Mutation of the co-chaperone Tsc1 in bladder cancer diminishes Hsp90 acetylation and reduces drug sensitivity and selectivity

The molecular chaperone Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is essential for the folding, stability, and activity of several drivers of oncogenesis. Hsp90 inhibitors are currently under clinical evaluation for cancer treatment, however their efficacy is limited by lack of biomarkers to optimize patient selection. We have recently identified the tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (Tsc1) as a new co-chaperone of Hsp90 that affects Hsp90 binding to its inhibitors. Highly variable mutations of TSC1 have been previously identified in bladder cancer and correlate with sensitivity to the Hsp90 inhibitors. Here we showed loss of TSC1 leads to hypoacetylation of Hsp90-K407/K419 and subsequent decreased binding to the Hsp90 inhibitor ganetespib. Pharmacologic inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) restores acetylation of Hsp90 and sensitizes Tsc1-mutant bladder cancer cells to ganetespib, resulting in apoptosis. Our findings suggest that TSC1 status may predict response to Hsp90 inhibitors in patients with bladder cancer, and co-targeting HDACs can sensitize tumors with Tsc1 mutations to Hsp90 inhibitors

Tumor suppressor Tsc1 is a new Hsp90 co-chaperone that facilitates folding of kinase and non-kinase clients

The tumor suppressors Tsc1 and Tsc2 form the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a regulator of mTOR activity. Tsc1 stabilizes Tsc2; however, the precise mechanism involved remains elusive. The molecular chaperone heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an essen- tial component of the cellular homeostatic machinery in eukary- otes. Here, we show that Tsc1 is a new co-chaperone for Hsp90 that inhibits its ATPase activity. The C-terminal domain of Tsc1 (998–1,164 aa) forms a homodimer and binds to both protomers of the Hsp90 middle domain. This ensures inhibition of both subunits of the Hsp90 dimer and prevents the activating co- chaperone Aha1 from binding the middle domain of Hsp90. Conversely, phosphorylation of Aha1-Y223 increases its affinity for Hsp90 and displaces Tsc1, thereby providing a mechanism for equilibrium between binding of these two co-chaperones to Hsp90. Our findings establish an active role for Tsc1 as a facilita- tor of Hsp90-mediated folding of kinase and non-kinase clients— including Tsc2—thereby preventing their ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation

The FNIP co-chaperones decelerate the Hsp90 chaperone cycle and enhance drug binding

The ability of Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) to hydrolyze ATP is essential for its chaperone function. The co-chaperone Aha1 stimulates Hsp90 ATPase activity, tailoring the chaperone function to specific "client" proteins. The intracellular signaling mechanisms directly regulating Aha1 association with Heat shock protein-90 (Hsp90) is an essential molecular chaperone in eukaryotes involved in maintaining the stability and activity of numerous signalling proteins, also known as clients. Hsp90 ATPase activity is essential for its chaperone function and it is regulated by co-chaperones. Here we show that the tumour suppressor FLCN is an Hsp90 client protein and its binding partners FNIP1/FNIP2 function as co-chaperones. FNIPs decelerate the chaperone cycle, facilitating FLCN interaction with Hsp90, consequently ensuring FLCN stability. FNIPs compete with the activating co-chaperone Aha1 for binding to Hsp90, thereby providing a reciprocal regulatory mechanism for chaperoning of client proteins. Lastly, downregulation of FNIPs desensitizes cancer cells to Hsp90 inhibitors, whereas FNIPs overexpression in renal tumours compared with adjacent normal tissues correlates with enhanced binding of Hsp90 to its inhibitors. Our findings suggest that FNIPs expression can potentially serve as a predictive indicator of tumour response to Hsp90 inhibitors

Asymmetric Hsp90 N domain SUMOylation recruits Aha1 and ATP-competitive inhibitors

The stability and activity of numerous signaling proteins in both normal and cancer cells depends on the dimeric molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Hsp90's function is coupled to ATP binding and hydrolysis and requires a series of conformational changes that are regulated by cochaperones and numerous posttranslational modifications (PTMs). SUMOylation is one of the least-understood Hsp90 PTMs. Here, we show that asymmetric SUMOylation of a conserved lysine residue in the N domain of both yeast (K178) and human (K191) Hsp90 facilitates both recruitment of the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)-activating cochaperone Aha1 and, unexpectedly, the binding of Hsp90 inhibitors, suggesting that these drugs associate preferentially with Hsp90 proteins that are actively engaged in the chaperone cycle. Importantly, cellular transformation is accompanied by elevated steady-state N domain SUMOylation, and increased Hsp90 SUMOylation sensitizes yeast and mammalian cells to Hsp90 inhibitors, providing a mechanism to explain the sensitivity of cancer cells to these drugs. © 2014 Elsevier Inc

Risk factors for high anti-HHV-8 antibody titers (≥1:51,200) in black, HIV-1 negative South African cancer patients: a case control study

Background: Infection with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is the necessary causal agent in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Infection with HIV-1, male gender and older age all increase risk for KS. However, the geographic distribution of HHV-8 and KS both prior to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and with HIV/AIDS suggest the presence of an additional co-factor in the development of KS. Methods: Between January 1994 and October 1997, we interviewed 2576 black in-patients with cancer in Johannesburg and Soweto, South Africa. Blood was tested for antibodies against HIV-1 and HHV-8 and the study was restricted to 2191 HIV-1 negative patients. Antibodies against the latent nuclear antigen of HHV-8 encoded by orf73 were detected with an indirect immunofluorescence assay. We examined the relationship between high anti-HHV-8 antibody titers (≥1:51,200) and sociodemographic and behavioral factors using unconditional logistic regression models. Variables that were significant at p = 0.10 were included in multivariate analysis. Results: Of the 2191 HIV-1 negative patients who did not have Kaposi's sarcoma, 854 (39.0%) were positive for antibodies against HHV-8 according to the immunofluorescent assay. Among those seropositive for HHV-8, 530 (62.1%) had low titers (1:200), 227 (26.6%) had medium titers (1:51,200) and 97 (11.4%) had highest titers (1:204,800). Among the 2191 HIV-1 negative patients, the prevalence of high anti-HHV-8 antibody titers (≥1:51,200) was independently associated with increasing age (ptrend = 0.04), having a marital status of separated or divorced (p = 0.003), using wood, coal or charcoal as fuel for cooking 20 years ago instead of electricity (p = 0.02) and consuming traditional maize beer more than one time a week (p = 0.02; p-trend for increasing consumption = 0.05) although this may be due to chance given the large number of predictors considered in this analysis. Conclusions: Among HIV-negative subjects, patients with high anti-HHV-8 antibody titers are characterized by older age. Other associations that may be factors in the development of high anti- HHV-8 titers include exposure to poverty or a low socioeconomic status environment and consumption of traditional maize beer. The relationship between these variables and high anti- HHV-8 titers requires further, prospective study

Chemical perturbation of oncogenic protein folding: from the prediction of locally unstable structures to the design of disruptors of Hsp90-Client interactions

Protein folding quality control in cells requires the activity of a class of proteins known as molecular chaperones. Heat shock protein‐90 (Hsp90), a multidomain ATP driven molecular machine, is a prime representative of this family of proteins. Interactions between Hsp90, its co‐chaperones, and client proteins have been shown to be important in facilitating the correct folding and activation of clients. Hsp90 levels and functions are elevated in tumor cells. Here, we computationally predict the regions on the native structures of clients c‐Abl, c‐Src, Cdk4, B‐Raf and Glucocorticoid Receptor, that have the highest probability of undergoing local unfolding, despite being ordered in their native structures. Such regions represent potential ideal interaction points with the Hsp90‐system. We synthesize mimics spanning these regions and confirm their interaction with partners of the Hsp90 complex (Hsp90, Cdc37 and Aha1) by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Designed mimics selectively disrupt the association of their respective clients with the Hsp90 machinery, leaving unrelated clients unperturbed and causing apoptosis in cancer cells. Overall, selective targeting of Hsp90 protein–protein interactions is achieved without causing indiscriminate degradation of all clients, setting the stage for the development of therapeutics based on specific chaperone:client perturbation

Second Virtual International Symposium on Cellular and Organismal Stress Responses, September 8–9, 2022 [Meeting Review]

The Second International Symposium on Cellular and Organismal Stress Responses took place virtually on September 8–9, 2022. This meeting was supported by the Cell Stress Society International (CSSI) and organized by Patricija Van Oosten-Hawle and Andrew Truman (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA) and Mehdi Mollapour (SUNY Upstate Medical University, USA). The goal of this symposium was to continue the theme from the initial meeting in 2020 by providing a platform for established researchers, new investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and students to present and exchange ideas on various topics on cellular stress and chaperones. We will summarize the highlights of the meeting here and recognize those that received recognition from the CSSI

Epichaperomics reveals dysfunctional chaperone protein networks

Molecular chaperones establish essential protein-protein interaction networks. Modified versions of these assemblies are generally enriched in certain maladies. A study published in Nature Communications used epichaperomics to identify unique changes occurring in chaperone-formed protein networks during mitosis in cancer cells

Protocol to characterize extracellular c-Src tyrosine kinase function through substrate interaction and phosphorylation

Summary: Cellular Src tyrosine kinase (c-Src) exists in the secretomes of several human cancers (extracellular, e-Src). Phosphoproteomics has demonstrated the existence of 114 potential extracellular e-Src substrates in addition to Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases 2. Here, we present a protocol to characterize secreted tyrosine-phosphorylated substrates as a result of c-Src expression and secretion. We describe steps for collecting cell secretomes and extracts, performing antibody treatment and Ni-NTA pull-down, and detecting protein-protein interaction and substrate Y-phosphorylation. This protocol is adaptable for studies examining the function of other extracellular kinases.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Backe et al. (2023)1 and Sánchez-Pozo et al. (2018).2 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics

TRAP1 Chaperones the Metabolic Switch in Cancer

Mitochondrial function is dependent on molecular chaperones, primarily due to their necessity in the formation of respiratory complexes and clearance of misfolded proteins. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are a subset of molecular chaperones that function in all subcellular compartments, both constitutively and in response to stress. The Hsp90 chaperone TNF-receptor-associated protein-1 (TRAP1) is primarily localized to the mitochondria and controls both cellular metabolic reprogramming and mitochondrial apoptosis. TRAP1 upregulation facilitates the growth and progression of many cancers by promoting glycolytic metabolism and antagonizing the mitochondrial permeability transition that precedes multiple cell death pathways. TRAP1 attenuation induces apoptosis in cellular models of cancer, identifying TRAP1 as a potential therapeutic target in cancer. Similar to cytosolic Hsp90 proteins, TRAP1 is also subject to post-translational modifications (PTM) that regulate its function and mediate its impact on downstream effectors, or ‘clients’. However, few effectors have been identified to date. Here, we will discuss the consequence of TRAP1 deregulation in cancer and the impact of post-translational modification on the known functions of TRAP1