Inhibition Of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase Research Articles

A two-directional vibrational probe reveals different electric field orientations in solution and an enzyme active site.

The catalytic power of an electric field depends on its magnitude and orientation with respect to the reactive chemical species. Understanding and designing new catalysts for electrostatic catalysis thus requires methods to measure the electric field orientation and magnitude at the molecular scale. We demonstrate that electric field orientations can be extracted using a two-directional vibrational probe by exploiting the vibrational Stark effect of both the C=O and C-D stretches of a deuterated aldehyde. Combining spectroscopy with molecular dynamics and electronic structure partitioning methods, we demonstrate that, despite distinct polarities, solvents act similarly in their preference for electrostatically stabilizing large bond dipoles at the expense of destabilizing small ones. In contrast, we find that for an active-site aldehyde inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase, the electric field orientation deviates markedly from that found in solvents, which provides direct evidence for the fundamental difference between the electrostatic environment of solvents and that of a preorganized enzyme active site.

Non-specific prolongation of the effects of general depressants by pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole.

The liver alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors, pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole, have been tested for their ability to prolong drug-induced sleep times in mice. Both drugs (at 1 mmol kg-1 i.p.) prolonged the duration of loss of righting reflex following chloral hydrate, pentobarbitone, barbitone, temazepam and halothane, but not diethyl ether. This suggests that the effects of these pyrazoles are not specific to the inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Hypothermic and toxic actions of 2-butyne-1, 4-diol and other related diols in the rat.

Abstract The effects of 2-butyne-1,4-diol (BYDL) and related congeners on the body temperature of the rat have been determined. BYDL, at doses above 0·4 mmol kg−1 intraperitoneally, produced a significant fall in body temperature which was dose dependent. 2-butene-1,4-diol (BEDL) had no hypothermic action, and butane-1,4-diol (BDL) produced only a moderate fall in temperature (1·9°) which correlated with the time course of the hypnotic effect of the drug. γ-Butyrolac-tone (GBL), γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and pentobarbitone at hypnotic doses had similar hypothermic actions which correlated with the period of hypnosis. The hypothermia produced by BYDL could not be prevented by pretreatment with scopolamine or by maintaining the rats at high environmental temperature (32°). BYDL was far more toxic than the other diols examined (LD50 = 0·609-0·635 mmol kg−1 compared to BEDL: 3·71-3·74 mmol kg−1 and BDL: 11·87-11·90 mmol kg−1). Pretreatment of rats with pyrazole, an inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase, prevented the toxic and hypothermic actions of BYDL. From earlier studies with pyrazole and BDL it was concluded that BYDL itself was not active but that it was possibly converted in vivo by liver alcohol dehydrogenase to a toxic metabolite.

4-Methylpyrazole alters phenobarbitone hypnotic concentrations in rats

The liver alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, 4-methylpyrazole, has been tested for its ability to change the hypnotic concentrations of phenobarbitone (phenobarbital) in rats. Following a single dose of 1 mmol kg-1 i.v., administered 60 min before phenobarbitone, 4-methylpyrazole shortened the onset time and reduced the dose of phenobarbitone required to produce loss of righting reflex. Consistent with this, phenobarbitone concentrations in serum (both total and free), brain and in cerebrospinal fluid at onset of hypnosis were about half in 4-methylpyrazole compared with saline-treated rats. These results suggest that acute 4-methylpyrazole pretreatment increases the central nervous system sensitivity to phenobarbitone and presumably other barbiturates; an effect apparently distinct from its inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Phytophenols in whisky lower blood acetaldehyde level by depressing alcohol metabolism through inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (class I) in mice

We recently reported that the maturation of whisky prolongs the exposure of the body to a given dose of alcohol by reducing the rate of alcohol metabolism and thus lowers the blood acetaldehyde level ( Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007;31:77s-82s). In this study, administration of the nonvolatile fraction of whisky was found to lower the concentration of acetaldehyde in the blood of mice by depressing alcohol metabolism through the inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Four of the 12 phenolic compounds detected in the nonvolatile fraction (caffeic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, ellagic acid), the amounts of which increase during the maturation of whisky, were found to strongly inhibit mouse ADH 1 (class I). Their inhibition constant values for ADH 1 were 0.08, 7.9, 15.6, and 22.0 μmol/L, respectively, whereas that for pyrazole, a well-known ADH inhibitor, was 5.1 μmol/L. The 2 phenolic aldehydes and ellagic acid exhibited a mixed type of inhibition, whereas caffeic acid showed the competitive type. When individually administered to mice together with ethanol, each of these phytophenols depressed the elimination of ethanol, thereby lowering the acetaldehyde concentration of blood. Thus, it was demonstrated that the enhanced inhibition of liver ADH 1 due to the increased amounts of these phytophenols in mature whisky caused the depression of alcohol metabolism and a consequent lowering of blood acetaldehyde level. These substances are commonly found in various food plants and act as antioxidants and/or anticarcinogens. Therefore, the intake of foods rich in them together with alcohol may not only diminish the metabolic toxicity of alcohol by reducing both the blood acetaldehyde level and oxidative stress, but also help limit the amount of alcohol a person drinks by depressing alcohol metabolism.

Effect of dihydrotestosterone on rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity.

Castration was previously demonstrated to result in an increase in liver alcohol dehydrogenase and in rates of ethanol elimination in male rats. In this study, the effect of dihydrotestosterone, which is a more potent androgen than testosterone in the rat, was determined on liver alcohol dehydrogenase and ethanol elimination in the castrated rat. Dihydrotestosterone was found to be a substrate of liver alcohol dehydrogenase in the reductive direction and a competitive inhibitor of ethanol oxidation by the enzyme. Also, the administration of a single dose of dihydrotestosterone inhibited liver alcohol dehydrogenase 4 hr after the injection, but this effect was not persistent at later intervals following injection. This transient in vivo inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase was associated with a delay in ethanol elimination. The microsomal ethanol-oxidizing enzyme system was found to play no role in the changes in ethanol elimination observed after castration and dihydrotestosterone administration since its activity remained unchanged. These studies provide further evidence of an effect of androgenic steroids on liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity and ethanol metabolism.

Effect of branching in 4-alkylpyrazoles on liver alcohol dehydrogenase inhibition: A shape analysis study

Shape analysis methodology is applied to the study of 4-alkylpyrazoles which are known inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Elongation of the alkyl chain increases the inhibitory power, whereas branching of the chain diminishes the activity. These two counterpoised effects are studied simultaneously in a selected set of 4-alkylpyrazoles. A systematic conformational analysis followed by topological characterization of the van der Waals surfaces of all the local minima restricts the conformational space to potential bioactive structures. The analysis of the interrelation between the molecular electrostatic potential and van der Waals surfaces provides certain shape codes characteristic of each 4-alkylpyrazole. In both topological analyses van der Waals surfaces and molecular electrostatic potential van der Waals surface interrelations) graphical representations and analytical methods were used. A good correlation between the shape codes and the inhibitory activity is found for the linear derivatives. For branched pyrazoles, a tendency in their inhibitory power is predicted. Isopentylpyrazole is suggested to have the same inhibitory profile as 4-butylpyrazole, the linear derivative with one less carbon atom.

ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis of 4‐Alkylpyrazoles as Inhibitors of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase.

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Synthesis of 4-alkylpyrazoles as inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Theoretical studies by shape analysis of the molecular electrostatic potential on the van der Waals surfaces of a set of 4-alkylpyrazoles predicted 4-isopentyl derivative as a good inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Thus, the new 4-isopentyl and the already known 4-octylpyrazole have been prepared by a novel route. The isopentyl derivative has been tested as inhibitor of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase giving the result predicted by the theoretical studies.

On the inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase: Shape group analysis of molecular electrostatic potential on van der Waals surfaces for some pyrazole derivatives

The assessment of molecular similarity between molecules is a fundamental task in computer-aided drug design. In this work, we have applied a combined analysis of steric and electrostatic properties of a series of inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) to rationalize their action. The methodology is based on a topological characterization of the distribution of molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) on the fused-sphere van der Waals surface of a molecule. The topological description can be rendered in the form of two-dimensional diagrams that allow a quick visual or algorithmic analysis of the most relevant shape features of a molecule. By using the representations mentioned above (topological information as a function of the MEP), one can correlate this “structural” information with the values of inhibition constants KI for compounds with different levels of inhibitory activity. This approach allows one to have quantitative measures of similarity for related molecules and to eventually propose compounds that may exhibit a desired activity. The compounds analyzed in this work are a series of substituted derivatives of pyrazole, which span a relatively wide range of inhibitory powers. We have studied the role of the nature of the substituent, as well as its substitutional position, on the molecular shape and correlated these findings with the activity of each compound. Some consequences on the mechanism of inhibition of LADH are also discussed.

Effect of 4-methylpyrazole on ethanol-induced decrease in rat plasma amino acids

It has been shown earlier that an acute dose of ethanol causes an immediate decrease in the concentration of most plasma amino acids, and that this decrease involves both β-adrenergic and adrenocortical mechanisms. In this work is shown that the oxidation of ethanol also plays an important role in the amino acid decreasing effect. Male rats were pretreated with 4-methylpyrazole, an inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase, in doses causing an 85% inhibition of the ethanol elimination. In this group the ethanol-induced decrease in amino acids was much less pronounced than in a control group pretreated with saline.

Pyrazole: preclinical reassessment.

Pyrazole (NSC-45410) is a low molecular weight, heterocyclic compound which has been considered for reevaluation in the clinic as a potential cytotoxic agent (Fig. 1). Discovered in 1893, pyrazole is best known as an inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ki = 0.2 uM), and as a result, has been used extensively in studies of alcohol metabolism. In 1960, pyrazole was identified as being active in preclinical antitumor models, which led to preliminary clinical testing. The early Phase I studies were not followed by disease specific Phase II trials, and the clinical activity of the drug has never been evaluated. This omission was noted by the National Cancer Institute's Project for the Review of Old Drugs (PROD), at which time it was also noted that pyrazole is selectively toxic to thyroid tissue in an animal model. Hence, interest in pyrazole was revived for two reasons: (a) failure to screen it for clinical activity in the 1960's, and (b) current interest in discovering drugs with selective toxicity to specific tissues for evaluation of their activity in malignancies arising in the target tissue. In this review, we summarize the evidence which has accumulated concerning pyrazole's potential role as an anticancer agent.

Induction of rat hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes by pyrazole and 4-substituted pyrazoles.

Pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole are potent inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and as such have been proposed as potential antidotes to alcohol poisoning. These drugs are also inducers of hepatic cytochrome P-450. We tested pyrazole and four 4-substituted pyrazoles for their potential as inducers of cytochrome P-450 and drug metabolism in mature male rats. Total cytochrome P-450 was significantly increased (p less than 0.05) 1.3 fold by treatment with 4-methylpyrazole. P-nitrophenol hydroxylase (PNPH) activity (nmol/min/mg protein) was increased 1.9 fold following treatment with pyrazole and with 4-methylpyrazole. Treatment with 4-methylpyrazole also resulted in a 2.9 fold increase in ethoxyresorufin demethylase (EROD) activity. In addition, pyrazole treatment led to a significant decrease in the activity of benzphetamine demethylase. 4-Iodopyrazole increased the turnover (nmol/min/nmol P-450) of EROD and PNPH by 1.5 fold each. 4-Nitropyrazole had no significant effect on any of the activities or turnover rates tested. In contrast to results with cultured chick hepatocytes, where induction was directly related to the hydrophobicity of the 4-substituent, the present data indicate that the process of induction of in vivo is more complex.

Inhibition of 3(17)beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas testosteroni by steroidal A ring fused pyrazoles.

Several 2,3- and 3,4-steroidal fused pyrazoles have been investigated as potential inhibitors of NAD(P)H-dependent steroid oxidoreductases. These compounds are proven to be potent, specific inhibitors for 3(17) beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas testosteroni with Ki values of 6-100 nM. In contrast, the activities of 3 alpha,20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Streptomyces hydrogenans, steroid 5 alpha-reductase from rat prostate, and 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from rat liver were unaffected by micromolar concentrations of these compounds. Product and dead-end inhibition studies indicate an ordered association to the beta-dehydrogenase with the cofactor binding prior to substrate or inhibitor. From the results of double inhibition experiments, it is proposed that inhibition occurs through formation of an enzyme-NAD+-inhibitor ternate. On the basis of pH profiles of Vm/Km, Vm, and 1/Ki and of absorbance difference spectra, a hypothetical mechanism of inhibition by the steroidal pyrazoles, drawn by analogy from the inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase by alkylpyrazoles [Theorell, H., & Yonetani, T. (1963) Biochem. Z. 338, 537-553; Andersson, P., Kvassman, J. K., Lindström, A., Oldén, B., & Pettersson, G. (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 113, 549-554], is reconsidered. The pH studies and enzyme modification experiments by diethyl pyrocarbonate suggest the involvement of histidine in binding of the inhibitor. A modified proposal for the structure of the enzyme-NAD+-steroidal pyrazole complex is proposed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and ethanol metabolism by 3-substituted thiolane 1-oxides.

3-Substituted thiolane 1-oxides (methyl, n-butyl, n-hexyl, and phenyl) were prepared and tested as inhibitors of horse, monkey, and rat liver alcohol dehydrogenases and of ethanol metabolism in rats. These compounds inhibit alcohol oxidation in an uncompetitive manner with respect to ethanol as a varied substrate. Lengthening the alkyl substituent increased the inhibitory potency because of tighter binding in the hydrophobic substrate binding pocket of the alcohol dehydrogenases. Thus, the 3-hexyl derivative was the most potent inhibitor of the purified rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase, with a Kii value of 0.13 microM. The 3-butyl derivative was the best inhibitor of ethanol metabolism in rats, with a Kii value of 11 mumol/kg. The acute toxicity in mice of the butyl derivative was 1.4 mmol/kg. Since high concentrations of alcohol do not prevent the inhibitory effects of these compounds, they may be particularly useful for preventing poisoning by methanol or ethylene glycol.

In vivo inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase by ethanol administration

The activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) from rats sacrificed two hours after the administration of ethanol 3, 4 or 5 g/kg intraperitoneally was significantly inhibited compared to the activity of LADH from control rats. LADH activity was inversely related to the dose of ethanol admnistered, to the concentration of ethanol in the liver, and to the concentration of ethanol in the blood. The clearance of blood ethanol in rats was dose-dependent and was inversely related to the dose administered. The half-life of ethanol elimination increased as the dose of ethanol increased. These results suggest that ethanol-induced inhibition of LADH can occur in vivo and that the level of activity of this enzyme determines the rate of oxidation of ethanol.

ChemInform Abstract: Inhibition by Carboxamides and Sulfoxides of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Ethanol Metabolism.

Sulfoxides and amides were tested as inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and ethanol metabolism in rats. With both series of compounds, increasing the hydrophobicity resulted in better inhibition, and introduction of polar groups reduced inhibition. Of the cyclic sulfoxides, tetramethylene sulfoxide was the best inhibitor as compared to the tri- and pentamethylene analogue and other compounds, and it may be a transition-state analogue. The most promising compounds, tetramethylene sulfoxide and isovaleramide, were essentially uncompetitive inhibitors of purified horse and rat liver alcohol dehydrogenases with respect to ethanol as substrate. These compounds also were uncompetitive inhibitors in vivo, which is advantageous since the inhibition is not overcome at higher concentrations of ethanol, as it is with competitive inhibitors, such as pyrazole. The uncompetitive inhibition constants for tetramethylene sulfoxide and isovaleramide for rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase were 200 and 20 microM, respectively, in vitro, whereas in vivo the values were 340 and 180 mumol/kg. The differences in the values may be due to metabolism or distribution of the compounds. Further studies will be required to determine if isovaleramide or tetramethylene sulfoxide is suitable for therapeutic purposes.

Inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase by chloral hydrate and trichloroethanol: Possible role in the chloral hydrate-ethanol interaction

Both chloral hydrate and trichloroethanol inhibited mouse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) in vitro. The inhibition of LADH by chloral hydrate appears to be non-competitive in nature with an inhibition constant ( K i) of about 2.7 · 10 −4 M. The inhibition of LADH by trichloroethanol was competitive and the ( K i) was about 2.7 · 10 −5 M. The elimination of ethanol from the blood and brain was significantly reduced in chloral hydrate- or trichloroethanol-pretreated mice. Since reduced elimination of ethanol could result in the prolongation of its central depressant activity, we suggest that this should be considered as a factor in the enhanced pharmacological effects of ethanol-chloral hydrate mixtures.

Inhibition by carboxamides and sulfoxides of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and ethanol metabolism.

Sulfoxides and amides were tested as inhibitors of liver alcohol dehydrogenase and ethanol metabolism in rats. With both series of compounds, increasing the hydrophobicity resulted in better inhibition, and introduction of polar groups reduced inhibition. Of the cyclic sulfoxides, tetramethylene sulfoxide was the best inhibitor as compared to the tri- and pentamethylene analogue and other compounds, and it may be a transition-state analogue. The most promising compounds, tetramethylene sulfoxide and isovaleramide, were essentially uncompetitive inhibitors of purified horse and rat liver alcohol dehydrogenases with respect to ethanol as substrate. These compounds also were uncompetitive inhibitors in vivo, which is advantageous since the inhibition is not overcome at higher concentrations of ethanol, as it is with competitive inhibitors, such as pyrazole. The uncompetitive inhibition constants for tetramethylene sulfoxide and isovaleramide for rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase were 200 and 20 microM, respectively, in vitro, whereas in vivo the values were 340 and 180 mumol/kg. The differences in the values may be due to metabolism or distribution of the compounds. Further studies will be required to determine if isovaleramide or tetramethylene sulfoxide is suitable for therapeutic purposes.

Pyrazole binding in crystalline binary and ternary complexes with liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Pyrazole is a strong inhibitor of liver alcohol dehydrogenase in combination with oxidized coenzyme NAD+. We have studied three different complexes of the inhibitor with the enzyme by using crystallographic methods: (1) the binary complex with pyrazole to 3.2-A resolution, (2) the ternary ternary complex with NAD+-4-iodopyrazole to 2.9-A resolution. Crystals of the binary complex are isomorphous to the apoenzyme, and pyrazole binds to the active-site zinc atom in a way analogous to imidazole. Crystals of the two ternary complexes are isomorphous with the ternary alcohol dehydrogenase-NADH-dimethyl sulfoxide complex. One of the nitrogen atoms of the pyrazole ring is directly bound to the active-site zinc atom with a Zn-N bond distance of 2.1A. The other nitrogen atom is 2 A from the C4 atom of the nicotinamide ring of the coenzyme. The iodine atom in 4-iodopyrazole is located in the hydrophobic substrate cleft. The effect of substitutions on the pyrazole ring are discussed in relation to the structure of the active site and substrate pocket. Pyrazole derivatives with long alkyl chains bound in the 4 position are outstanding inhibitors, and this property is related to the topography of the hydrophobic substrate cleft. The conformation of the oxidized coenzyme in the ternary complexes is essentially the same as that of the reduced coenzyme NADH in the NADH-dimethyl sulfoxide complex.