG, suggesting that the AG is already undergoing high levels of ER stress due to its normal secretory functions. We hypothesized that induction of excessive ER stress in the AG above basal levels, would perturb normal function and provide a genetic tool for studying AG and SFP biology. To test this, we genetically induced excessive ER stress in the AG by conditional 1) expression of a misfolded protein or 2) knockdown of the UPR regulatory protein, BiP. Both genetic manipulations induced excessive ER stress in the AG, as indicated by the increase in Xbp1 splicing, a marker of ER stress. Both models resulted in a large decrease in or loss of SFP production and male infertility. Sperm production, motility, and transfer appeared unaffected. The induction of strong ER stress in the insect male AG may provide a simple way for studying or manipulating male fertility, as it eliminates AG function while preserving sperm production.

Drosophila XBP1 Expression Reporter Marks Cells under Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and with High Protein Secretory Load

Expression of genes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) beyond its protein folding capacity activates signaling pathways that are collectively referred to as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). A major branch of the UPR pathway is mediated by IRE1, an ER-tethered endonuclease. Upon ER stress-induced activation, IRE1 splices the mRNA of XBP1, thereby generating an active isoform of this transcription factor. During normal Drosophila development, tissues with high protein secretory load show signs of IRE1/XBP1 activity indicative of inherent ER stress associated with those cell types. Here, we report that the XBP1 promoter activity itself is enhanced in secretory tissues of Drosophila, and it can be induced by excessive ER stress. Specifically, we developed a Drosophila XBP1 transcription reporter by placing dsRed under the control of the XBP1 intergenic sequence. DsRed expression in these xbp1p>dsRed transgenic flies showed patterns similar to that of xbp1 transcript distribution. In healthy developing flies, the reporter expression was highest in salivary glands and the intestine. In the adult, the male reproductive organs showed high levels of dsRed. These tissues are known to have high protein secretory load. Consistently, the xbp1p>dsRed reporter was induced by excessive ER stress caused by mutant Rhodopsin-1 overexpression. These results suggest that secretory cells suffer from inherent ER stress, and the xbp1p>dsRed flies provide a useful tool in studying the function and homeostasis of those cells.

Combined Inhibition of p97 and the Proteasome Causes Lethal Disruption of the Secretory Apparatus in Multiple Myeloma Cells

Inhibition of the proteasome is a widely used strategy for treating multiple myeloma that takes advantage of the heavy secretory load that multiple myeloma cells (MMCs) have to deal with. Resistance of MMCs to proteasome inhibition has been linked to incomplete disruption of proteasomal endoplasmic-reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) and activation of non-proteasomal protein degradation pathways. The ATPase p97 (VCP/Cdc48) has key roles in mediating both ERAD and non-proteasomal protein degradation and can be targeted pharmacologically by small molecule inhibition. In this study, we compared the effects of p97 inhibition with Eeyarestatin 1 and DBeQ on the secretory apparatus of MMCs with the effects induced by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, and the effects caused by combined inhibition of p97 and the proteasome. We found that p97 inhibition elicits cellular responses that are different from those induced by proteasome inhibition, and that the responses differ considerably between MMC lines. Moreover, we found that dual inhibition of both p97 and the proteasome terminally disrupts ER configuration and intracellular protein metabolism in MMCs. Dual inhibition of p97 and the proteasome induced high levels of apoptosis in all of the MMC lines that we analysed, including bortezomib-adapted AMO-1 cells, and was also effective in killing primary MMCs. Only minor toxicity was observed in untransformed and non-secretory cells. Our observations highlight non-redundant roles of p97 and the proteasome in maintaining secretory homeostasis in MMCs and provide a preclinical conceptual framework for dual targeting of p97 and the proteasome as a potential new therapeutic strategy in multiple myeloma.

The endoplasmic reticulum stress marker CHOP predicts survival in malignant mesothelioma

Background:Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer originating from the mesothelial cells that line the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. These cells synthesise large quantities of surface glycoproteins, rendering them dependent upon efficient endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function. When faced with elevated levels of secretory protein load, cells are said to experience ER stress, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases including cancer.Method:We set out to measure markers of ER stress in malignant mesothelioma and to determine whether ER stress signalling correlates with clinical parameters.Results:We observed that expression of the ER stress-responsive transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) correlated with patient survival and remained an independent prognostic variable in pairwise comparisons with all clinical variables tested. The most parsimonious multivariate model in our study comprised only performance status and CHOP staining. In contrast, expression of the ER stress-responsive phosphatase growth arrest and DNA damage 34 (GADD34) correlated with the degree of mesothelial differentiation, being lost progressively in biphasic and sarcomatoid mesotheliomas.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that staining for CHOP provides prognostic information that may be useful in the stratification of patients with mesothelioma. Staining for GADD34 may prove useful in classification of mesothelioma histopathology.

In Vitro Generation of Long-lived Human Plasma Cells

Plasma cells (PCs), the terminal effectors of humoral immunity, are short-lived unless supported by niche environments in which they may persist for years. No model system has linked B cell activation with niche function to allow the in vitro generation of long-lived PCs. Thus, the full trajectory of B cell terminal differentiation has yet to be investigated in vitro. In this article, we describe a robust model for the generation of polyclonal long-lived human PCs from peripheral blood B cells. After a proliferative plasmablast phase, PCs persist in the absence of cell division, with viability limited only by elective culture termination. Conservative predictions for PC life expectancy are 300 d, but with the potential for significantly longer life spans for some cells. These long-lived PCs are preferentially derived from memory B cells, and acquire a CD138(high) phenotype analogous to that of human bone marrow PCs. Analysis of gene expression across the system defines clusters of genes with related dynamics and linked functional characteristics. Importantly, genes in these differentiation clusters demonstrate a similar overall pattern of expression for in vitro and ex vivo PCs. In vitro PCs are fully reprogrammed to a secretory state and are adapted to their secretory load, maintaining IgG secretion of 120 pg/cell/day in the absence of XBP1 mRNA splicing. By establishing a set of conditions sufficient to allow the development and persistence of mature human PCs in vitro, to our knowledge, we provide the first platform with which to sequentially explore and manipulate each stage of human PC differentiation.

Abstract 16941: The Role of the PERK-Mediated Unfolded Protein Response Pathway in the Regulation of Cardiac Sodium Channel During Human Heart Failure

Background: The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a series of interrelated signaling pathways that occur when the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) experiences excess secretory load, accumulates misfolded proteins, or is subject to other pathological conditions. UPR acts to attenuating general protein synthesis, induces the expression of ER chaperone proteins, and enhances the degradation of misfolded proteins. In published work, we have shown that heart failure (HF) increases alternative splicing of the SCN5A gene (encoding cardiac Na + channel), generating mRNA variants E28C and E28D encoding truncated, nonfunctional Na + channel. The presence of these variants causes a dominant negative downregulation of the wild-type SCN5A mRNA and Na + current to a sufficient extent to be arrhythmogenic. We tested whether PERK-mediated UPR contributed to the dominant negative effect on Na + current when truncated Na + channel mRNA variants are present in HF. Methods: The correlation of expression changes among PERK, major chaperon proteins (calnexin, CHOP) and SCN5A were analyzed by both qPCR and Western Blot in human HF tissue samples and human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs). Hypoxia and Ang II were used as inducers of abnormal splicing since they have been shown to mediate some of the pathological consequences of HF. hESC-CMs were divided into six experimental groups: normoxic, 1% O 2 hypoxia-treated, 100 nmol/L Ang II-treated, E28C overexpressed, E28D overexpressed, and empty vector control. E28C and E28D constructs were transduced to overexpress the truncated proteins. Results: The expressions of major UPR components (PERK, calnexin, CHOP) were increased in HF tissues, and cardiac Na + channels were downregulated. In hESC-CMs, induction of SCN5A variants E28C and E28D with Ang II or hypoxia as well as expression of exogenous variants could induce major UPR components (PERK, calnexin, CHOP). Finally, downregulation of PERK prevented the loss of full-length SCN5A mRNA abundance with these stimuli. Conclusions: SCN5A variants could induce the expression of major UPR components and could induce PERK-mediated Na + channel downregulation. The results indicate that the UPR contributes to Na + channel regulation during human HF.

689 INVALIDATION OF THE VITAMIN D NUCLEAR RECEPTOR PROMOTES BILIARY-TYPE LIVER INJURY

immunoprecipitations, immunoblot, immunofluorescence) to investigate the functions of AGR2 in the ER. Results: We show that AGR2 localizes to the lumen of the ER, using immunofluorescence microscopy, and that AGR2 associates to ER membrane-bound ribosomes through nascent polypeptides, using ribosome pull-down strategies. In addition, we demonstrate that AGR2 expression is up-regulated upon ER stress through the Unfolded Protein Response. Finally, we show that AGR2 participates to productive protein folding in the ER lumen using S-Methionine pulse-chase experiments followed by immunoprecipitation of selected AGR2 substrates in cells knocked-down or not for AGR2 and covalently binds to its substrates through mixed disulfide bonds. This led us to postulate that AGR2 might be involved in protecting free cysteines from engaging too prematurely in disulfide bridges, events important for optimal maturation of slowly folding proteins such as mucins. Conclusion: Our study shows that expression of AGR2 is a phenotypic feature of all ECC and mucus-secreting ICC. This observation may reflect an adaptive mechanism of CC tumor cells to cope with increased secretory protein load (in particular mucins) and challenging environments (such as hypoxia).

Adenylate Kinase 2 Links Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism to the Induction of the Unfolded Protein Response

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a homeostatic signaling mechanism that balances the protein folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with the secretory protein load of the cell. ER protein folding capacity is dependent on the abundance of chaperones, which is increased in response to UPR signaling, and on a sufficient ATP supply for their activity. An essential branch of the UPR entails the splicing of XBP1 mRNA to form the XBP1 transcription factor. XBP1 has been shown to be required during adipocyte differentiation, enabling mature adipocytes to secrete adiponectin, and during differentiation of B cells into antibody-secreting plasma cells. Here we find that adenylate kinase 2 (AK2), a mitochondrial enzyme that regulates adenine nucleotide interconversion within the intermembrane space, is markedly induced during adipocyte and B cell differentiation. Depletion of AK2 by RNAi impairs adiponectin secretion in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, IgM secretion in BCL1 cells, and the induction of the UPR during differentiation of both cell types. These results reveal a new mechanism by which mitochondria support ER function and suggest that specific mitochondrial defects may give rise to impaired UPR signaling. The requirement for AK2 for UPR induction may explain the pathogenesis of the profound hematopoietic defects of reticular dysgenesis, a disease associated with mutations of the AK2 gene in humans.

Bortezomib resistance in mantle cell lymphoma is associated with plasmacytic differentiation

AbstractBortezomib induces remissions in 30%-50% of patients with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Conversely, more than half of patients' tumors are intrinsically resistant to bortezomib. The molecular mechanism of resistance has not been defined. We generated a model of bortezomib-adapted subclones of the MCL cell lines JEKO and HBL2 that were 40- to 80-fold less sensitive to bortezomib than the parental cells. Acquisition of bortezomib resistance was gradual and reversible. Bortezomib-adapted subclones showed increased proteasome activity and tolerated lower proteasome capacity than the parental lines. Using gene expression profiling, we discovered that bortezomib resistance was associated with plasmacytic differentiation, including up-regulation of IRF4 and CD38 and expression of CD138. In contrast to plasma cells, plasmacytic MCL cells did not increase immunoglobulin secretion. Intrinsically bortezomib-resistant MCL cell lines and primary tumor cells from MCL patients with inferior clinical response to bortezomib also expressed plasmacytic features. Knockdown of IRF4 was toxic for the subset of MCL cells with plasmacytic differentiation, but only slightly sensitized cells to bortezomib. We conclude that plasmacytic differentiation in the absence of an increased secretory load can enable cells to withstand the stress of proteasome inhibition. Expression of CD38 and IRF4 could serve as markers of bortezomib resistance in MCL. This study has been registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00131976.

ER Stress and Inhibition of Key Apoptotic Caspases Regulate the Life Span of Short-Lived Plasma Cells

Plasma cells (PCs) are the terminally differentiated effector cells of the humoral immune system. The majority of PCs are short-lived and undergo programmed cell death in the form of apoptosis after a few days of intensive immunoglobulin secretion. Despite potentially wide-ranging implications for infection control, auto-immunity, and PC dyscrasias, the mechanisms that govern the initiation and execution of PC apoptosis are poorly understood. We used two well-established murine systems of PC differentiation and immunohistochemistry of human lymphoid tissue sections to study the regulation of PC apoptosis. IgM-secreting post-mitotic CD138+B220− PCs were differentiated in vitro from primary mouse splenic B cells using cytokines and LPS and purified by magnetic selection. Murine I.29mu+ B lymphoma cells were induced to undergo plasmacytic differentiation by stimulation with LPS. In both systems, terminal PC differentiation is followed by spontaneous apoptosis of half of the PCs within 48h, similar to PC apoptosis in vivo. We found that a sharp increase in endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) stress, which is caused by an imbalance between secretory load and capacity in the ER, occurs in PCs that have completed differentiation and begin to undergo apoptosis. In parallel, susceptibility specifically to ER stress-induced apoptosis but not to other apoptotic stimuli increases substantially in differentiated PCs, despite an ongoing ER stress response and expansion of the secretory machinery. Caspase-12, which has been linked specifically to ER stress-induced apoptosis, is activated and processed during programmed PC death. Using the specific inhibitor of caspase-12, zATADfmk, we found that caspase-12 mediates apoptotic DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation in PCs undergoing apoptosis but not in B cells undergoing tunicamycin-induced apoptosis. In contrast, the major apoptotic effector caspases (caspase-9, caspase-3, caspase-7) downstream of the mitochondria become resistant to activation by apoptotic ER stress during terminal PC differentiation and are not activated during PC apoptosis. We observed that he pan-caspase inhibitor, zVADfmk, completely blocks tunicamycin-induced apoptosis in B cells but does not inhibit PC apoptosis or tunicamycin-induced cell death in PCs. Using the small molecule PAC-1, which specifically activates caspase-3 by targeting a “safety-catch” amino acid sequence that keeps caspase-3 inactive, we found that caspase-3 is stabilized in its inactive form in PCs and human myeloma cell lines, but not in B cells. Immunohistochemistry of human lymphoid tissue sections demonstrated that most primary reactive PCs and extramedullary myeloma cells undergo spontaneous apoptosis in vivo without activation of caspase-3. Thus, ER stress plays a major role in limiting the life span of short-lived PCs and activates caspase-12, which mediates nuclear apoptosis specifically in PCs. The major apoptotic effector caspases, however, become resistant to activation during terminal PC differentiation, and PC apoptosis is largely independent of caspases downstream of the mitochondria. These observations lead us to propose that developmentally regulated inhibition of key apoptotic caspases, which rapidly execute apoptosis in most cells, has evolved in PCs as a means to delay apoptosis under conditions of increasing ER stress linked to immunoglobulin secretion. Overwhelming ER stress ultimately limits the life span of short-lived PCs by inducing apoptosis using alternative mechanism involving caspase-12, which is redundant for the execution of ER stress-induced apoptosis in cells that can activate the classical effector caspases.