scholarly journals The potency of inducers of NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor) oxidoreductase parallels their efficiency as substrates for glutathione transferases. Structural and electronic correlations

1991 ◽  
Vol 273 (3) ◽  
pp. 711-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
S R Spencer ◽  
L A Xue ◽  
E M Klenz ◽  
P Talalay

Induction of glutathione transferases (EC. 2.5.1.18), NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor) oxidoreductase (EC 1.6.99.2; quinone reductase) and other detoxification enzymes is a major mechanism for protecting cells against the toxicities of electrophiles, including many carcinogens. Although inducers of these two enzymes belong to many different chemical classes, they nevertheless contain (or acquire by metabolism) electrophilic centres that appear to be essential for inclusive activity, and many inducers are Michael reaction acceptors [Talalay, De Long & Prochaska (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 85, 8261-8265]. The inducers therefore share structural and electronic features with glutathione transferase substrates. To define these features more precisely, we examined the inductive potencies (by measuring quinone reductase in murine hepatoma cells) of two types of glutathione transferase substrates: a series of 1-chloro-2-nitrobenzenes bearing para-oriented electron-donating or -withdrawing substituents and a wide variety of other commonly used and structurally unrelated glutathione transferase substrates. We conclude that virtually all glutathione transferase substrates are inducers, and their potencies in the nitrobenzene series correlate linearly with the Hammett sigma or sigma- values of the aromatic substituents, precisely as previously reported for their efficiencies as glutathione transferase substrates. More detailed information on the electronic requirements for inductive activity was obtained with a series of methyl trans-cinnamates bearing electron-withdrawing or -donating substituents on the aromatic ring, and in which the electronic densities at the olefinic and adjacent carbon atoms were measured by 13C n.m.r. Electron-withdrawing meta-substituents markedly enhance inductive potency in parallel with their increased non-enzymic reactivity with GSH. Thus, methyl 3-bromo-, 3-nitro- and 3-chloro-cinnamates are 21, 14 and 8 times more potent inducers than the parent methyl cinnamate. This finding permits the design of more potent inducers, which are important for elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of induction.

2010 ◽  
Vol 431 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Fedulova ◽  
Françoise Raffalli-Mathieu ◽  
Bengt Mannervik

A primary role of GSTs (glutathione transferases) is detoxication of electrophilic compounds. In addition to this protective function, hGST (human GST) A3-3, a member of the Alpha class of soluble GSTs, has prominent steroid double-bond isomerase activity. The isomerase reaction is an obligatory step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, indicating a special role of hGST A3-3 in steroidogenic tissues. An analogous GST with high steroid isomerase activity has so far not been found in any other biological species. In the present study, we characterized a Sus scrofa (pig) enzyme, pGST A2-2, displaying high steroid isomerase activity. High levels of pGST A2-2 expression were found in ovary, testis and liver. In its functional properties, other than steroid isomerization, pGST A2-2 was most similar to hGST A3-3. The properties of the novel porcine enzyme lend support to the notion that particular GSTs play an important role in steroidogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Tello Rubio ◽  
Florence Bugault ◽  
Blandine Baudon ◽  
Bertrand Raynal ◽  
Sébastien Brûlé ◽  
...  

Mycolactone is a diffusible lipid toxin produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer disease. Altough bacterially derived mycolactone has been shown to traffic from cutaneous foci of infection to the bloodstream, the mechanisms underpinning its access to systemic circulation and import by host cells remain largely unknown. Using biophysical and cell-based approaches, we demonstrate that mycolactone specific association to serum albumin and lipoproteins is necessary for its solubilization and is a major mechanism to regulate its bioavailability. We also demonstrate that Scavenger Receptor (SR)-B1 contributes to the cellular uptake of mycolactone. Overall, we suggest a new mechanism of transport and cell entry, challenging the dogma that the toxin enters host cells via passive diffusion.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1844
Author(s):  
Neo Padi ◽  
Blessing Oluebube Akumadu ◽  
Olga Faerch ◽  
Chinyere Aloke ◽  
Vanessa Meyer ◽  
...  

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are the main detoxification enzymes in schistosomes. These parasitic enzymes tend to be upregulated during drug treatment, with Schistosoma haematobium being one of the species that mainly affect humans. There is a lack of complete sequence information on the closely related bovis and haematobium 26-kDa GST isoforms in any database. Consequently, we engineered a pseudo-26-kDa S. bovis/haematobium GST (Sbh26GST) to understand structure–function relations and ligandin activity towards selected potential ligands. Sbh26GST was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as an MBP-fusion protein, purified to homogeneity and catalyzed 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-glutathione (CDNB-GSH) conjugation activity, with a specific activity of 13 μmol/min/mg. This activity decreased by ~95% in the presence of bromosulfophthalein (BSP), which showed an IC50 of 27 µM. Additionally, enzyme kinetics revealed that BSP acts as a non-competitive inhibitor relative to GSH. Spectroscopic studies affirmed that Sbh26GST adopts the canonical GST structure, which is predominantly α-helical. Further extrinsic 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) spectroscopy illustrated that BSP, praziquantel (PZQ), and artemisinin (ART) might preferentially bind at the dimer interface or in proximity to the hydrophobic substrate-binding site of the enzyme. The Sbh26GST-BSP interaction is both enthalpically and entropically driven, with a stoichiometry of one BSP molecule per Sbh26GST dimer. Enzyme stability appeared enhanced in the presence of BSP and GSH. Induced fit ligand docking affirmed the spectroscopic, thermodynamic, and molecular modelling results. In conclusion, BSP is a potent inhibitor of Sbh26GST and could potentially be rationalized as a treatment for schistosomiasis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 2248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Hafeez ◽  
Sisi Liu ◽  
Saad Jan ◽  
Le Shi ◽  
G. Mandela Fernández-Grandon ◽  
...  

Plants employ an intricate and dynamic defense system that includes physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms to counteract the effects of herbivorous attacks. In addition to their tolerance to phytotoxins, beet armyworm has quickly developed resistance to deltamethrin; a widely used pyrethroid insecticide in cotton fields. The lethal concentration (LC50) required to kill 50% of the population of deltamethrin to gossypol-fed Spodoptera exigua larvae was 2.34-fold higher than the control group, suggesting a reduced sensitivity as a consequence of the gossypol diet. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) treatment was found to synergize with deltamethrin in gossypol-fed S. exigua larvae. To counteract these defensive plant secondary metabolites, beet armyworm elevates their production of detoxification enzymes, including cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s). Gossypol-fed beet armyworm larvae showed higher 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase (ECOD) activities and exhibited enhanced tolerance to deltamethrin after 48 and 72 h when compared to the control. Moreover, gossypol pretreated S. exigua larvae showed faster weight gain than the control group after transferring to a deltamethrin-supplemented diet. Meanwhile, gossypol-induced P450s exhibited high divergence in the expression level of two P450 genes: CYP6AB14 and CYP9A98 in the midgut and fat bodies contributed to beet armyworm tolerance to deltamethrin. Knocking down of CYP6AB14 and CYP9A98, via double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) in a controlled diet, rendered the larvae more sensitive to the insecticide. These data demonstrate that generalist insects can exploit secondary metabolites from host plants to enhance their defense systems against other toxic chemicals. Impairing this defense pathway by RNA interference (RNAi) holds a potential to eliminate the pest’s tolerance to insecticides and, therefore, reduce the required dosages of agrochemicals in pest control.


2005 ◽  
Vol 60 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Edwards ◽  
Daniele Del Buono ◽  
Michael Fordham ◽  
Mark Skipsey ◽  
Melissa Brazier ◽  
...  

Abstract By learning lessons from weed science we have adopted three approaches to make plants more effective in phytoremediation: 1. The application of functional genomics to identify key components involved in the detoxification of, or tolerance to, xenobiotics for use in subsequent genetic engineering/breeding programmes. 2. The rational metabolic engineering of plants through the use of forced evolution of protective enzymes, or alternatively transgenesis of detoxification pathways. 3. The use of chemical treatments which protect plants from herbicide injury. In this paper we examine the regulation of the xenome by herbicide safeners, which are chemicals widely used in crop protection due to their ability to enhance herbicide selectivity in cereals. We demonstrate that these chemicals act to enhance two major groups of phase 2 detoxification enzymes, notably the glutathione transferases and glucosyltransferases, in both cereals and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, with the safeners acting in a chemical- and species-specific manner. Our results demonstrate that by choosing the right combination of safener and plant it should be possible to enhance the tolerance of diverse plants to a wide range of xenobiotics including pollutants.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2675
Author(s):  
Namrata Khurana ◽  
Paarth B. Dodhiawala ◽  
Ashenafi Bulle ◽  
Kian-Huat Lim

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers with no effective treatment option. A predominant hallmark of PDAC is the intense fibro-inflammatory stroma which not only physically collapses vasculature but also functionally suppresses anti-tumor immunity. Constitutive and induced activation of the NF-κB transcription factors is a major mechanism that drives inflammation in PDAC. While targeting this pathway is widely supported as a promising therapeutic strategy, clinical success is elusive due to a lack of safe and effective anti-NF-κB pathway therapeutics. Furthermore, the cell type-specific contribution of this pathway, specifically in neoplastic cells, stromal fibroblasts, and immune cells, has not been critically appraised. In this article, we highlighted seminal and recent literature on molecular mechanisms that drive NF-κB activity in each of these major cell types in PDAC, focusing specifically on the innate immune Toll-like/IL-1 receptor pathway. We reviewed recent evidence on the signaling interplay between the NF-κB and oncogenic KRAS signaling pathways in PDAC cells and their collective contribution to cancer inflammation. Lastly, we reviewed clinical trials on agents that target the NF-κB pathway and novel therapeutic strategies that have been proposed in preclinical studies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Effi Haque ◽  
M. Rezaul Karim ◽  
Aamir Salam Teeli ◽  
Magdalena Śmiech ◽  
Paweł Leszczynski ◽  
...  

NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, a master regulator of redox homeostasis regulating a variety of genes for antioxidant and detoxification enzymes. NRF2 was, therefore, initially thought to protect the liver from oxidative stress. Recent studies, however, have revealed that mutations in NRF2 cause aberrant accumulation of NRF2 in the nucleus and exert the upregulation of NRF2 target genes. Moreover, among all molecular changes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), NRF2 activation has been revealed as a more prominent pathway contributing to the progression of precancerous lesions to malignancy. Nevertheless, how its activation leads to poor prognosis in HCC patients remains unclear. In this review, we provide an overview of how aberrant activation of NRF2 triggers HCC development. We also summarize the emerging roles of other NRF family members in liver cancer development.


2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yetunde Adedolapo Ojopagogo ◽  
Isaac Olusanjo Adewale

AbstractThe varying status of glutathione transferases (GSTs) in water snail, Bulinus globosus, an intermediate host of disease-causing Schistosoma haematobium (Bilharz 1852) has been investigated. The expression of GST isoenzymes in the water snail appears seasonal with about three isoenzymes appearing during raining season, when the organism is active, which may reduce to a single peak of one isoenzyme during aestivation, when the organism is inactive. GST isoenzyme is present in high concentration in all the tissues investigated namely: haemolymph, foot muscle and hepatopancreas with specific activities of 0.006 ± 0.002, 0.45 ± 0.021 and 1.33 ± 0.103 units/mg protein respectively for 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as substrate. With this substrate, the specific activity of GST from the hepatopancreas appears higher than the specific activities that have been previously reported for GSTs from molluscs. Partial purification of the isoenzymes using Tris acrylic acid-based resins enabled us to observe that GST appears to be the major protein in the hepatopancreas of this organism. We also found indications for the presence of an endogenous GST inhibitor in the cytosol, whose function is yet unknown. All the traditional GST inhibitors such as cibacron blue, hematin, bromosulfophthalein and S-hexylglutathione were able to inhibit the isoenzymes effectively, with cibacron blue being the most potent. The isoenzymes however have narrow substrate specificity. We conclude that different isoenzymes of GST are expressed in the same class of molluscs, even when they belong to the same genus or species, and that the expression may depend on whether the snails are on aestivation or not.


1992 ◽  
Vol 284 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Stenberg ◽  
M Ridderström ◽  
Å Engström ◽  
S E Pemble ◽  
B Mannervik

A cDNA clone, lambda GTRA8, encoding rat glutathione transferase subunit 8 has been isolated from a lambda gt10 rat hepatoma cDNA library. The previously known amino acid sequence of the enzyme was used to design primers for a polymerase chain reaction that yielded a 0.3 kb DNA fragment from the hepatoma library. The 0.3 kb fragment was used as a probe for screening and a 0.9 kb cDNA clone containing a complete open reading frame was obtained. After DNA sequencing and subcloning into an expression vector, the enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Specific activities and kcat./Km values were determined for a number of substrates, including alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The highest activity was obtained with 4-hydroxyalkenals and with acrolein, genotoxic products of lipid peroxidation. In addition, the rat class Alpha glutathione transferase 8-8 displays high catalytic activity in the reaction between glutathione and the diuretic drug ethacrynic acid, a compound normally considered as a substrate characteristic for class Pi glutathione transferases.


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