Ester Binding Research Articles

Identification of a General Anesthetic Binding Site in the Diacylglycerol-binding Domain of Protein Kinase Cδ

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important signal transduction protein that has been proposed to interact with general anesthetics at its cysteine-rich diacylglycerol/phorbol ester-binding domain C1, a tandem repeat of C1A and C1B subdomains. To test this hypothesis, we expressed, purified, and characterized the high affinity phorbol-binding subdomain, C1B, of mouse protein kinase Cdelta, and studied its interaction with general anesthetic alcohols. When the fluorescent phorbol ester, sapintoxin-D, bound to PKCdelta C1B in buffer at a molar ratio of 1:2, its fluorescence emission maximum, lambda(max), shifted from 437 to 425 nm. The general anesthetic alcohols, butanol and octanol, further shifted lambda(max) of the PKCdelta C1B-bound sapintoxin-D in a concentration-dependent, saturable manner to approximately 415 nm, suggesting that alcohols interact at a discrete allosteric binding site. To identify this site, PKCdelta C1B was photolabeled with three photo-activable diazirine alcohol analogs, 3-azioctanol, 7-azioctanol, and 3-azibutanol. Mass spectrometry showed photoincorporation of all three alcohols in PKCdelta C1B at a stoichiometry of 1:1 in the labeled fraction. The photolabeled PKCdelta C1B was subjected to tryptic digest, the fragments were separated by online chromatography and sequenced by mass spectrometry. Each azialcohol photoincorporated at Tyr-236. Inspection of the known structure of PKCdelta C1B shows that this residue is situated adjacent to the phorbol ester binding pocket, and within approximately 10 A of the bound phorbol ester. The present results provide direct evidence for an allosteric anesthetic site on protein kinase C.

431 Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of indisulam (E7070) in combination with carboplatin, a CESAR Central European Society for Anticancer Drug Research — EWIV report

This chapter discusses the use and specificity of staurosporine, UCN-01, and calphostin C as protein kinase inhibitors. Protein kinases are classified into protein-serine/threonine kinases and protein-tyrosine kinases. Many protein kinases have been identified as protein-serine/threonine kinases; for example, cAMP-dependent, cGMP-dependent, Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinases, and oncogenic protein kinases, such as the mos and raf proteins. The Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) is a protein-serine/threonine kinase involved in the regulation of many cellular processes, including cellular growth, differentiation, and tumor promotion. The primary structure of protein kinase C has two functional domains—the catalytic domain and the regulatory domain. The carboxyl terminal region of protein kinase C is the catalytic domain, and the aminoterminal region has cysteine-rich repeats and is presumed to be the regulatory domain, which has phospholipid and diacylglycerol/phorbol ester binding regions.

Tumor promoter binding of the protein kinase C C1 homology domain peptides of RasGRPs, chimaerins, and Unc13s

Recent investigations discovered nonkinase-type phorbol ester receptors, RasGRPs, chimaerins, and Unc13s. Phorbol ester binding occurs at the cysteine-rich sequences of about 50 residues in the C1 domains of these receptors. Fifty-one-residue RasGRP C1 peptides except for RasGRP2 showed significant phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) binding, but the K d values of the RasGRP1 and RasGRP3 C1 peptides were about 10-fold larger than those for the corresponding whole enzymes. Addition of the C-terminal basic amino acid cluster decreased their K d values about 10-fold, suggesting that the positive charges of these C1 peptides play an important role in the PDBu binding in the presence of negatively-charged phosphatidylserine. The 51-mer chimaerin C1 peptides showed potent PDBu binding, while the Unc13 and Munc13-1 C1 peptides without sufficient positive charges hardly bound PDBu. By the rapid screening system using this C1 peptide library, 5-prenyl-indolactam-V was identified as a promising lead for the novel protein kinase C isozyme specific ligands.

The specific binding of retinoic acid to RPE65 and approaches to the treatment of macular degeneration.

RPE65 is essential in the operation of the visual cycle and functions as a chaperone for all-trans-retinyl esters, the substrates for isomerization in the visual cycle. RPE65 stereospecifically binds all-trans-retinyl esters with a K(D) of 47 nM. It is shown here by using a quantitative fluorescence technique, that Accutane (13-cis-retinoic acid), a drug used in the treatment of acne but that causes night blindness, binds to RPE65 with a K(D) of 195 nM. All-trans-retinoic acid binds with a K(D) of 109 nM. The binding of the retinoic acids to RPE65 is competitive with all-trans-retinyl ester binding, and this competition inhibits visual cycle function. A retinoic acid analog that binds weakly to RPE65 is not inhibitory. These data suggest that RPE65 function is rate-limiting in visual cycle function. They also reveal the target through which the retinoic acids induce night blindness. Finally, certain forms of retinal and macular degeneration are caused by the accumulation of vitamin A-based retinotoxic products, called the retinyl pigment epithelium-lipofuscin. These retinotoxic products accumulate during the normal course of rhodopsin bleaching and regeneration after the operation of the visual cycle. Drugs such as Accutane may represent an important approach to reducing the accumulation of the retinotoxic lipofuscin by inhibiting visual cycle function. The identification of RPE65 as the visual cycle target for the retinoic acids makes it feasible to develop useful drugs to treat retinal and macular degeneration while avoiding the substantial side effects of the retinoic acids.

Effects of chlorella on activities of protein tyrosine phosphatases, matrix metalloproteinases, caspases, cytokine release, B and T cell proliferations, and phorbol ester receptor binding.

A Chlorella powder was screened using 52 in vitro assay systems for enzyme activity, receptor binding, cellular cytokine release, and B and T cell proliferation. The screening revealed a very potent inhibition of human protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity of CD45 and PTP1C with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of 0.678 and 1.56 microg/mL, respectively. It also showed a moderate inhibition of other PTPs, including PTP1B (IC(50) = 65.3 microg/mL) and T-cell-PTP (114 microg/mL). Other inhibitory activities and their IC(50) values included inhibition of the human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-1 (127 microg/mL), MMP-3 (185 microg/mL), MMP-7 (18.1 microg/mL), and MMP-9 (237 microg/mL) and the human peptidase caspases caspase 1 (300 microg/mL), caspase 3 (203 microg/mL), caspase 6 (301 microg/mL), caspase 7 (291 microg/mL), and caspase 8 (261 microg/mL), as well as release of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 (44.9 microg/mL), IL-2 (14.8 microg/mL), IL-4 (49.2 microg/mL), IL-6 (34.7 microg/mL), interferon-gamma (31.6 microg/mL), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (11 microg/mL) from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Chlorella also inhibited B cell proliferation (16.6 microg/mL) in mouse splenocytes and T cell proliferation (54.2 microg/mL) in mouse thymocytes. The binding of a phorbol ester, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, to its receptors was also inhibited by Chlorella with an IC(50) of 152 microg/mL. These results reveal potential pharmacological activities that, if confirmed by in vivo studies, might be exploited for the prevention or treatment of several serious pathologies, including inflammatory disease and cancer.

Metal Phthalocyanine and Crown Ether–Based Membranes for the Potentiometric Determination of Phenylalanine Methyl Ester Using an Ion-Selective Electrode

Tetracrown-substituted metal phthalocyanines and metal phthalocyanine–crown ether mixtures are used as ionophores for plasticized PVC membranes of ion-selective electrodes for the ditopic binding and potentiometric determination of phenylalanine methyl ester. The complexation of the reagent with phenylalanine methyl ester is confirmed by extraction data and absorption spectra. Ion-selective electrodes are proposed for the monitoring of phenylalanine methyl ester in the biocatalytic synthesis of aspartame.

The response of phospholipase C/protein kinase C and adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A pathways in porcine theca interna cells to opioid agonist FK 33-824

Opioids were found as factors affecting porcine ovarian steroidogenesis. The mechanism of opioid action, however, on porcine theca interna cells is completely unknown. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the possible involvement of two intracellular pathways, phospholipase C/protein kinase C and adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A, in opioid signal transduction in porcine theca cells treated with μ opioid receptor agonist, FK 33-824. Incubation of the cells for 4 h with FK 33-824 at the dose 1 nM resulted in decreases in inositol phosphate accumulation as well as androstenedione (A 4), testosterone (T), and estradiol (E 2) secretions. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, staurosporine (1–100 nM), d-sphingosine (10–500 nM), and PKCi (100–2000 nM), both added alone and together with the opioid agonist, depressed release of the steroid hormones. PKC activator, phorbol ester (PMA, 1–100 nM), used alone was without effect on theca cell steroidogenesis, but added in combination with FK 33-824 abolished inhibitory influence of the opioid on A 4, T, and E 2 output. The steroid hormone secretion by PKC-deficient theca cells was inhibited by the opioid agonist. FK 33-824 also suppressed PKC activity reducing [ 3 H ]PDBu specific binding to theca cells, whereas ionomycin (a positive control) increased labeled phorbol ester binding to the cells. In the next experiment, cAMP release from theca cells during 2 and 4 h incubations with FK 33-824 (1–100 nM), naloxone (10 μM; opioid receptor antagonist), and LH (100 ng/mL; a positive control) was examined. FK 33-824 at the dose 1 nM inhibited cAMP secretion during 2 h incubation, but had no effect during longer incubation. LH in a manner independent on incubation time multiplied cAMP release. Protein kinase A inhibitor, PKAi (100–2000 nM), alone and in combination with FK 33-824 (1 nM), inhibited A 4, T, and E 2 secretions by theca cells. PKA activator, 8BrcAMP (10–1000 μM), stimulated the steroid hormone release, but this stimulatory effect was diminished in the presence of FK 33-824. The results allow to suggest that opioid peptides affect porcine theca cell steroidogenesis and their acute action on the cells is connected with the inhibition of phospholipase C/protein kinase C and adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A signal transduction systems.

ApoA-II modulates the association of HDL with class B scavenger receptors SR-BI and CD36

The class B scavenger receptors SR-BI and CD36 exhibit a broad ligand binding specificity. SR-BI is well characterized as a HDL receptor that mediates selective cholesteryl ester uptake from HDL. CD36, a receptor for oxidized LDL, also binds HDL and mediates selective cholesteryl ester uptake, although much less efficiently than SR-BI. Apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II), the second most abundant HDL protein, is considered to be proatherogenic, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We previously showed that apoA-II modulates SR-BI-dependent binding and selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from reconstituted HDL. To investigate the effect of apoA-II in naturally occurring HDL on these processes, we compared HDL without apoA-II (from apoA-II null mice) with HDLs containing differing amounts of apoA-II (from C57BL/6 mice and transgenic mice expressing a mouse apoA-II transgene). The level of apoA-II in HDL was inversely correlated with HDL binding and selective cholesteryl ester uptake by both scavenger receptors, particularly CD36. Interestingly, for HDL lacking apoA-II, the efficiency with which CD36 mediated selective uptake reached a level similar to that of SR-BI. These results demonstrate that apoA-II exerts a marked effect on HDL binding and selective lipid uptake by the class B scavenger receptors and establishes a potentially important relationship between apoA-II and CD36.

Rpe65 Is a Retinyl Ester Binding Protein That Presents Insoluble Substrate to the Isomerase in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

Photon capture by a rhodopsin pigment molecule induces 11-cis to all-trans isomerization of its retinaldehyde chromophore. To restore light sensitivity, the all-trans-retinaldehyde must be chemically re-isomerized by an enzyme pathway called the visual cycle. Rpe65, an abundant protein in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and a homolog of beta-carotene dioxygenase, appears to play a role in this pathway. Rpe65-/- knockout mice massively accumulate all-trans-retinyl esters but lack 11-cis-retinoids and rhodopsin visual pigment in their retinas. Mutations in the human RPE65 gene cause a severe recessive blinding disease called Leber's congenital amaurosis. The function of Rpe65, however, is unknown. Here we show that Rpe65 specifically binds all-trans-retinyl palmitate but not 11-cis-retinyl palmitate by a spectral-shift assay, by co-elution during gel filtration, and by co-immunoprecipitation. Using a novel fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) binding assay in liposomes, we demonstrate that Rpe65 extracts all-trans-retinyl esters from phospholipid membranes. Assays of isomerase activity reveal that Rpe65 strongly stimulates the enzymatic conversion of all-trans-retinyl palmitate to 11-cis-retinol in microsomes from bovine RPE cells. Moreover, we show that addition of Rpe65 to membranes from rpe65-/- mice, which possess no detectable isomerase activity, restores isomerase activity to wild-type levels. Rpe65 by itself, however, has no intrinsic isomerase activity. These observations suggest that Rpe65 presents retinyl esters as substrate to the isomerase for synthesis of visual chromophore. This proposed function explains the phenotype in mice and humans lacking Rpe65.

Ligand structure-activity requirements and phospholipid dependence for the binding of phorbol esters to protein kinase D.

Although protein kinase D (PKD), like protein kinase C (PKC), possesses a C1 domain that binds phorbol esters and diacylglycerol, the structural differences from PKC within this and other domains of PKD imply differential regulation by lipids and ligands. We characterized the phorbol ester and phospholipid binding properties of a glutathione S-transferase-tagged full-length PKD and compared them with those of PKC-alpha and -delta. We found that PKD is a high-affinity phorbol ester receptor for a range of structurally and functionally divergent phorbol esters and analogs and showed both similarities and differences in structure-activity relations compared with the PKCs examined. In particular, PKD had lower affinity than PKC for certain diacylglycerol analogs, which might be caused by a lysine residue at the 22 position of the PKD-C1b domain in place of the tryptophan residue at this position conserved in the PKCs. The membrane-targeting domains in PKD are largely different from those in PKC; among these differences, PKD contains a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain that is absent in PKC. However, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate PIP2, a lipid ligand for some PH domains, reconstitutes phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) binding to PKD similarly as it does to PKC-alpha and -delta, implying that the PH domain in PKD may not preferentially interact with PIP2. Overall, the requirement of anionic phospholipids for the reconstitution of [3H]PDBu binding to PKD was intermediate between those of PKC-alpha and -delta. We conclude that PKD is a high-affinity phorbol ester receptor; its lipid requirements for ligand binding are approximately comparable with those of PKC but may be differentially regulated in cells through the binding of diacylglycerol to the C1 domain.

Transporter-mediated actions of R-(−)-1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2-propylaminopentane

R-(−)-1-(Benzofuran-2-yl)-2-propylaminopentane [(−)-BPAP] is a catecholaminergic and serotonergic activity enhancer that increases impulse-evoked catecholamine and serotonin release from nerve terminals, and is a candidate for symptomatic treatment of early Parkinson's disease. We now report the catecholamine and serotonin transporter-mediated actions of (−)-BPAP. The effects of (−)-BPAP on inhibition of neurotransmitter uptake and radioligand binding were assessed using human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK 293 cells) expressing cDNA for the human dopamine transporter (hDAT), norepinephrine transporter (hNET), and serotonin transporter (hSERT). The IC 50 values for the effects of (−)-BPAP on [ 3H]dopamine, [ 3H]norepinephrine, and [ 3H]serotonin uptake were 42±9, 52±19, and 640±120 nM, respectively. The IC 50 values for the effects of (−)-BPAP on [ 125I]3β-(4-iodophenyl)tropane-2β-carboxylic acid methyl ester ([ 125I]RTI-55) binding to hDAT, hNET, and hSERT were 16±2, 211±61, and 638±63 nM, respectively. The effects of (−)-BPAP on spontaneous and tyramine-induced norepinephrine and dopamine release from rat brain synaptosomes using a superfusion system were also assessed. Tyramine but not (−)-BPAP potentiated norepinephrine release. Furthermore, (−)-BPAP inhibited tyramine-induced norepinephrine release. Thus, (−)-BPAP may block tyramine-induced adverse effects such as hypertensive crisis. The actions of (−)-BPAP on the spontaneous and tyramine-induced dopamine release resembled its effects on norepinephrine release. We conclude that (−)-BPAP is not only catecholaminergic and serotonergic activity enhancer, but also a norepinephrine and dopamine uptake inhibitor and a weak serotonin uptake inhibitor that does not possess a tyramine-like action on catecholamine release, and is an inhibitor of tyramine-induced release of norepinephrine.

Ceramide induces translocation of protein kinase C-α to the Golgi compartment of human embryonic kidney cells by interacting with the C2 domain

Ceramide is a lipid second messenger produced by sphingolipid metabolism in cells exposed to a limited number of agonists and in turn triggers important cell responses including protein kinase C (PKC)-α activation. Using a fusion protein comprising bovine PKCα and the green fluorescent protein (GFP), we transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and investigated to which subcellular compartment ceramide triggers PKCα redistribution. Stimulation of HEK cells with exogenous C16-ceramide or bacterial sphingomyelinase (bSMase), which leads to increased endogenous ceramide formation, evokes a translocation of PKCα to the Golgi compartment. By using deletion mutants of PKCα lacking distinct domains in the regulatory region, it is shown that the Ca 2+-dependent lipid binding C2 domain, but not one of the C1 domains is essentially required for the ceramide-triggered translocation of PKCα to the Golgi complex. In contrast, the C2 domain is not required for phorbol ester (TPA) binding and translocation of PKCα to the plasma membrane. In addition, evidence is provided that TPA requires only one of the two C1 subdomains to trigger translocation to the plasma membrane. In summary, our data provide evidence that ceramide either directly or indirectly interacts with the Ca 2+-dependent lipid binding C2 domain of PKCα and thereby induces translocation of the enzyme to the Golgi compartment.

Structure-function relationships of apolipoprotein A-I: a flexible protein with dynamic lipid associations

Apolipoprotein A-I is the major structural protein of HDL. Its physicochemical properties maintain a delicate balance between maintenance of stable lipoproteins and the ability to associate with and dissociate from the lipid transported. Here we review the progress made in the last 2-3 years on the structure-function relationships of apolipoprotein A-I, including elements related to the ATP binding cassette transporter A1. Current evidence now supports the so-called 'belt' or 'hairpin' models for apolipoprotein A-I conformation when bound to discoidal lipoproteins. In-vivo expression of apolipoprotein A-I mutant proteins has shown that both the N- and C-terminal domains are important for lipid association as well as for the esterification reaction, particularly binding of cholesteryl esters and formation of mature alpha-migrating lipoproteins. This property is apparently quite distinct from the activation of the enzyme lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase, which requires interaction with the central helix 6. The interaction of apolipoprotein A-I with the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 has been shown to require the C-terminal domain, which is proposed to mediate the opening of the helix bundle formed by lipid-free or lipid-poor apolipoprotein A-I and allow its association with hydrophobic binding sites. Significant progress has been made in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling the folding of apolipoprotein A-I and its interaction with lipids and various other protein factors involved in HDL metabolism.

Characterization of myogenesis from adult satellite cells cultured in vitro.

We describe several characteristics of in vitro myogenesis from adult skeletal muscle satellite cells from the rat and several amphibian species. The timing of cell proliferation and fusion into myotubes was determined, and in urodeles, myogenesis from satellite cells was clearly demonstrated for the first time. Growth factors are known to stimulate satellite cell proliferation. Acidic FGF mRNA was present in rat satellite cells during proliferation but it was not detected in myotubes. Fibronectin was synthesized in satellite cells during proliferation and expelled into the extracellular medium when the myotubes differentiated. We suggest that fibronectin plays a part in the formation of myotubes, as this process was inhibited by anti-fibronectin IgG. Adult satellite cells might differ from fetal myoblasts since they were observed to exhibit the opposite response to a phorbol ester (TPA) to that of the myoblasts. We therefore examined the possibility that the different levels of protein kinase C activity and different phorbol ester binding characteristics in the two cell types account for these opposite responses. Our results suggest that the difference is not connected with the phorbol ester receptor but might be caused by events subsequent to protein kinase C activation. Localized extracellular proteolytic activity might have a role in cell mobilization and/or fusion when satellite cells are activated. We showed that the content of plasminogen activators, chiefly urokinase, was larger in tissues from slow twitch muscles which regenerate more rapidly than fast muscles. The urokinase level rose sharply in cultures when cells fused into myotubes, and was twice as high in slow muscle cells as in fast ones. We also found that, in vitro, slow muscle satellite cells displayed greater myogenicity, but that phorbol ester inhibited their mitosis and myogenicity. We conclude that satellite cells acquire characteristics which differentiate them from myoblasts and correspond to the fast and slow muscles from which they originate.

Increased [ [formula omitted]]Phorbol Ester Binding in Rat Cerebellar Granule Cells and Inhibition of [formula omitted] Buffering in Rat Cerebellum by Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Our previous structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies indicated that the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on neuronal Ca 2+ homeostasis and protein kinase C (PKC) translocation were associated with the extent of coplanarity. Chlorine substitutions at ortho position on the biphenyl, which increase the non-coplanarity, are characteristic of the most active congeners in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the effects of selected hydroxylated PCBs, which are major PCB metabolites identified in mammals, on the same measures where PCBs had differential effects based on structural configuration. These measures include PKC translocation as determined by [ 3H ]phorbol ester ([ 3H ]PDBu) binding in cerebellar granule cells, and Ca 2+ sequestration as determined by 45Ca 2+ uptake by microsomes isolated from adult rat cerebellum. All the selected hydroxy-PCBs with ortho-chlorine substitutions increased [ 3H ]PDBu binding in a concentration-dependent manner and the order of potency as determined by E 50 (concentration that increases control activity by 50%) is 2′,4′,6′-trichloro-4-biphenylol (32 ± 4 μM), 2′,5′-dichloro-4-biphenylol (70 ± 9 μM), 2,2′,4′,5,5′-pentachloro-4-biphenylol (80 ± 7 μM) and 2,2′,5′-trichloro-4-biphenylol (93 ± 14 μM). All the selected hydroxy-PCBs inhibited microsomal 45Ca 2+ uptake to a different extent. Among the hydroxy-PCBs selected, 2′,4′,6′-trichloro-4-biphenylol is the most active in increasing [ 3H ]PDBu binding as well as inhibiting microsomal 45Ca 2+ uptake. 3,5-Dichloro-4-biphenylol and 3,4′,5-trichloro-4-biphenylol did not increase [ 3H ]PDBu binding, but inhibited microsomal 45Ca 2+ uptake. This effect was not related to ionization of these two hydroxy-PCBs. Hydroxylated PCBs seemed to be as active as parent PCBs in vitro. These studies indicate that PCB metabolites such as hydroxy-PCBs might contribute significantly to the neurotoxic responses of PCBs.

New amide-bearing benzolactam-based protein kinase C modulators induce enhanced secretion of the amyloid precursor protein metabolite sAPPalpha.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is known to participate in the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). Abnormal processing of APP through the action of the beta- and gamma-secretases leads to the production of the 39-43 amino acid Abeta fragment, which is neurotoxic and which is believed to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. PKC activation enhances alpha-secretase activity, which results in a decrease of the amyloidogenic products of beta-secretase. In this article, we describe the synthesis of 10 new benzolactam V8 based PKC activators having side chains of varied saturation and lipophilicity linked to the aromatic ring through an amide group. The K(i) values measured for the inhibition of phorbol ester binding to PKCalpha are in the nanomolar range and show some correlation with their lipophilicity. Compounds 5g and 5h show the best binding affinity among the 10 benzolactams that were synthesized. By use of a cell line derived from an AD patient, significant enhancement of sAPPalpha secretion was achieved at 1 microM concentration for most of the compounds studied and at 0.1 microM for compounds 5e and 5f. At 1 microM the enhancement of sAPPalpha secretion for compounds 5c-h is higher than that observed for the control compound 8-(1-decynyl)benzolactam (BL). Of interest is the absence of activity found for the highly lipophilic ligand 5i, which has a K(i) of 11 nM. On the other hand, its saturated counterpart 5j, which possesses a comparable K(i) and ClogP, retains activity in the secretase assay. In the hyperplasia studies, 5f showed a modest response at 100 microg and 5e at 300 microg, suggesting that 5f was approximately 30-fold less potent than the PKC activator mezerein and 100-fold less potent than TPA. 5e was approximately 3-fold less active than 5f. On the basis of the effect of unsaturation for other potent PKC ligands, we would predict that 5e would retain biological activity in most assays but would show a marked loss of tumor-promoting activity. Compound 5e thus becomes a viable candidate compound in the search for Alzheimer's therapeutics capable of modulating amyloid processing.

Synthesis and Functional Analysis of the Cysteine‐Rich Domains of Protein Kinase C (PKC) for Development of New Medicinal Leads with PKC Isozyme and C1 Domain Selectivity

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Generation of anticalins with specificity for a nonsymmetric phthalic acid ester

A set of engineered lipocalins, so-called anticalins, that bind benzyl butyl phthalate, a potential pollutant of environmental and food samples or medical plastic ware, has been generated. To this end, the synthesis of a derivative of the target analyte carrying an activatable carboxylate group at the end of an aliphatic spacer arm was established. This compound was covalently coupled to amino-functionalized paramagnetic beads. Using phage display technology three variants were selected from a random library of the bilin-binding protein (BBP), a prototypic lipocalin, which exhibit binding activity toward the nonsymmetric phthalic acid ester. These anticalins (denominated PhtA, PhtB, and PhtC) possess dissociation constants of 9.1, 6.2, and 11.6 μM, respectively. Specificity for the binding of other phthalic acid esters was studied. No cross-reactivity was found for diethyl phthalate, while binding to dibutyl phthalate was observed with higher dissociation constants. Interestingly, two differing types of binding behavior were observed among the three selected anticalins. Sequence comparison of these engineered lipocalins with the wild-type BBP revealed that all of the 16 randomized positions carried an amino acid exchange and that a certain sequence pattern had been selected, thus pointing toward a peculiar mode of structural interaction. Our data suggest that the generation of anticalins may provide an alternative to antibodies for the creation of stable receptor proteins against haptens with bioanalytical relevance.

Decreased phorbol ester binding in the parahippocampal gyrus from subjects with schizophrenia is not associated with changes in protein kinase C.

Combining in situ radioligand binding with autoradiography, we previously identified a reduction of [(3)H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding in the parahippocampal gyrus from schizophrenic subjects. To determine whether these changes were due to decreases in the level of protein kinase C, we measured [(3)H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding, levels of the protein kinase C isoforms alpha, beta, delta, epsilon, gamma, eta and theta, as well as protein kinase C activity in crude particulate membranes from parahippocampal gyri of 15 schizophrenic and 15 control subjects. There was a significant decrease in the density (mean +/- SEM: 6.56 +/- 0.73 pmol mg(-1) vs 9.68 +/- 1.22 pmol mg(-1); P < 0.05) and affinity (mean K(D) +/- SEM: 4.64 +/- 0.34 nM vs 2.95 +/- 0.35 nM; P < 0.005) of [(3)H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding in homogenates from schizophrenic subjects. There were no significant changes in levels of the protein kinase C isoforms which are known to bind phorbol esters or in the activity of protein kinase C in membranes from schizophrenic subjects. These results suggest that there are changes in molecules capable of binding [(3)H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, other than protein kinase C, in the parahippocampal gyrus from subjects with schizophrenia.

Interactions of chiral quinuclidin‐3‐yl benzoates with butyrylcholinesterase: kinetic study and docking simulations

AbstractBoth enantiomers of quinuclidin‐3‐yl benzoate (RQBz and SQBz) were synthesized in order to examine the stereoselectivity of the hydrolysis of these esters catalyzed by horse serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The hydrolysis of benzoylcholine (BzCh) was also studied in order to determine the influence of the alcohol part of ­the esters upon the kinetics. The kcat value for the substrates decreased in order BzCh &gt; RQBz (4‐fold slower) ≫­SQBz (76‐fold slower reaction). KM values determined for quinuclidinium substrates revealed that the binding affinity of RQBz (0.28 mM) is approximately 2‐fold lower than that of SQBz (0.13 mM) towards BChE. From the ratio of the enantiomeric kcat/KM values, an enantiomeric excess of 78% was calculated, indicating that the resolution of racemic quinuclidin‐3‐yl benzoate can be achieved by hydrolysis with BChE. The orientations of all the studied benzoate esters and butyrylcholine (BuCh) in the active site of human BChE were proposed by flexible ligand docking with AutoDock 3.0. Analyses of the Michaelis complexes obtained revealed that there are numerous similar close contacts in the active site. The main difference in binding of quinuclidinium and choline esters was found in the ammonium electrostatic region which includes cation–π interaction of the ammonium moiety of substrates with the indole ring ­of Trp84. The important cation–π interaction with Trp84 was lowest in the case of the S‐enantiomer of QBz, which might be the main explanation for the slowest rate of hydrolysis of that compound. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.