Fluorescent probes for the labelling of cardiomyocyte and mitochondrial proteins

Organophosphates are a known danger to human health with an array of biochemical targets and complex toxic effects. Phenyl saligenin phosphate (PSP) is an organophosphate and related phenoxy substituted organophosphates irreversibly bind to a variety of important enzymes causing the condition known as organophosphate induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). These compounds also potentially cause cardiac muscle damage but little is known about how this class of compounds effect cardiomyocytes. The identification of proteins targeted by these toxins is of interest. This study investigates the synthesis and application of novel fluorescently labelled organophosphates to investigate organophosphate interaction with H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. The synthesis of probes with BODIPY, pyrene and rhodamine fluorescent component is explored with success in preparation of pyrene and rhodamine probes. The fluorescent behaviour of three rhodamine labelled phenyl saligenin phosphates probes with alkyl and PEG linkers is examined and the cytotoxicity of the probes assessed by monitoring MTT reduction, and LDH release from exposed H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. All three analogues showed cytotoxicity (4 h exposure; 100 μM). These probes were found to bind to proteins within mitochondria and spots from 2D-gel electrophoresis experiments, visualised at 532 nm, which are undergoing MS analysis. This project also describes progress towards a photoreactive-fluorescent probe to identify the site of action of the potassium channel opener, diazoxide, which activates cardioprotective pathways. The drug is believed to target mitochondrial KATP channels, but the protein structure of these channels has yet to be elucidated. The fluorescence labelling of whole cardiac cells with a dansyl fluorescent -benzophnone-photoreactoive diazoxide probe has been demonstrated and the progress toward a rhodamine fluorescent analogue is presented

Neurite outgrowth inhibitory levels of organophosphates induce tissue transglutaminase activity in differentiating N2a cells: evidence for covalent adduct formation

Organophosphate compounds (OPs) induce both acute and delayed neurotoxic effects, the latter of which is believed to involve their interaction with proteins other than acetylcholinesterase. However, few OP-binding proteins have been identified that may have a direct role in OP-induced delayed neurotoxicity. Given their ability to disrupt Ca2+ homeostasis, a key aim of the current work was to investigate the effects of sub-lethal neurite outgrowth inhibitory levels of OPs on the Ca2+-dependent enzyme tissue transglutaminase (TG2). At 1–10 µM, the OPs phenyl saligenin phosphate (PSP) and chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO) had no effect cell viability but induced concentration-dependent decreases in neurite outgrowth in differentiating N2a neuroblastoma cells. The activity of TG2 increased in cell lysates of differentiating cells exposed for 24 h to PSP and chlorpyrifos oxon CPO (10 µM), as determined by biotin-cadaverine incorporation assays. Exposure to both OPs (3 and/or 10 µM) also enhanced in situ incorporation of the membrane permeable substrate biotin-X-cadaverine, as indicated by Western blot analysis of treated cell lysates probed with ExtrAvidin peroxidase and fluorescence microscopy of cell monolayers incubated with FITC-streptavidin. Both OPs (10 µM) stimulated the activity of human and mouse recombinant TG2 and covalent labelling of TG2 with dansylamine-labelled PSP was demonstrated by fluorescence imaging following SDS-PAGE. A number of TG2 substrates were tentatively identified by mass spectrometry, including cytoskeletal proteins, chaperones and proteins involved protein synthesis and gene regulation. We propose that the elevated TG2 activity observed is due to the formation of a novel covalent adduct between TG2 and OPs