An unexpected protein interaction promotes drug resistance in leukemia.

The overall survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poor and identification of new disease-related therapeutic targets remains a major goal for this disease. Here we show that expression of MPP1, a PDZ-domain-containing protein, highly correlated with ABCC4 in AML, is associated with worse overall survival in AML. Murine hematopoietic progenitor cells overexpressing MPP1 acquired the ability to serially replate in methylcellulose culture, a property crucially dependent upon ABCC4. The highly conserved PDZ-binding motif of ABCC4 is required for ABCC4 and MPP1 to form a protein complex, which increased ABCC4 membrane localization and retention, to enhance drug resistance. Specific disruption of this protein complex, either genetically or chemically, removed ABCC4 from the plasma membrane, increased drug sensitivity, and abrogated MPP1-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell replating in methylcellulose. High-throughput screening identified Antimycin A as a small molecule that disrupted the ABCC4-MPP1 protein complex and reversed drug resistance in AML cell lines and in primary patient AML cells. In all, targeting the ABCC4-MPP1 protein complex can lead to new therapies to improve treatment outcome of AML, a disease where the long-term prognosis is poor.

An overview of the potential strategies for NK cell-based immunotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have relatively low survival rates compared to patients with other pediatric cancers. Relapse is frequent with conventional treatment and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Natural killer (NK) cells offer an alternative approach to chemotherapy that combats relapse by substantially eradicating AML blasts. New methods for enhancing NK cell activation and expression of the activating ligand on target malignant cells will increase the likelihood of success with this approach. We review these latest discoveries in NK cell-based therapy for AML and delineate recent advances in sensitizing AML cells to NK cell-mediated immunosurveillance.

Methods to Study Mrp4-containing Macromolecular Complexes in the Regulation of Fibroblast Migration.

Multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette family of membrane transporters and is an endogenous efflux transporter of cyclic nucleotides. By modulating intracellular cyclic nucleotide concentration, MRP4 can regulate multiple cyclic nucleotide-dependent cellular events including cell migration. Previously, we demonstrated that in the absence of MRP4, fibroblast cells contain higher levels of intracellular cyclic nucleotides and can migrate faster. To understand the underlying mechanisms of this finding, we adopted a direct yet multifaceted approach. First, we isolated potential interacting protein complexes of MRP4 from a MRP4 over-expression cell system using immunoprecipitation followed by mass-spectrometry. After identifying unique proteins in the MRP4 interactome, we utilized Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to explore the role of these protein-protein interactions in the context of signal transduction. We elucidated the potential role of the MRP4 protein complex in cell migration and identified F-actin as a major mediator of the effect of MRP4 on cell migration. This study also emphasized the role of cAMP and cGMP as key players in the migratory phenomena. Using high-content microscopy, we performed cell-migration assays and observed that the effect of MRP4 on fibroblast migration is completely abolished by disruption of the actin cytoskeleton or inhibition of cAMP-dependent kinase A (PKA). To visualize signaling modulations in a migrating cell in real time, we utilized a FRET-based sensor for measuring PKA activity and found, the presence of more polarized PKA activity near the leading edge of migrating Mrp4(-/-) fibroblast, compared to Mrp4(+/+)fibroblasts. This in turn increased cortical actin formation and augmented the process of migration. Our approach enables identification of the proteins acting downstream to MRP4 and provides us with an overview of the mechanism involved in MRP4-dependent regulation of fibroblast migration.

Altered cGMP dynamics at the plasma membrane contribute to diarrhea in ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) belongs to inflammatory bowel disorders, a group of gastrointestinal disorders that can produce serious recurring diarrhea in affected patients. The mechanism for UC- and inflammatory bowel disorder-associated diarrhea is not well understood. The cystic fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel plays an important role in fluid and water transport across the intestinal mucosa. CFTR channel function is regulated in a compartmentalized manner through the formation of CFTR-containing macromolecular complexes at the plasma membrane. In this study, we demonstrate the involvement of a novel macromolecular signaling pathway that causes diarrhea in UC. We found that a nitric oxide-producing enzyme, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), is overexpressed under the plasma membrane and generates compartmentalized cGMP in gut epithelia in UC. The scaffolding protein Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 2 (NHERF2) bridges iNOS with CFTR, forming CFTR-NHERF2-iNOS macromolecular complexes that potentiate CFTR channel function via the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway under inflammatory conditions both in vitro and in vivo. Potential disruption of these complexes in Nherf2(-/-) mice may render them more resistant to CFTR-mediated secretory diarrhea than Nherf2(+/+) mice in murine colitis models. Our study provides insight into the mechanism of pathophysiologic occurrence of diarrhea in UC and suggests that targeting CFTR and CFTR-containing macromolecular complexes will ameliorate diarrheal symptoms and improve conditions associated with inflammatory bowel disorders.

Capturing the Direct Binding of CFTR Correctors to CFTR by Using Click Chemistry.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal genetic disease caused by the loss or dysfunction of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel. F508del is the most prevalent mutation of the CFTR gene and encodes a protein defective in folding and processing. VX-809 has been reported to facilitate the folding and trafficking of F508del-CFTR and augment its channel function. The mechanism of action of VX-809 has been poorly understood. In this study, we sought to answer a fundamental question underlying the mechanism of VX-809: does it bind CFTR directly in order to exert its action? We synthesized two VX-809 derivatives, ALK-809 and SUL-809, that possess an alkyne group and retain the rescue capacity of VX-809. By using Cu(I) -catalyzed click chemistry, we provide evidence that the VX-809 derivatives bind CFTR directly in vitro and in cells. Our findings will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanism of action of CFTR correctors and the design of more potent therapeutics to combat CF.

Core Binding Factor Acute Myeloid Leukemia: New Prognostic Categories and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Core binding factor (CBF) is a heterodimeric protein complex involved in the transcriptional regulation of normal hematopoiesis. Mutations in CBF-encoding genes result in leukemogenic proliferative advantages and impaired differentiation of the hematopoietic progenitors. CBF molecular aberrations are responsible for approximately 20% of all adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although CBF-AMLs are considered to have relatively good prognosis compared to other leukemia subtypes, they are a heterogeneous group of disorders and modern therapy frequently leads to relapse and the associated morbidity and mortality. Improvements in risk stratification and development of targeted therapies are needed for better outcomes. In this review we provide a brief overview of the molecular basis, prognostic categories and the advanced treatment strategies for CBF leukemias.

PKA and actin play critical roles as downstream effectors in MRP4-mediated regulation of fibroblast migration.

Multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4), a member of the ATP binding cassette transporter family, functions as a plasma membrane exporter of cyclic nucleotides. Recently, we demonstrated that fibroblasts lacking the Mrp4 gene migrate faster and contain higher cyclic-nucleotide levels. Here, we show that cAMP accumulation and protein kinase A (PKA) activity are higher and polarized in Mrp4(-/-) fibroblasts, versus Mrp4(+/+) cells. MRP4-containing macromolecular complexes isolated from these fibroblasts contained several proteins, including actin, which play important roles in cell migration. We found that actin interacts with MRP4, predominantly at the plasma membrane, and an intact actin cytoskeleton is required to restrict MRP4 to specific microdomains of the plasma membrane. Our data further indicated that the enhanced accumulation of cAMP in Mrp4(-/-) fibroblasts facilitates cortical actin polymerization in a PKA-dependent manner at the leading edge, which in turn increases the overall rate of cell migration to accelerate the process of wound healing. Disruption of actin polymerization or inhibition of PKA activity abolished the effect of MRP4 on cell migration. Together, our findings suggest a novel cAMP-dependent mechanism for MRP4-mediated regulation of fibroblast migration whereby PKA and actin play critical roles as downstream effectors.

Compartmentalized accumulation of cAMP near complexes of multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) contributes to drug-induced diarrhea.

Diarrhea is one of the most common adverse side effects observed in ∼7% of individuals consuming Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. The mechanism of how these drugs alter fluid secretion in the gut and induce diarrhea is not clearly understood. Several drugs are either substrates or inhibitors of multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4), such as the anti-colon cancer drug irinotecan and an anti-retroviral used to treat HIV infection, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT). These drugs activate cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-mediated fluid secretion by inhibiting MRP4-mediated cAMP efflux. Binding of drugs to MRP4 augments the formation of MRP4-CFTR-containing macromolecular complexes that is mediated via scaffolding protein PDZK1. Importantly, HIV patients on AZT treatment demonstrate augmented MRP4-CFTR complex formation in the colon, which defines a novel paradigm of drug-induced diarrhea.

Asymmetrical macromolecular complex formation of lysophosphatidic acid receptor 2 (LPA2) mediates gradient sensing in fibroblasts.

Chemotactic migration of fibroblasts toward growth factors relies on their capacity to sense minute extracellular gradients and respond to spatially confined receptor-mediated signals. Currently, mechanisms underlying the gradient sensing of fibroblasts remain poorly understood. Using single-particle tracking methodology, we determined that a lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) gradient induces a spatiotemporally restricted decrease in the mobility of LPA receptor 2 (LPA2) on chemotactic fibroblasts. The onset of decreased LPA2 mobility correlates to the spatial recruitment and coupling to LPA2-interacting proteins that anchor the complex to the cytoskeleton. These localized PDZ motif-mediated macromolecular complexes of LPA2 trigger a Ca(2+) puff gradient that governs gradient sensing and directional migration in response to LPA. Disruption of the PDZ motif-mediated assembly of the macromolecular complex of LPA2 disorganizes the gradient of Ca(2+) puffs, disrupts gradient sensing, and reduces the directional migration of fibroblasts toward LPA. Our findings illustrate that the asymmetric macromolecular complex formation of chemoattractant receptors mediates gradient sensing and provides a new mechanistic basis for models to describe gradient sensing of fibroblasts.

Förster resonance energy transfer - an approach to visualize the spatiotemporal regulation of macromolecular complex formation and compartmentalized cell signaling.

BACKGROUND: Signaling messengers and effector proteins provide an orchestrated molecular machinery to relay extracellular signals to the inside of cells and thereby facilitate distinct cellular behaviors. Formations of intracellular macromolecular complexes and segregation of signaling cascades dynamically regulate the flow of a biological process. SCOPE OF REVIEW: In this review, we provide an overview of the development and application of FRET technology in monitoring cyclic nucleotide-dependent signalings and protein complexes associated with these signalings in real time and space with brief mention of other important signaling messengers and effector proteins involved in compartmentalized signaling. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: The preciseness, rapidity and specificity of cellular responses indicate restricted alterations of signaling messengers, particularly in subcellular compartments rather than globally. Not only the physical confinement and selective depletion, but also the intra- and inter-molecular interactions of signaling effectors modulate the direction of signal transduction in a compartmentalized fashion. To understand the finer details of various intracellular signaling cascades and crosstalk between proteins and other effectors, it is important to visualize these processes in live cells. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) has been established as a useful tool to do this, even with its inherent limitations. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: FRET technology remains as an effective tool for unraveling the complex organization and distribution of various endogenous signaling proteins, as well as the spatiotemporal dynamics of second messengers inside a single cell to distinguish the heterogeneity of cell signaling under normal physiological conditions and during pathological events.

Stabilizing rescued surface-localized δf508 CFTR by potentiation of its interaction with Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 1.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in CFTR, a plasma-membrane-localized anion channel. The most common mutation in CFTR, deletion of phenylalanine at residue 508 (ΔF508), causes misfolding of CFTR resulting in little or no protein at the plasma membrane. The CFTR corrector VX-809 shows promise for treating CF patients homozygous for ΔF508. Here, we demonstrate the significance of protein-protein interactions in enhancing the stability of the ΔF508 CFTR mutant channel protein at the plasma membrane. We determined that VX-809 prolongs the stability of ΔF508 CFTR at the plasma membrane. Using competition-based assays, we demonstrated that ΔF508 CFTR interacts poorly with Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) compared to wild-type CFTR, and VX-809 significantly increased this binding affinity. We conclude that stabilized CFTR-NHERF1 interaction is a determinant of the functional efficiency of rescued ΔF508 CFTR. Our results demonstrate the importance of macromolecular-complex formation in stabilizing rescued mutant CFTR at the plasma membrane and suggest this to be foundational for the development of a new generation of effective CFTR-corrector-based therapeutics.

Compartmentalization of cyclic nucleotide signaling: a question of when, where, and why?

Preciseness of cellular behavior depends upon how an extracellular cue mobilizes a correct orchestra of cellular messengers and effector proteins spatially and temporally. This concept, termed compartmentalization of cellular signaling, is now known to form the molecular basis of many aspects of cellular behavior in health and disease. The cyclic nucleotides cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate are ubiquitous cellular messengers that can be compartmentalized in three ways: first, by their physical containment; second, by formation of multiple protein signaling complexes; and third, by their selective depletion. Compartmentalized cyclic nucleotide signaling is a very prevalent response among all cell types. In order to understand how it becomes relevant to cellular behavior, it is important to know how it is executed in cells to regulate physiological responses and, also, how its execution or dysregulation can lead to a pathophysiological condition, which forms the scope of the presented review.

MAST205 competes with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-associated ligand for binding to CFTR to regulate CFTR-mediated fluid transport.

The PDZ (postsynaptic density-95/discs large/zona occludens-1) domain-based interactions play important roles in regulating the expression and function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Several PDZ domain-containing proteins (PDZ proteins for short) have been identified as directly or indirectly interacting with the C terminus of CFTR. To better understand the regulation of CFTR processing, we conducted a genetic screen and identified MAST205 (a microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase with a molecular mass of 205 kDa) as a new CFTR regulator. We found that overexpression of MAST205 increased the expression of CFTR and augmented CFTR-mediated fluid transport in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, knockdown of MAST205 inhibited CFTR function. The PDZ motif of CFTR is required for the regulatory role of MAST205 in CFTR expression and function. We further demonstrated that MAST205 and the CFTR-associated ligand competed for binding to CFTR, which facilitated the processing of CFTR and consequently up-regulated the expression and function of CFTR at the plasma membrane. More importantly, we found that MAST205 could facilitate the processing of F508del-CFTR mutant and augment its quantity and channel function at the plasma membrane. Taken together, our data suggest that MAST205 plays an important role in regulating CFTR expression and function. Our findings have important clinical implications for treating CFTR-associated diseases such as cystic fibrosis and secretory diarrheas.

Multi-drug resistance protein 4 (MRP4)-mediated regulation of fibroblast cell migration reflects a dichotomous role of intracellular cyclic nucleotides.

It has long been known that cyclic nucleotides and cyclic nucleotide-dependent signaling molecules control cell migration. However, the concept that it is not just the absence or presence of cyclic nucleotides, but a highly coordinated balance between these molecules that regulates cell migration, is new and revolutionary. In this study, we used multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4)-expressing cell lines and MRP4 knock-out mice as model systems and wound healing assays as the experimental system to explore this unique and emerging concept. MRP4, a member of a large family of ATP binding cassette transporter proteins, localizes to the plasma membrane and functions as a nucleotide efflux transporter and thus plays a role in the regulation of intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels. Here, we demonstrate that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) isolated from Mrp4(-/-) mice have higher intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels and migrate faster compared with MEFs from Mrp4(+/+) mice. Using FRET-based cAMP and cGMP sensors, we show that inhibition of MRP4 with MK571 increases both cAMP and cGMP levels, which results in increased migration. In contrast to these moderate increases in cAMP and cGMP levels seen in the absence of MRP4, a robust increase in cAMP levels was observed following treatment with forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine, which decreases fibroblast migration. In response to externally added cell-permeant cyclic nucleotides (cpt-cAMP and cpt-cGMP), MEF migration appears to be biphasic. Altogether, our studies provide the first experimental evidence supporting the novel concept that balance between cyclic nucleotides is critical for cell migration.

Amberlite-IRA-402 (OH) ion exchange resin mediated synthesis of indolizines, pyrrolo [1,2-a] quinolines and isoquinolines: antibacterial and antifungal evaluation of the products.

A number of indolizines and pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinolines/isoquinolines were prepared from phenacyl pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium salts derived from the reaction of the heterocycles with 2-bromo acetophenone with alkynes and alkenes using amberlite-IRA-402 (OH) ion exchange resin as the base. Antibacterial and antifungal studies were carried out against thirteen bacterial and four fungal strains, which revealed that three derivatives (4a, 4b, 7a) out of fifteen are effective against all the thirteen strains and one derivative, 10, showed dual antibactericidal and antifungal efficacy.

An investigation on in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial properties of the antidepressant: amitriptyline hydrochloride

The antidepressant drug amitriptyline hydrochloride was obtained in a dry powder form and was screened against 253 strains of bacteria which included 72 Gram positive and 181 Gram negative bacteria and against 5 fungal strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by inoculating a loopful of an overnight peptone water culture of the organism on nutrient agar plates containing increasing concentrations of amitriptyline hydrochloride (0, 10 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 200 µg/mL). Amitriptyline hydrochloride exhibited significant action against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria at 25-200 µg/mL. In the in vivo studies it was seen that amitriptyline hydrochloride at a concentration of 25 µg/g and 30 µg/g body weight of mouse offered significant protection to Swiss strain of white mice when challenged with 50 median lethal dose (MLD) of a virulent strain of Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74. The in vivo data were highly significant (p<0.001) according to the chi-square test.

An Investigation on in vitro and in vivo Antimicrobial Properties of the Antidepressant: Amitriptyline Hydrochloride.

The antidepressant drug amitriptyline hydrochloride was obtained in a dry powder form and was screened against 253 strains of bacteria which included 72 Gram positive and 181 Gram negative bacteria and against 5 fungal strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by inoculating a loopful of an overnight peptone water culture of the organism on nutrient agar plates containing increasing concentrations of amitriptyline hydrochloride (0, 10 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL, 200 µg/mL). Amitriptyline hydrochloride exhibited significant action against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria at 25-200 µg/mL. In the in vivo studies it was seen that amitriptyline hydrochloride at a concentration of 25 µg/g and 30 µg/g body weight of mouse offered significant protection to Swiss strain of white mice when challenged with 50 median lethal dose (MLD) of a virulent strain of Salmonella typhimurium NCTC 74. The in vivo data were highly significant (p<0.001) according to the chi-square test.