scholarly journals NMR characterization of the interaction between the C-terminal domain of interferon-γ and heparin-derived oligosaccharides

2004 ◽  
Vol 384 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile VANHAVERBEKE ◽  
Jean-Pierre SIMORRE ◽  
Rabia SADIR ◽  
Pierre GANS ◽  
Hugues LORTAT-JACOB
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Chemical Shifts ◽  
Heparan Sulphate ◽  
Interferon Γ ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Nmr Characterization ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Proliferation And Apoptosis

Interferons are cytokines that play a complex role in the resistance of mammalian hosts to pathogens. IFNγ (interferon-γ) is secreted by activated T-cells and natural killer cells. IFNγ is involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including antiviral activity, immune response, cell proliferation and apoptosis, as well as the stimulation and repression of a variety of genes. IFNγ activity is modulated by the binding of its C-terminal domain to HS (heparan sulphate), a glycosaminoglycan found in the extracellular matrix and at the cell surface. In the present study, we analysed the interaction of isolated heparin-derived oligosaccharides with the C-terminal peptide of IFNγ by NMR, in aqueous solution. We observed marked changes in the chemical shifts of both peptide and oligosaccharide compared with the free state. Our results provide evidence of a binding through electrostatic interactions between the charged side chains of the protein and the sulphate groups of heparin that does not induce specific conformation of the C-terminal part of IFNγ. Our data also indicate that an oligosaccharide size of at least eight residues displays the most efficient binding.

A comprehensive overview of PPM1A: From structure to disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 153537022110618
Author(s):  
Mao Li ◽  
Xingfeng Xu ◽  
Yan Su ◽  
Xiaoyun Shao ◽  
Yali Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Stress Response Pathway ◽  
Family Protein ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Proliferation And Apoptosis ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Phosphate Groups

PPM1A (magnesium-dependent phosphatase 1 A, also known as PP2Cα) is a member of the Ser/Thr protein phosphatase family. Protein phosphatases catalyze the removal of phosphate groups from proteins via hydrolysis, thus opposing the role of protein kinases. The PP2C family is generally considered a negative regulator in the eukaryotic stress response pathway. PPM1A can bind and dephosphorylate various proteins and is therefore involved in the regulation of a wide range of physiological processes. It plays a crucial role in transcriptional regulation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis and has been suggested to be closely related to the occurrence and development of cancers of the lung, bladder, and breast, amongst others. Moreover, it is closely related to certain autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we provide an insight into currently available knowledge of PPM1A, including its structure, biological function, involvement in signaling pathways, and association with diseases. Lastly, we discuss whether PPM1A could be targeted for therapy of certain human conditions.

Intrinsic Stacking Interactions of Natural and Artificial Nucleobases

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew P. Harding ◽  
Laura J. Kingsley ◽  
Glen Spraggon ◽  
Steven Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Molecular Descriptors ◽  
Stacking Interactions ◽  
Interaction Energies ◽  
Functional Theory ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Heavy Atoms ◽  
Wide Range

The intrinsic (gas-phase) stacking energies of natural and artificial nucleobases were explored using density functional theory (DFT) and correlated ab initio methods. Ranking the stacking strength of natural nucleobase dimers revealed a preference in binding partner similar to that seen from experiments, namely G > C > A > T > U. Decomposition of these interaction energies using symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) showed that these dispersion dominated interactions are modulated by electrostatics. Artificial nucleobases showed a similar stacking preference for natural nucleobases and were also modulated by electrostatic interactions. A robust predictive multivariate model was developed that quantitively predicts the maximum stacking interaction between natural and a wide range of artificial nucleobases using molecular descriptors based on computed electrostatic potentials (ESPs) and the number of heavy atoms. This model should find utility in designing artificial nucleobase analogs that exhibit stacking interactions comparable to those of natural nucleobases. Further analysis of the descriptors in this model unveil the origin of superior stacking abilities of certain nucleobases, including cytosine and guanine.

Accurate prediction of 195Pt NMR chemical shifts for a series of Pt(ii) and Pt(iv) antitumor agents by a non-relativistic DFT computational protocol

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (14) ◽  
pp. 5409-5426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athanassios C. Tsipis ◽  
Ioannis N. Karapetsas
Keyword(s):  
Dft Calculations ◽  
Anticancer Agents ◽  
Antitumor Agents ◽  
Chemical Shifts ◽  
Accurate Prediction ◽  
Nmr Chemical Shifts ◽  
Relativistic Dft ◽  
Square Planar ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Computational Protocol

Exhaustive benchmark DFT calculations reveal that the non-relativistic GIAO-PBE0/SARC-ZORA(Pt)∪6-31+G(d)(E) computational protocol predicts accurate 195Pt NMR chemical shifts for a wide range of square planar Pt(ii) and octahedral Pt(iv) anticancer agents.

scholarly journals Self-assembling ferritin-dendrimer nanoparticles for targeted delivery of nucleic acids to myeloid leukemia cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Palombarini ◽  
Silvia Masciarelli ◽  
Alessio Incocciati ◽  
Francesca Liccardo ◽  
Elisa Di Fabio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Myeloid Leukemia ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Archaeoglobus Fulgidus ◽  
Leukemia Cells ◽  
Cellular Delivery ◽  
Self Assembling ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hybrid Nanoparticle

Abstract Background In recent years, the use of ferritins as nano-vehicles for drug delivery is taking center stage. Compared to other similar nanocarriers, Archaeoglobus fulgidus ferritin is particularly interesting due to its unique ability to assemble-disassemble under very mild conditions. Recently this ferritin was engineered to get a chimeric protein targeted to human CD71 receptor, typically overexpressed in cancer cells. Results Archaeoglobus fulgidus chimeric ferritin was used to generate a self-assembling hybrid nanoparticle hosting an aminic dendrimer together with a small nucleic acid. The positively charged dendrimer can indeed establish electrostatic interactions with the chimeric ferritin internal surface, allowing the formation of a protein-dendrimer binary system. The 4 large triangular openings on the ferritin shell represent a gate for negatively charged small RNAs, which access the internal cavity attracted by the dense positive charge of the dendrimer. This ternary protein-dendrimer-RNA system is efficiently uptaken by acute myeloid leukemia cells, typically difficult to transfect. As a proof of concept, we used a microRNA whose cellular delivery and induced phenotypic effects can be easily detected. In this article we have demonstrated that this hybrid nanoparticle successfully delivers a pre-miRNA to leukemia cells. Once delivered, the nucleic acid is released into the cytosol and processed to mature miRNA, thus eliciting phenotypic effects and morphological changes similar to the initial stages of granulocyte differentiation. Conclusion The results here presented pave the way for the design of a new family of protein-based transfecting agents that can specifically target a wide range of diseased cells. Graphic abstract

scholarly journals Hybrid Acrylated Chitosan and Thiolated Pectin Cross-Linked Hydrogels with Tunable Properties

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Shaked Eliyahu ◽  
Alexandra Galitsky ◽  
Esther Ritov ◽  
Havazelet Bianco-Peled
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
Hybrid Hydrogel ◽  
Texture Profile ◽  
Ph Values ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Michael Type Addition ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Hydrogel System

We developed and characterized a new hydrogel system based on the physical and chemical interactions of pectin partially modified with thiol groups and chitosan modified with acrylate end groups. Gelation occurred at high pectin thiol ratios, indicating that a low acrylated chitosan concentration in the hydrogel had a profound effect on the cross-linking. Turbidity, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and free thiol determination analyses were performed to determine the relationships of the different bonds inside the gel. At low pH values below the pKa of chitosan, more electrostatic interactions were formed between opposite charges, but at high pH values, the Michael-type addition reaction between acrylate and thiol took place, creating harder hydrogels. Swelling experiments and Young’s modulus measurements were performed to study the structure and properties of the resultant hydrogels. The nanostructure was examined using small-angle X-ray scattering. The texture profile analysis showed a unique property of hydrogel adhesiveness. By implementing changes in the preparation procedure, we controlled the hydrogel properties. This hybrid hydrogel system can be a good candidate for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as a mucosal biomimetic surface for mucoadhesive testing.

scholarly journals Role of Insulin in Health and Disease: An Update

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6403
Author(s):  
Md Saidur Rahman ◽  
Khandkar Shaharina Hossain ◽  
Sharnali Das ◽  
Sushmita Kundu ◽  
Elikanah Olusayo Adegoke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Signaling ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Blood Glucose Levels ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health And Disease

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone mainly secreted by β cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. The hormone potentially coordinates with glucagon to modulate blood glucose levels; insulin acts via an anabolic pathway, while glucagon performs catabolic functions. Insulin regulates glucose levels in the bloodstream and induces glucose storage in the liver, muscles, and adipose tissue, resulting in overall weight gain. The modulation of a wide range of physiological processes by insulin makes its synthesis and levels critical in the onset and progression of several chronic diseases. Although clinical and basic research has made significant progress in understanding the role of insulin in several pathophysiological processes, many aspects of these functions have yet to be elucidated. This review provides an update on insulin secretion and regulation, and its physiological roles and functions in different organs and cells, and implications to overall health. We cast light on recent advances in insulin-signaling targeted therapies, the protective effects of insulin signaling activators against disease, and recommendations and directions for future research.

scholarly journals Control of NFATx1 nuclear translocation by a calcineurin-regulated inhibitory domain.

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 2066-2075 ◽  
Author(s):  
E S Masuda ◽  
J Liu ◽  
R Imamura ◽  
S I Imai ◽  
K I Arai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Calcium Signaling ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Intracellular Localization ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Cytokine Gene Expression ◽  
Blood Leukocytes ◽  
Activated T Cells ◽  
Terminal Domain

The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) regulates cytokine gene expression in T cells through cis-acting elements located in the promoters of several cytokine genes. NFATx1, which is preferentially expressed in the thymus and peripheral blood leukocytes, is one of four members of the NFAT family of transcription factors. We have performed domain analysis of NFATx1 by examining the effects of deletion mutations. We found that NFATx1 DNA binding activity and interaction with AP-1 polypeptides were dependent on its central Rel similarity region and that transcriptional activation was reduced by deletions of either its N-terminal domain or its C-terminal domain, suggesting the presence of intrinsic transcriptional activation motifs in both regions. We also identified a potent inhibitory sequence within its N-terminal domain. We show that the inactivation of the inhibition was dependent on the activity of calcineurin, a calcium-calmodulin-dependent phosphatase. We also show that calcineurin associated with the N-terminal domain of NFATx1 at multiple docking sites and caused a reduction of size, indicative of dephosphorylation, in NFATx1. We have mapped the inhibitory activity to less than 60 residues, containing motifs that are conserved in all NFAT proteins. Finally, we demonstrate that deletion in NFATx1 of the mapped 60 residues leads to its nuclear translocation independent of calcium signaling. Our results support the model proposing that the N-terminal domain confers calcium-signaling dependence on NFATx1 transactivation activity by regulating its intracellular localization through a protein module that associates with calcineurin and is a target of its phosphatase activity.

scholarly journals Molecular recognition of surface-immobilized carbohydrates by a synthetic lectin

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1354-1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Rauschenberg ◽  
Eva-Corrina Fritz ◽  
Christian Schulz ◽  
Tobias Kaufmann ◽  
Bart Jan Ravoo
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Recognition ◽  
Self Assembled Monolayers ◽  
Carbohydrate Binding ◽  
Air Oxidation ◽  
Acetylneuraminic Acid ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Assembled Monolayers ◽  
Synthetic Carbohydrate ◽  
Derivatives Of

The molecular recognition of carbohydrates and proteins mediates a wide range of physiological processes and the development of synthetic carbohydrate receptors (“synthetic lectins”) constitutes a key advance in biomedical technology. In this article we report a synthetic lectin that selectively binds to carbohydrates immobilized in a molecular monolayer. Inspired by our previous work, we prepared a fluorescently labeled synthetic lectin consisting of a cyclic dimer of the tripeptide Cys-His-Cys, which forms spontaneously by air oxidation of the monomer. Amine-tethered derivatives of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA), β-D-galactose, β-D-glucose and α-D-mannose were microcontact printed on epoxide-terminated self-assembled monolayers. Successive prints resulted in simple microarrays of two carbohydrates. The selectivity of the synthetic lectin was investigated by incubation on the immobilized carbohydrates. Selective binding of the synthetic lectin to immobilized NANA and β-D-galactose was observed by fluorescence microscopy. The selectivity and affinity of the synthetic lectin was screened in competition experiments. In addition, the carbohydrate binding of the synthetic lectin was compared with the carbohydrate binding of the lectins concanavalin A and peanut agglutinin. It was found that the printed carbohydrates retain their characteristic selectivity towards the synthetic and natural lectins and that the recognition of synthetic and natural lectins is strictly orthogonal.

Behavior as a window on physiology: a simple apparatus for recording caterpillar feeding.

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (6) ◽  
pp. S9 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Bowdan
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behavior ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Inexpensive Method ◽  
Simple Apparatus ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Regulation of feeding is a fundamental element of homeostasis. This is reflected in the similarity of control mechanisms in a wide range of animals, including insects and humans. A close examination of feeding behavior can illuminate the physiological processes driving regulation. A simple, inexpensive method for recording fine details of feeding by caterpillars is described. Possible experiments, interpretation of the data, and the relationship of observations to the underlying physiology, are outlined.

scholarly journals Role of a tryptophan anchor in human topoisomerase I structure, function and inhibition

2008 ◽  
Vol 411 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary S. Laco ◽  
Yves Pommier
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Functional Domain ◽  
Site Mutation ◽  
Supercoiled Dna ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Tryptophan Residues ◽  
N Terminus

Human Top1 (topoisomerase I) relaxes supercoiled DNA during cell division and transcription. Top1 is composed of 765 amino acids and contains an unstructured N-terminal domain of 200 amino acids, and a structured functional domain of 565 amino acids that binds and relaxes supercoiled DNA. In the present study we examined the region spanning the junction of the N-terminal domain and functional domain (junction region). Analysis of several published Top1 structures revealed that three tryptophan residues formed a network of aromatic stacking interactions and electrostatic interactions that anchored the N-terminus of the functional domain to sub-domains containing the nose cone and active site. Mutation of the three tryptophan residues (Trp203/Trp205/Trp206) to an alanine residue, either individually or together, in silico revealed that the individual tryptophan residue's contribution to the tryptophan ‘anchor’ was additive. When the three tryptophan residues were mutated to alanine in vitro, the resulting mutant Top1 differed from wild-type Top1 in that it lacked processivity, exhibited resistance to camptothecin and was inactivated by urea. The results indicated that the tryptophan anchor stabilized the N-terminus of the functional domain and prevented the loss of Top1 structure and function.

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