Advances in Proteomics in Cancer Research

Proteases are a family of proteolytically active enzymes whose dysfunction is implicated in a wide variety of human diseases. Although an estimated 2% of the human genome encodes for proteases, only a small fraction of these enzymes have well-characterized functions. Identification of the specificity and natural substrates of proteases in complex biological samples is challenging, but proteomic screens for proteases are currently experiencing impressive progress. Such proteomic screens include peptide-based libraries, fluorescent 2D difference gel electrophoresis with mass spectrometry, differential isotope labeling in combination with mass spectrometry, quantitative degradomics analysis of proteolytically generated neo-N-termini, and activity-based protein profiling. In the present article, we summarize and discuss the current status of proteomic techniques to identify protease specificity, cleavage sites and natural substrates with a particular focus on the cytotoxic lymphocyte granule serine proteases granzymes.     

Pyroptosis,and its Role in Central Nervous System Disease

Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of cell death executed by transmembrane pore-forming proteins known as gasdermins and can be activated in an inflammasome-dependent or -independent manner. Inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis is triggered in response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and has emerged as an important player in the pathogenesis of multiple inflammatory diseases, mainly by releasing inflammatory contents. More recently, numerous studies have revealed the intricate mechanisms of pyroptosis and its role in the development of neuroinflammation in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In this review, we summarize current understandings of the molecular and regulatory mechanisms of pyroptosis. In addition, we discuss how pyroptosis can drive different forms of neurological diseases and new promising therapeutic strategies targeting pyroptosis that can be leveraged to treat neuroinflammation.     

Granzyme B translocates across the lipid membrane only in the presence of lytic agents

Granzyme B (GrB), a component of the cytotoxic cell granule secretion pathway, is designed to kill infected and transformed cells after intracellular delivery by the pore forming protein, perforin. The mechanism of the delivery remains speculative. In this study we tested the hypothesis that GrB possesses capacity to bind and disrupt lipid membranes. Here in comparison to previous studies that show GrB interacts with carbohydrate moieties, the protease does not bind membrane phospholipids nor has intrinsic membranolytic properties. To study the transmembrane movement of GrB, we developed a model membrane system consisting of a high-molecular weight GrB substrate encapsulated in unilamellar vesicles. Intra-vesicle proteolysis clearly requires concentrations of lytic agents (streptolysin O, perforin or Triton X-100) that disrupt unilamellar membranes.     

DNA hypomethylating agents increase activation and cytolytic activity of CD8+ T cells

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A clathrin/dynamin- and mannose-6-phosphate receptor-independent pathway for granzyme B-induced cell death

The 280-kD cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR) has been shown to play a role in endocytic uptake of granzyme B, since target cells overexpressing MPR have an increased sensitivity to granzyme B-mediated apoptosis. On this basis, it has been proposed that cells lacking MPR are poor targets for cytotoxic lymphocytes that mediate allograft rejection or tumor immune surveillance. In the present study, we report that the uptake of granzyme B into target cells is independent of MPR. We used HeLa cells overexpressing a dominant-negative mutated (K44A) form of dynamin and mouse fibroblasts overexpressing or lacking MPR to show that the MPR/clathrin/dynamin pathway is not required for granzyme B uptake. Consistent with this observation, cells lacking the MPR/clathrin pathway remained sensitive to granzyme B. Exposure of K44A-dynamin-overexpressing and wild-type HeLa cells to granzyme B with sublytic perforin resulted in similar apoptosis in the two cell populations, both in short and long term assays. Granzyme B uptake into MPR-overexpressing L cells was more rapid than into MPR-null L cells, but the receptor-deficient cells took up granzyme B through fluid phase micropinocytosis and remained sensitive to it. Contrary to previous findings, we also demonstrated that mouse tumor allografts that lack MPR expression were rejected as rapidly as tumors that overexpress MPR. Entry of granzyme B into target cells and its intracellular trafficking to induce target cell death in the presence of perforin are therefore not critically dependent on MPR or clathrin/dynamin-dependent endocytosis.     

猕猴脑胱天蛋白酶-3活化及其靶蛋白的体外研究

凋亡的主要生化过程包括胱天蛋白酶的活化及其对细胞内蛋白质的选择性切割.在已知的胱天蛋白酶中,可被多种凋亡刺激信号激活的胱天蛋白酶-3备受注目.为进一步揭示灵长类动物神经组织中未知的胱天蛋白酶-3靶蛋白,采用成年猕猴脑组织粗提物作为无细胞体系,通过加入granzyme B引发凋亡途径的部分反应,如胱天蛋白酶-3的活化及随后发生的蛋白质水解.经蛋白质印迹分析发现,与granzyme B共孵育后,猕猴脑胱天蛋白酶-3以两步方式从酶原转化为活性酶.对猕猴脑组织自身蛋白质的进一步分析显示,多聚ADP-核糖聚合酶(PARP)被水解为长85 ku的片段,此片段提示胱天蛋白酶-3的特异切割活性.此外,神经元凋亡抑制蛋白(NAIP)也被切割,产生长约40 ku的小片段,但是它的出现不被胱天蛋白酶-3特异性抑制剂Ac-DEVD-CHO阻断,因此可能是granzyme B直接作用于NAIP所致.以上结果提示,凋亡相关酶切反应可在成年猕猴脑组织提取物中得到重现;NAIP可能是granzyme B而非胱天蛋白酶-3的作用靶点.     

Recombinant human progranzyme 3 expressed in Escherichia coli for analysis of its activation mechanism

Gr3 is reported to play an important role in defense against viral infection. Although it is known that Gr3 is synthesized as a proenzyme and activated in the cytotoxic granules of NK cells and CTL, the activation mechanism is not clearly understood. In an attempt to analyze the activation mechanism of human Gr3, a recombinant pro‐Gr3 was expressed in the periplasm of E. coli and purified to homogeneity. On SDS‐PAGE the recombinant pro‐Gr3 showed a slightly higher molecular weight than the enzymatically active Gr3, because the former possesses a small propeptide at its N‐terminal. The recombinant pro‐Gr3 was enzymatically inactive. It could be activated by treatment with cathepsin C, which concomitantly decreased the molecular weight to that of active Gr3. The proteolytic reaction of cathepsin C did not continue after one dipeptide had been removed, indicating that the recombinant pro‐Gr3 had the native conformation without any refolding process. The recombinant pro‐Gr3 would be a valuable tool for analyzing the activation mechanism and exploring other activating enzymes besides cathepsin C.     

Apoptosis induced by granzyme B

Results of biochemical studies of apoptosis reactions induced by granzyme B are considered and summarized. Special attention is paid to the reactions of procaspase activation and limited proteolysis of apoptotic targets. Found values of kinetic constants of granzyme B-mediated enzymatic reactions are listed.     

颗粒酶A诱导Caspases非依赖性细胞死亡

颗粒酶A(granzyme A,GzmA),是存在于细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)和天然杀伤细胞(NK细胞)的细胞毒颗粒中含量最多的一种丝氨酸蛋白酶,在穿孔素(perforin)协同作用下通过颗粒胞吐(granule exocytosis)释放进入在杀伤细胞和靶细胞之间形成的免疫突触(immunological synapse),然后进入靶细胞的细胞浆,并在细胞核聚集,诱导一种caspases非依赖性细胞死亡。GzmA靶向作用于一种与内质网结合的特殊的复合体——SET复合体,其包含3种GzmA底物：核小体装配蛋白SET、DNA结合蛋白HMG—2、具有碱基切除修复作用的核酸内切酶Apel。SET复合体还含有一种抑癌蛋白pp32和一种具有脱氧核糖核酸酶(DNase)活性的NM23—H1。当GzmA作用于SET复合体时释放出NM23—H1并激活其DNase活性,也阻断了Apel对DNA损伤的修复作用,在DNA上形成单链的缺刻。这是一种新发现的由GzmA诱导的细胞凋亡途径。