Biology subjects

Hazra, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Hazra, T..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A Toxic Tau-PFKFB3 Circuit Reduces F2,6BP Levels and Drives Neurodegeneration

Alzheimers disease (AD) and related dementias are progressive neurodegenerative disorders manifested by aggregation of Tau and Amyloid beta (A{beta}). Emerging evidence suggests that metabolic dysregulation contributes to AD pathogenesis, yet how metabolic alterations interface with neuronal integrity remains unclear. Here, we identify dysfunction in PFKFB3-F2,6BP (fructose-2,6-bisphosphate) metabolic axis as a key feature of AD. We show that pathological Tau aggregates aberrantly sequester PFKFB3, limiting its activity and resulting in F2,6BP depletion. F2,6BP exerts protective effects through multiple convergent mechanisms: (i) direct activation of polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP) to facilitate DNA strand break repair; (ii) transcriptional upregulation of the protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2CA) to limit Tau phosphorylation; (iii) stabilization of PFKFB3 to diminish its sequestration into aggregates; and (iv) direct inhibition of Tau aggregation. These findings establish F2,6BP as a central node linking metabolic regulation to both genomic stability and proteostasis in AD. Importantly, exogenous F2,6BP supplementation rescues multiple pathological features across diverse model systems, including induced neuronal cell lines (iN), primary neurons, organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, and in a Drosophila model of AD. These findings redefine F2,6BP as a metabolite that directly coordinates genome maintenance and proteostasis in neurons. Overall, this study identifies the PFKFB3-F2,6BP axis as a central driver of AD pathogenesis and a promising therapeutic target. HighlightsO_LITau aggregates sequester PFKFB3 depletes neuronal F2,6BP C_LIO_LIF2,6BP links metabolism to DNA repair and Tau proteostasis C_LIO_LIF2,6BP activates PNKP and upregulates PP2A to counter Tau pathology C_LIO_LIF2,6BP supplementation rescues AD phenotypes across models C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate restores TDP-43 pathology-driven genome repair deficiency in motor neuron diseases

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathy plays a critical role in neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We recently reported that TDP-43 plays an essential role in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair via the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway. Here, we provide evidence that the brain of patients with ALS exhibit persistent DNA damage in the transcribed regions of the genome. While investigating the mechanistic basis, we found that the activity of polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP) was severely impaired in the nuclear extracts of patient brains and TDP-43-depleted cells. PNKP is a key player in DSB repair within the transcribed genome, where its 3-phosphate termini processing activity is crucial for preventing persistent DNA strand breaks and neuronal death. The inactivation of PNKP was due to the reduced level of its interacting partner, phosphofructo-2-kinase fructose 2,6 bisphosphatase (PFKFB3), and its biosynthetic product, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), an allosteric modulator of glycolysis. Recently, we have demonstrated that F2,6BP acts as a positive modulator of PNKP activity in vivo. Furthermore, F2,6BP supplementation in cultured ALS patient-derived neural progenitor stem cells (NPSCs) reduced the toxic aggregation of polyubiquitinated TDP-43 and cytosolic pTDP-43 (S409/410). Notably, F2,6BP supplementation restored the PNKP activity in the nuclear extracts from autopsied ALS/FTD brain tissues and patient iPSC-derived NPSCs harboring TDP-43 mutations. Importantly, F2,6BP administration significantly restored the genome integrity and motor phenotypes in a Drosophila model of ALS-TDP-43. Collectively, these findings underscore the therapeutic potential of F2,6BP in TDP-43 pathology-associated motor neuron diseases.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

F2,6BP restores mitochondrial genome integrity in Huntingtons Disease

Several reports have indicated that impaired mitochondrial function contributes to the development and progression of Huntingtons disease (HD). Mitochondrial genome damage, particularly DNA strand breaks, is a potential cause for its compromised functionality. Here we show that the activity of polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP), a critical DNA end-processing enzyme, is significantly decreased in the mitochondrial extract of HD patients brains due to a lower level of fructose-2,6 bisphosphate (F2,6BP), a biosynthetic product of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3). Such decrease in PNKP activity leads to persistent DNA strand breaks that are refractory to subsequent steps for repair completion. Both PFKFB3 and F2,6BP, an allosteric modulator of glycolysis, are also present in the mitochondria and PFKFB3 is part of a mitochondrial DNA repair complex containing HTT, PNKP, DNA Pol {gamma} (POLG) and Lig III. Notably, PNKP binds F2,6BP (Kd= 525{+/-}25 nM) and utilizes it as a cofactor. The levels of both F2,6BP and PFKFB3 are significantly decreased in the mitochondrial extract of HD mouse striatal neuronal cells and patients brain. Activity of PNKP is thus severely decreased in the mitochondrial extract; however, addition of F2,6BP restored its activity. Moreover, supplementation of F2,6BP in HD cells restored PFKFB3 level, mitochondrial genome integrity and partially restored mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial respiration and prevented pathogenic aggregate formation. We also observed that supplementation with F2,6BP restored mitochondrial genome integrity in an HD Drosophila model. Our findings, therefore, suggest that F2,6BP-mediated restoration of PNKP activity could have a profound impact in ameliorating neurodegenerative symptoms in HD. SignificanceWe reported earlier the loss of PNKP activity in the nuclear extracts from HD patients brain. However, a glycolytic metabolite, F2,6BP, can restore PNKP activity and rescue organismal phenotypes in HD fly models. As PNKP is present in mitochondria and several reports indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to HD, we therefore analyzed PNKP activity in the mitochondrial extract. Surprisingly, we found that PFKFB3 and its product, F2,6BP are present in mitochondria, but significantly low in patients brains. Exogenous addition of F2,6BP restored PNKP activity in patients brain mitochondrial extract. Moreover, supplementing F2,6BP in HD cells and fruit flies restored mitochondrial genome integrity suggesting maintaining adequate intracellular F2,6BP levels is critical for proper functionality of PNKP and thereby of brain health.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

A glycolytic metabolite restores DNA repair activity of polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase in polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases

Huntingtons disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) are the two most prevalent polyglutamine (polyQ) neurodegenerative diseases, caused by CAG (encoding glutamine) repeat expansion in the coding region of the huntingtin (HTT) and ataxin-3 (ATXN3) proteins, respectively. We have earlier reported that the activity, but not the protein level, of an essential DNA repair enzyme, polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP), is severely abrogated in both HD and SCA3 resulting in accumulation of double-strand breaks in patients brain genome. While investigating the mechanistic basis for the loss of PNKP activity and accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks leading to neuronal death, we observed that PNKP interacts with the nuclear isoform of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3). Depletion of PFKFB3 markedly abrogates PNKP activity without changing its protein level. Notably, the levels of both PFKFB3 and its product fructose-2,6 bisphosphate (F2,6BP), an allosteric modulator of glycolysis, are significantly lower in the nuclear extracts of post-mortem brain tissues of HD and SCA3 patients. Supplementation of F2,6BP restored PNKP activity in the nuclear extracts of patients brain. Moreover, intracellular delivery of F2,6BP restored both the activity of PNKP and the integrity of transcribed genome in neuronal cells derived from striatum of HD mouse. Importantly, supplementing F2,6BP rescued the HD phenotype in Drosophila, suggesting F2,6BP to serve in vivo as a cofactor for the proper functionality of PNKP and thereby, of brain health. Our results thus provide a compelling rationale for exploring the therapeutic use of F2,6BP and structurally related compounds for treating polyQ diseases. SignificanceTo unravel the biological basis for the loss of PNKP activity in HD and SCA3, the two most prevalent polyglutamine neurodegenerative disorders, we analyzed PNKP interactome and found that the nuclear isoform of a glycolytic enzyme PFKFB3 associated with PNKP and other repair proteins forming a multiprotein complex. Surprisingly, we found that PFKFB3 and its biosynthetic product, F2,6BP are significantly low in the affected region of patients brain. Exogenous addition of F2,6BP restored PNKP activity in patients brain nuclear extract. Moreover, supplementing F2,6BP in HD cells and fruit flies restored genome integrity and rescued the disease symptoms. While there is no curative therapy for HD/SCA3, except symptom management, our discovery suggests that F2,6BP supplementation would be a promising therapeutic option.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2023

Site-specific acetylation of polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP) regulates its distinct role in DNA repair pathways

Mammalian polynucleotide kinase 3-phosphatase (PNKP) is a dual-function DNA end-processing enzyme with 3-phosphatase and 5-kinase activities, which generate 3-OH and 5-phosphate termini respectively, as substrates for DNA polymerase and DNA ligase to complete DNA repair. PNKP is thus involved in multiple DNA repair pathways, including base excision (BER), single-strand break (SSBR), and double-strand break repair (DSBR). However, little is known as to how PNKP functions in such diverse repair processes, which involve distinct sets of proteins. In this study, we report that PNKP is acetylated at two lysine (K142 and K226) residues. While K142 (AcK142) is constitutively acetylated by p300, CBP acetylates K226 (AcK226) only after DSB induction. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis using antibodies specific for PNKP peptides containing AcK142 or AcK226 of PNKP showed that AcK142-PNKP associates only with BER/SSBR, and AcK226 PNKP only with DSBR proteins. Although acetylation at these residues did not significantly affect the enzymatic activity of PNKP in vitro, cells expressing non-acetylable PNKP (K142R or K226R) accumulated DNA damage, specifically in transcribed genes. Intriguingly, in striatal neuronal cells of a Huntingtons Disease (HD)-based mouse model, K142, but not K226, was acetylated. This observation is consistent with the reported degradation of CBP but not p300 in HD cells. Moreover, genomes of HD cells progressively accumulated DSBs specifically in the transcribed genes. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis using anti-AcK142 or anti-AcK226 antibodies demonstrated an association of Ac-PNKP with the transcribed genes, consistent with PNKPs role in transcription-coupled repair. Thus, our findings collectively demonstrate that acetylation at two lysine residues located in different domains of PNKP regulates its functionally distinct role in BER/SSBR vs. DSBR.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

DNA glycosylase NEIL2 prevents Fusobacterium-mediated inflammation and DNA damage in colonic epithelial cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent and deadly cancer. Approximately, 15-20 % of CRCs display microsatellite instability (MSI); however, the majority (80-85%) of cases are sporadic and known as microsatellite stable (MSS). Several recent studies indicated that infection and uncontrolled inflammation initiate DNA damage and lead to cancer progression. One of the major microbes, Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is highly associated with CRC, but the role of DNA repair in microbe-associated CRC has been largely unknown. Here we show that NEIL2, an oxidized base-specific DNA glycosylase, is significantly downregulated among all the key DNA repair proteins involved in various DNA repair pathways, after infection of Fn with stem-cell-based enteroid-derived monolayers (EDMs) of murine and human healthy subjects. Furthermore, following Fn infection, NEIL2-null mouse-derived EDMs showed significantly higher level of DNA damage, including double strand breaks, and inflammatory cytokines.. Murine CRC model also showed downregulation of the NEIL2 transcript and accumulation of DNA damage. Importantly, analysis of publicly available transcriptomic data showed that the downregulation of NEIL2 is specific for MSS compared to MSI CRCs. We thus conclude that the pathogenic bacterial infection-induced downregulation of NEIL2, and consequent accumulation of DNA damage, play critical roles in the progression of CRC.

immunology↗