| 1. |
- Correa, Yubexi, et al.
(författare)
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High-Density Lipoprotein function is modulated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a lipid-type dependent manner
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. - : Elsevier. - 0021-9797 .- 1095-7103. ; 645, s. 627-638
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a close relationship between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and lipoproteins, in particular high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is inversely correlated with HDL plasma levels. It is known that the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein binds the HDL particle, probably depleting it of lipids and altering HDL function. Based on neutron reflectometry (NR) and the ability of HDL to efflux cholesterol from macrophages, we confirm these observations and further identify the preference of the S protein for specific lipids and the consequent effects on HDL function on lipid exchange ability. Moreover, the effect of the S protein on HDL function differs depending on the individuals lipid serum profile. Contrasting trends were observed for individuals presenting low triglycerides/high cholesterol serum levels (LTHC) compared to high triglycerides/high cholesterol (HTHC) or low triglycerides/low cholesterol serum levels (LTLC). Collectively, these results suggest that the S protein interacts with the HDL particle and, depending on the lipid profile of the infected individual, it impairs its function during COVID-19 infection, causing an imbalance in lipid metabolism.
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| 2. |
- Correa, Yubexi, et al.
(författare)
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Lipid exchange of apolipoprotein A-I amyloidogenic variants in reconstituted high-density lipoprotein with artificial membranes
- 2024
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Ingår i: Protein Science. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0961-8368 .- 1469-896X. ; 33:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are responsible for removing cholesterol from arterial walls, through a process known as reverse cholesterol transport. The main protein in HDL, apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), is essential to this process, and changes in its sequence significantly alter HDL structure and functions. ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants, associated with a particular hereditary degenerative disease, are particularly effective at facilitating cholesterol removal, thus protecting carriers from cardiovascular disease. Thus, it is conceivable that reconstituted HDL (rHDL) formulations containing ApoA-I proteins with functional/structural features similar to those of amyloidogenic variants hold potential as a promising therapeutic approach. Here we explored the effect of protein cargo and lipid composition on the function of rHDL containing one of the ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants G26R or L174S by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and neutron reflectometry. Moreover, small-angle x-ray scattering uncovered the structural and functional differences between rHDL particles, which could help to comprehend higher cholesterol efflux activity and apparent lower phospholipid (PL) affinity. Our findings indicate distinct trends in lipid exchange (removal vs. deposition) capacities of various rHDL particles, with the rHDL containing the ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants showing a markedly lower ability to remove lipids from artificial membranes compared to the rHDL containing the native protein. This effect strongly depends on the level of PL unsaturation and on the particles' ultrastructure. The study highlights the importance of the protein cargo, along with lipid composition, in shaping rHDL structure, contributing to our understanding of lipid-protein interactions and their behavior.
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| 3. |
- Del Giudice, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of iron on the aggregation propensity of the N-terminal fibrillogenic polypeptide of human apolipoprotein A-I
- 2018
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Ingår i: BioMetals. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0966-0844 .- 1572-8773. ; 31:4, s. 551-559
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Specific mutations in APOA1 gene lead to systemic, hereditary amyloidoses. In ApoA-I related amyloidosis involving the heart, amyloid deposits are mainly constituted by the 93-residue N-terminal region of the protein, here indicated as [1-93]ApoA-I. Oxidative stress is known to be an enhancing factor for protein aggregation. In healthy conditions, humans are able to counteract the formation and the effects of oxidative molecules. However, aging and atmospheric pollution increase the concentration of oxidative agents, such as metal ions. As the main effect of iron deregulation is proposed to be an increase in oxidative stress, we analysed the effects of iron on [1-93]ApoA-I aggregation. By using different biochemical approaches, we demonstrated that Fe(II) is able to reduce the formation of [1-93]ApoA-I fibrillar species, probably by stabilizing its monomeric form, whereas Fe(III) shows a positive effect on polypeptide fibrillogenesis. We hypothesize that, in healthy conditions, Fe(III) is reduced by the organism to Fe(II), thus inhibiting amyloid formation, whereas during ageing such protective mechanisms decline, thus exposing the organism to higher oxidative stress levels, which are also related to an increase in Fe(III). This alteration could contribute to the pathogenesis of amyloidosis.
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| 4. |
- Del Giudice, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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Expanding the Toolbox for Bicelle-Forming Surfactant–Lipid Mixtures
- 2022
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Ingår i: Molecules. - : MDPI. - 1431-5157 .- 1420-3049. ; 27:21, s. 7628-7628
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bicelles are disk-shaped models of cellular membranes used to study lipid–protein interactions, as well as for structural and functional studies on transmembrane proteins. One challenge for the incorporation of transmembrane proteins in bicelles is the limited range of detergent and lipid combinations available for the successful reconstitution of proteins in model membranes. This is important, as the function and stability of transmembrane proteins are very closely linked to the detergents used for their purification and to the lipids that the proteins are embedded in. Here, we expand the toolkit of lipid and detergent combinations that allow the formation of stable bicelles. We use a combination of dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering and cryogenic electron microscopy to perform a systematic sample characterization, thus providing a set of conditions under which bicelles can be successfully formed.
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| 5. |
- Del Giudice, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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High-efficient bacterial production of human ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants
- 2018
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Ingår i: Protein Science. - : Wiley. - 0961-8368. ; 27:12, s. 2101-2109
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I)-related amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by missense mutations in the APOA1 gene. These mutations lead to protein aggregation and abnormal accumulation of ApoA-I amyloid fibrils in heart, liver, kidneys, skin, nerves, ovaries, or testes. Consequently, the carriers are at risk of single- or multi-organ failure and of need of organ transplantation. Understanding the basic molecular structure and function of ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants, as well as their biological effects, is, therefore, of great interest. However, the intrinsic low stability of this type of proteins makes their overexpression and purification difficult. To overcome this barrier, we here describe an optimized production and purification procedure for human ApoA-I amyloidogenic proteins that efficiently provides between 46 mg and 91 mg (depending on the protein variant) of pure protein per liter of Escherichia coli culture. Structural integrity of the amyloidogenic and native ApoA-I proteins were verified by circular dichroism spectroscopy and intrinsic fluorescence analysis, and preserved functionality was demonstrated by use of a lipid clearance assay as well as by reconstitution of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. In conclusion, the use of the described high-yield protein production system to obtain amyloidogenic ApoA-I proteins, and their native counterpart, will enable molecular and cellular experimental studies aimed to explain the molecular basis for this rare disease.
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| 6. |
- Del Giudice, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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Structural determinants in ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants explain improved cholesterol metabolism despite low HDL levels
- 2017
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3002. ; 1863:12, s. 3038-3048
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Twenty Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) variants are responsible for a systemic hereditary amyloidosis in which protein fibrils can accumulate in different organs, leading to their failure. Several ApoA-I amyloidogenic mutations are also associated with hypoalphalipoproteinemia, low ApoA-I and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol plasma levels; however, subjects affected by ApoA-I-related amyloidosis do not show a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The structural features, the lipid binding properties and the functionality of four ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants were therefore inspected in order to clarify the paradox observed in the clinical phenotype of the affected subjects. Our results show that ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants are characterized by a different oligomerization pattern and that the position of the mutation in the ApoA-I sequence affects the molecular structure of the formed HDL particles. Although lipidation increases ApoA-I proteins stability, all the amyloidogenic variants analyzed show a lower affinity for lipids, both in vitro and in ex vivo mouse serum. Interestingly, the lower efficiency at forming HDL particles is compensated by a higher efficiency at catalysing cholesterol efflux from macrophages. The decreased affinity of ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants for lipids, together with the increased efficiency in the cholesterol efflux process, could explain why, despite the unfavourable lipid profile, patients affected by ApoA-I related amyloidosis do not show a higher CVD risk.
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| 7. |
- Del Giudice, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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The Apparent Organ-Specificity of Amyloidogenic ApoA-I Variants Is Linked to Tissue-Specific Extracellular Matrix Components
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 24:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) amyloidosis is a rare protein misfolding disease where fibrils of the N-terminal domain of the protein accumulate in several organs, leading to their failure. Although ApoA-I amyloidosis is systemic, the different amyloidogenic variants show a preferential tissue accumulation that appears to correlate with the location of the mutation in the protein sequence and with the local extracellular microenvironment. However, the factors leading to cell/tissues damage, as well as the mechanisms behind the observed organ specificity are mostly unknown. Therefore, we investigated the impact of ApoA-I variants on cell physiology and the mechanisms driving the observed tissue specificity. We focused on four ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants and analyzed their cytotoxicity as well as their ability to alter redox homeostasis in cell lines from different tissues (liver, kidney, heart, skin). Moreover, variant-specific interactions with extracellular matrix (ECM) components were measured by synchrotron radiation circular dichroism and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data indicated that ApoA-I variants exerted a cytotoxic effect in a time and cell-type-specific manner that seems to be due to protein accumulation in lysosomes. Interestingly, the ApoA-I variants exhibited specific preferential binding to the ECM components, reflecting their tissue accumulation pattern in vivo. While the binding did not to appear to affect protein conformations in solution, extended incubation of the amyloidogenic variants in the presence of different ECM components resulted in different aggregation propensity and aggregation patterns.
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| 8. |
- Domingo-Espín, Joan, et al.
(författare)
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Site-specific glycations of apolipoprotein A-I lead to differentiated functional effects on lipid-binding and on glucose metabolism
- 2018
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 0925-4439. ; 1864:9, s. 2822-2834
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prolonged hyperglycemia in poorly controlled diabetes leads to an increase in reactive glucose metabolites that covalently modify proteins by non-enzymatic glycation reactions. Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is one of the proteins that becomes glycated in hyperglycemia. The impact of glycation on apoA-I protein structure and function in lipid and glucose metabolism were investigated. ApoA-I was chemically glycated by two different glucose metabolites (methylglyoxal and glycolaldehyde). Synchrotron radiation and conventional circular dichroism spectroscopy were used to study apoA-I structure and stability. The ability to bind lipids was measured by lipid-clearance assay and native gel analysis, and cholesterol efflux was measured by using lipid-laden J774 macrophages. Diet induced obese mice with established insulin resistance, L6 rat and C2C12 mouse myocytes, as well as INS-1E rat insulinoma cells, were used to determine in vivo and in vitro glucose uptake and insulin secretion. Site-specific, covalent modifications of apoA-I (lysines or arginines) led to altered protein structure, reduced lipid binding capability and a reduced ability to catalyze cholesterol efflux from macrophages, partly in a modification-specific manner. The stimulatory effects of apoA-I on the in vivo glucose clearance were negatively affected when apoA-I was modified with methylglyoxal, but not with glycolaldehyde. The in vitro data showed that both glucose uptake in muscle cells and insulin secretion from beta cells were affected. Taken together, glycation modifications impair the apoA-I protein functionality in lipid and glucose metabolism, which is expected to have implications for diabetes patients with poorly controlled blood glucose.
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| 9. |
- Giudice, Rita Del, et al.
(författare)
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Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals structural divergences in HDL-bound apoA-I variants
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 7:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) provides cardiovascular protection. Synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) spectroscopy was used to analyze the dynamic solution structure of the apoA-I protein in the apo- and HDL-states and the protein structure conversion in HDL formation. Wild-type apoA-I protein was compared to human variants that either are protective (R173C, Milano) or lead to increased risk for ischaemic heart disease (A164S). Comparable secondary structure distributions in the HDL particles, including significant levels of beta strand/turn, were observed. ApoA-I Milano in HDL displayed larger size heterogeneity, increased protein flexibility, and an altered lipid-binding profile, whereas the apoA-I A164S in HDL showed decrease thermal stability, potentially linking the intrinsic HDL propensities of the variants to disease risk.
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| 10. |
- Miskelly, Michael G., et al.
(författare)
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RNA sequencing unravels novel L cell constituents and mechanisms of GLP-1 secretion in human gastric bypass-operated intestine
- 2024
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Ingår i: Diabetologia. - : Springer. - 0012-186X .- 1432-0428. ; 67:2, s. 356-370
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims/hypothesis: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) frequently results in remission of type 2 diabetes as well as exaggerated secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Here, we assessed RYGB-induced transcriptomic alterations in the small intestine and investigated how they were related to the regulation of GLP-1 production and secretion in vitro and in vivo.Methods: Human jejunal samples taken perisurgically and 1 year post RYGB (n=13) were analysed by RNA-seq. Guided by bioinformatics analysis we targeted four genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, which we confirmed to be expressed in human L cells, for potential involvement in GLP-1 regulation using siRNAs in GLUTag and STC-1 cells. Gene expression analyses, GLP-1 secretion measurements, intracellular calcium imaging and RNA-seq were performed in vitro. OGTTs were performed in C57BL/6j and iScd1-/- mice and immunohistochemistry and gene expression analyses were performed ex vivo.Results: Gene Ontology (GO) analysis identified cholesterol biosynthesis as being most affected by RYGB. Silencing or chemical inhibition of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), a key enzyme in the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids, was found to reduce Gcg expression and secretion of GLP-1 by GLUTag and STC-1 cells. Scd1 knockdown also reduced intracellular Ca2+ signalling and membrane depolarisation. Furthermore, Scd1 mRNA expression was found to be regulated by NEFAs but not glucose. RNA-seq of SCD1 inhibitor-treated GLUTag cells identified altered expression of genes implicated in ATP generation and glycolysis. Finally, gene expression and immunohistochemical analysis of the jejunum of the intestine-specific Scd1 knockout mouse model, iScd1-/-, revealed a twofold higher L cell density and a twofold increase in Gcg mRNA expression.Conclusions/interpretation: RYGB caused robust alterations in the jejunal transcriptome, with genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis being most affected. Our data highlight SCD as an RYGB-regulated L cell constituent that regulates the production and secretion of GLP-1.
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