ABSTRACT
Protein synthesis and degradation balance have a crucial role in maintenance of cellular homeostasis and function. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is one of the major cellular proteolytic machineries responsible for the removal of normal, abnormal, denatured or in general damaged proteins. Proteasome is a multisubunit enzyme that consists of the 20S core and the 19S regulatory complexes giving rise to multiple active forms. In the present study we investigated the crosstalk between protein synthesis and proteasome-mediated protein degradation. Pharmacological protein synthesis inhibition led to increased proteasome function and assembly of 30S/26S proteasome complexes, in human primary embryonic fibroblasts. The enhancement in proteasome function counted for the degradation of ubiquitinated, misfolded and oxidized proteins. Additionally, it was found that heat shock proteins 70 and 90 are probably involved in the elevated proteasome assembly. Our results provide an insight on how the mechanisms of protein synthesis, protein degradation and heat shock protein chaperones machinery interact under various cellular conditions.
Subject(s)
Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , Protein Synthesis Inhibitors/pharmacology , ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities/metabolism , Anisomycin/pharmacology , Cell Line , Cycloheximide/pharmacology , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Fibroblasts/metabolism , HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism , HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism , Humans , Proteolysis , Ubiquitin/metabolismABSTRACT
AIMS: Proteasomes are constituents of the cellular proteolytic networks that maintain protein homeostasis through regulated proteolysis of normal and abnormal (in any way) proteins. Genetically mediated proteasome activation in multicellular organisms has been shown to promote longevity and to exert protein antiaggregation activity. In this study, we investigate whether compound-mediated proteasome activation is feasible in a multicellular organism and we dissect the effects of such approach in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. RESULTS: Feeding of wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans with 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA; a previously shown proteasome activator in cell culture) results in enhanced levels of proteasome activities that lead to a skinhead-1- and proteasome activation-dependent life span extension. The elevated proteasome function confers lower paralysis rates in various AD nematode models accompanied by decreased Aß deposits, thus ultimately decelerating the progression of AD phenotype. More importantly, similar positive results are also delivered when human and murine cells of nervous origin are subjected to 18α-GA treatment. INNOVATION: This is the first report of the use of 18α-GA, a diet-derived compound as prolongevity and antiaggregation factor in the context of a multicellular organism. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that proteasome activation with downstream positive outcomes on aging and AD, an aggregation-related disease, is feasible in a nongenetic manipulation manner in a multicellular organism. Moreover, they unveil the need for identification of antiaging and antiamyloidogenic compounds among the nutrients found in our normal diet. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 855-869.
Subject(s)
Aging/metabolism , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Glycyrrhetinic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Neurons/metabolism , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism , Animals , Caenorhabditis elegans , Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/metabolism , Cell Death , Cells, Cultured , Disease Progression , Glycyrrhetinic Acid/metabolism , Glycyrrhetinic Acid/pharmacology , Longevity , Neurons/drug effects , Oxidation-Reduction , Phenotype , Protein Aggregation, Pathological/metabolismABSTRACT
Aging is a natural process accompanied by a progressive accumulation of damage in all constituent macromolecules (nucleic acids, lipids and proteins). Accumulation of damage in proteins leads to failure of proteostasis (or vice versa) due to increased levels of unfolded, misfolded or aggregated proteins and, in turn, to aging and/or age-related diseases. The major cellular proteolytic machineries, namely the proteasome and the lysosome, have been shown to dysfunction during aging and age-related diseases. Regarding the proteasome, it is well established that it can be activated either through genetic manipulation or through treatment with natural or chemical compounds that eventually result to extension of lifespan or deceleration of the progression of age-related diseases. This review article focuses on proteasome activation studies in several species and cellular models and their effects on aging and longevity. Moreover, it summarizes findings regarding proteasome activation in the major age-related diseases as well as in progeroid syndromes.
Subject(s)
Aging/drug effects , Aging/genetics , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/genetics , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism , Animals , Geriatrics , Humans , Longevity/genetics , Nervous System Diseases/drug therapy , Nervous System Diseases/genetics , Transcriptional ActivationABSTRACT
Aging is a natural biological process that is characterized by a progressive accumulation of macromolecular damage. In the proteome, aging is accompanied by decreased protein homeostasis and function of the major cellular proteolytic systems, leading to the accumulation of unfolded, misfolded, or aggregated proteins. In particular, the proteasome is responsible for the removal of normal as well as damaged or misfolded proteins. Extensive work during the past several years has clearly demonstrated that proteasome activation by either genetic means or use of compounds significantly retards aging. Importantly, this represents a common feature across evolution, thereby suggesting proteasome activation to be an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of aging and longevity regulation. This review article reports on the means of function of these proteasome activators and how they regulate aging in various species.
