Restoration of nuclear-import failure caused by triple A syndrome and oxidative stress

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Oct 3;374(4):631-4. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.07.088. Epub 2008 Jul 26.

Abstract

Triple A syndrome is an autosomal recessive neurological disease, mimicking motor neuron disease, and is caused by mutant ALADIN, a nuclear-pore complex component. We recently discovered that the pathogenesis involved impaired nuclear import of DNA repair proteins, including DNA ligase I and the cerebellar ataxia causative protein aprataxin. Such impairment was overcome by fusing classical nuclear localization signal (NLS) and 137-aa downstream sequence of XRCC1, designated stretched NLS (stNLS). We report here that the minimum essential sequence of stNLS (mstNLS) is residues 239-276, downsized by more than 100 aa. mstNLS enabled efficient nuclear import of DNA repair proteins in patient fibroblasts, functioned under oxidative stress, and reduced oxidative-stress-induced cell death, more effectively than stNLS. The stress-tolerability of mstNLS was also exerted in control fibroblasts and neuroblastoma cells. These findings may help develop treatments for currently intractable triple A syndrome and other oxidative-stress-related neurological diseases, and contribute to nuclear compartmentalization study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Adrenal Insufficiency / metabolism*
  • Adrenal Insufficiency / therapy
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA Ligase ATP
  • DNA Ligases / genetics
  • DNA Ligases / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Dry Eye Syndromes / metabolism*
  • Dry Eye Syndromes / therapy
  • Esophageal Achalasia / metabolism*
  • Esophageal Achalasia / therapy
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Localization Signals* / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Syndrome
  • X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1

Substances

  • APTX protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • LIG1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Localization Signals
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1
  • XRCC1 protein, human
  • DNA Ligases
  • DNA Ligase ATP