Frantisek Hubalek

Structure of human monoamine oxidase B, a drug target for the treatment of neurological disorders

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) is a mitochondrial outermembrane flavoenzyme that is a well-known target for antidepressant and neuroprotective drugs. We determined the structure of the human enzyme to 3 Å resolution. The enzyme binds to the membrane through a C-terminal transmembrane helix and apolar loops located at various positions in the sequence. The electron density shows that pargyline, an analog of the clinically used MAO B inhibitor, deprenyl, binds covalently to the flavin N5 atom. The active site of MAO B consists of a 420 Å3-hydrophobic substrate cavity interconnected to an entrance cavity of 290 Å3. The recognition site for the substrate amino group is an aromatic cage formed by Tyr 398 and Tyr 435. The structure provides a framework for probing the catalytic mechanism, understanding the differences between the B- and A-monoamine oxidase isoforms and designing specific inhibitors.

Insights Into the Mode of Inhibition of Human Mitochondrial Monoamine Oxidase B from High-Resolution Crystal Structures

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) is an outer mitochondrial membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of arylalkylamine neurotransmitters and has been a target for a number of clinically used drug inhibitors. The 1.7-Å structure of the reversible isatin–MAO-B complex has been determined; it forms a basis for the interpretation of the enzymes structure when bound to either reversible or irreversible inhibitors. 1,4-Diphenyl-2-butene is found to be a reversible MAO-B inhibitor, which occupies both the entrance and substrate cavity space in the enzyme. Comparison of these two structures identifies Ile-199 as a “gate” between the two cavities. Rotation of the side chain allows for either separation or fusion of the two cavities. Inhibition of the enzyme with N-(2-aminoethyl)-p-chlorobenzamide results in the formation of a covalent N(5) flavin adduct with the phenyl ring of the inhibitor occupying a position in the catalytic site overlapping that of isatin. Inhibition of MAO-B with the clinically used trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine results in the formation of a covalent C(4a) flavin adduct with an opened cyclopropyl ring and the phenyl ring in a parallel orientation to the flavin. The peptide bond between the flavin-substituted Cys-397 and Tyr-398 is in a cis conformation, which allows the proper orientation of the phenolic ring of Tyr-398 in the active site. The flavin ring exists in a twisted nonplanar conformation, which is observed in the oxidized form as well as in both the N(5) and the C(4a) adducts. An immobile water molecule is H-bonded to Lys-296 and to the N(5) of the flavin as observed in other flavin-dependent amine oxidases. The active site cavities are highly apolar; however, hydrophilic areas exist near the flavin and direct the amine moiety of the substrate for binding and catalysis. Small conformational changes are observed on comparison of the different inhibitor–enzyme complexes. Future MAO-B drug design will need to consider “induced fit” contributions as an element in ligand–enzyme interactions.

Demonstration of Isoleucine 199 as a Structural Determinant for the Selective Inhibition of Human Monoamine Oxidase B by Specific Reversible Inhibitors

Several reversible inhibitors selective for human monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) that do not inhibit MAO A have been described in the literature. The following compounds: 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine, 1,4-diphenyl-2-butene, and trans,trans-farnesol are shown to inhibit competitively human, horse, rat, and mouse MAO B with Ki values in the low micromolar range but are without effect on either bovine or sheep MAO B or human MAO A. In contrast, the reversible competitive inhibitor isatin binds to all known MAO B and MAO A with similar affinities. Sequence alignments and the crystal structures of human MAO B in complex with 1,4-diphenyl-2-butene or with trans,trans-farnesol provide molecular insights into these specificities. These inhibitors span the substrate and entrance cavities with the side chain of Ile-199 rotated out of its normal conformation suggesting that Ile-199 is gating the substrate cavity. Ile-199 is conserved in all known MAO B sequences except bovine MAO B, which has Phe in this position (the sequence of sheep MAO B is unknown). Phe is conserved in the analogous position in MAO A sequences. The human MAO B I199F mutant protein of MAO B binds to isatin (Ki = 3 μm) but not to the three inhibitors listed above. The crystal structure of this mutant demonstrates that the side chain of Phe-199 interferes with the binding of those compounds. This suggests that the Ile-199 “gate” is a determinant for the specificity of these MAO B inhibitors and provides a molecular basis for the development of MAO B-specific reversible inhibitors without interference with MAO A function in neurotransmitter metabolism.

Crystal structure of human monoamine oxidase B, a drug target enzyme monotopically inserted into the mitochondrial outer membrane

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein that oxidizes arylalkylamine neurotransmitters and has been a valuable drug target for many neurological disorders. The 1.7 Å resolution structure of human MAO B shows the enzyme is dimeric with a C‐terminal transmembrane helix protruding from each monomer and anchoring the protein to the membrane. This helix departs perpendicularly from the base of the structure in a different way with respect to other monotopic membrane proteins. Several apolar loops exposed on the protein surface are located in proximity of the C‐terminal helix, providing additional membrane‐binding interactions. One of these loops (residues 99–112) also functions in opening and closing the MAO B active site cavity, which suggests that the membrane may have a role in controlling substrate binding.

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates group III metabotropic glutamate receptors and inhibits their function as presynaptic receptors

Recent evidence suggests that the functions of presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are tightly regulated by protein kinases. We previously reported that cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) directly phosphorylates mGluR2 at a single serine residue (Ser843) on the C‐terminal tail region of the receptor, and that phosphorylation of this site inhibits coupling of mGluR2 to GTP‐binding proteins. This may be the mechanism by which the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin inhibits presynaptic mGluR2 function at the medial perforant path‐dentate gyrus synapse. We now report that PKA also directly phosphorylates several group III mGluRs (mGluR4a, mGluR7a, and mGluR8a), as well as mGluR3 at single conserved serine residues on their C‐terminal tails. Furthermore, activation of PKA by forskolin inhibits group III mGluR‐mediated responses at glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus. Interestingly, β‐adrenergic receptor activation was found to mimic the inhibitory effect of forskolin on both group II and III mGluRs. These data suggest that a common PKA‐dependent mechanism may be involved in regulating the function of multiple presynaptic group II and group III mGluRs. Such regulation is not limited to the pharmacological activation of adenylyl cyclase but can also be elicited by the stimulation of endogenous Gs‐coupled receptors, such as β‐adrenergic receptors.

Structural and mechanistic studies of arylalkylhydrazine inhibition of human monoamine oxidases A and B.

The structure and mechanism of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) inhibition by hydrazines are investigated and compared with data on human monoamine oxidase A (MAO A). The inhibition properties of phenylethylhydrazine, benzylhydrazine, and phenylhydrazine are compared for both enzymes. Benzylhydrazine is bound more tightly to MAO B than to MAO A, and phenylhydrazine is bound weakly by either enzyme. Phenylethylhydrazine stoichiometrically reduces the covalent FAD moieties of MAO A and of MAO B. Molecular oxygen is required for the inhibition reactions, and the level of O2 consumption for phenylethylhydrazine is 6-7-fold higher with either MAO A or MAO B than for the corresponding reactions with benzylhydrazine or phenylhydrazine. Mass spectral analysis of either inhibited enzyme shows the major product is a single covalent addition of the hydrazine arylalkyl group, although lower levels of dialkylated species are detected. Absorption and mass spectral data of the inhibited enzymes show that the FAD is the major site of alkylation. The three-dimensional (2.3 A) structures of phenylethylhydrazine- and benzylhydrazine-inhibited MAO B show that alkylation occurs at the N(5) position on the re face of the covalent flavin with loss of the hydrazyl nitrogens. A mechanistic scheme is proposed to account for these data, which involves enzyme-catalyzed conversion of the hydrazine to the diazene. From literature data on the reactivities of diazenes, O2 then reacts with the bound diazene to form an alkyl radical, N2 and superoxide anion. The bound arylalkyl radical reacts with the N(5) of the flavin, while the dissociated diazene reacts nonspecifically with the enzyme through arylalkylradicals.

Assignment of the three disulfide bonds in ShK toxin: A potent potassium channel inhibitor from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus

ShK toxin, a 35-residue peptide isolated from the Caribbean sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus, is a potent inhibitor of the Kv 1.3 potassium channel in lymphocytes. The natural toxin contains three disulfide bonds. The disulfide pairings of the synthetic ShK toxin were elucidated as a prerequisite for studies on its structure-function relationships. The toxin was fragmented at pH 6.5 using either thermolysin or a mixture of trypsin and chymotrypsin followed by thermolysin. The fragments were isolated by RP-HPLC and were identified by sequence analysis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The three disulfides were unambiguously identified in either proteolytic digest: Cys3 to Cys35, Cys12 to Cys28 and Cys17 to Cys32. The Cys3-Cys35 disulfide, linking the amino- and carboxyl-termini, defines the characteristic cyclic structure of the molecule. A similar disulfide pairing motif is found in the snake venom-derived potassium channel blocker dendrotoxin and the mammalian antibiotic peptide defensins.

Insulin analog with additional disulfide bond has increased stability and preserved activity.

Insulin is a key hormone controlling glucose homeostasis. All known vertebrate insulin analogs have a classical structure with three 100% conserved disulfide bonds that are essential for structural stability and thus the function of insulin. It might be hypothesized that an additional disulfide bond may enhance insulin structural stability which would be highly desirable in a pharmaceutical use. To address this hypothesis, we designed insulin with an additional interchain disulfide bond in positions A10/B4 based on Cα‐Cα distances, solvent exposure, and side‐chain orientation in human insulin (HI) structure. This insulin analog had increased affinity for the insulin receptor and apparently augmented glucodynamic potency in a normal rat model compared with HI. Addition of the disulfide bond also resulted in a 34.6°C increase in melting temperature and prevented insulin fibril formation under high physical stress even though the C‐terminus of the B‐chain thought to be directly involved in fibril formation was not modified. Importantly, this analog was capable of forming hexamer upon Zn addition as typical for wild‐type insulin and its crystal structure showed only minor deviations from the classical insulin structure. Furthermore, the additional disulfide bond prevented this insulin analog from adopting the R‐state conformation and thus showing that the R‐state conformation is not a prerequisite for binding to insulin receptor as previously suggested. In summary, this is the first example of an insulin analog featuring a fourth disulfide bond with increased structural stability and retained function.

The role of citric acid in oral peptide and protein formulations: relationship between calcium chelation and proteolysis inhibition.

The excipient citric acid (CA) has been reported to improve oral absorption of peptides by different mechanisms. The balance between its related properties of calcium chelation and permeation enhancement compared to a proteolysis inhibition was examined. A predictive model of CAs calcium chelation activity was developed and verified experimentally using an ion-selective electrode. The effects of CA, its salt (citrate, Cit) and the established permeation enhancer, lauroyl carnitine chloride (LCC) were compared by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and permeability of insulin and FD4 across Caco-2 monolayers and rat small intestinal mucosae mounted in Ussing chambers. Proteolytic degradation of insulin was determined in rat luminal extracts across a range of pH values in the presence of CA. CAs capacity to chelate calcium decreased ~10-fold for each pH unit moving from pH 6 to pH 3. CA was an inferior weak permeation enhancer compared to LCC in both in vitro models using physiological buffers. At pH 4.5 however, degradation of insulin in rat luminal extracts was significantly inhibited in the presence of 10mM CA. The capacity of CA to chelate luminal calcium does not occur significantly at the acidic pH values where it effectively inhibits proteolysis, which is its dominant action in oral peptide formulations. On account of insulins low basal permeability, inclusion of alternative permeation enhancers is likely to be necessary to achieve sufficient oral bioavailability since this is a weak property of CA.

Chemo- and Regioselective Ethynylation of Tryptophan-Containing Peptides and Proteins.

Ethynylation of various tryptophan-containing peptides and a single model protein was achieved using Wasers reagent, 1-[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]-1,2-benziodoxol-3(1 H)-one (TIPS-EBX), under gold(I) catalysis. It was demonstrated by NMR that the ethynylation occurred selectively at the C2-position of the indole ring of tryptophan. Further, MS/MS showed that the tryptophan residues could be modified selectively with ethynyl functionalities even when the tryptophan was present as a part of the protein. Finally, the terminal alkyne was used to label a model peptide with a fluorophore by means of copper-catalyzed click chemistry.