Protein kinases belong to the largest family of enzymes controlling every aspect of cellular activity including gene expression, cell division, differentiation and metabolism. They are part of major ...intracellular signalling pathways. Hence, it is not surprising that they are involved in the development of major diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, dementia and, most importantly, cancer when they undergo mutations, modifications and unbalanced expression.
This review will explore the possibility to draw a connection between the application of natural phytochemicals and the treatment of cancer. We have chosen to focus on the PI3K/AKT cellular signalling pathway which has been shown to be a major target by natural compounds in cell cultures and animal models.
•Phytochemicals are compounds that have potential preventive medicinal benefits.•Phytochemicals may display synergistic effects with conventional chemotherapy.•Dietary phytochemicals have emerged as modulators of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.•Phytochemicals affect protein kinases in different disorders.
Protein Kinase CK2 in Human Diseases GUERRA, Barbara; ISSINGER, Olaf-Georg
Current medicinal chemistry,
08/2008, Volume:
15, Issue:
19
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Protein kinase CK2 (formerly referred to as casein kinase II) is an evolutionary conserved, ubiquitous protein kinase. There are two paralog catalytic subunits, i.e. alpha (A1) and alpha (A2). The ...alpha and alpha subunits are linked to two beta subunits to produce a heterotetrameric structure. The catalytic alpha subunits are distantly related to the CMGC subfamily of kinases, such as the Cdk kinases. There are some peculiarities associated with protein kinase CK2, which are not found with most other protein kinases: (i) the enzyme is constitutively active, (ii) it can use ATP and GTP and (iii) it is found elevated in most tumors investigated and rapidly proliferating tissues. With the elucidation of the structure of the catalytic subunit, it was possible to explain why the enzyme is constitutively active 1 and why it can bind GTP 2. Considerable information on the potential roles of CK2 in various disease processes including cancer has been gained in recent years, and the present review may help to further elucidate its aberrant role in many disease states. Its peculiar structural features 3-9 may be advantageous in designing tailor-made compounds with the possibility to specifically target this protein kinase 10. Since not all the aspects of what has been published on CK2 can be covered in this review, we would like to recommend the following reviews; (i) for general information on CK2 11-18 and (ii) with a focus on aberrant CK2 19-22.
Uncontrolled proliferation is a feature defining cancer and it is linked to the ability of cancer cells to effectively adapt their metabolic needs in response to a harsh tumor environment. Metabolic ...reprogramming is considered a hallmark of cancer and includes increased glucose uptake and processing, and increased glutamine utilization, but also the deregulation of lipid and cholesterol-associated signal transduction, as highlighted in recent years. In the first part of the review, we will (i) provide an overview of the major types of lipids found in eukaryotic cells and their importance as mediators of intracellular signaling pathways (ii) analyze the main metabolic changes occurring in cancer development and the role of oncogenic signaling in supporting aberrant lipid metabolism and (iii) discuss combination strategies as powerful new approaches to cancer treatment. The second part of the review will address the emerging role of CK2, a conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, in lipid homeostasis with an emphasis regarding its function in lipogenesis and adipogenesis. Evidence will be provided that CK2 regulates these processes at multiple levels. This suggests that its pharmacological inhibition combined with dietary restrictions and/or inhibitors of metabolic targets could represent an effective way to undermine the dependency of cancer cells on lipids to interfere with tumor progression.
The need for new drugs is compelling, irrespective of the disease. Focusing on medical problems in the Western countries, heart disease and cancer are at the moment predominant illnesses. Owing to ...the fact that ~90% of all 21,000 cellular proteins in humans are regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation it is not surprising that the enzymes catalysing these reactions (i.e., protein kinases and phosphatases, respectively) have attracted considerable attention in the recent past. Protein kinases are major team players in cell signalling. In tumours, these enzymes are found to be mutated disturbing the proper function of signalling pathways and leading to uncontrolled cellular growth and sustained malignant behaviour. Hence, the search for small-molecule inhibitors targeting the altered protein kinase molecules in tumour cells has become a major research focus in the academia and pharmaceutical companies.
Abstract Background Infertility is a major health issue, affecting 15% of reproductive‐age couples with male factors contributing to 50% of cases. Asthenozoospermia (AS), or low sperm motility, is a ...common cause of male infertility with complex aetiology, involving genetic and metabolic alterations, inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the molecular mechanisms behind low motility are unclear. In this study, we used a metabolomics approach to identify metabolic biomarkers and pathways involved in sperm motility. Methods We compared the metabolome and lipidome of spermatozoa of men with normozoospermia ( n = 44) and AS ( n = 22) using untargeted LC–MS and the metabolome of seminal fluid using 1 H‐NMR. Additionally, we evaluated the seminal fluid redox status to assess the oxidative stress in the ejaculate. Results We identified 112 metabolites and 209 lipids in spermatozoa and 27 metabolites in the seminal fluid of normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic men. PCA analysis of the spermatozoa's metabolomics and lipidomics data showed a clear separation between groups. Spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic men presented lower levels of several amino acids, and increased levels of energetic substrates and lysophospholipids. However, the metabolome and redox status of the seminal fluid was not altered inAS. Conclusions Our results indicate impaired metabolic pathways associated with redox homeostasis and amino acid, energy and lipid metabolism in AS. Taken together, these findings suggest that the metabolome and lipidome of human spermatozoa are key factors influencing their motility and that oxidative stress exposure during spermatogenesis or sperm maturation may be in the aetiology of decreased motility in AS.
Many types of cancer express high levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs) that are molecular chaperones regulating protein folding and stability ensuring protection of cells from potentially lethal ...stress. HSPs in cancer cells promote survival, growth and spreading even in situations of growth factors deprivation by associating with oncogenic proteins responsible for cell transformation. Hence, it is not surprising that the identification of potent inhibitors of HSPs, notably HSP90, has been the primary research focus, in recent years. Exposure of cancer cells to HSP90 inhibitors, including 17-AAG, has been shown to cause resistance to chemotherapeutic treatment mostly attributable to induction of the heat shock response and increased cellular levels of pro-survival chaperones. In this study, we show that treatment of glioblastoma cells with 17-AAG leads to HSP90 inhibition indicated by loss of stability of the EGFR client protein, and significant increase in HSP70 expression. Conversely, co-treatment with the small-molecule kinase inhibitor D11 leads to suppression of the heat shock response and inhibition of HSF1 transcriptional activity. Beside HSP70, Western blot and differential mRNA expression analysis reveal that combination treatment causes strong down-regulation of the small chaperone protein HSP27. Finally, we demonstrate that incubation of cells with both agents leads to enhanced cytotoxicity and significantly high levels of LC3-II suggesting autophagy induction. Taken together, results reported here support the notion that including D11 in future treatment regimens based on HSP90 inhibition can potentially overcome acquired resistance induced by the heat shock response in brain cancer cells.
Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common primary brain tumor and one of the most aggressive types of cancer in adults. Survival signaling and apoptosis resistance are hallmarks of malignant glioma ...cells. However, recent studies have shown that other types of cell death such as autophagy can be induced in malignant glioma cells. This suggests that stimulation of this process may be explored in new therapeutic strategies against glioblastoma multiforme. Protein kinase CK2 is a highly conserved and constitutively active enzyme that promotes numerous cellular processes such as survival, proliferation and differentiation. CK2 has been found elevated in several malignancies including brain tumors, and to confer resistance against chemotherapeutic agents and apoptotic stimuli. Recently, we have shown that the siRNA-mediated downregulation of CK2 leads to cell death in DNA-PK-proficient human glioblastoma cells. We show, here, that lack of CK2 results in significant induction of autophagic cell death in two human glioblastoma cell lines, M059K and T98G, as indicated by the positive staining of cells with the acidotropic dye acridine orange, and the specific recruitment of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) to autophagosome membranes. Induction of autophagy is accompanied by CK2-dependent decreased phosphorylation of p70 ribosomal S6 and AKT kinases and significantly reduced expression levels of Raptor. In contrast, phosphorylation and activity levels of ERK1/2 are enhanced suggesting an inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 and activation of the ERK1/2 pathways. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated silencing of CK2 results in increased mitochondrial superoxide production in both glioblastoma cell lines. However, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species release correlates with induction of autophagy only in T98G cells. Taken together, our findings identify CK2 as a novel component of the autophagic machinery and underline the potential of its downregulation to kill glioblastoma cells by overcoming the resistance to multiple anticancer agents.
Abstract The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) signaling pathway responds rapidly to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and it is characterized by recruitment of sensor, mediator, transducer and ...repair proteins to sites of DNA damage. Data suggest that CK2 is implicated in the early cellular response to DSBs. We demonstrate that CK2 binds constitutively the adaptor protein 53BP1 through the tandem Tudor domains and that the interaction is disrupted upon induction of DNA damage. Down-regulation of CK2 results in significant reduction of (i) 53BP1 foci formation, (ii) binding to dimethylated histone H4 and (iii) ATM autophosphorylation. Our data suggest that CK2 is required for 53BP1 accumulation at sites of DSBs which is a prerequisite for efficient activation of the ATM-mediated signaling pathway.
Objective
: ATP-gated ionotropic P2X7 receptors (P2X7R) actively participate in epilepsy and other neurological disorders. Neocortical nerve terminals of patients with Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy ...with Hippocampal Sclerosis (MTLE-HS) express higher P2X7R amounts. Overexpression of P2X7R bolsters ATP signals during seizures resulting in glial cell activation, cytokines production, and GABAergic rundown with unrestrained glutamatergic excitation. In a mouse model of status epilepticus, increased expression of P2X7R has been associated with the down-modulation of the non-coding micro RNA, miR-22. MiR levels are stable in biological fluids and normally reflect remote tissue production making them ideal disease biomarkers. Here, we compared P2X7R and miR-22 expression in epileptic brains and in the serum of patients with MTLE-HS, respectively.
Methods
: Quantitative RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of P2X7R in the hippocampus and anterior temporal lobe of 23 patients with MTLE-HS and 10 cadaveric controls. Confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis were performed to assess P2X7R protein amounts. MiR-22 expression was evaluated in cell-free sera of 40 MTLE-HS patients and 48 healthy controls.
Results
: Nerve terminals of the hippocampus and neocortical temporal lobe of MTLE-HS patients overexpress (
p
< 0.05) an 85 kDa P2X7R protein whereas the normally occurring 67 kDa receptor protein dominates in the brain of the cadaveric controls. Contrariwise, miR-22 serum levels are diminished (
p
< 0.001) in MTLE-HS patients compared to age-matched control blood donors, a situation that is more evident in patients requiring multiple (>3) anti-epileptic drug (AED) regimens.
Conclusion
: Data show that there is an inverse relationship between miR-22 serum levels and P2X7R expression in the hippocampus and neocortex of MTLE-HS patients, which implies that measuring serum miR-22 may be a clinical surrogate of P2X7R brain expression in the MTLE-HS. Moreover, the high area under the ROC curve (0.777; 95% CI 0.629–0.925;
p
= 0.001) suggests that low miR-22 serum levels may be a sensitive predictor of poor response to AEDs among MTLE-HS patients. Results also anticipate that targeting the miR-22/P2X7R axis may be a good strategy to develop newer AEDs.
CK2 is a ubiquitous serine/threonine protein kinase, which has the potential to catalyze the generation of a large proportion of the human phosphoproteome. Due to its role in numerous cellular ...functions and general anti-apoptotic activity, CK2 is an important target of research with therapeutic potential. This emphasizes the need for cell-permeable highly potent and selective inhibitors and photoluminescence probes of CK2 for investigating the protein phosphorylation networks in living cells. Previously, we had developed bisubstrate inhibitors for CK2 (CK2-targeted ARCs) that showed remarkable affinity (K D < 1 nM) and selectivity, but lacked proteolytic stability and plasma membrane permeability. In this report, the structures of CK2-targeted ARCs were modified for the application in live cells. Based on structure–activity studies, proteolytically stable achiral oligoanionic peptoid conjugates of 4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole (TBBz) were constructed. Affinity of the conjugates toward CK2 reached subnanomolar range. Acetoxymethyl (AM) prodrug strategy was applied for loading TBBz–peptoid conjugates into living cells. The uptake of inhibitors was visualized by live cell imaging and the reduction of the phosphorylation levels of two CK2-related phosphosites, Cdc37 pSer13 and NFκB pSer529, was demonstrated by Western blot analysis.
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