Different prelamin A forms accumulate in human fibroblasts: a study in experimental models and progeria
S. Dominici, V. Fiori, M. Magnani, E. Schena, C. Capanni,4 D. Camozzi,3 M.R. D’Apice,5 C. Le Dour,6,7 M. Auclair,6,7 M. Caron, G. Novelli, C. Vigouroux, N.M. Maraldi, G. Lattanzi
10/16/2014
Lamin A is a component of the nuclear lamina mutated in a group of human inherited disorders known as laminopathies. Among laminopathies, progeroid syndromes and lipodystrophies feature accumulation of prelamin A, the precursor protein which, in normal cells, undergoes a multi-step processing to yield mature lamin A. It is of utmost importance to characterize the prelamin A form accumulated in each laminopathy, since existing evidence shows that drugs acting on protein processing can improve some pathological aspects.We report that two antibodies raised against differently modified prelamin A peptides show a clear specificity to full-length prelamin A or carboxymethylated farnesylated prelamin A, respectively. Using these antibodies, we demonstrated that inhibition of the prelamin A endoprotease ZMPSTE24 mostly elicits accumulation of full-length prelamin A in its farnesylated form, while loss of the prelamin A cleavage site causes accumulation of carboxymethylated prelamin A in progeria cells. These results suggest a major role of ZMPSTE24 in the first prelamin A cleavage step.