HTLV-I protease cleavage of P19/24 substrates is not dependent on NaCl concentration

Biochemical Characterization, Specificity and Inhibition Studies of HTLV-1, HTLV-2, and HTLV-3 Proteases

The human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLVs) are causative agents of severe diseases including adult T-cell leukemia. Similar to human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs), the viral protease (PR) plays a crucial role in the viral life-cycle via the processing of the viral polyproteins. Thus, it is a potential target of anti-retroviral therapies. In this study, we performed in vitro comparative analysis of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, 2, and 3 (HTLV-1, -2, and -3) proteases. Amino acid preferences of S4 to S1′ subsites were studied by using a series of synthetic oligopeptide substrates representing the natural and modified cleavage site sequences of the proteases. Biochemical characteristics of the different PRs were also determined, including catalytic efficiencies and dependence of activity on pH, temperature, and ionic strength. We investigated the effects of different HIV-1 PR inhibitors (atazanavir, darunavir, DMP-323, indinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir) on enzyme activities, and inhibitory potentials of IB-268 and IB-269 inhibitors that were previously designed against HTLV-1 PR. Comparative biochemical analysis of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 PRs may help understand the characteristic similarities and differences between these enzymes in order to estimate the potential of the appearance of drug-resistance against specific HTLV-1 PR inhibitors.

Ion specific effects of alkali cations on the catalytic activity of HIV-1 protease

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 protease (HIV-1 PR), an important therapeutic target for the treatment of AIDS, is one of the most well-studied enzymes. However, there is still much to learn about the regulation of the activity and inhibition of this key viral enzyme. Specifically, the mechanism of activation of HIV-1 PR from the viral polyprotein upon HIV maturation is still not understood. It has been suggested that external factors like pH or salt concentration might contribute to regulation of this crucial step in the viral life cycle. Recently, we analyzed the activity of HIV-1 PR in aqueous solutions of sodium and potassium chloride by experimental determination of enzyme kinetics and molecular dynamics simulations. We showed that the effect of salt concentration is cation-specific [Heyda et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2009 (11), 7599]. In this study, we extended this analysis for other alkali cations and found that the dependence of the initial velocity of peptide substrate hydrolysis on the nature of the cation follows the Hofmeister series, with the exception of caesium. Significantly higher catalytic efficiencies both in terms of substrate binding (K(M)) and turnover number (kcat) are observed in the presence of K+ compared to Na+ or Li+ at corresponding salt concentrations. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that both lithium and sodium are attracted more strongly than potassium and caesium to the protein surface, mostly due to stronger interactions with carboxylate side chain groups of aspartates and glutamates. Furthermore, we observed a surprising decrease in the K(M) value for a specific substrate at very low salt concentration. The molecular mechanism of this phenomenon will be further analyzed.

Locking the two ends of tetrapeptidic HTLV-I protease inhibitors inside the enzyme

Adult T-cell leukemia and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy are only some of the more common end results of an infection with a human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-I). Expanding from our previous reports, we synthesized all different permutations of tetrapeptidic HTLV-I protease inhibitors using at least eight P(3)-cap and five P(1)(')-cap moieties. The inhibitors exhibited over 97% inhibition against HIV-1 protease and a wide range of inhibitory activity against HTLV-I protease.

Synthesis and activity of tetrapeptidic HTLV-I protease inhibitors possessing different P3-cap moieties

The causative agent behind adult T-cell leukemia and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy is the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-I). Tetrapeptidic HTLV-I protease inhibitors were designed on a previously reported potent inhibitor KNI-10516, with modifications at the P(3)-cap moieties. All the inhibitors showed high HIV-1 protease inhibitory activity (over 98% inhibition at 50nM) and most exhibited highly potent inhibition against HTLV-I protease (IC(50) values were less than 100nM).

Truncation and non-natural amino acid substitution studies on HTLV-I protease hexapeptidic inhibitors

The culprit behind adult T-cell leukemia, myelopathy/tropical paraparesis, and a plethora of inflammatory diseases is the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-I). We recently unveiled a potent hexapeptidic HTLV-I protease inhibitor, KNI-10166, composed mostly of natural amino acid residues. Herein, we report the derivation of potent tetrapeptidic inhibitor KNI-10516, possessing only non-natural amino acid residues.

New continuous and specific fluorometric assays for Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase and LasA protease

A highly sensitive assay based on new internally quenched fluorogenic peptide substrates has been developed for monitoring protease activities. These novel substrates comprise an Edans (5-(2-aminoethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid) group at the C terminus and a Dabsyl (4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene-4'-sulfonyl chloride) fluorophore at the N terminus of the peptide chains. The Edans fluorescence increases upon peptide hydrolysis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa proteases, and this increase is directly proportional to the amount of substrate cleaved, i.e., protease activity. The substrates Dabsyl-Ala-Ala-Phe-Ala-Edans and Dabsyl-Leu-Gly-Gly-Gly-Ala-Edans were used for testing the peptidasic activities of P. aeruginosa elastase and LasA protease, respectively. Elastase and LasA kinetic parameters were calculated and a sensitive assay was designed for the detection of P. aeruginosa proteases in bacterial supernatants. The sensitivity and the small sample requirements make the assay suitable for high-throughput screening of biological samples. Furthermore, this P. aeruginosa protease assay improves upon existing assays because it is simple, it requires only one step, and even more significantly it is enzyme specific.

A quenched fluorescent dipeptide for assaying dispase- and thermolysin-like proteases

Metalloproteases such as dispase and thermolysin play a crucial role in the life cycle of bacteria. Commonly, they prefer hydrophobic amino acids at P1' of substrate proteins, thereby cleaving the peptide bond at the alpha amino group. Activity of such proteases has been measured by the use of tailor-made oligopeptides provided with fluorescence resonance energy transfer dyes. We can now show that the short dipeptide Dabcyl-Ser-Phe-EDANS is an appropriate substrate of dispase and thermolysin. It was cleaved by both enzymes at the single peptide bond accompanied by a steep increase in fluorescence. Substantial quenching effects of the formed products were observed only when more than 80microM substrate was hydrolyzed. High affinity of the proteases for the dipeptide resulted in low K(m) values of 91+/-9 and 104+/-18microM, which are comparable to those measured for longer peptides. Dabcyl-Ser-Phe-EDANS was also used to determine the pH and optimal temperature of dispase, which were found at pH 7.0 and 50 degrees C. Buffer substances such as acetate, citrate, and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane had no significant effect on enzyme activity. Measurements up to 100 degrees C revealed that hydrolysis of the quenched fluorescent dipeptide took place only in the presence of active dispase.

Development of a microtiter plate fluorescent assay for inhibition studies on the HTLV-1 and HIV-1 proteinases

The proteinase of human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1), similar to the proteinase of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), is a potential target for chemotherapy, since the virus is associated with a number of human diseases. A microtiter plate fluorescent assay was developed for the HTLV-1 and HIV-1 proteinases for direct comparison of the inhibition profiles of the enzymes. It was established that, except for Indinavir, none of the inhibitors designed against the HIV-1 proteinase were able to inhibit the HTLV-1 proteinase in the studied concentration range, while two reduced peptide bond-containing peptides having the sequence of HTLV-1 cleavage sites were inhibitors of the HTLV-1 proteinase. One of these was potent enough to be used for active site titration of the HTLV-1 proteinase.

T-Cell Control by Human T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Virus Type 1

Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes neoplastic transformation of human T-cells in a small number of infected individuals several years from infection. Collective evidence from in vitro studies indicates that several viral proteins act in concert to increase the responsiveness of T-cells to extracellular stimulation, modulate proapoptotic and antiapoptotic gene signals, enhance T-cell survival, and avoid immune recognition of the infected T-cells. The virus promotes T-cell proliferation by usurping several signaling pathways central to immune T-cell function, such as antigen stimulation and receptor-ligand interaction, suggesting that extracellular signals are important for HTLV-1 oncogenesis. Environmental factors such as chronic antigen stimulation may therefore be of importance, as also suggested by epidemiological data. Thus genetic and environmental factors together with the virus contribute to disease development. This review focuses on current knowledge of the mechanisms regulating HTLV-1 replication and the T-cell pathways that are usurped by viral proteins to induce and maintain clonal proliferation of infected T-cells. The relevance of these laboratory findings is related to clonal T-cell proliferation and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development in vivo.

Identification of the RT-RH/IN cleavage site of HTLV-I

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a type C human retrovirus and is the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia and other diseases. The enzymatic and structural proteins of HTLV-I are synthesized as part of a Gag-Pro-Pol precursor polyprotein, and the mature proteins are released by proteolytic processing catalyzed by HTLV-I protease. The locations of most of the proteolytic cleavage sites are known, however, the site that creates the N-terminus of HTLV-1 integrase has not been previously identified. A 15 residue peptide corresponding to junction of the C-terminus of RNaseH and N-terminus of integrase (DALLITPVLQLSPAF-OH) was incubated with HTLV-1 protease. Analysis of the cleavage products by LC-MS revealed fragments Ac-DALLITPVLQL-OH and H(2)N-SPAF-OH were produced, indicating cleavage between the leucine and serine. This is the first physical identification of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the integrase of HTLV-1.

Seizing of T Cells by Human T-Cell Leukemia⧸Lymphoma Virus Type 1

Human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes neoplastic transformation of human T-cells in a small number of infected individuals several years from infection. Several viral proteins act in concert to increase the responsiveness of T-cells to extracellular stimulation, modulate proapoptotic and antiapoptotic gene signals, enhance T-cell survival, and avoid immune recognition of the infected T-cells. The virus promotes T-cell proliferation by usurping several signaling pathways central to immune T-cell function. Viral proteins modulate the downstream effects of antigen stimulation and receptor-ligand interaction, suggesting that extracellular signals are important for HTLV-1 oncogenesis. Environmental factors such as chronic antigen stimulation are therefore important, as also suggested by epidemiological data. The ability of a given individual to respond to specific antigens is determined genetically. Thus, genetic and environmental factors, together with the virus, contribute to disease development. As in the case of other virus-associated cancers, HTLV-1-induced leukemia/lymphoma can be prevented by avoiding viral infection or by intervention during the asymptomatic phase with approaches able to interrupt the vicious cycle of virus-induced proliferation of a subset of T-cells. This review focuses on current knowledge of the mechanisms regulating HTLV-1 replication and the T-cell pathways that are usurped by viral proteins to induce and maintain clonal proliferation of infected T-cells in vitro. The relevance of these laboratory findings will be related to clonal T-cell proliferation and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development in vivo.