Enzymes or redox couples? The kinetics of thioredoxin and glutaredoxin reactions in a systems biology context

2008 ◽  
Vol 417 (1) ◽  
pp. 269-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ché S. Pillay ◽  
Jan-Hendrik S. Hofmeyr ◽  
Brett G. Olivier ◽  
Jacky L. Snoep ◽  
Johann M. Rohwer

Systems biology approaches, such as kinetic modelling, could provide valuable insights into how thioredoxins, glutaredoxins and peroxiredoxins (here collectively called redoxins), and the systems that reduce these molecules are regulated. However, it is not clear whether redoxins should be described as redox couples (with redox potentials) or as enzymes (with Michaelis–Menten parameters) in such approaches. We show that in complete redoxin systems, redoxin substrate saturation and other purported enzymatic behaviours result from limitations in the redoxin redox cycles in these systems. Michaelis–Menten parameters are therefore inappropriate descriptors of redoxin activity; data from redoxin kinetic experiments should rather be interpreted in terms of the complete system of reactions under study. These findings were confirmed by fitting kinetic models of the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin systems to in vitro datasets. This systems approach clarifies the inconsistencies with the descriptions of redoxins and emphasizes the roles of redoxin systems in redox regulation.

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lefentse N. Mashamaite ◽  
Johann M. Rohwer ◽  
Ché S. Pillay

Glutathionylation plays a central role in cellular redox regulation and anti-oxidative defence. Grx (Glutaredoxins) are primarily responsible for reversing glutathionylation and their activity therefore affects a range of cellular processes, making them prime candidates for computational systems biology studies. However, two distinct kinetic mechanisms involving either one (monothiol) or both (dithiol) active-site cysteines have been proposed for their deglutathionylation activity and initial studies predicted that computational models based on either of these mechanisms will have different structural and kinetic properties. Further, a number of other discrepancies including the relative activity of active-site mutants and contrasting reciprocal plot kinetics have also been reported for these redoxins. Using kinetic modelling, we show that the dithiol and monothiol mechanisms are identical and, we were also able to explain much of the discrepant data found within the literature on Grx activity and kinetics. Moreover, our results have revealed how an apparently futile side-reaction in the monothiol mechanism may play a significant role in regulating Grx activity in vivo.


2017 ◽  
Vol 474 (8) ◽  
pp. 1347-1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Yoshida ◽  
Toru Hisabori

Thiol-based redox regulation is considered to support light-responsive control of various chloroplast functions. The redox cascade via ferredoxin–thioredoxin reductase (FTR)/thioredoxin (Trx) has been recognized as a key to transmitting reducing power; however, Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequencing has revealed that as many as five Trx subtypes encoded by a total of 10 nuclear genes are targeted to chloroplasts. Because each Trx isoform seems to have a distinct target selectivity, the electron distribution from FTR to multiple Trxs is thought to be the critical branch point for determining the consequence of chloroplast redox regulation. In the present study, we aimed to comprehensively characterize the kinetics of electron transfer from FTR to 10 Trx isoforms. We prepared the recombinant FTR protein from Arabidopsis in the heterodimeric form containing the Fe–S cluster. By reconstituting the FTR/Trx system in vitro, we showed that FTR prepared here was enzymatically active and suitable for uncovering biochemical features of chloroplast redox regulation. A series of redox state determinations using the thiol-modifying reagent, 4-acetamido-4′-maleimidylstilbene-2,2′-disulfonate, indicated that all chloroplast Trx isoforms are commonly reduced by FTR; however, significantly different efficiencies were evident. These differences were apparently correlated with the distinct midpoint redox potentials among Trxs. Even when the experiments were performed under conditions of hypothetical in vivo stoichiometry of FTR and Trxs, a similar trend in distinguishable electron transfers was observed. These data highlight an aspect of highly organized circuits in the chloroplast redox regulation network.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Kalli ◽  
Carla Araya-Cloutier ◽  
Jos Hageman ◽  
Jean-Paul Vincken

AbstractHigh resistance towards traditional antibiotics has urged the development of new, natural therapeutics against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Prenylated (iso)flavonoids, present mainly in the Fabaceae, can serve as promising candidates. Herein, the anti-MRSA properties of 23 prenylated (iso)flavonoids were assessed in-vitro. The di-prenylated (iso)flavonoids, glabrol (flavanone) and 6,8-diprenyl genistein (isoflavone), together with the mono-prenylated, 4′-O-methyl glabridin (isoflavan), were the most active anti-MRSA compounds (Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) ≤ 10 µg/mL, 30 µM). The in-house activity data was complemented with literature data to yield an extended, curated dataset of 67 molecules for the development of robust in-silico prediction models. A QSAR model having a good fit (R2adj 0.61), low average prediction errors and a good predictive power (Q2) for the training (4% and Q2LOO 0.57, respectively) and the test set (5% and Q2test 0.75, respectively) was obtained. Furthermore, the model predicted well the activity of an external validation set (on average 5% prediction errors), as well as the level of activity (low, moderate, high) of prenylated (iso)flavonoids against other Gram-positive bacteria. For the first time, the importance of formal charge, besides hydrophobic volume and hydrogen-bonding, in the anti-MRSA activity was highlighted, thereby suggesting potentially different modes of action of the different prenylated (iso)flavonoids.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Malinee Thanee ◽  
Sureerat Padthaisong ◽  
Manida Suksawat ◽  
Hasaya Dokduang ◽  
Jutarop Phetcharaburanin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Sulfasalazine (SSZ) is widely known as an xCT inhibitor suppressing CD44v9-expressed cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) being related to redox regulation. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has a high recurrence rate and no effective chemotherapy. A recent report revealed high levels of CD44v9-positive cells in CCA patients. Therefore, a combination of drugs could prove a suitable strategy for CCA treatment via individual metabolic profiling. Methods We examined the effect of xCT-targeted CD44v9-CSCs using sulfasalazine combined with cisplatin (CIS) or gemcitabine in CCA in vitro and in vivo models and did NMR-based metabolomics analysis of xenograft mice tumor tissues. Results Our findings suggest that combined SSZ and CIS leads to a higher inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell death than CIS alone in both in vitro and in vivo models. Xenograft mice showed that the CD44v9-CSC marker and CK-19-CCA proliferative marker were reduced in the combination treatment. Interestingly, different metabolic signatures and significant metabolites were observed in the drug-treated group compared with the control group that revealed the cancer suppression mechanisms. Conclusions SSZ could improve CCA therapy by sensitization to CIS through killing CD44v9-positive cells and modifying the metabolic pathways, in particular tryptophan degradation (i.e., kynurenine pathway, serotonin pathway) and nucleic acid metabolism.


Author(s):  
Shensheng Zhao ◽  
Sebastiaan Wesseling ◽  
Bert Spenkelink ◽  
Ivonne M. C. M. Rietjens

AbstractThe present study predicts in vivo human and rat red blood cell (RBC) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition upon diazinon (DZN) exposure using physiological based kinetic (PBK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry. Due to the fact that both DZN and its oxon metabolite diazoxon (DZO) can inhibit AChE, a toxic equivalency factor (TEF) was included in the PBK model to combine the effect of DZN and DZO when predicting in vivo AChE inhibition. The PBK models were defined based on kinetic constants derived from in vitro incubations with liver fractions or plasma of rat and human, and were used to translate in vitro concentration–response curves for AChE inhibition obtained in the current study to predicted in vivo dose–response curves. The predicted dose–response curves for rat matched available in vivo data on AChE inhibition, and the benchmark dose lower confidence limits for 10% inhibition (BMDL10 values) were in line with the reported BMDL10 values. Humans were predicted to be 6-fold more sensitive than rats in terms of AChE inhibition, mainly because of inter-species differences in toxicokinetics. It is concluded that the TEF-coded DZN PBK model combined with quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) provides an adequate approach to predict RBC AChE inhibition upon acute oral DZN exposure, and can provide an alternative testing strategy for derivation of a point of departure (POD) in risk assessment.


Drug Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omobolanle J. Jesumoroti ◽  
Richard M. Beteck ◽  
Lesetja J. Legoabe

Sleeping sickness, caused by trypanosomes, is a debilitating, neglected tropical disease wherein current treatments suffer from several drawbacks such as toxicity, low activity, and poor pharmacokinetic properties, and hence the need for alternative treatment is apparent. To this effect, we screened in vitro a library of 2-quinazolinone derivatives for antitrypanosomal activity against T.b. brucei and cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. Seven compounds having no overt cytotoxicity against HeLa cells exhibited antitrypanosomal activity in the range of 0.093–45 µM were identified. The activity data suggests that the antitrypanosomal activity of this compound class is amenable to substituents at N1 and C6 positions. Compound 14 having a molecular weight of 238Da, ClogP value of 1 and a total polar surface area of 49 was identified as the most active, exhibiting an IC50 value of 0.093 µM Graphical Abstract.


Author(s):  
Mehul Zaveri ◽  
Neha Kawathekar

Objective: Current therapies to treat P. falciparum malaria are heavily reliant on artemisinin-based combinations. However, resistance to artemisinin has recently been identified, and resistance to key artemisinin partner drugs is already widespread. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial drugs with improved attributes over older therapies. The objective of this research work is to synthesize new antimalarial agents more effective against clinically relevant malarial strains.Methods: In present work, a series of ten 3-phenyl-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one (MF1-MF10) derivatives, were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation of N-phenyl rhodanine (I1) with substituted aromatic or hetro aromatic aldehydes using microwave irradiation. N-phenyl rhodanine (I1) was synthesized by a conventional reaction involving methyl-2-mercaptoacetate (1) and phenyl Isothiocyanates in presence of triethylamine. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and evaluated for in-vitro antimalarial activity by microdilution technique against resistance strains of Plasmodium falciparum.Results: The antimalarial activity data showed that six compounds (MF1, MF3, MF4, MF5, MF7 and MF8) exhibited IC50 values ranging from 1.0-1.30 µg/ml, three compounds (MF2, MF6 and MF10) displayed IC50 values in the range of 0.9-1.0 µg/ml. Compound MF9 showed most significant result with maximum activity (IC50 = 0.85µg/ml).Conclusion: The antimalarial activity results revealed that compound MF9 possess potent activity and could be identified as a promising lead for further investigation.


Antioxidants ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Yoshida ◽  
Toru Hisabori

Thiol-based redox regulation ensures light-responsive control of chloroplast functions. Light-derived signal is transferred in the form of reducing power from the photosynthetic electron transport chain to several redox-sensitive target proteins. Two types of protein, ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase (FTR) and thioredoxin (Trx), are well recognized as the mediators of reducing power. However, it remains unclear which step in a series of redox-relay reactions is the critical bottleneck for determining the rate of target protein reduction. To address this, the redox behaviors of FTR, Trx, and target proteins were extensively characterized in vitro and in vivo. The FTR/Trx redox cascade was reconstituted in vitro using recombinant proteins from Arabidopsis. On the basis of this assay, we found that the FTR catalytic subunit and f-type Trx are rapidly reduced after the drive of reducing power transfer, irrespective of the presence or absence of their downstream target proteins. By contrast, three target proteins, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), sedoheptulose 1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase), and Rubisco activase (RCA) showed different reduction patterns; in particular, SBPase was reduced at a low rate. The in vivo study using Arabidopsis plants showed that the Trx family is commonly and rapidly reduced upon high light irradiation, whereas FBPase, SBPase, and RCA are differentially and slowly reduced. Both of these biochemical and physiological findings suggest that reducing power transfer from Trx to its target proteins is a rate-limiting step for chloroplast redox regulation, conferring distinct light-responsive redox behaviors on each of the targets.


Blood ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 4092-4099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Yamauchi ◽  
Eda T. Bloom

Abstract Using thiol deprivation, we have previously shown that the response of natural killer (NK) cells to interleukin-2 (IL-2) is subject to redox regulation downstream of IL-2 binding and internalization. We have now used the IL-2–dependent cell line, NK3.3 to study redox regulation of NK cells further, and found that NK3.3 cells neither incorporated [3H]-thymidine nor completed the G1-S phase transition in medium lacking the thiol-related compounds, L-cystine, and glutathione, despite the presence of sufficient IL-2. Thiol deprivation did not alter the induction of DNA interferon-γ activated sequence (GAS)-binding activity in response to IL-2. However, the retinoblastoma gene product (RB), a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) substrate, was phosphorylated within 24 hours after IL-2 stimulation in standard medium, but its expression and phosphorylation were reduced in thiol-depleted medium in both NK3.3 cells and freshly isolated NK cells. These reductions were not associated with an increased level of p27Kip1, an inhibitor of CDKs CDK6/2 in association with G1 cyclins. Reducing agents, N-acetylcysteine, reduced glutathione or 2-ME restored both RB phosphorylation and DNA synthesis in thiol-deprived NK3.3 cells. The in vitro kinase activities of CDK6 and CDK2 were prematurely increased by thiol deprivation. This enhancement was associated with CDK hyperphosphorylation and prolonged phosphorylation, and could be observed before and beyond IL-2 stimulation. The data suggest the possibility that the premature and prolonged enhancement of CDK activity in thiol-deprived NK cells is associated with, and therefore may contribute to, the reduced expression and phosphorylation of RB, and the associated cell cycle arrest.


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