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of unlabeled cisplatin, a second equivalent of 15N-labeled
cisplatin was added. After an additional 24 h (and up to
several days of incubation) there is no evidence of 15NH3
by cysteines, we propose that the complex that translocates
bears the ammine groups.
The lack of charge translocation following mutation of the
catalytic Asp1044 of ATP7A or the CXXC motif in the 6th
NMBD of ATP7B clearly demonstrates that the Pt-related
charge movement is dependent on formation of a phosphory-
lated intermediate, as well as conformational adjustments
analogous to those required for Cu-related charge transloca-
tion.
The presence of both Cu and Pt in the buffer solution
abolishes charge movements, indicating that simultaneous
occupancy of activating sites by the two metal ions prevents
catalytic activation, as has been previously observed.[11]
Interestingly, the use of a Cu chelator (BCS) partially restores
charge movement, thus demonstrating direct involvement of
the Pt drug.
Copper binding to CXXC motifs of NMBDs triggers
protein conformational changes that weaken the interactions
between the N-terminus and the ATP-binding domain, and
favor catalytic phosphorylation.[12] Based on the NMR experi-
ments performed with 15N-labeled cisplatin, we propose the
mechanism depicted at the top of Figure 4 for the reaction of
cisplatin with one such NMBD. The drug initially forms
a monodentate adduct ({Pt(NH3)2Cl}+-Mnk1) with the pro-
tein. This is an early adduct that may be relevant for Pt-
related charge translocation. On a longer timescale, Pt
releases the second chloride while keeping the two ammines,
thus forming the chelate adduct ({Pt(NH3)2}2+-Mnk1). Once
the chelate adduct is formed, no Pt exchange can occur at the
CXXC motif at a detectable rate.
At variance with what occurs with the MXXM motifs of
CTR1,[13] the S atoms of cysteines do not labilize the ammine
ligands of the Pt drug that are trans to them. This surprising
difference was already noted in a previous paper from our
group reporting the interaction of Pt drugs with Atox1, which
is structurally similar to Mnk1.[14] It is possible that the protein
exerts a protective effect, as witnessed by the strong shielding
in the 1H dimension of the cross peaks of the cisplatin-Mnk1
adducts. Cisplatin is able to readily displace Cu+ bound to the
CXXC motif and coordinates directly in a chelating fashion,
however the displaced Cu ion destabilizes the Pt-Mnk1
structure. An analogous unfolding behavior has previously
been observed for the structurally similar Atox1.[15]
1
signals trans to the S atoms, and the H,13C-HSQC spectrum
of the protein is not further perturbed, which indicates that no
exchange occurs between the second equivalent of cisplatin
and the Pt already chelated by the two Cys residues of Mnk1
in the chelate adduct ({Pt(NH3)2}2+-Mnk1). Since in the
cytosol there is a relevant concentration of glutathione (GSH,
ca. 5 mm), we wanted to explore if the reaction between
cisplatin and apoMnk1 would take place also in the presence
of (10 fold) excess GSH. Results showed that Mnk1 competes
successfully with GSH for complexation to platinum (Fig-
ure S5).
One equivalent of 15N-labeled cisplatin was added to
preformed Cu+-Mnk1 adduct. Both ESI-MS (Figure S6) and
NMR measurements (Figure 4d–f) indicate that the Pt drug
can bind to Cu+-Mnk1, as found for the apoprotein, but in the
case of the holoprotein there is no evidence of monodentate
adduct formation. Instead, the chelate adduct (both 15NH3
trans to S atoms) is already formed after 3 h of incubation,
thus indicating that Cu+ can catalyze Pt drug chelation by two
Cys residues with a complete loss of chlorido ligands. Notably,
the chemical shifts of the ammine ligands of cisplatin are the
same as those observed in the former experiment with
apoMnk1 after 24 h incubation. Also the 1H,13C-HSQC
spectrum of 15N,13C-Cys Cu+-Mnk1, after 3 h of incubation
with cisplatin, shows a great decrease in intensity of the
signals of the holoprotein, while the signals of {Pt(NH3)2}2+-
Mnk1 appear (compare Figure S3E with Figure S3D,C),
clearly indicating that cisplatin can displace Cu+ bound to
CXXC motifs, thus potentially interfering with cellular Cu
homeostasis. Furthermore, after 24 h of incubation, a remark-
able reduction in the intensity of 15NH3 and 15N,13C-Cys Mnk1
signals (Figure 4 f; see also Figure S3F) is observed, accom-
panied by the coalescence of amide signals in the middle of
1
the H,15N-HSQC spectrum, a typical sign of protein unfold-
ing (Figure S7). Notably, the {Pt(NH3)2}2+-Mnk1 chelate
adduct alone unfolds at a much slower rate (Figures S3C
and S7C), thus indicating that the Cu+ ion displaced by
cisplatin promotes protein unfolding.
Taken together, our measurements clearly support ATP-
induced Pt-related charge translocation in ATP7A/B. The
charge translocation occurs with rates analogous to that of Cu
in the case of aquated cisplatin or oxaliplatin. Numerical
integration of the ATP-induced current transients in the
presence of CuCl2 or Pt complex yields similar values for the
translocated charge (Figure 2, black and red columns), thus
indicating that an equal amount of positive charge is displaced
by ATP7A/B upon ATP utilization within a single catalytic
cycle. Analysis of bacterial Cu-ATPase, that is CopA from A.
fulgidus[9] and L. pneumophila,[10] suggested that the transport
stoichiometry could probably be two Cu+ ions per hydrolyzed
ATP. Thus, assuming the same stoichiometry (2Cu+ per ATP)
in the case of human ATP7A/B, our measurements indicate
that one Pt species bearing two positive charges, or two Pt
species bearing a single positive charge, is/are translocated
following utilization of one ATP molecule. Based on the
stability of the ammine groups, which are not trans-labilized
In conclusion, our studies show that cisplatin and oxali-
platin can activate the catalytic cycle of ATP7A/B, leading to
charge movement. Cisplatin can react with the ATPase N-
terminal extension, initially forming quite long-lasting mono-
dentate adducts, which then evolve into stable and unreactive
chelate adducts. It is likely that translocation by ATPases (at
short incubation times) and sequestration in the N-terminal
extension (at long incubation times) may contribute to
cisplatin resistance in vivo, with the predominance of either
phenomenon depending on dosage and time of administra-
tion. Resistance would be certainly higher under conditions of
ATPase protein overexpression.
Received: September 2, 2013
Revised: October 10, 2013
Published online: December 27, 2013
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Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 1297 –1301