Role of mutations in the cellular internalization of amyloidogenic light chains into cardiomyocytes

Sci Rep. 2013:3:1278. doi: 10.1038/srep01278.

Abstract

Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by the misfolding of immunoglobulin light chains, accumulating as amyloid fibrils in vital organs. Multiple reports have indicated that amyloidogenic light chains internalize into a variety of cell types, but these studies used urine-derived proteins without indicating any protein sequence information. As a result, the role of somatic mutations in amyloidogenic protein internalization has not been yet studied. We characterized the internalization of AL-09, an AL amyloidosis protein into mouse cardiomyocytes. We also characterized the internalization of the germline protein κI O18/O8, devoid of somatic mutations, and three AL-09 restorative mutations (I34N, Q42K, and H87Y) previously characterized for their role in protein structure, stability, and amyloid formation kinetics. All proteins shared a common internalization pathway into lysosomal compartments. The proteins caused different degrees of lysosomal expansion. Oregon green (OG) labeled AL-09 showed the most rapid internalization, while OG-Q42K presented the slowest rate of internalization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / genetics
  • Amyloidogenic Proteins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Carboxylic Acids / chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / metabolism
  • Lysosomes / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / cytology
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary

Substances

  • Amyloidogenic Proteins
  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Oregon Green 488 carboxylic acid

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF490909
  • GENBANK/EF640313