Identification of a Small Molecule That Selectively Inhibits Mouse PC2 over Mouse PC1/3: A Computational and Experimental Study

<div><p>The calcium-dependent serine endoproteases prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3) and prohormone convertase 2 (PC2) play important roles in the homeostatic regulation of blood glucose levels, hence implicated in diabetes mellitus. Specifically, the absence of PC2 has been associated with chronic hypoglycemia. Since there is a reasonably good conservation of the catalytic domain between species translation of inhibitory effects is likely. In fact, similar results have been found using both mouse and human recombinant enzymes. Here, we employed computational structure-based approaches to screen 14,400 compounds from the Maybridge small molecule library towards mouse PC2. Our most remarkable finding was the identification of a potent and selective PC2 inhibitor. Kinetic data showed the compound to be an allosteric inhibitor. The compound identified is one of the few reported selective, small-molecule inhibitors of PC2. In addition, this new PC2 inhibitor is structurally different and of smaller size than those reported previously. This is advantageous for future studies where structural analogues can be built upon.</p> </div

Systematic Mining of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Flavor Chemicals for Bioactive Compounds

Bioactive food compounds can be both therapeutically and nutritionally relevant. Screening strategies are widely employed to identify bioactive compounds from edible plants. Flavor additives contained in the so-called FEMA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list of approved flavoring ingredients is an additional source of potentially bioactive compounds. This work used the principles of molecular similarity to identify compounds with potential mood-modulating properties. The ability of certain GRAS molecules to inhibit histone deacetylase-1 (HDAC1), proposed as an important player in mood modulation, was assayed. Two GRAS chemicals were identified as HDAC1 inhibitors in the micromolar range, results similar to what was observed for the structurally related mood prescription drug valproic acid. Additional studies on bioavailability, toxicity at higher concentrations, and off-target effects are warranted. The methodology described in this work could be employed to identify potentially bioactive flavor chemicals present in the FEMA GRAS list

Enzymatic assay of RJC00847 against PC2.

<p><b>A</b>). The effect of increasing the concentration of the inhibitor on the detection of fluorescent product, 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC). <b>B</b>). Concentration-response curve, from which an IC₅₀ value of 1.1±0.06 µM was determined.</p

Selected peptides and small molecules active towards PC2.

<p>Selected peptides and small molecules active towards PC2.</p

The active site and potential allosteric sites of PC2, as determined using two structural models of the enzyme.

<p>The first and second numbers in parentheses denote the ranking of each site in model 6 and the homology model, respectively. (See the section <i>Generating structural models of PC2 for ligand docking</i> for details).</p

Maybridge Compound Screening of PC1/3 and PC2.

<p>Negative numbers represent stimulation.</p><p>% error is shown in parenthesis.</p><p>Bold represent compounds with relevant inhibition or stimulation effect towards either PC.</p

Distribution of molecular weights for 115 compounds docked utilizing both FRED and GlideXP.

<p>These are the top 115 scoring compounds obtained from docking the Maybridge database to the mouse PC2 models. The compounds are color-coded based on molecular weight. Yellow is the median and represents a molecular weight of 283.31 Da.</p

Compounds that activated PC2 (HTS05737 and JFD02062) and PC1/3 (BTB03195).

<p>RJC00847 selectively inhibited PC2.</p

Distribution of ligands within subsites in the binding pocket of PC2.

<p>(A) Ligands accommodated in distinct subsites; (B) A ligand that spread into the P2 and P4 subsites; (C) Ligands that overlapped with the P1 and P4 sites, which may be used as frameworks to link fragments in the P1, P2 and P4 subsites shown in (A).</p

Percent sequence identity and gaps between the mouse PC2 and template sequences.

a<p>The pdbids for each template are given.</p>b<p>The residue numbering is for the intact pro-protein for the domains in the given templates.</p