Production of the Non-apoptotic Metalloprotease-Cleaved CD95L and Its Cytotoxic Recombinant Counterpart Designed Ig-CD95L.

The ligand of CD95, CD95L (also known as FasL or CD178), is a type II transmembrane protein that belongs to the Tumor Necrosis factor (TNF) family (Fig. 1a). This membrane-bound cytokine is mainly expressed at the surface of activated T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, where it is used as an apoptotic factor to eliminate infected and transformed cells (Strasser et al., Immunity 30:180-192, 2009).

Hsp90 directly interacts, in vitro, with amyloid structures and modulates their assembly and disassembly.

BACKGROUND: The 90kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) participates in regulating the homeostasis of cellular proteins and was considered one of the key chaperones involved in the control and regulation of amyloid deposits. Hsp90 interacts with the amyloid protein tau through tau aggregation-prone regions, including the VQIVYK hexapeptide motif. This hexapeptide, which self-aggregates, forming amyloid fibrils, is widely used to model amyloid formation mechanisms. Despite evidence showing that Hsp90 interacts directly with Ac-VQIVYK-NH2, its role in the hexapeptide fibrillation process and its binding to peptide structures have not yet been determined. METHODS: Various biochemical and biophysical techniques, including ultracentrifugation, spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry, and electron microscopy, were employed to assess the effects of Hsp90 on Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 assembly and disassembly processes. RESULTS: At sub-stoichiometric concentrations, Hsp90 bound directly to Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 amyloid structures in vitro, with each Hsp90 dimer interacting with an amyloid structure made of around 50 hexapeptide subunits. Hsp90 inhibited Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 assembly by increasing the critical concentrations of Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 required for assembly. Hsp90 also inhibited the disassembly of Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 amyloid fibrils and promoted their rescue. CONCLUSIONS: A model explaining the dual effect of Hsp90 on the Ac-VQIVYK-NH2 amyloid fibrillation process has been proposed. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: These in vitro results provide new insights into the possible roles of molecular chaperones in modulating amyloid structures by limiting the spread of toxic species.

Hsp90 oligomerization process: How can p23 drive the chaperone machineries?

The 90-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) is a highly flexible dimer that is able to self-associate in the presence of divalent cations or under heat shock. In a previous work, we focused on the Mg2+-induced oligomerization process of Hsp90, and characterized the oligomers. Combining analytical ultracentrifugation, size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multi-angle laser light scattering and high-mass matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we studied the interaction of p23 with both Hsp90 dimer and oligomers. Even if p23 predominantly binds the Hsp90 dimer, we demonstrated, for the first time, that p23 is also able to interact with Hsp90 oligomers, shifting the Hsp90 dimer-oligomers equilibrium toward dimer. Our results showed that the Hsp90:p23 binding stoichiometry decreases with the Hsp90 oligomerization degree. Therefore, we propose a model in which p23 would act as a "protein wedge" regarding the Hsp90 dimer closure and the Hsp90 oligomerization process.

Hsp90 Oligomers Interacting with the Aha1 Cochaperone: An Outlook for the Hsp90 Chaperone Machineries.

The 90-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) is a highly flexible dimer able to self-associate in the presence of divalent cations or under heat shock. This study investigated the relationship between Hsp90 oligomers and the Hsp90 cochaperone Aha1 (activator of Hsp90 ATPase). The interactions of Aha1 with Hsp90 dimers and oligomers were evaluated by ultracentrifugation, size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multiangle laser light scattering and high-mass matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Hsp90 dimer was able to bind up to four Aha1 molecules, and Hsp90 oligomers are also able to interact with Aha1. The binding of Aha1 did not interfere with the Hsp90 oligomerization process. Except for Hsp90 dimer, the stoichiometry of the interaction remained constant, at 2 Aha1 molecules per Hsp90 dimer, regardless of the degree of Hsp90 oligomerization. Moreover, Aha1 predominantly bound to Hsp90 oligomers. Thus, the ability of Hsp90 oligomers to bind the Aha1 ATPase activator reinforces their role within the Hsp90 chaperone machineries.

Optimized protocol for protein macrocomplexes stabilization using the EDC, 1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide, zero-length cross-linker.

Since noncovalent protein macrocomplexes are implicated in many cellular functions, their characterization is essential to understand how they drive several biological processes. Over the past 20 years, because of its high sensitivity, mass spectrometry has been described as a powerful tool for both the protein identification in macrocomplexes and the understanding of the macrocomplexes organization. Nonetheless, stabilizing these protein macrocomplexes, by introducing covalent bonds, is a prerequisite before their analysis by the denaturing mass spectrometry technique. In this study, using the Hsp90/Aha1 macrocomplex as a model (where Hsp denotes a heat shock protein), we optimized a double cross-linking protocol with 1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide (EDC). This protocol takes place in a two-step process: initially, a cross-linking is performed according to a previously optimized protocol, and then a second cross-linking is performed by increasing the EDC concentration, counterbalanced by a high dilution of sample and, thus, protein macrocomplexes. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, we verified the efficiency of our optimized protocol by submitting (or not submitting) samples to the K200 MALDI MS analysis kit containing N-succinimidyl iodo-acetate, suberic acid bis(3-sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester), suberic acid bis(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester), disuccinimidyl tartrate, and dithiobis(succinimidyl) propionate, developed by the CovalX Company. Results obtained show that our optimized cross-linking protocol allows a complete stabilization of protein macrocomplexes and appears to be very accurate. Indeed, contrary to other cross-linkers, the "zero-length" feature of the EDC reagent prevents overdetermination of the mass of complexes, because EDC does not remain as part of the linkage.