Solution structure and stability of a disulfide cross-linked nucleopeptide duplex

NMR methods are used to study the structure and stability of the duplex formed by the nucleopeptide [Ac- Cys- Gly- Ala-Hse( p(3')dGCATGC)- Ala-OH](2)[S-S], in which the oligonucleotide is self-complementary and the cysteine residues of the two peptide chains form a disulfide bridge; thermal transitions and NMR-derived structural calculations are consistent with a 3-D structure in which the oligonucleotide forms a standard B-DNA helix without significant distortions; the peptide chains are relatively disordered in solution and lie in the minor groove of the DNA helix; this nucleopeptide duplex exhibits a high melting temperature, indicating that peptide - oligonucleotide conjugates containing cysteines are suitable molecules to establish cross-links between DNA strands and stabilize the duplex

Dimerization inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase: A single mode of inhibition for the three HIV enzymes?

The genome of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) encodes 15 distinct proteins, three of which provide essential enzymatic functions: a reverse transcriptase (RT), an integrase (IN), and a protease (PR). Since these enzymes are all homodimers, pseudohomodimers or multimers, disruption of protein-protein interactions in these retroviral enzymes may constitute an alternative way to achieve HIV-1 inhibition. A growing number. of dimerization inhibitors for these enzymes is being reported. This mini review summarizes some approaches that have been followed for the development of compounds that inhibit those three enzymes by interfering with the dimerization interfaces between the enzyme subunits. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

TSAO compounds: The comprehensive story of a unique family of HIV-1 specific inhibitors of reverse transcriptase

Emergence of drug-resistant viral strains is one of the major milestones and the main cause for the failure of antiretroviral therapy. Combination of different anti-HIV agents has E become the standard clinical practice to keep the viral load at low or even undetectable levels and to prevent emergence of virus-drug resistance. Among the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors, the so called nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs) have gained a definitive place in the treatment of HIV infections in combination with nucleoside analogue RT inhibitors (NRTIs) and HIV protease inhibitors (PIs). The virus can be markedly suppressed for a relatively long period of time when exposed to multiple drug combination therapy (highly active antiretroviral therapy, HAART). TSAO derivatives are a peculiar group of highly functionalized nucleosides that belong to the so-called nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). They exert their unique selectivity for HIV-1 through a specific interaction with the p51 subunit of HIV-1 RT. They are the first small molecules that seem to interfere with the dimerization process of the enzyme. This review covers the work carried out with this unique class of specific inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, including structure activity relationship studies (SAR), its mechanism of action, resistance studies, model of interaction with the enzyme, etc

Predictive value of apoptosis, proliferation, HER-2, and topoisomerase IIalpha for anthracycline chemotherapy in locally advanced breast cancer

Purpose. Laboratory evidence indicates that tumor growth depends on the balance between cell proliferation and cell death, and many anticancer agents may exert their therapeutic effect by decreasing proliferation and increasing apoptosis. Additionally, clinical observations indicate that overexpression of HER-2 or topoisomerase II alpha ( topo II alpha) may be predictors of better response to anthracyclines in breast cancer. The objective of this study was to determine if proliferation ( Ki-67), apoptosis ( TUNEL), and expression of HER-2 and topo II alpha are affected by anthracycline treatment, and if these molecular markers predict anthracycline responsiveness. Experimental design. Thirty-three women with primary breast tumors >= 3 cm received either doxorubicin ( 75 mg/ m(2)) or epirubicin ( 120 mg/ m(2)) for 4 cycles before surgery. Clinical response was evaluated after 4 cycles of treatment. Changes in molecular markers were assessed from core needle biopsy taken before treatment (D0), at 24 - 48 h (Dl) and on day 7 (D7) while on treatment, and from the surgical specimen excised on day 84 (D84) after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. Results. The overall clinical response rate was 51% (17 of 33 patients), with a 12% complete clinical response rate ( 4 of 33 patients). There were trends for tumors with higher apoptosis and topo IIa at baseline ( D0) to be more responsive to anthracyclines, p = 0.1 and p = 0.08, respectively. Median apoptosis increased from D0 to Dl ( p = 0.06) while median Ki-67 decreased ( p = 0.07). Overall, expression of HER-2 remained stable throughout the chemotherapy administration. By Day 84, topo II alpha had significantly decreased from baseline in responders, while it increased in non-responders, p = 0.03. Conclusions. In human primary breast cancer, anthracycline treatment causes an early increase in apoptosis and a decrease in proliferation. In this pilot study, higher apoptosis and topo II alpha a levels in primary tumors were associated with greater responsiveness to anthracyclines, and topo II alpha levels declined in responsive tumors

Identification of aspartic acid-203 in human thymidine phosphorylase as an important residue for both catalysis and non-competitive inhibition by the small molecule "crystallization chaperone" 5'-O-tritylinosine (KIN59)

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is a catabolic enzyme in thymidine metabolism that is frequently upregulated in many solid tumors. Elevated TP levels are associated with tumor angiogenesis, metastasis and poor prognosis. Therefore, the use of TP inhibitors might offer a promising strategy for cancer treatment. The tritylated inosine derivative 5'-O-tritylinosine (previously designated KIN59) is a noncompetitive inhibitor of TP which was previously found to be instrumental for the crystallization of human TP. A combination of computational studies including normal mode analysis, automated ligand docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to define a plausible binding site for 5'-O-tritylinosine on human TP. A cavity in which 5'-O-tritylinosine could fit was identified in the vicinity of the Gly405-WI419 loop at a distance of about 11 angstrom from the substrate-binding site. In the X-ray crystal structure, this pocket is characterized by an intricate hydrogen-bonding network in which Asp203 was found to play an important role to afford the loop stabilization that is required for efficient enzyme catalysis. Site-directed mutagenesis of this amino acid residue afforded a mutant enzyme with a severely compromised catalytic efficiency (V-max /K-m of mutant enzyme similar to 50-fold lower than for wild-type TP) and pronounced resistance to the inhibitory effect of 5'-O-tritylinosine. In contrast, the D203A mutant enzyme kept full sensitivity to the competitive inhibitors 6-aminothymine and 6-amino-5-bromouracil, which is in line with the kinetic properties of these inhibitors. Our findings reveal the existence of a previously unrecognized site in TP that can be targeted by small molecules to inhibit the catalytic activity of TP. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Identification of NEK3 and MOK as novel targets for lithium

Lithium ion, commonly used as the carbonate salt in the treatment of bipolar disorders, has been identified as an inhibitor of several kinases, including Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3ß, for almost 20 years. However, both the exact mechanism of enzymatic inhibition and its apparent specificity for certain metalloenzymes are still a matter of debate. A data-driven hypothesis is presented that accounts for the specificity profile of kinase inhibition by lithium in terms of the presence of a unique protein environment in the magnesium-binding site. This hypothesis has been validated by the discovery of two novel potential targets for lithium, namely NEK3 and MOK, which are related to neuronal function.Ministerio de Economía y Competitivida

Bases moleculares de la selectividad de ligandos por receptores de melatonina

La hormona melatonina (MT), o N-acetil-5-metoxitriptamina, secretada por la glándula pineal, es responsable de la regulación del sueño y el ritmo circadiano a través de la modulación del núcleo supraquiasmático, entre otras funciones. MT actúa sobre 2 receptores diferentes, MT1 (o MT1A) y MT2 (o MT1B), que funcionan acoplados a proteínas G (GPCR). La propia melatonina y otros agonistas de los receptores MT pueden ser usadas para marcar los ritmos circadianos, facilitar el sueño o ejercer un efecto en los osciladores periféricos. Por otro lado, los antagonistas de estos receptores se pueden utilizar para mejorar nuestra comprensión del papel de la MT en el organismo. Sin embargo, los trabajos de diseño molecular basados en la estructura se ven obstaculizados por la ausencia de un modelo tridimensional (3D) experimental de los receptores MT1 o MT2. Los modelos construidos por técnicas de homología ayudan pero tanto el modo real de unión como el mecanismo de activación del receptor siguen estando definidos de forma imprecisa. En este trabajo, hemos utilizado las estructuras 3D recientemente publicadas de los receptores humanos 5-HT1B and 5-HT2B de serotonina (5HT) para construir modelos 3D de los receptores MT1 y MT2 humanos que sirven para explicar una serie de resultados experimentales, incluyendo los provenientes de estudios de mutagénesis dirigida y de selectividad de unión al receptor MT2 de una serie de ligandos sintéticos publicados en la literatura. Nuestros modelos también explican la conservación evolutiva de ciertos aminoácidos clave en toda la familia de receptores MT y destacan las regiones del bolsillo de unión que pueden ser explotadas para conseguir perfiles distintos de selectividad entre los receptores de MT y 5H

Bases moleculares de la selectividad de ligandos por receptores de melatonina

La hormona melatonina (MT), o N-acetil-5-metoxitriptamina, secretada por la glándula pineal, es responsable de la regulación del sueño y el ritmo circadiano a través de la modulación del núcleo supraquiasmático, entre otras funciones. MT actúa sobre 2 receptores diferentes, MT1 (o MT1A) y MT2 (o MT1B), que funcionan acoplados a proteínas G (GPCR). La propia melatonina y otros agonistas de los receptores MT pueden ser usadas para marcar los ritmos circadianos, facilitar el sueño o ejercer un efecto en los osciladores periféricos. Por otro lado, los antagonistas de estos receptores se pueden utilizar para mejorar nuestra comprensión del papel de la MT en el organismo. Sin embargo, los trabajos de diseño molecular basados en la estructura se ven obstaculizados por la ausencia de un modelo tridimensional (3D) experimental de los receptores MT1 o MT2. Los modelos construidos por técnicas de homología ayudan pero tanto el modo real de unión como el mecanismo de activación del receptor siguen estando definidos de forma imprecisa. En este trabajo, hemos utilizado las estructuras 3D recientemente publicadas de los receptores humanos 5-HT1B and 5-HT2B de serotonina (5HT) para construir modelos 3D de los receptores MT1 y MT2 humanos que sirven para explicar una serie de resultados experimentales, incluyendo los provenientes de estudios de mutagénesis dirigida y de selectividad de unión al receptor MT2 de una serie de ligandos sintéticos publicados en la literatura. Nuestros modelos también explican la conservación evolutiva de ciertos aminoácidos clave en toda la familia de receptores MT y destacan las regiones del bolsillo de unión que pueden ser explotadas para conseguir perfiles distintos de selectividad entre los receptores de MT y 5H

Pyridazino-pyrrolo-quinoxalinium salts as highly potent and selective leishmanicidal agents targeting trypanothione reductase

Fifteen pyridazino-pyrrolo-quinoxalinium salts were synthesized and tested for their antiprotozoal activity against Leishmania infantum amastigotes. Eleven of them turned out to be leishmanicidal, with EC50 values in the nanomolar range, and displayed low toxicity against the human THP-1 cell line. Selectivity indices for these compounds range from 10 to more than 1000. Compounds 3b and 3f behave as potent inhibitors of the oxidoreductase activity of the essential enzyme trypanothione disulfide reductase (TryR). Interestingly, binding of 3f is not affected by high trypanothione concentrations, as revealed by the noncompetitive pattern of inhibition observed when tested in the presence of increasing concentrations of this substrate. Furthermore, when analyzed at varying NADPH concentrations, the characteristic pattern of hyperbolic uncompetitive inhibition supports the view that binding of NADPH to TryR is a prerequisite for inhibitor-protein association. Similar to other TryR uncompetitive inhibitors for NADPH, 3f is responsible for TryR-dependent reduction of cytochrome c in a reaction that is typically inhibited by superoxide dismutase.Comunidad de MadridMinisterio de Economía y CompetitividadMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidade