An insight into the mechanism of cytotoxicity of ricin to hepatoma cell: roles of Bcl-2 family proteins, caspases, Ca(2+)-dependent proteases and protein kinase C

The ability of ricin, a type II ribosome-inactivating protein, to induce hepatoma cell (BEL7404) to apoptosis in vitro was examined by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and DNA fragmentation assay. As a Bcl-2 lacking model, BEL7404 bore unique advantage to study the effect of over-expressing Bcl-2 on the apoptosis induced by the inhibitor of protein synthesis. By establishing a Bcl-2 over-expressing cell line (BEL7404/ Bcl-2), we found that Bcl-2 could promote the survival of the hepatoma cell against ricin insult. The ricin-induced apoptosis of BEL7404 was accompanied by increased expression of Bak and decreased levels of Bcl-xl and Bax. Caspases and PARP cleavage activity were found to be implicated in the death process. Through the inhibitor tests, our results excluded the participation of calcium-dependent proteases or protein kinase C in the apoptotic process induced by ricin, though an elevation of intracellular calcium did occur as an immediate response to ricin treatment. Cycloheximide, another protein synthesis inhibitor, did synergistically enhance rather than inhibit the cytotoxicity of ricin to hepatoma cell BEL7404. Actually, cycloheximide alone was able to induce hepatoma cell BEL7404 to death that could also be inhibited by over-expressing Bcl-2. The elevation of apoptotic protein Bak was discussed to challenge the notion that ricin exerted its cytotoxicity through nonspecific inhibition of all the de novo protein synthesis.     

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of recombinant abrin-a A-chain with ribosome inactivating Activity

Crystals have been obtained for a recombinant abrin-a A-chain produced by E. coli. The crystals were grown using PEG6000 as the precipitating agent. The crystals belong to an orthrhombic space group P 2₁2₁2₁ and diffract to 1.7 Å. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Selection and characterization of peptide memitopes binding to ricin

A combinatorial random peptide display library expressed in E. coli was employed to identify short, linear peptide sequences that showed affinity for ricin and could be used as reagents for detection and identification of ricin. One peptide, P3, from a collection of four short peptides showed specific binding to ricin. The kinetic analysis of this peptide binding to the ricin showed lower equilibrium binding constants for the peptide P3 than monoclonal antibody. This is attributed due to both slower association and faster dissociation rates for the peptide P3. The random ricin peptide P3 binds to ricin with a K_D of 1 M versus the antibody's K_D of 14 nM. This particular peptide memitope P3 against ricin showed specific binding to ricin without any significant cross-reactivity against other proteins such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme and natural bacterial toxins such as Staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B. The results provided proof-of-principal that peptide memitopes are another choice of reagents due to ease in production to be used for the detection of highly toxic bio-threat or biowarfare agents such as ricin.     

Crystallographic refinement of ricin to 2.5 A

The plant cytotoxin ricin consists of two disulfide-linked chains, each of about 30,000 daltons. An initial model based on a 2.8 A MIR electron density map has been refined against 2.5 A data using rounds of hand rebuilding coupled with either a restrained least squares algorithm or molecular dynamics (XPLOR). The last model (9) has an R factor of 21.6% and RMS deviations from standard bond lengths and angles of 0.021 A and 4.67 degrees, respectively. Refinement required several peptide segments in the original model to be adjusted translationally along the electron density. A wide range of lesser changes were also made. The RMS deviation of backbone atoms between the original and model 9 was 1.89 A. Molecular dynamics proved to be a very powerful refinement tool. However, tests showed that it could not replace human intervention in making adjustments such as local translations of the peptide chain. The R factor is not a completely satisfactory indicator of refinement progress; difference Fouriers, when observed carefully, may be a better monitor.     

Signal peptide-regulated toxicity of a plant ribosome-inactivating protein during cell stress

The fate of the type I ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) saporin when initially targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in tobacco protoplasts has been examined. We find that saporin expression causes a marked decrease in protein synthesis, indicating that a fraction of the toxin reaches the cytosol and inactivates tobacco ribosomes. We determined that saporin is largely secreted but some is retained intracellularly, most likely in a vacuolar compartment, thus behaving very differently from the prototype RIP ricin A chain. We also find that the signal peptide can interfere with the catalytic activity of saporin when the protein fails to be targeted to the ER membrane, and that saporin toxicity undergoes signal sequence-specific regulation when the host cell is subjected to ER stress. Replacement of the saporin signal peptide with that of the ER chaperone BiP reduces saporin toxicity and makes it independent of cell stress. We propose that this stress-induced toxicity may have a role in pathogen defence.     

Structure of ricin B-chain at 2.5 A resolution

The heterodimeric plant toxin ricin has been refined to 2.5 A resolution. The B-chain lectin (RTB) is described in detail. The protein has two major domains, each of which has a galactose binding site. RTB has no regular secondary structure but displays several omega loops. Each RTB domain is made of three copies of a primitive 40 residue folding unit, which pack around a pseudo threefold axis. In each domain, galactose binds in a shallow cleft formed by a three residue peptide kink on the bottom and an aromatic ring on the top. At the back of the cleft, an aspartate forms hydrogen bonds to the C3 and C4 hydroxyls of galactose, whereas a glutamine bonds to the C4 alcohol, helping to define specific epimer binding. In addition to analyzing the sugar binding mechanism, the assembly of subdomain units around the pseudo threefold axis of each domain is described. The subdomains contribute conserved Trp, Leu, and Ile residues to a compact central hydrophobic core. This tight threefold binding probably drives the peptide folding and stabilizes the protein structure.     

Crystal structure of pokeweed antiviral protein from seeds of Phytolacca americana at 0.25 nm

Crystals of pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) from seeds of Phytolacca americana with high diffraction ability were grown from high protein concentration (100 mg/mL) solution at high temperature (33℃). The crystal structure was solved by use of molecular replacement method and refined by use of molecular dynamic method at 0 25 nm to an R factor of 18.15% with standard deviations from standard geometry of 0.001 6 nm and 2.04° for bond lengths and bond angles, respectively. Comparison with two other PAPs revealed, near the active center, a sequence and structure variable region, consisting of the loop connecting the fifth β strand with the second α helix and including a proposed active residue, suggesting this loop probably to be related to difference in activity.$$$$     

Binding of ricin A chain to rat liver ribosomes: Relationship to ribosome inactivation

Ricin A chain was radioactively labeled using reductive alkylation, lactoperoxidase catalyzed iodination, and reaction with iodoacetamide or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). The inhibition of cell-free rat liver protein synthesis by the modified A chains and the ribosome binding characteristics of each of the labeled derivatives was examined. [³H] NEM was found to quantitatively react with the A chain sulfhydryl group normally involved in a disulfide bond with the B chain in intact ricin. Labeling the protein with [³H] NEM had no effect on the in vitro inhibition of protein synthesis by the A chain. [³H] NEM-labeled A chain binds to rat liver ribosomes in a manner which is dependent on the concentrations of NaCl and Mg²⁺. At optimal Mg²⁺ concentration (5.5 mM), A chain binding to ribosomes is saturable and fully reversible either by dilution of the reaction mixture or by addition of unlabeled A chain. At 5.5 mM Mg²⁺, A chain was found to bind to a single site on rat liver ribosomes with a dissociation constant of 6.2 X 10^?8 M. [³H] NEM-labeled A chain did not bind to isolated 40S ribosomal subunits and bound to 60S ribosomal subunits with a 1 : 1 molar stoichiometry and a dissociation constant of 2.2 X 10^?7 M. The relationship between ribosome binding and A chain inhibition of eucaryotic protein synthesis is discussed.     

Nonspecific deadenylation on sarcin/ricin domain RNA catalyzed by gelonin under acidic conditions

Gelonin is a single-chain ribosome-inactivating protein that can hydrolyze the glycosidic bond of a highly conserved adenosine residue in the sarcin/ricin domain (SRD) of the largest RNA in ribosome and thus irreversibly inhibit protein synthesis. Recently, the specificity in substrate recognition was challenged by the fact that gelonin could remove adenines from some other oligoribonucleotide substrates. However, the site specificity of gelonin to deadenylate various substrates were unknown. Hereby, the effect of pH values upon site specificity of the deadenylation activity of gelonin was studied using the synthetic oligoribonucleotide (named SRD RNA) that mimicked the ribosomal SRD. Interestingly, gelonin gradually acquired the ability to nonspecifically remove adenines from SRD RNA when pH values changed from neutral to acidic conditions. Another two SRD RNA mutants, either with the conserved adenosine deleted or with the tetraloop converted, showed very similar cleavage style to wild-type SRD RNA, underscoring the important role of pH value in site specificity of recognition by gelonin. Furthermore, the RNA N-glycosidase activity of gelonin was also enhanced with the decreasing of pH values. In addition, no obvious change was observed in the molecular conformation of gelonin at various pH values. Taken together, our data implied that the protonation of adenosines in SRD RNA was potentially an important factor for the nonspecific deadenlyation by gelonin.     

Crystal structure of pokeweed antiviral protein from seeds of Phytolacca americana at 0.25 nm

ＡｔｖａｒｉｏｕｓｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｉｎｇｓｔａｇｅｓｔｈｅｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔｔｉｓｓｕｅｓｏｆＰ.ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎａ(ｐｏｋｅｗｅｅｄ)ｃａｎｓｙｎｔｈｅｓｉｚｅａｃｌａｓｓｏｆｉｓｏｚｙｍｅｓｗｉｔｈｔｈｅａｂｉｌｉｔｙｔｏｉｎｈｉｂｉｔｔｈｅｐｒｏｌｉｆｅｒａｔｉｏｎｏｆｖｉｒｕｓ.ＴｈｉｓａｂｉｌｉｔｙｌｅａｄｓｔｏｔｈｅｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｙａｎｄｎａｍｅｏｆＰＡＰｓ[1—4].ＤｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔＰＡＰｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎｆｏｕｎｄｆｒｏｍｌｅａｖｅｓ(ＰＡＰ)[1],ｓｕｍｍｅｒｌｅａｖｅｓ(ＰＡＰＩＩ)[2],…     

X-ray crystallographic analysis of the structural basis for the interaction of pokeweed antiviral protein with guanine residues of ribosomal RNA

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP), which enzymatically removes a single adenine base from a conserved, surface exposed loop sequence of ribosomal rRNA. We now present unprecedented experimental evidence that PAP can release not only adenine but guanine as well from Escherichia coli rRNA, albeit at a rate 20 times slower than for adenine. We also report X-ray structure analysis and supporting modeling studies for the interactions of PAP with guanine. Our modeling studies indicated that PAP can accommodate a guanine base in the active site pocket without large conformational changes. This prediction was experimentally confirmed, since a guanine base was visible in the active site pocket of the crystal structure of the PAP-guanine complex.     

Complete structure determination of the A chain of mistletoe lectin III from Viscum album L. ssp. album.

The complete primary structure of the A chain of mistletoe lectin III (ML3A), a type II ribosome-inactivating protein, was determined using proteolytic digests of ML3A, HPLC separation of the peptides, Edman degration and MALDI-MS. Based on our results, ML3A consists of 254 amino acid residues, showing a high homology to the A chain of isolectin ML1 with only 24 amino acid residue exchanges. A striking important structural difference compared with ML1A is the lack of the single N-glycosylation site in ML3A due to an amino acid exchange at position 112 (ML1A: NL112GS ==> ML3A: T112GS). The alignment of ML3A with the A chains of ML1, isoabrins, ricin D, Ricinus communis agglutinin and three lectins, identified from the Korean mistletoe Viscum album ssp. coloratum, demonstrates the rigid conservation of all amino acid residues, responsible for the RNA-N-glycosidase activity as reported for ricin D. In addition, the fully determined primary structure of ML3A will give further information about the biological mechanism of mistletoe lectin therapy.     

Biochemical and aerosol characterization of ricin for use in non‐clinical efficacy studies

Ricin toxin may be used as a biological warfare agent and no medical countermeasures are currently available. Here, a well‐characterized lot of ricin was aerosolized to determine the delivered dose for future pre‐clinical efficacy studies.  Mouse intraperitoneal (IP) median lethal dose (LD₅₀) bioassay measured potency at 5.62 and 7.35 μg/kg on Days 0 and 365, respectively. Additional analyses included total protein, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, and rabbit reticulocyte lysate activity assay. The nebulizer aerosol produced consistent concentrations (2.5 × 10³, 5.0 × 10³, 1.0 × 10⁴, and 1.5 × 10⁴ μg/mL) and spray factor values. The aerosol particle size distribution was of sufficient size to deposit in lung alveoli (1.12–1.43 μm). Ricinus communi s Agglutinin II (RCA 60), prepared at 19 mg/mL in phosphate‐buffered saline, pH 7.8, and stored at ?70°C, maintained attributes for toxicity following 1‐year storage and aerosolized consistently.     

栝楼籽核糖体失活蛋白（TCK）与天花粉蛋白（TCS）性质比较研究

建立了从栝楼种籽大规模制备核糖体失活蛋白（ＴＣＫ）的方法。进行了ＴＣＫ与天花粉蛋白（ＴＣＳ）性质比较研究。     

相思豆毒蛋白—a A链在大肠杆菌中的表达及体外生物活性的测定

用RT PCR方法克隆了相思豆毒蛋白 aA链 (ABRaA)的cDNA编码序列 ,并将其重组到原核表达质粒 pET2 8b中。成熟的ABRaA在大肠杆菌中得到高效表达 ,可溶性重组蛋白质的获得率达 4mg/L培养物 ,而且具有较好的纯度。重组蛋白质体外生物活性的测定结果表明 ,其对兔网织红细胞裂解液的体外蛋白质生物合成具有较强的抑制作用 ,IC50 为 0 .0 8nmol/L ,与天然ABRaA的 (0 .0 6nmol/L)相差不大 ;重组ABRaA蛋白表现出较强的N 糖苷酶活性 ,其可切割大鼠肝脏核糖体 2 8SrRNA的A4 32 4位点 ,释放出一条约 4 2 0nt的小片段RNA。这些结果提示重组的ABRaA具有有效的生物活性 ,可以作为一种潜在的肿瘤化疗药物而用于制备免疫毒素。     

丝瓜核糖体失活蛋白的分离与纯化

采用一种改进的方法,简便快速地从丝瓜(Luffa cylindrica)籽中得到丝瓜蛋白α和β.它们在SDS-PAGE上均呈一区带,其分子量分别为28000和29000.等电聚焦测定等电点均为10.它们对无细胞体系蛋白质合成都有强烈的抑制活性,其ID₅₀分别为10μg/L和50μg/L,是目前发现的单链核糖体失活蛋白中活性最高的.     

X-ray crystallographic analysis of the structural basis for the interactions of pokeweed antiviral protein with its active site inhibitor and ribosomal RNA substrate analogs.

The pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) belongs to a family of ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIP), which depurinate ribosomal RNA through their site-specific N-glycosidase activity. We report low temperature, three-dimensional structures of PAP co-crystallized with adenyl-guanosine (ApG) and adenyl-cytosine-cytosine (ApCpC). Crystal structures of 2.0-2.1 A resolution revealed that both ApG or ApCpC nucleotides are cleaved by PAP, leaving only the adenine base clearly visible in the active site pocket of PAP. ApCpC does not resemble any known natural substrate for any ribosome-inactivating proteins and its cleavage by PAP provides unprecedented evidence for a broad spectrum N-glycosidase activity of PAP toward adenine-containing single stranded RNA. We also report the analysis of a 2.1 A crystal structure of PAP complexed with the RIP inhibitor pteoric acid. The pterin ring is strongly bound in the active site, forming four hydrogen bonds with active site residues and one hydrogen bond with the coordinated water molecule. The second 180 degrees rotation conformation of pterin ring can form only three hydrogen bonds in the active site and is less energetically favorable. The benzoate moiety is parallel to the protein surface of PAP and forms only one hydrogen bond with the guanido group of Arg135.