Role of the N-terminal Amino Acid for the Biological Activities of Angiotensin and Inhibitory Analogues

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Regoli ◽  
F. Rioux ◽  
W. K. Park ◽  
C. Choi

Aspartic acid was replaced in position 1 of angiotensin II (ATII) with several amino acids, to assess the possible influence of the N-terminal amino acid for (a) the intrinsic activity, (b) the affinity, and (c) the metabolic degradation of agonist analogues of ATII. Some of the substitutions in position 1 were used in combination with replacement of Phe by Gly or Leu in position 8, to obtain the corresponding antagonist.The compounds were tested in vivo (rat blood pressure) and in two in vitro preparations (rat stomach and rabbit aorta strips). The oil immersion technique, described by Kalsner and Nickerson (1968) (Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 46, 719–730), was used to study the disposition of the peptides by vascular smooth muscles (rabbit aorta strips). Degradation of the peptides by purified aminopeptidases was evaluated in vitro by measuring the fragments on paper chromatography. Potency of antagonists was estimated in vivo (ID50) and in vitro (pA2 values): duration of action was established by infusing the inhibitors intravenously into anesthetized rats and testing the effect of standard doses of angiotensin before and after.The results indicate that replacement of Asp with other amino acids does not influence the intrinsic activity, but can either increase or decrease the affinity in vitro or the potency in vivo. 1-Sar-ATII, and 1-D-Ala-ATII are more potent and longer acting than 1-Asp-ATII on isolated intestinal and vascular smooth muscles, but not in vivo. On the contrary, 1-β-Asp-ATII and 1-β-D-Asp-ATII are more potent than 1-Asp-ATIIin vivo, but not on rabbit aorta strips. Rate of relaxation of rabbit aorta strips suspended in oil, after contraction with submaximal doses of several analogues of ATII, are significantly slower than relaxation after 1-Asn2-ATII and 1-Asp-ATII. A close parallelism between the diminution of the relaxation rate in oil and the degradation by aminopeptideses in vitro was observed, suggesting that metabolic degradation may be the major factor determining relaxation of rabbit aorta in oil after contraction with one of these peptides. Potencies of antagonists in vivo and in vitro are increased by replacing Asp with Sar. Substitution of Asp with β-Asp or β-D-Asp brings about a slight increase of potency in vivo but not in vitro. It appears that firm binding and prolonged occupation of receptors by sarcosyl derivatives are the primary factors contributing to increase the potency and to prolong the duration of action of antagonists, while prevention or reduction of metabolic breakdown by aminopeptidases is much less efficient.

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Rioux ◽  
W. K. Park ◽  
D. Regoli

The C-terminal group of angiotensin II (ATII), 1-Sar-ATII, and 1-β-Asp-ATII was esterified to reduce degradation of the peptides by carboxypeptidases.Biological activity of esterified angiotensins was measured in vivo (rat blood pressure) and in vitro (rabbit aorta strip). Degradation in vitro by purified carboxypeptidase was estimated from the intensity of the phenylalanine spot on paper chromatography. Disposition of esterified angiotensins by rabbit aorta strips was studied with the oil immersion technique of Kalsner and Nickerson, Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 46, 719–730, (1968a).The results indicate that esterification of C-terminal group of ATII: (a) reduces the potency in vivo and to a greater extent the affinity in vitro; (b) delays the onset of the contraction in vitro; (c) does not affect the intrinsic activity; (d) prolongs the time of relaxation of rabbit aorta strips in oil; (e) prevents the degradation by purified carboxypeptidase.It is proposed that C-terminal group of ATII contributes to affinity but not to intrinsic activity and facilitates the diffusion of the peptide to receptor sites. Esterification of this group prevents the degradation of the peptide by carboxypeptidases; accordingly, the duration of action in vivo is prolonged and the rate of relaxation of aortic strips in oil is reduced. When esterification of the C-terminal is combined with the replacement of Asp by β-Asp in position 1, no relaxation of aortic strips occurs after oil immersion. This suggests that carboxypeptidases, and to a minor extent aminopeptidases, are responsible for the inactivation of angiotensin by rabbit aorta.


1998 ◽  
Vol 159 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
U Ritzel ◽  
U Leonhardt ◽  
M Ottleben ◽  
A Ruhmann ◽  
K Eckart ◽  
...  

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is the most potent endogenous insulin-stimulating hormone. In the present study the plasma stability and biological activity of a GLP-1 analog, [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide, in which the second N-terminal amino acid alanine was replaced by serine, was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Incubation of GLP-1 with human or rat plasma resulted in degradation of native GLP-1(7-36)amide to GLP-1(9-36)amide, while [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide was not significantly degraded by plasma enzymes. Using glucose-responsive HIT-T15 cells, [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide showed strong insulinotropic activity, which was inhibited by the specific GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin-4(9-39)amide. Simultaneous i.v. injection of [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide and glucose in rats induced a twofold higher increase in plasma insulin levels than unmodified GLP-1(7-36)amide with glucose and a fivefold higher increase than glucose alone. [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide induced a 1.5-fold higher increase in plasma insulin than GLP-1(7-36)amide when given 1 h before i.v. application of glucose. The insulinotropic effect of [Ser]GLP-1(7-36)amide was suppressed by i.v. application of exendin-4(9-39)amide. The present data demonstrate that replacement of the second N-terminal amino acid alanine by serine improves the plasma stability of GLP-1(7-36)amide. The insulinotropic action in vitro and in vivo was not impaired significantly by this modification.


1982 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 598-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
D R Colman ◽  
G Kreibich ◽  
A B Frey ◽  
D D Sabatini

The distribution of newly synthesized proteolipid protein (PLP, 23 kdaltons) and myelin basic proteins (MBPs, 14-21.5 kdaltons) was determined in microsomal and myelin fractions prepared from the brainstems o1 10-30 d-old rats sacrificed at different times after an intracranial injection of 35S-methionine. Labeled MBPs were found in the myelin fraction 2 min after the injection, whereas PLP appeared first in the rough microsomal fraction and only after a lag of 30 min in the myelin fraction. Cell-free translation experiments using purified mRNAs demonstrated that PLP and MBPs are synthesized in bound and free polysomes, respectively. A mechanism involving the cotranslational insertion into the ER membrane and subsequent passage of the polypeptides through the Golgi apparatus is consistent with the lag observed in the appearance of the in vivo-labeled PLP in the myelin membrane. Newly synthesized PLP and MBPs are not proteolytically processed, because the primary translation products synthesized in vitro had the same electrophoretic mobility and N-terminal amino acid sequence as the mature PLP and MBP polypeptides. It was found that crude myelin fractions are highly enriched in mRNAs coding for the MBPs but not in mRNA coding for PLP. This suggests that whereas the bound polysomes synthesizing PLP are largely confined to the cell body, free polysomes synthesizing MBPs are concentrated in oligodendrocyte processes involved in myelination, which explains the immediate incorporation of MBPs into the developing myelin sheath.


F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Harutyun Sahakian ◽  
Karen Nazarian ◽  
Arcady Mushegian ◽  
Irina Sorokina

Background: Proteins fold robustly and reproducibly in vivo, but many cannot fold in vitro in isolation from cellular components. Despite the remarkable progress that has been achieved by the artificial intelligence approaches in predicting the protein native conformations, the pathways that lead to such conformations, either in vitro or in vivo, remain largely unknown. The slow progress in recapitulating protein folding pathways in silico may be an indication of the fundamental deficiencies in our understanding of folding as it occurs in nature. Here we consider the possibility that protein folding in living cells may not be driven solely by the decrease in Gibbs free energy and propose that protein folding in vivo should be modeled as an active energy-dependent process. The mechanism of action of such a protein folding machine might include direct manipulation of the peptide backbone. Methods: To show the feasibility of a protein folding machine, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations that were augmented by the application of mechanical force to rotate the C-terminal amino acid while simultaneously limiting the N-terminal amino acid movements. Results: Remarkably, the addition of this simple manipulation of peptide backbones to the standard molecular dynamics simulation indeed facilitated the formation of native structures in five diverse alpha-helical peptides. Steric clashes that arise in the peptides due to the forced directional rotation resulted in the behavior of the peptide backbone no longer resembling a freely jointed chain. Conclusions: These simulations show the feasibility of a protein folding machine operating under the conditions when the movements of the polypeptide backbone are restricted by applying external forces and constraints. Further investigation is needed to see whether such an effect may play a role during co-translational protein folding in vivo and how it can be utilized to facilitate folding of proteins in artificial environments.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harutyun K. Sahakyan ◽  
Karen B. Nazaryan ◽  
Arcady R. Mushegian ◽  
Irina N. Sorokina

AbstractProteins fold robustly and reproducibly in vivo, but many cannot fold in vitro in isolation from cellular components. The pathways to proteins’ native conformations, either in vitro or in vivo, remain largely unknown. The slow progress in recapitulating protein folding pathways in silico may be an indication of the fundamental deficiencies in our understanding of folding as it occurs in nature. Here we consider the possibility that protein folding in living cells may not be driven solely by the decrease in Gibbs free energy and propose that protein folding in vivo should be modeled as an active energy-dependent process. The mechanism of action of such protein folding machine might include direct manipulation of the peptide backbone. To show the feasibility of a protein folding machine, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations that were augmented by the application of mechanical force to rotate the C-terminal amino acid while simultaneously limiting the N-terminal amino acid movements. Remarkably, the introduction of this simple manipulation of peptide backbones to the standard molecular dynamics simulation indeed facilitated the formation of native structures in five diverse alpha-helical peptides. Such effect may play a role during co-translational protein folding in vivo: considering the rotating motion of the tRNA 3’-end in the peptidyltransferase center of the ribosome, it is possible that this motion might introduce rotation to the nascent peptide and influence the peptide’s folding pathway in a way similar to what was observed in our simulations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (04) ◽  
pp. 499-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W C Hatton ◽  
Bonnie Ross-Ouellet

SummaryThe behavior of 125I-labeled recombinant hirudin towards the uninjured and de-endothelialized rabbit aorta wall has been studied in vitro and in vivo to determine its usefulness as an indicator of thrombin activity associated with the aorta wall. Thrombin adsorbed to either sulfopropyl-Sephadex or heparin-Sepharose bound >95% of 125I-r-hirudin and the complex remained bound to the matrix. Binding of 125I-r-hirudin to the exposed aorta subendothelium (intima-media) in vitro was increased substantially if the tissue was pre-treated with thrombin; the quantity of l25I-r-hirudin bound to the de-endothelialized intima-media (i.e. balloon-injured in vitro) correlated positively with the quantity of bound 131I-thrombin (p <0.01). Aortas balloon-injured in vivo were measured for thrombin release from, and binding of 125I-r-hirudin to, the de-endothelialized intimal surface in vitro; 125I-r-hirudin binding correlated with the amount of active thrombin released (p <0.001). Uptake of 125I-r-hirudin by the aorta wall in vivo was proportional to the uptake of 131I-fibrinogen (as an indicator of thrombin activity) before and after balloon injury. After 30 min in the circulation, specific 125I-r-hirudin binding to the uninjured and de-endo- thelialized (at 1.5 h after injury) aorta wall was equivalent to 3.4 (± 2.5) and 25.6 (±18.1) fmol of thrombin/cm2 of intima-media, respectively. Possibly, only hirudin-accessible, glycosaminoglycan-bound thrombin is measured in this way.


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (01) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siw Frebelius ◽  
Ulf Hedin ◽  
Jesper Swedenborg

SummaryThe thrombogenicity of the vessel wall after endothelial denudation is partly explained by an impaired inhibition of thrombin on the subendothelium. We have previously reported that thrombin coagulant activity can be detected on the vessel wall after balloon injury in vivo. The glycosaminoglycans of the subendothelium differ from those of the endothelium and have a lower catalyzing effect on antithrombin III, but inhibition of thrombin can still be augmented by addition of antithrombin III to the injured vessel surface.In this study the effect of antithrombin III and heparin on thrombin coagulant activity on the vessel wall was studied after in vivo balloon injury of the rabbit aorta using biochemical and immunohistochemical methods and thrombin was analysed after excision of the vessel. Continuous treatment with heparin, lasting until sacrifice of the animal, or treatment with antithrombin III resulted in significant reduction of thrombin coagulant activity on the injured aorta. Heparin given only in conjunction with the injury did not prevent thrombin coagulant activity or deposition of fibrin on the surface.The capacity of the injured vessel wall to inhibit thrombin in vitro was improved on aortic segments obtained from animals receiving antithrombin III but not from those given heparin. It is concluded that treatment with antithrombin III interferes with thrombin appearance on the vessel wall after injury and thereby reduces the risk for thrombosis.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1108
Author(s):  
Oana Craciunescu ◽  
Madalina Icriverzi ◽  
Paula Ecaterina Florian ◽  
Anca Roseanu ◽  
Mihaela Trif

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease. An objective of the nanomedicine and drug delivery systems field is to design suitable pharmaceutical nanocarriers with controllable properties for drug delivery and site-specific targeting, in order to achieve greater efficacy and minimal toxicity, compared to the conventional drugs. The aim of this review is to present recent data on natural bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties and efficacy in the treatment of OA, their formulation in lipid nanostructured carriers, mainly liposomes, as controlled release systems and the possibility to be intra-articularly (IA) administered. The literature regarding glycosaminoglycans, proteins, polyphenols and their ability to modify the cell response and mechanisms of action in different models of inflammation are reviewed. The advantages and limits of using lipid nanoformulations as drug delivery systems in OA treatment and the suitable route of administration are also discussed. Liposomes containing glycosaminoglycans presented good biocompatibility, lack of immune system activation, targeted delivery of bioactive compounds to the site of action, protection and efficiency of the encapsulated material, and prolonged duration of action, being highly recommended as controlled delivery systems in OA therapy through IA administration. Lipid nanoformulations of polyphenols were tested both in vivo and in vitro models that mimic OA conditions after IA or other routes of administration, recommending their clinical application.


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