Mitochondria and ubiquitin-proteasomal system interplay: relevance to Parkinson's disease

The cellular mechanisms that may underlie the death of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease are ubiquitin-proteasomal system (UPS) impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. The goal of this work was to elucidate the correlation between mitochondrial dysfunction and UPS impairment, focusing on the role of oxidative stress. Our data revealed that mitochondria-DNA-depleted cells (rho0) are compromised at the mitochondrial and UPS levels and also show an alteration of the oxidative status. In parental cells (rho+), MPP(+) induced a clear inhibition of complex I activity, as well as an increase in ubiquitinylated protein levels, which was not observed in cells treated with lactacystin. Moreover, MPP(+) induced a decreased in the 20S chymotrypsin-like and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolytic-like proteolytic activities after 24 h of exposure. ROS production was increased in rho+ cells treated with MPP(+) or lactacystin, at early treatment periods. MPP(+) induced an increase in carbonyl group formation in rho+ cells. The results suggest that a mitochondrial alteration leads to an imbalance in the cellular oxidative status, inducing a proteasomal deregulation, which may exacerbate protein aggregation, and consequently degenerative events.     

Impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system causes dopaminergic cell death and inclusion body formation in ventral mesencephalic cultures

Mutations in alpha-synuclein, parkin and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1, and defects in 26/20S proteasomes, cause or are associated with the development of familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). This suggests that failure of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to degrade abnormal proteins may underlie nigral degeneration and Lewy body formation that occur in PD. To explore this concept, we studied the effects of lactacystin-mediated inhibition of 26/20S proteasomal function and ubiquitin aldehyde (UbA)-induced impairment of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH) activity in fetal rat ventral mesencephalic cultures. We demonstrate that both lactacystin and UbA caused concentration-dependent and preferential degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Inhibition of 26/20S proteasomal function was accompanied by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein and ubiquitin, and the formation of inclusions that were immunoreactive for these proteins, in the cytoplasm of VM neurons. Inhibition of UCH was associated with a loss of ubiquitin immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of VM neurons, but there was a marked and localized increase in alpha-synuclein staining which may represent the formation of inclusions bodies in VM neurons. These findings provide direct evidence that impaired protein clearance can induce dopaminergic cell death and the formation of proteinaceous inclusion bodies in VM neurons. This study supports the concept that defects in the UPS may underlie nigral pathology in familial and sporadic forms of PD.     

Proteasome-mediated degradation of Smac during apoptosis: XIAP promotes Smac ubiquitination in vitro

During apoptosis, Smac (second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases)/DIABLO, an IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein)-binding protein, is released from mitochondria and potentiates apoptosis by relieving IAP inhibition of caspases. We demonstrate that exposure of MCF-7 cells to the death-inducing ligand, TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), results in rapid Smac release from mitochondria, which occurs before or in parallel with loss of cytochrome c. Smac release is inhibited by Bcl-2/Bcl-xL or by a pan-caspase inhibitor demonstrating that this event is caspase-dependent and modulated by Bcl-2 family members. Following release, Smac is rapidly degraded by the proteasome, an effect suppressed by co-treatment with a proteasome inhibitor. As the RING finger domain of XIAP possesses ubiquitin-protein ligase activity and XIAP binds tightly to mature Smac, an in vitro ubiquitination assay was performed which revealed that XIAP functions as a ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3) in the ubiquitination of Smac. Both the association of XIAP with Smac and the RING finger domain of XIAP are essential for ubiquitination, suggesting that the ubiquitin-protein ligase activity of XIAP may promote the rapid degradation of mitochondrial-released Smac. Thus, in addition to its well characterized role in inhibiting caspase activity, XIAP may also protect cells from inadvertent mitochondrial damage by targeting pro-apoptotic molecules for proteasomal degradation.     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death mediated by the proteasome

Cells exposed to sustained endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress undergo programmed cell death and display features typical of apoptosis, such as cysteine aspartyl protease (caspase) activation, cytochrome c release, and DNA fragmentation. Here, we show that the execution of cell death induced by ER stress is mediated via the proteasome. Inhibition of the proteasome by lactacystin prevented ER stress-induced degradation of Bcl-2, release of cytochrome c, processing of effector caspase-3, and exposure of phosphatidylserine. Owing to the ability of lactacystin to inhibit cytochrome c release, we propose that the pro-apoptotic activity of the proteasome lies upstream of mitochondrial activation. Thus, the proteasome serves as a principal mediator of ER stress-induced cell death in this system.     

Cell cycle events mediate lactacystin‐induced apoptotic death of neuronal PC12 cells

Dysfunction of the UPS (ubiquitin—proteasome system) has been implicated in dopaminergic neuronal death in PD (Parkinson's disease). Recent studies suggest that unregulated cell cycle events play a key role in neuronal death. In this study, the effects of UPS dysfunction on cell cycle events in neuronal differentiated PC12 cells were analysed using a specific inhibitor of proteasome, lactacystin. Lactacystin induced apoptosis, G₂/M cell cycle arrest and sustained the phosphorylation of the pRB (retinoblastoma protein), the key molecular process of G₁/S transition, in neuronal PC12 cells. Furthermore, inhibition of cell cycle progression protected against lactacystin‐induced cell apoptosis. Finally, we determined that lactacystin activated the ERK signalling pathway. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by MEK‐1 inhibitor PD98059 decreased cell cycle aberrant and prevented apoptosis induced by lactacystin. These results indicate that aberrant cell cycle events contribute to apoptotic death induced by UPS dysfunction.     

Inhibition versus induction of apoptosis by proteasome inhibitors depends on concentration

We previously established that NF-kappaB DNA binding activity is required for Sindbis Virus (SV)-induced apoptosis. To investigate whether SV induces nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB via the proteasomal degradation pathway, we utilized MG132, a peptide aldehyde inhibitor of the catalytic subunit of the proteasome. 20 microM MG132 completely abrogated SV-induced NF-kappaB nuclear activity at early time points after infection. Parallel measures of cell viability 48 h after SV infection revealed that 20 microM MG132 induced apoptosis in uninfected cells. In contrast, a lower concentration of MG132 (200 nM) resulted in partial inhibition of SV-induced nuclear NF-kappaB activity and inhibition of SV-induced apoptosis without inducing toxicity in uninfected cells. The specific proteasomal inhibitor, lactacystin, also inhibited SV-induced death. Taken together, these results suggest that the pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic functions of peptide aldehyde proteasome inhibitors such as MG-132 depend on the concentration of inhibitor utilized and expand the list of stimuli requiring proteasomal activation to induce apoptosis to include viruses.     

Comparison of neuroprotective and neurorestorative capabilities of rasagiline and selegiline against lactacystin-induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration

Nigrostriatal neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been postulated to be caused by various pathological conditions, such as mitochondrial defects, oxidative stress, and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) dysfunction. Pharmacological strategies designed to interfere with these pathological pathways may effectively counteract the degeneration. Rasagiline and selegiline are selective and irreversible monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors that possess significant protective properties on dopamine neurons in various pre-clinical models of PD. In the present study, the neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects of rasagiline and selegiline were compared in an animal model of PD produced by inhibition of the UPS. C57BL/6 male mice were microinjected bilaterally with UPS inhibitor lactacystin (1.25 μg/side), into the medial forebrain bundle. Administration of rasagiline (0.2 mg/kg, i.p. once per day) or selegiline (1 mg/kg, i.p. once per day), started 7 days before or after (up to 28 days) after lactacystin microinjection. We found that both rasagiline and selegiline exerted a significant neuroprotective effect against lactacystin-induced neurodegeneration; but only rasagiline managed to restore the nigrostriatal degeneration. Furthermore, rasagiline showed a modest protection against lactacystin-induced inhibition of proteasomal activity. Our study indicates that compared with selegiline, rasagiline is more potent in protecting neurodegeneration induced by UPS impairment and may, therefore, exert disease-modifying effects in PD.     

Assessment of the direct and indirect effects of MPP+ and dopamine on the human proteasome: implications for Parkinson's disease aetiology

Mitochondrial impairment, glutathione depletion and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), linked recently to proteasomal dysfunction. Our study analysed how these factors influence the various activities of the proteasome in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells treated with the PD mimetics MPP⁺ (a complex 1 inhibitor) or dopamine. Treatment with these toxins led to dose- and time-dependent reductions in ATP and glutathione and also chymotrypsin-like and post-acidic like activities; trypsin-like activity was unaffected. Antioxidants blocked the effects of dopamine, but not MPP⁺, suggesting that oxidative stress was more important in the dopamine-mediated effects. With MPP⁺, ATP depletion was a prerequisite for loss of proteasomal activity. Thus in a dopaminergic neuron with complex 1 dysfunction both oxidative stress and ATP depletion will contribute independently to loss of proteasomal function. We show for the first time that addition of MPP⁺ or dopamine to purified samples of the human 20S proteasome also reduced proteasomal activities; with dopamine being most damaging. As with toxin-treated cells, chymotrypsin-like activity was most sensitive and trypsin-like activity the least sensitive. The observed differential sensitivity of the various proteasomal activities to PD mimetics is novel and its significance needs further study in human cells.     

Proteasome inhibition: an early or late event in nitric oxide-induced neuronal death?

Nitric oxide (NO), ubiquitously expressed in the central nervous system, has been perceived to be a potential neuromodulator. Employing cultured murine primary cortical neurons, NO resulted in an inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) with a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability. This is consistent with a previous study that reported a dysfunction of UPS with consequential apoptotic death in macrophage cell with NO treatment. However, it cannot be unclear if the drop in UPS efficiency is directly imposed on by NO. Therefore by using microarray analysis, our study revealed an early down-regulation or non-significant differential expression of genes encoding UPS proteins in NOC-18 (NO donor)-treated neurons as compared to an observed elevation of corresponding gene expression genes in lactacystin (classical proteasome inhibitor)-treated neurons (conducted earlier). Furthermore, time-course analysis of proteasome activity in NOC-18-treated neurons demonstrated a late onset of reduction. This is intriguing as it is well established that in an exclusive proteasome dysfunction-induced cell death, a compensatory feedback mechanism will be activated with an initial and concerted up-regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in UPS as seen when neurons were treated with lactacystin. Thus, it is highly suggestive that NO-triggered neuronal death takes on a different signaling cascade from that of a classical proteasome inhibitor, and that the late reduction of proteasome activity is a downstream event following the activation of apoptotic cellular signaling cascade. In intracellular condition, the proteasome is not NO preferred primary target responsible for the trigger of the cell death machinery. In conclusion, we presented novel findings that shed light into NO-induced cell death signaling cascade, which would be important in understanding the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.     

Acylpeptide hydrolase inhibition as targeted strategy to induce proteasomal down-regulation

Acylpeptide hydrolase (APEH), one of the four members of the prolyl oligopeptidase class, catalyses the removal of N-acylated amino acids from acetylated peptides and it has been postulated to play a key role in protein degradation machinery. Disruption of protein turnover has been established as an effective strategy to down-regulate the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and as a promising approach in anticancer therapy.Here, we illustrate a new pathway modulating UPS and proteasome activity through inhibition of APEH. To find novel molecules able to down-regulate APEH activity, we screened a set of synthetic peptides, reproducing the reactive-site loop of a known archaeal inhibitor of APEH (SsCEI), and the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers. A 12-mer SsCEI peptide and the trans10-cis12 isomer of CLA, were identified as specific APEH inhibitors and their effects on cell-based assays were paralleled by a dose-dependent reduction of proteasome activity and the activation of the pro-apoptotic caspase cascade. Moreover, cell treatment with the individual compounds increased the cytoplasm levels of several classic hallmarks of proteasome inhibition, such as NFkappaB, p21, and misfolded or polyubiquitinylated proteins, and additive effects were observed in cells exposed to a combination of both inhibitors without any cytotoxicity. Remarkably, transfection of human bronchial epithelial cells with APEH siRNA, promoted a marked accumulation of a mutant of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), herein used as a model of misfolded protein typically degraded by UPS. Finally, molecular modeling studies, to gain insights into the APEH inhibition by the trans10-cis12 CLA isomer, were performed.Our study supports a previously unrecognized role of APEH as a negative effector of proteasome activity by an unknown mechanism and opens new perspectives for the development of strategies aimed at modulation of cancer progression.     

Content of chaperon Hsp70 in dopaminergic neurons of the black substance increases in proteasome dysfunstion

In Wistar rats, specific inhibitor UPS lactacystin induced degeneration of 24% of the dopaminergic neurons in the black substance. The work shows that a moderate weakening of the UPS function is characterized by an enhanced activity of the shaperon system. This process seems to restore and maintain population of the dopaminergic neurons.     

Proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of glioma cells involves the processing of multiple caspases and cytochrome c release

The proteasome is a multiprotein complex that is involved in the intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotes. Here, we show that human malignant glioma cells are susceptible to apoptotic cell death induced by the proteasome inhibitors, MG132 and lactacystin. The execution of the apoptotic death program involves the processing of caspases 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9. Apoptosis is inhibited by ectopic expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and by coexposure to the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, benzoyl-VAD-fluoromethyl ketone (zVAD-fmk), but not by the preferential caspase 8 inhibitor, crm-A. It is interesting that specific morphological alterations induced by proteasome inhibition, such as dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and the formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles and dense mitochondrial deposits, are unaffected by zVAD-fmk. Apoptosis is also inhibited by ectopic expression of Bcl-2 or by an inhibitor of protein synthesis, cycloheximide. Further, cytochrome c release and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential are prominent features of apoptosis triggered by proteasome inhibition. Bcl-2 is a stronger inhibitor of cytochrome c release than zVAD-fmk. XIAP and crm-A fail to modulate cytochrome c release. These data place cytochrome c release downstream of Bcl-2 activity but upstream of XIAP- and crm-A-sensitive caspases. The partial inhibition of cytochrome c release by zVAD-fmk indicates a positive feedback loop that may involve cytochrome c release and zVAD-fmk-sensitive caspases. Finally, death ligand/receptor interactions, including the CD95/CD95 ligand system, do not mediate apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibition in human malignant glioma cells.     

Proteasome inhibitor lactacystin disturbs the intracellular calcium homeostasis of dopamine neurons in ventral mesencephalic cultures

Ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) impairment has been implicated in the pathology of Parkinson's disease, but the mechanisms underlying the UPS impairment-induced dopamine (DA) neuron degeneration remain obscure. To test whether calcium homeostasis disturbance is involved in the DA neuronal injury resulting from UPS impairment, we treated the primary ventral mesencephalic (VM) cultures with the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, and observed its effects on the expression of the gene Homer 1a that is related to calcium homeostasis, and the intracellular free calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) levels as well as the DA neuron survival. We also investigated a possible role of the L-type voltage dependent calcium channels (L-VDCC) in these events. We found that the lactacystin exposure induced the Homer 1a expression, lowered the [Ca²⁺]_i levels, reduced the depolarization-induced calcium entry and DA release in the VM cultures, and caused a significant DA neuron loss. Activation of L-VDCC by potassium chloride or its agonists alleviated the effects of lactacystin on the [Ca²⁺]_i levels and promoted DA neuron survival, whereas L-VDCC antagonists blocked the depolarization-mediated neuroprotective effect, and at high concentrations the L-VDCC antagonists aggravated the lactacystin-induced DA neuronal injury. These results indicate that calcium homeostasis disturbance may be a novel pathological mechanism leading to DA neuronal injury under conditions of proteasome inhibition.     

Proteasomal inhibition leads to formation of ubiquitin/alpha-synuclein-immunoreactive inclusions in PC12 cells

Proteasomal dysfunction has been recently implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and diffuse Lewy body disease. We have developed an in vitro model of proteasomal dysfunction by applying pharmacological inhibitors of the proteasome, lactacystin or ZIE[O-tBu]-A-leucinal (PSI), to dopaminergic PC12 cells. Proteasomal inhibition caused a dose-dependent increase in death of both naive and neuronally differentiated PC12 cells, which could be prevented by caspase inhibition or CPT-cAMP. A percentage of the surviving cells contained discrete cytoplasmic ubiquitinated inclusions, some of which also contained synuclein-1, the rat homologue of human alpha-synuclein. However the total level of synuclein-1 was not altered by proteasomal inhibition. The ubiquitinated inclusions were present only within surviving cells, and their number was increased if cell death was prevented. We have thus replicated, in this model system, the two cardinal pathological features of Lewy body diseases, neuronal death and the formation of cytoplasmic ubiquitinated inclusions. Our findings suggest that inclusion body formation and cell death may be dissociated from one another.     

Neuroprotection of Pramipexole in UPS Impairment Induced Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Pramipexole (PPX), a dopamine (DA) receptor D3 preferring agonist, has been used as monotherapy or adjunct therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD) for many years. Several in vitro and in vivo studies in neurotoxin-induced DA neuron injury models have reported that PPX may possess neuroprotective properties. The present study is to evaluate the neuroprotection of PPX in a sustained DA neuron degeneration model of PD induced by ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) impairment. Adult C57BL/6 mice were treated with PPX (low dose 0.1 mg/kg or high dose 0.5 mg/kg, i.p, twice a day) started 7 days before, and continued after microinjection of proteasome inhibitor lactacystin in the medial forebrain bundle for a total 4 weeks. Animal behavior observation, and pathological and biochemical assays were conducted to determine the neuroprotective effects of PPX. We report here that PPX treatment significantly improves rotarod performance, attenuates DA neuron loss and striatal DA reduction, and alleviates proteasomal inhibition and microglial activation in the substantia nigra of lactacystin-lesioned mice. PPX can increase the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and induce an activation of autophagy. Furthermore, pretreatment with D3 receptor antagonist U99194 can significantly block the PPX-mediated neuroprotection. These results suggest that multiple molecular pathways may be attributed to the neuroprotective effects of PPX in the UPS impairment model of PD.     

Studies on degradative mechanisms mediating post-translational fragmentation of apolipoprotein B and the generation of the 70-kDa fragment.

It has been well established that the biogenesis of apoB is mediated co-translationally by the cytosolic proteasome. Here, however, we investigated the role of both the cytosolic proteasome as well as non-proteasome-mediated degradation systems in the post-translational degradation of apoB. In pulse-chase labeling experiments, co-translational (0-h chase) apoB degradation in both intact and permeabilized cells was sensitive to proteasome inhibitors. Interestingly, turnover of apoB in intact cells over a 2-h chase was partially inhibitable by lactacystin, thus suggesting a role for the cytosolic proteasome in the post-translational degradation of apoB. In permeabilized cells, however, there was no post-translational protection of apoB by lactacystin. Further investigations of proteasomal activity in HepG2 cells revealed that, following permeabilization, there was a dramatic loss of the 20 S proteasomal subunits, and consequently the cells exhibited no detectable lactacystin-inhibitable activity. Thus, apoB fragmentation and the generation of the 70-kDa apoB degradation fragment, characteristic of permeabilized cells, continued to occur in these cells despite the absence of functional cytosolic proteasome. Similar results were observed when we used a derivative of lactacystin, clastolactacystin beta-lactone, which represents the active species of the inhibitor. Interestingly, however, the abundance of the 70-kDa fragment could be modulated by the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor, BMS-197636, as well as by pretreatment of the permeabilized cells with dithiothreitol. These data thus suggest that although the cytosolic proteasome appears to be involved in the post-translational turnover of apoB in intact cells, the specific post-translational fragmentation of apoB generating the 70-kDa fragment observed in permeabilized cells occurs independent of the cytosolic proteasome.     

Short peptide tools for monitoring caspase and proteasome activities in embryonal and adult rat brain lysates: an approach for the differential identification of proteases

The numerous caspase-like activities present in nervous tissue can be investigated with labelled peptides. However, the cross-reactivities of peptides with both proteasomes and caspases complicate the analysis of protease activity. The pharmacological features of substrates and inhibitors specific for either caspases or proteasome caspase-like proteases in rat brain lysates were similar or identical to the profiles of commercially purified proteasome preparations. Caspase inhibitors bind directly to active proteasome centres, thus competing with selective antagonists of proteasomes. Separation of lysates by molecular weight does not separate active caspases from proteasomes because these enzymes co-localize under native electrophoresis. The addition of ATP or its analogues is associated with the differential modulation of proteasomal activity, which also leads to ambiguity in the data. However, induced caspase activity could be successfully differentiated from proteasome activity in embryonal brain lysates with the non-selective caspase inhibitors Z-VAD-FMK and Q-VD-OPh and the proteasome inhibitor AdaAhx(3)L(3)VS that are not cross-reactive. This strategy is proposed for the simultaneous examination of caspases and proteasomes using proteolysis experiments. The present study reveals that all of the caspase-like activities in the tissue lysates of non-injured adult rat brains were related to proteasomal caspase-like activities.     

Evidence for a coupling between dopaminergic receptors and phospholipid methylation in mouse B lymphocytes

Dopamine stimulated and dopaminergic antagonist·inhibited the enzymic synthesis of phosphatidyl N-monomethyl, N,N-dimethyl ethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine in mouse B lymphocytes in the presence of L-methionine. This effect was dose-dependent, stereospecific and the stimulation by dopamine was inhibited by very low doses of haloperidol from 10^?12 M to 10^?9 M. The stimulation of phospholipid methylation provoked by dopamine was increased by GTP. At higher doses DA inhibited and haloperidol stimulated phospholipase A₂. DA did not change the CDP choline pathway. The incubation of mouse B lymphocytes with L-methionine unmasks cryptic dopaminergic receptors. This effect is dose-dependent and inhibited by SIBA an inhibitor of phospholipid methylation. In a similar manner the efflux of Ca²⁺ which is sensitive to the change in membrane viscosity was increased by DA. These findings indicate that the dopaminergic receptors of the mouse B lymphocytes are coupled with phospholipid methylation.     

Proteasomes modulate balance among proapoptotic and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members and compromise functioning of the electron transport chain in leukemic cells

The mechanism underlying apoptosis induced by proteasome inhibition in leukemic Jurkat and Namalwa cells was investigated in this study. The proteasome inhibitor lactacystin differentially regulated the protein levels of proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members and Bik was accumulated at the mitochondria. Bik overexpression sufficed to induce apoptosis in these cells. Detailed examination along the respiration chain showed that lactacystin compromised a step after complex III, and exogenous cytochrome c could overcome this compromise. Probably as a result, the succinate-stimulated generation of mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly diminished. Bcl-x(L) interacted with Bik in the cells, and Bcl-x(L) overexpression prevented cytochrome c leakage out of the mitochondria, corrected the mitochondrial membrane potential defect, and protected the cells from apoptosis. These results show that proteasomes can modulate apoptosis of lymphocytes by affecting the half-life of Bcl-2 family members, Bik being one of them.