Carbonic anhydrase VII is S-glutathionylated without loss of catalytic activity and affinity for sulfonamide inhibitors

Synthesis of Novel Hydrazide-Hydrazone Compounds and In Vitro and In Silico Investigation of Their Biological Activities against AChE, BChE, and hCA I and II

The abnormal levels of the human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I and II (hCA I and II) and cholinesterase enzymes, namely, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), are linked with various disorders including Alzheimer's disease. In this study, six new nicotinic hydrazide derivatives (7-12) were designed and synthesized for the first time, and their inhibitory profiles against hCA I, hCA II, AChE, and BChE were investigated by in vitro assays and in silico studies. The structures of novel molecules were elucidated by using spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. These molecules showed inhibitory activities against hCA I and II with IC50 values ranging from 7.12 to 45.12 nM. Compared to reference drug acetazolamide (AZA), compound 8 was the most active inhibitor against hCA I and II. On the other hand, it was determined that IC50 values of the tested molecules ranged between 21.45 and 61.37 nM for AChE and between 18.42 and 54.74 nM for BChE. Among them, compound 12 was the most potent inhibitor of AChE and BChE, with IC50 values of 21.45 and 18.42 nM, respectively. In order to better understand the mode of action of these new compounds, state-of-the-art molecular modeling techniques were also conducted.

4-Cyanamido-substituted benzenesulfonamides act as dual carbonic anhydrase and cathepsin inhibitors

A set of novel N-cyano-N-substituted 4-aminobenzenesulfonamide derivatives were synthesized and investigated for their inhibitory activity against four cytosolic carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms (hCA I, II, VII and XIII) and two cathepsins (S and B). N-alkyl/benzyl-substituted derivatives were revealed to be very potent inhibitors against brain-associated hCA VII, but inactive against both cathepsins. On the other hand, N-acyl-substituted derivatives displayed significant inhibitory activities against cathepsin S, but only moderate to poor inhibitory potency against hCA VII. Both hCA VII and cathepsin S have recently been validated as therapeutic targets in neuropathic pain. This study provided an excellent starting point for further structural optimization of this class of bifunctional compounds to enhance their inhibitory activity and selectivity against hCA VII and cathepsin S and to achieve new compounds with an attractive dual mechanism of action as anti-neuropathic agents.

A Combined in Silico and Structural Study Opens New Perspectives on Aliphatic Sulfonamides, a Still Poorly Investigated Class of CA Inhibitors

Aliphatic sulfonamides are an interesting class of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) proven to be effective for several carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms involved in pathologic states. Here we report the crystallographic structures of hCA II in complex with two aliphatic sulfonamides incorporating coumarin rings, which showed a good inhibition and selectivity for this isoform. Although these two molecules have a very similar chemical structure, differing only in the substitution of the two aliphatic hydrogen atoms with two fluorine atoms, they adopt a significantly different binding mode within the enzyme active site. Theoretical binding free energy calculations, performed to rationalize these data, showed that a delicate balance of electrostatic and steric effects modulate the protein-ligand interactions. Data presented here can be fruitfully used for the rational design of novel and effective isozyme-specific inhibitor molecules.

Recombinant human carbonic anhydrase VII: Purification, characterization, inhibition, and molecular docking studies

Human carbonic anhydrase VII (hCA VII), a cytosolic enzyme, defends against oxidative stress by preventing reactive oxygen species from forming. In our study, first, hCA VII was cloned into Escherichia coli (One Shot Mach1-T1R) strain by using cDNA of the human brain and successfully expressed. The integrity of the plasmid generated by colony PCR was checked, and after, for protein expression, the plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE-3) strain. hCA VII expression was observed after 6 h of isopropyl-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction. The fusion protein containing hexahistidine (6xHis) was purified with 7.02 EU/mg of specific activity, had 48.07% of purification yield, and approximately 21-folds using a ProbondTM nickel chelating resin affinity column. Then, both molecular mass determination and purity control of the purified recombinant enzyme was done by SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). The mass of the SUMO-hCA VII fusion protein was calculated as 46.77 kDa. As a result of Western blot analysis using anti-His G-HRP antibody, the fusion protein was detected as approximately 45 kDa. Furthermore, the characterization assays and in vitro inhibition studies were done for the recombinant enzyme. K_I values of these agents were found between 0.29 μM and 157.6 mM. Finally, molecular docking investigations of these antibiotics were undertaken to understand further the binding interactions on the active site of this recombinant enzyme.

Benzenesulfonamides Incorporating Hydantoin Moieties Effectively Inhibit Eukaryoticand Human Carbonic Anhydrases

A series of novel 1-(4-benzenesulfonamide)-3-alkyl/benzyl-hydantoin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for the inhibition of eukaryotic and human carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1). The prepared compounds were screened for their hCA inhibitory activities against three cytosolic isoforms as well as two β-CAs from fungal pathogens. The best inhibition was observed against hCA II and VII as well as Candida glabrata enzyme CgNce103. hCA I and Malassezia globosa MgCA enzymes were, on the other hand, less effectively inhibited by these compounds. The inhibitory potency of these compounds against CAs was found to be dependent on the electronic and steric effects of substituent groups on the N3-position of the hydantoin ring, which included alkyl, alkenyl and substituted benzyl moieties. The interesting results against CgNce103 make the compounds of interest for investigations in vivo as potential antifungals.

Biochemical, structural, and computational studies of a γ-carbonic anhydrase from the pathogenic bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei

•

Melioidosis is a severe disease caused Burkholderia pseudomallei.

•

γ-carbonic anhydrases (γ-CAs) have been recently introduced as novel antibacterial drug targets.

•

A new γ-CA from B. pseudomallei has been investigated by a multidisciplinary approach.

•

Obtained results provide an important starting point for developing new anti-melioidosis drugs.

Melioidosis is a severe disease caused by the highly pathogenic gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Several studies have highlighted the broad resistance of this pathogen to many antibiotics and pointed out the pivotal importance of improving the pharmacological arsenal against it. Since γ-carbonic anhydrases (γ-CAs) have been recently introduced as potential and novel antibacterial drug targets, in this paper, we report a detailed characterization of BpsγCA, a γ-CA from B. pseudomallei by a multidisciplinary approach. In particular, the enzyme was recombinantly produced and biochemically characterized. Its catalytic activity at different pH values was measured, the crystal structure was determined and theoretical pKa calculations were carried out. Results provided a snapshot of the enzyme active site and dissected the role of residues involved in the catalytic mechanism and ligand recognition. These findings are an important starting point for developing new anti-melioidosis drugs targeting BpsγCA.

Carbonic Anhydrases in Metazoan Model Organisms: Molecules, Mechanisms, and Physiology

During the past three decades, mice, zebrafish, fruit flies, and Caenorhabditis elegans have been the primary model organisms used for the study of various biological phenomena. These models have also been adopted and developed to investigate the physiological roles of carbonic anhydrases (CAs) and carbonic anhydrase-related proteins (CARPs). These proteins belong to eight CA families and are identified by Greek letters: α, β, γ, δ, ζ, η, θ, and ι. Studies using model organisms have focused on two CA families, α-CAs and β-CAs, which are expressed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with species-specific distribution patterns and unique functions. This review covers the biological roles of CAs and CARPs in light of investigations performed in model organisms. Functional studies demonstrate that CAs are not only linked to the regulation of pH homeostasis, the classical role of CAs but also contribute to a plethora of previously undescribed functions.

Tomato Prosystemin Is Much More than a Simple Systemin Precursor

Simple Summary

Prosystemin is a 200 amino acid precursor that releases, upon wounding and biotic attacks, an 18 amino acid peptide called Systemin. This peptide was traditionally considered as the principal actor of the resistance of tomato plants induced by triggering multiple defense pathways in response to a wide range of biotic/abiotic stress agents. Recent findings from our group discovered the disordered structure of Prosystemin that promotes the binding of different molecular partners and the possible activation of multiple stress-related pathways. All of our recent findings suggest that Prosystemin could be more than a simple precursor of Systemin peptide. Indeed, we hypothesized that it contains other sequences able to activate multiple stress-related responses. To verify this hypothesis, we produced a truncated Prosystemin protein deprived of the Systemin peptide and the relative deleted gene. Experiments with transgenic tomato plants overexpressing the truncated Prosystemin and with plants exogenously treated with the recombinant truncated protein demonstrated that both transgenic and treated plants modulated the expression of defense-related genes and were protected against a noctuid moth and a fungal pathogen. Taken together, our results demonstrated that Prosystemin is not a mere scaffold of Systemin, but itself contains other biologically active regions.

Abstract

Systemin (Sys) is an octadecapeptide, which upon wounding, is released from the carboxy terminus of its precursor, Prosystemin (ProSys), to promote plant defenses. Recent findings on the disordered structure of ProSys prompted us to investigate a putative biological role of the whole precursor deprived of the Sys peptide. We produced transgenic tomato plants expressing a truncated ProSys gene in which the exon coding for Sys was removed and compared their defense response with that induced by the exogenous application of the recombinant truncated ProSys (ProSys_(1-178), the Prosystemin sequence devoid of Sys region). By combining protein structure analyses, transcriptomic analysis, gene expression profiling and bioassays with different pests, we demonstrate that truncated ProSys promotes defense barriers in tomato plants through a hormone-independent defense pathway, likely associated with the production of oligogalacturonides (OGs). Both transgenic and plants treated with the recombinant protein showed the modulation of the expression of genes linked with defense responses and resulted in protection against the lepidopteran pest Spodoptera littoralis and the fungus Botrytis cinerea. Our results suggest that the overall function of the wild-type ProSys is more complex than previously shown, as it might activate at least two tomato defense pathways: the well-known Sys-dependent pathway connected with the induction of jasmonic acid biosynthesis and the successive activation of a set of defense-related genes, and the ProSys_(1-178)-dependent pathway associated with OGs production leading to the OGs mediate plant immunity.

Nitrous anhydrase activity of carbonic anhydrase II: cysteine is required for nitric oxide (NO) dependent phosphorylation of VASP in human platelets

The carbonic anhydrase (CA) family does not only catalyse the reversible hydration of CO₂ to bicarbonate, but it also possesses esterase and phosphatase activity. Recently, bovine CA II and human CA II have been reported to convert inorganic nitrite (O=N-O⁻) to nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous anhydride (N₂O₃). Given the ability of NO to mediate vasodilation and inhibit platelet aggregation, this CA II activity would represent a bioactivation of nitrite. There are contradictory reports in the literature and the physiological role of CA II nitrite bioactivation is still disputed. Here, we provide new experimental data in support of the nitrous anhydrase activity of CA II and the key role L-cysteine in the bioactivation of nitrite by CA II. Using washed human platelets and by measuring VASP phosphorylation we provide evidence that exogenous nitrite (10 µM) is bioactivated to NO in a manner strongly depending on L-cysteine (100 and 200 µM). The process is not inhibitable by acetazolamide, a potent CA inhibitor. The contradictory results of recently published studies in this area are thoroughly discussed.

Emerging role of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) was clinically exploited for decades, as most modern diuretics were obtained considering as lead molecule acetazolamide, the prototypical CA inhibitor (CAI). The discovery and characterization of multiple human CA (hCA) isoforms, 15 of which being known today, led to new applications of their inhibitors. They include widely clinically used antiglaucoma, antiepileptic and antiobesity agents, antitumor drugs in clinical development, as well as drugs for the management of acute mountain sickness and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Emerging roles of several CA isoforms in areas not generally connected to these enzymes were recently documented, such as in neuropathic pain, cerebral ischemia, rheumatoid arthritis, oxidative stress and Alzheimer's disease. Proof-of-concept studies thus emerged by using isoform-selective inhibitors, which may lead to new clinical applications in such areas. Relevant preclinical models are available for these pathologies due to the availability of isoform-selective CAIs for all human isoforms, belonging to novel classes of compounds, such as coumarins, sulfocoumarins, dithiocarbamates, benzoxaboroles, apart the classical sulfonamide inhibitors. The inhibition of CAs from pathogenic bacteria, fungi, protozoans or nematodes started recently to be considered for obtaining anti-infectives with a new mechanism of action.

Human carbonic anhydrases and post-translational modifications: a hidden world possibly affecting protein properties and functions

Human carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have become a well-recognized target for the design of inhibitors and activators with biomedical applications. Accordingly, an enormous amount of literature is available on their biochemical, functional and structural aspects. Nevertheless post-translational modifications (PTMs) occurring on these enzymes and their functional implications have been poorly investigated so far. To fill this gap, in this review we have analysed all PTMs occurring on human CAs, as deriving from the search in dedicated databases, showing a widespread occurrence of modification events in this enzyme family. By combining these data with sequence alignments, inspection of 3 D structures and available literature, we have summarised the possible functional implications of these PTMs. Although in some cases a clear correlation between a specific PTM and the CA function has been highlighted, many modification events still deserve further dedicated studies.

Investigation of pesticides on honey bee carbonic anhydrase inhibition

Carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) plays crucial physiological roles in many different organisms, such as in pH regulation, ion transport, and metabolic processes. CA was isolated from the European bee Apis mellifera (AmCA) spermatheca and inhibitory effects of pesticides belonging to various classes, such as carbamates, thiophosphates, and pyrethroids, were investigated herein. The inhibitory effects of methomyl, oxamyl, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and diazinon on AmCA were analysed. These pesticides showed effective in vitro inhibition of the enzyme, at sub-micromolar levels. The IC50 values for these pesticides ranged between of 0.0023 and 0.0385 μM. The CA inhibition mechanism with these compounds is unknown at the moment, but most of them contain ester functionalities which may be hydrolysed by the enzyme with the formation of intermediates that can either react with amino acid residues or bid to the zinc ion from the active site.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of carbohydrate-based sulphonamide derivatives as topical antiglaucoma agents through selective inhibition of carbonic anhydrase II

A series of new carbohydrate-based sulphonamide derivatives were designed, synthesised by employing the so-call ‘sugar-tail’ approach. The compounds were evaluated in vitro against a panel of CAs. Compared to their parent compound p-sulfamoylbenzoic acid, these compounds showed nearly 100-fold improvement in their binding affinities against hCA II in vitro. All of compounds showed great water solubility and the pH value of their water solutions of compounds is 7.0. Such properties are advantageous to make them much less irritating to the eye when applied topical glaucomatous drugs, compared to the relatively highly acidic dorzolamide preparations (pH 5.5). Notably, compounds 7d, 7 g, 7 h demonstrated to topically lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucomatous animals better than brinzolamide when applied as a 1% solution directly into the eye. Low cytotoxicity on human cornea epithelial cell was observed in the tested concentrations by the MTT assay.

Novel benzoyl thioureido benzene sulfonamides as highly potent and selective inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase IX: optimization and bioactive studies

CA IX has attracted much attention as a promising target for the development of new anticancer agents. In this study, a series of sulfonamide derivatives were designed and synthesized as potential CA IX inhibitors from a lead compound (benzoyl thioureido benzene sulfonamide) discovered by virtual screening. The bioassay demonstrated that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activity against CA IX in the subnanomolar range and high selectivity over isozymes CA I and CA II. Among them, compound 6a displayed inhibitory activity against CA IX with an IC50 value of 0.48 nM and about 1500-fold selectivity over CA II. The structure-activity relationship and CA IX selectivity of the new sulfonamide derivatives were also analyzed by molecular docking.

Protective Role of Carbonic Anhydrases III and VII in Cellular Defense Mechanisms upon Redox Unbalance

Under oxidative stress conditions, several constitutive cellular defense systems are activated, which involve both enzymatic systems and molecules with antioxidant properties such as glutathione and vitamins. In addition, proteins containing reactive sulfhydryl groups may eventually undergo reversible redox modifications whose products act as protective shields able to avoid further permanent molecular oxidative damage either in stressful conditions or under pathological circumstances. After the recovery of normal redox conditions, the reduced state of protein sulfhydryl groups is restored. In this context, carbonic anhydrases (CAs) III and VII, which are human metalloenzymes catalyzing the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and proton, have been identified to play an antioxidant role in cells where oxidative damage occurs. Both proteins are mainly localized in tissues characterized by a high rate of oxygen consumption, and contain on their molecular surface two reactive cysteine residues eventually undergoing S-glutathionylation. Here, we will provide an overview on the molecular and functional features of these proteins highlighting their implications into molecular processes occurring during oxidative stress conditions.

Molecular Basis of Human Sperm Capacitation

In the early 1950s, Austin and Chang independently described the changes that are required for the sperm to fertilize oocytes in vivo. These changes were originally grouped under name of “capacitation” and were the first step in the development of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in humans. Following these initial and fundamental findings, a remarkable number of observations led to characterization of the molecular steps behind this process. The discovery of certain sperm-specific molecules and the possibility to record ion currents through patch-clamp approaches helped to integrate the initial biochemical observation with the activity of ion channels. This is of particular importance in the male gamete due to the fact that sperm are transcriptionally inactive. Therefore, sperm must control all these changes that occur during their transit through the male and female reproductive tracts by complex signaling cascades that include post-translational modifications. This review is focused on the principal molecular mechanisms that govern human sperm capacitation with particular emphasis on comparing all the reported pieces of evidence with the mouse model.

The Crystal Structure of a hCA VII Variant Provides Insights into the Molecular Determinants Responsible for Its Catalytic Behavior

Although important progress has been achieved in understanding the catalytic mechanism of Carbonic Anhydrases, a detailed picture of all factors influencing the catalytic efficiency of the various human isoforms is still missing. In this paper we report a detailed structural study and theoretical pKa calculations on a hCA VII variant. The obtained data were compared with those already known for another thoroughly investigated cytosolic isoform, hCA II. Our structural studies show that in hCA VII the network of ordered water molecules, which connects the zinc bound solvent molecule to the proton shuttle His64, is altered compared to hCA II, causing a reduction of the catalytic efficiency. Theoretical calculations suggest that changes in solvent network are related to the difference in pKa of the proton shuttle in the two enzymes. The residue that plays a major role in determining the diverse pKa values of the proton shuttle is the one in position four, namely His for hCA II and Gly for hCA VII. This residue is located on the protein surface, outside of the active site cavity. These findings are in agreement with our previous studies that highlighted the importance of histidines on the protein surface of hCA II (among which His4) as crucial residues for the high catalytic efficiency of this isoform.

Prosystemin, a prohormone that modulates plant defense barriers, is an intrinsically disordered protein

Prosystemin, originally isolated from Lycopersicon esculentum, is a tomato pro-hormone of 200 aminoacid residues which releases a bioactive peptide of 18 aminoacids called Systemin. This signaling peptide is involved in the activation of defense genes in solanaceous plants in response to herbivore feeding damage. Using biochemical, biophysical and bioinformatics approaches we characterized Prosystemin, showing that it is an intrinsically disordered protein possessing a few secondary structure elements within the sequence. Plant treatment with recombinant Prosystemin promotes early and late plant defense genes, which limit the development and survival of Spodoptera littoralis larvae fed with treated plants.

Highly efficient DNA-free gene disruption in the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata by CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes

The Mediterranean fruitfly Ceratitis capitata (medfly) is an invasive agricultural pest of high economic impact and has become an emerging model for developing new genetic control strategies as an alternative to insecticides. Here, we report the successful adaptation of CRISPR-Cas9-based gene disruption in the medfly by injecting in vitro pre-assembled, solubilized Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) loaded with gene-specific single guide RNAs (sgRNA) into early embryos. When targeting the eye pigmentation gene white eye (we), a high rate of somatic mosaicism in surviving G0 adults was observed. Germline transmission rate of mutated we alleles by G0 animals was on average above 52%, with individual cases achieving nearly 100%. We further recovered large deletions in the we gene when two sites were simultaneously targeted by two sgRNAs. CRISPR-Cas9 targeting of the Ceratitis ortholog of the Drosophila segmentation paired gene (Ccprd) caused segmental malformations in late embryos and in hatched larvae. Mutant phenotypes correlate with repair by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) lesions in the two targeted genes. This simple and highly effective Cas9 RNP-based gene editing to introduce mutations in C. capitata will significantly advance the design and development of new effective strategies for pest control management.

Dual-tail approach to discovery of novel carbonic anhydrase IX inhibitors by simultaneously matching the hydrophobic and hydrophilic halves of the active site

Dual-tail approach was employed to design novel Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) IX inhibitors by simultaneously matching the hydrophobic and hydrophilic halves of the active site, which also contains a zinc ion as part of the catalytic center. The classic sulfanilamide moiety was used as the zinc binding group. An amino glucosamine fragment was chosen as the hydrophilic part and a cinnamamide fragment as the hydrophobic part in order to draw favorable interactions with the corresponding halves of the active site. In comparison with sulfanilamide which is largely devoid of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions with the two halves of the active site, the compounds so designed and synthesized in this study showed 1000-fold improvement in binding affinity. Most of the compounds inhibited the CA effectively with IC₅₀ values in the range of 7-152 nM. Compound 14e (IC₅₀: 7 nM) was more effective than the reference drug acetazolamide (IC₅₀: 30 nM). The results proved that the dual-tail approach to simultaneously matching the hydrophobic and hydrophilic halves of the active site by linking hydrophobic and hydrophilic fragments was useful for designing novel CA inhibitors. The effectiveness of those compounds was elucidated by both the experimental data and molecular docking simulations. This work laid a solid foundation for further development of novel CA IX inhibitors for cancer treatment.

Evaluation of selenide, diselenide and selenoheterocycle derivatives as carbonic anhydrase I, II, IV, VII and IX inhibitors

A series of selenides, diselenides and organoselenoheterocycles were evaluated as carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitors against the human (h) isoforms hCA I, II, IV, VII and IX, involved in a variety of diseases among which glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, epilepsy, arthritis and tumors etc. These investigated compounds showed inhibitory action against these isoforms and some of them were selective for inhibiting the cytosolic over the membrane-bound isoforms, thus making them interesting leads for the development of isoform-selective inhibitors.

Novel derivative of aminobenzenesulfonamide (3c) induces apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells through ROS generation and inhibits cell migration

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3^rd most common type of cancer worldwide. New anti-cancer agents are needed for treating late stage colorectal cancer as most of the deaths occur due to cancer metastasis. A recently developed compound, 3c has shown to have potent antitumor effect; however the mechanism underlying the antitumor effect remains unknown.

METHODS

3c-induced inhibition of proliferation was measured in the absence and presence NAC using MTT in HT-29 and SW620 cells and xCELLigence RTCA DP instrument. 3c-induced apoptotic studies were performed using flow cytometry. 3c-induced redox alterations were measured by ROS production using fluorescence plate reader and flow cytometry and mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry; NADPH and GSH levels were determined by colorimetric assays. Bcl2 family protein expression and cytochrome c release and PARP activation was done by western blotting. Caspase activation was measured by ELISA. Cell migration assay was done using the real time xCELLigence RTCA DP system in SW620 cells and wound healing assay in HT-29.

RESULTS

Many anticancer therapeutics exert their effects by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we demonstrate that 3c-induced inhibition of cell proliferation is reversed by the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, suggesting that 3c acts via increased production of ROS in HT-29 cells. This was confirmed by the direct measurement of ROS in 3c-treated colorectal cancer cells. Additionally, treatment with 3c resulted in decreased NADPH and glutathione levels in HT-29 cells. Further, investigation of the apoptotic pathway showed increased release of cytochrome c resulting in the activation of caspase-9, which in turn activated caspase-3 and -6. 3c also (i) increased p53 and Bax expression, (ii) decreased Bcl2 and BclxL expression and (iii) induced PARP cleavage in human colorectal cancer cells. Confirming our observations, NAC significantly inhibited induction of apoptosis, ROS production, cytochrome c release and PARP cleavage. The results further demonstrate that 3c inhibits cell migration by modulating EMT markers and inhibiting TGFβ-induced phosphorylation of Smad2 and Samd3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings thus demonstrate that 3c disrupts redox balance in colorectal cancer cells and support the notion that this agent may be effective for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Insights into the role of reactive sulfhydryl groups of Carbonic Anhydrase III and VII during oxidative damage

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) III and VII are two cytosolic isoforms of the α-CA family which catalyze the physiological reaction of carbon dioxide hydration to bicarbonate and proton. Despite these two enzymes share a 49% sequence identity and present a very similar three-dimensional structure, they show profound differences when comparing the specific activity for CO₂ hydration reaction, with CA VII being much more active than CA III. Recently, CA III and CA VII have been proposed to play a new role as scavenger enzymes in cells where oxidative damage occurs. Here, we will examine functional and structural features of these two isoforms giving insights into their newly proposed protective role against oxidative stress.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of N-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl/1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-4-(3-substitutedphenylureido) benzenesulfonamides as human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I, II, VII and XII inhibitors

A series of N-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl/1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-4-(3-substitutedphenylureido) benzenesulfonamide derivatives has been designed, synthesized and screened for their in vitro human carbonic anhydrase (hCA; EC 4.2.1.1) inhibition potential. These newly synthesized sulfonamide compounds were assessed against isoforms hCA I, II, VII and XII, with acetazolamide (AAZ) as a reference compound. The majority of these compounds were found quite weak inhibitor against all tested isoforms. Compound 15 showed a modest inhibition potency against hCA I (Ki = 73.7 μM) and hCA VII (Ki = 85.8 μM). Compounds 19 and 25 exhibited hCA II inhibition with Ki values of 96.0 μM and 87.8 μM, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that, although the synthesized derivatives have weak inhibitory potential towards all investigated isoforms, some of them may serve as lead molecules for the further development of selective inhibitors incorporating secondary sulfonamide functionalities, a class of inhibitors for which the inhibition mechanism is poorly understood.

Carbonic anhydrases are producers of S-nitrosothiols from inorganic nitrite and modulators of soluble guanylyl cyclase in human platelets

Nitric oxide (NO), S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and S-nitrosocysteine are highly potent signaling molecules, acting both by cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent mechanisms. The NO metabolite nitrite (NO2 (-)) is a major NO reservoir. Hemoglobin, xanthine oxidoreductase and carbonic anhydrase (CA) have been reported to reduce/convert nitrite to NO. We evaluated the role and the physiological importance of CA for an extra-platelet CA/nitrite/NO/cGMP pathway in human platelets. Authentic NO was analyzed by an NO-sensitive electrode. GSNO and GS(15)NO were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). cGMP was determined by LC-MS/MS or RIA. In reduced glutathione (GSH) containing aqueous buffer (pH 7.4), human and bovine erythrocytic CAII-mediated formation of GSNO from nitrite and GS(15)NO from (15)N-nitrite. In the presence of L-cysteine and GSH, this reaction was accompanied by NO release. Incubation of nitrite with bovine erythrocytic CAII and recombinant soluble guanylyl cyclase resulted in cGMP formation. Upon incubation of nitrite with bovine erythrocytic CAII and washed human platelets, cGMP and P-VASP(S239) were formed in the platelets. This study provides the first evidence that extra-platelet nitrite and erythrocytic CAII may modulate platelet function in a cGMP-dependent manner. The new nitrite-dependent CA activity may be a general principle and explain the cardioprotective effects of inorganic nitrite in the vasculature. We propose that nitrous acid (ONOH) is the primary CA-catalyzed reaction product of nitrite.

Prognostic value of carbonic anhydrase VII expression in colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancers. Carbonic anhydrase VII (CA7), a member of the CA gene family, was recently demonstrated to be expressed in several human tissues including colon. Nevertheless, the expression and clinical relevance of CA7 in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has not been investigated.

METHODS

Real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to determine CA7 expression in CRC clinical samples. The correlation of CA7 expression with clinicopathologic features was assessed in 228 patients from Luoyang, China (training cohort) and validated in 151 patients from Shanghai, China (validation cohort). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression analyses were used to estimate the association between CA7 expression and patients' survival.

RESULTS

CA7 expression was frequently downregulated in CRC tissues at both the mRNA and protein levels. Reduced expression of CA7 was significantly correlated with poor differentiation, positive lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stage and unfavorable clinical outcome not only in the training cohort but also in the validation set. Survival analysis indicated that patients with lower CA7 expression had a significantly shorter disease-specific survival (DSS) than those with higher CA7 expression. Importantly, further stage-based analyses revealed that decreased CA7 expression significantly predicted poor DSS and was an independent adverse prognostic indicator for patients with early stage tumors in both cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that decreased expression of CA7 correlates with disease progression and predicts poor prognosis in CRC, especially for patients with early stage tumors.

Crystal structure of the most catalytically effective carbonic anhydrase enzyme known, SazCA from the thermophilic bacterium Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense

Two thermostable α-carbonic anhydrases (α-CAs) isolated from thermophilic Sulfurihydrogenibium spp., namely SspCA (from S. yellowstonensis) and SazCA (from S. azorense), were shown in a previous work to possess interesting complementary properties. SspCA was shown to have an exceptional thermal stability, whereas SazCA demonstrated to be the most active α-CA known to date for the CO2 hydration reaction. Here we report the crystallographic structure of SazCA and the identification of the structural features responsible for its high catalytic activity, by comparing it with SspCA structure. These data are of relevance for the design of engineered proteins showing higher stability and catalytic activity than other α-CAs known to date.

Gender-dimorphic regulation of DJ1 and its interactions with metabolic proteins in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Regulation of DJ1 is associated with a number of human diseases. To determine the involvement of DJ1 in progression of diabetes in a gender-dependent manner, we investigated its tissue-specific expression in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male and female rats in this study. In animal experiments, females showed greater susceptibility towards developing diabetes because of lower insulin secretion and higher blood glucose levels as compared to male diabetic rats upon exposure to STZ. Immunoblotting confirmed sexually dimorphic regulation of DJ1 in various metabolic tissues such as the liver, pancreas and skeletal muscle. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the location as well as reinforced the gender-dependent expression of DJ1 in hepatic tissue. Co-immunoprecipitation assay identified several interacting proteins with DJ1 whose functions were shown to be involved in various metabolic pathways viz. antioxidative and stress defence system, protein and methionine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, urea metabolism, etc. Using GeneMANIA, a predictive web interface for gene functions, we showed for the first time that DJ1 may regulate T1DM via the JNK1 pathway, suggesting DJ1 interacts with other proteins from various metabolic pathways. We anticipate that the current data will provide insights into the aetiology of T1DM.

Probing the surface of human carbonic anhydrase for clues towards the design of isoform specific inhibitors

The alpha carbonic anhydrases (α-CAs) are a group of structurally related zinc metalloenzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of CO₂ to HCO₃⁻. Humans have 15 different α-CAs with numerous physiological roles and expression patterns. Of these, 12 are catalytically active, and abnormal expression and activities are linked with various diseases, including glaucoma and cancer. Hence there is a need for CA isoform specific inhibitors to avoid off-target CA inhibition, but due to the high amino acid conservation of the active site and surrounding regions between each enzyme, this has proven difficult. However, residues towards the exit of the active site are variable and can be exploited to design isoform selective inhibitors. Here we discuss and characterize this region of “selective drug targetability” and how these observations can be utilized to develop isoform selective CA inhibitors.

A class of sulfonamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitors with neuropathic pain modulating effects

A series of benzene sulfonamide carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitors which incorporate lipophilic 4-alkoxy- and 4-aryloxy moieties, together with several derivatives of ethoxzolamide and sulfanilamide are reported. These derivatives were investigated as inhibitors of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) of which multiple isoforms are known, and some appear to be involved in pain. These sulfonamides showed modest inhibition against the cytosolic isoform CA I, but were generally effective, low nanomolar CA II, VII, IX and XII inhibitors. X-ray crystallographic data for the adduct of several such sulfonamides with CA II allowed us to rationalize the good inhibition data. In a mice model of neuropathic pain induced by oxaliplatin, one of the strong CA II/VII inhibitors reported here induced a long lasting pain relieving effect, a fact never observed earlier. This is the first report of rationally designed sulfonamide CA inhibitors with pain effective modulating effects.

Importance of tryptophan nitration of carbonic anhydrase III for the morbidity of atopic dermatitis

The nitration of proteins results from the vigorous production of reactive nitrogen species in inflammatory disease. We previously reported the proteomic analysis of nitrated tryptophan residues in in vitro model cells for inflammatory diseases using a 6-nitrotryptophan-specific antibody. In this paper, we applied this method to the analysis of a disease model animal and identified the 6-nitrotryptophan-containing proteins in the skin of atopic dermatitis model mice (AD-NC/Nga mice). We found three nitrotryptophan-containing proteins, namely, carbonic anhydrase III (CAIII), α-enolase (α-ENO), and cytoskeletal keratin type II (KTII), and identified the positions of the nitrotryptophan residues in their amino acid sequences: Trp47 and Trp123 in CAIII, Trp365 in α-ENO, and Trp221 in KTII. Among these, the nitration of CAIII was increased not only in the lesional skin of AD-NC/Nga mice but also in the mice that did not present any symptoms. The in vitro nitration of purified CAIII by peroxynitrite reduced its CO2 hydratase activity in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, we found that CAIII was induced during the differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Furthermore, we found the presence of CAIII and the formation of 6-nitrotryptophan-containing proteins in both the lesional and the nonlesional sections of the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis through immunohistochemical staining. This study provides the first demonstration of the formation of 6-nitrotryptophan in human tissues and disease.

Mono- and di-halogenated histamine, histidine and carnosine derivatives are potent carbonic anhydrase I, II, VII, XII and XIV activators

Mono- and di-halogenated histamines, l-histidine methyl ester derivatives and carnosine derivatives incorporating chlorine, bromine and iodine were prepared and investigated as activators of five carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic hCA I, II and VII, and the transmembrane hCA XII and XIV. All of them were activated in a diverse manner by the investigated compounds, with a distinct activation profile.

Human carbonic anhydrase VII protects cells from oxidative damage

Human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) VII is a cytosolic enzyme with high carbon dioxide hydration activity. Recently, S-glutathionylation of two cysteine residues from the enzyme was revealed, suggesting a new role as oxygen radical scavenger. We analyzed the effect of native and tetramutated hCA VII (all cysteines mutated into serines) in a eukaryotic system by stressing cells with an oxidant agent. Results clearly show that native hCA VII can protect cells from oxidative damage by preventing the apoptosis cascade and that cysteines play a leading role in this process. Our findings definitively confirm hCA VII protective role toward oxidative insult.

Physiological functions of the alpha class of carbonic anhydrases

Carbonic anhydrases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide. These enzymes are of ancient origin as they are found in the deepest of branches of the evolutionary tree. Of the five different classes of carbonic anhydrases, the alpha class has perhaps received the most attention because of its role in human pathology. This review focuses on the physiological function of this class of carbonic anhydrases organized by their cellular location.

Carbonic anhydrases and brain pH in the control of neuronal excitability

H(+) ions are remarkably efficient modulators of neuronal excitability. This renders brain functions highly sensitive to small changes in pH which are generated "extrinsically" via mechanisms that regulate the acid-base status of the whole organism; and "intrinsically", by activity-induced transmembrane fluxes and de novo generation of acid-base equivalents. The effects of pH changes on neuronal excitability are mediated by diverse, largely synergistically-acting mechanisms operating at the level of voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels and gap junctions. In general, alkaline shifts induce an increase in excitability which is often intense enough to trigger epileptiform activity, while acidosis has the opposite effect. Brain pH changes show a wide variability in their spatiotemporal properties, ranging from long-lasting global shifts to fast and highly localized transients that take place in subcellular microdomains. Thirteen catalytically-active mammalian carbonic anhydrase isoforms have been identified, whereof 11 are expressed in the brain. Distinct CA isoforms which have their catalytic sites within brain cells and the interstitial fluid exert a remarkably strong influence on the dynamics of pH shifts and, consequently, on neuronal functions. In this review, we will discuss the various roles of H(+) as an intra- and extracellular signaling factor in the brain, focusing on the effects mediated by CAs. Special attention is paid on the developmental expression patterns and actions of the neuronal isoform, CA VII. Studies on the various functions of CAs will shed light on fundamental mechanisms underlying neuronal development, signaling and plasticity; on pathophysiological mechanisms associated with epilepsy and related diseases; and on the modes of action of CA inhibitors used as CNS-targeting drugs.

Structure-based screening for the discovery of new carbonic anhydrase VII inhibitors

Among the different mammalian isoforms of Carbonic Anhydrase, the hCA VII is mainly expressed in the brain where it is involved in several neurological diseases. Thereby hCA VII has been validated as an attractive target for the discovery of selective inhibitors for the treatment of epilepsy and neurological pain. To identify new chemical entities as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) targeting hCA VII, we used a structure-based approach. By means of LigandScout software we built pharmacophore models from crystal structures of two well-known CAIs in complex with hCA VII. A merged pharmacophore hypothesis has been obtained. Subsequently, a focused library of compounds was screened against pharmacophore model and the most interesting hits were docked into the crystal structure of hCA VII. As a result, we identified new compounds displaying significant CA inhibitory effects in the nanomolar range.

Neuronal carbonic anhydrase VII provides GABAergic excitatory drive to exacerbate febrile seizures

Brain carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are known to modulate neuronal signalling. Using a novel CA VII (Car7) knockout (KO) mouse as well as a CA II (Car2) KO and a CA II/VII double KO, we show that mature hippocampal pyramidal neurons are endowed with two cytosolic isoforms. CA VII is predominantly expressed by neurons starting around postnatal day 10 (P10). The ubiquitous isoform II is expressed in neurons at P20. Both isoforms enhance bicarbonate-driven GABAergic excitation during intense GABAA-receptor activation. P13-14 CA VII KO mice show behavioural manifestations atypical of experimental febrile seizures (eFS) and a complete absence of electrographic seizures. A low dose of diazepam promotes eFS in P13-P14 rat pups, whereas seizures are blocked at higher concentrations that suppress breathing. Thus, the respiratory alkalosis-dependent eFS are exacerbated by GABAergic excitation. We found that CA VII mRNA is expressed in the human cerebral cortex before the age when febrile seizures (FS) occur in children. Our data indicate that CA VII is a key molecule in age-dependent neuronal pH regulation with consequent effects on generation of FS.

Optimization of heterocyclic substituted benzenesulfonamides as novel carbonic anhydrase IX inhibitors and their structure activity relationship

In this study, starting from a lead compound discovered by virtual screening, a series of novel heterocyclic substituted benzenesulfonamides were designed and synthesized as new carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) inhibitors. Some compounds exhibited potent inhibitory effects against CA IX (in the low nanomolar range) as well as high selectivity against other carbonic anhydrase isozymes (CA I and CA II). The most potent and selective compound 27 could inhibit CA IX in the subnanomolar level with IC50 of 0.48 nM, which increased the potency by about 40-fold against CA IX compared with the lead compound 26, and presented more than 10(3) fold selectivity over CA I and CA II. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) based on the docking experiments further elucidated the effects of the compounds on the bioactivity and selectivity.

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase activity modifies the toxicity of doxorubicin and melphalan in tumour cells in vitro

Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is a hypoxia-regulated enzyme, overexpressed in many types of human cancer. CA IX is involved in pH homeostasis, contributing to extracellular acidification and tumourigenesis. Acidification of the extracellular milieu can impact upon cellular uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs by favouring weak acids (e.g. melphalan), but limiting access of weak bases (e.g. doxorubicin). We investigated whether alterations of CA IX activity affected anti-cancer drug uptake and toxicity. CA inhibitor acetazolamide (AZM) enhanced doxorubicin toxicity but reduced melphalan toxicity in cell lines that highly expressed CA IX under anoxic conditions (HT29 and MDA435 CA9/18). The toxicity changes reflected modification of passive drug uptake. AZM did not alter toxicity or uptake in cells with low CA IX activity (HCT116 and MDA435 EV1). AZM lowered intracellular pH in HT29 and MDA435 CA9/18 cells under anoxic conditions. CA IX activity has chemomodulatory properties and is an attractive target for anti-cancer therapy.