Ceruloplasmin: macromolecular assemblies with iron-containing acute phase proteins

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 3;8(7):e67145. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067145. Print 2013.

Abstract

Copper-containing ferroxidase ceruloplasmin (Cp) forms binary and ternary complexes with cationic proteins lactoferrin (Lf) and myeloperoxidase (Mpo) during inflammation. We present an X-ray crystal structure of a 2Cp-Mpo complex at 4.7 Å resolution. This structure allows one to identify major protein-protein interaction areas and provides an explanation for a competitive inhibition of Mpo by Cp and for the activation of p-phenylenediamine oxidation by Mpo. Small angle X-ray scattering was employed to construct low-resolution models of the Cp-Lf complex and, for the first time, of the ternary 2Cp-2Lf-Mpo complex in solution. The SAXS-based model of Cp-Lf supports the predicted 1:1 stoichiometry of the complex and demonstrates that both lobes of Lf contact domains 1 and 6 of Cp. The 2Cp-2Lf-Mpo SAXS model reveals the absence of interaction between Mpo and Lf in the ternary complex, so Cp can serve as a mediator of protein interactions in complex architecture. Mpo protects antioxidant properties of Cp by isolating its sensitive loop from proteases. The latter is important for incorporation of Fe(3+) into Lf, which activates ferroxidase activity of Cp and precludes oxidation of Cp substrates. Our models provide the structural basis for possible regulatory role of these complexes in preventing iron-induced oxidative damage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute-Phase Proteins / chemistry
  • Acute-Phase Proteins / metabolism
  • Ceruloplasmin / chemistry*
  • Ceruloplasmin / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Humans
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Lactoferrin / chemistry
  • Lactoferrin / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Multiprotein Complexes / chemistry
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism
  • Peroxidase / chemistry
  • Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Solutions

Substances

  • Acute-Phase Proteins
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Solutions
  • Iron
  • Peroxidase
  • Ceruloplasmin
  • Lactoferrin

Associated data

  • PDB/4EJX
  • PDB/4ENZ

Grants and funding

The study was supported by RAS Presidium program. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 227764, supported by RAS Presidium program “Basic science for Medicine” and RFBR grant Nos. 12-04-00301, 13-04-01186, and MK 1484.2012.4 and performed within the Program of Russian-German scientific cooperation. DIS and MVP acknowledge support from the German Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF) project BIOSCAT, contract 05K20912. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.