Pre-clinical and clinical significance of heparanase in Ewing's sarcoma

Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves heparan sulphate side chains of heparan sulphate proteoglycans, activity that is strongly implicated in cell migration and invasion associated with tumour metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation. Heparanase up-regulation was documented in an increasing number of human carcinomas, correlating with reduced post-operative survival rate and enhanced tumour angiogenesis. Expression and significance of heparanase in human sarcomas has not been so far reported. Here, we applied the Ewing's sarcoma cell line TC71 and demonstrated a potent inhibition of cell invasion in vitro and tumour xenograft growth in vivo upon treatment with a specific inhibitor of heparanase enzymatic activity (compound SST0001, non-anticoagulant N-acetylated, glycol split heparin). Next, we examined heparanase expression and cellular localization by immunostaining of a cohort of 69 patients diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. Heparanase staining was noted in all patients. Notably, heparanase staining intensity correlated with increased tumour size (P = 0.04) and with patients' age (P = 0.03), two prognostic factors associated with a worse outcome. Our study indicates that heparanase expression is induced in Ewing's sarcoma and associates with poor prognosis. Moreover, it encourages the inclusion of heparanase inhibitors (i.e. SST0001) in newly developed therapeutic modalities directed against Ewing's sarcoma and likely other malignancies.     

Evaluation of prefractionation methods as a preparatory step for multidimensional based chromatography of serum proteins

Prefractionations of proteins prior to their proteolysis, chromatography, and MS/MS analyses help reduce complexity and increase the yield of protein identifications. A number of methods were evaluated here for prefractionating serum samples distributed to the participating laboratories as part of the human Plasma Proteome Project. These methods include strong cation exchange (SCX) chromatography, slicing of SDS-PAGE gel bands, and liquid-phase IEF of the proteins. The fractionated proteins were trypsinized and the resulting peptides were resolved and analyzed by multidimensional protein identification technology coupled to IT MS/MS. The MS/MS spectra were clustered, combined, and searched against the IPI protein databank using Pep-Miner. The identification results were evaluated for the efficacy of the different prefractionation methodologies to identify larger numbers of proteins at higher confidence and to achieve the best coverage of the proteins with the identified peptides. Prefractionation based on SCX resulted in the largest number of identified proteins, followed by gel slices and then the liquid-phase IEF. An important observation was that each of the methods revealed a set of unique proteins, some identified with high confidence. Therefore, for comprehensive identification of the serum proteins, several different prefractionation approaches should be used in parallel.     

Common features in the functional surface of scorpion beta-toxins and elements that confer specificity for insect and mammalian voltage-gated sodium channels

Scorpion beta-toxins that affect the activation of mammalian voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) have been studied extensively, but little is known about their functional surface and mode of interaction with the channel receptor. To enable a molecular approach to this question, we have established a successful expression system for the anti-mammalian scorpion beta-toxin, Css4, whose effects on rat brain Navs have been well characterized. A recombinant toxin, His-Css4, was obtained when fused to a His tag and a thrombin cleavage site and had similar binding affinity for and effect on Na currents of rat brain sodium channels as those of the native toxin isolated from the scorpion venom. Molecular dissection of His-Css4 elucidated a functional surface of 1245 A2 composed of the following: 1) a cluster of residues associated with the alpha-helix, which includes a putative "hot spot" (this cluster is conserved among scorpion beta-toxins and contains their "pharmacophore"); 2) a hydrophobic cluster associated mainly with the beta2 and beta3 strands, which is likely to confer the specificity for mammalian Navs; 3) a single bioactive residue (Trp-58) in the C-tail; and 4) a negatively charged residue (Glu-15) involved in voltage sensor trapping as inferred from our ability to uncouple toxin binding from activity upon its substitution. This study expands our understanding about the mode of action of scorpion beta-toxins and illuminates differences in the functional surfaces that may dictate their specificities for mammalian versus insect sodium channels.     

Genetic polymorphism and expression of a highly potent scorpion depressant toxin enable refinement of the effects on insect Na channels and illuminate the key role of Asn-58

We isolated from the venom of the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus an extremely active anti-insect selective depressant toxin, Lqh-dprIT(3). Cloning of Lqh-dprIT(3) revealed a gene family encoding eight putative polypeptide variants (a-h) differing at three positions (37A/G, 50D/E, and 58N/D). All eight toxin variants were expressed in a functional form, and their toxicity to blowfly larvae, binding affinity for cockroach neuronal membranes, and CD spectra were compared. This analysis links Asn-58, which appears in variants a-d, to a toxin conformation associated with high binding affinity for insect sodium channels. Variants e-h, bearing Asp-58, exhibit a different conformation and are less potent. The importance of Asn-58, which is conserved in other depressant toxins, was further validated by construction and analysis of an N58D mutant of the well-characterized depressant toxin, LqhIT(2). Current and voltage clamp assays using the cockroach giant axon have shown that despite the vast difference in potency, the two types of Lqh-dprIT(3) variants (represented by Lqh-dprIT(3)-a and Lqh-dprIT(3)-e) are capable of blocking the action potentials (manifested as flaccid paralysis in blowfly larvae) and shift the voltage dependence of activation to more negative values, which typify the action of beta-toxins. Moreover, the stronger and faster shift in voltage dependence of activation and lack of tail currents observed in the presence of Lqh-dprIT(3)-a suggest an extremely efficient trapping of the voltage sensor compared to that of Lqh-dprIT(3)-e. The current clamp assays revealed that repetitive firing of the axon, which is reflected in contraction paralysis of blowfly larvae, can be obtained with either the less potent Lqh-dprIT(3)-e or the highly potent Lqh-dprIT(3)-a at more negative membrane potentials. Thus, the contraction symptoms in flies are likely to be dominated by the resting potential of neuronal membranes. This study clarifies the electrophysiological basis of the complex symptoms induced by scorpion depressant toxins in insects, and highlights for the first time molecular features involved in their activity.     

The homozygous M712T mutation of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase results in reduced enzyme activities but not in altered overall cellular sialylation in hereditary inclusion body myopathy

In vivo growth of bacterial flagellar filaments by self-assembly of flagellin is promoted by a capping structure composed of a pentameric assembly of hook associated protein 2 (HAP2). Isolated native filaments with intact HAP2 cap exhibited higher melting temperature (deltaTm = 4 degrees C) and significantly increased resistance against heat-induced depolymerization than non-capped ones. Reconstituted filaments were also stabilized by HAP2 binding, but the obtained filament-HAP2 complexes were less stable than native assemblies. Their fast depolymerization at elevated temperatures and sensitivity to proteolysis indicated that native-like filament-HAP2 complexes are rarely obtained by in vitro reconstitution. A procedure was developed to isolate perfectly capped native filaments to facilitate high-resolution structural analysis.     

A delta-conotoxin from Conus ermineus venom inhibits inactivation in vertebrate neuronal Na+ channels but not in skeletal and cardiac muscles

We have isolated delta-conotoxin EVIA (delta-EVIA), a conopeptide in Conus ermineus venom that contains 32 amino acid residues and a six-cysteine/four-loop framework similar to that of previously described omega-, delta-, microO-, and kappa-conotoxins. However, it displays low sequence homology with the latter conotoxins. delta-EVIA inhibits Na+ channel inactivation with unique tissue specificity upon binding to receptor site 6 of neuronal Na+ channels. Using amphibian myelinated axons and spinal neurons, we showed that delta-EVIA increases the duration of action potentials by inhibiting Na+ channel inactivation. delta-EVIA considerably enhanced nerve terminal excitability and synaptic efficacy at the frog neuromuscular junction but did not affect directly elicited muscle action potentials. The neuronally selective property of delta-EVIA was confirmed by showing that a fluorescent derivative of delta-EVIA labeled motor nerve endings but not skeletal muscle fibers. In a heterologous expression system, delta-EVIA inhibited inactivation of rat neuronal Na+ channel subtypes (rNaV1.2a, rNaV1.3, and rNaV1.6) but did not affect rat skeletal (rNaV1.4) and human cardiac muscle (hNaV1.5) Na+ channel subtypes. delta-EVIA, in the range of concentrations used, is the first conotoxin found to affect neuronal Na+ channels without acting on Na+ channels of skeletal and cardiac muscle. Therefore, it is a unique tool for discriminating voltage-sensitive Na+ channel subtypes and for studying the distribution and modulation mechanisms of neuronal Na+ channels, and it may serve as a lead to design new drugs adapted to treat diseases characterized by defective nerve conduction.     

Heparanase uptake is mediated by cell membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans

Heparanase is a mammalian endoglycosidase that degrades heparan sulfate (HS) at specific intrachain sites, an activity that is strongly implicated in cell dissemination associated with metastasis and inflammation. In addition to its structural role in extracellular matrix assembly and integrity, HS sequesters a multitude of polypeptides that reside in the extracellular matrix as a reservoir. A variety of growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and enzymes can be released by heparanase activity and profoundly affect cell and tissue function. Thus, heparanase bioavailability, accessibility, and activity should be kept tightly regulated. We provide evidence that HS is not only a substrate for, but also a regulator of, heparanase. Addition of heparin or xylosides to cell cultures resulted in a pronounced accumulation of, heparanase in the culture medium, whereas sodium chlorate had no such effect. Moreover, cellular uptake of heparanase was markedly reduced in HS-deficient CHO-745 mutant cells, heparan sulfate proteoglycan-deficient HT-29 colon cancer cells, and heparinase-treated cells. We also studied the heparanase biosynthetic route and found that the half-life of the active enzyme is approximately 30 h. This and previous localization studies suggest that heparanase resides in the endosomal/lysosomal compartment for a relatively long period of time and is likely to play a role in the normal turnover of HS. Co-localization studies and cell fractionation following heparanase addition have identified syndecan family members as candidate molecules responsible for heparanase uptake, providing an efficient mechanism that limits extracellular accumulation and function of heparanase.     

PLA2G6 mutation underlies infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy

Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) is an autosomal recessive progressive neurodegenerative disease that presents within the first 2 years of life and culminates in death by age 10 years. Affected individuals from two unrelated Bedouin Israeli kindreds were studied. Brain imaging demonstrated diffuse cerebellar atrophy and abnormal iron deposition in the medial and lateral globus pallidum. Progressive white-matter disease and reduction of the N-acetyl aspartate : chromium ratio were evident on magnetic resonance spectroscopy, suggesting loss of myelination. The clinical and radiological diagnosis of INAD was verified by sural nerve biopsy. The disease gene was mapped to a 1.17-Mb locus on chromosome 22q13.1 (LOD score 4.7 at recombination fraction 0 for SNP rs139897), and an underlying mutation common to both affected families was identified in PLA2G6, the gene encoding phospholipase A2 group VI (cytosolic, calcium-independent). These findings highlight a role of phospholipase in neurodegenerative disorders.