Selective and reversible modification of essential thiol groups of D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by isothiocyanates

Cell Death Effects Induced by Sulforaphane and Allyl Isothiocyanate on P-Glycoprotein Positive and Negative Variants in L1210 Cells

Variants of L1210 leukemia cells-namely, parental P-glycoprotein-negative S cells and R and T cells expressing P-glycoprotein, due to selection with vincristine and transfection with the human p-glycoprotein gene, respectively-were used. The responses of these cell variants to two naturally occurring isothiocyanates-sulforaphane (SFN, from cruciferous vegetables) and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC, from mustard, radish, horseradish and wasabi)-were studied. We obtained conflicting results for the cell death effects induced by isothiocyanates, as measured by i. cell counting, which showed inhibited proliferation, and ii. cell metabolic activity via an MTS assay, which showed an increased MTS signal. These results indicated the hyperactivation of cell metabolism induced by treatment with isothiocyanates. In more detailed study, we found that, depending on the cell variants and the isothiocyanate used in treatment, apoptosis and necrosis (detected by annexin-V cells and propidium iodide staining), as well as autophagy (detected with monodansylcadaverine), were involved in cell death. We also determined the cell levels/expression of Bcl-2 and Bax as representative anti- and pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family, the cell levels/expression of members of the canonical and noncanonical NF-κB pathways, and the cell levels of 16 and 18 kDa fragments of LC3B protein as markers of autophagy.

Mechanism of enhancement of esophageal tumorigenesis by 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate

6-Phenylhexyl isothiocyanate (PHITC) enhances esophageal tumorigenesis induced by the carcinogen N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA) in rats while its shorter chain analog, phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), inhibits NMBA-induced esophageal tumorigenesis. A significant increase in O6-methylguanine levels in esophageal DNA at 72 h after NMBA administration to rats pretreated with PHITC suggested that PHITC might enhance NMBA metabolic activation or inhibit DNA repair. To test this hypothesis, groups of 20 rats were administered PEITC or PHITC at concentrations of 0, 1.0, or 2.5 mmol/kg in modified AIN-76A diet for 2 weeks. The esophagi were removed from rats, stripped, split, and maintained in HEPES buffered saline (HBS) for assays of NMBA metabolism (n = 5 per group) or were snap frozen for DNA repair assays (n = 15 per group). The principal metabolites of NMBA produced by esophageal explants were: two unidentified peaks, benzyl alcohol (at 4 h only), and benzoic acid. Esophageal explants from PEITC-treated animals showed a significantly decreased ability to metabolize NMBA as expected. PHITC-treated animals showed a slight inhibition in the formation of most NMBA-related metabolites, rather than an overall increase in NMBA activation. This inhibition was less than that observed with PEITC. No inhibitory effects were observed on O6-alkylguanine transferase (AGT) activity in the esophagi of rats treated with 1.0 micromol/g or 2.5 micromol/g PHITC. Thus, effects of PHITC on esophageal metabolism and DNA repair do not account for the enhancement of NMBA tumorigenicity by PHITC.

Is cysteine residue important in FITC-sensitive ATP-binding site of P-type ATPases? A commentary to the state of the art

Treatment of P-type ATPases (from mammalian sources) by fluorescein isothiocyanate (ITC) revealed the ITC label on a lysine residue that was than considered as essential for binding of ATP in the ATP-binding site of these enzymes. On the other hand, experiments with site directed mutagenesis excluded the presence of an essential Iysine residue that would be localized in the ATP binding sites of ATPases. Other previous studies, including those of ourselves, indicated that the primary site of isothiocyanate interaction may be the sulfhydryl group of a cysteine residue and this may be essential for binding of ATP. In addition considerable knowledge accumulated since yet also about the differences in stability of reaction product of isothiocyanates with SH- or NH2- groups. Based upon evaluation of the data available up to now, in present paper the following tentative roles for lysine and cysteine residues located in the ATP-binding site of P-type ATPases are proposed: The positively charged micro-domain of the lysine residue may probably attract the negatively charged phosphate moiety of the ATP molecule whereas the cysteine residue may probably be responsible for recognition and binding of ATP by creation of a proton bridge with the amino group in position 6 on the adenosine ring of ATP.

Inhibition of (Na/K)-ATPase by electrophilic substances: functional implications

The effect of electrophilic substances: p-bromophenylisothiocyanate (PBITC); fluoresceinisothiocyanate (FITC); [4-isothiocyanatophenyl-(6-thioureidohexyl)-carbamoylmethyl] -ATP (ATPITC); 2,4,6-trinitrobezenesulfonic acid (TNBS); 1-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-phenylsulfonyl-2-furylcarbonyl ethylene (FE1); 1-(5-phenylsulfonyl-2-furyl)-2-phenylsulfonyl-2-furylcarb onyl ethylene (FE2) and 1-(5-phenylsulfonyl-2-furyl)-2-phenylsulfonyl-2-tienocarb onyl ethylene (FE3) on the sarcolemmal (Na/K)-ATPase isolated from guinea-pig hearts was studied. FITC and PBITC were found to inhibit competitively the activation of (Na/K)-ATPase by ATP. Being for the enzyme inhibitor and substrate at the same time ATPITC does not offered clear kinetic behavior. However, the activation of (Na/K)-ATPase by sodium and potassium ions was inhibited non-competitively by all three isothiocyanates. These data indicated that isothiocyanates may interact predominantly in the ATP-binding site of the enzyme molecule. In contrary to isothiocyanates TNBS and FE1 (FE2 and FE3 were ineffective) inhibited the activation of (Na/K)-ATPase by ATP non-competitively i.e., their interaction in the ATP-binding site seemed to be improbable. Nevertheless, TNBS and FE1 both manifested affinities to that moiety of (Na/K)-ATPase molecule which is binding potassium. More specific was the effect of FE1 that showed clearly competitive inhibition of potassium-stimulation of the enzyme activity. FE1 exerted also an ouabain-like effect on the mechanical activity of isolated perfused guinea-pig heart. This result indicates that FE1 seems to exert a selective inhibition of the (Na/K)-ATPase not only in vitro but also in integrated cardiac tissue.

Stepwise immobilization of proteins via their glycosylation

Glycosyl derivatives of bovine serum albumin in which the glycosyl residue is represented by mono- or disaccharide can be, after periodate oxidation, coupled to polyhydrazides having a macroporous matrix (cross-linked polyacrylamide, bead cellulose). The amount of the linked neoglycoprotein depends not only on the physical structure of the matrix but also on the degree of its substitution with hydrazide groups and on the type and concentration of glycosyl residue in the neoglycoprotein. A high degree of substitution as well as the presence of the D-galactosyl unit both play a positive role. Owing to the fact that the glucosyl unit in disaccharide residues (cellobiosyl, lactosyl) also contributes positively to spacer properties, in the monolactosyl derivative of albumin exhibits good binding properties towards macroporous polyhydrazides. While the high sugar-containing conjugates of glycosyl derivatives of albumin with polyhydrazides are stable for two weeks at pH 6-9, the conjugates of the monolactosyl derivative of albumin can only be stored at pH 7.5. The binding site of albumin immobilization is considered.