Alfonso Maresca

Non-Zinc Mediated Inhibition of Carbonic Anhydrases: Coumarins Are a New Class of Suicide Inhibitors

The X-ray crystal structure of the adduct between the zinc metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase II (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) with the recently discovered natural product coumarin derivative 6-(1S-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-7-methoxy-2H-chromen-2-one showed the coumarin hydrolysis product, a cis-2-hydroxy-cinnamic acid derivative, and not the parent coumarin, bound within the enzyme active site. The bound inhibitor exhibits an extended, two-arm conformation that effectively plugs the entrance to the enzyme active site with no interactions with the catalytically crucial zinc ion. The inhibitor is sandwiched between Phe131, with which it makes an edge-to-face stacking, and Asn67/Glu238sym, with which it makes several polar and hydrogen bonding interactions. This unusual binding mode, with no interactions between the inhibitor molecule and the active site metal ion is previously unobserved for this enzyme class and presents a new opportunity for future drug design campaigns to target a mode of inhibition that differs substantially from classical inhibitors such as the clinically used sulfonamides and sulfamates. Several structurally simple coumarin scaffolds were also shown to inhibit all 13 catalytically active mammalian CA isoforms, with inhibition constants ranging from nanomolar to millimolar. The inhibition is time dependent, with maximum inhibition being observed after 6 h.

Deciphering the Mechanism of Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibition with Coumarins and Thiocoumarins

Coumarin derivatives were recently shown to constitute a totally new class of inhibitors of the zinc metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1), being hydrolyzed within the CA active site to 2-hydroxycinnamic acids. We explore here a new series of variously substituted coumarins and a thiocoumarin for their interaction with 13 mammalian CA isoforms, detecting low nanomolar and isoform selective inhibitors. The mechanism of action of this class of inhibitors is delineated in detail by resolving the X-ray crystal structure of CA II in complex with trans-2-hydroxy-cinnamic acid, the in situ hydrolysis product of simple coumarin. Thiocoumarins also act as efficient CAIs, similarly to coumarins. The versatility of the (thio)coumarin chemistry, the cis-trans isomerization evidenced here, and easy derivatization of the (thio)coumarin rings, coupled with the nanomolar inhibition range of several isozymes, afford isoform-selective CAIs with various biomedical applications, which render these classes of compounds superior to the clinically used sulfonamides.

Imaging of CA IX with fluorescent labelled sulfonamides distinguishes hypoxic and (re)-oxygenated cells in a xenograft tumour model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX is suggested to be an endogenous marker of hypoxia. Fluorescent sulfonamides with a high affinity for CA IX (CAI) have been developed and shown to bind to cells only when CA IX protein was expressed and while cells were hypoxic. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo CAI binding properties in a xenograft tumour model using fluorescent imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS NMRI-nu mice subcutaneously transplanted with HT-29 colorectal tumours were treated with 7% oxygen or with nicotinamide and carbogen and were compared with control animals. CAI accumulation was monitored by non-invasive fluorescent imaging. RESULTS Specific CAI accumulation could be observed in delineated tumour areas as compared with a non-sulfonamide analogue (P<0.01). Administration of nicotinamide and carbogen, decreasing acute and chronic hypoxia, respectively, prevented CAI accumulation (P<0.05). When treated with 7% oxygen breathing, a 3-fold higher CAI accumulation (P<0.01) was observed. Furthermore, the bound CAI fraction was rapidly reduced upon tumour reoxygenation (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our in vivo imaging results confirm previous in vitro data demonstrating that CAI binding and retention require exposure to hypoxia. Fluorescent labelled sulfonamides provide a powerful tool to visualize hypoxia response. An important step is made towards clinical applicability, indicating the potential of patient selection for CA IX-directed therapies.

Glycosyl coumarin carbonic anhydrase IX and XII inhibitors strongly attenuate the growth of primary breast tumors.

A series of 7-substituted coumarins incorporating various glycosyl moieties were synthesized and investigated for the inhibition of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1). These coumarins were very weak or ineffective as inhibitors of the housekeeping, off target isoforms CA I and II, but some of them inhibited tumor-associated CA IX and XII in the low nanomolar range. They also significantly inhibited the growth of primary tumors by the highly aggressive 4T1 syngeneic mouse mammary tumor cells at 30 mg/kg, constituting interesting candidates for the development of conceptually novel anticancer drugs. Because CA IX is overexpressed in hypoxic tumors and exhibits very limited expression in normal tissues, such compounds may be useful for treating cancers not responsive to classic chemo- and radiotherapy.

Dithiocarbamates strongly inhibit carbonic anhydrases and show antiglaucoma action in vivo

A series of dithiocarbamates were prepared by reaction of primary/secondary amines with carbon disulfide in the presence of bases. These compounds were tested for the inhibition of four human (h) isoforms of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase, CA (EC 4.2.1.1), hCA I, II, IX, and XII, involved in pathologies such as glaucoma (CA II and XII) or cancer (CA IX). Several low nanomolar inhibitors targeting these CAs were detected. The X-ray crystal structure of the hCA II adduct with morpholine dithiocarbamate evidenced the inhibition mechanism of these compounds, which coordinate to the metal ion through a sulfur atom from the dithiocarbamate zinc-binding function. Some dithiocarbamates showed an effective intraocular pressure lowering activity in an animal model of glucoma.

Dithiocarbamates strongly inhibit the β-class carbonic anhydrases from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A series of N-mono- and N,N-disubstituted dithiocarbamates have been investigated as inhibitors of two β-carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) from the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mtCA 1 (Rv1284) and mtCA 3 (Rv3273). Both enzymes were inhibited with efficacies between the subnanomolar to the micromolar one, depending on the substitution pattern at the nitrogen atom from the dithiocarbamate zinc-binding group. Aryl, arylalkyl-, heterocyclic as well as aliphatic and amino acyl such moieties led to potent mtCA 1 and 3 inhibitors in both the N-mono- and N,N-disubstituted dithiocarbamate series. This new class of β-CA inhibitors may have the potential for developing antimycobacterial agents with a diverse mechanism of action compared to the clinically used drugs for which many strains exhibit multi-drug/extensive multi-drug resistance.

Dithiocarbamates: a new class of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Crystallographic and kinetic investigations

The zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) is inhibited by several classes of zinc-binders (sulfonamides, sulfamates, and sulfamides) as well as by compounds which do not interact with the metal ion (phenols, polyamines and coumarins). Here we report a new class of potent CA inhibitors which bind the zinc ion: the dithiocarbamates (DTCs). They coordinate to the zinc ion from the enzyme active site in monodentate manner and establish many favorable interactions with amino acid residues nearby. Several low nanomolar CA I, II and IX inhibitors were detected.

7,8-Disubstituted- but not 6,7-disubstituted coumarins selectively inhibit the transmembrane, tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase isoforms IX and XII over the cytosolic ones I and II in the low nanomolar/subnanomolar range

Two series of disubstituted coumarins incorporating ether and acetyl/propionyl moieties in positions 6,7- and 7,8- of the heterocyclic ring were synthesized investigated for the inhibition of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1). All these coumarins were very weak or ineffective as inhibitors of the housekeeping, offtarget isoforms CA I and II. The 6,7-disubstituted series showed ineffective inhibition also for the transmembrane tumor-associated isoforms CA IX and XII, whereas the corresponding isomeric 7,8-disubstituted coumarins showed nanomolar/subnanomolar inhibition of CA IX/XII. The nature and position of the groups substituting the coumarin ring in the 7,8-positions greatly influenced CA inhibitory properties, with C1-C4 alkyl ethers being the most effective inhibitors.

Coumarins incorporating hydroxy- and chloro-moieties selectively inhibit the transmembrane, tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase isoforms IX and XII over the cytosolic ones I and II

A series of coumarins incorporating hydroxy-, chloro- and/or chloromethyl-moieties in positions 3-, 4-, 6- and 7- of the heterocyclic ring were investigated for the inhibition of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1). These coumarins were very weak or ineffective as inhibitors of the house-keeping, offtarget isoforms CA I and II, but showed effective, submicromolar inhibition of the transmembrane, tumor-associated isoforms CA IX and XII. The nature and position of the groups substituting the coumarin ring greatly influenced CA inhibitory properties. 6-Hydroxycoumarin showed K(I)s >100 microM against CA I and II, of 0.198 microM against CA IX and of 0.683 microM against CA XII, being thus a selective, efficient inhibitor for the tumor-associated over cytosolic isoforms. These compounds are also excellent leads for designing isoform-selective enzyme inhibitors.

Inhibition of the alpha- and beta-carbonic anhydrases from the gastric pathogen Helycobacter pylori with anions

The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori encodes two carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1), an α- and a β-class one, hpαCA and hpβCA, crucial for its survival in the acidic environment from the stomach. Sulfonamides, strong inhibitors of these enzymes, block the growth of the pathogen, in vitro and in vivo. Here we report the inhibition of the two H. pylori CAs with inorganic and complex anions and other molecules interacting with zinc proteins. hpαCA was inhibited in the low micromolar range by diethyldithiocarbamate, sulfamide, sulfamic acid, phenylboronic acid, and in the submillimolar one by cyanide, cyanate, hydrogen sulfide, divanadate, tellurate, perruthenate, selenocyanide, trithiocarbonate, iminodisulfonate. hpβCA generally showed a stronger inhibition with most of these anions, with several low micromolar and many submillimolar inhibitors detected. These inhibitors may be used as leads for developing anti-H. pylori agents with a diverse mechanism of action compared to clinically used antibiotics.