Molecular interpretation of ACTH-β-endorphin coaggregation: relevance to secretory granule biogenesis

PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e31924. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031924. Epub 2012 Mar 5.

Abstract

Peptide/protein hormones could be stored as non-toxic amyloid-like structures in pituitary secretory granules. ACTH and β-endorphin are two of the important peptide hormones that get co-stored in the pituitary secretory granules. Here, we study molecular interactions between ACTH and β-endorphin and their colocalization in the form of amyloid aggregates. Although ACTH is known to be a part of ACTH-β-endorphin aggregate, ACTH alone cannot aggregate into amyloid under various plausible conditions. Using all atom molecular dynamics simulation we investigate the early molecular interaction events in the ACTH-β-endorphin system, β-endorphin-only system and ACTH-only system. We find that β-endorphin and ACTH formed an interacting unit, whereas negligible interactions were observed between ACTH molecules in ACTH-only system. Our data suggest that ACTH is not only involved in interaction with β-endorphin but also enhances the stability of mixed oligomers of the entire system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / chemistry*
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Computational Biology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Pituitary Gland / cytology
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Protein Stability
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Protein Transport
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Secretory Vesicles / metabolism*
  • beta-Endorphin / chemistry*
  • beta-Endorphin / metabolism

Substances

  • Peptide Fragments
  • beta-Endorphin
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone