Yoffi Segall

Functional Characteristics of the Oxyanion Hole in Human Acetylcholinesterase

The contribution of the oxyanion hole to the functional architecture and to the hydrolytic efficiency of human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE) was investigated through single replacements of its elements, residues Gly-121, Gly-122 and the adjacent residue Gly-120, by alanine. All three substitutions resulted in about 100-fold decrease of the bimolecular rate constants for hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine; however, whereas replacements of Gly-120 and Gly-121 affected only the turnover number, mutation of residue Gly-122 had an effect also on the Michaelis constant. The differential behavior of the G121A and G122A enzymes was manifested also toward the transition state analogm-(N,N,N-trimethylammonio)trifluoroacetophenone (TMTFA), organophosphorous inhibitors, carbamates, and toward selected noncovalent active center ligands. Reactivity of both mutants toward TMTFA was 2000–11,000-fold lower than that of the wild type HuAChE; however, the G121A enzyme exhibited a rapid inhibition pattern, as opposed to the slow binding kinetics shown by the G122A enzyme. For both phosphates (diethyl phosphorofluoridate, diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, and paraoxon) and phosphonates (sarin and soman), the decrease in inhibitory activity toward the G121A enzyme was very substantial (2000–6700-fold), irrespective of size of the alkoxy substituents on the phosphorus atom. On the other hand, for the G122A HuAChE the relative decline in reactivity toward phosphonates (500–460-fold) differed from that toward the phosphates (12–95-fold). Although formation of Michaelis complexes with substrates does not seem to involve significant interaction with the oxyanion hole, interactions with this motif are a major stabilizing element in accommodation of covalent inhibitors like organophosphates or carbamates. These observations and molecular modeling suggest that replacements of residues Gly-120 or Gly-121 by alanine alter the structure of the oxyanion hole motif, abolishing the H-bonding capacity of residue at position 121. These mutations weaken the interaction between HuAChE and the various ligands by 2.7–5.0 kcal/mol. In contrast, variations in reactivity due to replacement of residue Gly-122 seem to result from steric hindrance at the active center acyl pocket.

The Architecture of Human Acetylcholinesterase Active Center Probed by Interactions with Selected Organophosphate Inhibitors

The role of the functional architecture of human acetylcholinesterase (HuAChE) active center in facilitating reactions with organophosphorus inhibitors was examined by a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic studies of phosphorylation with organophosphates differing in size of their alkoxy substituents and in the nature of the leaving group. Replacements of residues Phe-295 and Phe-297, constituting the HuAChE acyl pocket, increase up to 80-fold the reactivity of the enzymes toward diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, diethyl phosphorofluoridate, and p-nitrophenyl diethyl phosphate (paraoxon), indicating the role of this subsite in accommodating the phosphate alkoxy substituent. On the other hand, a decrease of up to 160-fold in reactivity was observed for enzymes carrying replacements of residues Tyr-133, Glu-202, and Glu-450, which are constituents of the hydrogen bond network in the HuAChE active center, which maintains its unique functional architecture. Replacement of residues Trp-86, Tyr-337, and Phe-338 in the alkoxy pocket affected reactivity toward diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate and paraoxon, but to a lesser extent that toward diethyl phosphorofluoridate, indicating that both the alkoxy substituent and the p-nitrophenoxy leaving group interact with this subsite. In all cases the effects on reactivity toward organophosphates, demonstrated in up to 10,000-fold differences in the values of bimolecular rate constants, were mainly a result of altered affinity of the HuAChE mutants, while the apparent first order rate constants of phosphorylation varied within a narrow range. This finding indicates that the main role of the functional architecture of HuAChE active center in phosphorylation is to facilitate the formation of enzyme-inhibitor Michaelis complexes and that this affinity, rather than the nucleophilic activity of the enzyme catalytic machinery, is a major determinant of HuAChE reactivity toward organophosphates.

Prophylaxis against organophsphate poisoning by an enzyme hydrolysing organophosphorus compounds in mice

Parathion hydrolase purified from Pseudomonas sp. was injected i.v. into mice to demonstrate the feasibility of using organophosphorus acid anhydride (OPA) hydrolases as pretreatment against organophosphates (OP) poisoning. Results show that exogenous administration of as low as 7 to 26 micrograms of parathion hydrolase conferred protection against challenge with multiple median lethal doses (LD50) of diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate (paraoxon; 3.8-7.3 x LD50) and diethylfluorophosphate (DEFP; 2.9 x LD50) without administration of supportive drugs. The extent of protection observed was consistent with blood-parathion hydrolase levels and the kinetic constants of the enzymatic hydrolysis of paraoxon and DEFP by parathion hydrolase. OPA hydrolases not only appear to be potential prophylactic drugs capable of increasing survival ratio following OP intoxication but also to alleviate post-exposure symptoms.

Protection against tabun toxicity in mice by prophylaxis with an enzyme hydrolyzing organophosphate esters

We demonstrate here the correlation between protection afforded by pretreatment alone with parathion hydrolase purified from Pseudomonas sp. against tabun toxicity in mice and the kinetic parameters which are assumed to determine the in vivo detoxification of tabun by the same enzyme. Results show that 15 and 22 micrograms of parathion hydrolase per animal conferred a protective ratio of 3.94 and 5.65 respectively, against tabun toxicity, without post-exposure treatment.

Cannabinoid CB1 receptor chemical affinity probes: Methods suitable for preparation of isopropyl [11,12-3H]dodecylfluorophosphonate and [11,12-3H]dodecanesulfonyl fluoride

Abstract Preparations of isopropyl dodec-11-enylfluorophosphonate and dodec-11-enesulfonyl fluoride are described along with conditions for their reduction with hydrogen (or potentially tritium) gas to the 1-dodecane derivatives as candidate high-potency (IC50 0.5–7 nM) chemical affinity probes for the mouse brain cannabinoid CB1 receptor and fatty acid amide hydrolase.

Direct determination of the chemical composition of acetylcholinesterase phosphonylation products utilizing electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry

While non‐reactivability of cholinesterases from their phosphyl conjugates (aging) is attributed to an unimolecular process involving loss of alkyl group from the phosphyl moiety, no conclusive evidence is available that this is the only reaction path and involvement of other post‐inhibitory processes cannot be ruled out. To address this issue, molecular masses of the bacterially expressed recombinant human acetylcholinesterase and of its conjugates with a homologous series of alkyl methyl‐phosphonofluoridates, were measured by electrospray‐ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). The measured mass of the free enzyme was 64 700 Da (calculated 64 695 Da) and those of the methylphosphono‐HuAChE adducts, bearing isopropyl, isobutyl, 1,2‐dimethylpropyl and 1,2,2‐trimethylpropyl substituents, were 64 820, 64 840, 64 852 and 64 860 Da, respectively. These values reflect both the addition of the phosphonyl moiety and the gradual mass increase due to branching of the alkoxy substituent. The composition of these adducts change with time to yield a common product with molecular mass of 64 780 Da which is consistent with dealkylation of the phosphonyl moieties. Furthermore, in the case of 1,2‐dimethylpropyl methylphosphono‐HuAChE, the change in the molecular mass and the kinetics of non‐reactivability appear to occur in parallel indicating that dealkylation is indeed the predominant molecular transformation leading to ‘aging’ of phosphonyl‐AChE adducts.

Aged and non-aged pyrenebutyl-containing organophosphoryl conjugates of chymotrypsin. Preparation and comparison by 31P-NMR spectroscopy.

Homologous pairs of non-aged and aged pyrene-containing phosphoryl conjugates of chymotrypsin were prepared in order to characterize by NMR and optical spectroscopy putative differences in the conformation of non-aged and aged organophosphoryl conjugates of serine hydrolases. Pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(OC2H5)F and pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(OC2H5)Cl were used to obtain the non-aged form pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(OC2H5)-Cht, whereas pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)Cl2, pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(p-nitrophenoxy)Cl, and pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(p-nitrophenoxy)2 were used to produce the aged conjugate pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(O )-Cht. These ligands bind covalently to the active site of serine hydrolases. The absorption spectra of both the non-aged and aged conjugates fitted approximately a 1:1 stoichiometry of bound organophosphate and enzyme in the non-aged and aged conjugates. Pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(OC2H5)-Cht could be reactivated by pyridine-3-aldoxime methiodide, whereas no reactivation was observed for the similarly treated pyrenebutyl-O-P(O)(O-)-Cht. The 31P-NMR and reactivation data taken together strongly support the hypothesis that the aged form of the OP-Cht conjugate contains a P--O- bond. These results provide a partial interpretation for the known resistance of the aged conjugates of serine hydrolases to reactivation.

α-AMINO ACID DERIVED BISPHOSPHONATES. SYNTHESIS AND ANTI-RESORFTIVE ACTIVITY

Abstract Eleven new bisphosphonates were prepared from naturally-occurring 1-amino acids. The synthesis required special attention to amino and side-chain protections. The novel compounds were tested in TPTX (thyroparathyroidectomized) rats against arotinoid-induced hypercalcemia and were compared to alendronate. Most of the compounds showed moderate to no anti-resorptive activity. Two compounds were more active than clodronate, but less than alendronate. Limited SAR conclusions were drawn.

SYNTHESIS, REACTIVITY AND CONFORMATION OF 10,11-DIHYDRODIBENZO-[b,f]PHOSPHEPIN AND DIBENZO[b,f]PHOSPHEPIN DERIVATIVES. PHOSPHORUS ANALOGUES OF IMINOBIBENZYL ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Abstract Derivatives of the novel dibenzo[b,f]phosphepin system are prepared from 10,11-dihydro-5-phenyl-5H-bibenzo[b,f]phosphepin 5-oxide (2). New members in the 10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[b,f]phosphepin series, including phosphorus analogues (7, 10) of the andidepressant drug imipramine (30), are also reported. Products of nucleophilic substitution at tetrahedral phosphorus in 2 appear to be determined by the relative apicophilicity of the nucleophile. Conformational analysis based on 1H NMR data suggests folded (“butterfly”) conformation for the tricyclic compounds. The twisted boat conformation of the central ring in the 10,11-dihydro compounds bears a pseudo-equatorial P[dbnd]O oxygen or a P[dbnd]S sulfur, in solution. Symmetric AA‘BB’ spin systems are found in 4,5 and 7, and their solution conformations appear to be similar to those of analogous 10,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,f]azepine derivatives. The interaction of some compounds with NMR shift reagents and their mass spectral fragmentations are discussed.

The mechanism of nucleophilic displacements at phosphorus in chloro-substituted methylphosphonate esters: P-O vs P-C bond cleavage: a DFT study.

Potential energy surfaces for the nucleophilic displacements at phosphorus in dimethyl methyl-, chloromethyl-, dichloromethyl-, and trichloromethylphosphonates have been computed at the B3LYP/6-31+G* level of theory, using IEF-PCM to account for the solvent effect. The results reveal that sequential addition of chlorine substituents on the methyl phosphonates increases the stability of transition states and intermediates which facilitate P-C bond cleavage. Thus, while nonsubstituted dimethyl methylphosphonate and dimethyl chloromethylphosphonate may undergo exclusive P-O bond cleavage, the trichlorinated analogue exclusively undergoes P-C bond dissociation. Dichloromethylphosphonic acid derivatives were found to be borderline cases: while P-O fission is the preferred process, P-C scission might also be feasible. The increase in stability of the corresponding transition states and intermediates can account for the enhancement in the apicophilicity of the methyl ligand upon substitution with chlorine atoms.