Mechanistic study of PDIA1-catalyzed TFF3 dimerization during sepsis

Abstract Aims Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) is a gut mucosal protective molecule that is secreted by intestinal goblet cells. The dimeric structure of TFF3 enables it to function in intestinal mucosal repair and to maintain its own stability. Protein disulfide isomerase a1 (PDIA1) can directly catalyze the formation, isomerization and reduction of disulfide bonds in proteins and may play an important role in the formation of TFF3 dimer. In this study, we focused on the specific molecular mechanism of TFF3 dimerization by PDIA1 and the changes during sepsis. Methods We examined the changes of PDIA1 and TFF3 in sepsis rats and cell models and used a variety of experimental techniques to investigate the specific molecular mechanism of PDIA1-catalyzed TFF3 dimerization. Key findings We found that PDIA1 can directly catalyze the dimerization of TFF3. Our MD model proposed that two TFF3 monomers form hydrogen bonds with the region b′ of PDIA1 through two stepwise reactions. Furthermore, we propose that the Cys24–Cys27 active site at the region a′ of PDIA1 mediates disulfide bond formation between the Cys79 residues of each of the two TFF3 monomers via deprotonation and nucleophilic attack. During sepsis, PDIA1 is downregulated and the excessive release of nitric oxide (NO) promoted PDIA1 nitrosylation. This modification reduced PDIA1 activity, which resulted in the corresponding decrease of TFF3 dimerization and compromised TFF3 dimer function. Significance Our study revealed a novel mechanism for the inhibition of intestinal mucosal repair during sepsis and revealed novel targets for the prevention and treatment of sepsis.