Fa Jun Nan

Specificity for inhibitors of metal-substituted methionine aminopeptidase

Methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs) have been studied in vitro as Co(II) enzymes, but their in vivo metal remains to be defined. While activation of Escherichia coli MetAP (EcMetAP1) by Co(II), Mn(II), and Zn(II) was detectable by a colorimetric Met-S-Gly-Phe assay, significant activation by Ni(II) was shown in a fluorescence Met-AMC assay, in addition to Co(II) and Mn(II) activation. When tested on the metal-substituted EcMetAP1s, a few inhibitors that we obtained recently from a random screening on Co-EcMetAP1 either became much weak or lost activity on Mn- or Zn-EcMetAP1, although they kept inhibitory activity on Ni-EcMetAP1. A couple of peptidic inhibitors and the methionine mimetic (3R)-amino-(2S)-hydroxyheptanoic acid (AHHpA, 6) maintained moderate activities on Co-, Mn-, Zn-, and Ni-EcMetAP1s. Our results clearly demonstrate that the metal-substitution has changed the enzyme specificity for substrates and inhibitors. Therapeutic applications call for inhibitors specific for MetAP with a physiologically relevant metal at its active site.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate alters pharmacological selectivity for epilepsy-causing KCNQ potassium channels

Pharmacological augmentation of neuronal KCNQ muscarinic (M) currents by drugs such as retigabine (RTG) represents a first-in-class therapeutic to treat certain hyperexcitatory diseases by dampening neuronal firing. Whereas all five potassium channel subtypes (KCNQ1–KCNQ5) are found in the nervous system, KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 are the primary players that mediate M currents. We investigated the plasticity of subtype selectivity by two M current effective drugs, retigabine and zinc pyrithione (ZnPy). Retigabine is more effective on KCNQ3 than KCNQ2, whereas ZnPy is more effective on KCNQ2 with no detectable effect on KCNQ3. In neurons, activation of muscarinic receptor signaling desensitizes effects by retigabine but not ZnPy. Importantly, reduction of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) causes KCNQ3 to become sensitive to ZnPy but lose sensitivity to retigabine. The dynamic shift of pharmacological selectivity caused by PIP2 may be induced orthogonally by voltage-sensitive phosphatase, or conversely, abolished by mutating a PIP2 site within the S4–S5 linker of KCNQ3. Therefore, whereas drug-channel binding is a prerequisite, the drug selectivity on M current is dynamic and may be regulated by receptor signaling pathways via PIP2.

Structural analysis of inhibition of E. coli methionine aminopeptidase: implication of loop adaptability in selective inhibition of bacterial enzymes

BackgroundMethionine aminopeptidase is a potential target of future antibacterial and anticancer drugs. Structural analysis of complexes of the enzyme with its inhibitors provides valuable information for structure-based drug design efforts.ResultsFive new X-ray structures of such enzyme-inhibitor complexes were obtained. Analysis of these and other three similar structures reveals the adaptability of a surface-exposed loop bearing Y62, H63, G64 and Y65 (the YHGY loop) that is an integral part of the substrate and inhibitor binding pocket. This adaptability is important for accommodating inhibitors with variations in size. When compared with the human isozymes, this loop either becomes buried in the human type I enzyme due to an N-terminal extension that covers its position or is replaced by a unique insert in the human type II enzyme.ConclusionThe adaptability of the YHGY loop in E. coli methionine aminopeptidase, and likely in other bacterial methionine aminopeptidases, enables the enzyme active pocket to accommodate inhibitors of differing size. The differences in this adaptable loop between the bacterial and human methionine aminopeptidases is a structural feature that can be exploited to design inhibitors of bacterial methionine aminopeptidases as therapeutic agents with minimal inhibition of the corresponding human enzymes.

O-methyl nakafuran-8 lactone, a new sesquiterpenoid from a hainan marine sponge Dysidea sp.

A new sesquiterpenoid, O-methyl nakafuran-8 lactone (1) has been isolated from a Hainan sponge Dysidea sp. and the structure of the new compound proposed by spectral data, was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The complete 1H- and 13C-NMR assignments were made on the basis of detailed 2D NMR spectral analysis. Compound 1 showed strong inhibitory bioactivity against PTP1B with IC50 value of 1.58 μM.

Discovery of a retigabine derivative that inhibits KCNQ2 potassium channels

Aim:Retigabine, an activator of KCNQ2-5 channels, is currently used to treat partial-onset seizures. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that structure modification of retigabine could lead to novel inhibitors of KCNQ2 channels, which were valuable tools for KCNQ channel studies.Methods:A series of retigabine derivatives was designed and synthesized. KCNQ2 channels were expressed in CHO cells. KCNQ2 currents were recorded using whole-cell voltage clamp technique. Test compound in extracellular solution was delivered to the recorded cell using an ALA 8 Channel Solution Exchange System.Results:A total of 23 retigabine derivatives (HN31-HN410) were synthesized and tested electrophysiologically. Among the compounds, HN38 was the most potent inhibitor of KCNQ2 channels (its IC50 value=0.10±0.05 μmol/L), and was 7-fold more potent than the classical KCNQ inhibitor XE991. Further analysis revealed that HN38 (3 μmol/L) had no detectable effect on channel activation, but accelerated deactivation at hyperpolarizing voltages. In contrast, XE991 (3 μmol/L) did not affect the kinetics of channel activation and deactivation.Conclusion:The retigabine derivative HN38 is a potent KCNQ2 inhibitor, which differs from XE991 in its influence on the channel kinetics. Our study provides a new strategy for the design and development of potent KCNQ2 channel inhibitors.