Fumiko Matsuzawa

Fabry disease: correlation between structural changes in a-galactosidase, and clinical and biochemical phenotypes

Fabry disease comprises classic and variant phenotypes. The former needs early enzyme replacement therapy, and galactose infusion is effective for some variant cases. Attempts of early diagnosis before manifestations appear will begin in the near future. However, it is difficult to predict the phenotype, to determine the therapeutic approach, only from genetic information. Thus we attempted structural analysis from a novel viewpoint. We built structural models of mutant α-galactosidases resulting from 161 missense mutations (147 classic and 14 variant), and evaluated the influence of each replacement on the structure by calculating the numbers of atoms affected. Among them, 11 mutants, biochemically characterized, were further investigated by color imaging of the influenced atoms. In the variant group, the number of atoms influenced by amino-acid replacement was small, especially in the main chain. In 85% of the cases, less than three atoms in the main chain are influenced. In this group, small structural changes, located apart from the active site, result in destabilization of the mutant enzymes, but galactose can stabilize them. Structural changes caused by classic Fabry mutations are generally large or are located in functionally important regions. In 82% of the cases, three atoms or more in the main chain are affected. The classic group comprises dysfunctional and unstable types, and galactose is not expected to stabilize the mutant enzymes. This study demonstrated the correlation of structural changes, and clinical and biochemical phenotypes. Structural investigation is useful for elucidating the bases of Fabry disease and clinical treatment.

Structural and immunocytochemical studies on α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency (Schindler/Kanzaki disease)

Abstractα-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase (α-NAGA) deficiency (Schindler/Kanzaki disease) is a clinically and pathologically heterogeneous genetic disease with a wide spectrum including an early onset neuroaxonal dystrophy (Schindler disease) and late onset angiokeratoma corporis diffusum (Kanzaki disease). In α-NAGA deficiency, there are discrepancies between the genotype and phenotype, and also between urinary excretion products (sialyl glycoconjugates) and a theoretical accumulated material (Tn-antigen; Gal NAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) resulting from a defect in α-NAGA. As for the former issue, previously reported genetic, biochemical and pathological data raise the question whether or not E325K mutation found in Schindler disease patients really leads to the severe phenotype of α-NAGA deficiency. The latter issue leads to the question of whether α-NAGA deficiency is associated with the basic pathogenesis of this disease. To clarify the pathogenesis of this disease, we performed structural and immunocytochemical studies. The structure of human α-NAGA deduced on homology modeling is composed of two domains, domain I, including the active site, and domain II. R329W/Q, identified in patients with Kanzaki disease have been deduced to cause drastic changes at the interface between domains I and II. The structural change caused by E325K found in patients with Schindler disease is localized on the N-terminal side of the tenth β-strand in domain II and is smaller than those caused by R329W/Q. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the main lysosomal accumulated material in cultured fibroblasts from patients with Kanzaki disease is Tn-antigen. These data suggest that a prototype of α-NAGA deficiency in Kanzaki disease and factors other than the defect of α-NAGA may contribute to severe neurological disorders, and Kanzaki disease is thought to be caused by a single enzyme deficiency.

Structural and biochemical studies on Pompe disease and a “pseudodeficiency of acid α-glucosidase”

AbstractWe constructed structural models of the catalytic domain and the surrounding region of human wild-type acid α-glucosidase and the enzyme with amino acid substitutions by means of homology modeling, and examined whether the amino acid replacements caused structural and biochemical changes in the enzyme proteins. Missense mutations including p.R600C, p.S619R and p.R437C are predicted to cause apparent structural changes. Nonsense mutation of p.C103X terminates the translation of acid α-glucosidase halfway through its biosynthesis and is deduced not to allow formation of the active site pocket. The mutant proteins resulting from these missense and nonsense mutations found in patients with Pompe disease are predictably unstable and degraded quickly in cells. The structural change caused by p.G576S is predicted to be small, and cells from a subject homozygous for this amino acid substitution exhibited 15 and 11% of the normal enzyme activity levels for an artificial substrate and glycogen, respectively, and corresponding amounts of the enzyme protein on Western blotting. No accumulation of glycogen was found in organs including skeletal muscle in the subject, and thus the residual enzyme activity could protect cells from glycogen storage. On the other hand, p.E689K, which is known as a neutral polymorphism, little affected the three-dimensional structure of acid α-glucosidase. Structural study on a mutant acid α-glucosidase in silico combined with biochemical investigation is useful for understanding the molecular pathology of Pompe disease.

Binding parameters and thermodynamics of the interaction of imino sugars with a recombinant human acid α-glucosidase (alglucosidase alfa): Insight into the complex formation mechanism

BACKGROUND Recently, enzyme enhancement therapy (EET) for Pompe disease involving imino sugars, which act as potential inhibitors of acid alpha-glucosidases in vitro, to improve the stability and/or transportation of mutant acid alpha-glucosidases in cells was studied and attracted interest. However, the mechanism underlying the molecular interaction between the imino sugars and the enzyme has not been clarified yet. METHODS We examined the inhibitory and binding effects of four imino sugars on a recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase, alglucosidase alfa, by means of inhibition assaying and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Furthermore, we built structural models of complexes of the catalytic domain of the enzyme with the imino sugars bound to its active site by homology modeling, and examined the molecular interaction between them. RESULTS All of the imino sugars examined exhibited a competitive inhibitory action against the enzyme, 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) exhibiting the strongest action among them. ITC revealed that one compound molecule binds to one enzyme molecule and that DNJ most strongly binds to the enzyme among them. Structural analysis revealed that the active site of the enzyme is almost completely occupied by DNJ. CONCLUSION These biochemical and structural analyses increased our understanding of the molecular interaction between a human acid alpha-glucosidase and imino sugars.

Novel missense mutations in the human lysosomal sialidase gene in sialidosis patients and prediction of structural alterations of mutant enzymes

AbstractThree novel missense mutations in the human lysosomal sialidase gene causing amino acid substitutions (P80L, W240R, and P316S) in the coding region were identified in two Japanese sialidosis patients. One patient with a severe, congenital form of type 2 sialidosis was a compound heterozygote for 239C-to-T (P80L) and 718T-to-C (W240R). The other patient with a mild juvenile-onset phenotype (type 1) was a homozygote for the base substitution of 946C-to-T (P316S). None of these mutant cDNA products showed enzymatic activity toward an artificial substrate when coexpressed in galactosialidosis fibroblastic cells together with protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA). All mutants showed a reticular immunofluorescence distribution when coexpressed with the PPCA gene in COS-1 cells, suggesting that the gene products were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi area or rapidly degraded in the lysosomes. Homology modeling of the structural changes introduced by the mutations predicted that the P80L and P316S transversions cause large conformational changes including the active site residues responsible for binding the sialic acid carboxylate group. The W240R substitution was deduced to influence the molecular surface structure of a limited region of the constructed models, which was also influenced by previously identified V217M and G243R transversions.

Molecular and structural studies of the GM2 gangliosidosis 0 variant

AbstractTo determine the molecular basis of the GM2 gangliosidosis 0 variant, we constructed a three-dimensional structure of the human β-hexosaminidase β-subunit by homology modeling. It is composed of two domains, domains I and II, and has three disulfide bonds. C534 is located on an extra helix in domain II and forms a disulfide bond with C551. The extra helix is structurally located near domain I. C534Y, identified in a patient with the infantile form of the disease, was deduced to cause disruption of the disulfide bond, which results in a large conformational change of the extra helix, stabilizing the two domains. The drastic change in the protein structure results in a deficiency of the mature β-subunit, and deficient activities of β-hexosaminidases A (αβ) and B (ββ), followed by abundant accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in the patients cells. R505 is located on the eighth helix of domain II. R505Q, found in a patient with the chronic form of the disease, is predicted to influence the surface structure of the β-subunit, although it does not affect the active site. The amino acid substitution causes a partial processing defect and decreased enzyme activities, which result in moderate accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in the patients cells. The structural defects well reflect biochemical and phenotypic abnormalities of the disease.

Molecular Pathologies of and Enzyme Replacement Therapies for Lysosomal Diseases

Lysosomal diseases comprise a group of inherited disorders resulting from defects of lysosomal enzymes and their cofactors, and in many of them the nervous system is affected. Recently, enzyme replacement therapy with recombinant lysosomal enzymes has been clinically available for several lysosomal diseases. Such enzyme replacement therapies can improve non-neurological disorders but is not effective for neurological ones. In this review, we discuss the molecular pathologies of lysosomal diseases from the protein structural aspect, current enzyme replacement therapies, and attempts to develop enzyme replacement therapies effective for lysosomal diseases associated with neurological disorders, i.e., production of enzymes, brain-specific delivery and incorporation of lysosomal enzymes into cells.

Structural basis of the GM2 gangliosidosis B variant

AbstractTo study the structural basis of the GM2 gangliosidosis B variant, we constructed the three-dimensional structures of the human β-hexosaminidase α-subunit and the heterodimer of the α- and β-subunits, Hex A, by homology modeling. The α-subunit is composed of two domains, domains I and II. Nine mutant models due to specific missense mutations were constructed as well and compared with the wild type to determine structural defects. These nine mutations were divided into five groups according to structural defects. R178H is deduced to affect the active site directly, because R178 is important for binding to the substrate. C458Y and W420C are predicted to cause drastic structural changes in the barrel structure carrying the active site pocket. R504C/H is deduced to introduce a disruption of an essential binding with D494 in the β-subunit for dimerization. R499C/H, located in an extra-helix, is deduced to disrupt hydrogen bonds with domain I and the barrel. R170W and L484P are deduced to affect the interface between domains I and II, causing destabilization. The structural defects reflect the biochemical abnormalities of the disease.

Introduction of an N-Glycan Sequon Into HEXA Enhances Human β-Hexosaminidase Cellular Uptake in a Model of Sandhoff Disease

Human lysosomal β-hexosaminidase A is a heterodimer composed of α- and β-subunits encoded by HEXA and HEXB, respectively. We genetically introduced an additional N-glycosylation sequon into HEXA, which caused amino acid substitutions (S51 to N and A53 to T) at homologous positions to N84 and T86 in the β-subunit. The mutant HexA (NgHexA) obtained from a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line co-expressing the mutated HEXA and wild-type HEXB complementary DNAs was demonstrated to contain an additional mannose-6-phosphate (M6P)-type-N-glycan. NgHexA was more efficiently taken up than the wild-type HexA and delivered to lysosomes, where it degraded accumulated substrates including GM2 ganglioside (GM2) when administered to cultured fibroblasts derived from a Sandhoff disease (SD) patient. On intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of NgHexA to SD model mice, NgHexA more efficiently restored the HexA activity and reduced the GM2 and GA2 (asialoGM2) accumulated in neural cells of the brain parenchyma than the wild-type HexA. These findings indicate that i.c.v. administration of the modified human HexA with an additional M6P-type N-glycan is applicable for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) involving an M6P-receptor as a molecular target for HexA deficiencies including Tay-Sachs disease and SD.Human lysosomal beta-hexosaminidase A is a heterodimer composed of alpha- and beta-subunits encoded by HEXA and HEXB, respectively. We genetically introduced an additional N-glycosylation sequon into HEXA, which caused amino acid substitutions (S51 to N and A53 to T) at homologous positions to N84 and T86 in the beta-subunit. The mutant HexA (NgHexA) obtained from a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line co-expressing the mutated HEXA and wild-type HEXB complementary DNAs was demonstrated to contain an additional mannose-6-phosphate (M6P)-type-N-glycan. NgHexA was more efficiently taken up than the wild-type HexA and delivered to lysosomes, where it degraded accumulated substrates including GM2 ganglioside (GM2) when administered to cultured fibroblasts derived from a Sandhoff disease (SD) patient. On intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of NgHexA to SD model mice, NgHexA more efficiently restored the HexA activity and reduced the GM2 and GA2 (asialoGM2) accumulated in neural cells of the brain parenchyma than the wild-type HexA. These findings indicate that i.c.v. administration of the modified human HexA with an additional M6P-type N-glycan is applicable for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) involving an M6P-receptor as a molecular target for HexA deficiencies including Tay-Sachs disease and SD.

Inhibitory effects and specificity of synthetic sialyldendrimers toward recombinant human cytosolic sialidase 2 (NEU2)

Human sialidase 2 (NEU2) is a cytoplasmic sialidase that degrades sialylglycoconjugates, including glycoproteins and gangliosides, via hydrolysis of terminal sialic acids to produce asialo-type molecules. Here, we first report the inhibitory effects of a series of synthetic sialyldendrimers comprising three types [Dumbbell(1)6-S-Neu5Ac(6), Fan(0)3-S-Neu5Ac(3) and Ball(0)4-S-NeuAc(4)] toward recombinant human NEU2 in vitro. Among them, Dumbbell(1)6-S-Neu5Ac(6) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity (concentration causing 50% inhibition (IC(50)), 0.4 ∼ 0.5 mM). In addition, NeuSLac and NeuSCel carrying thiosialyltrisaccharide moieties exhibited more potent inhibitory effects than NeuSGal and NeuSGlc carrying thiosialyldisaccharides. Docking models composed of NEU2 and the thiosialyloligosaccharide suggested that the active pocket of NEU2 prefers the second galactose-β (Galβ) to the glucose-β (Glcβ) residue in the trisaccharide structure, there being a hydrogen bond between the 4-hydroxy group of the second Galβ and the side chain of the D46 residue of NEU2. The third Glcβ residues of NeuSLac and NeuSCel were also predicted to be stabilized by hydrogen bonds with the side chains of the R21, R304, D358 and Y359 residues of NEU2. NEU2 mutants (D358A and Y359A) exhibited reduced affinity for NeuSLac carrying thiosialyltrisaccharide moieties, suggesting the significant roles of D358 and Y359 residues in recognition of thiosialyltrisaccharide moieties of NeuSLac bound in the active pocket of NEU2. Thus, the present sialyldendrimers could be utilized not only as a new class of NEU2 inhibitors but also as molecular probes for evaluating the biological functions of NEU2, including the catalytic activity and mechanism as to natural substrates carrying sialyloligosaccharides.