Cell membrane penetrating function of the nuclear localization sequence in human cytokine IL-1α

Mol Biol Rep. 2014 Dec;41(12):8117-26. doi: 10.1007/s11033-014-3711-7. Epub 2014 Sep 10.

Abstract

Cytokines are released from the cell, bind to their receptors, and affect cellular responses. The precursor form of interleukin 1 alpha (pIL-1α) has a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that causes it to be localized to the nucleus and regulate specific gene expression. The amino acids of the NLS are basic amino acid-rich sequences, as is the cell penetrating peptide (CPP), which has been widely studied as a way to deliver macromolecules into cells. Here, we hypothesized that the NLS in pIL-1α (pIL-1αNLS) can penetrate the cell membrane and it could deliver macromolecules such as protein in vivo. We characterized cell membrane penetration ability of pIL-1αNLS or its tandem repeated form (2pIL-1αNLS) to enhance its intracellular delivery efficiency. 2pIL-1αNLS showed comparable protein delivery efficiency to TAT-CPP and it mediates endocytosis following heparan sulfate interaction. 2pIL-1αNLS conjugated enhanced green fluorescence protein was localized to the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Intra-peritoneal administration of 2pIL-1αNLS conjugated dTomato protein showed remarkable in vivo intracellular delivery efficiency in various tissues including spleen, liver, and intestine in mice. Moreover, cytotoxicity of 2pIL-1αNLS was not observed even at 100 μM. Our results demonstrate cell membrane-penetrating function of NLS in pIL-1α, which can be used as a safe therapeutic macromolecular delivery peptide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / chemistry
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / genetics
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / metabolism*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-1alpha / chemistry*
  • Interleukin-1alpha / genetics
  • Interleukin-1alpha / metabolism*
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Mice
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / chemistry
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / genetics
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / metabolism*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • IL1A protein, human
  • Interleukin-1alpha
  • Nuclear Localization Signals
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus