Botulinum neurotoxin A and an engineered derivate targeted secretion inhibitor (TSI) A enter cells via different vesicular compartments.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are highly potent multi-domain proteins, responsible for botulism in animals and humans. The modular structural organization of BoNTs has led to the development of novel engineered bio-therapeutic proteins called targeted secretion inhibitors (TSIs). We report here that botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) and a TSI/A in which the neuronal binding domain of BoNT/A has been substituted by an epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligand, named EGFR-targeted TSI/A, exploit different routes to gain entry in the same in vitro neuroblastoma cell system, SiMa cells. We found that the EGF ligand conferred the affinity to the EGFR-targeted TSI/A at the EGF receptor when compared to an untargeted TSI/A and also the ability to internalize into the cells and cleave its cytosolic target protein SNAP-25. Using high content analysis we found that both BoNT/A and the EGFR-targeted TSI/A enter the cell in a concentration-dependent manner and in compartments which are able to translocate the proteins into the cytosol within 4 h. The EGFR-targeted TSI/A internalized into a compartment which gave a punctate staining pattern by immunofluorescence and partially overlapped with structures positive for the early endosomal marker EAA1; whereas BoNT/A did not internalize into a punctate compartment but did so in an acidifying compartment consistent with local synaptic vesicle recycling. These findings show that the BoNT/A translocation domain, common to both BoNT/A and the EGFR-targeted TSI/A, is a versatile tool for cytosolic delivery from distinct intracellular vesicular compartments.

A botulinum toxin-derived targeted secretion inhibitor downregulates the GH/IGF1 axis.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are zinc endopeptidases that block release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in neuromuscular synapses through cleavage of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, which promote fusion of synaptic vesicles to the plasma membrane. We designed and tested a BoNT-derived targeted secretion inhibitor (TSI) targeting pituitary somatotroph cells to suppress growth hormone (GH) secretion and treat acromegaly. This recombinant protein, called SXN101742, contains a modified GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) domain and the endopeptidase domain of botulinum toxin serotype D (GHRH-LHN/D, where HN/D indicates endopeptidase and translocation domain type D). In vitro, SXN101742 targeted the GHRH receptor and depleted a SNARE protein involved in GH exocytosis, vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2). In vivo, administering SXN101742 to growing rats produced a dose-dependent inhibition of GH synthesis, storage, and secretion. Consequently, hepatic IGF1 production and resultant circulating IGF1 levels were reduced. Accordingly, body weight, body length, organ weight, and bone mass acquisition were all decreased, reflecting the biological impact of SXN101742 on the GH/IGF1 axis. An inactivating 2-amino acid substitution within the zinc coordination site of the endopeptidase domain completely abolished SXN101742 inhibitory actions on GH and IGF1. Thus, genetically reengineered BoNTs can be targeted to nonneural cells to selectively inhibit hormone secretion, representing a new approach to treating hormonal excess.

Structure and activity of a functional derivative of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin B.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) cause flaccid paralysis by inhibiting neurotransmission at cholinergic nerve terminals. BoNTs consist of three essential domains for toxicity: the cell binding domain (Hc), the translocation domain (Hn) and the catalytic domain (LC). A functional derivative (LHn) of the parent neurotoxin B composed of Hn and LC domains was recombinantly produced and characterised. LHn/B crystallographic structure at 2.8Å resolution is reported. The catalytic activity of LHn/B towards recombinant human VAMP was analysed by substrate cleavage assay and showed a higher specificity for VAMP-1, -2 compared to VAMP-3. LHn/B also showed measurable activity in living spinal cord neurons. Despite lacking the Hc (cell-targeting) domain, LHn/B retained the capacity to internalize and cleave intracellular VAMP-1 and -2 when added to the cells at high concentration. These activities of the LHn/B fragment demonstrate the utility of engineered botulinum neurotoxin fragments as analytical tools to study the mechanisms of action of BoNT neurotoxins and of SNARE proteins.

Molecular profiling of signalling proteins for effects induced by the anti-cancer compound GSAO with 400 antibodies.

BACKGROUND: GSAO (4-[N-[S-glutathionylacetyl]amino] phenylarsenoxide) is a hydrophilic derivative of the protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor phenylarsine oxide (PAO). It inhibits angiogenesis and tumour growth in mouse models and may be evaluated in a phase I clinical trial in the near future. Initial experiments have implicated GSAO in perturbing mitochondrial function. Other molecular effects of GSAO in human cells, for example on the phosphorylation of proteins, are still largely unknown. METHODS: Peripheral white blood cells (PWBC) from healthy volunteers were isolated and used to profile effects of GSAO vs. a control compound, GSCA. Changes in site-specific phosphorylations, other protein modifications and expression levels of many signalling proteins were analysed using more than 400 different antibodies in Western blots. RESULTS: PWBC were initially cultured in low serum conditions, with the aim to reduce basal protein phosphorylation and to increase detection sensitivity. Under these conditions pleiotropic intracellular signalling protein changes were induced by GSAO. Subsequently, PWBC were cultured in 100% donor serum to reflect more closely in vivo conditions. This eliminated detectable GSAO effects on most, but not all signalling proteins analysed. Activation of the MAP kinase Erk2 was still observed and the paxillin homologue Hic-5 still displayed a major shift in protein mobility upon GSAO-treatment. A GSAO induced change in Hic-5 mobility was also found in endothelial cells, which are thought to be the primary target of GSAO in vivo. CONCLUSION: Serum conditions greatly influence the molecular activity profile of GSAO in vitro. Low serum culture, which is typically used in experiments analysing protein phosphorylation, is not suitable to study GSAO activity in cells. The signalling proteins affected by GSAO under high serum conditions are candidate surrogate markers for GSAO bioactivity in vivo and can be analysed in future clinical trials. GSAO effects on Hic-5 in endothelial cells may point to a new intracellular GSAO target.