Efficacy of NS-018, a potent and selective JAK2/Src inhibitor, in primary cells and mouse models of myeloproliferative neoplasms

Aberrant activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) caused by somatic mutation of JAK2 (JAK2V617F) or the thrombopoietin receptor (MPLW515L) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), suggesting that inhibition of aberrant JAK2 activation would have a therapeutic benefit. Our novel JAK2 inhibitor, NS-018, was highly active against JAK2 with a 50% inhibition (IC50) of <1 n, and had 30–50-fold greater selectivity for JAK2 over other JAK-family kinases, such as JAK1, JAK3 and tyrosine kinase 2. In addition to JAK2, NS-018 inhibited Src-family kinases. NS-018 showed potent antiproliferative activity against cell lines expressing a constitutively activated JAK2 (the JAK2V617F or MPLW515L mutations or the TEL–JAK2 fusion gene; IC50=11–120 n), but showed only minimal cytotoxicity against most other hematopoietic cell lines without a constitutively activated JAK2. Furthermore, NS-018 preferentially suppressed in vitro erythropoietin-independent endogenous colony formation from polycythemia vera patients. NS-018 also markedly reduced splenomegaly and prolonged the survival of mice inoculated with Ba/F3 cells harboring JAK2V617F. In addition, NS-018 significantly reduced leukocytosis, hepatosplenomegaly and extramedullary hematopoiesis, improved nutritional status, and prolonged survival in JAK2V617F transgenic mice. These results suggest that NS-018 will be a promising candidate for the treatment of MPNs

A Genetic Screen for Dihydropyridine (DHP)-Resistant Worms Reveals New Residues Required for DHP-Blockage of Mammalian Calcium Channels

Dihydropyridines (DHPs) are L-type calcium channel (Cav1) blockers prescribed to treat several diseases including hypertension. Cav1 channels normally exist in three states: a resting closed state, an open state that is triggered by membrane depolarization, followed by a non-conducting inactivated state that is triggered by the influx of calcium ions, and a rapid change in voltage. DHP binding is thought to alter the conformation of the channel, possibly by engaging a mechanism similar to voltage dependent inactivation, and locking a calcium ion in the pore, thereby blocking channel conductance. As a Cav1 channel crystal structure is lacking, the current model of DHP action has largely been achieved by investigating the role of candidate Cav1 residues in mediating DHP-sensitivity. To better understand DHP-block and identify additional Cav1 residues important for DHP-sensitivity, we screened 440,000 randomly mutated Caenorhabditis elegans genomes for worms resistant to DHP-induced growth defects. We identified 30 missense mutations in the worm Cav1 pore-forming (α1) subunit, including eleven in conserved residues known to be necessary for DHP-binding. The remaining polymorphisms are in eight conserved residues not previously associated with DHP-sensitivity. Intriguingly, all of the worm mutants that we analyzed phenotypically exhibited increased channel activity. We also created orthologous mutations in the rat α1C subunit and examined the DHP-block of current through the mutant channels in culture. Six of the seven mutant channels examined either decreased the DHP-sensitivity of the channel and/or exhibited significant residual current at DHP concentrations sufficient to block wild-type channels. Our results further support the idea that DHP-block is intimately associated with voltage dependent inactivation and underscores the utility of C. elegans as a screening tool to identify residues important for DHP interaction with mammalian Cav1 channels

The ICln interactome

The many different functional phenotypes described in mammalian cells can only be explained by an intense interaction of the underlying proteins, substantiated by the fact that the number of independently expressed proteins in living cells seems not to exceed 25 K, a number way too small to explain the >250 K different phenotypes on a one-protein-one-function base. Therefore, the study of the interactome of the different proteins is of utmost importance. Here, we describe the present knowledge of the ICln interactome. ICln is a protein, we cloned and whose function was reported to be as divers as (i) ion permeation, (ii) cytoskeletal organization, and (iii) RNA processing. The role of ICln in these different functional modules can be described best as being a 'connector hub' with 'date hub' functio

A Single Amino Acid Deletion (ΔF1502) in the S6 Segment of CaV2.1 Domain III Associated with Congenital Ataxia Increases Channel Activity and Promotes Ca2+ Influx

Mutations in the CACNA1A gene, encoding the pore-forming CaV2.1 (P/Q-type) channel α1A subunit, result in heterogeneous human neurological disorders, including familial and sporadic hemiplegic migraine along with episodic and progressive forms of ataxia. Hemiplegic Migraine (HM) mutations induce gain-of-channel function, mainly by shifting channel activation to lower voltages, whereas ataxia mutations mostly produce loss-of-channel function. However, some HM-linked gain-of-function mutations are also associated to congenital ataxia and/or cerebellar atrophy, including the deletion of a highly conserved phenylalanine located at the S6 pore region of α1A domain III (ΔF1502). Functional studies of ΔF1502 CaV2.1 channels, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, using the non-physiological Ba2+ as the charge carrier have only revealed discrete alterations in channel function of unclear pathophysiological relevance. Here, we report a second case of congenital ataxia linked to the ΔF1502 α1A mutation, detected by whole-exome sequencing, and analyze its functional consequences on CaV2.1 human channels heterologously expressed in mammalian tsA-201 HEK cells, using the physiological permeant ion Ca2+. ΔF1502 strongly decreases the voltage threshold for channel activation (by ~ 21 mV), allowing significantly higher Ca2+ current densities in a range of depolarized voltages with physiological relevance in neurons, even though maximal Ca2+ current density through ΔF1502 CaV2.1 channels is 60% lower than through wild-type channels. ΔF1502 accelerates activation kinetics and slows deactivation kinetics of CaV2.1 within a wide range of voltage depolarization. ΔF1502 also slowed CaV2.1 inactivation kinetic and shifted the inactivation curve to hyperpolarized potentials (by ~ 28 mV). ΔF1502 effects on CaV2.1 activation and deactivation properties seem to be of high physiological relevance. Thus, ΔF1502 strongly promotes Ca2+ influx in response to either single or trains of action potential-like waveforms of different durations. Our observations support a causative role of gain-of-function CaV2.1 mutations in congenital ataxia, a neurodevelopmental disorder at the severe-most end of CACNA1A-associated phenotypic spectrum.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2012-31089 to JMF-F; SEV-2012-0208 to Centre for Genomic Regulation, “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013-2017”; and MDM-2014-0370 through the “María de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D to “Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut”), FEDER Funds, Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Instituto Carlos III, Spain (RIC RD12/0042/0014, Red HERACLES, and Grant PI12/1005 to AM). AM-G is a predoctoral fellow supported by Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca, Barcelona, Spain. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Rare CACNA1A mutations leading to congenital ataxia

Human mutations in the CACNA1A gene that encodes the pore-forming α1A subunit of the voltage-gated CaV2.1 (P/Q-type) Ca2+ channel cause multiple neurological disorders including sporadic and familial hemiplegic migraine, as well as cerebellar pathologies such as episodic ataxia, progressive ataxia, and early-onset cerebellar syndrome consistent with the definition of congenital ataxia (CA), with presentation before the age of 2 years. Such a pathological role is in accordance with the physiological relevance of CaV2.1 in neuronal tissue, especially in the cerebellum. This review deals with the report of the main clinical features defining CA, along with the presentation of an increasing number of CACNA1A genetic variants linked to this severe cerebellar disorder in the context of Ca2+ homeostasis alteration. Moreover, the review describes each pathological mutation according to structural location and known molecular and cellular functional effects in both heterologous expression systems and animal models. In view of this information in correlation with the clinical phenotype, we take into consideration different pathomechanisms underlying the observed motor dysfunction in CA patients carrying CACNA1A mutations. Present therapeutic management in CA and options for the development of future personalized treatment based on CaV2.1 dysfunction are also discussed.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the State Research Agency (AEI, Agencia Estatal de Investigación), and FEDER Funds (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional): Grants RTI2018-094809-B-I00 to J.M.F.F. and CEX2018-000792-M through the “María de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D to “Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut”. M.S. is supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (PERIS SLT008/18/00194) and National Grant PI17/00101 from the National R&D&I Plan, cofinanced by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Subdirectorate-General for Evaluation and Promotion of Health Research) and European Regional Development Fund. M.I.-S. holds a “Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación” Fellowship funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation