The prolyl cis/trans isomerase cyclophilin 18 interacts with the tumor suppressor p53 and modifies its functions in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis.

The functional diversity of the tumor suppressor protein p53 is mainly regulated by protein interactions. In this study, we describe a new interaction with the peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase cyclophilin 18 (Cyp18). The interaction reduced the sequence-specific DNA binding of p53 in vitro, whereas the inhibition of the interaction increased p53-reporter gene activity in vivo. The active site of the folding helper enzyme Cyp18 was directly involved in binding. The proline-rich region (amino acids 64-91) of p53 was most likely responsible for the observed binding because a synthetic peptide comprising amino acids 68-81 of p53 inhibited this interaction, and a p53 variant containing a proline residue at position 72 (p53(P72)) interacted with Cyp18 more effectively than the corresponding p53(R72) variant. Impairment of the Cyp18-p53 interaction induced an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, which was more pronounced when p53(P72) was expressed compared with p53(R72) in an otherwise isogenic cellular background. Moreover, p53-dependent apoptosis was elevated in Cyp18 knockout cells, suggesting an antiapoptotic potential of Cyp18-p53 complexes. Functional in vivo data hint to a possible clinical relevance of the p53-Cyp18 interaction observed.

Cyclophilins contribute to Stat3 signaling and survival of multiple myeloma cells.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is the major mediator of interleukin-6 (IL-6) family cytokines. In addition, Stat3 is known to be involved in the pathophysiology of many malignancies. Here, we show that the cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase cyclophilin (Cyp) B specifically interacts with Stat3, whereas the highly related CypA does not. CypB knockdown inhibited the IL-6-induced transactivation potential but not the tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3. Binding of CypB to Stat3 target promoters and alteration of the intranuclear localization of Stat3 on CypB depletion suggested a nuclear function of Stat3/CypB interaction. By contrast, CypA knockdown inhibited Stat3 IL-6-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. The Cyp inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA) caused similar effects. However, Stat1 activation in response to IL-6 or interferon-gamma was not affected by Cyp silencing or CsA treatment. As a result, Cyp knockdown shifted IL-6 signaling to a Stat1-dominated pathway. Furthermore, Cyp depletion or treatment with CsA induced apoptosis in IL-6-dependent multiple myeloma cells, whereas an IL-6-independent line was not affected. Thus, Cyps support the anti-apoptotic action of Stat3. Taken together, CypA and CypB both play pivotal roles, yet at different signaling levels, for Stat3 activation and function. These data also suggest a novel mechanism of CsA action.

Direct measurement indicates a slow cis/trans isomerization at the secondary amide peptide bond of glycylglycine.

Spectral differences between the cis and the trans isomer of a secondary amide peptide bond were used to follow the time course of the cis/trans isomerization of Gly-Gly, Gly-Ala, Ala-Gly, and Ala-Ala dipeptides in the UV/vis region at 220 nm. Isomerization rates and Eyring activation energies were calculated from pH- and LiCl-mediated solvent jump experiments. Rate constants were found to be in a narrow range of 0.29 to 0.64 s(-)(1) for the zwitterionic dipeptides at 25 degrees C. The isomerization rate is about 2-fold higher for the monoionic forms of Gly-Gly. The zwitterionic Gly-Gly has an activation enthalpy DeltaH() of 71.6 +/- 4.9 kJ mol(-)(1) that is in the range of the rotational barriers of aromatic side chain dipeptides that have been measured by (1)H NMR magnetization transfer experiments. Late stages of protein backbone rearrangements often involve crossing the energy barrier for rotational isomerization of imidic peptide bonds. Our findings are consistent with the idea that a wide range of secondary amide peptide bonds are also able to induce slow rate-limiting steps in protein restructuring.

Receptor accessory folding helper enzymes: the functional role of peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerases.

Receptor accessory peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases) of the FKBP and cyclophilin types form receptor heterocomplexes with different stabilities. PPIases have been found to associate with other receptor heterocomplex constituents via either proline-directed active sites or additional domains of the enzymes. The single-domain PPIases FKBP12 and FKBP12.6 are shown to interact with receptor protein kinases and calcium channels at their active sites. In contrast, heterooligomeric nuclear receptors contain multi-domain PPIases like FKBP51, FKBP52 or cyclophilin 40 that directly interact with the chaperone hsp90 via the tetratricopeptide repeat modules of the folding helper enzymes. PPIases play a critical role in the functional arrangement of components within receptor heterocomplexes.