An in vitro method for preparing functional glucocorticoid receptor (GR)•hsp90 protein complexes from purified proteins and cellular lysates is described. The method utilizes immunoadsorption of recombinant GR followed by salt-stripping and protein complex reconstitution. The importance of cofactors and buffer conditions are discussed, as are potential method applications.
Hsp90 is an essential and highly abundant molecular chaperone protein that has been found to regulate more than 150 eukaryotic signaling proteins, including transcription factors (e.g. nuclear receptors, p53) and protein kinases (e.g. Src, Raf, Akt kinase) involved in cell cycling, tumorigenesis, apoptosis, and multiple eukaryotic signaling pathways 1,2. Of these many ‘client’ proteins for hsp90, the assembly of steroid receptor•hsp90 complexes is the best defined (Figure 1). We present here an adaptable glucocorticoid receptor (GR) immunoprecipitation assay and in vitro GR•hsp90 reconstitution method that may be readily used to probe eukaryotic hsp90 functional activity, hsp90-mediated steroid receptor ligand binding, and molecular chaperone cofactor requirements. For example, this assay can be used to test hsp90 cofactor requirements and the effects of adding exogenous compounds to the reconstitution process.
The GR has been a particularly useful system for studying hsp90 because the receptor must be bound to hsp90 to have an open ligand binding cleft that is accessible to steroid 3. Endogenous, unliganded GR is present in the cytoplasm of mammalian cells noncovalently bound to hsp90. As found in the endogenous GR•hsp90 heterocomplex, the GR ligand binding cleft is open and capable of binding steroid. If hsp90 dissociates from the GR or if its function is inhibited, the receptor is unable to bind steroid and requires reconstitution of the GR•hsp90 heterocomplex before steroid binding activity is restored 4 . GR can be immunoprecipitated from cell cytosol using a monoclonal antibody, and proteins such as hsp90 complexed to the GR can be assayed by western blot. Steroid binding activity of the immunoprecipitated GR can be determined by incubating the immunopellet with [3H]steroid.
Previous experiments have shown hsp90-mediated opening of the GR ligand binding cleft requires hsp70, a second molecular chaperone also essential for eukaryotic cell viability. Biochemical activity of hsp90 and hsp70 are catalyzed by co-chaperone proteins Hop, hsp40, and p23 5. A multiprotein chaperone machinery containing hsp90, hsp70, Hop, and hsp40 are endogenously present in eukaryotic cell cytoplasm, and reticulocyte lysate provides a chaperone-rich protein source 6.
In the method presented, GR is immunoadsorbed from cell cytosol and stripped of the endogenous hsp90/hsp70 chaperone machinery using mild salt conditions. The salt-stripped GR is then incubated with reticulocyte lysate, ATP, and K+, which results in the reconstitution of the GR•hsp90 heterocomplex and reactivation of steroid binding activity 7. This method can be utilized to test the effects of various chaperone cofactors, novel proteins, and experimental hsp90 or GR inhibitors in order to determine their functional significance on hsp90-mediated steroid binding 8-11.
The assay described above can be adapted to test a myriad of conditions affecting the chaperone actions of the hsp90/hsp70-based chaperone machinery as well as GR steroid binding. It is a modification of previously reported methods 4,8,9,17 and is designed to take advantage of recent advances in electrophoresis technology and be accessible to a broader research community. Additional cofactors or proteins of interest may be added to the GR•hsp90 heterocomplex reconstitution mixture, described in Step 4 of…
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was funded by National Institutes of Health grant GM086822, Hope Heart Institute Basic Sciences award, and the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust College Science Research Program. Select electrophoresis reagents and image analysis software were generously provided by Bio-Rad.
Name of the reagent | Company | Catalogue number | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Sf9 insect cells | Invitrogen | for baculovirus expression of recombinant mouse GR | |
L929 cells | ATCC | CRL-2173 | for endogenous mouse GR cytosol preparation (alternative to baculovirus expression) |
FiGR hybridoma cells | ATCC | CRL-2173 | for preparing ascites containing anti-GR monoclonal antibody (alternative to purified BuGR2 antibody) |
Complete-Mini protease inhibitor, EDTA-free | Roche Applied Science | 11836170001 | |
protein A-Sepharose | Sigma-Aldrich | P3391 | |
rabbit reticulocyte lysate | Green Hectares (Oregon, WI) | rich source of endogenous hsp90/hsp70 chaperone machinery | |
creatine phosphokinase | Sigma-Aldrich | C3755 | for ATP-regenerating system |
phosphocreatine | Sigma-Aldrich | P7936 | for ATP-regenerating system |
anti-GR mouse monoclonal antibody (BuGR2) | Pierce/Thermo Scientific | MA1-510 | used for GR immunoadsorption and as primary antibody in western blotting |
anti-hsp90 mouse monoclonal antibody (AC88) | Enzo Life Sciences | ADI-SPA-830 | used as primary antibody in western blotting |
anti-hsp70 mouse monoclonal antibody (N27F3-4) | Enzo Life Sciences | ADI-SPA-820 | used as primary antibody in western blotting |
IgG from mouse serum | Sigma-Aldrich | 038K7690 | used as nonimmune antibody for negative control of immunoadsorption |
anti-mouse IgG-peroxidase conjugate | Sigma-Aldrich | A4416 | used as secondary antibody in western blotting |
Experion microfluidic electrophoresis system | Bio-Rad | 7007001 | alternative to conventional SDS-PAGE |
[1,2,4,6,7-3H] dexamethasone | PerkinElmer | NET1192001MC | follow safety precautions |