scholarly journals A molecular spectroscopy approach for the investigation of early phase ochronotic pigment development in Alkaptonuria

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bernini ◽  
Elena Petricci ◽  
Andrea Atrei ◽  
Maria Camilla Baratto ◽  
Fabrizio Manetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Spectroscopy ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Chemical Oxidation ◽  
Comparative Investigation ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Tissue Degeneration

AbstractAlkaptonuria (AKU), a rare genetic disorder, is characterized by the accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA) in organs due to a deficiency in functional levels of the enzyme homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD), required for the breakdown of HGA, because of mutations in the HGD gene. Over time, HGA accumulation causes the formation of the ochronotic pigment, a dark deposit that leads to tissue degeneration and organ malfunction. Such behaviour can be observed also in vitro for HGA solutions or HGA-containing biofluids (e.g. urine from AKU patients) upon alkalinisation, although a comparison at the molecular level between the laboratory and the physiological conditions is lacking. Indeed, independently from the conditions, such process is usually explained with the formation of 1,4-benzoquinone acetic acid (BQA) as the product of HGA chemical oxidation, mostly based on structural similarity between HGA and hydroquinone that is known to be oxidized to the corresponding para-benzoquinone. To test such correlation, a comprehensive, comparative investigation on HGA and BQA chemical behaviours was carried out by a combined approach of spectroscopic techniques (UV spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Dynamic Light Scattering) under acid/base titration both in solution and in biofluids. New insights on the process leading from HGA to ochronotic pigment have been obtained, spotting out the central role of radical species as intermediates not reported so far. Such evidence opens the way for molecular investigation of HGA fate in cells and tissue aiming to find new targets for Alkaptonuria therapy.

Assessing the Structural and Functional Similarity of Insulin Glargine Biosimilars

2021 ◽  
pp. 193229682110584
Author(s):  
Gayatri Vishwakarma ◽  
Neh Nupur ◽  
Anurag S. Rathore
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Glargine ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Statistical Correlation ◽  
Functional Similarity ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Vitro Assay ◽  
Innovator Product ◽  
Stress Studies ◽  
Related Substances

Background: A biosimilar product is expected to exhibit similar safety, efficacy, and quality as that of the approved reference product. Only a few reports of thorough evaluation of the quality of insulin glargine biosimilars are available in literature. Here, we examine the structural and functional similarity of biosimilars of insulin glargine, the first basal long-acting insulin analogue with respect to its innovator product (Lantus® from Sanofi Aventis). Methods: Structural similarity was established using mass spectrometry, chromatographic, and spectroscopic techniques. Stability was compared by performing accelerated thermal stress studies. Functional similarity was established via in vitro assay. Results: Biosimilar 4 exhibited greater content of high molecular weight species (HMWs) (0.80%) and related substances (RS) (0.45±0.06%) vs others (HMWs of 0.04% and RS of 0.17%). Biosimilars 1 and 3 exhibited higher rate of impurity generation (0.78% and 0.73% per week, respectively), as compared with other drug products (0.02% to 0.43% per week). Furthermore, %aggregation at 14 days was found to statistically correlate ( R2= 0.99, root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.095) with %aggregation at 0 day (linearly) and the number of months from expiry (nonlinearly), highlighting the overpowering impact of the latter. Conclusions: While an overall structural and functional similarity was observed across insulin glargine biosimilars with respect to the innovator product, low amounts of product-related variants were seen in some biosimilars and these impact product stability. The %aggregation at 14 days exhibits statistical correlation with %aggregation at 0 day and the number of months from expiry. The order of biosimilarity was denoted as Lantus®>Biosimilar 2>Biosimilar 4>Biosimilar 1>Biosimilar 3.

Sources and implications of basal nitric oxide in spontaneous contractions of guinea pig taenia caeci

2003 ◽  
Vol 285 (4) ◽  
pp. G747-G753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina Caballero-Alomar ◽  
Carmen Santos ◽  
Diego Lopez ◽  
M. Teresa Mitjavila ◽  
Pere Puig-Parellada
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
No Production ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Synthase Inhibitor ◽  
Spontaneous Contractions ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic

We examined in vitro the source and role of basal nitric oxide (NO) in proximal segments of guinea pig taenia caeci in nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) conditions. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we measured the effect of the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 10–4 M), the neuronal blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX, 10–6 M), or both on spontaneous contractions and on the production of basal NO. Both l-NAME and TTX, when tested alone, increased the amplitude and frequency of contractions. NO production was abolished by l-NAME and was inhibited by 38% by TTX. When tested together, l-NAME in the presence of TTX or TTX in the presence of l-NAME had no further effect on the amplitude or frequency of spontaneous contractions, and the NO production was inhibited. These findings suggest that basal NO consists of TTX-sensitive and TTX-resistant components. The TTX-sensitive NO has an inhibitory effect on spontaneous contractions; the role of TTX-resistant NO is unknown.

scholarly journals Effect of 1,5-Anhydro-D-Fructose on the Inhibition of Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1200701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akiko Kojima-Yuasa ◽  
Yohei Deguchi ◽  
Yotaro Konishi ◽  
Isao Matsui-Yuasa
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Energy Sensor ◽  
Mammalian Tissues ◽  
Cellular Lipid Accumulation ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

1,5-Anhydro-D-fructose (1,5-AF) is a monosaccharide that shares a structural similarity to glucose. 1,5-AF is found in fungi, algae, Escherichia coli and rat liver and is produced by the degradation of starch and glycogen, which is catalyzed by the enzyme α-1,4-glucan lyase. However, the physiological role of 1,5-AF in mammalian tissues is not well understood. Here, we investigated the anti-obesity potential of 1,5-AF on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 1,5-AF caused a significant decrease in GPDH activity in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mature adipocytes without eliciting cytotoxicity, and inhibited cellular lipid accumulation through down-regulation of transcription factors such as PPARγ and C/EBPα. 1,5-AF also induced dose-dependent phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor. However, the total AMPK protein content remained unchanged. Furthermore, 1,5-AF increased the levels of reactive oxygen species, an important upstream signal for AMPK activation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results show that 1,5-AF exerts anti-obesity action in vitro and suggest that 1,5-AF is potentially a novel preventative agent for obesity and other metabolic diseases.

scholarly journals Characterization of the kinase activity of a WNK4 protein complex

2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (3) ◽  
pp. F685-F692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Ahlstrom ◽  
Alan S. L. Yu
Keyword(s):  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathway ◽  
Kinase Domain ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Hek293 Cells ◽  
Pseudohypoaldosteronism Type Ii

Mutations in WNK4 protein kinase cause pseudohypoaldosteronism type II (PHAII), a genetic disorder that is characterized by renal NaCl and K+ retention leading to hypertension and hyperkalemia. Consistent with this, WNK4 is known to regulate several renal tubule transporters, including the NaCl cotransporter, NCC, and the K+ channel, ROMK, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood, and the role of the kinase activity in its actions is highly controversial. To assay WNK4 kinase activity, we have now succeeded in expressing and purifying full-length, enzymatically active WNK4 protein from HEK293 cells. We show that full-length wild-type WNK4 phosphorylates oxidative stress response kinase 1 (OSR1) and Ste20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) in vitro. Introducing the PHAII-associated mutations, E559K, D561A, and Q562E, into our protein had no significant effect on this phosphorylation. We conclude that PHAII is unlikely to be caused by abnormal WNK4 kinase activity. We also made the intriguing observation that inactivating mutations of the WNK4 kinase domain did not completely abolish in vitro phosphorylation of OSR1/SPAK. Led by this, we identified a novel 40-kDa kinase that associates specifically with the COOH-terminal half of WNK4 and is able to phosphorylate both WNK4 and SPAK/OSR1. We suggest that this 40-kDa kinase functions in the WNK4 signal transduction pathway and may mediate some of the physiological actions attributed to WNK4.

scholarly journals Role of malectin in Glc2Man9GlcNAc2-dependent quality control of α1-antitrypsin

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 3559-3570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Chen ◽  
Dan Hu ◽  
Rikio Yabe ◽  
Hiroaki Tateno ◽  
Sheng-Ying Qin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Metabolic Labeling ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Binding Assays ◽  
Mrna Transcription ◽  
Glycoprotein Quality Control

Malectin was first discovered as a novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–resident lectin from Xenopus laevis that exhibits structural similarity to bacterial glycosylhydrolases. Like other intracellular lectins involved in glycoprotein quality control, malectin is highly conserved in animals. Here results from in vitro membrane-based binding assays and frontal affinity chromatography confirm that human malectin binds specifically to Glc2Man9GlcNAc2 (G2M9) N-glycan, with a Ka of 1.97 × 105 M−1, whereas binding to Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 (G1M9), Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 (G3M9), and other N-glycans is barely detectable. Metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that before entering the calnexin cycle, the folding-defective human α1-antitrypsin variant null Hong Kong (ATNHK) stably associates with malectin, whereas wild-type α1-antitrypsin (AT) or N-glycan–truncated variant of ATNHK (ATNHK-Q3) dose not. Moreover, malectin overexpression dramatically inhibits the secretion of ATNHK through a mechanism that involves enhanced ER-associated protein degradation; by comparison, the secretion of AT and ATNHK-Q3 is only slightly affected by malectin overexpression. ER-stress induced by tunicamycin results in significantly elevated mRNA transcription of malectin. These observations suggest a possible role of malectin in regulating newly synthesized glycoproteins via G2M9 recognition.

scholarly journals Additional biochemical findings in a patient and fetal sibling with a genetic defect in the sphingolipid activator protein (SAP) precursor, prosaposin. Evidence for a deficiency in SAP-1 and for a normal lysosomal neuraminidase

1992 ◽  
Vol 285 (2) ◽  
pp. 481-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
B C Paton ◽  
B Schmid ◽  
B Kustermann-Kuhn ◽  
A Poulos ◽  
K Harzer
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Genetic Defect ◽  
Krabbe Disease ◽  
Sphingolipid Metabolism ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Activator Proteins ◽  
Alpha Galactosidase ◽  
Assay Conditions

It has been shown that sphingolipid activator proteins (SAPs) 1 and 2 are encoded on the same gene along with two other putative activator proteins [Fürst, Machleidt & Sandhoff (1988) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 369, 317-328 and O'Brien, Kretz, Dewji, Wenger, Esch & Fluharty (1988) Science 241, 1098-1101]. We have undertaken further biochemical investigations on a patient and fetal sibling, who were previously shown to have a unique sphingolipid storage disorder associated with an SAP-2 deficiency [Harzer, Paton, Poulos, Kustermann-Kuhn, Roggendorf, Grisar & Popp (1989) Eur. J. Pediatr. 149, 31-39]. The severity of their disorder suggested that other products of the SAP precursor or prosaposin gene may also be deficient. The turnover of cerebroside sulphate and globotriaosylceramide were investigated and were both impaired in fibroblasts from the patient and fetus. However, the activities of cerebroside sulphate sulphatase and globotriaosylceramide alpha-galactosidase in vitro were normal in cells from the fetus and patient respectively. In addition, there was an increase in cerebroside sulphate concentration in the kidney of the affected fetus. These results indicate that, in addition to the SAP-2 deficiency, there was a defect in SAP-1 function in this disorder. Additional increases in the concentration of monohexosyl- and dihexosyl-ceramide in the fetal kidney probably reflect the deficiency of SAP-2 in the case of monohexosylceramides, and the combined activator deficiency in the case of dihexosylceramides. Lactosylceramide-loading studies confirmed that there was a defect in the turnover of this lipid in fibroblasts from the affected patient and fetus but not from a patient with an isolated SAP-1 deficiency, or from patients with Krabbe disease, GM1 gangliosidosis or galactosialidosis. It has been suggested [Potier, Lamontagne, Michaud & Tranchemontagne (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 173, 449-456] that the prosaposin gene also codes for lysosomal neuroaminidase. However, we found normal neuraminidase activity in fibroblasts from our patient, using assay conditions which are diagnostic for sialidosis patients. The role of prosaposin gene products in sphingolipid metabolism is discussed in view of our biochemical findings in this genetic disorder.

scholarly journals In Vitro Investigation of Binding Interactions between Albumin–Gliclazide Model and Typical Hypotensive Drugs

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
Ewa Zurawska-Plaksej ◽  
Rafal Wiglusz ◽  
Agnieszka Piwowar ◽  
Katarzyna Wiglusz
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Binding Interactions ◽  
Hypotensive Drugs ◽  
In Vitro Investigation ◽  
Model Protein ◽  
Albumin Molecule

Type 2 diabetes management usually requires polytherapy, which increases the risk of drug-to-drug interactions. Among the multiple diabetes comorbidities, hypertension is the most prevalent. This study aimed to investigate the binding interactions between the model protein, bovine albumin, and the hypoglycemic agent gliclazide (GLICL) in the presence of typical hypotensive drugs: quinapril hydrochloride (QUI), valsartan (VAL), furosemide (FUR), amlodipine besylate (AML), and atenolol (ATN). Spectroscopic techniques (fluorescence quenching, circular dichroism) and thermodynamic experiments were employed. The binding of the gliclazide to the albumin molecule was affected by the presence of an additional drug ligand, which was reflected by the reduced binding constant of the BSA–DRUG–GLICL system. This may indicate a possible GLICL displacement and its enhanced pharmacological effect, as manifested in clinical practice. The analysis of the thermodynamic parameters indicated the spontaneity of the reaction and emphasized the role of hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces in these interactions. The secondary structure of the BSA remained almost unaffected.

scholarly journals The maturase HydF enables [FeFe] hydrogenase assembly via transient, cofactor-dependent interactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (33) ◽  
pp. 11891-11901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitta Németh ◽  
Henrik Land ◽  
Ann Magnuson ◽  
Anders Hofer ◽  
Gustav Berggren
Keyword(s):  
Gas Production ◽  
Cluster Assembly ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Iron Sulfur Cluster ◽  
Sulfur Cluster ◽  
Iron Sulfur ◽  
Spectroscopy Studies ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic

[FeFe] hydrogenases have attracted extensive attention in the field of renewable energy research because of their remarkable efficiency for H2 gas production. H2 formation is catalyzed by a biologically unique hexanuclear iron cofactor denoted the H-cluster. The assembly of this cofactor requires a dedicated maturation machinery including HydF, a multidomain [4Fe4S] cluster protein with GTPase activity. HydF is responsible for harboring and delivering a precatalyst to the apo-hydrogenase, but the details of this process are not well understood. Here, we utilize gas-phase electrophoretic macromolecule analysis to show that a HydF dimer forms a transient interaction complex with the hydrogenase and that the formation of this complex depends on the cofactor content on HydF. Moreover, Fourier transform infrared, electron paramagnetic resonance, and UV-visible spectroscopy studies of mutants of HydF show that the isolated iron-sulfur cluster domain retains the capacity for binding the precatalyst in a reversible fashion and is capable of activating apo-hydrogenase in in vitro assays. These results demonstrate the central role of the iron-sulfur cluster domain of HydF in the final stages of H-cluster assembly, i.e. in binding and delivering the precatalyst.

Down-regulated expression of hsa-miR-181c in Fanconi anemia patients: implications in TNFα regulation and proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 119 (13) ◽  
pp. 3042-3049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Río ◽  
Xabier Agirre ◽  
Leire Garate ◽  
Rocío Baños ◽  
Lara Álvarez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fanconi Anemia ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Mirna Regulation ◽  
Healthy Donors ◽  
Regulated Expression ◽  
Clonogenic Potential ◽  
The Impact

AbstractFanconi anemia (FA) is an inherited genetic disorder associated with BM failure and cancer predisposition. In the present study, we sought to elucidate the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the hematopoietic defects observed in FA patients. Initial studies showed that 3 miRNAs, hsa-miR-133a, hsa-miR-135b, and hsa-miR-181c, were significantly down-regulated in lymphoblastoid cell lines and fresh peripheral blood cells from FA patients. In vitro studies with cells expressing the luciferase reporter fused to the TNFα 3′-untranslated region confirmed in silico predictions suggesting an interaction between hsa-miR-181c and TNFα mRNA. These observations were consistent with the down-regulated expression of TNFα mediated by hsa-miR-181c in cells from healthy donors and cells from FA patients. Because of the relevance of TNFα in the hematopoietic defects of FA patients, in the present study, we transfected BM cells from FA patients with hsa-miR-181c to evaluate the impact of this miRNA on their clonogenic potential. hsa-miR-181c markedly increased the number and size of the myeloid and erythroid colonies generated by BM cells from FA patients. Our results offer new clues toward understanding the biologic basis of BM failure in FA patients and open new possibilities for the treatment of the hematologic dysfunction in FA patients based on miRNA regulation.

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