Bone morphogenetic proteins 4 and 7 (BMP4 and BMP7) are morphogens that signal as either homodimers or heterodimers to regulate embryonic development and adult homeostasis. BMP4/7 heterodimers exhibit markedly higher signaling activity than either homodimer, but the mechanism underlying the enhanced activity is unknown. BMPs are synthesized as inactive precursors that dimerize and are then cleaved to generate both the bioactive ligand and prodomain fragments, which lack signaling activity. Our study reveals a previously unknown requirement for the BMP4 prodomain in promoting heterodimer activity. We show that BMP4 and BMP7 precursor proteins preferentially or exclusively form heterodimers when coexpressed in vivo. In addition, we show that the BMP4 prodomain is both necessary and sufficient for generation of stable heterodimeric ligands with enhanced activity and can enable homodimers to signal in a context in which they normally lack activity. Our results suggest that intrinsic properties of the BMP4 prodomain contribute to the relative bioactivities of homodimers versus heterodimers in vivo. These findings have clinical implications for the use of BMPs as regenerative agents for the treatment of bone injury and disease.B one morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the TGFβ superfamily that were originally isolated as boneinducing morphogens and were subsequently found to play central roles during embryogenesis and in adult homeostasis (1). BMPs are clinically important therapeutic agents that are used to reverse bone loss caused by trauma, disease, and tumor resection (2). Their use as regenerative agents is limited, however, by their short half-life and low specific activity when implanted in vivo. Understanding how BMP activity is regulated is important for the development of more effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of bone injury and disease.BMPs bind to and activate a receptor complex consisting of type I and type II transmembrane serine/threonine kinases. Following ligand binding, activated receptors propagate their signal by phosphorylating one of the SMADs that is specific for the BMP pathway (SMAD1, -5, or -8). The phosphorylated Smads then form heterooligomers with the common Smad, Smad4, and this complex translocates into the nucleus where it binds to BMP response elements and activates transcription of target genes (1).BMPs are classified into subfamilies based on sequence homology. They signal as either homodimers, or as heterodimers from different subfamilies. For example, class I BMPs, which consist of BMP2 and BMP4, can heterodimerize with class II BMPs, consisting of BMP5-8 (3). Heterodimers composed of distinct BMP family members show a higher specific activity than do homodimers of either subunit. Homodimers of BMP2, -4, or -7, for example, can all induce bone formation, but heterodimers of BMP2 plus BMP7, or BMP4 plus BMP7 are significantly more potent (5-to 20-fold) than any of the homodimers in osteogenic differentiation assays (4-6). BMP2/7 and BMP4/7 heterodimers also sho...
BMP7/BMP2 or BMP7/BMP4 heterodimers are more active than homodimers in vitro, but it is not known whether these heterodimers signal in vivo. To test this, we generated knock in mice carrying a mutation (Bmp7R-GFlag) that prevents proteolytic activation of the dimerized BMP7 precursor protein. This mutation eliminates the function of BMP7 homodimers and all other BMPs that normally heterodimerize with BMP7. While Bmp7 null homozygotes are live born, Bmp7R-GFlag homozygotes are embryonic lethal and have broadly reduced BMP activity. Furthermore, compound heterozygotes carrying the Bmp7R-G allele together with a null allele of Bmp2 or Bmp4 die during embryogenesis with defects in ventral body wall closure and/or the heart. Co-immunoprecipitation assays confirm that endogenous BMP4/7 heterodimers exist. Thus, BMP7 functions predominantly as a heterodimer with BMP2 or BMP4 during mammalian development, which may explain why mutations in either Bmp4 or Bmp7 lead to a similar spectrum of congenital defects in humans.
Background: Susceptibility to lung cancer has been shown to be modulated by inheritance of polymorphic genes encoding cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and glutathione S transferases (GSTM1 and GSTT1), which are involved in the bioactivation and detoxification of environmental toxins. This might be a factor in the variation in lung cancer incidence with ethnicity. Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study of 218 northern Indian lung cancer patients along with 238 healthy controls, to assess any association between CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms, either separately or in combination, with the likelihood of development of Lung cancer in our population. Results: We observed a significant difference in the GSTT1 null deletion frequency in this population when compared with other populations (OR=1.87, 95%CI: 1.25-2.80-0.73, P=0.002). However, GSTM1 null genotype was found associated with lung cancer in the non-smoking subgroup. (P=0.170). Conclusions: Our study showed the GSTT1 null polymorphism to be associated with smoking-induced lung cancer and the GSTM1 null polymorphism to have a link with non-smoking related lung cancer.
ProBMP4 is generated as a latent precursor that is sequentially cleaved at two sites within the prodomain to generate an active ligand. An initial cleavage occurs adjacent to the ligand domain, which generates a non-covalently associated prodomain/ligand complex that is subsequently dissociated by cleavage at an upstream site. An outstanding question is whether the two sites need to be cleaved sequentially and in the correct order to achieve proper control of BMP4 signaling during development. In the current studies, we demonstrate that mice carrying a knock-in point mutation that causes simultaneous rather than sequential cleavage of both prodomain sites show loss of BMP4 function and die during mid-embryogenesis. Levels of mature BMP4 are severely reduced in mutants, although levels of precursor and cleaved prodomain are unchanged compared with wild type. Our biochemical analysis supports a model in which the transient prodomain/ligand complex that forms during sequential cleavage plays an essential role in prodomain-mediated stabilization of the mature ligand until it can acquire protection from degradation by other means. By contrast, simultaneous cleavage causes premature release of the ligand from the prodomain, leading to destabilization of the ligand and loss of signaling in vivo.
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