Dysferlin-peptides reallocate mutated dysferlin thereby restoring function

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e49603. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049603. Epub 2012 Nov 20.

Abstract

Mutations in the dysferlin gene cause the most frequent adult-onset limb girdle muscular dystrophy, LGMD2B. There is no therapy. Dysferlin is a membrane protein comprised of seven, beta-sheet enriched, C2 domains and is involved in Ca(2+)dependent sarcolemmal repair after minute wounding. On the protein level, point mutations in DYSF lead to misfolding, aggregation within the endoplasmic reticulum, and amyloidogenesis. We aimed to restore functionality by relocating mutant dysferlin. Therefore, we designed short peptides derived from dysferlin itself and labeled them to the cell penetrating peptide TAT. By tracking fluorescently labeled short peptides we show that these dysferlin-peptides localize in the endoplasmic reticulum. There, they are capable of reducing unfolded protein response stress. We demonstrate that the mutant dysferlin regains function in membrane repair in primary human myotubes derived from patients' myoblasts by the laser wounding assay and a novel technique to investigate membrane repair: the interventional atomic force microscopy. Mutant dysferlin abuts to the sarcolemma after peptide treatment. The peptide-mediated approach has not been taken before in the field of muscular dystrophies. Our results could redirect treatment efforts for this condition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Biopsy / methods
  • Calcium / chemistry
  • Dysferlin
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Lasers
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force / methods
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics*
  • Muscle Proteins / physiology*
  • Mutation*
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Myoblasts / cytology
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Unfolded Protein Response

Substances

  • Amyloidogenic Proteins
  • DYSF protein, human
  • Dysf protein, mouse
  • Dysferlin
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Calcium

Grants and funding

Dr. Verena Schoewel received a stipend from the Clinical Education Program (KAP) of the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin. This work was funded by the German Research Foundation (KFO192, Sp 1152/8-2; GK1631 MyoGrad) and the Jain Foundation (www.jain-foundation.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.