Hsp90 is an abundant cytosolic molecular chaperone. It controls the folding of target proteins including steroid hormone receptors and kinases in complex with several partner proteins. Prominent members of this protein family are large peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases), which catalyze the cis/trans isomerization of prolyl peptide bonds in proteins and possess chaperone activity. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two closely related large Hsp90-associated PPIases, Cpr6 and Cpr7, exist. We show here that these homologous proteins bind with comparable affinity to Hsp90 but exhibit significant structural and functional differences. Cpr6 is more stable than Cpr7 against thermal denaturation and displays an up to 100-fold higher PPIase activity. In contrast, the chaperone activity of Cpr6 is much lower than that of Cpr7. Based on these results we suggest that the two immunophilins perform overlapping but not identical tasks in the Hsp90 chaperone cycle. PPIases1 are enzymes that are able to catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of Xaa-Pro peptide bonds in short synthetic peptides as well as in proteins (1). The isomerization of these bonds is a slow process (2) and often a rate-determining step in protein folding (3-6). PPIases have been found in all organisms and subcellular compartments studied so far (1,7,8). Until now three unrelated families of PPIases could be identified: parvulins, cyclophilins, and FKBPs (1,5,9). Because of their inhibition by the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A (CsA) or FK506/rapamycin, the cyclophilins and FKBPs are also termed immunophilins (10 -13). Several large immunophilins with a molecular mass of about 40 -54 kDa are components of the Hsp90 chaperone complex. In higher eukaryotes, FKBP51, FKBP52, and Cyp40 act together with Hsp90; in yeast these are Cpr6 and Cpr7, two cyclophilins. The Hsp90 complex seems to regulate the conformation of its target proteins. These substrates include steroid hormone receptors. Here, the Hsp90 chaperone cycle is well established (reviewed in Refs. 14 -16).In the case of the progesterone receptor, the receptor is bound to Hsp70 in an early complex (15,17). Then an intermediate complex is formed in which Hsp90, Hsp70, Hip, Hop, and perhaps Hsp40 participate. The last step of this activation cycle is a complex, consisting of the progesterone receptor, Hsp90, p23, and one of the large immunophilins. The specific function of the immunophilins in the chaperone cycle is far from clear. However, it is well established that progesterone receptor has to be bound in this complex to allow binding of the hormone, dimerization, and subsequently, interaction with DNA. In the absence of hormone, the receptor is released from the complex, and the cycle starts again. The large immunophilins interact with Hsp90 via tetratricopeptide repeats (18 -21). The partner site for the tetratricopeptide-repeat motifs is located in a 12-kDa carboxyl-terminal domain of Hsp90 (22, 23). The tetratricopeptide-repeat proteins compete with each other for this binding site (18,1...

Hsp90 is one of the most abundant proteins in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. Under physiological conditions Hsp90 has been shown to play a major role in several specific signaling pathways, including maturation of various kinases and maintenance of steroid receptors in an activable state. It is well established that the level of Hsp90 increases severalfold under stress conditions, and it has been shown that the chaperone function of Hsp90 is ATP-independent. Although yeast Hsp90 does not bind ATP, as determined by a number of methods monitoring tight binding, ATP-dependent functions of Hsp90 in the presence of co-factors and elevated temperatures are still under discussion.Here, we have reinvestigated ATP-binding properties and ATPase activity of human Hsp90 under various conditions. We show that human Hsp90 does not bind ATP tightly and does not exhibit detectable ATPase activity. However, using electron spin resonance spectroscopy, weak binding of spin-labeled ATP analogues with halfmaximal binding at 400 M ATP was detected. The functional significance of this weak interaction remains enigmatic.Under stress conditions, e.g. high temperatures, cells overexpress a distinct set of proteins, the so-called heat shock or stress proteins. The major classes of heat shock proteins, Hsp90, 1 Hsp70, Hsp60, and small Hsps, are thought to function as molecular chaperones during protein folding (1-3). The mechanisms of these chaperone functions are still under intensive investigation. In the case of Hsp70 and Hsp60, ATP binding and hydrolysis is a major requirement in chaperone-mediated folding (1). In vivo experiments suggest that Hsp90, one of the most abundant and conserved heat shock proteins, is a specific chaperone involved in regulating signal transduction pathways by assisting structural changes of certain kinases and steroid receptors (4 -8). In addition, results from in vitro studies highlight the general chaperone activities of Hsp90 (2, 3). Like other chaperones, Hsp90 performs at least part of its activity in association with specific partner proteins (9 -14), some of which seem to function as molecular chaperones themselves (15,16). In this context, the involvement of ATP in Hsp90 function is still a controversial subject (11)(12)(13)(17)(18)(19), and ATP binding as well as ATPase activity of Hsp90 have been reported previously (18, 20 -23). In contrast to these findings, we have shown that yeast Hsp90 does not bind ATP (17) by means of assays that are reflecting structural changes of the observed protein in the presence of ligand, detecting binding of the protein to immobilized ATP or binding of fluorescencelabeled ATP analogues to Hsp90. These observation enabled only the investigation of tight interactions between ATP and Hsp90. New results concerning p23, a partner protein of Hsp90 that is thought to play an important role in Hsp90/steroid receptor complexes, readdressed the possibility that human Hsp90 is an ATP-binding protein (18). This brought up the question of whether human Hsp90 differs in its ATP...

BackgroundThe green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was shown to effectively inhibit tumor growth in various types of cancer including biliary tract cancer (BTC). For most BTC patients only palliative therapy is possible, leading to a median survival of about one year. Chemoresistance is a major problem that contributes to the high mortality rates of BTC. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of EGCG alone or in combination with cisplatin on eight BTC cell lines and to investigate the cellular anti-cancer mechanisms of EGCG.MethodsThe effect of EGCG treatment alone or in combination with the standard chemotherapeutic cisplatin on cell viability was analyzed in eight BTC cell lines. Additionally, we analyzed the effects of EGCG on caspase activity, cell cycle distribution and gene expression in the BTC cell line TFK-1.ResultsEGCG significantly reduced cell viability in all eight BTC cell lines (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01, respectively, for most cell lines and EGCG concentrations > 5 μM). Combined EGCG and cisplatin treatment showed a synergistic cytotoxic effect in five cell lines and an antagonistic effect in two cell lines. Furthermore, EGCG reduced the mRNA levels of various cell cycle-related genes, while increasing the expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 and the apoptosis-related death receptor 5 (p < 0.05). This observation was accompanied by an increase in caspase activity and cells in the sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle, indicating induction of apoptosis. EGCG also induced a down-regulation of expression of stem cell-related genes and genes that are associated with an aggressive clinical character of the tumor, such as cd133 and abcg2.ConclusionsEGCG shows various anti-cancer effects in BTC cell lines and might therefore be a potential anticancer drug for future studies in BTC. Additionally, EGCG displays a synergistic cytotoxic effect with cisplatin in most tested BTC cell lines.Graphical abstractSummary illustration

BMI1 is a core component of the polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and is up-regulated in biliary tract cancer (BTC), contributing to aggressive clinical features. In this study we investigated the cytotoxic effects of PTC-209, a recently developed inhibitor of BMI1, in BTC cells. PTC-209 reduced overall viability in BTC cell lines in a dose-dependent fashion (0.04 - 20 μM). Treatment with PTC-209 led to slightly enhanced caspase activity and stop of cell proliferation. Cell cycle analysis revealed that PTC-209 caused cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint. A comprehensive investigation of expression changes of cell cycle-related genes showed that PTC-209 caused significant down-regulation of cell cycle-promoting genes as well as of genes that contribute to DNA synthesis initiation and DNA repair, respectively. This was accompanied by significantly elevated mRNA levels of cell cycle inhibitors. In addition, PTC-209 reduced sphere formation and, in a cell line-dependent manner, aldehyde dehydrogease-1 positive cells. We conclude that PTC-209 might be a promising drug for future in vitro and in vivo studies in BTC.

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Pharmacological inhibition of the two PRC complexes seems to be a promising strategy for treatment of BTC. To date, only few studies have addressed the therapeutic effect of PRC inhibition in BTC. Therefore, it will be important to test established PRC inhibitors, such as DZNep, as well as newly developed drugs, for example, PTC209, to gain more insight into the role of the PRC complexes in BTC and potentially to develop new therapeutic strategies.

Many cell types express an acid-sensitive outwardly rectifying (ASOR) anion current of an unknown function. We characterized such a current in BV-2 microglial cells and then studied its interrelation with the volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying (VSOR) Cl− current and the effect of acidosis on cell volume regulation. We used patch clamp, the Coulter method, and the pH-sensitive dye BCECF to measure Cl− currents and cell membrane potentials, mean cell volume, and intracellular pH, respectively. The ASOR current activated at pH ≤ 5.0 and displayed an I− > Cl− > gluconate− permeability sequence. When compared to the VSOR current, it was similarly sensitive to DIDS, but less sensitive to DCPIB, and insensitive to tamoxifen. Under acidic conditions, the ASOR current was the dominating Cl− conductance, while the VSOR current was apparently inactivated. Acidification caused cell swelling under isotonic conditions and prevented the regulatory volume decrease under hypotonicity. We conclude that acidification, associated with activation of the ASOR- and inactivation of the VSOR current, massively impairs cell volume homeostasis. ASOR current activation could affect microglial function under acidotoxic conditions, since acidosis is a hallmark of pathophysiological events like inflammation, stroke or ischemia and migration and phagocytosis in microglial cells are closely related to cell volume regulation.

Overexpression of the oncofetal insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IMP2/IGF2BP2) has been described in different cancer types. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a rare but highly aggressive cancer entity with late clinical detection and poor prognosis.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of IMP2 in human GBC.Tissue microarrays (TMAs) of an international multi-center GBC sample collection from n = 483 patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. IMP2 immunoreactivity was found in 74.3% of the tumor samples on TMA, of which 14.0% showed strong and 86.0% low staining intensity. 72.4% of the tumor samples were IMP1 positive, but IMP1 showed lower expression in tumor tissue compared to control tissues. IMP3 immunoreactivity was observed in 92.7% of all tumors, of which 53.6% revealed strong IMP3 expression. Kaplan-Meier analysis linked high IMP2 expression to shorter survival time (p = 0.033), whereas neither IMP1 nor IMP3 expression was linked to a decreased survival time. Eight different human biliary tract cancer (BTC) cell lines were evaluated for tumor growth kinetics in mouse xenografts. Cell lines with high IMP2 expression levels showed the fastest increase in tumor volumes in murine xenografts. Furthermore, IMP2 expression in these cells correlated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and RAC1 expression in BTC cells, suggesting RAC1-induced ROS generation as a potential mechanism of IMP2-promoted progression of GBC.In conclusion, IMP2 is frequently overexpressed in GBC and significantly associated with poor prognosis and growth rates in vivo. IMP2 might therefore represent a new target for the treatment of advanced GBC.