The secreted glycoprotein sclerostin has recently emerged as a key negative regulator of Wnt signaling in bone and has stimulated considerable interest as a potential target for therapeutics designed to treat conditions associated with low bone mass, such as osteoporosis. We have determined the structure of sclerostin, which resulted in the identification of a previously unknown binding site for heparin, suggestive of a functional role in localizing sclerostin to the surface of target cells. We have also mapped the interaction site for an antibody that blocks the inhibition of Wnt signaling by sclerostin. This shows minimal overlap with the heparin binding site and highlights a key role for this region of sclerostin in protein interactions associated with the inhibition of Wnt signaling. The conserved N-and C-terminal arms of sclerostin were found to be unstructured, highly flexible, and unaffected by heparin binding, which suggests a role in stabilizing interactions with target proteins.

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The properties of the molybdenum iron-sulfur flavoprotein, aldehyde oxidase from rabbit livers, have been further investigated in comparison with bovine milk xanthine oxidase. In agreement with earlier work, the ultraviolet/visible spectra indicate that the flavin and iron-sulfur centres of the enzymes are quite similar to one another. The molybdenum centres have been compared by EPR spectroscopy of molybdenum(V) and regarding re-insertion of the sulfido ligand of molybdenum into the desulfo enzyme forms. The pH optimum for sulfide insertion is approximately 2 lower for aldehyde oxidase than for xanthine oxidase. A detailed comparison of molybdenum(V) EPR signals has been made for the signals known as Arsenite, Slow and Rapid. Computer simulation of spectra in 1H2O and 2H2O, at 9 and 35 GHz was used. Slow signals from the two enzymes are scarcely distinguishable from one another. Under the conditions used, aldehyde oxidase yielded only the Rapid type 2 signal, whereas xanthine oxidase gives both the Rapid type 1 and 2 signals. The nature of the structural difference between the Rapid type 1 and type 2 signal-giving species is discussed. It is concluded that the molybdenum centres of xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase are indeed similar to one another and that such differences as exist between their molybdenum(V) EPR signals and re-sulfuration properties are related to differences only in the substrate-binding sites. N-terminal amino acid analyses have been performed on peptides obtained by trypsin cleavage of aldehyde oxidase. Comparison with a sequence previously deduced [Wright, R. M., Vaitaitis, G. M., Wilson, C. M., Repine, T. B., Terada, L. S. & Repine, J. E. (1993) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 90, 10690-10694] makes it clear that the latter is not, as was assumed, that of a xanthine dehydrogenase but of an aldehyde oxidase. In contrast to the situation with xanthine oxidase, attempts to convert non-proteolysed aldehyde oxidase to a dehydrogenase form by treatment with dithiothreitol were unsuccessful. The reason for this is considered in the light of sequence data in the literature. The location of the NAD(+)-binding site is discussed, and the sequence data are also discussed in relation to the molybdenum, iron-sulfur and substrate-binding sites.

No abstract

Autoantibody-mediated diseases are currently treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, which is thought to act in part via blockade of Fc gamma receptors, thereby inhibiting autoantibody effector functions and subsequent pathology. We aimed to develop recombinant molecules with enhanced Fc receptor avidity and thus increased potency over intravenous immunoglobulin. Here we describe the molecular engineering of human Fc hexamers and explore their therapeutic and safety profiles. We show Fc hexamers were more potent than IVIG in phagocytosis blockade and disease models. However, in human whole-blood safety assays incubation with IgG1 isotype Fc hexamers resulted in cytokine release, platelet and complement activation, whereas the IgG4 version did not. We used a statistically designed mutagenesis approach to identify the key Fc residues involved in these processes. Cytokine release was found to be dependent on neutrophil FcγRIIIb interactions with L234 and A327 in the Fc. Therefore, Fc hexamers provide unique insights into Fc receptor biology.