Derivatives of thapsigargin as probes of its binding site on endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase. Stereoselectivity and important functional groups

RACK1 plays a critical role in mast cell secretion and Ca2+ mobilization by modulating F-actin dynamics

Although RACK1 is known to act as a signaling hub in immune cells, its presence and role in mast cells (MCs) is undetermined. MC activation via antigen stimulation results in mediator release and is preceded by cytoskeleton reorganization and Ca2+ mobilization. In this study, we found that RACK1 was distributed throughout the MC cytoplasm both in vivo and in vitro. After RACK1 knockdown (KD), MCs were rounded, and the cortical F-actin was fragmented. Following antigen stimulation, in RACK1 KD MCs, there was a reduction in cortical F-actin, an increase in monomeric G-actin and a failure to organize F-actin. RACK1 KD also increased and accelerated degranulation. CD63+ secretory granules were localized in F-actin-free cortical regions in non-stimulated RACK1 KD MCs. Additionally, RACK1 KD increased antigen-stimulated Ca2+ mobilization, but attenuated antigen-stimulated depletion of ER Ca2+ stores and thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ entry. Following MC activation there was also an increase in interaction of RACK1 with Orai1 Ca2+-channels, β-actin and the actin-binding proteins vinculin and MyoVa. These results show that RACK1 is a critical regulator of actin dynamics, affecting mediator secretion and Ca2+ signaling in MCs. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Targeting oncogenic Notch signaling with SERCA inhibitors

P-type ATPase inhibitors are among the most successful and widely prescribed therapeutics in modern pharmacology. Clinical transition has been safely achieved for H+/K+ ATPase inhibitors such as omeprazole and Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitors like digoxin. However, this is more challenging for Ca2+-ATPase modulators due to the physiological role of Ca2+ in cardiac dynamics. Over the past two decades, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) modulators have been studied as potential chemotherapy agents because of their Ca2+-mediated pan-cancer lethal effects. Instead, recent evidence suggests that SERCA inhibition suppresses oncogenic Notch1 signaling emerging as an alternative to γ-secretase modulators that showed limited clinical activity due to severe side effects. In this review, we focus on how SERCA inhibitors alter Notch1 signaling and show that Notch on-target-mediated antileukemia properties of these molecules can be achieved without causing overt Ca2+ cellular overload.

Blockade of Oncogenic NOTCH1 with the SERCA Inhibitor CAD204520 in T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

The identification of SERCA (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase) as a target for modulating gain-of-function NOTCH1 mutations in Notch-dependent cancers has spurred the development of this compound class for cancer therapeutics. Despite the innate toxicity challenge associated with SERCA inhibition, we identified CAD204520, a small molecule with better drug-like properties and reduced off-target Ca2+ toxicity compared with the SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin. In this work, we describe the properties and complex structure of CAD204520 and show that CAD204520 preferentially targets mutated over wild-type NOTCH1 proteins in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Uniquely among SERCA inhibitors, CAD204520 suppresses NOTCH1-mutated leukemic cells in a T-ALL xenografted model without causing cardiac toxicity. This study supports the development of SERCA inhibitors for Notch-dependent cancers and extends their application to cases with isolated mutations in the PEST degradation domain of NOTCH1, such as MCL or chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Leukemia-specific delivery of mutant NOTCH1 targeted therapy

NOTCH1 is an attractive cancer target, particularly in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), with activating mutations in this gene identified in more than 50% of cases. In this study, Roti et al. describe the synthesis, characterization, and validation of JQ-FT, a first-in-class NOTCH1 inhibitor that has dual selectivity for leukemia over normal cells and NOTCH1 mutants over wild-type receptors.

On-target drug delivery remains a challenge in cancer precision medicine; it is difficult to deliver a targeted therapy to cancer cells without incurring toxicity to normal tissues. The SERCA (sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase) inhibitor thapsigargin inhibits mutant NOTCH1 receptors compared with wild type in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), but its administration is predicted to be toxic in humans. Leveraging the addiction of ALL to folic acid, we conjugated folate to an alcohol derivative of thapsigargin via a cleavable ester linkage. JQ-FT is recognized by folate receptors on the plasma membrane and delivered into leukemia cells as a potent antileukemic agent. In mechanistic and translational models of T-ALL, we demonstrate NOTCH1 inhibition in vitro and in vivo. These proof-of-concept studies support the further optimization of this first-in-class NOTCH1 inhibitor with dual selectivity: leukemia over normal cells and NOTCH1 mutants over wild-type receptors. Furthermore, tumor-specific disruption of Notch signaling may overcome legitimate concerns associated with the tumor suppressor function of nontargeted Notch pathway inhibitors.

Structure/activity relationship of thapsigargin inhibition on the purified Golgi/secretory pathway Ca2+/Mn2+-transport ATPase (SPCA1a)

The Golgi/secretory pathway Ca²⁺/Mn²⁺-transport ATPase (SPCA1a) is implicated in breast cancer and Hailey-Hailey disease. Here, we purified recombinant human SPCA1a from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and measured Ca²⁺-dependent ATPase activity following reconstitution in proteoliposomes. The purified SPCA1a displays a higher apparent Ca²⁺ affinity and a lower maximal turnover rate than the purified sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA1a). The lipids cholesteryl hemisuccinate, linoleamide/oleamide, and phosphatidylethanolamine inhibit and phosphatidic acid and sphingomyelin enhance SPCA1a activity. Moreover, SPCA1a is blocked by micromolar concentrations of the commonly used SERCA1a inhibitors thapsigargin (Tg), cyclopiazonic acid, and 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone. Because tissue-specific targeting of SERCA2b by Tg analogues is considered for prostate cancer therapy, the inhibition of SPCA1a by Tg might represent an off-target risk. We assessed the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of Tg for SPCA1a by in silico modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and measuring the potency of a series of Tg analogues. These indicate that Tg and the analogues are bound via the Tg scaffold but with lower affinity to the same homologous cavity as on the membrane surface of SERCA1a. The lower Tg affinity may depend on a more flexible binding cavity in SPCA1a, with low contributions of the Tg O-3, O-8, and O-10 chains to the binding energy. Conversely, the protein interaction of the Tg O-2 side chain with SPCA1a appears comparable with that of SERCA1a. These differences define a SAR of Tg for SPCA1a distinct from that of SERCA1a, indicating that Tg analogues with a higher specificity for SPCA1a can probably be developed.

Targeting thapsigargin towards tumors

The skin irritating principle from Thapsia garganica was isolated, named thapsigargin and the structure elucidated. By inhibiting the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) thapsigargin provokes apoptosis in almost all cells. By conjugating thapsigargin to peptides, which are only substrates for either prostate specific antigen (PSA) or prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) prodrugs were created, which selectively affect prostate cancer cells or neovascular tissue in tumors. One of the prodrug is currently tested in clinical phase II. The prodrug under clinical trial has been named mipsagargin.

Thapsigargin--from Thapsia L. to mipsagargin

The sesquiterpene lactone thapsigargin is found in the plant Thapsia garganica L., and is one of the major constituents of the roots and fruits of this Mediterranean species. In 1978, the first pharmacological effects of thapsigargin were established and the full structure was elucidated in 1985. Shortly after, the overall mechanism of the Sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) inhibition that leads to apoptosis was discovered. Thapsigargin has a potent antagonistic effect on the SERCA and is widely used to study Ca²⁺-signaling. The effect on SERCA has also been utilized in the treatment of solid tumors. A prodrug has been designed to target the blood vessels of cancer cells; the death of these blood vessels then leads to tumor necrosis. The first clinical trials of this drug were initiated in 2008, and the potent drug is expected to enter the market in the near future under the generic name Mipsagargin (G-202). This review will describe the discovery of the new drug, the on-going elucidation of the biosynthesis of thapsigargin in the plant and attempts to supply the global market with a novel potent anti-cancer drug.

Paraoxonase 2 serves a proapopotic function in mouse and human cells in response to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule N-(3-Oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone

Pseudomonas aeruginosa use quorum-sensing molecules, including N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (C12), for intercellular communication. C12 activated apoptosis in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) from both wild type (WT) and Bax/Bak double knock-out mice (WT MEF and DKO MEF that were responsive to C12, DKOR MEF): nuclei fragmented; mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψmito) depolarized; Ca(2+) was released from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), increasing cytosolic [Ca(2+)] (Cacyto); and caspase 3/7 was activated. DKOR MEF had been isolated from a nonclonal pool of DKO MEF that were non-responsive to C12 (DKONR MEF). RNAseq analysis, quantitative PCR, and Western blots showed that WT and DKOR MEF both expressed genes associated with cancer, including paraoxonase 2 (PON2), whereas DKONR MEF expressed little PON2. Adenovirus-mediated expression of human PON2 in DKONR MEF rendered them responsive to C12: Δψmito depolarized, Cacyto increased, and caspase 3/7 activated. Human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells expressed low levels of endogenous PON2, and these cells were also less responsive to C12. Overexpression of PON2, but not PON2-H114Q (no lactonase activity) in HEK293T cells caused them to become sensitive to C12. Because [C12] may reach high levels in biofilms in lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, PON2 lactonase activity may control Δψmito, Ca(2+) release from the ER, and apoptosis in CF airway epithelia. Coupled with previous data, these results also indicate that PON2 uses its lactonase activity to prevent Bax- and Bak-dependent apoptosis in response to common proapoptotic drugs like doxorubicin and staurosporine, but activates Bax- and Bak-independent apoptosis in response to C12.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing molecule homoserine lactone modulates inflammatory signaling through PERK and eI-F2α

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secrete N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (HSL-C12) as a quorum-sensing molecule to regulate bacterial gene expression. Because HSL-C12 is membrane permeant, multiple cell types in P. aeruginosa-infected airways may be exposed to HSL-C12, especially adjacent to biofilms where local (HSL-C12) may be high. Previous reports showed that HSL-C12 causes both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. To characterize HSL-C12's pro- and anti-inflammatory effects in host cells, we measured protein synthesis, NF-κB activation, and KC (mouse IL-8) and IL-6 mRNA and protein secretion in wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF). To test the role of the endoplasmic reticulum stress inducer, PERK we compared these responses in PERK(-/-) and PERK-corrected PERK(-/-) MEF. During 4-h treatments of wild-type MEF, HSL-C12 potentially activated NF-κB p65 by preventing the resynthesis of IκB and increased transcription of KC and IL-6 genes (quantitative PCR). HSL-C12 also inhibited secretion of KC and/or IL-6 into the media (ELISA) both in control conditions and also during stimulation by TNF-α. HSL-C12 also activated PERK (as shown by increased phosphorylation of eI-F2α) and inhibited protein synthesis (as measured by incorporation of [(35)S]methionine by MEF). Comparisons of PERK(-/-) and PERK-corrected MEF showed that HSL-C12's effects were explained in part by activation of PERK→phosphorylation of eI-F2α→inhibition of protein synthesis→reduced IκBα production→activation of NF-κB→increased transcription of the KC gene but reduced translation and secretion of KC. HSL-C12 may be an important modulator of early (up to 4 h) inflammatory signaling in P. aeruginosa infections.

Thapsigargin blocks Pseudomonas aeruginosa homoserine lactone-induced apoptosis in airway epithelia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (C12) as a quorum-sensing molecule to regulate gene expression. Micromolar concentrations are found in the airway surface liquid of infected lungs. Exposure of the airway surface to C12 caused a loss of transepithelial resistance within 1 h that was accompanied by disassembly of tight junctions, as indicated by relocation of the tight junction protein zonula occludens 1 from the apical to the basolateral pole and into the cytosol of polarized human airway epithelial cell cultures (Calu-3 and primary tracheal epithelial cells). These effects were blocked by carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone, a pan-caspase blocker, indicating that tight junction disassembly was an early event in C12-triggered apoptosis. Short-duration (10 min) pretreatment of airway epithelial (Calu-3 and JME) cells with 1 μM thapsigargin (Tg), an inhibitor of Ca(2+) uptake into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), was found to be protective against the C12-induced airway epithelial barrier breakdown and also against other apoptosis-related effects, including shrinkage and fragmentation of nuclei, activation of caspase 3/7 (the executioner caspase in apoptosis), release of ER-targeted redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein into the cytosol, and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Pretreatment of Calu-3 airway cell monolayers with BAPTA-AM [to buffer cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration (Cacyto)] or Ca(2+)-free solution + BAPTA-AM reduced C12 activation of apoptotic events, suggesting that C12-triggered apoptosis may involve Ca(2+). Because C12 and Tg reduced Ca(2+) concentration in the ER and increased Cacyto, while Tg increased mitochondrial Ca(2+) concentration (Camito) and C12 reduced Camito, it is proposed that Tg may reduce C12-induced apoptosis in host cells not by raising Cacyto, but by preventing C12-induced decreases in Camito.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa homoserine lactone triggers apoptosis and Bak/Bax-independent release of mitochondrial cytochrome C in fibroblasts

Pseudomonas aeruginosa use N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (C12) as a quorum-sensing molecule to regulate gene expression in the bacteria. It is expected that in patients with chronic infections with P. aeruginosa, especially as biofilms, local [C12] will be high and, since C12 is lipid soluble, diffuse from the airways into the epithelium and underlying fibroblasts, capillary endothelia and white blood cells. Previous work showed that C12 has multiple effects in human host cells, including activation of apoptosis. The present work tested the involvement of Bak and Bax in C12-triggered apoptosis in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) by comparing MEF isolated from embryos of wild-type (WT) and Bax(-/-) /Bak(-/-) (DKO) mice. In WT MEF C12 rapidly triggered (minutes to 2 h): activation of caspases 3/7 and 8, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψmito ), release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol, blebbing of plasma membranes, shrinkage/condensation of cells and nuclei and, subsequently, cell killing. A DKO MEF line that was relatively unaffected by the Bak/Bax-dependent proapoptotic stimulants staurosporine and etoposide responded to C12 similarly to WT MEF: activation of caspase 3/7, depolarization of Δψmito and release of cytochrome C and cell death. Re-expression of Bax or Bak in DKO MEF did not alter the WT-like responses to C12 in DKO MEF. These data showed that C12 triggers novel, rapid proapoptotic Bak/Bax-independent responses that include events commonly associated with activation of both the intrinsic pathway (depolarization of Δψmito and release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol) and the extrinsic pathway (activation of caspase 8). Unlike the proapoptotic agonists staurosporine and etoposide that release cytochrome C from mitochondria, C12's effects do not require participation of either Bak or Bax.

Discovery of novel SERCA inhibitors by virtual screening of a large compound library

Two screening protocols based on recursive partitioning and computational ligand docking methodologies, respectively, were employed for virtual screens of a compound library with 345,000 entries for novel inhibitors of the enzyme sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), a potential target for cancer chemotherapy. A total of 72 compounds that were predicted to be potential inhibitors of SERCA were tested in bioassays and 17 displayed inhibitory potencies at concentrations below 100 μM. The majority of these inhibitors were composed of two phenyl rings tethered to each other by a short link of one to three atoms. Putative interactions between SERCA and the inhibitors were identified by inspection of docking-predicted poses and some of the structural features required for effective SERCA inhibition were determined by analysis of the classification pattern employed by the recursive partitioning models.

Elucidation of the topography of the thapsigargin binding site in the sarco-endoplasmic calcium ATPase

Removal of each of the acyl groups of thapsigargin at O-3, O-8 and O-10 significant reduces the affinity of the inhibitors to the SERCA1a pump. Replacement of the acyl groups at O-3 and O-10 with flexible residues could be performed with only a minor decrease of the affinity, whereas introduction of voluminous stiff residues caused dramatic reduction of the affinity. The results can be rationalized on the basis of the interactions of thapsigargin with the SERCA1a pump as revealed from 3D X-ray structural models of thapsigargin bound to the SERCA1a. In conclusion the results confirm and elaborate the previously suggested pharmocophore model of thapsigargin.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of hydroquinone derivatives as novel inhibitors of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase

Analogues of the compound 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ) are capable of inhibiting the enzyme sarco/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase (SERCA) in the low micromolar and submicromolar concentration ranges. Not only are SERCA inhibitors valuable research tools, but they also have potential medicinal value as agents against prostate cancer. This study describes the synthesis of 13 compounds representing several classes of BHQ analogues, such as hydroquinones with a single aromatic substituent, symmetrically and unsymmetrically disubstituted hydroquinones, and hydroquinones with omega-amino acid tethers attached to their hydroxyl groups. Structure-activity relationships were established by measuring the inhibitory potencies of all synthesized compounds in bioassays. The assays were complemented by computational ligand docking for an analysis of the relevant ligand/receptor interactions.

High K+-induced contraction requires depolarization-induced Ca2+ release from internal stores in rat gut smooth muscle

AIM

Depolarization-induced contraction of smooth muscle is thought to be mediated by Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated L-type Ca2+channels. We describe a novel contraction mechanism that is independent of Ca2+ entry.

METHODS

Pharmacological experiments were carried out on isolated rat gut longitudinal smooth muscle preparations, measuring isometric contraction strength upon high K+-induced depolarization.

RESULTS

Treatment with verapamil, which presumably leads to a conformational change in the channel, completely abolished K+-induced contraction, while residual contraction still occurred when Ca2+ entry was blocked with Cd2+. These results were further confirmed by measuring intracellular Ca2+ transients using Fura-2. Co-application of Cd2+ and the ryanodine receptor blocker DHBP further reduced contraction, albeit incompletely. Additional blockage of either phospholipase C (U 73122) or inositol 1,4,5-trisphophate (IP3)receptors (2-APB) abolished most contractions, while sole application of these blockers and Cd2+ (without parallel ryanodine receptor manipulation) also resulted in incomplete contraction block.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that there are parallel mechanisms of depolarization-induced smooth muscle contraction via (a) Ca2+ entry and (b) Ca2+ entry-independent, depolarization-induced Ca2+-release through ryanodine receptors and IP3, with the latter being dependent on phospholipase C activation.

Inhibitor of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase thapsigargin stimulates production of nitric oxide and secretion of interferon-gamma

Thapsigargin is a sesquiterpene lactone of guaianolide type isolated from the Mediterranean plant Thapsia garganica L. It is widely used experimentally as a potent and selective inhibitor of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) leading to rapid elevation of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i. Several previous reports have shown that thapsigargin interferes with production of nitric oxide (NO) by mouse peritoneal macrophages and mouse macrophage cell lines. The present data confirm that thapsigargin is a modest inducer of NO in mouse macrophages, production of NO being slightly enhanced by lipopolysaccharide. However, thapsigargin on its own very potently induces NO in macrophages of rats under conditions in vitro. The highest effect was observed after the concentration of 0.25 microM thapsigargin, producing approximately 30 microM accumulation of nitrites in supernatants of cells cultured for 24 h. The aim of our experiments was to investigate immune mechanisms implicated in activation of high-output NO biosynthesis. It has been found that thapsigargin dose-dependently induces secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in macrophages of both rats and mice, and also in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The IFN-gamma production was rather low in macrophages of mice while relatively very high levels of IFN-gamma were found in cultures of rat macrophages and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The concentration of IFN-gamma produced by 5 microM thapsigargin within the interval of 24 h exceeded 3 ng/ml in rat macrophages and approached 2 ng/ml in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The effects are mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), and by nuclear transcriptional factor NF-kappaB. In summary, the original findings demonstrate immunostimulatory potential of thapsigargin and warrant more detailed preclinical studies.

Molecular determinants of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase inhibition by hydroquinone‐based compounds

The ion transport activity of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is specifically and potently inhibited by the small molecule 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ). In this study, we investigated the relative importance of the nature and position of BHQ's four substituents for enzyme inhibition by employing a combination of experimental and computational techniques. The inhibitory potencies of 21 commercially available or synthesized BHQ derivatives were determined in ATPase activity assays, and 11 compounds were found to be active. Maximum inhibitory potency was observed in compounds with two para hydroxyl groups, whereas BHQ analogues with only one hydroxyl group were still active, albeit with a reduced potency. The results also demonstrated that two alkyl groups were an absolute requirement for activity, with the most potent compounds having 2,5-substituents with four or five carbon atoms at each position. Using the program GOLD in conjunction with the ChemScore scoring function, the structures of the BHQ analogues were docked into the crystal structure of SERCA mimicking the enzyme's E(2) conformation. Analysis of the docking results indicated that inhibitor binding to SERCA was primarily mediated by a hydrogen bond between a hydroxyl group and Asp-59 and by hydrophobic interactions involving the bulky inhibitor alkyl groups. Attempts to dock BHQ into crystal structures corresponding to the E(1) conformation of the enzyme failed, because the conformational changes accompanying the E(2)/E(1) transition severely restricted the size of the binding site, suggesting that BHQ stabilizes the enzyme in its E(2) form. The potential role of Glu309 in enzyme inhibition is discussed in the context of the computational results. The docking scores correlated reasonably well with the measured inhibitory potencies and allowed the distinction between active and inactive compounds, which is a key requirement for future virtual screening of large compound databases for novel SERCA inhibitors.

Total Synthesis of Five Thapsigargins: Guaianolide Natural Products Exhibiting Sub-Nanomolar SERCA Inhibition

Herein we describe the total synthesis of five guaianolide natural products: thapsigargin, thapsivillosin C, thapsivillosin F, trilobolide and nortrilobolide. Prodrug derivatives of thapsigargin have shown selective in vivo cytotoxicity against prostate tumours and the need for further investigation of this phenomenon highlights the importance of these total syntheses. The first absolute stereochemical assignment of thapsivillosin C is also delineated.

Design and total synthesis of unnatural analogues of the sub-nanomolar SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin

Thapsigargin is a densely oxygenated guaianolide which displays potent sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) binding affinities. The total syntheses of designed unnatural analogues of this important natural product are described. This article constitutes the chemical synthesis behind an ongoing project. Rational modifications have been made to the lactone region of thapsigargin in order to obtain derivatives for future structure-activity relationship studies.

Applying linear interaction energy method for rational design of noncompetitive allosteric inhibitors of the sarco- and endoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase

Noncompetitive inhibitors of sarco- and endoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase (SERCA) have important therapeutic value in the treatment of cancer, due to their ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells in a proliferation-independent manner. Thapsigargin (TG) and its analogues are one such class of inhibitors that bind to a hydrophobic pocket located in the transmembrane region of SERCA near the biomembrane surface and interfere with calcium transport. The binding free energies of thapsigargin-based inhibitors of SERCA were computed using a novel linear interaction energy (LIE) method with a surface generalized Born (SGB) continuum solvation model. A training set of 20 TG analogues was used to build a binding affinity model for estimating the free energy of binding for 18 new inhibitors with a root-mean-square (rms) error of 1.36 kcal/mol with respect to experimental data. For 15 out of the 18 inhibitors in the test set, the rms error was 1.02 kcal/mol, which is on the order of the accuracy level achieved by highly rigorous free energy of perturbation (FEP) or thermodynamic integration (TI) methods. On the basis of the analysis of the binding cavity at the interface of the membrane surface and the cytoplasmic region, we propose that side chains of TG derivatives at the O-8 position orient toward the cytoplasmic region through a hydrophobic channel. On the basis of this insight, four analogues of varying side chain length at the O-8 position with a charged moiety at the end were designed, tested with LIE methodology, and then validated experimentally for their SERCA inhibition activity. Low levels of rms error for the majority of inhibitors establish the structure-based LIE method as an efficient tool for generating more potent and specific inhibitors of SERCA by testing rationally designed lead compounds based on thapsigargin derivatization.

Molecular determinants of thapsigargin binding by SERCA Ca2+-ATPase: A computational docking study

Thapsigargin (TG) is a potent and commonly used inhibitor of the ion transport activity of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases (SERCA). Based on the recently published crystal structures of rabbit muscle SERCA1a in the Ca2+/E1 (E1) and TG/E2 (E2) conformations, we performed computational docking studies to characterize the molecular interactions that govern binding of TG and TG-analogs by the enzyme. Using the program GOLD (genetic optimization for ligand docking) in combination with the scoring function ChemScore, TG was docked into the binding site of the E1 and E2 conformations of SERCA1a. The docking results revealed a consensus ligand-binding mode consistent with the crystal structure and showed that hydrophobic interactions are the primary driving force of TG binding by SERCA. Moreover, it was shown that the conformational changes accompanying the E2 to E1 transition in the enzyme likely displace TG from its favored orientation in the binding site, thereby substantially reducing its binding affinity. This finding illustrates on the molecular level how TG may exert its inhibitory effect in binding tightly to the E2 form and preventing it from converting into its E1 form, a requirement for catalytic function. We also docked 9 TG analogs into the E2 conformation of the enzyme. Eight of the analogs adopted a binding mode very similar to that of TG, whereas one compound preferred a different orientation in the binding site. Analysis of the predicted binding affinities showed a good correlation with the experimentally observed inhibitory potencies of the analogs. Docking was also performed with several modeled mutants of SERCA1a, whose phenylalanine residue in position 256 (Phe256) had been modified. The experimentally observed declines in TG sensitivity in most of the Phe256 mutants was qualitatively accounted for and appears, at least in part, be due to a slightly altered TG-binding mode.

Calcium-pump inhibitors induce functional surface expression of Delta F508-CFTR protein in cystic fibrosis epithelial cells

The most common mutation in cystic fibrosis, Delta F508, results in a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein that is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Retention is dependent upon chaperone proteins, many of which require Ca(++) for optimal activity. Interfering with chaperone activity by depleting ER Ca(++) stores might allow functional Delta F508-CFTR to reach the cell surface. We exposed several cystic fibrosis cell lines to the ER Ca(++) pump inhibitor thapsigargin and evaluated surface expression of Delta F508-CFTR. Treatment released ER-retained Delta F508-CFTR to the plasma membrane, where it functioned effectively as a Cl(-) channel. Treatment with aerosolized calcium-pump inhibitors reversed the nasal epithelial potential defect observed in a mouse model of Delta F508-CFTR expression. Thus, ER calcium-pump inhibitors represent a potential target for correcting the cystic fibrosis defect.

The initial inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate response induced by histamine is strongly amplified by Ca(2+) release from internal stores in smooth muscle

We have studied the Ca(2+)-dependence and wortmannin-sensitivity of the initial inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P(3)) response induced by activation of either histamine or muscarinic receptors in smooth muscle from guinea pig urinary bladder. Activation of H(1) receptors with histamine (100 microM) produced a significant elevation in Ins(1,4,5)P(3) levels with only 5s stimulation and in the presence of external Ca(2+). However, this response was abolished fully by either the prolonged absence of external Ca(2+) or the depletion of internal Ca(2+) stores with thapsigargin (100nM) or ryanodine (10 microM). In contrast, the same conditions only slightly reduced the initial Ins(1,4,5)P(3) response induced by carbachol. The prolonged incubation of smooth muscle in 10 microM wortmannin to inhibit type III PI 4-kinase abolished both the early histamine-evoked Ins(1,4,5)P(3) and Ca(2+) responses. Conversely, wortmannin did not alter Ca(2+) release induced by carbachol, despite a partial reduction of its Ins(1,4,5)P(3) response. Collectively, these data indicate that the detectable histamine-induced increase in Ins(1,4,5)P(3) is more the consequence of Ca(2+) release from internal stores than a direct activation of phospholipase C by H(1) receptors. In addition, the effect of wortmannin implies the existence of a Ca(2+)-dependent amplification loop for the histamine-induced Ins(1,4,5)P(3) response in smooth muscle.

Evidence for a global inhibitor-induced conformation change on the Ca(2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum from paired inhibitor studies

The Ca(2+)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum is inhibited by a variety of hydrophobic, hydroxy-containing molecules. A kinetic method has been used to study competition between binding of pairs of inhibitors to the ATPase. The presence of 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-dihydroxybenzene (BHQ) decreases the affinity of the ATPase for 2,5-dipropyl-1,4-dihydroxybenzene (PHQ), suggesting that PHQ and BHQ bind to the same site on the ATPase. In contrast, the presence of BHQ increases the affinity of the ATPase for curcumin and vice versa. This suggests that BHQ and curcumin bind to separate sites on the ATPase and that binding of the first inhibitor to the ATPase results in a change to a conformation with higher affinity for the second inhibitor. This is consistent with previous experiments with BHQ and thapsigargin suggesting a conformation change on inhibitor binding, E2 + I <--> 2; E2I <--> 2; E2(A)I, with E2(A)I having a higher affinity for the second inhibitor than E2. The affinity for BHQ is also increased by binding of diethylstilbesterol, ellagic acid, or nonylphenol, and the affinity for curcumin is also increased by ellagic acid. These results showing that binding of a variety of inhibitors of very different structures all result in a general increase in inhibitor affinity point to a global conformational change on the Ca(2+)-ATPase caused by inhibitor binding, as well as any local, inhibitor-specific changes in conformation.

Curcumin, a molecule that inhibits the Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum but increases the rate of accumulation of Ca2+

Curcumin, an important inhibitor of carcinogenesis, is an inhibitor of the ATPase activity of the Ca(2+)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Inhibition by curcumin is structurally specific, requiring the presence of a pair of -OH groups at the 4-position of the rings. Inhibition is not competitive with ATP. Unexpectedly, addition of curcumin to SR vesicles leads to an increase in the rate of accumulation of Ca(2+), unlike other inhibitors of the Ca(2+)-ATPase that result in a reduced rate of accumulation. An increase in the rate of accumulation of Ca(2+) is seen in the presence of phosphate ion, which lowers the concentration of free Ca(2+) within the lumen of the SR, showing that the effect is not passive leak across the SR membrane. Rather, simulations suggest that the effect is to reduce the rate of slippage on the ATPase, a process in which a Ca(2+)-bound, phosphorylated intermediate releases its bound Ca(2+) on the cytoplasmic rather than on the lumenal side of the membrane. The structural specificity of the effects of curcumin on ATPase activity and on Ca(2+) accumulation is the same, and the apparent dissociation constants for the two effects are similar, suggesting that the two effects of curcumin could follow from binding to a single site on the ATPase.

Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum amplifies the Ca2+ signal mediated by activation of voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels in pancreatic beta-cells

Stimulus-secretion coupling in pancreatic beta-cells involves membrane depolarization and Ca(2+) entry through voltage-gated L-type Ca(2+) channels, which is one determinant of increases in the cytoplasmic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). We investigated how the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated Ca(2+) apparatus further modifies this Ca(2+) signal. When fura-2-loaded mouse beta-cells were depolarized by KCl in the presence of 3 mm glucose, [Ca(2+)](i) increased to a peak in two phases. The second phase of the [Ca(2+)](i) increase was abolished when ER Ca(2+) stores were depleted by thapsigargin. The steady-state [Ca(2+)](i) measured at 300 s of depolarization was higher in control cells compared with cells in which the ER Ca(2+) pools were depleted. The amount of Ca(2+) presented to the cytoplasm during depolarization as estimated from the integral of the increment in [Ca(2+)](i) over time (integralDelta[Ca(2+)](i).dt) was approximately 30% higher compared with that in the Ca(2+) pool-depleted cells. neo-thapsigargin, an inactive analog, did not affect [Ca(2+)](i) response. Using Sr(2+) in the extracellular medium and exploiting the differences in the fluorescence properties of Ca(2+)- and Sr(2+)-bound fluo-3, we found that the incoming Sr(2+) triggered Ca(2+) release from the ER. Depolarization-induced [Ca(2+)](i) response was not altered by, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, suggesting that stimulation of the enzyme by Ca(2+) is not essential for amplification of Ca(2+) signaling. [Ca(2+)](i) response was enhanced when cells were depolarized in the presence of 3 mm glucose, forskolin, and caffeine, suggesting involvement of ryanodine receptors in the amplification process. Pretreatment with ryanodine (100 microm) diminished the second phase of the depolarization-induced increase in [Ca(2+)](i). We conclude that Ca(2+) entry through L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels triggers Ca(2+) release from the ER and that such a process amplifies depolarization-induced Ca(2+) signaling in beta-cells.

A tool coming of age: thapsigargin as an inhibitor of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases

Thapsigargin is the most widely used inhibitor of the ubiquitous sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases in mammalian cells. Over the past ten years, this guaianolide compound of plant origin has become a popular tool in a host of studies directed at elucidating the mechanisms of intracellular Ca2+ signalling. Its remarkable potency and selectivity have been instrumental in widening our view of the function of intracellular Ca2+ stores to include such key aspects as store-operated Ca2+ entry or the involvement of the stores in protein synthesis or cell growth. In this article Marek Treiman, Casper Caspersen and Søren Brøgger Christensen review the key pharmacological features of thapsigargin action; they also discuss some of the ways in which its unique properties have shown to be important for obtaining new insights into the biology of Ca2+ stores, and how these properties might encompass a therapeutic potential. In parallel, attention is drawn to some of the limitations and pitfalls encountered when working with thapsigargin.

Putrescine-stimulated intracellular Ca2+ release for invasiveness of rat ascites hepatoma cells

Our previous study showed that treatment of highly invasive rat ascites hepatoma (LC-AH) cells with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, decreased both their intracellular level of putrescine and their in vitro invasion of a monolayer of calf pulmonary arterial endothelial (CPAE) cells, and that both these decreases were completely reversed by exogenous putrescine, but not spermidine or spermine. Here we show that all adhering control (DFMO-untreated) cells migrated beneath CPAE monolayer with morphological change from round to cauliflower-shaped cells (migratory cells). DFMO treatment increased the number of cells that remained round without migration (nonmigratory cells). Exogenous putrescine, but not spermidine or spermine, induced transformation of all nonmigratory cells to migratory cells with a concomitant increase in their intracellular Ca2+ level, [Ca2+]i. The putrescine-induced increase in their [Ca2+]i preceded their transformation and these effects of putrescine were not affected by antagonists of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channel, but were completely suppressed by ryanodine, which also suppressed the invasiveness of the control cells. The DFMO-induced decreases in both [Ca2+]i and the invasiveness of the cells were restored by thapsigargin, which elevated [Ca2+]i by inhibiting endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase, indicating that thapsigargin mimics the effects of putrescine. These results support the idea that putrescine is a cofactor for Ca2+ release through the Ca2+ channel in the endoplasmic reticulum that is inhibited by ryanodine, this release being initiated by cell adhesion and being a prerequisite for tumor cell invasion.

Nongenomic effects of oestrogen: embryonic mouse midbrain neurones respond with a rapid release of calcium from intracellular stores

Evidence is emerging that oestrogen, besides acting via classical nuclear receptors, can rapidly influence the physiology of nerve cells through other mechanisms. Oestrogens have been shown to modulate the differentiation and function of embryonic midbrain dopaminergic neurones by stimulating neurite outgrowth, expression of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA, dopamine uptake and release in spite of the fact that dopaminergic cells in the prenatal midbrain do not express the classical oestrogen receptor. This study therefore intended to unravel possible signal transduction pathways activated by oestrogen which might be associated with the above oestrogen effects. As a physiological second-messenger mechanism, we studied the influence of oestrogen on fluctuations of intracellular Ca2+ levels [Ca2+]i by microspectrofluorimetry of the Ca2+-sensitive indicator Fura-2, in primary cultures from embryonic mouse midbrains. 17Beta-estradiol (10 nM-1 pM) but not 17alpha-estradiol increased [Ca2+]i within 1-3 s in a dose-dependent way. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ abrogated K+-stimulated Ca2+ rise but did not affect 17beta-estradiol stimulation. Pretreatment of cells with thapsigargin (1 microM, 10 min), an inhibitor of Ca2+-pumping ATPases in the endoplasmic reticulum, abolished the 17beta-estradiol effect but not the K+-stimulated [Ca2+]i rise. Oestrogen effects on [Ca2+]i were completely mimicked by using a membrane-impermeant oestrogen-BSA construct. In order to identify oestrogen-sensitive cells, some cultures were subsequently immunostained for microtubule-associated protein II, tyrosine hydroxylase, or GABA. All oestrogen-sensitive cells were immunocytochemically characterized as neurones, and about half of these responsive neurones was found to be dopaminergic or GABAergic. These results demonstrate that 17beta-estradiol is capable of rapidly modulating physiological parameters of developing midbrain neurones by directly interacting with specific membrane binding sites coupled to a signal transduction mechanism that causes a calcium release from intracellular Ca2+ stores. It is suggested that oestrogen effects on differentiation and function of midbrain dopaminergic neurones are mediated by intracellular Ca2+ signalling.

Synthesis of a radioactive azido derivative of thapsigargin and photolabeling of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase

A thapsigargin C8-derivative (ZTG) was synthesized by acylating debutanoylthapsigargin with 4-azido[carboxyl-14C]benzoic acid. ZTG retains the inhibitory activity of thapsigargin (TG) with respect to the Ca2+ ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Covalent ATPase labeling was obtained by photoactivation of the ZTG azido moiety under conditions optimized to reduce nonspecific association of ZTG with SR vesicles and to approximate a matching ZTG:ATPase stoichiometry. Specific photolabeling of the Ca2+ ATPase with ZTG was obtained with 30% efficiency and was competitively inhibited by TG. Analysis of the labeled protein and its proteolytic fragments demonstrates that the ZTG label is associated covalently with the membrane-bound portion of tryptic subfragment A1, which spans the sequence between Leu253 and Arg324 and includes segments of S3 and S4 in the stalk, the M3 and M4 transmembrane helices, and the intervening lumenal loop. This finding is in agreement with previous spectroscopic observations and mutational analysis.

Role of programmed (apoptotic) cell death during the progression and therapy for prostate cancer

Cells possess within their epigenetic repertoire the ability to undergo an active process of cellular suicide termed programmed (or apoptotic) cell death. This programmed cell death process involves an epigenetic reprogramming of the cell that results in an energy-dependent cascade of biochemical and morphologic changes (also termed apoptosis) within the cell, resulting in its death and elimination. Although the final steps (i.e., DNA and cellular fragmentation) are common to cells undergoing programmed cell death, the activation of this death process is initiated either by sufficient injury to the cell induced by various exogenous damaging agents (e.g., radiation, chemicals, viruses) or by changes in the levels of a series of endogenous signals (e.g., hormones and growth/survival factors). Within the prostate, androgens are capable of both stimulating proliferation as well as inhibiting the rate of the glandular epithelial cell death. Androgen withdrawal triggers the programmed cell death pathway in both normal prostate glandular epithelia and androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells. Androgen-independent prostate cancer cells do not initiate the programmed cell death pathway upon androgen ablation; however, they do retain the cellular machinery necessary to activate the programmed cell death cascade when sufficiently damaged by exogenous agents. In the normal prostate epithelium, cell proliferation is balanced by a equal rate of programmed cell death, such that neither involution nor overgrowth normal occurs. In prostatic cancer, however, this balance is lost, such that there is greater proliferation than death producing continuous net growth. Thus, an imbalance in programmed cell death must occur during prostatic cancer progression. The goal of effective therapy for prostatic cancer, therefore, is to correct this imbalance. Unfortunately, this has not been achieved and metastatic prostatic cancer is still a lethal disease for which no curative therapy is currently available. In order to develop such effective therapy, an understanding of the programmed death pathway, and what controls it, is critical. Thus, a review of the present state of knowledge concerning programmed cell death of normal and malignant prostatic cells will be presented.

Effects of thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid on intracellular calcium activity in newborn rat cardiomyocytes during their development in primary culture

The effects of specific inhibitors of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium ATPase, thapsigargin (TG), and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) were investigated on the resting and transient levels of intracellular free calcium concentrations recorded in Indo-1-loaded ventricular myocytes of newborn rat heart in primary culture. The calcium transients were induced by caffeine (10 mM) or high potassium (100 mM) solutions. In 2 day- as in 7-day-old cultured cells, the calcium transients induced by 10 mM caffeine were blocked dose dependently by TG and CPA. The dose-response curves suggest that TG was more efficient than CPA and that both drugs were more efficient in 7-day- than in 2-day-old cells. The calcium transients induced by 100 mM K+ were also strongly inhibited by these agents. The lack of effect on sarcolemmal calcium currents, as shown by whole-cell patch-clamp experiments, suggests that these drugs affect only SR function. In cells exhibiting spontaneous activity, the associated calcium transients were not affected by TG or CPA at the beginning of the culture (2-day-old cells) but were fully blocked at the end (7-day-old cells). These results confirm that TG and CPA specifically inhibit the cardiac SR Ca2+ pump without affecting the sarcolemmal calcium current. Their blocking effect of the calcium transients as a function of the developmental stage of neonatal cardiac cells in culture suggests an increasing role of the SR in the regulation of intracellular calcium. This argues for developmental changes of the SR through the differentiation and maturation of newborn cardiomyocytes at the early stage of the postnatal life, leading to a predominant role of the SR in excitation-contraction coupling mechanisms in adult cells.

Binding of sesquiterpene lactone inhibitors to the Ca(2+)-ATPase

The mechanism of inhibition of the Ca(2+)-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum by the sesquiterpene lactones thapsigargin, trilobolide and thapsivillosin A (TvA) has been determined. A decrease in the affinity of the ATPase for Ca2+ is observed in the presence of the inhibitors (I), consistent with a shift in the E1/E2 equilibrium for the ATPase towards E2 forms. Amounts of inhibitor beyond a 1:1 molar ratio with ATPase produce no further decrease in affinity for Ca2+, inconsistent with the formation of a dead-end complex. Measurements of the rate of quenching of the tryptophan fluorescence of the ATPase by TvA are consistent with an association step to give E2I followed by an isomerization to a modified state E2AI. The kinetics of the reversal of the effects of TvA by Ca2+ at sub-stoichiometric amounts of TvA are bi-exponential, with a fast component whose rate is independent of TvA concentration and equal to the rate observed in the absence of TvA, and a slow component whose rate decreases with increasing TvA concentration. These observations are also consistent with the formation of a modified state E2AI following the initial binding of I to E2. The equilibrium constant E2AI/E2I increases in the order TvA < trilobolide < thapsigargin. The results suggest that the effects of the inhibitors on the overall ratio of E2 to E1 forms of the ATPase follow largely from the formation of E2AI from E2I, and that binding constants are very similar for E1Ca2, E1 and E2.

Kinetics of thapsigargin-Ca(2+)-ATPase (sarcoplasmic reticulum) interaction reveals a two-step binding mechanism and picomolar inhibition

Thapsigargin is a high affinity inhibitor of sarco- and endoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) type ATPases. We have used kinetics to determine the dissociation constant of thapsigargin-sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase interaction in the absence and presence of non-ionic detergent. The observed "off" rate constant was measured as 0.0052 s-1 at 26 degrees C by the kinetics of inhibition of ATPase activity following transfer from an inactivated thapsigargin-ATPase complex to native ATPase. Inactive ATPase was produced by cross-linking the active site with glutaraldehyde. The observed dissociation rate constant was increased 7-fold by 0.1% Triton X-100, indicating that perturbation of the transmembrane and stalk region by detergent altered the binding parameters of the inhibitor. In addition, thapsigargin stabilized the ATPase against inactivation caused by detergent in the absence of Ca2+. The observed "on" rate constant of thapsigargin was measured at 26 degrees C as 25 s-1 irrespective of thapsigargin concentration, by the kinetics of thapsigargin- induced change in intrinsic fluorescence. An Arrhenius plot showed a temperature dependence of this rate constant, indicative of a conformational change in the protein with an activation energy of 9.5 kcal/mol for thapsigargin binding. The affinity of the Ca(2+)-ATPase for thapsigargin was calculated to be greater than 2 pM at pH 7.0 and 26 degrees C.

Thapsigargin-sensitive Ca(2+)-ATPases account for Ca2+ uptake to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive and caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ stores in adrenal chromaffin cells

In chromaffin cells of adrenal medulla, heterogeneity of Ca2+ stores has been suggested with respect to the mechanisms of Ca2+ uptake and release. We have examined Ca(2+)-ATPases responsible for loading of Ca2+ stores in these cells for their sensitivity to thapsigargin, a highly selective inhibitor of the SERCA [sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase] family of intracellular Ca2+ pumps. Using immunostaining, we studied the distribution of Ca(2+)-ATPases, and of receptors for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) and ryanodine, in the density-gradient fractions of microsomes from bovine adrenal medulla. In parallel, we examined distribution profiles of ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake in the same fractions, along with subcellular markers for plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Two Ca(2+)-ATPase-like proteins (116 and 100 kDa) were detected, consistent with the presence of SERCA 2b and SERCA 3 isoenzymes of Ca2+ pumps. The distribution of these putative Ca(2+)-ATPase iso-enzymes paralleled that of InsP3 and ryanodine receptors. This distribution of ER Ca(2+)-ATPases, as determined immunologically, was consistent with that of thapsigargin-sensitive, but not of thapsigargin-insensitive, ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake. In contrast, the distribution profile of the thapsigargin-insensitive Ca2+ uptake was strongly correlated to that of plasma membranes, and co-distributed with plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase detected immunologically. In isolated, permeabilized chromaffin cells, InsP3 and caffeine induced Ca2+ release following an ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation to the stores. This accumulation was abolished by thapsigargin. Together, these data strongly indicate that the thapsigargin-sensitive, presumably SERCA-type Ca(2+)-ATPases account for Ca2+ uptake to InsP3-sensitive, as well as to caffeine-sensitive, Ca2+ stores in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

Synthesis and interaction of fluorescent thapsigargin derivatives with the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase membrane-bound region

Fluorescent derivatives of thapsigargin (TG) were synthesized by replacing the C8-butanoyl chain with a dansyl (DTG) or eosin (ETG) moiety. DTG and ETG retain the inhibitory effect of TG on the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) ATPase, displaying a 2 and 10 microM Ki, respectively. Steady state and lifetime fluorescence measurements are consistent with energy transfer between tryptophanyl residues assigned to the ATPase membrane-bound region and DTG. This phenomenon exhibits saturation behavior, occurs in the presence of DTG concentrations producing ATPase inhibition, and is partially prevented by inhibitory concentrations of TG. Although long range conformational effects of TG binding affect the fluorescence properties of endogenous tryptophans as well as of a fluorescein 5'-isothiocyanate (FITC) label of the ATPase extramembranous region, no significant energy transfer was detected between DTG and the FITC label. It is concluded that the inhibitors partition within the membrane and the binding domain resides within or near the membrane-bound region of the ATPase.