IIA Binding Research Articles

Tanshinone IIA Downregulates Lipogenic Gene Expression and Attenuates Lipid Accumulation through the Modulation of LXRα/SREBP1 Pathway in HepG2 Cells.

Abnormal and excessive accumulation of lipid droplets within hepatic cells is the main feature of steatosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Dysregulation of lipogenesis contributes to hepatic steatosis and plays an essential role in the pathological progress of MAFLD. Tanshinone IIA is a bioactive phytochemical isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge and exhibits anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic and antihyperlipidemic effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the lipid-lowering effects of tanshinone IIA on the regulation of lipogenesis, lipid accumulation, and the underlying mechanisms in hepatic cells. We demonstrated that tanshinone IIA can significantly inhibit the gene expression involved in de novo lipogenesis including FASN, ACC1, and SCD1, in HepG2 and Huh 7 cells. Tanshinone IIA could increase phosphorylation of ACC1 protein in HepG2 cells. We further demonstrated that tanshinone IIA also could suppress the fatty-acid-induced lipogenesis and TG accumulation in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, tanshinone IIA markedly downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of SREBP1, an essential transcription factor regulating lipogenesis in hepatic cells. Moreover, we found that tanshinone IIA attenuated liver X receptor α (LXRα)-mediated lipogenic gene expression and lipid droplet accumulation, but did not change the levels of LXRα mRNA or protein in HepG2 cells. The molecular docking data predicted tanshinone IIA binding to the ligand-binding domain of LXRα, which may result in the attenuation of LXRα-induced transcriptional activation. Our findings support the supposition that tanshinone IIA possesses a lipid-modulating effect that suppresses lipogenesis and attenuates lipid accumulation by modulating the LXRα/SREBP1 pathway in hepatic cells. Tanshinone IIA can be potentially used as a supplement or drug for the prevention or treatment of MAFLD.

Fibrinolysis of Contracted Blood Clots Depends on Whether Plasminogen Activator Acts from inside or Outside

Fibrinolysis involves the dissolution of polymeric fibrin networks that is required to restore blood flow through vessels obstructed by clots and thrombi. The efficiency of lysis depends on the susceptibility of fibrin to enzymatic digestion, which is governed by the structure and spatial organization of fibrin fibers as well as porosity and composition of the clot. Platelet-driven clot contraction results in compaction of the erythrocytes into the core of the clot, effectively reducing the permeability of the clot, and influences fibrin network structure. We have shown that clot contraction is reduced in blood from patients with thrombotic conditions such ischemic stroke and deep vein thrombosis, which points to the clinical importance of understanding the influence of clot contraction on efficacy of fibrinolysis. Here, we examined the effects of clot contraction on the rate of internal fibrinolysis emanating from within the clot to simulate (patho)physiological conditions, and external fibrinolysis initiated from the clot exterior to simulate therapeutic thrombolysis.Fibrinolysis was induced and the kinetics of lysis was measured in parallel in contracted versus uncontracted clots from the same citrated human blood samples. Clot formation and platelet activation were initiated with 1 U/ml thrombin and 2 mM CaCl2. Clot contraction was either unaffected or impaired by inhibiting platelet non-muscle myosin IIa (blebbistatin), actin polymerization (latrunculin A), and platelet-fibin(ogen) binding (abciximab). To examine internal fibrinolysis, 75 ng/ml of human recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was added prior to initiation of clotting, allowing for tPA to be uniformly distributed through the clot volume and for fibrinolysis occur after the clot has formed. We used optical tracking to follow clot size in a time dependent manner. Contracted clots were completely lysed at a rate that was at least 2 times faster than clots with impaired contraction. Specifically, the average time to complete lysis was 33±4 minutes for contracted clots versus 59±3, 84±4, 75±3 minutes when contraction was impaired by blebbistatin, latrunculin A, and abciximab, respectively (p<0.001). To examine external fibrinolysis, blood spiked with purified human 125I-fibrinogen was allowed to clot and contract (unless contraction was inhibited) prior to the addition of 75 ng/ml tPA. Clots with impaired contraction released 2-4-fold more radiolabeled soluble degradation products during the first 30 minutes and continued to lyse at a rate 4-fold faster than contracted clots over the initial 4 hours following addition of tPA. This reduction of the fibrinolysis rate in contracted clots was not due to the expulsion of serum-soluble anti-fibrinolytic compounds during the contraction process because serum replacement with a buffer did not affect the lysis rate.This difference in the susceptibility of contracted and uncontracted clots to internal versus external lysis suggests that the lysis rate is dominated by the interplay of clot permeability to fibrinolytic enzymes and the spatial proximity of the fibrin fibers themselves. Despite limitations of in vitro experimental models, numerous studies on fibrinolysis have demonstrated the relevance of experimental findings to pathophysiological fibrinolysis and therapeutic thrombolysis. Enhancement of fibrinolysis in contracted blood clots is consistent with the need to dissolve mature clots once they have performed their hemostatic function in a vessel on in a wound. The reduced rates of dissolution of contracted clots in our model of externally applied tPA could account for the inefficacy of therapeutic thrombolysis of old thrombi that likely underwent more compaction compared to newer thrombi. Our studies point to the clinical importance of understanding how mechanical remodeling of clots and thrombi may influence their fibrinolytic resolution and could inform the development of improved thrombolytic therapies. This work, in part, was supported by the Program for Competitive Growth at KFU. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Warfarin and Flavonoids Do Not Share the Same Binding Region in Binding to the IIA Subdomain of Human Serum Albumin.

Human serum albumin (HSA) binds a variety of xenobiotics, including flavonoids and warfarin. The binding of another ligand to the IIA binding site on HSA can cause warfarin displacement and potentially the elevation of its free concentration in blood. Studies dealing with flavonoid-induced warfarin displacement from HSA provided controversial results: estimated risk of displacement ranged from none to serious. To resolve these controversies, in vitro study of simultaneous binding of warfarin and eight different flavonoid aglycons and glycosides to HSA was carried out by fluorescence spectroscopy as well as molecular docking. Results show that warfarin and flavonoids do not share the same binding region in binding to HSA. Interactions were only observed at high warfarin concentrations not attainable under recommended dosing regimes. Docking experiments show that flavonoid aglycons and glycosides do not bind at warfarin high affinity sites, but rather to different regions within the IIA HSA subdomain. Thus, the risk of clinically significant warfarin–flavonoid interaction in binding to HSA should be regarded as negligible.

Recognition and binding of β-lactam antibiotics to bovine serum albumin by frontal affinity chromatography in combination with spectroscopy and molecular docking.

Serum albumins are the most abundant carrier proteins in blood plasma and participate in the binding and transportation of various exogenous and endogenous compounds in the body. This work was designed to investigate the recognition and binding of three typical β-lactam antibiotics including penicillin G (Pen G), penicillin V (Pen V) and cefalexin (Cef) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) by frontal affinity chromatography in combination with UV-vis absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra, binding site marker competitive experiment and molecular docking under simulated physiological conditions. The results showed that a BSA only bound with one antibiotic molecule in the binding process, and the binding constants for Pen G-BSA, Pen V-BSA and Cef-BSA complexes were 4.22×10(1), 4.86×10(2) and 3.32×10(3) (L/mol), respectively. All the three β-lactam antibiotics were mainly inserted into the subdomain IIA (binding site 1) of BSA by hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces. The binding capacity between the antibiotics and BSA was closely related to the functional groups and flexibility of side chains in antibiotics. This study provided an important insight into the molecular recognition and binding interaction of BSA with β-lactam antibiotics, which may be a useful guideline for the innovative clinical medications and new antibiotic designs with effective pharmacological properties.

In vitro glycoengineering of IgG1 and its effect on Fc receptor binding and ADCC activity.

The importance and effect of Fc glycosylation of monoclonal antibodies with regard to biological activity is widely discussed and has been investigated in numerous studies. Fc glycosylation of monoclonal antibodies from current production systems is subject to batch-to-batch variability. If there are glycosylation changes between different batches, these changes are observed not only for one but multiple glycan species. Therefore, studying the effect of distinct Fc glycan species such as galactosylated and sialylated structures is challenging due to the lack of well-defined differences in glycan patterns of samples used. In this study, the influence of IgG1 Fc galactosylation and sialylation on its effector functions has been investigated using five different samples which were produced from one single drug substance batch by in vitro glycoengineering. This sample set comprises preparations with minimal and maximal galactosylation and different levels of sialylation of fully galactosylated Fc glycans. Among others, Roche developed the glycosyltransferase enzyme sialyltransferase which was used for the in vitro glycoengineering activities at medium scale. A variety of analytical assays, including Surface Plasmon Resonance and recently developed FcγR affinity chromatography, as well as an optimized cell-based ADCC assay were applied to investigate the effect of Fc galactosylation and sialylation on the in vitro FcγRI, IIa, and IIIa receptor binding and ADCC activity of IgG1. The results of our studies do not show an impact, neither positive nor negative, of sialic acid- containing Fc glycans of IgG1 on ADCC activity, FcγRI, and RIIIa receptors, but a slightly improved binding to FcγRIIa. Furthermore, we demonstrate a galactosylation-induced positive impact on the binding activity of the IgG1 to FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIa receptors and ADCC activity.

Abstract 3023: Chromatin accessibility underlies the tumor suppressor role of BAF (mSWI/SNF) complexes in many human cancers

Abstract Recent exome sequencing studies of human cancer indicate that ∼20% of malignancies have mutations in the subunits of the BAF (mSWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex, implicating the complex as a major tumor suppressor. However, the mechanisms of tumor suppression remain uncertain. To understand how defective BAF subunits contribute to cancer, we analyzed the genomic states of 5,659 patient samples derived from 22 tumor types, and compared samples containing genetic defects of the BAF complex against samples containing no such defects. We show that in the majority of cancer types, tumors with BAF subunit defects have significantly higher mutation counts than cancers of the same tissue lacking BAF defects. By reconstructing the mutational processes active in each patient sample, we find that excess mutations in BAF-deficient cancers represent the signatures of defective mismatch repair, cytidine deamination, UV-damage response, DNA end joining, Pol epsilon function, and other enzymatic processes acting on DNA. In four cancer types where ChIP-seq tracks were available for the healthy cell type of origin, we tracked the locations of over 280,000 mutations, and find that excess mutations in BAF-deficient tumors are biased towards regions of elevated H3K36me3 and low H3K27me3 in their corresponding non-cancerous tissues. We hypothesized that these mutations resulted from inaccessibility for repair and maintenance factors when a BAF subunit is defective. We tested this hypothesis using topoisomerase IIa binding as model for processes that require enzymatic access to DNA, and found that rapid conditional deletion of the ATPase Brg led to an increase in genome-wide deposition of H3K27me3 at Brg-dependent topoisomerase IIa sites from an initial low state. Our data indicate that the tumor-suppressive functions of BAF complexes arise largely from the requirement for BAF complexes to maintain genomic stability by providing access to DNA for repair and maintenance mechanisms. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Courtney Hodges, Diana C. Hargreaves, Erik L. Miller, Gerald R. Crabtree. Chromatin accessibility underlies the tumor suppressor role of BAF (mSWI/SNF) complexes in many human cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3023. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3023

Thermodynamic mechanism for inhibition of lactose permease by the phosphotransferase protein IIAGlc

In a variety of bacteria, the phosphotransferase protein IIA(Glc) plays a key regulatory role in catabolite repression in addition to its role in the vectorial phosphorylation of glucose catalyzed by the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS). The lactose permease (LacY) of Escherichia coli catalyzes stoichiometric symport of a galactoside with an H(+), using a mechanism in which sugar- and H(+)-binding sites become alternatively accessible to either side of the membrane. Both the expression (via regulation of cAMP levels) and the activity of LacY are subject to regulation by IIA(Glc) (inducer exclusion). Here we report the thermodynamic features of the IIA(Glc)-LacY interaction as measured by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The studies show that IIA(Glc) binds to LacY with a Kd of about 5 μM and a stoichiometry of unity and that binding is driven by solvation entropy and opposed by enthalpy. Upon IIA(Glc) binding, the conformational entropy of LacY is restrained, which leads to a significant decrease in sugar affinity. By suppressing conformational dynamics, IIA(Glc) blocks inducer entry into cells and favors constitutive glucose uptake and utilization. Furthermore, the studies support the notion that sugar binding involves an induced-fit mechanism that is inhibited by IIA(Glc) binding. The precise mechanism of the inhibition of LacY by IIA(Glc) elucidated by ITC differs from the inhibition of melibiose permease (MelB), supporting the idea that permeases can differ in their thermodynamic response to binding IIA(Glc).

The C-Terminus Basic Region of TFPIα Dynamically Regulates FV(a) Function: Evaluation of FV-Short

Coagulation Factor V (FV) is present in plasma as an inactive procofactor. Following B-domain removal, the active cofactor FVa, enhances the catalytic efficiency of FXa by several orders of magnitude. Previous findings have established that evolutionary conserved regions within the B-domain play a key role in keeping FV in an inactive state by, in part, concealing FXa binding site(s). These regions of the FV B-domain consist of basic and acidic elements and define the minimal sequence necessary to maintain FV as a procofactor. Recent data have shown that removal of either one of these elements results in FVa-like activity and that B-domain fragments spanning the basic region act in-trans to suppress the activity of FV variants bearing only the acidic region (J Biol Chem. 287:26342-51, 2012, J Biol Chem. 288:30151-60, 2013). Physiologically, forms of FV that are missing a basic region but harbor an acidic region are released by activated platelets. Interestingly, another form of FV that only harbors an acidic region has been described. The variant FV-East Texas results in an alternatively spliced form of FV that has most of the B-domain removed but retains the acidic region (FV-short; J Clin. Invest. 123:3777-87; 2013). Together these forms of FV should be constitutively active. However, it is possible that physiologic ligands that mimic the basic region could inhibit their activity. Previous studies have identified tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPIα) as one of these potential ligands. Remarkably, the C-terminal segment of TFPIα shares substantial sequence homology with the FV basic region and binds forms of FV that only harbor the acidic region (PNAS, 110:17838-43; 2013). While there are several remaining unanswered questions, the FV(a)-TFPIα interaction has the potential to fundamentally alter our understanding of cofactor regulation at the site of injury.In order to investigate this fascinating prospect, we expressed and purified recombinant FV-short and a protein fragment containing the basic region of TFPIα. As anticipated, FV-short exhibited FVa-like activity, however this cofactor function in the prothrombinase complex was greatly impaired in the presence of TFPIα basic region. Similar results were obtained in clotting assays, supporting the idea of a trans-acting function of TFPIα on FV derivatives missing the acidic region. To better understand the mechanism of interaction, direct binding measurements by fluorescence were established using a labeled TFPIα basic region fragment. Changes in anisotropy were monitored as a function of the FV-short concentration. Analysis of the data revealed a high affinity interaction between FV-short and the TFPIα basic region (Kd = 3.42 ± 0.39 nM). Based on this high affinity, a proportion of FV-short should be largely bound to TFPIα; an observations consistent with the FV-East Texas family. Thus instead of FV-short being constitutively active, when bound to TFPIα it would effectively revert to a procofactor state. To investigate the implications of this circulating complex on function, we next evaluated whether FV-short could be normally converted to FVa by thrombin (IIa) through proteolysis at Arg709 and Arg1545 (Arg1018 is missing). Surprisingly, in the presence of TFPIα basic region, cleavage at Arg1545 was significantly delayed suggesting TFPIα modulates both the activity of FV and its interaction with IIa. TFPIα could either directly and/or allosterically interfere with IIa binding sites on FV. Based on previous unpublished work in our lab, we believe that the basic region of TFPIα provides a trans-acting sequence that causes FV-short to revert to a procofactor state both functionally and structurally. The absence of Arg1018 abrogates proteolysis necessary to alleviate these structural constraints, hence resulting in delayed cleavage at Arg1545.This study shows direct evidence of a high affinity interaction between the TFPIα c-terminal basic region and the naturally-occurring truncated form of FV responsible for the East Texas bleeding disorder. We now have unique tools to investigate the role of full length TPFIα not only in this interesting case, but also in relation to partially activated forms of FV released from platelets. This work sets the stage to achieve a better understanding of the early hemostatic events occurring at the site of injury, providing the bases for potential therapeutic regulation. DisclosuresCamire:Pfizer: Consultancy, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding.

Insights into the Inhibitory Mechanisms of the Regulatory Protein IIAGlc on Melibiose Permease Activity

The phosphotransfer protein IIA(Glc) of the bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system plays a key role in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. Melibiose permease (MelB) is one among several permeases subject to IIA(Glc) regulation. The regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood; in addition, thermodynamic features of IIA(Glc) binding to other proteins are also unknown. Applying isothermal titration calorimetry and amine-specific cross-linking, we show that IIA(Glc) directly binds to MelB of Salmonella typhimurium (MelB(St)) and Escherichia coli MelB (MelB(Ec)) at a stoichiometry of unity in the absence or presence of melibiose. The dissociation constant values are 3-10 μM for MelB(St) and 25 μM for MelB(Ec). All of the binding is solely driven by favorable enthalpy forces. IIA(Glc) binding to MelB(St) in the absence or presence of melibiose yields a large negative heat capacity change; in addition, the conformational entropy is constrained upon the binding. We further found that the IIA(Glc)-bound MelB(St) exhibits a decreased binding affinity for melibiose or nitrophenyl-α-galactoside. It is believed that sugar binding to the permease is involved in an induced fit mechanism, and the transport process requires conformational cycling between different states. Thus, the thermodynamic data are consistent with the interpretation that IIA(Glc) inhibits the induced fit process and restricts the conformational dynamics of MelB(St).

Ginsenoside Rg1 protects hydrogen peroxide‐induced PC12 cell death: involvement of NMMHC IIA‐NF‐κB/p65 pathway (1143.15)

Neuronal oxidative stress is a primary mechanism of neuron loss and neurological dysfunction in several CNS diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) afforded neuroprotection against oxidative injury by attenuating the over‐activation of NF‐kappaB/p65, ERK1/2 and Akt signalling pathways. To further investigate how Rg1 regulates the NF‐kappaB/p65 activation, we explored the molecular targets for Rg1 through which Rg1 exerts neuroprotective activity. Using the serial affinity chromatography, we identified the non‐muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMMHC IIA) as one of the Rg1 specific binding proteins in PC12 cells. To understand the Rg1‐NMMHC IIA binding complex structure, we employed computer‐aided homology modelling to illustrate how the small molecule interacts with the protein based on the structure of the NMMHC IIA modelled with 1BR2 and 1YV3 (PDB coded). The pharmacological inhibitor of NMMHC IIA, blebbistatin, and NMMHC IIA ShRNA both blocked Rg1’s neuroptection on oxidative stress‐induced NF‐kappaB/p65 activation and cell death suggesting NMMHC IIA was a potential target for Rg1 neuroprotection against neuronal oxidative stress. In addition, Rg1 normalized the oxidative stress‐induced NMMCH IIA over‐expression in PC12 cells. Considered these data together suggested that NMMHC IIA‐NF‐kappaB/p65 pathway involved in oxidative stress‐induced cell death. This novel identified pathway may potentially explain the neuroprotective mechanism of Rg1 against oxidative damage in several CNS diseases. Our results therefore may help to understand the pathophysiology of oxidative stress and the molecular mechanisms of Rg1 neuroprotection.

An albumin-derived peptide scaffold capable of binding and catalysis.

We have identified a 101-amino-acid polypeptide derived from the sequence of the IIA binding site of human albumin. The polypeptide contains residues that make contact with IIA ligands in the parent protein, and eight cysteine residues to form disulfide bridges, that stabilize the polypeptide structure. Seventy-four amino acids are located in six α-helical regions, while the remaining thirty-seven amino acids form six connecting coil/loop regions. A soluble GST fusion protein was expressed in E. coli in yields as high as 4 mg/l. This protein retains the IIA fragment’s capacity to bind typical ligands such as warfarin and efavirenz and other albumin’s functional properties such as aldolase activity and the ability to direct the stereochemical outcome of a diketone reduction. This newly cloned polypeptide thus represents a valuable starting point for the construction of libraries of binders and catalysts with improved proficiency.

Binding of Hydroxyquinoline Probes to Human Serum Albumin: Combining Molecular Modeling and Förster’s Resonance Energy Transfer Spectroscopy to Understand Flexible Ligand Binding

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in blood plasma. It has high relevance for the lipid metabolism, and its ability to bind a large variety of natural and pharmaceutical compounds makes it a crucial determinant of drug pharmaco-kinetics and -dynamics. The drug binding properties of HSA can be characterized by spectroscopic analysis of bound probe molecules. We have recently characterized the subdomain IIA binding site of HSA using three hydroxyquinoline derivatives. In this work, we extend our study by combining data from energy transfer experiments, ligand docking, and long molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Multiple possible binding locations are found within the subdomain IIA site, and their solvent accessibility and interactions with ligands are analyzed in detail. Binding pockets appear well hydrated during simulations, with ligands in direct contact to water molecules at all times. Binding free energies in good agreement to experiment are calculated. The HSA apoprotein is found to exhibit significant conformational flexibility over 250 ns of simulation time, but individual domains remain structurally stable. Two rotamers of Trp214 were observed on a time scale longer than 50 ns in the MD simulations, supporting the experimental observation of two fluorescence lifetime components. The flexible protein structure and heterogeneous nature of its binding sites explain the ability of HSA to act as a versatile molecular transporter. The combination of experimental and computational molecular distance information allows the conclusion that hydroxyquinoline probes bind in a binding mode similar to the anticoagulant drug warfarin.

Probing the influences of urea on the interaction of sinomenine with human serum albumin by steady-state fluorescence

The binding of sinomenine to human serum albumin (HSA) in aqueous solution in the absence and presence of urea has been studied by fluorescence and the three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence at pH 7.40. Subdomain IIA binding site of human serum albumin (HSA) was characterized by examining the change in HSA fluorescence. The quenching rate constants and binding constants were calculated in the absence and presence of the denaturant. The results point to a static quenching mechanism operating in the complexes. However, the binding ability of sinomenine to denatured HSA is weaker than that of sinomenine to native HSA. Denaturation of HSA in the presence of urea is almost complete at [urea]⩾8.0M. Upon unfolding, two fluorescence peaks were observed. One peak was assigned to the fluorescence of Trp-214 residue in a polar environment, and the other peak was assigned to the fluorescence of tyrosine residues. Compared to the free HSA, the HSA-sinomenine complex is more stable in the presence of urea.

An albumin-derived peptide scaffold capable of binding and catalysis

AbstractWe have identified a 101-amino-acid polypeptide derived from the sequence surrounding the IIA binding site of human albumin. The polypeptide contains residues that make contact with ligands as warfarin in the parent protein, and eight cysteine residues to form disulfide bridges, which stabilize the polypeptide structure. Seventy-four amino acids are located in six [alpha]-helical regions, with the remaining amino acids forming six connecting coil/loop regions. Codon usage optimization was used to express a GST fusion protein in E. coli in yields as high as 4 mg/l. This fusion protein retains its structural integrity and aldolase activity, the ability to direct the stereochemical outcome of a diketone reduction, and its binding capacity to warfarin and efavirenz. Notably, this newly cloned polypeptide represents a valuable starting point for the construction of libraries of binders and catalysts with improved proficiency.

Comparative spectroscopic studies on drug binding characteristics and protein surface hydrophobicity of native and modified forms of bovine serum albumin: Possible relevance to change in protein structure/function upon non-enzymatic glycation

The interaction between serum albumin (SA) and drugs has provided an interesting ground for understanding of drug effects, especially in drug distribution and drug–drug interaction on SA, in the case of multi-drug therapy. Determination of the impact of various factors on drug–protein interaction is especially important upon significant binding of drug to albumin. In the present study, the interaction of two drugs (furosemide and indomethacin) with native and modified albumins were investigated by using various spectroscopic methods. Fluorescence data indicated that 1:1 binding of drugs to bovine serum albumin (BSA) is associated with quenching of albumin intrinsic fluorescence. The Job's plot also confirmed that drug binds to BSA via mentioned stoichiometry. Analysis of the quenching and thermodynamic parameters indicated that intermolecular interactions between drug and albumin may change upon protein modification. The theoretical analyses also suggested some conformational changes of interacting side chains in subdomain IIA binding site (at the vicinity of W237), which were in good agreement with experimental data. Decrease of protein surface hydrophobicity (PSH) was also observed upon both albumin modification and drug binding.

New advances in the study on the interaction of [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ complex with biological models; association to transporting proteins

The present study reports a detailed investigation with the interaction of [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ with serum albumins, the key protein for the transport of drugs in the blood plasma, which allows us to understand further the role of [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ as sensitizer in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT).Chromium(III) complex [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+, (dppz = dipyridophenazine and phen=1,10-phenanthroline), where dppz is a planar bidentate ligand with an extended π system, has been found to bind strongly with bovine and human serum albumins (BSA and HSA) with an intrinsic binding constants, Kb, of (1.7±0.3)×105M−1 and (2.2±0.3)×105M−1 at 295K, respectively. The interactions of serum albumins with [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ were assessed employing fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The serum albumins-[Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ interactions caused conformational changes with the loss of helical stability of the protein and local perturbation in the domain IIA binding pocket. The relative fluorescence intensity of the albumin (BSA or HSA) bound to the Cr(III) complex decreased, suggesting that perturbation around the Trp 214 residue took place. The analysis of the thermodynamic parameters ΔG, ΔH, ΔS indicated that the hydrophobic interactions played a major role in both BSA-Cr(III) and HSA-Cr(III) association processes. The binding distances and transfer efficiencies for BSA-Cr(III) and HSA-Cr(III) binding reactions were calculated according to the Föster theory of non-radiation energy transfer. All these experimental results suggests that [Cr(phen)2(dppz)]3+ binds to serum albumins, by which these proteins could act as carriers of this complex for further applications in PDT.

Albumin-directed stereoselective reduction of 1,3-diketones and β-hydroxyketones to anti diols

The reduction of 1,3-diketones and β-hydroxyketones with NaBH(4) in aqueous acetonitrile is highly stereoselective in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of bovine or human albumin, giving anti 1,3-diols with d.e. up to 96%. The same reaction, without albumin, gives syn and anti 1,3-diols in approximately 1:1 ratio. The presence of an aromatic carbonyl group is essential for diastereoselectivity in the NaBH(4)/albumin reduction of both 1,3-diketones and β-hydroxyketones. Thus, 3-hydroxy-1-(p-tolyl)-1-butanone is stereoselectively reduced in the presence of albumin, while reduction of its isomer 4-(p-tolyl)-4-hydroxy-2-butanone is not stereoselective. The albumin-controlled reduction is not stereospecific as both enantiomers of 1-aryl-3-hydroxy-1-butanones are reduced to diols with identical stereoselectivities. Circular dichroism of the bound substrates confirms that aromatic ketones are recognized by the protein's IIA binding site. Binding studies also suggest that 1,3-diketones are recognized in their enol form. From the effect of pH on binding of a diketone it is concluded that, in the complex with the substrate, ionizable residues His242 and Lys199 are in the neutral and protonated forms, respectively. A homology model of BSA was obtained and docking of model substrates confirms the preference of the protein for aromatic ketones. Modelling of the complexes with the substrates also allows us to propose a mechanism for the reduction of 1,3-diketones in which the chemoselective reduction of the first (aliphatic) carbonyl is followed by the diastereoselective reduction of the second (aromatic) carbonyl. The role of albumin is thus a combination of chemo- and stereocontrol.

Tanshinone IIA triggers p53 responses and apoptosis by RNA polymerase II upon DNA minor groove binding

Our previous work has shown that tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is a DNA minor groove binder instead of an intercalator as previously thought. In this study, we have further demonstrated that the molecular antitumor pharmacology of Tan IIA is dependent on its groove-binding capability. First, we investigated the structure damage to duplex DNA upon Tan IIA binding using circular dichroism spectra. Subsequently, we performed western blot, flow cytometry analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and quantitative real-time PCR to illustrate the RNAPII degradation, phosphorylation, and distribution along the transcribed gene in H22 cells exposed to Tan IIA. In addition, p53 activation and apoptosis induction in both cultured H22 cells and in mice bearing the ascitic-type H22 were measured following Tan IIA treatment. It was revealed that Tan IIA decreases the level of RNAPII by altering DNA structure. At the low dose range (0.2–4 μM) of Tan IIA exposure, the DNA structure damage results in the inhibition of RNAPII binding to DNA and the initiation of RNAPII phosphorylation, while higher concentrations of Tan IIA (4–20 μM) cause complete phosphorylation and degradation of RNAPII followed by p53 activation and apoptosis. A similar apoptosis induction by RNAPII was observed in animals. Apoptosis of tumor cells from ascitic fluid was not detected until RNAPII levels were downregulated by Tan IIA, which requires 40 mg/kg body weight of Tan IIA. It was concluded that DNA-conformational-damage-dependent RNAPII response upon groove binding is the molecular basis of the antitumor property of Tan IIA, in vivo and in vitro.

Cu(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) radiopharmaceutical binding to serum albumin: further definition of species dependence and associated substituent effects

The pyruvaldehyde bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-PTSM) and diacetyl bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ATSM) radiopharmaceuticals exhibit strong, species-dependent binding to the IIA site of human serum albumin (HSA), while the related ethylglyoxal bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copper(II) (Cu-ETS) radiopharmaceutical appears to exhibit only nonspecific binding to HSA and animal serum albumins. To further probe the structural basis for the species dependence of this albumin binding interaction, we examined protein binding of these three radiopharmaceuticals in solutions of albumin and/or serum from a broader array of mammalian species (rat, sheep, donkey, rabbit, cow, pig, dog, baboon, mouse, cat and elephant). We also evaluated the albumin binding of several copper(II) bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelates offering more diverse substitution of the ligand backbone. Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM exhibit a strong interaction with HSA that is not apparent with the albumins of other species, while the binding of Cu-ETS to albumin is much less species dependent. The strong interaction of Cu-PTSM with HSA does not appear to simply correlate with variation, relative to the animal albumins, of a single amino acid lining HSA's IIA site. Those agents that selectively interact with HSA share the common feature of only methyl or hydrogen substitution at the carbon atoms of the diimine fragment of the ligand backbone. The interspecies variations in albumin binding of Cu-PTSM and Cu-ATSM are not simply explained by unique amino acid substitutions in the IIA binding pocket of the serum albumins. However, the specific affinity for this region of HSA is disrupted when substituents bulkier than a methyl group appear on the imine carbons of the copper bis(thiosemicarbazone) chelate.

Characterization of Subdomain IIA Binding Site of Human Serum Albumin in its Native, Unfolded, and Refolded States Using Small Molecular Probes

Subdomain IIA binding site of human serum albumin (HSA) was characterized by examining the change in HSA fluorescence in the native, unfolded, and refolded states. The study was carried out in the absence and presence of small molecular probes using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. 2-Pyridone, 3-pyridone, and 4-pyridone bear similar molecular structures to those found in many drugs and are used here as probes. They are found to specifically bind in subdomain IIA and cause a reduction in the fluorescence intensity and lifetime of the Trp-214 residue in native HSA which is located in the same subdomain. The efficiency of energy transfer from Trp-214 fluorescence to the probes was found to depend on the degree of the spectral overlap between the donor's fluorescence and the acceptor's absorption. After probe binding in subdomain IIA, the distance between the donor and acceptor was calculated using Forster theory. The calculated quenching rate constants and binding constants were also shown to depend on the degree of spectral overlap. The results point to a static quenching mechanism operating in the complexes. Denaturation of HSA in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) starts at [GdnHCl] > 1.0 M and is complete at [GdnHCl] > or = 6.0 M. Upon unfolding, two fluorescence peaks were observed. One peak was assigned to the fluorescence of Trp-214 in a polar environment, and the other peak was assigned to tyrosine fluorescence. A reduction of the fluorescence intensity of the two peaks upon binding of the probes to the denatured HSA indicates that Tyr-263 in subdomain IIA is one of the tyrosine residues responsible for the second fluorescence peak. The results were confirmed by measuring the fluorescence spectra and lifetimes of denatured HSA at different excitation wavelengths, and of L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine free in buffer. The measured lifetimes of denatured HSA are typical of tryptophan in a polar environment and are slightly reduced upon probe binding. Dilution of the denatured HSA by buffer results in a partial refolding of subdomain IIA. This partial refolding is attributed to some swelling of the binding site caused by water. The swelling prevents a full recovery from the denatured state.