Targeting oncogenic Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) by inhibiting its protein-protein interactions

We developed a new class of inhibitors of protein-protein interactions of the SHP2 phosphatase, which is pivotal in cell signaling and represents a central target in the therapy of cancer and rare diseases. Currently available SHP2 inhibitors target the catalytic site or an allosteric pocket but lack specificity or are ineffective for disease-associated SHP2 mutants. Considering that pathogenic lesions cause signaling hyperactivation due to increased levels of SHP2 association with cognate proteins, we developed peptide-based molecules with nanomolar affinity for the N-terminal Src homology domain of SHP2, good selectivity, stability to degradation, and an affinity for pathogenic variants of SHP2 that is 2-20 times higher than for the wild-type protein. The best peptide reverted the effects of a pathogenic variant (D61G) in zebrafish embryos. Our results provide a novel route for SHP2-targeted therapies and a tool for investigating the role of protein-protein interactions in the function of SHP2

Structural and kinetic analysis of Schistosoma mansoni Adenylosuccinate Lyase (SmADSL).

Schistosoma mansoni is the parasite responsible for schistosomiasis, a disease that affects about 218 million people worldwide. Currently, both direct treatment and disease control initiatives rely on chemotherapy using a single drug, praziquantel. Concerns over the possibility of resistance developing to praziquantel, have stimulated efforts to develop new drugs for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Schistosomes do not have the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway, and instead depend entirely on the purine salvage pathway to supply its need for purines. The purine salvage pathway has been reported as a potential target for developing new drugs against schistosomiasis. Adenylosuccinate lyase (SmADSL) is an enzyme in this pathway, which cleaves adenylosuccinate (ADS) into adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) and fumarate. SmADSL kinetic characterization was performed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using both ADS and SAICAR as substrates. Structures of SmADSL in Apo form and in complex with AMP were elucidated by x-ray crystallography revealing a highly conserved tetrameric structure required for their function since the active sites are formed from residues of three different subunits. The active sites are also highly conserved between species and it is difficult to identify a potent species-specific inhibitor for the development of new therapeutic agents. In contrast, several mutagenesis studies have demonstrated the importance of dimeric interface residues in the stability of the quaternary structure of the enzyme. The lower conservation of these residues between SmADSL and human ADSL could be used to lead the development of anti-schistosomiasis drugs based on disruption of subunit interfaces. These structures and kinetics data add another layer of information to Schistosoma mansoni purine salvage pathway

The molecular structure of Schistosoma mansoni PNP isoform 2 provides insights into the nucleoside selectivity of PNPs

Purine nucleoside phosphorylases (PNPs) play an important role in the blood fluke parasite Schistosoma mansoni as a key enzyme of the purine salvage pathway. Here we present the structural and kinetic characterization of a new PNP isoform from S. mansoni, SmPNP2. Thermofluorescence screening of different ligands suggested cytidine and cytosine are potential ligands. The binding of cytosine and cytidine were confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry, with a KD of 27 μM for cytosine, and a KM of 76.3 μM for cytidine. SmPNP2 also displays catalytic activity against inosine and adenosine, making it the first described PNP with robust catalytic activity towards both pyrimidines and purines. Crystal structures of SmPNP2 with different ligands were obtained and comparison of these structures with the previously described S. mansoni PNP (SmPNP1) provided clues for the unique capacity of SmPNP2 to bind pyrimidines. When compared with the structure of SmPNP1, substitutions in the vicinity of SmPNP2 active site alter the architecture of the nucleoside base binding site thus permitting an alternative binding mode for nucleosides, with a 180° rotation from the canonical binding mode. The remarkable plasticity of this binding site enhances our understanding of the correlation between structure and nucleotide selectivity, thus suggesting new ways to analyse PNP activity

Characterization of a Schistosoma mansoni NDPK expressed in sexual and digestive organs

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs) are crucial to keep the high triphosphate nucleotide levels in the biological process. The enzymatic mechanism has been extensively described; however, the structural characteristics and kinetic parameters have never been fully determined. In Schistosoma mansoni, NDPK (SmNDPK) is directly involved in the pyrimidine and purine salvage pathways, being essential for nucleotide metabolism. The SmNDPK enzymatic activity is the highest of the known purine metabolisms when compared to the mammalian NDPKs, suggesting the importance of this enzyme in the worm metabolism. Here, we report the recombinant expression of SmNDPK that resulted in 1.7 and 1.9 Å apo-form structure in different space-groups, as well as the 2.1 Å SmNDPK.ADP complex. The binding and kinetic assays reveal the ATP-dependence for enzyme activation. Moreover, in situ hybridization showed that SmNDPK transcripts are found in reproductive organs and in the esophagus gland of adult worms, which can be intrinsically related with the oviposition and digestive processes. These results will help us fully understand the crucial participation of this enzyme in Schistosoma mansoni and its importance for the pathology of the disease

Structural and kinetic analysis of Schistosoma mansoni Adenylosuccinate Lyase (SmADSL).

Schistosoma mansoni is the parasite responsible for schistosomiasis, a disease that affects about 218 million people worldwide. Currently, both direct treatment and disease control initiatives rely on chemotherapy using a single drug, praziquantel. Concerns over the possibility of resistance developing to praziquantel, have stimulated efforts to develop new drugs for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Schistosomes do not have the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway, and instead depend entirely on the purine salvage pathway to supply its need for purines. The purine salvage pathway has been reported as a potential target for developing new drugs against schistosomiasis. Adenylosuccinate lyase (SmADSL) is an enzyme in this pathway, which cleaves adenylosuccinate (ADS) into adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) and fumarate. SmADSL kinetic characterization was performed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using both ADS and SAICAR as substrates. Structures of SmADSL in Apo form and in complex with AMP were elucidated by x-ray crystallography revealing a highly conserved tetrameric structure required for their function since the active sites are formed from residues of three different subunits. The active sites are also highly conserved between species and it is difficult to identify a potent species-specific inhibitor for the development of new therapeutic agents. In contrast, several mutagenesis studies have demonstrated the importance of dimeric interface residues in the stability of the quaternary structure of the enzyme. The lower conservation of these residues between SmADSL and human ADSL could be used to lead the development of anti-schistosomiasis drugs based on disruption of subunit interfaces. These structures and kinetics data add another layer of information to Schistosoma mansoni purine salvage pathway

The molecular structure of Schistosoma mansoni PNP isoform 2 provides insights into the nucleoside selectivity of PNPs

Purine nucleoside phosphorylases (PNPs) play an important role in the blood fluke parasite Schistosoma mansoni as a key enzyme of the purine salvage pathway. Here we present the structural and kinetic characterization of a new PNP isoform from S. mansoni, SmPNP2. Thermofluorescence screening of different ligands suggested cytidine and cytosine are potential ligands. The binding of cytosine and cytidine were confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry, with a KD of 27 μM for cytosine, and a KM of 76.3 μM for cytidine. SmPNP2 also displays catalytic activity against inosine and adenosine, making it the first described PNP with robust catalytic activity towards both pyrimidines and purines. Crystal structures of SmPNP2 with different ligands were obtained and comparison of these structures with the previously described S. mansoni PNP (SmPNP1) provided clues for the unique capacity of SmPNP2 to bind pyrimidines. When compared with the structure of SmPNP1, substitutions in the vicinity of SmPNP2 active site alter the architecture of the nucleoside base binding site thus permitting an alternative binding mode for nucleosides, with a 180° rotation from the canonical binding mode. The remarkable plasticity of this binding site enhances our understanding of the correlation between structure and nucleotide selectivity, thus suggesting new ways to analyse PNP activity

In vitro and in vivo characterization of the multiple isoforms of Schistosoma mansoni hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferases

Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite responsible for schistosomiasis, lacks the "de novo" purine biosynthetic pathway and depends entirely on the purine salvage pathway for the supply of purines. Numerous reports of praziquantel resistance have been described, as well as stimulated efforts to develop new drugs against schistosomiasis. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) is a key enzyme of the purine salvage pathway. Here, we describe a crystallographic structure of the S. mansoni HPGRT-1 (SmHGPRT), complexed with IMP at a resolution of 2.8 Ǻ. Four substitutions were identified in the region of the active site between SmHGPRT-1 and human HGPRT. We also present data from RNA-Seq and WISH, suggesting that some isoforms of HGPRT might be involved in the process related to sexual maturation and reproduction in worms; furthermore, its enzymatic assays show that the isoform SmHGPRT-3 does not present the same catalytic efficiency as other isoforms. Finally, although other studies have previously suggested this enzyme as a potential antischistosomal chemotherapy target, the kinetics parameters reveal the impossibility to use SmHGPRT as an efficient chemotherapeutic target

Characterization of a Schistosoma mansoni NDPK expressed in sexual and digestive organs

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs) are crucial to keep the high triphosphate nucleotide levels in the biological process. The enzymatic mechanism has been extensively described; however, the structural characteristics and kinetic parameters have never been fully determined. In Schistosoma mansoni, NDPK (SmNDPK) is directly involved in the pyrimidine and purine salvage pathways, being essential for nucleotide metabolism. The SmNDPK enzymatic activity is the highest of the known purine metabolisms when compared to the mammalian NDPKs, suggesting the importance of this enzyme in the worm metabolism. Here, we report the recombinant expression of SmNDPK that resulted in 1.7 and 1.9 Å apo-form structure in different space-groups, as well as the 2.1 Å SmNDPK.ADP complex. The binding and kinetic assays reveal the ATP-dependence for enzyme activation. Moreover, in situ hybridization showed that SmNDPK transcripts are found in reproductive organs and in the esophagus gland of adult worms, which can be intrinsically related with the oviposition and digestive processes. These results will help us fully understand the crucial participation of this enzyme in Schistosoma mansoni and its importance for the pathology of the disease

In vitro and in vivo characterization of the multiple isoforms of Schistosoma mansoni hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferases

Schistosoma mansoni, the parasite responsible for schistosomiasis, lacks the "de novo" purine biosynthetic pathway and depends entirely on the purine salvage pathway for the supply of purines. Numerous reports of praziquantel resistance have been described, as well as stimulated efforts to develop new drugs against schistosomiasis. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) is a key enzyme of the purine salvage pathway. Here, we describe a crystallographic structure of the S. mansoni HPGRT-1 (SmHGPRT), complexed with IMP at a resolution of 2.8 Ǻ. Four substitutions were identified in the region of the active site between SmHGPRT-1 and human HGPRT. We also present data from RNA-Seq and WISH, suggesting that some isoforms of HGPRT might be involved in the process related to sexual maturation and reproduction in worms; furthermore, its enzymatic assays show that the isoform SmHGPRT-3 does not present the same catalytic efficiency as other isoforms. Finally, although other studies have previously suggested this enzyme as a potential antischistosomal chemotherapy target, the kinetics parameters reveal the impossibility to use SmHGPRT as an efficient chemotherapeutic target