scholarly journals Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting the Heat Shock Protein System of Human Obligate Protozoan Parasites

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (23) ◽  
pp. 5930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zininga ◽  
Shonhai

Obligate protozoan parasites of the kinetoplastids and apicomplexa infect human cells to complete their life cycles. Some of the members of these groups of parasites develop in at least two systems, the human host and the insect vector. Survival under the varied physiological conditions associated with the human host and in the arthropod vectors requires the parasites to modulate their metabolic complement in order to meet the prevailing conditions. One of the key features of these parasites essential for their survival and host infectivity is timely expression of various proteins. Even more importantly is the need to keep their proteome functional by maintaining its functional capabilities in the wake of physiological changes and host immune responses. For this reason, molecular chaperones (also called heat shock proteins)—whose role is to facilitate proteostasis—play an important role in the survival of these parasites. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and Hsp70 are prominent molecular chaperones that are generally induced in response to physiological stress. Both Hsp90 and Hsp70 members are functionally regulated by nucleotides. In addition, Hsp70 and Hsp90 cooperate to facilitate folding of some key proteins implicated in cellular development. In addition, Hsp90 and Hsp70 individually interact with other accessory proteins (co-chaperones) that regulate their functions. The dependency of these proteins on nucleotide for their chaperone function presents an Achille’s heel, as inhibitors that mimic ATP are amongst potential therapeutic agents targeting their function in obligate intracellular human parasites. Most of the promising small molecule inhibitors of parasitic heat shock proteins are either antibiotics or anticancer agents, whose repurposing against parasitic infections holds prospects. Both cancer cells and obligate human parasites depend upon a robust protein quality control system to ensure their survival, and hence, both employ a competent heat shock machinery to this end. Furthermore, some inhibitors that target chaperone and co-chaperone networks also offer promising prospects as antiparasitic agents. The current review highlights the progress made so far in design and application of small molecule inhibitors against obligate intracellular human parasites of the kinetoplastida and apicomplexan kingdoms.

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikos Kourtis ◽  
Nektarios Tavernarakis

AbstractMembers of the small heat shock protein (sHSP) family are molecular chaperones with a critical role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis under unfavorable conditions. The chaperone properties of sHSPs prevent protein aggregation, and sHSP deregulation underlies the pathology of several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. Recent evidence suggests that the clientele of sHSPs is broad, and the mechanisms of sHSP-mediated neuroprotection diverse. Nonetheless, the crosstalk of sHSPs with the neurodegeneration-promoting signaling pathways remains poorly understood. Here, we survey recent findings on the role and regulation of sHSPs in neurodegenerative diseases.


2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yael Bar-Lavan ◽  
Netta Shemesh ◽  
Anat Ben-Zvi

Quality control is an essential aspect of cellular function, with protein folding quality control being carried out by molecular chaperones, a diverse group of highly conserved proteins that specifically identify misfolded conformations. Molecular chaperones are thus required to support proteins affected by expressed polymorphisms, mutations, intrinsic errors in gene expression, chronic insult or the acute effects of the environment, all of which contribute to a flux of metastable proteins. In this article, we review the four main chaperone families in metazoans, namely Hsp60 (where Hsp is heat-shock protein), Hsp70, Hsp90 and sHsps (small heat-shock proteins), as well as their co-chaperones. Specifically, we consider the structural and functional characteristics of each family and discuss current models that attempt to explain how chaperones recognize and act together to protect or recover aberrant proteins.


1995 ◽  
Vol 348 (1323) ◽  
pp. 107-112 ◽  

The recent discovery of molecular chaperones and their functions has changed dramatically our view of the processes underlying the folding of proteins in vivo . Rather than folding spontaneously, most newly synthesized polypeptide chains seem to acquire their native conformations in a reaction mediated by chaperone proteins. Different classes of molecular chaperones, such as the members of the Hsp70 and Hsp60 families of heat-shock proteins, cooperate in a coordinated pathway of cellular protein folding.


1991 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 166-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najma Ali ◽  
Naheed Banu

1995 ◽  
Vol 182 (3) ◽  
pp. 885-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Arnold ◽  
S Faath ◽  
H Rammensee ◽  
H Schild

Vaccination of mice with heat shock proteins isolated from tumor cells induces immunity to subsequent challenge with those tumor cells the heat shock protein was isolated from but not with other tumor cells (Udono, H., and P.K. Srivastava. 1994. J. Immunol. 152:5398-5403). The specificity of this immune response is caused by tumor-derived peptides bound to the heat shock proteins (Udono., H., and P.K. Srivastava. 1993. J. Exp. Med. 178:1391-1396). Our experiments show that a single immunization with the heat shock protein gp96 isolated from beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) expressing P815 cells (of DBA/2 origin) induces cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for beta-gal, in addition to minor H antigens expressed by these cells. CTLs can be induced in mice that are major histocompatibility complex (MHC) identical to the gp96 donor cells (H-2d) as well as in mice with a different MHC (H-2b). Thus gp96 is able to induce "cross priming" (Matzinger, P., and M.J. Bevan. 1977. Cell. Immunol. 33:92-100), indicating that gp96-associated peptides are not limited to the MHC class I ligands of the gp96 donor cell. Our data confirm the notion that samples of all cellular antigens presentable by MHC class I molecules are represented by peptides associated with gp96 molecules of that cell, even if the fitting MHC molecule is not expressed. In addition, we extend previous reports on the in vivo immunogenicity of peptides associated gp96 molecules to two new groups of antigens, minor H antigens, and proteins expressed in the cytosol.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4998-5004
Author(s):  
M K Bagchi ◽  
S Y Tsai ◽  
M J Tsai ◽  
B W O'Malley

Steroid receptors regulate transcription of target genes in vivo and in vitro in a steroid hormone-dependent manner. Unoccupied progesterone receptor exists in the low-salt homogenates of target cells as a functionally inactive 8 to 10S complex with several nonreceptor components such as two molecules of 90-kDa heat shock protein (hsp90), a 70-kDa heat shock protein (hsp70), and a 56-kDa heat shock protein (hsp56). Ligand-induced dissociation of receptor-associated proteins such as hsp90 has been proposed as the mechanism of receptor activation. Nevertheless, it has not been established whether, beyond release of heat shock proteins, the steroidal ligand plays a role in modulating receptor activity. To examine whether the release of these nonreceptor proteins from receptor complex results in a constitutively active receptor, we isolated an unliganded receptor form essentially free of hsp90, hsp70, and hsp56. Using a recently developed steroid hormone-responsive cell-free transcription system, we demonstrate for the first time that the dissociation of heat shock proteins is not sufficient to generate a functionally active receptor. This purified receptor still requires hormone for high-affinity binding to a progesterone response element and for efficient transcriptional activation of a target gene. When an antiprogestin, Ru486, is bound to the receptor, it fails to promote efficient transcription. We propose that in the cell, in addition to the release of receptor-associated inhibitory proteins, a distinct hormone-mediated activation event must precede efficient gene activation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (3) ◽  
pp. H506-H514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingbo Xu ◽  
Bernhard Metzler ◽  
Marjan Jahangiri ◽  
Kaushik Mandal

In response to stress stimuli, mammalian cells activate an ancient signaling pathway leading to the transient expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs). HSPs are a family of proteins serving as molecular chaperones that prevent the formation of nonspecific protein aggregates and assist proteins in the acquisition of their native structures. Physiologically, HSPs play a protective role in the homeostasis of the vessel wall but have an impact on immunoinflammatory processes in pathological conditions involved in the development of atherosclerosis. For instance, some members of HSPs have been shown to have immunoregulatory properties and modification of innate and adaptive response to HSPs, and can protect the vessel wall from the disease. On the other hand, a high degree of sequence homology between microbial and mammalian HSPs, due to evolutionary conservation, carries a risk of misdirected autoimmunity against HSPs expressed on the stressed cells of vascular endothelium. Furthermore, HSPs and anti-HSP antibodies have been shown to elicit production of proinflammatory cytokines. Potential therapeutic use of HSP in prevention of atherosclerosis involves achieving optimal balance between protective and immunogenic effects of HSPs and in the progress of research on vaccination. In this review, we update the progress of studies on HSPs and the integrity of the vessel wall, discuss the mechanism by which HSPs exert their role in the disease development, and highlight the potential clinic translation in the research field.


2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 244-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wangxia Wang ◽  
Basia Vinocur ◽  
Oded Shoseyov ◽  
Arie Altman

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Campanella ◽  
Andrea Pace ◽  
Celeste Caruso Bavisotto ◽  
Paola Marzullo ◽  
Antonella Marino Gammazza ◽  
...  

Among diseases whose cure is still far from being discovered, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been recognized as a crucial medical and social problem. A major issue in AD research is represented by the complexity of involved biochemical pathways, including the nature of protein misfolding, which results in the production of toxic species. Considering the involvement of (mis)folding processes in AD aetiology, targeting molecular chaperones represents a promising therapeutic perspective. This review analyses the connection between AD and molecular chaperones, with particular attention toward the most important heat shock proteins (HSPs) as representative components of the human chaperome: Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90. The role of these proteins in AD is highlighted from a biological point of view. Pharmacological targeting of such HSPs with inhibitors or regulators is also discussed.


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