Koningic Acid Research Articles

Enhanced lung endothelial glycolysis is implicated in the development of severe pulmonary hypertension in type 2 diabetes.

Metabolic abnormalities in pulmonary endothelial cells are implicated in pulmonary hypertension (PH) while increasing evidence shows the influence of diabetes on progressing PH. In this study, we examined the effect of type 2 diabetes on hypoxia-induced PH and investigated its molecular mechanisms using hypoxia-induced diabetic male mice. Chronic hypoxia led to a more severe PH in type 2 diabetic mice than in control mice. Next, we compared gene expression patterns in isolated pulmonary endothelial cells (MPECs) from control mice in normoxia (CN), diabetic mice in normoxia (DN), control mice exposed to hypoxia (CH), and diabetic mice exposed to hypoxia (DH). The results showed that expression levels of 27 mRNAs, out of 92 mRNAs, were significantly different among the four groups. Two glycolysis-related proteins, GAPDH and HK2, were increased in MPECs of DH mice compared to those in DN or CH mice. In addition, the levels of pyruvate and lactate (glycolysis end products) were significantly increased in MPECs of DH mice, but not in CH mice, compared to MPECs of CN mice. Augmentation of glycolysis by terazosin exacerbated hypoxia-induced PH in CH mice but not in DH mice. On the contrary, inhibiting GAPDH (a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway) by koningic acid ameliorated hypoxia-induced PH in DH mice but had no effect in CH mice. These data suggest that enhanced glycolysis in diabetic mice is involved in severe hypoxia-induced PH, and glycolysis inhibition is a potential target to reduce the severe progression of PH in diabetic patients.

Elevated FBXW10 drives hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis via AR-VRK2 phosphorylation-dependent GAPDH ubiquitination in male transgenic mice

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common liver cancer, occurs mainly in men, but the underlying mechanism remains to be further explored. Here, we report that ubiquitinated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is responsible for HCC tumorigenesis in males. Mechanistically, FBXW10 promotes GAPDH polyubiquitination and activation; VRK2-dependent phosphorylation of GAPDH Ser151 residue is critical for GAPDH ubiquitination and activation. Activated GAPDH interacts with TRAF2, leading to upregulation of the canonical and noncanonical NF-κB pathways, and increases PD-L1 and AR-VRK2 expression, followed by induction of immune evasion, HCC tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Notably, the GAPDH inhibitor koningic acid (KA) activates immune response and protects against FBXW10-driven HCC invivo. In HCC clinical samples, the expression of active GAPDH is positively correlated with that of FBXW10 and VRK2. We propose that the FBXW10/AR/VRK2/GAPDH/NF-κB axis is critical for HCC tumorigenesis in males. Targeting this axis with KA is a potential therapeutic strategy for male HCC patients.

Discovery of a spirocyclic 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroisoxazole covalent inhibitor of hGAPDH with antiproliferative activity against pancreatic cancer cells

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a key glycolytic enzyme, plays a crucial role in the energy metabolism of cancer cells and has been proposed as a valuable target for the development of anticancer agents. Among a series of 5-substituted 3-bromo-4,5-dihydroisoxazole (BDHI) derivatives, we identified the spirocyclic compound 11, which is able to covalently inactivate recombinant human GAPDH (hGAPDH) with a faster reactivity than koningic acid, one of the most potent hGAPDH inhibitors known to date. Computational studies confirmed that conformational rigidification is crucial to stabilize the interaction of the inhibitor with the binding site, thus favoring the subsequent covalent bond formation. Investigation of intrinsic warhead reactivity at different pH disclosed the negligible reactivity of 11 with free thiols, highlighting its ability to selectively react with the activated cysteine of hGAPDH with respect to other sulfhydryl groups. Compound 11 strongly reduced cancer cell growth in four different pancreatic cancer cell lines and its antiproliferative activity correlated well with the intracellular inhibition of hGAPDH. Overall, our results qualify 11 as a potent hGAPDH covalent inhibitor with a moderate drug-like reactivity that could be further exploited to develop anticancer agents.

Screening and efficacy evaluation of antagonistic fungi against Phytophthora infestans and combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for biocontrol of late blight in potato

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is the most devastating disease of potato crops worldwide. Control practices mostly rely on synthetic fungicides or copper-based products. In recent years, biological control agents have generated significant enthusiasm as eco-friendly sustainable alternatives. Here, the filtrates of 149 filamentous fungi and yeasts were tested in vitro against P. infestans MUCL 54981. The most effective filtrates were then combined in alginate beads with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 and tested in vitro for their compatibility, and finally in the greenhouse for their efficacy against P. infestans. The filtrates of Penicillium aurantiogriseum MUCL 47586, Penicillium griseofulvum MUCL 29201, Trichoderma virens MUCL 18139, and Verticillium psalliotae MUCL 18310 totally suppressed conidial germination and growth of P. infestans in vitro. In whole potato plants in vitro, only the filtrate of T. virens significantly suppressed P. infestans plant infestation. With the exception of P. griseofulvum, none of the selected filtrates affected the germination, root colonization, and spore production of R. irregularis following their combined entrapment in alginate beads. According to these results, the filtrate of T. virens was selected for the greenhouse experiment with the potato variety Annabelle. The filtrate was used as leaf spray and/or as root treatment in combination with R. irregularis entrapped in alginate beads. Root treatments with AMF alone as well as with the AMF entrapped with the filtrate of T. virens significantly reduced the area under disease progress curve compared to the non-treated plants. LC-MS analyses of the filtrate showed the production of koninginin D, gliotoxin, and koningic acid, three antifungal compounds, which could have impacted P. infestans. Conversely, foliar application of the filtrate, whether the plant was colonized by the AMF or not, did not reduce symptoms of the disease, possibly because of the greenhouse growth conditions making the potato plants more susceptible to P. infestans and counterbalancing the positive effects of the antimicrobial secondary metabolites or AMF. Our results demonstrated the potential of R. irregularis MUCL 41833 combined or not with a filtrate of T. virens MUCL 18139 into alginate beads as a biological control strategy against P. infestans.

Antitumor activity of Koningic acid in thyroid cancer by inhibiting cellular glycolysis

PurposeKoningic acid (KA), a sesquiterpene lactone, has been identified as an antimicrobial agent. Recent studies have revealed KA’s antitumor activities in colorectal cancer, leukemia, and lung cancer. However, its antitumor effect in thyroid cancer remains largely unknown.MethodsThe effects of KA on proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis in thyroid cancer cells were assessed by MTT assay and flow cytometry. After KA treatment, the glycolysis ability of thyroid cancer cells was detected by ECAR, and the glycolytic products and relative ATP levels were measured by ELISA. The underlying mechanisms of antineoplastic activity of KA in thyroid cancer were detected by Western blot. Finally, the antineoplastic activity in vivo was observed in Xenograft mouse models.ResultsKA inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, and increased cell apoptosis in thyroid cancer cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner. We verified that the glycolysis ability, ATP production, and lactic acid level in thyroid cancer cells had experienced an extensive decrease after KA treatment. In addition, lactic acid, the metabolite of glycolysis, could weaken the effect of KA on its colony formation ability in C643 thyroid cancer cell line. Our data also showed that KA kills thyroid cancer cells by inhibiting the MAPK/ERK pathway and decreasing Bcl-2 level. By contrast with the control group, the growth of xenograft tumor was dramatically inhibited by KA without obvious drug side effects.ConclusionOur data demonstrate that KA kills thyroid cancer cell lines by inhibiting their glycolysis ability, the MAPK/ERK pathway and the Bcl-2 level and suggest that KA has potential clinical value in thyroid cancer therapy.

Discovery of new targeting agents against GAPDH receptor for antituberculosis drug delivery.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health concern due to the emergence and evolution of multidrug-resistant strains. To overcome this issue, reinforcing the effectiveness of first line antituberculosis agents using targeted drug delivery approach is an option. Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GADPH), a common virulence factor found in the pathogenic microorganisms has recently been discovered on the cell-surface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, allowing it to be used as a drug target for TB. This study aims to discover active small molecule(s) that target GAPDH and eventually enhance the delivery of antituberculosis drugs. Ten ligands with reported in vitro and/or in vivo activities against GAPDH were evaluated for their binding interactions through molecular docking studies using AutoDock 4.2 program. The ligand with the best binding energy was then modified to produce 10 derivatives, which were redocked against GAPDH using previous protocols. BIOVIA Discovery Studio Visualizer 2019 was used to explore the ligand-receptor interactions between the derivatives and GAPDH. Among the 10 ligands, curcumin, koningic acid and folic acid showed the best binding energies. Further analysis on the docking of two folic acid derivatives, F7 (γ-{[tert-butyl-N-(6-aminohexyl)]carbamate}folic acid) and F8 (folic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester) showed that the addition of a bulky substituent at the carboxyl group of the glutamic acid subcomponent resulted in improved binding energy. Folic acid and the two derivatives F7 and F8 have huge potentials to be developed as targeting agents against the GAPDH receptor. Further study is currently on-going to evaluate the effectiveness of these molecules in vitro.

Targeting of Evolutionarily Acquired Cancer Cell Phenotype by Exploiting pHi-Metabolic Vulnerabilities.

Evolutionary dynamics can be used to control cancers when a cure is not clinically considered to be achievable. Understanding Darwinian intratumoral interactions of microenvironmental selection forces can be used to steer tumor progression towards a less invasive trajectory. Here, we approach intratumoral heterogeneity and evolution as a dynamic interaction among subpopulations through the application of small, but selective biological forces such as intracellular pH (pHi) and/or extracellular pH (pHe) vulnerabilities. Increased glycolysis is a prominent phenotype of cancer cells under hypoxia or normoxia (Warburg effect). Glycolysis leads to an important aspect of cancer metabolism: reduced pHe and higher pHi. We recently showed that decreasing pHi and targeting pHi sensitive enzymes can reverse the Warburg effect (WE) phenotype and inhibit tumor progression. Herein, we used diclofenac (DIC) repurposed to control MCT activity, and Koningic acid (KA) that is a GAPDH partial inhibitor, and observed that we can control the subpopulation of cancer cells with WE phenotype within a tumor in favor of a less aggressive phenotype without a WE to control progression and metastasis. In a 3D spheroid co-cultures, we showed that our strategy can control the growth of more aggressive MDA-MB-231 cells, while sparing the less aggressive MCF7 cells. In an animal model, we show that our approach can reduce tumor growth and metastasis. We thus propose that evolutionary dynamics can be used to control tumor cells’ clonal or sub-clonal populations in favor of slower growth and less damage to patients. We propose that this can result in cancer control for tumors where cure is not an option.

A Condensed, Scalable Synthesis of Racemic Koningic Acid.

The natural product koningic acid (KA) is a selective covalent inhibitor of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a critical node in the glycolysis pathway. While KA is available commercially, sources are limited and its cost becomes rapidly prohibitive beyond the milligram scale. Additionally, a practical and flexible synthetic route to KA and analogs remains to be developed. Here we detail a new route that is operationally safer, scalable and offers a five-step reduction in the previously reported longest linear sequence.

Evolved resistance to partial GAPDH inhibition results in loss of the Warburg effect and in a different state of glycolysis

Aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect (WE) is characterized by increased glucose uptake and incomplete oxidation to lactate. Although the WE is ubiquitous, its biological role remains controversial, and whether glucose metabolism is functionally different during fully oxidative glycolysis or during the WE is unknown. To investigate this question, here we evolved resistance to koningic acid (KA), a natural product that specifically inhibits glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a rate-controlling glycolytic enzyme, during the WE. We found that KA-resistant cells lose the WE but continue to conduct glycolysis and surprisingly remain dependent on glucose as a carbon source and also on central carbon metabolism. Consequently, this altered state of glycolysis led to differential metabolic activity and requirements, including emergent activities in and dependences on fatty acid metabolism. These findings reveal that aerobic glycolysis is a process functionally distinct from conventional glucose metabolism and leads to distinct metabolic requirements and biological functions.

Abstract 5496: A predictive model for selective targeting of the Warburg effect through GAPDH inhibition with a natural product

Abstract Cancer cells undergo numerous adaptive processes to sustain growth and survival. One notable mechanism is by rewiring metabolism, most prominently through a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect (WE). The WE is defined by increased glucose consumption and lactate excretion in the presence or absence of oxygen. Although the WE has been extensively studied, efforts to develop successful glycolytic inhibitors have been largely unsuccessful. Targeting cancer metabolism has remained a challenge due to the lack of obvious metabolic biomarkers and difficulties achieving full enzyme inhibition without inducing toxicity in normal tissue. Although targeted cancer therapies that use genetics have been largely successful, principles for selectively targeting tumor metabolism that also depend on the environment remain unknown. In the present study, we employ metabolic control analysis to reveal that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), the sixth enzyme in glycolysis, exhibits differential control properties during the WE and can be used to predict response to targeting glucose metabolism. Using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), we conducted comparative metabolomics to establish a natural product produced by Trichoderma fungi, koningic acid (KA), as a selective inhibitor of GAPDH. We expressed a fungal-derived resistant-GAPDH allele in human cells to show that KA is highly specific for GAPDH. With machine learning, integrated pharmacogenomics, and metabolomics, we demonstrate that KA efficacy is not determined by the status of individual genes, but by the quantitative extent of the WE, leading to a therapeutic window in vivo. Thus, the basis of targeting the WE can be encoded by molecular principles that extend beyond genetic status. Current work focuses on elucidating acquired resistance mechanisms of KA in cancer cells undergoing the WE. Together, these data importantly demonstrate that a complete understanding of pharmacogenomics for cancer therapy likely requires information encoded at the metabolic level. Citation Format: Maria V. Liberti, Ziwei Dai, Suzanne E. Wardell, Joshua A. Baccile, Xiaojing Liu, Xia Gao, Robert Baldi, Mahya Mehrmohamadi, Marc O. Johnson, Neel S. Madhukar, Alexander Shestov, Iok I. C. Chio, Olivier Elemento, Jeffrey C. Rathmell, Frank C. Schroeder, Donald P. McDonnell, Jason W. Locasale. A predictive model for selective targeting of the Warburg effect through GAPDH inhibition with a natural product [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5496.

High throughput measurement of metabolism in planarians reveals activation of glycolysis during regeneration.

Planarians are outstanding models for studying mechanisms of regeneration; however, there are few methods to measure changes in their metabolism. Examining metabolism in planarians is important because the regenerative process is dependent on numerous integrated metabolic pathways, which provide the energy required for tissue repair as well as the ability to synthesize the cellular building blocks needed to form new tissue. Therefore, we standardized an extracellular flux analysis method to measure mitochondrial and glycolytic activity in live planarians during normal growth as well as during regeneration. Small, uninjured planarians showed higher rates of oxygen consumption compared with large planarians, with no difference in glycolytic activity; however, glycolysis increased during planarian regeneration. Exposure of planarians to koningic acid, a specific inhibitor of glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, completely abolished extracellular acidification with little effect on oxygen consumption, which suggests that the majority of glucose catabolized in planarians is fated for aerobic glycolysis. These studies describe a useful method for measuring respiration and glycolysis in planarians and provide data implicating changes in glucose metabolism in the regenerative response.

A Predictive Model for Selective Targeting of the Warburg Effect through GAPDH Inhibition with a Natural Product

Targeted cancer therapies that use genetics are successful, but principles for selectively targeting tumor metabolism that is also dependent on the environment remain unknown. We now show that differences in rate-controlling enzymes during the Warburg effect (WE), the most prominent hallmark of cancer cell metabolism, can be used to predict a response to targeting glucose metabolism. We establish a natural product, koningic acid (KA), to be a selective inhibitor of GAPDH, an enzyme we characterize to have differential control properties over metabolism during the WE. With machine learning and integrated pharmacogenomics and metabolomics, we demonstrate that KA efficacy is not determined by the status of individual genes, but by the quantitative extent of the WE, leading to a therapeutic window invivo. Thus, the basis of targeting the WE can be encoded by molecular principles that extend beyond the status of individual genes.

Anticancer activity of koningic acid and semisynthetic derivatives

A screening program aimed at discovering novel anticancer agents based on natural products led to the selection of koningic acid (KA), known as a potent inhibitor of glycolysis. A method was set up to produce this fungal sesquiterpene lactone in large quantities by fermentation, thus allowing (i) an extensive analysis of its anticancer potential in vitro and in vivo and (ii) the semi-synthesis of analogues to delineate structure–activity relationships. KA was characterized as a potent, but non-selective cytotoxic agent, active under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions and inactive in the A549 lung cancer xenograft model. According to our SAR, the acidic group could be replaced to keep bioactivity but an intact epoxide is essential.

Autophagy promotes paclitaxel resistance of cervical cancer cells: involvement of Warburg effect activated hypoxia-induced factor 1-α-mediated signaling.

Paclitaxel is one of the most effective chemotherapy drugs for advanced cervical cancer. However, acquired resistance of paclitaxel represents a major barrier to successful anticancer treatment. In this study, paclitaxel-resistant HeLa sublines (HeLa-R cell lines) were established by continuous exposure and increased autophagy level was observed in HeLa-R cells. 3-Methyladenine or ATG7 siRNA, autophagy inhibitors, could restore sensitivity of HeLa-R cells to paclitaxel compared with parental HeLa cells. To determine the underlying molecular mechanism, differentially expressed proteins between HeLa and HeLa-R cells were identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight MS/MS. We found glycolysis-associated proteins were upregulated in HeLa-R cell lines. Inhibition of glycolysis by 2-deoxy-D-glucose or koningic acid could decrease autophagy and enhance sensitivity of HeLa-R cells to paclitaxel. Moreover, glycolysis could activate HIF1-α. Downregulation of HIF1-α by specific siRNA could decrease autophagy and resensitize HeLa-R cells to paclitaxel. Taken together, a possible Warburg effect activated HIF1-α-mediated signaling-induced autophagic pathway is proposed, which may provide new insight into paclitaxel chemoresistance.

Inhibition of glycolysis attenuates 4-hydroxynonenal-dependent autophagy and exacerbates apoptosis in differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

How cellular metabolic activities regulate autophagy and determine the susceptibility to oxidative stress and ultimately cell death in neuronal cells is not well understood. An important example of oxidative stress is 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), which is a lipid peroxidation product that is formed during oxidative stress, and accumulates in neurodegenerative diseases causing damage. The accumulation of toxic oxidation products such as HNE, is a prevalent feature of neurodegenerative diseases, and can promote organelle and protein damage leading to induction of autophagy. In this study, we used differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells to investigate the mechanisms and regulation of cellular susceptibility to HNE toxicity and the relationship to cellular metabolism. We found that autophagy is immediately stimulated by HNE at a sublethal concentration. Within the same time frame, HNE induces concentration dependent CASP3/caspase 3 activation and cell death. Interestingly, both basal and HNE-activated autophagy, were regulated by glucose metabolism. Inhibition of glucose metabolism by 2-deoxyglucose (2DG), at a concentration that inhibited autophagic flux, further exacerbated CASP3 activation and cell death in response to HNE. Cell death was attenuated by the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Specific inhibition of glycolysis using koningic acid, a GAPDH inhibitor, inhibited autophagic flux and exacerbated HNE-induced cell death similarly to 2DG. The effects of 2DG on autophagy and HNE-induced cell death could not be reversed by addition of mannose, suggesting an ER stress-independent mechanism. 2DG decreased LAMP1 and increased BCL2 levels suggesting that its effects on autophagy may be mediated by more than one mechanism. Furthermore, 2DG decreased cellular ATP, and 2DG and HNE combined treatment decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. We conclude that glucose-dependent autophagy serves as a protective mechanism in response to HNE.

Novel insights into the role of glucose metabolism in regulating vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype and proliferative capacity

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is a hallmark in the pathogenesis of vascular disease. Atherosclerosis or arterial damage due to angioplasty results in exposure of medial smooth muscle cells to growth factors such as platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB); these growth factors promote a cellular phenotype switch from a contractile phenotype to a proliferative, synthetic phenotype. However, the mechanisms by which growth factors cause this phenotype switch remain unclear. We hypothesized that glucose metabolism is a primary regulator of PDGF‐BB‐induced VSMC phenotype and proliferative capacity. Treatment of VSMCs with PDGF‐BB (10 ng/ml) significantly increased glycolytic flux, cell proliferation, and the expression of osteopontin and vimentin—both of which are markers of the synthetic VSMC phenotype. Inhibition of glycolysis with koningic acid, an irreversible inhibitor of GAPDH, did not cause cell death, but decreased proliferation and prevented the upregulation of osteopontin and vimentin. Koningic acid treatment significantly increased the levels of proteins modified by O‐linked β‐N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc) but did not affect PDGF‐BB‐induced phosphorylation of Erk1/2 or Akt. Treatment of VSMCs with inhibitors of the O‐GlcNAcase enzyme, PUGNAc or Thiamet‐G, increased protein O‐GlcNAcylation and maintained cells in a quiescent, contractile phenotype despite their stimulation with PDGF‐BB. These data suggest that glucose metabolism regulates cell growth and that the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway is fundamental for maintaining a quiescent phenotype. Understanding how cellular energetics integrate with glucose‐derived metabolic signaling should aid in developing therapeutic strategies to prevent VSMC hyperproliferation, especially in the context of metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase is Unlikely to Mediate Hydrogen Peroxide Signaling: Studies with a Novel Anti-Dimedone Sulfenic Acid Antibody

Protein sulfenic acids (SOHs) are the principal oxidation products formed when redox active proteins interact with peroxide molecules. We have developed a new antibody reagent that detects protein SOHs derivatized with dimedone. Using this new antibody, we found that glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is the predominant protein sulfenate present in isolated rat ventricular myocytes under basal conditions. During oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), GAPDH SOH labeling is lost, but a number of secondary dimedone-reactive protein sulfenates then appear. As the sulfenate labeling is lost, the Cys-149 sulfinic/sulfonic acid oxidation states of GAPDH appear. This hyperoxidized GAPDH is associated with both the inhibition of glycolysis and its ability to reduce H(2)O(2). We examined whether inactivation of GAPDH was causative in the generation of secondary protein sulfenates that coincide with its hyperoxidation. The selective GAPDH inhibitor koningic acid (which functions by forming a covalent adduct at Cys-149) fully prevented basal SOH labeling, as well as subsequent peroxide-induced hyperoxidation. However, koningic acid-mediated inhibition of GAPDH alone did not induce the formation of intracellular H(2)O(2) or secondary protein sulfenates and also failed to potentiate their peroxide-induced formation. Overall, GAPDH appears to have peroxidase-like properties, but its inhibition failed to impact on downstream oxidant signaling involving secondary protein sulfenation.

Heptelidic acid, a sesquiterpene lactone, inhibits Etoposide-induced apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells.

In the course of screening for substances that inhibit etoposide (10 microg/ml)-induced apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells, fungal strain F000120, which exhibits potent inhibitory activity, was selected. The active compound was purified from an ethyl acetate extract of the microorganism by Sep-pak C18 column chromatography and HPLC, and was identified as heptelidic acid (koningic acid) by spectroscopic methods. This compound inhibited caspase- 3 induction in U937 cells with an IC(50) value of 40 microM after 8 h of etoposide treatment. Fluorescent dye staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide showed that heptelidic acid inhibited apoptosis. Furthermore, it was found that DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation, the biological hallmarks of apoptosis, were inhibited by the compound in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that heptelidic acid inhibits etoposide-induced apoptosis via downregulation of caspases.

Glucose-dependent active ATP depletion by koningic acid kills high-glycolytic cells

Many types of cancer cells depend heavily on glycolysis for energy production even in aerobic conditions. We found that koningic acid (KA), an inhibitor of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), selectively kills high-glycolytic cells through glucose-dependent active ATP deprivation. Out of seven tumor cell lines tested, growth of six cell lines, which had high glycolytic capacity, was inhibited by KA, whereas three normal cell lines, which had low glycolytic activity, were insensitive to KA. The growth inhibition and caspase-independent cell death in sensitive cells were related to severe ATP depletion that was promoted by glucose phosphorylation. Although GAPDH was completely inhibited in KA-insensitive CHO-K1 cells, KA-mediated ATP depletion was less extensive and transient, possibly due to utilization of ketogenic essential amino acids as energy source. KA suppressed Ehrlich ascites tumor growth in vivo and benefited the survival of the affected mice.

The Glycolytic Enzyme Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Works as an Arsenate Reductase in Human Red Blood Cells and Rat Liver Cytosol

The mammalian enzymes responsible for reduction of the environmentally prevalent arsenate (AsV) to the much more toxic arsenite (AsIII) are unknown. In the previous paper (Nemeti and Gregus, 2005), we proposed that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and/or phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) may catalyze reduction of AsV in human red blood cells (RBC), hemolysate, or rat liver cytosol. In testing this hypothesis, we show here that, if supplied with glutathione (GSH), NAD, and glycolytic substrate, the mixture of purified GAPDH and PGK indeed catalyzes the reduction of AsV. Further analysis revealed that GAPDH is endowed with AsV reductase activity, whereas PGK serves as an auxiliary enzyme, when 3-phosphoglycerate is the glycolytic substrate. The GAPDH-catalyzed AsV reduction required GSH, NAD, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. ADP and ATP moderately, whereas NADH strongly inhibited the AsV reductase activity of the enzyme even in the presence of NAD. Koningic acid (KA), a specific and irreversible inhibitor of GAPDH, inhibited both the classical enzymatic and the AsV-reducing activities of the enzyme in a concentration-dependent fashion. To assess the contribution of GAPDH to the reduction of AsV carried out by hemolysate, rat liver cytosol, or intact erythrocytes, we determined the concentration-dependent effect of KA on AsV reduction by these cells and extracts. Inactivation of GAPDH by KA abolished AsV reduction in intact RBC as well as in the hemolysate and the liver cytosol, when GAPDH in the latter extracts was abundantly supplied with exogenous NAD and glycolytic substrate. However, despite complete inactivation of GAPDH by KA, the hepatic cytosol exhibited significant residual AsV-reducing activity in the absence of exogenous NAD and glycolytic substrate, suggesting that besides GAPDH, other cytosolic enzyme(s) may contribute to AsV reduction in the liver. In conclusion, the key glycolytic enzyme GAPDH can fortuitously catalyze the reduction of AsV to AsIII, if GSH, NAD, and glycolytic substrate are available. AsV reduction may take place during, or as a consequence of, the arsenolytic cleavage of the thioester bond formed between the enzyme's Cys149 and the 3-phosphoglyceroyl moiety of the substrate. Although GAPDH is exclusively responsible for reduction of AsV in human erythrocytes, its role in AsV reduction in vivo remains to be determined.