Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity

Unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in cells under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. One sensor protein involved in this response is PERK, which is activated through its redox-dependent oligomerization. Prolonged UPR activation is associated with the development and progression of various...

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Main Authors: Shin Koike, Hideo Kimura, Yuki Ogasawara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Redox Biology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231724004282
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author Shin Koike
Hideo Kimura
Yuki Ogasawara
author_facet Shin Koike
Hideo Kimura
Yuki Ogasawara
author_sort Shin Koike
collection DOAJ
description Unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in cells under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. One sensor protein involved in this response is PERK, which is activated through its redox-dependent oligomerization. Prolonged UPR activation is associated with the development and progression of various diseases, making it essential to understanding the redox regulation of PERK. Sulfane sulfur, such as polysulfides and persulfides, can modify the cysteine residues and regulate the function of various proteins. However, the regulatory mechanism and physiological effects of sulfane sulfur on the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway remain poorly understood. This study focuses on the persulfidation of PERK to elucidate the effects of polysulfides on the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway and investigate its cytoprotective mechanism. Here, we demonstrated that polysulfide treatment promoted the oligomerization of PERK and PTP1B in neuronal cells using western blotting under nonreducing conditions. We also observed that l-cysteine, a biological source of sulfane sulfur, promoted the oligomerization of PERK and the knockdown of CBS and 3-MST, two sulfane sulfur-producing enzymes, and reduced PERK oligomerization induced by l-cysteine treatment. Furthermore, the band shift assay and LC–MS/MS studies revealed that polysulfides and persulfides induce PTP1B and PERK persulfidation. Additionally, polysulfides promoted eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 accumulation in the nucleus, suggesting that polysulfides activate the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway in neuronal cells. Moreover, polysulfides protected neuronal cells from methylglyoxal-induced toxicity, and this protective effect was reduced when the expression of Sestrin2, regulated by ATF4 activity, was suppressed. This study identified a novel mechanism for the activation of the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway through persulfidation by polysulfides and persulfides. Interestingly, activation of this pathway overcame the toxicity of methylglyoxal in dependence on Sestrin2 expression. These findings deepen our understanding of neuronal diseases involving ER stress and UPR disturbance and may inspire new therapeutic strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-e03d6b42fde447f5ac7b3282d752e83f2025-01-14T04:12:06ZengElsevierRedox Biology2213-23172025-02-0179103450Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicityShin Koike0Hideo Kimura1Yuki Ogasawara2Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, 2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose, Tokyo, 204-8588, JapanDepartment of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sanyo-Onoda City University, 1-1-1 Daigaku-Dori, Sanyo-Onoda 756-0884, Yamaguchi, JapanDepartment of Analytical Biochemistry, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, 2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose, Tokyo, 204-8588, Japan; Corresponding author.Unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated in cells under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. One sensor protein involved in this response is PERK, which is activated through its redox-dependent oligomerization. Prolonged UPR activation is associated with the development and progression of various diseases, making it essential to understanding the redox regulation of PERK. Sulfane sulfur, such as polysulfides and persulfides, can modify the cysteine residues and regulate the function of various proteins. However, the regulatory mechanism and physiological effects of sulfane sulfur on the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway remain poorly understood. This study focuses on the persulfidation of PERK to elucidate the effects of polysulfides on the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway and investigate its cytoprotective mechanism. Here, we demonstrated that polysulfide treatment promoted the oligomerization of PERK and PTP1B in neuronal cells using western blotting under nonreducing conditions. We also observed that l-cysteine, a biological source of sulfane sulfur, promoted the oligomerization of PERK and the knockdown of CBS and 3-MST, two sulfane sulfur-producing enzymes, and reduced PERK oligomerization induced by l-cysteine treatment. Furthermore, the band shift assay and LC–MS/MS studies revealed that polysulfides and persulfides induce PTP1B and PERK persulfidation. Additionally, polysulfides promoted eIF2α phosphorylation and ATF4 accumulation in the nucleus, suggesting that polysulfides activate the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway in neuronal cells. Moreover, polysulfides protected neuronal cells from methylglyoxal-induced toxicity, and this protective effect was reduced when the expression of Sestrin2, regulated by ATF4 activity, was suppressed. This study identified a novel mechanism for the activation of the PERK–eIF2α–ATF4 pathway through persulfidation by polysulfides and persulfides. Interestingly, activation of this pathway overcame the toxicity of methylglyoxal in dependence on Sestrin2 expression. These findings deepen our understanding of neuronal diseases involving ER stress and UPR disturbance and may inspire new therapeutic strategies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231724004282UPR pathwayPolysulfidePersulfideSestrin2Methylglyoxal
spellingShingle Shin Koike
Hideo Kimura
Yuki Ogasawara
Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
Redox Biology
UPR pathway
Polysulfide
Persulfide
Sestrin2
Methylglyoxal
title Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
title_full Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
title_fullStr Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
title_full_unstemmed Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
title_short Polysulfide and persulfide-mediated activation of the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway increases Sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
title_sort polysulfide and persulfide mediated activation of the perk eif2α atf4 pathway increases sestrin2 expression and reduces methylglyoxal toxicity
topic UPR pathway
Polysulfide
Persulfide
Sestrin2
Methylglyoxal
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231724004282
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AT hideokimura polysulfideandpersulfidemediatedactivationoftheperkeif2aatf4pathwayincreasessestrin2expressionandreducesmethylglyoxaltoxicity
AT yukiogasawara polysulfideandpersulfidemediatedactivationoftheperkeif2aatf4pathwayincreasessestrin2expressionandreducesmethylglyoxaltoxicity