Hemin-dependent induction and internalization of CD38 in K562 cells

The cell surface antigen, CD38, is a bifunctional ecto-enzyme, which is predominantly expressed on hematopoietic cells during differentiation. In the present study, it is shown that hemin treatment of K562 cells gives rise to induction of enzymatic activities inherent to CD38. GDP-ribosyl cyclase activity, an indicator of CD38, increased initially in response to hemin in a time-dependent manner, reached a maximum level on the 5th day and, thereafter, declined sharply to the initial level. The increase in NAD(+) glycohydrolase and ADP-ribose uptake activities followed a similar time course. However, the decline in the latter activities after the 5th day of induction appeared to be rather slow in contrast to GDP-ribosyl cyclase activity. The time course of these changes was well correlated with the FACScan findings obtained by use of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses by use of the monoclonal antibody OKT10 revealed a transient hemin-dependent appearance of a 43 kDa membrane protein with maximum signal intensity on the first 4 days of incubation. There was subsequently a gradual decrease on the 5th day, concomitant with a reciprocal increase in activity of the internalized protein fraction. The results together indicated that hemin-induced expression of CD38 was followed by its down-regulation.     

Crystallographic studies on human BST-1/CD157 with ADP-ribosyl cyclase and NAD glycohydrolase activities

cADPR is the novel second messenger that elicits calcium release from intracellular calcium stores and works independently of IP(3). In mammals, the ADP-ribosyl cyclase function is found in two membrane proteins, CD38 and BST-1/CD157. These enzymes, exposed extracellularly, bear cADPR hydrolase and NAD glycohydrolase activities. In spite of its functional importance, the structural basis of these enzymatic reactions remains elusive. We determined the crystal structures of the extracellular region of human BST-1 at atomic resolution in the free form and in complexes with five substrate analogues: nicotinamide, NMN, ATPgammaS, ethenoNADP, and ethenoNAD. The three-dimensional structural views of the reaction centre with these ligands revealed the mode of substrate binding and the catalytic mechanism of the multifunctional enzymatic reactions. In each catalytic cleft of the dimeric enzyme, substrates are recognized predominantly through van der Waals interactions with two tryptophan residues, and thereby the N-glycosidic bond of NAD is correctly exposed near a catalytic glutamate residue. Its carboxyl side-chain stabilizes the catalytic intermediate of the S(N)-1 type reaction. This conformation of the catalytic cleft also implies the mechanism of cyclization between the adenine base and the ribose. The three key residues are invariant among the sequences of BST-1, CD38, and Aplysia cyclase, and hence this substrate recognition mode and catalytic scheme appear to be common in the cyclase family.     

2,4-Diamino-8-quinazoline carboxamides as novel,potent inhibitors of the NAD hydrolyzing enzyme CD38: Exploration of the 2-position structure-activity relationships

Starting from 4-amino-8-quinoline carboxamide lead 1a and scaffold hopping to the chemically more tractable quinazoline, a systematic exploration of the 2-substituents of the quinazoline ring, utilizing structure activity relationships and conformational constraint, resulted in the identification of 39 novel CD38 inhibitors. Eight of these analogs were 10–100-fold more potent human CD38 inhibitors, including the single digit nanomolar inhibitor 1am. Several of these molecules also exhibited improved therapeutic indices relative to hERG activity. A representative analog 1r exhibited suitable pharmacokinetic parameters for in vivo animal studies, including moderate clearance and good oral bioavailability. These inhibitor compounds will aid in the exploration of the enzymatic functions of CD38, as well as furthering the study of the therapeutic implications of NAD enhancement in metabolic disease models.     

Porcine CD38 exhibits prominent secondary NAD+ cyclase activity

Cyclic ADP‐ribose (cADPR) mobilizes intracellular Ca²⁺ stores and activates Ca²⁺ influx to regulate a wide range of physiological processes. It is one of the products produced from the catalysis of NAD⁺ by the multifunctional CD38/ADP‐ribosyl cyclase superfamily. After elimination of the nicotinamide ring by the enzyme, the reaction intermediate of NAD⁺ can either be hydrolyzed to form linear ADPR or cyclized to form cADPR. We have previously shown that human CD38 exhibits a higher preference towards the hydrolysis of NAD⁺ to form linear ADPR while Aplysia ADP‐ribosyl cyclase prefers cyclizing NAD⁺ to form cADPR. In this study, we characterized the enzymatic properties of porcine CD38 and revealed that it has a prominent secondary NAD⁺ cyclase activity producing cADPR. We also determined the X‐ray crystallographic structures of porcine CD38 and were able to observe conformational flexibility at the base of the active site of the enzyme which allow the NAD⁺ reaction intermediate to adopt conformations resulting in both hydrolysis and cyclization forming linear ADPR and cADPR respectively.     

Inflammation,caveolae and CD38-mediated calcium regulation in human airway smooth muscle

The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) increases expression of CD38 (a membrane-associated bifunctional enzyme regulating cyclic ADP ribose), and enhances agonist-induced intracellular Ca^2 + ([Ca^2 +]_i) responses in human airway smooth muscle (ASM). We previously demonstrated that caveolae and their constituent protein caveolin-1 are important for ASM [Ca^2 +]_i regulation, which is further enhanced by TNFα. Whether caveolae and CD38 are functionally linked in mediating TNFα effects is unknown. In this regard, whether the related cavin proteins (cavin-1 and -3) that maintain structure and function of caveolae play a role is also not known. In the present study, we hypothesized that TNFα effects on CD38 expression and function in human ASM involve caveolae. Caveolar fractions from isolated human ASM cells expressed CD38 and its expression was upregulated by exposure to 20 ng/ml TNFα (48 h). ASM cells expressed cavin-1 and cavin-3, which were also upregulated by TNFα. Knockdown of caveolin-1, cavin-1 or cavin-3 (using siRNA) all significantly reduced CD38 expression and ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in the presence or absence of TNFα. Furthermore, caveolin-1, cavin-1 and cavin-3 siRNAs reduced [Ca^2 +]_i responses to histamine under control conditions, and blunted the enhanced [Ca^2 +]_i responses in TNFα-exposed cells. These data demonstrate that CD38 is expressed within caveolae and its function is linked to the caveolar regulatory proteins caveolin-1, cavin-1 and -3. The link between caveolae and CD38 is further enhanced during airway inflammation demonstrating the important role of caveolae in regulation of [Ca^2 +]_i and contractility in the airway.     

Nuclear CD38 in retinoic acid-induced HL-60 cells

The cell surface antigen, CD38, is a 45-kDa transmembrane protein which is predominantly expressed on hematopoietic cells during differentiation. As a bifunctional ectoenzyme, it catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) from NAD(+) and hydrolysis of either NAD(+) or cADPR to ADP-ribose. All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) is a potent and specific inducer of CD38 in myeloid cells. In this report, we demonstrate that the nuclei of RA-treated human HL-60 myeloblastic cells reveal enzymatic activities inherent to CD38. Thus, GDP-ribosyl cyclase and NAD(+) glycohydrolase activities in the nuclear fraction increased very significantly in response to incubation with RA. With Western blotting, we detected in the nuclear protein fraction from RA-treated cells a approximately 43-kDa protein band which was reactive with the CD38-specific monoclonal antibody OKT10. The expression of CD38 in HL-60 nuclei was also shown with FACScan analysis. RA treatment gave rise to an increase in in vitro ADP ribosylation of the approximately 43-kDa nuclear protein. Moreover, nuclei isolated from RA-treated HL-60 cells revealed calcium release in response to cADPR, whereas a similar response was not observed in control nuclei. These results suggest that CD38 is expressed in HL-60 cell nuclei during RA-induced differentiation.     

Regulation of intracellular levels of NAD: a novel role for CD38

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) plays key roles in many cellular functions. In addition to its well-known role in energy metabolism, NAD also plays a role in signal transduction, ageing, and cellular injury. NAD is also involved in many signal transduction pathways. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms that control intracellular NAD levels. However, to date, the mechanisms that regulate intracellular levels of NAD have not been completely elucidated. CD38 is a multifunctional enzyme ubiquitously distributed in mammalian tissues. CD38 has been implicated as the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the second messengers. However, its major enzymatic activity is the hydrolysis of NAD, in fact, CD38 will generate one molecule of cADPR for every 100 molecules of NAD hydrolyzed. To date, the role of CD38 as a modulator of levels of NAD has not been explored. We postulated that CD38 is the major NADase in mammalian cells and that it regulates intracellular NAD levels. In the current studies we examined the NADase activities and NAD levels in a variety of tissues from both wild-type and CD38 deficient mice. In accordance with our hypothesis, we found that tissue levels of NAD in CD38 deficient mice are 10- to 20-fold higher than in wild-type animals. In addition, NADase activity in the plasma membrane, mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum, and nuclei is essentially absent in most tissues from CD38 deficient mice. These data support the novel concept that CD38 is a major regulator of cellular NAD levels. These findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms that regulate intracellular NAD levels and its role in energy homeostasis, signal transduction, and ageing.     

Dynamic conformations of the CD38-mediated NAD cyclization captured in a single crystal

The extracellular domain of human CD38 is a multifunctional enzyme involved in the metabolism of two Ca²⁺ messengers: cyclic ADP-ribose and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate. When NAD is used as substrate, CD38 predominantly hydrolyzes it to ADP-ribose, with a trace amount of cyclic ADP-ribose produced through cyclization of the substrate. However, mutation of a key residue at the active site, E146, inhibits the hydrolysis activity of CD38 but greatly increases its cyclization activity. To understand the role of the residue E146 in the catalytic process, we determined the crystal structure of the E146A mutant protein with a substrate analogue, arabinosyl-2′-fluoro-deoxy-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The structure captured the enzymatic reaction intermediates in six different conformations in a crystallographic asymmetric unit. The structural results indicate a folding-back process for the adenine ring of the substrate and provide the first multiple snapshots of the process. Our approach of utilizing multiple molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit should be generally applicable for capturing the dynamic nature of enzymatic catalysis.     

Autophagy maturation associated with CD38‐mediated regulation of lysosome function in mouse glomerular podocytes

Podocytes are highly differentiated glomerular epithelial cells that contribute to the glomerular barrier function of kidney. A role for autophagy has been proposed in maintenance of their cellular integrity, but the mechanisms controlling autophagy in podocytes are not clear. The present study tested whether CD38‐mediated regulation of lysosome function contributes to autophagic flux or autophagy maturation in podocytes. Podocytes were found to exhibit a high constitutive level of LC3‐II, a robust marker of autophagosomes (APs), suggesting a high basal level of autophagic activity. Treatment with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, increased LC3‐II and the content of both APs detected by Cyto‐ID Green staining and autophagolysosomes (APLs) measured by acridine orange staining and colocalization of LC3 and Lamp1. Lysosome function inhibitor bafilomycin A1 increased APs, but decreased APLs content under both basal and rapamycin‐induced conditions. Inhibition of CD38 activity by nicotinamide or silencing of CD38 gene produced the similar effects to that bafilomycin A1 did in podocytes. To explore the possibility that CD38 may control podocyte autophagy through its regulation of lysosome function, the fusion of APs with lysosomes in living podocytes was observed by co‐transfection of GFP‐LC3B and RFP‐Lamp1 expression vectors. A colocalization of GFP‐LC3B and RFP‐Lamp1 upon stimulation of rapamycin became obvious in transfected podocytes, which could be substantially blocked by nicotinamide, CD38 shRNA, and bafilomycin. Moreover, blockade of the CD38‐mediated regulation by PPADS completely abolished rapamycin‐induced fusion of APs with lysosomes. These results indicate that CD38 importantly control lysosomal function and influence autophagy at the maturation step in podocytes.     

ATRA-induced HL-60 myeloid leukemia cell differentiation depends on the CD38 cytosolic tail needed for membrane localization, but CD38 enzymatic activity is unnecessary

Leukocyte antigen CD38 expression is an early marker of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) stimulated differentiation in the leukemic cell line HL-60. It promotes induced myeloid maturation when overexpressed, whereas knocking it down is inhibitory. It is a type II membrane protein with an extracellular C-terminal enzymatic domain with NADase/NADPase and ADPR cyclase activity and a short cytoplasmic N-terminal tail. Here we determined whether CD38 enzymatic activity or the cytoplasmic tail is required for ATRA-induced differentiation. Neither a specific CD38 ectoenzyme inhibitor nor a point mutation that cripples enzymatic activity (CD38 E226Q) diminishes ATRA-induced differentiation or G1/0 arrest. In contrast a cytosolic deletion mutation (CD38 Δ11–20) prevents membrane expression and inhibits differentiation and G1/0 arrest. These results may be consistent with disrupting the function of critical molecules necessary for membrane-expressed CD38 signal transduction. One candidate molecule is the Src family kinase Fgr, which failed to undergo ATRA-induced upregulation in CD38 Δ11–20 expressing cells. Another is Vav1, which also showed only basal expression after ATRA treatment in CD38 Δ11–20 expressing cells. Therefore, the ability of CD38 to propel ATRA-induced myeloid differentiation and G1/0 arrest is unimpaired by loss of its ectoenzyme activity. However a cytosolic tail deletion mutation disrupted membrane localization and inhibited differentiation. ATRA-induced differentiation thus does not require the CD38 ectoenzyme function, but is dependent on a membrane receptor function.     

CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase in the rat sublingual gland: subcellular localization under resting and saliva-secreting conditions

CD38 is a 42–45 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein that exhibits ADP-ribosyl cyclase enzyme activity. In the rat, we have previously reported strong ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in the sublingual salivary gland (Masuda W. and Noguchi T. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (2000) 270, 469–472). Here, we have examined the specific localization of CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in this gland and whether that localization changes upon saliva-secretary stimulation. Under resting conditions, CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in the post-nuclear fraction of SLG homogenates was separated into two major peaks by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The first peak included the plasma membrane proteins Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase and aquaporin 5, while the second peak included mucous secretory protein mucin and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2. When rats were subjected to the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine, the CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity disappeared from the second peak, as did mucin and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2. Pre-treatment of rats with the muscarinic antagonist atropine before pilocarpine administration, or adrenergic stimulation with isoproterenol, the sucrose density gradient separation profiles were same as that seen under resting condition. Using an immunofluorescent strategy, we observed the preferential localization of CD38 in the basolateral plasma membrane and intracellular granule-like membrane in sublingual acinar cells under resting conditions.     

CD38 inhibitor 78c increases mice lifespan and healthspan in a model of chronological aging

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels decline during aging, contributing to physical and metabolic dysfunction. The NADase CD38 plays a key role in age‐related NAD decline. Whether the inhibition of CD38 increases lifespan is not known. Here, we show that the CD38 inhibitor 78c increases lifespan and healthspan of naturally aged mice. In addition to a 10% increase in median survival, 78c improved exercise performance, endurance, and metabolic function in mice. The effects of 78c were different between sexes. Our study is the first to investigate the effect of CD38 inhibition in naturally aged animals.     

Regulation of SIRT 1 mediated NAD dependent deacetylation: a novel role for the multifunctional enzyme CD38

The SIRT 1 enzyme is a NAD dependent deacetylase implicated in ageing, cell protection, and energy metabolism in mammalian cells. How the endogenous activity of SIRT 1 is modulated is not known. The enzyme CD38 is a multifunctional enzyme capable of synthesis of the second messenger, cADPR, NAADP, and ADPR. However, the major enzymatic activity of CD38 is the hydrolysis of NAD. Of particular interest is the fact that CD38 is present on the inner nuclear membrane. Here, we investigate the modulation of the SIRT 1 activity by CD38. We propose that by modulating availability of NAD to the SIRT1 enzyme, CD38 may regulate SIRT1 enzymatic activity. We observed that in CD38 knockout mice, tissue levels of NAD are significantly increased. We also observed that incubation of purified recombinant SIRT1 enzyme with CD38 or nuclear extracts of wild-type mice led to a significant inhibition of its activity. In contrast, incubation of SIRT1 with cellular extract from CD38 knockout mice was without effect. Furthermore, the endogenous activity of SIRT1 was several time higher in nuclear extracts from CD38 knockout mice when compared to wild-type nuclear extracts. Finally, the in vivo deacetylation of the SIRT1 substrate P53 is increased in CD38 knockout mice tissue. Our data support the novel concept that nuclear CD38 is a major regulator of cellular/nuclear NAD level, and SIRT1 activity. These findings have strong implications for understanding the basic mechanisms that modulate intracellular NAD levels, energy homeostasis, as well as ageing and cellular protection modulated by the SIRT enzymes.     

Exosomes from human lymphoblastoid B cells express enzymatically active CD38 that is associated with signaling complexes containing CD81, Hsc-70 and Lyn

Exosome vesicles of endocytic origin are involved in communication between tumor and immune cells. In addition, membrane rafts (MR) may support the sorting of proteins associated with exosomes. CD38 is found at the plasma membrane and in recycling endosomes, which are both redistributed toward the immunological synapse (IS) upon T cell antigen receptor (TCR) engagement. The data of this study provide evidence that CD38 is expressed on the surface of secreted exosomes derived from lymphoblastoid B cells. Exosomic CD38 is associated with the signaling molecules CD81, Hsc-70 and Lyn. Likewise, in MR, CD38 is associated with CD81, CD19, Lyn, Gαi-2, Hsc-70 and actin. Therefore, a high degree of overlap in the pattern of signaling proteins associated with CD38 in exosomes and MR exists. Exosomic and MR CD38, by virtue of these interactions, have signaling potential. Indeed, CD38 is enzymatically active in both exosomes and MR, and CD38 ligation induces Akt/PKB and Erk activation, which is accompanied by increased translocation of CD38 into MR. In conclusion, the present study indicates that CD38 localizes to MR, where it promotes cell signaling, and it is exported out of the cells through the exosome-mediated exocytic pathway, where it may act as an intercellular messenger.     

CD38 is constitutively expressed in the nucleus of human hematopoietic cells

CD38 is a type II glycoprotein that acts both as a bifunctional enzyme, responsible for the synthesis and hydrolysis of cyclic ADP-ribose, and as a signal-transducing surface receptor. Although CD38 was originally described as a plasma membrane molecule, several reports indicate that CD38 is expressed in the nucleus, even in cells known to be CD38 surface-negative. In this study, firstly we investigated the presence of nuclear CD38 by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy using a panel of hematopoietic cell lines that exhibit different levels of CD38 plasma membrane expression. Our second aim was to explore the relationship between the nuclear and plasma membrane forms of CD38 in human cell lines which represent discrete early maturation stages of the human lymphoid and myeloid compartments. Our results indicate that CD38 is constitutively present in the nucleus of cells belonging to distinct lineages. Furthermore, nuclear CD38 appears to be independent of the plasma membrane pool. The presence of nuclear CD38 during different stages of hematopoietic differentiation suggests that it may play a role in the control of nuclear Ca(2+) homeostasis and NAD levels.     

Novel kinetics, behaviour and cell-type specificity of CD157-mediated tyrosine kinase signalling

CD157, a recently characterized leukocyte surface antigen, has recently been shown to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of a 130-kDa protein (p130) when cross-linked with its antibody (ligand). We have further investigated the detailed kinetics, behaviour and cell-type specificity of this CD157-stimulated p130 phosphorylation. We demonstrate that CD157-mediated p130 phosphorylation is ligand independent in recombinant CD157-expressing CHO, MCA102 and COS-7 cells but is ligand dependent in HL-60-differentiated monocytes (mHL-60) having enhanced CD157 expression. This p130 phosphorylation is activated only at lower temperatures (0-4 degrees C) in MCA102, COS-7 and mHL-60 cells but is temperature insensitive in CHO cells. We further demonstrate that the CHO/CD157 cell clones have approximately 22-28% slower rates of proliferation than that of a CHO/mock clone. But the MCA102 cell proliferation remains unaffected by CD157 expression. We postulate that the difference in the temperature sensitivity of p130 phosphorylation can be responsible for the discrepancy in the rates of MCA102/CD157 and CHO/CD157 cell proliferation.     

Glutamate-mediated overexpression of CD38 in astrocytes cultured with neurones

Recently, a new system of astrocyte-neurone glutamatergic signalling has been identified. It is started in astrocytes by ectocellular, CD38-catalysed conversion of NAD(+) to the calcium mobilizer cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR). This is then pumped by CD38 itself into the cytosol where the resulting free intracellular Ca(2+) concentration [Ca(2+)](i) transients elicit an increased release of glutamate, which can induce an enhanced Ca(2+) response in neighbouring neurones. Here, we demonstrate that co-culture of either cortical or hippocampal astrocytes with neurones results in a significant overexpression of astrocyte CD38 both on the plasma membrane and intracellularly. The causal role of neurone-released glutamate in inducing overexpression of astrocyte CD38 is demonstrated by two observations: first, in the absence of neurones, induction of CD38 in pure astrocyte cultures can be obtained with glutamate and second, it can be prevented in co-cultures by glutamate receptor antagonists. The neuronal glutamate-mediated effect of neurones on astrocyte CD38 expression is paralleled by increased intracellular cADPR and [Ca(2+)](i) levels, both findings indicating functionality of overexpressed CD38. These results reveal a new neurone-to-astrocyte glutamatergic signalling based on the CD38/cADPR system, which affects the [Ca(2+)](i) in both cell types, adding further complexity to the bi-directional patterns of communication between astrocytes and neurones.     

Implication of CD38 gene in podocyte epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and glomerular sclerosis

CD38 is a multifunctional protein involving in a number of signalling pathways. Given that the lack of CD38 is considered as a dedifferentiation marker of lymphocytes and other cells, we hypothesized that CD38 and its signalling pathway may participate in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of podocytes and thereby regulates the integrity of glomerular structure and function. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR demonstrated that renal tissue CD38 expression was lacking in CD38(-/-) mice or substantially reduced in renal CD38 shRNA-transfected WT (CD38-shRNA) mice compared to CD38(+/+) littermates. Confocal fluorescent microscopy demonstrated the reduced expression of epithelial markers (P-Cadherin, ZO-1 and podocin) and increased expression of mesenchymal markers (FSP-1, α-SMA and desmin) in the glomeruli of CD38(-/-) and CD38-shRNA mice compared to CD38(+/+) mice. Morphological examinations showed profound injury in the glomeruli of CD38(-/-) or CD38-shRNA mice compared to CD38(+/+) mice. This enhanced glomerular injury in CD38(-/-) or CD38-shRNA mice was accompanied by increased albuminuria and proteinuria. DOCA/high salt treatment further decreased the expression of epithelial markers and increased the abundance of mesenchymal markers, which were accompanied by more increased glomerular damage index and mean arterial pressure in CD38(-/-) and CD38-shRNA mice than CD38(+/+) mice. In vitro studies showed that inhibition of CD38 enhances the EMT in podocytes. In conclusion, our observations reveal that the normal expression of CD38 importantly contributes to the differentiation and function of podocytes and the defect of this gene expression may be a critical mechanism inducing EMT and consequently resulting in glomerular injury and sclerosis.