41 research outputs found

    Tyrosine Kinase Syk Non-Enzymatic Inhibitors and Potential Anti-Allergic Drug-Like Compounds Discovered by Virtual and In Vitro Screening

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    In the past decade, the spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) has shown a high potential for the discovery of new treatments for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Pharmacological inhibitors of Syk catalytic site bearing therapeutic potential have been developed, with however limited specificity towards Syk. To address this topic, we opted for the design of drug-like compounds that could impede the interaction of Syk with its cellular partners while maintaining an active kinase protein. To achieve this challenging task, we used the powerful potential of intracellular antibodies for the modulation of cellular functions in vivo, combined to structure-based in silico screening. In our previous studies, we reported the anti-allergic properties of the intracellular antibody G4G11. With the aim of finding functional mimics of G4G11, we developed an Antibody Displacement Assay and we isolated the drug-like compound C-13, with promising in vivo anti-allergic activity. The likely binding cavity of this compound is located at the close vicinity of G4G11 epitope, far away from the catalytic site of Syk. Here we report the virtual screen of a collection of 500,000 molecules against this new cavity, which led to the isolation of 1000 compounds subsequently evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory effects using the Antibody Displacement Assay. Eighty five compounds were selected and evaluated for their ability to inhibit the liberation of allergic mediators from mast cells. Among them, 10 compounds inhibited degranulation with IC50 values ≤10 µM. The most bioactive compounds combine biological activity, significant inhibition of antibody binding and strong affinity for Syk. Moreover, these molecules show a good potential for oral bioavailability and are not kinase catalytic site inhibitors. These bioactive compounds could be used as starting points for the development of new classes of non-enzymatic inhibitors of Syk and for drug discovery endeavour in the field of inflammation related disorders

    Plant-Type Trehalose Synthetic Pathway in Cryptosporidium and Some Other Apicomplexans

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    The trehalose synthetic pathway is present in bacteria, fungi, plants and invertebrate animals, but is absent in vertebrates. This disaccharide mainly functions as a stress protectant against desiccation, heat, cold and oxidation. Genes involved in trehalose synthesis have been observed in apicomplexan parasites, but little was known about these enzymes. Study on trehalose synthesis in apicomplexans would not only shed new light into the evolution of this pathway, but also provide data for exploring this pathway as novel drug target.We have observed the presence of the trehalose synthetic pathway in Cryptosporidium and other apicomplexans and alveolates. Two key enzymes (trehalose 6-phosphate synthase [T6PS; EC 2.4.1.15] and trehalose phosphatase [TPase; EC 3.1.3.12] are present as Class II bifunctional proteins (T6PS-TPase) in the majority of apicomplexans with the exception of Plasmodium species. The enzyme for synthesizing the precursor (UDP-glucose) is homologous to dual-substrate UDP-galactose/glucose pyrophosphorylases (UGGPases), rather than the "classic" UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase). Phylogenetic recontructions indicate that both T6PS-TPases and UGGPases in apicomplexans and other alveolates are evolutionarily affiliated with stramenopiles and plants. The expression level of T6PS-TPase in C. parvum is highly elevated in the late intracellular developmental stage prior to or during the production of oocysts, implying that trehalose may be important in oocysts as a protectant against environmental stresses. Finally, trehalose has been detected in C. parvum oocysts, thus confirming the trehalose synthetic activity in this parasite.A trehalose synthetic pathway is described in the majority of apicomplexan parasites including Cryptosporidium and the presence of trehalose was confirmed in the C. parvum oocyst. Key enzymes in the pathway (i.e., T6PS-TPase and UGGPase) are plant-type and absent in humans and animals, and may potentially serve as novel drug targets in the apicomplexans

    Functional and informatics analysis enables glycosyltransferase activity prediction

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    The elucidation and prediction of how changes in a protein result in altered activities and selectivities remain a major challenge in chemistry. Two hurdles have prevented accurate family-wide models: obtaining (i) diverse datasets and (ii) suitable parameter frameworks that encapsulate activities in large sets. Here, we show that a relatively small but broad activity dataset is sufficient to train algorithms for functional prediction over the entire glycosyltransferase superfamily 1 (GT1) of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Whereas sequence analysis alone failed for GT1 substrate utilization patterns, our chemical–bioinformatic model, GT-Predict, succeeded by coupling physicochemical features with isozyme-recognition patterns over the family. GT-Predict identified GT1 biocatalysts for novel substrates and enabled functional annotation of uncharacterized GT1s. Finally, analyses of GT-Predict decision pathways revealed structural modulators of substrate recognition, thus providing information on mechanisms. This multifaceted approach to enzyme prediction may guide the streamlined utilization (and design) of biocatalysts and the discovery of other family-wide protein functions

    Characterisation and specificity of two single-chain Fv antibodies directed to the protein tyrosine kinase Syk

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    In order to obtain single chain Fv fragments (scFv) specific for the protein tyrosine kinase Syk, we screened a human synthetic phage-display library. Two glutathione S-transferase (GST):Syk fusion proteins containing both SH2 domains of Syk were used to perform three rounds of selection of the library. Among the scFv fragments resulting from the third round of selection, the ones specific for the GST portion of the fusion proteins were eliminated by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests on GST:Syk versus GST coated plates, and the monoclonal scFv fragments binding only to the GST:Syk coated plates with high affinities were further analysed. We report here the in vitro characterisation of G4G11 and G6G2 anti-Syk scFvs. G4G11 shows the best performance in immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments, and G6G2 is able to detect Syk in immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and on Western blots. Both scFvs are also able to detect the phosphorylated form of Syk, and neither of them binds to Zap-70, the other member of the Syk family of protein tyrosine kinases

    Characterisation and specificity of two single-chain Fv antibodies directed to the protein tyrosine kinase Syk

    No full text
    In order to obtain single chain Fv fragments (scFv) specific for the protein tyrosine kinase Syk, we screened a human synthetic phage-display library. Two glutathione S-transferase (GST):Syk fusion proteins containing both SH2 domains of Syk were used to perform three rounds of selection of the library. Among the scFv fragments resulting from the third round of selection, the ones specific for the GST portion of the fusion proteins were eliminated by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests on GST:Syk versus GST coated plates, and the monoclonal scFv fragments binding only to the GST:Syk coated plates with high affinities were further analysed. We report here the in vitro characterisation of G4G11 and G6G2 anti-Syk scFvs. G4G11 shows the best performance in immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments, and G6G2 is able to detect Syk in immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and on Western blots. Both scFvs are also able to detect the phosphorylated form of Syk, and neither of them binds to Zap-70, the other member of the Syk family of protein tyrosine kinases

    Structure of the oligogalacturonate-specific KdgM porin

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    The phytopathogenic Gram-negative bacterium Dickeya dadantii (Erwinia chrysanthemi) feeds on plant cell walls by secreting pectinases and utilizing the oligogalacturanate products. An outer membrane porin, KdgM, is indispensable for the uptake of these acidic oligosaccharides. Here, the crystal structure of KdgM determined to 1.9 Å resolution is presented. KdgM is folded into a regular 12-stranded antiparallel β-barrel with a circular cross-section defining a transmembrane pore with a minimal radius of 3.1 Å. Most of the loops that would face the cell exterior in vivo are disordered, but nevertheless mediate contact between densely packed membrane-like layers in the crystal. The channel is lined by two tracks of arginine residues facing each other across the pore, a feature that is conserved within the KdgM family and is likely to facilitate the diffusion of acidic oligosaccharides

    Über den Einfluß von Gemütsbewegungen auf den Blutcholesteringehalt

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    Estudios anatómicos y análisis fitoquímicos preliminares de Monocotiledóneas hidrófitas en "mallines" de la estepa Patagónica

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    Los “mallines”, alumbramientos de agua, constituyen el principal recurso productivo de la Patagonia árida. En este trabajo se describen las características anatómicas y fitoquímicas de las especies más abundantes: Eleocharis pseudoalbibracteata S. González & Guagl. (Cyperaceae), con status de endémica; Juncus balticus Willd. subsp. mexicanus (Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) Snogerup (Juncaceae), ambas forrajeras de alta calidad; y Schoenoplectus californicus (C. A. Mey.) Soják var. californicus (Cyperaceae), especie nativa no forrajera. Los sitios de muestreo se ubican en el Dpto. Escalante, al SE de la provincia de Chubut. Se realizaron estudios anatómicos, sobre material fresco y conservado en FAA, utilizando técnicas tradicionales, registro de imágenes con MO y mediciones con software específico. Se caracterizaron parámetros de tamaño, ACE, CMSC y dureza. El screening fitoquímico se realizó según técnicas convencionales. Se determinaron diferencias anatómicas con relación a: forma en la sección transversal del tallo aéreo, número de haces vasculares y presencia/ausencia de espacios aeríferos y de esclerénquima subepidérmico. La ausencia de estos caracteres en J. balticus es compensada por una abundante médula asteriforme diafragmática y por mayor proporción de fibras vasculares, respectivamente. Las características comunes fueron: la anatomía caulinar C3, con presencia de dos vainas vasculares, interna de fibras y externa parenquimática, y el clorénquima en empalizada u homogéneo. El CMSC fue significativamente mayor en J. balticus. El TC y la dureza en E. pseudoalbibracteata fueron significativamente menores. En epidermis de S. californicus se detectaron mucílagos. Los análisis fitoquímicos evidenciaron la presencia de polifenoles, taninos y flavonoides. En E. pseudoalbibracteata no se detectaron cumarinas, mientras que las saponinas solo se detectaron en J. balticus. Los resultados del análisis significan un aporte al conocimiento de metabolitos secundarios en las especies de monocotiledóneas evaluadas

    A novel allosteric inhibitor of the uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase from Trypanosoma brucei.

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    Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) catalyzes the final reaction in the biosynthesis of UDP-GlcNAc, an essential metabolite in many organisms including Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis. High-throughput screening of recombinant T. brucei UAP identified a UTP-competitive inhibitor with selectivity over the human counterpart despite the high level of conservation of active site residues. Biophysical characterization of the UAP enzyme kinetics revealed that the human and trypanosome enzymes both display a strictly ordered bi−bi mechanism, but with the order of substrate binding reversed. Structural characterization of the T. brucei UAP−inhibitor complex revealed that the inhibitor binds at an allosteric site absent in the human homologue that prevents the conformational rearrangement required to bind UTP. The identification of a selective inhibitory allosteric binding site in the parasite enzyme has therapeutic potential
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