Comparative molecular field analysis using GRID force-field and GOLPE variable selection methods in a study of inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase b

A primary goal in any drug design strategy is to predict the activity of new compounds. Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) has been used in drug design and three-dimensional quantitative structure/activity relationship (3D-QSAR) methods. The CoMFA approach permits analysis of a large number of quantitative descriptors and uses chemometric methods such as partial least squares (PLS) to correlate changes in biological activity with changes in chemical structure. One of the characteristics of the 3D-QSAR method is the large number of variables which are generated in order to describe the nonbonded interaction energies between one or more probes and each drug molecule. Since it is difficult to know a priori which variables affect the biological activity of the compounds, much effort has been devoted to developing methods that optimize the selection of only those variables of importance. This work focuses on some of the aspects involved in the selection of such variables, applied to a series of glucose analogue inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase b, using the program GRID to describe the molecular structures and using a method of generating optimal partial least squares estimations (program GOLPE) as the chemometric tool. This data set, consisting of over 30 compounds in which the three-dimensional ligand-enzyme bound structures are known, is well suited to study the effect of different data pretreatment procedures on the final model used for the prediction of new drug molecules. By relying on our knowledge of the real physical problem (i.e., using the combined crystallographic and kinetic results), it has been shown that suitable data pretreatment and variable selection have been found that does not result in a significant loss of relevant information. Moreover, by using an appropriate scaling procedure, GOLPE variable selection minimizes the risk of overfitting and overpredicting.

The design of potential antidiabetic drugs: experimental investigation of a number of beta-D-glucose analogue inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase

alpha-D-glucose is a weak inhibitor (Ki = 1.7 mM) of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and acts as physiological regulator of hepatic glycogen metabolism; it binds to GP at the catalytic site and stabilizes the inactive T state of the enzyme promoting the action of protein phosphatase 1 and stimulating glycogen synthase. The three-dimensional structures of T state rabbit muscle GPb and the GPb-alpha-D-glucose complex have been exploited in the design of better regulators of GP that could shift the balance between glycogen synthesis and glycogen degradation in favour of the former. Close examination of the catalytic site with alpha-D-glucose bound shows that there is an empty pocket adjacent to the beta-1-C position. beta-D-glucose is a poorer inhibitor (Ki = 7.4 mM) than alpha-D-glucose, but mutarotation has prevented the binding of beta-D-glucose in T state GP crystals. A series of beta-D-glucose analogues has been designed and tested in kinetic and crystallographic experiments. Several compounds have been discovered that have an increased affinity for GP than the parent compound.

Design of inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase: a study of alpha- and beta-C-glucosides and 1-thio-beta-D-glucose compounds

alpha-D-Glucose is a weak inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase b (Ki = 1.7 mM) and acts as a physiological regulator of hepatic glycogen metabolism. Glucose binds to phosphorylase at the catalytic site and results in a conformational change that stabilizes the inactive T state of the enzyme, promoting the action of protein phosphatase 1 and stimulating glycogen synthase. It has been suggested that, in the liver, glucose analogues with greater affinity for glycogen phosphorylase may result in a more effective regulatory agent. Several alpha- and beta-anhydroglucoheptonic acid derivatives and 1-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucose analogues have been synthesized and tested in a series of crystallographic and kinetic binding studies with glycogen phosphorylase. The structural results of the bound enzyme-ligand complexes have been analyzed, together with the resulting affinities, in an effort to understand and exploit the molecular interactions that might give rise to a better inhibitor. This work has shown the following: (i) Similar affinities may be obtained through different sets of interactions. Specifically, in the case of the alpha- and beta-glucose-C-amides, similar Ki's (0.37 and 0.44 mM, respectively) are obtained with the alpha-anomer through interactions from the ligand via water molecules to the protein and with the beta-anomer through direct interaction from the ligand to the protein. Thus, hydrogen bonds through water can contribute binding energy similar to that of hydrogen bonds directly to the protein. (ii) Attempts to improve the inhibition by additional groups did not always lead to the expected result. The addition of nonpolar groups to the alpha-carboxamide resulted in a change in conformation of the pyranose ring from a chair to a skew boat and the consequent loss of favorable hydrogen bonds and increase in the Ki. (iii) The addition of polar groups to the alpha-carboxamide led to compounds with the chair conformation, and in the examples studied, it appears that hydration by a water molecule may provide sufficient stabilization to retain the chair conformation. (iv) The best inhibitor was N-methyl-beta-glucose-C-carboxamide (Ki = 0.16 mM), which showed a 46-fold improvement in Ki from the parent beta-D-glucose. The decrease in Ki may be accounted for by a single hydrogen bond from the amide nitrogen to a main-chain carbonyl oxygen, an increase in entropy through displacement of a water molecule, and favorable van der Waals contacts between the methyl substituent and nonpolar protein residues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glycogenolytic and antiglycogenolytic prostaglandin E2 actions in rat hepatocytes are mediated via different signalling pathways

Prostaglandin E2 has been reported both to stimulate glycogen-phosphorylase activity (glycogenolytic effect) and to inhibit the glucagon-stimulated glycogen-phosphorylase activity (antiglycogenolytic effect) in rat hepatocytes. It was the purpose of this study to resolve this apparent contradiction and to characterize the signalling pathways and receptor subtypes involved in the opposing prostaglandin E2 actions. Prostaglandin E2 (10 microM) increased glucose output, glycogen-phosphorylase activity and inositol trisphosphate formation in hepatocyte cell culture and/or suspension. In the same systems, prostaglandin E2 decreased the glucagon-stimulated (1 nM) glycogen-phosphorylase activity and cAMP formation. The signalling pathway leading to the glycogenolytic effect of PGE2 was interrupted by incubation of the hepatocytes with 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (100 nM) for 10 min, while the antiglycogenolytic effect of prostaglandin E2 was not attenuated. The signalling pathway leading to the antiglycogenolytic effect of prostaglandin E2 was interrupted by an incubation of cultured hepatocytes with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml) for 18 h, whereas the glycogenolytic effect of prostaglandin E2 was enhanced. The EP1/EP3 prostaglandin-E2-receptor-specific prostaglandin E2 analogue Sulproston had a stronger glycogenolytic potency than the EP3 prostaglandin-E2-receptor-specific prostaglandin E2 analogue Misoprostol. The antiglycogenolytic potency of both agonists was equal. It is concluded that the glycogenolytic and the antiglycogenolytic effects of prostaglandin E2 are mediated via different signalling pathways in hepatocytes possibly involving EP1 and EP3 prostaglandin E2 receptors, respectively.

Differential effects of calyculin A and okadaic acid on the glucose-induced regulation of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase activities in cultured hepatocytes

The effects of the phosphatase inhibitors calyculin A and okadaic acid were investigated to determine the roles of protein phosphatases type 1 and 2A in the regulation of the activities of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase by glucose in a primary culture of hepatocytes. Glycogen synthesis, as measured by the incorporation of labelled glucose into glycogen, was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by calyculin A (IC50 = 2.2 nM) and okadaic acid with (IC50 = 14 nM). Glucose-induced activation of glycogen synthase was inhibited by calyculin A and okadaic acid with IC50 values of 3.7 nM and 90 nM, respectively. Phosphorylase was simultaneously activated by these inhibitors with calyculin A again being more active (P < 0.001) than okadaic acid. The differing potencies (P < 0.001) of these inhibitors on the activities of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase were also observed with varying concentrations of glucose (5.6-60 mM) in the medium and at different incubation periods upto 120 min. It has been previously shown that both inhibitors inhibit protein phosphatase-2A with equal potency and calyculin A is a more potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 than okadaic acid. Heat- and proteinase-treated cytosolic fractions from hepatocytes incubated with calyculin A and okadaic acid showed similar differential inhibitory activities towards purified types 1 and 2-A protein phosphatases. Hence, these data provide further evidence that protein phosphatase type-1 plays a major role in the control of glycogen synthesis by regulating the activities of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase.

Reaction of imidazole-citrate-deformed glycogen phosphorylase with amino acids

Incubation of phosphorylase with L-valine in the presence of 0.4 M imidazole citrate results in a time-dependent decrease in the absorption of the enzyme-bound cofactor pyridoxal 5'-phosphate at 333 nm and the generation of a new absorption maximum at 415 nm which appears to be due to an enzyme-bound coenzyme-amino-acid aldimine adduct. Consequently, the enzyme is inactivated to less than 10% of its initial activity. The formation of the adduct of phosphorylase b with L-valine (0.1 M) proceeds with t1/2 approximately 8 min at pH 6.8 and 25 degrees C and is slightly inhibited by AMP. Phosphorylase a reacts five times more slowly than phosphorylase b. The decrease in enzymic activity is linked to the formation of the coenzyme-amino-acid adduct and is not due to resolution of the enzyme. Both the original absorption spectrum and phosphorylase activity are restored by gel filtration in the absence of L-valine and imidazole citrate. Similar reactions occur with other L-amino acids, an exception being L-cysteine which leads to resolution of the enzyme [Shaltiel, S., Hedrick, J. L. & Fischer, E. H. (1966) Biochemistry 5, 2108-2116]. No reaction is observed with D-amino acids or in the absence of imidazole citrate. Pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase rapidly produces with amino acids not only the aldimine adduct but also a species absorbing at 318 nm. Enzyme-bound pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and pyridoxal exhibit a positive CD signal in the region of 333 nm; in contrast, the absorption bands of the coenzyme-amino-acid adducts at 415 nm and 318 nm are optically inactive. Neither pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-reconstituted nor pyridoxal-reconstituted phosphorylase in imidazole citrate catalyses any of the common pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-mediated reactions of amino acids, e.g. transamination, decarboxylation or racemization, thus testifying to the high degree of reaction specificity of phosphorylase.

Crystallographic binding studies on the allosteric inhibitor glucose-6-phosphate to T state glycogen phosphorylase b

Glucose-6-phosphate is an important allosteric inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase b that restrains the enzyme in the inactive state in resting muscle. A crystallographic binding study by diffusion of glucose-6-phosphate into performed crystals of T state phosphorylase b has been carried out at 2.3 A resolution and the structure refined by restrained crystallographic least-squares and simulated annealing to give a crystallographic R-value of 0.203. The inhibitor binds at the AMP allosteric effector site at the subunit-subunit interface of the dimer. The phosphate groups of the glucose-6-phosphate and AMP occupy partially overlapping sites and make similar contacts to two arginine residues (Arg309 and Arg310) but in glucose-6-phosphate there is a contact to a third arginine (Arg242). The glucopyranose of glucose-6-phosphate and the adenine ribose of AMP occupy different positions. Including the contacts to the three arginine residues by the phosphate group, the glucose-6-phosphate makes a total of 11 hydrogen-bonds to the enzyme and all but one of these are to charged groups. The O-2 hydroxyl hydrogen-bonds to the main-chain carbonyl oxygen of Val40' from the other subunit and this interaction appears important for the allosteric response. There are substantial conformational changes both in the vicinity of the glucose-6-phosphate (involving for example Phe196 and Arg309) and at the subunit interface (involving residues 42' to 51' and 192 to 196). These shifts tighten the binding of the inhibitor and the interface. Comparison of the glucose-6-phosphate complex with the T state native phosphorylase b and the R state phosphorylase a structures shows that there is a graded response from T state glucose-6-phosphate complex through T state phosphorylase b to R state phosphorylase a that suggests that glucose-6-phosphate promotes a tight structure that is more "tensed" than native T state phosphorylase b. The results show how the same allosteric effector site can exhibit a tight binding site for the activator AMP in the R state structure and a tight binding site for glucose-6-phosphate in the modified T state structure.

Inhibition by 2-deoxyglucose and 1,5-gluconolactone of glycogen mobilization in astroglia-rich primary cultures

The presence of glycogen in astroglia-rich primary cultures derived from the brains of newborn rats depends on the availability of glucose in the culture medium. On glucose deprivation, glycogen vanishes from the astroglial cultures. This decrease of glycogen content is completely prevented if 2-deoxyglucose in a concentration of > 1 mM or 1,5-gluconolactone (20 mM) is present in the culture medium. 2-Deoxyglucose itself or 3-O-methylglucose, a glucose derivative that is not phosphorylated by hexokinase, does not reduce the activity of glycogen phosphorylase purified from bovine brain or in the homogenate of astroglia-rich rat primary cultures. In contrast, deoxyglucose-6-phosphate strongly inhibits the glycogen phosphorylase activities of the preparations. Half-maximal effects were obtained at deoxyglucose-6-phosphate concentrations of 0.75 (phosphorylase a, astroglial culture), 5 (phosphorylase b, astroglial culture), 2 (phosphorylase a, bovine brain), or 9 mM (phosphorylase b, bovine brain). Thus, the block of glycogen degradation in these cells appears to be due to inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase by deoxyglucose-6-phosphate rather than deoxyglucose itself. These results suggest that glucose-6-phosphate, rather than glucose, acts as a physiological negative feedback regulator of the brain isoenzyme of phosphorylase and thus of glycogen degradation in astrocytes.

Identification of an S100 target protein: glycogen phosphorylase

An S100 binding protein from skeletal muscle, R95 000, has been purified, identified as glycogen phosphorylase, and shown to be regulated in vitro by the S100 alpha isoform. When a soluble skeletal muscle fraction was subjected to a standard purification procedure for glycogen phosphorylase, R95 000 copurified with the 95 000 molecular weight glycogen phosphorylase protein standard on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, as well as having glycogen phosphorylase activity. In addition, purified glycogen phosphorylase a and b interacted with both S100 isoforms, S100 alpha and S100 beta, by gel overlay and affinity chromatography. While S100 beta had no effect on the enzymatic activity of glycogen phosphorylase a, S100 alpha inhibited the enzymatic activity of glycogen phosphorylase a in a calcium-independent manner. Altogether, these data suggest that glycogen phosphorylase may be an intracellular S100 alpha target in skeletal muscle fibers. Furthermore, these results suggest that the inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase a activity may be responsible for the lack of fatigability of slow-twitch fibers, which express S100 alpha, when compared to fast-twitch fibers, which do not express S100 proteins.

Structural biology and diabetes mellitus: molecular pathogenesis and rational drug design

Emerging concepts in the aetiology and pathogenesis of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus may offer new opportunities for treatment and cure. Here we describe recent advances in structural molecular biology and molecular design relevant to rational drug discovery. Such approaches focus on the three-dimensional structures of macromolecules and their interactions. In the coming decade such techniques may be applied to a wide variety of diabetes-related targets.

Partially phosphorylated glycogen phosphorylase in the lugworm Arenicola marina, its regulatory function during hypoxia

Glycogen phosphorylase (GPase) from the body wall of the lugworm Arenicola marina (Annelida, Polychaeta) probably exists as a phospho-dephospho hybrid (GPase ab). The hybrid was identified by phosphorylation of purified lugworm GPase b (unphosphorylated form) with rabbit muscle GPase kinase and [gamma-32P]ATP. The completeness of phosphorylation was checked on DEAE-Sephacel. Only one GPase form was eluted. Its 32P incorporation was determined to 0.52 +/- 0.08 mol 32P/100,000 x g protein (n = 4). This GPase ab produced by in vitro phosphorylation has shown similar dependences on AMP and caffeine as GPase extracted from the body wall of the lugworm. Its reversible conversion with endogenous phosphatase and kinase to GPase b has also been demonstrated while a completely phosphorylated form (GPase a) was not detected neither in vivo nor in vitro. Lugworm GPase ab has shown a 2.4-fold higher specific activity as GPase b. The Km for P(i) was 16 mmol/l in absence and 13 mmol/l in presence of AMP. Half maximum activation by AMP was reached at 9 mumol/l. IMP up to 10 mmol/l did not activate and ATP up to 4 mmol/l did not inhibit GPase ab in absence of AMP.

Phosphorylation-induced conformational changes in the phosphorylase ab hybrid as revealed by resolution of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate with imidazole citrate and cysteine

The accessibility of pyridoxal 5'-phosphates of the phosphorylase ab hybrid to resolution by imidazole citrate and cysteine was studied and compared with that of the b and a forms. Promotion of resolution of phosphorylated forms by raising the temperature or in the presence of glycogen indicates that the resistance of phosphorylase a and ab to resolution at 0 degrees C is due rather to their tetrameric state than their phosphorylation-related active conformation. The pattern of resolution of the ab hybrid was similar to that of the a and differed from that of the b forms in that it occurred at 30 degrees C and 37 degrees C but not at 0 degrees C, moreover, it did not show first-order kinetics. On the other hand, inhibition of resolution by ligands binding to the nucleotide site of phosphorylase reflected an intermediate sensitivity of the ab form between that of the b and a forms. We conclude that partial phosphorylation of phosphorylase b elicits conformational change(s) in both subunits which influence the monomer-monomer interactions and resolution of pyridoxal 5'-phosphates. Resistance of ab hybrid to monomerizing agents as imidazole citrate, comparable to that of other forms, argues for its stability, ruling out its reshuffling into mixtures of phosphorylase b and a.

Extracellular ATP and UTP exert similar effects on rat isolated hepatocytes

1. Extracellular UTP and ATP show obvious similarities in their control of several metabolic functions of rat isolated hepatocytes. 2. They have a similar time-course and concentration-dependency for the activation of glycogen phosphorylase, the generation of inositol trisphosphate (IP3), the inhibition of glycogen synthase and the lowering of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels. 3. There is a similar synergism of the nucleotides with glucagon in activating phosphorylase. 4. They undergo a similar inhibition by phorbol myristic acid of their glycogenolytic effect. 5. The ATP and UTP effect on IP3 levels are not additive. 6. It is tentatively concluded that UTP and ATP use a common receptor.

The possible role of phospholipase A2 in hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in rats

The induction of lipid peroxidation in hepatic microsomes of rodents treated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is well documented. The potential mechanisms involved in TCDD-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation were investigated, using selected inhibitors and free radical scavengers in vitro. Rats were treated with 40 micrograms TCDD/kg orally as a single dose. Inhibitors of phospholipase A2, including a variety of phenothiazines, dibucaine, imipramine, and verapamil, inhibited in vitro microsomal lipid peroxidation in response to TCDD administration. In addition, the lipoxygenase inhibitor quercetin, and the hydrogen peroxide scavenger aminopyrine inhibited lipid peroxidation with microsomes from TCDD-treated rats. The singlet oxygen scavenger beta-carotene, the cytochrome P-450 substrate benzphetamine, and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin produced moderate enhancement of hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation. The results suggest that activation of phospholipase A2 may play a critical role in the metabolic events associated with hepatotoxicity and ultimate cell death produced by TCDD. The results also support the involvement of hydrogen peroxide in TCDD-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation.

Glucose and caffeine regulation of liver glycogen phosphorylase activity in the freeze-tolerant wood frog Rana sylvatica

We have examined the effect of glucose and caffeine inhibition on the activity of liver glycogen phosphorylase a from the freeze-tolerant frog Rana sylvatica. Kinetic studies indicate that this enzyme exhibits similar sensitivity to glucose inhibition (glucose dissociation constant = 12.5 mM) as the mammalian enzyme. Little inhibition (less than 25%) was observed at normal glucose concentrations (1-5 mM), while significant inhibition (60-95%) occurred at glucose concentrations (50-500 mM) present in freezing-exposed animals. These results favour the hypothesis that in the normal state glucose regulates phosphorylase activity primarily through the promotion of dephosphorylation of phosphorylase a, whereas during freezing regulation is achieved through phosphorylase a inactivation. The caffeine dissociation constant (0.93 mM) and the degree of synergism between caffeine and glucose (interaction factor, alpha = 0.14) were also similar to that observed for the mammalian enzyme. Hence, if a caffeine-like ligand exists in vivo, it must be in low enough amounts during freezing to allow sufficient phosphorylase a activity for high glucose production.

Hepatocyte swelling increases inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, calcium and cyclic AMP concentration but antagonizes phosphorylase activation by Ca2(+)-dependent hormones

Swelling of hepatocytes increases the concentration of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, Ca2+ and cAMP, without activating glycogen phosphorylase. In these hepatocytes, the activation of phosphorylase by suboptimal concentrations of vasopressin or angiotensin II was partly antagonized.

3,4-Dichloroisocoumarin, a serine protease inhibitor, inactivates glycogen phosphorylase b

3,4-Dichloroisocoumarin (3,4-DCI) is a highly reactive, mechanism-based inhibitor of serine proteases. We show here that glycogen phosphorylase b is also inactivated by this inhibitor, in a mechanism that parallels the inactivation of serine proteases, but involving multiple sites of covalent modification. Such a process may compromise studies in which 3,4-DCI is used to arrest proteolysis of a second native protein which may itself be modified.

The interaction of phosphorylase a with D-glucose displays alpha-stereospecificity

Half-maximal inhibition of phosphorylase a required a much lower concentration of alpha-D-glucose (4 mM) than of the beta-anomer (14 mM) and of 1-deoxyglucose (about 25 mM). beta-D-Glucose was almost ineffective at concentrations of 1-2.5 mM, but at 50 mM the two anomers were equipotent. A similar picture emerged when the stimulatory effects of the glucose anomers and of 1-deoxyglucose were investigated on the inactivation of phosphorylase by phosphorylase phosphatase. However, upon addition of either glucose anomer (5-20 mM) to a suspension of isolated hepatocytes, the inactivation of phosphorylase occurred at the same rate. It is shown that, in the latter conditions, the rate of intracellular mutarotation considerably exceeds the rate of glucose transport. This results presumably in a rapid anomeric equilibrium in the liver cells.

Kinetic characterization of glycogen phosphorylase B from skeletal muscle of the mullet Liza ramada

1. Glycogen phosphorylase purified from muscle of mullet (Liza ramada) has been kinetically characterized. 2. Kinetic analysis for the substrates glucose-1-P and glycogen showed no homotropic co-operativity. AMP exhibited only a slight homotropic co-operative behaviour, although it caused a decrease in the Km for glucose-1-P. 3. Glucose, ATP and glucose-6-P behaved as phosphorylase b inhibitors. Kinetic analysis of the inhibition showed the characteristic heterotropic effect both for the substrate glucose-1-P and the activator AMP. 4. However, glucose-6-P, which enhances the co-operativity between AMP molecules, lost its heterotropic effect on the glucose-1-P saturation curve.

Desensitization of alpha 1 adrenoceptor-stimulated glycogen phosphorylase activity in vascular smooth muscle

Desensitization of alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated activation of glycogen phosphorylase was investigated in rabbit aorta. Activation of glycogen phosphorylase by epinephrine was antagonized by the alpha 1-receptor selective antagonist prazosin but not by yohimbine (alpha 2-receptor selective) or by propranolol (beta-receptor antagonist). Preincubation of rabbit aortic ring segments for 5 h with norepinephrine (NE, 10(-5) M) led to a 30-fold loss in sensitivity and a 55% decrease in maximal activation of the enzyme by alpha agonists. Preincubation of aortic ring segments with phenylephrine (10(-5) M) in the presence of propranolol (10(-6) M) also caused desensitization of glycogen phosphorylase activation. The desensitization was heterologous since maximal activation of the enzyme by histamine or KCl was also markedly diminished in segments preincubated with NE. In contrast to these results, catecholamine-induced desensitization to alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated smooth muscle contraction in aortic ring segments resulted in loss in sensitivity but not maximal force of contraction on subsequent stimulation by alpha 1 agonists. These results suggest that the mechanism responsible for desensitization of glycogen phosphorylase is distal to receptor activation and may involve attenuation of responses to intracellular Ca2+-dependent enzymes which have limited reserve.

Inhibition of rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase by D-gluconohydroximo-1,5-lactone-N-phenylurethane

The effect of the beta-glycosidase inhibitor D-gluconohydroximo-1,5-lactone-N-phenylurethane (PUG) on the kinetic and ultracentrifugation properties of glycogen phosphorylase has been studied. Recent crystallographic work at 2.4 A resolution [D. Barford et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 6733-6741] has shown that PUG binds in the catalytic site of phosphorylase b crystals with its gluconohydroximolactone moiety occupying a position similar to that observed for other glucosyl compounds and the N-phenylurethane side chain fitting into an adjacent cavity with little conformational change in the enzyme. In solution, PUG was shown to be a potent inhibitor of phosphorylase b, directly competitive with alpha-D-glucopyranose 1-phosphate (glucose-1-P) (Ki = 0.40 mM) and noncompetitive with respect to glycogen and AMP. When PUG was tested for synergistic inhibition in the presence of caffeine, the Dixon plots of reciprocal velocity versus PUG concentration at different fixed caffeine concentrations provided intersecting lines with interaction constant (alpha) values of 0.95-1.38, indicating that the binding of one inhibitor is not significantly affected by the binding of the other. For glycogen phosphorolysis, PUG was noncompetitive with respect to phosphate, suggesting that it can bind to the central enzyme-AMP-glycogen-phosphate complex. PUG was shown to inhibit phosphorylase alpha (without AMP) activity (Ki = 0.43 mM) in a manner similar to that of the b form. However, in the presence of AMP, PUG exhibited complex kinetics, acting as a noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to glucose-1-P, while a twofold decrease of PUG binding to the enzyme-AMP-glycogen complex was observed. Ultracentrifugation experiments demonstrated that PUG does not cause any significant dissociation of phosphorylase alpha tetramer. Furthermore the dimerization of phosphorylase alpha by glucose is completely prevented in the presence of PUG. These observations are consistent with PUG binding to both the R and the T conformations of phosphorylase.

Activation and inactivation of glycogen phosphorylase isoenzymes purified from diabetic rat heart

1. Hearts of diabetic rats gradually accumulate glycogen, although the activities of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase are altered in favor of a depletion of glycogen. 2. Phosphorylase in diabetic hearts has been reported to be even more activated in response to adrenaline than controls. 3. The situation is further complicated by the fact that in rat heart two isoenzymes of phosphorylase are present. Therefore we have studied the properties of phosphorylases purified from diabetic rat heart in more detail. 4. This investigation revealed that compared to controls: (A) the amount of enzyme protein which could be isolated from diabetic animals is drastically lower; (B) the affinities towards glycogen and inorganic phosphate are decreased; (C) the activation by phosphorylase kinase is delayed; and (D) the inactivation by protein phosphatase-1 is accelerated. 5. We conclude that all of the reported changes in diabetes might contribute to a phosphorylase system less able to catalyze glycogen breakdown effectively.

[Inhibition of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b by heterocyclic vitamins and coenzymes]

Inhibition of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase b by biotin, pyridoxine, lipoic acid, as well as by thiamine and cobalamine vitamins and coenzymes has been found. The values of "half-saturation" concentration and Hill coefficients are determined for biotin (27 mM, 1.3), pyridoxine (19 mM, 1.7), 5'-deoxyadenosyl-cobalamine (2.5 mM, 1.5), lipoic acid (3.4 mM, 1.1), thiamine (11 mM, 1.3), thiamine diphosphate (11 mM, 1.0). Effectiveness of the enzyme inhibition by vitamins and coenzymes containing different heterocyclic groups is analysed; riboflavin and its coenzymic forms are suggested to be the most effective inhibitors.

[Inhibition of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b by 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, 3'-chloro- and 3',6'-dichloromethotrexates]

Inhibition of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase b by 5-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid, 3'-chloro- and 3',5'-dichloromethotrexates has been studied. The inhibition is reversible and characterized by positive kinetic cooperativity (Hill coefficient exceeds 1). The values of pterin concentration causing two-fold diminishing of the enzymatic reaction rate increased in the order: 3',5'-dichloromethotrexate, 3'-chloromethotrexate, 5-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid (0.24, 0.40 and 1.87 mM, respectively). Comparison of "half-saturation" concentrations for the above compounds and for methotrexate and folinic acid shows that pterin affinity to glycogen phosphorylase b is affected by substituents both in pteridine and in p-aminobenzoic moieties of the pterin molecule. The antagonism between 5-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid, 3'-chloro- and 3',5'-dichloromethotrexates, on the one hand, and AMP and FMN, on the other, is revealed for combined action of modifiers on glycogen phosphorylase b.

[Effect of pH on conformation and kinetic properties of phosphorylase from bovine skeletal muscles]

Interaction of phosphorylase with 8-anilino-1-naphthalene-sulfonate (ANS) results in the formation of an ANS-protein complex. The microenvironment of the protein-bound dye changes depending on pH. Using fluorimetric titration, the dissociation constants for the complex (Kd = 23 and 57 microM for pH 6.2 and 6.8, respectively) were determined. The mode of the enzyme inhibition by ANS also changes depending on pH. At pH 6.8, ANS competitively inhibits the enzyme with respect to AMP, but does not compete with the nucleotide at pH 6.2; the corresponding Ki values are equal to 160 and 26 microM. The protective effect of ligands from the inhibiting effect of ANS was studied. It was shown that at pH 6.2, the enzyme is protected from the inhibition only by the substrate, glucose-1-phosphate, whereas at pH 6.8--by the allosteric inhibitor, glucose-6-phosphate. These findings suggest that at pH 6.2 the conformation of the enzyme molecule is induced by the substrate, while at pH 6.8--by the allosteric inhibitor. ANS binding in the vicinity of the active or allosteric centers is due to the pH-dependent conformational transition. The data obtained suggest that the pH changes within the range of 6.2-6.8 are essential for the regulation of enzyme activity.