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Kim HR, Tagirasa R, Yoo E. Covalent Small Molecule Immunomodulators Targeting the Protease Active Site. J Med Chem 2021; 64:5291-5322. [PMID: 33904753 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cells of the immune system utilize multiple proteases to regulate cell functions and orchestrate innate and adaptive immune responses. Dysregulated protease activities are implicated in many immune-related disorders; thus, protease inhibitors have been actively investigated for pharmaceutical development. Although historically considered challenging with concerns about toxicity, compounds that covalently modify the protease active site represent an important class of agents, emerging not only as chemical probes but also as approved drugs. Here, we provide an overview of technologies useful for the study of proteases with the focus on recent advances in chemoproteomic methods and screening platforms. By highlighting covalent inhibitors that have been designed to target immunomodulatory proteases, we identify opportunities for the development of small molecule immunomodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Rae Kim
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Ravichandra Tagirasa
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Euna Yoo
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
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2
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Chen X, Xu Z, Zeng S, Wang X, Liu W, Qian L, Wei J, Yang X, Shen Q, Gong Z, Yan Y. The Molecular Aspect of Antitumor Effects of Protease Inhibitor Nafamostat Mesylate and Its Role in Potential Clinical Applications. Front Oncol 2019; 9:852. [PMID: 31552177 PMCID: PMC6733886 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nafamostat mesylate (NM), a synthetic serine protease inhibitor first placed on the market by Japan Tobacco in 1986, has been approved to treat inflammatory-related diseases, such as pancreatitis. Recently, an increasing number of studies have highlighted the promising effects of NM in inhibiting cancer progression. Alone or in combination treatments, studies have shown that NM attenuates various malignant tumors, including pancreatic, colorectal, gastric, gallbladder, and hepatocellular cancers. In this review, based on several activating pathways, including the canonical Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1) signaling pathway, and tumorigenesis-related tryptase secreted by mast cells, we summarize the anticancer properties of NM in existing studies both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the efficacy and side effects of NM in cancer patients are summarized in detail. To further clarify NM's antitumor activities, clinical trials devoted to validating the clinical applications and underlying mechanisms are needed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zeng
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wanli Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Long Qian
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xue Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qiuying Shen
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhicheng Gong
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuanliang Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Homma S, Hayashi K, Yoshida K, Sagawa Y, Kamata Y, Ito M. Nafamostat mesilate, a serine protease inhibitor, suppresses interferon-gamma-induced up-regulation of programmed cell death ligand 1 in human cancer cells. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 54:39-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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4
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Live cell evaluation of granzyme delivery and death receptor signaling in tumor cells targeted by human natural killer cells. Blood 2015; 126:e1-e10. [PMID: 26124495 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2015-03-632273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing interest in natural killer (NK) cell-based therapy for treating human cancer has made it imperative to develop new tools to measure early events in cell death. We recently demonstrated that protease-cleavable luciferase biosensors detect granzyme B and pro-apoptotic caspase activation within minutes of target cell recognition by murine cytotoxic lymphocytes. Here we report successful adaptation of the biosensor technology to assess perforin-dependent and -independent induction of death pathways in tumor cells recognized by human NK cell lines and primary cells. Cell-cell signaling via both Fc receptors and NK-activating receptors led to measurable luciferase signal within 15 minutes. In addition to the previously described aspartase-cleavable biosensors, we report development of granzyme A and granzyme K biosensors, for which no other functional reporters are available. The strength of signaling for granzyme biosensors was dependent on perforin expression in IL-2-activated NK effectors. Perforin-independent induction of apoptotic caspases was mediated by death receptor ligation and was detectable after 45 minutes of conjugation. Evidence of both FasL and TRAIL-mediated signaling was seen after engagement of Jurkat cells by perforin-deficient human cytotoxic lymphocytes. Although K562 cells have been reported to be insensitive to TRAIL, robust activation of pro-apoptotic caspases by NK cell-derived TRAIL was detectable in K562 cells. These studies highlight the sensitivity of protease-cleaved luciferase biosensors to measure previously undetectable events in live cells in real time. Further development of caspase and granzyme biosensors will allow interrogation of additional features of granzyme activity in live cells including localization, timing, and specificity.
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The Sorting Receptor Sortilin Exhibits a Dual Function in Exocytic Trafficking of Interferon-γ and Granzyme A in T Cells. Immunity 2012; 37:854-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2012.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2011] [Revised: 07/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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6
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Chen X, Numata T, Li M, Mori Y, Orser BA, Jackson MF, Xiong ZG, MacDonald JF. The modulation of TRPM7 currents by nafamostat mesilate depends directly upon extracellular concentrations of divalent cations. Mol Brain 2010; 3:38. [PMID: 21122141 PMCID: PMC3022637 DOI: 10.1186/1756-6606-3-38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Concentrations of extracellular divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) fall substantially during intensive synaptic transmission as well as during some pathophysiological conditions such as epilepsy and brain ischemia. Here we report that a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, nafamostat mesylate (NM), and several of its analogues, block recombinant TRPM7 currents expressed in HEK293T cells in inverse relationship to the concentration of extracellular divalent cations. Lowering extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ also evokes a divalent-sensitive non-selective cation current that is mediated by TRPM7 expression in hippocampal neurons. In cultured hippocampal neurons, NM blocked these TRPM7-mediated currents with an apparent affinity of 27 μM, as well as the paradoxical Ca2+ influx associated with lowering extracellular Ca2+. Unexpectedly, pre-exposure to NM strongly potentiated TRPM7 currents. In the presence of physiological concentrations of extracellular divalent cations, NM activates TRPM7. The stimulating effects of NM on TRPM7 currents are also inversely related to extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+. DAPI and HSB but not netropsin, blocked and stimulated TRPM7. In contrast, mono-cationic, the metabolites of NM, p-GBA and AN, as well as protease inhibitor leupeptin and gabexate failed to substantially modulate TRPM7. NM thus provides a molecular template for the design of putative modulators of TRPM7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanmao Chen
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Canada
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7
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Legrand F, Driss V, Delbeke M, Loiseau S, Hermann E, Dombrowicz D, Capron M. Human eosinophils exert TNF-α and granzyme A-mediated tumoricidal activity toward colon carcinoma cells. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2010; 185:7443-51. [PMID: 21068403 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1000446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral blood and tissue eosinophilia is a prominent feature in allergic diseases and helminth infections. In cancer patients, tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia is frequently observed. Tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia can be associated with a favorable prognosis, notably in colorectal carcinoma. However, underlying mechanisms of eosinophil contribution to antitumor responses are poorly understood. We have in this study investigated the direct interactions of human eosinophils with Colo-205, a colorectal carcinoma cell line, and show that eosinophils induce apoptosis and directly kill tumor cells. Using blocking Abs, we found that CD11a/CD18 complex is involved in the tumoricidal activity. Coculture of eosinophils with Colo-205 led to the release of eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin as well as TNF-α secretion. Moreover, eosinophils expressed granzyme A, which was released upon interaction with Colo-205, whereas cytotoxicity was partially inhibited by FUT-175, an inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymatic activity. Our data present the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that granzyme A is a cytotoxic mediator of the eosinophil protein arsenal, exerting eosinophil tumoricidal activity toward Colo-205, and provide mechanistic evidence for innate responses of eosinophil against tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Legrand
- INSERM Unité 547, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 142, Lille, France
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8
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Andrade F, Fellows E, Jenne DE, Rosen A, Young CSH. Granzyme H destroys the function of critical adenoviral proteins required for viral DNA replication and granzyme B inhibition. EMBO J 2007; 26:2148-57. [PMID: 17363894 PMCID: PMC1852776 DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7601650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2007] [Accepted: 02/22/2007] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Granzymes are key components of the immune response that play important roles in eliminating host cells infected by intracellular pathogens. Several granzymes are potent inducers of cell death. However, whether granzymes use additional mechanisms to exert their antipathogen activity remains elusive. Here, we show that in adenovirus-infected cells in which granzyme B (gzmB) and downstream apoptosis pathways are inhibited, granzyme H (gzmH), an orphan granzyme without known function, directly cleaves the adenovirus DNA-binding protein (DBP), a viral component absolutely required for viral DNA replication. We directly addressed the functional consequences of the cleavage of the DBP by gzmH through the generation of a virus that encodes a gzmH-resistant DBP. This virus demonstrated that gzmH directly induces an important decay in viral DNA replication. Interestingly, gzmH also cleaves the adenovirus 100K assembly protein, a major inhibitor of gzmB, and relieves gzmB inhibition. These results provide the first evidence that granzymes can mediate antiviral activity through direct cleavage of viral substrates, and further suggest that different granzymes have synergistic functions to outflank viral defenses that block host antiviral activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Andrade
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México City, Mexico.
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Mahrus S, Craik CS. Selective chemical functional probes of granzymes A and B reveal granzyme B is a major effector of natural killer cell-mediated lysis of target cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 12:567-77. [PMID: 15911377 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2005.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2005] [Revised: 03/05/2005] [Accepted: 03/30/2005] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The mechanism of target cell lysis in cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated death is not well understood, and the role of granzymes in this process is unclear. Chemical functional probes were thus prepared for the major granzymes A and B to deconvolute their role in natural killer cell-mediated lysis of target cells. These biotinylated and substrate specificity-based diphenyl phosphonates allowed facile evaluation of selectivity through activity-based profiling in cell lysates and intact cells. Both inhibitors were found to be extremely selective in vitro and in cells. Use of these inhibitors in cell-based assays revealed granzyme A to be a minor effector and granzyme B to be a major effector of target cell lysis by natural killer cells. These studies indicate that the proapoptotic granzyme B functions also as a pronecrotic effector of target cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Mahrus
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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10
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Kam CM, Hudig D, Powers JC. Granzymes (lymphocyte serine proteases): characterization with natural and synthetic substrates and inhibitors. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2000; 1477:307-23. [PMID: 10708866 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-4838(99)00282-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) kill cells within an organism to defend it against viral infections and the growth of tumors. One mechanism of killing involves exocytosis of lymphocyte granules which causes pores to form in the membranes of the attacked cells, fragments nuclear DNA and leads to cell death. The cytotoxic granules contain perforin, a pore-forming protein, and a family of at least 11 serine proteases termed granzymes. Both perforin and granzymes are involved in the lytic activity. Although the biological functions of most granzymes remain to be resolved, granzyme B clearly promotes DNA fragmentation and is directly involved in cell death. Potential natural substrates for Gr B include procaspases and other proteins involved in cell death. Activated caspases are involved in apoptosis. The search continues for natural substrates for the other granzymes. The first granzyme crystal structure remains to be resolved, but in the interim, molecular models of granzymes have provided valuable structural information about their substrate binding sites. The information has been useful to predict the amino acid sequences that immediately flank each side of the scissile peptide bond of peptide and protein substrates. Synthetic substrates, such as peptide thioesters, nitroanilides and aminomethylcoumarins, have also been used to study the substrate specificity of granzymes. The different granzymes have one of four primary substrate specificities: tryptase (cleaving after Arg or Lys), Asp-ase (cleaving after Asp), Met-ase (cleaving after Met or Leu), and chymase (cleaving after Phe, Tyr, or Trp). Natural serpins and synthetic inhibitors (including isocoumarins, peptide chloromethyl ketones, and peptide phosphonates) inhibit granzymes. Studies of substrate and inhibitor kinetics are providing valuable information to identify the most likely natural granzyme substrates and provide tools for the study of key reactions in the cytolytic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Kam
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0400, USA
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11
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Beresford PJ, Xia Z, Greenberg AH, Lieberman J. Granzyme A loading induces rapid cytolysis and a novel form of DNA damage independently of caspase activation. Immunity 1999; 10:585-94. [PMID: 10367904 DOI: 10.1016/s1074-7613(00)80058-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic lymphocytes trigger apoptosis by releasing perforin and granzymes (Grn). GrnB activates the caspase apoptotic pathway, but little is known about GrnA-induced cell death. Perforin was used to load recombinant GrnA and GrnB and enzymatically inactive variants into target cells. GrnA induces single-strand DNA breaks that can be labeled with Klenow polymerase and visualized on alkaline gels. GrnA-induced DNA damage but not cytolysis requires GrnA proteolysis. GrnA-induced membrane perturbation, nuclear condensation, and DNA damage are unimpaired by caspase blockade. GrnA fails to induce cleavage of caspase-3, lamin B, rho-GTPase, or PARP. GrnA-induced cytotoxicity and cleavage of PHAP II, a previously identified GrnA substrate, are unimpaired in Jurkat cells that overexpress bcl-2. Therefore, GrnA activates a novel apoptotic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J Beresford
- Center for Blood Research and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Kobayashi T, Neethling F, Taniguchi S, Ye Y, Niekrasz M, Koren E, Hancock W, Takagi H, Cooper D. Investigation of the anti-complement agents, FUT-175 and K76COOH, in discordant xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation 1996. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3089.1996.tb00143.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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13
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Abstract
A subfamily of serine proteases is uniquely expressed by cytotoxic natural killer lymphocytes and T cells. Protease cleavage of different natural substrates is now implicated in the cytotoxic mechanisms of target cell membrane pore formation, DNA fragmentation and cytostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Hudig
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno 89557-0046
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Hershberger R, Gershenfeld H, Weissman I, Su L. Genomic organization of the mouse granzyme A gene. Two mRNAs encode the same mature granzyme A with different leader peptides. J Biol Chem 1992. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9258(19)74067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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Odake S, Kam CM, Narasimhan L, Poe M, Blake JT, Krahenbuhl O, Tschopp J, Powers JC. Human and murine cytotoxic T lymphocyte serine proteases: subsite mapping with peptide thioester substrates and inhibition of enzyme activity and cytolysis by isocoumarins. Biochemistry 1991; 30:2217-27. [PMID: 1998680 DOI: 10.1021/bi00222a027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The active site structures of human Q31 granzyme A, murine granzymes (A, B, C, D, E, and F), and human granzymes (A, B, and 3) isolated from cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were studied with peptide thioester substrates, peptide chloromethyl ketone, and isocoumarin inhibitors. Human Q31, murine, and human granzyme A hydrolyzed Arg- or Lys-containing thioesters very efficiently with kcat/KM of 10(4)-10(5) M-1 s-1. Murine granzyme B was found to have Asp-ase activity and hydrolyzed Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-SBzl with a kcat/KM value of 2.3 X 10(5) M-1 s-1. The rate was accelerated 1.4-fold when the 0.05 M NaCl in the assay was replaced with CaCl2. The preparation of granzyme B also had significant activity toward Boc-Ala-Ala-AA-SBzl substrates, where AA was Asn, Met, or Ser [kcat/KM = (4-5) X 10(4) M-1 s-1]. Murine granzymes C, D, and E did not hydrolyze any thioester substrate but contained minor contaminating activity toward Arg- or Lys-containing thioesters. Murine granzyme F had small activity toward Suc-Phe-Leu-Phe-SBzl, along with some contaminating trypsin-like activity. Human Q31 granzyme A, murine, and human granzyme A were inhibited quite efficiently by mechanism-based isocoumarin inhibitors substituted with basic groups (guanidino or isothiureidopropoxy). Although the general serine protease inhibitor 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin (DCI) inactivated these tryptases poorly, it was the best isocoumarin inhibitor for murine granzyme B (kobs/[I] = 3700-4200 M-1 s-1). Murine and human granzyme B were also inhibited by Boc-Ala-Ala-Asp-CH2Cl; however, the inhibition was less potent than that with DCI. DCI, 3-(3-amino-propoxy)-4-chloroisocoumarin, 4-chloro-3-(3-isothiureidopropoxy)isocoumarin, and 7-amino-4-chloro-3-(3-isothiureidopropoxy)isocoumarin inhibited Q31 cytotoxic T lymphocyte mediated lysis of human JY lymphoblasts (ED50 = 0.5-5.0 microM).
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Affiliation(s)
- S Odake
- School of Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 30332
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