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Li M, Chen S, Wang Y, Zhang S, Song D, Tian R, Geng J, Wang L. Label-free high-precise nanopore detection of endopeptidase activity of anthrax lethal factor regulated by diverse conditions. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 219:114800. [PMID: 36274430 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Endopeptidase activity of anthrax lethal factor (aLF) prevents the destroy of anthracis spore intracellularly by host macrophages, meanwhile disables the signaling pathways extracellularly that leads to host lethality. Hence, inhibitory of this activity is expected to be an alternative option to cure anthrax infection. Herein, we fabricated a nanopore platform via transmembrane pore construction in vitro, which allows precise mimics, monitoring of intercellular proteinic transport and enables the quantitative detection of aLF endopeptidase activity towards MAPKK signaling protein at single molecule level. Next, we inhibited the aLF activity via screening approaches of protein-metal ion acquisition and other condition controlment (proton/hydroxide strength, adapted temperature, ionizing irradiation), which were identified by nanopore electrokinetic study. Upon the results, we found that Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+ collaborating with Zn2+ promote aLF activity efficiently. In contrary, Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+ have great inhibitory effect. Result further revealed that, the speed of aLF endopeptidase activity with different ions functions as the nanopore signal frequency in linear manner, which enables evident distinction of those divalent ions using this proteinase assay. We also found the higher strength of the proton or hydroxide, the higher the inhibitory to aLF activity. Besides, adapted temperature and γ-ray also play integral roles in inhibiting this activity. Our results lay experimental basis for accurate detection of aLF activity, meanwhile provide new direction to screening novel stimuli-responsive inhibitors specific to aLF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghan Li
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Med-X Center for Manufacturing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shanchuan Chen
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Yunjiao Wang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Shaoxia Zhang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, 400065, China
| | - Dandan Song
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, 400065, China
| | - Rong Tian
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Jia Geng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Med-X Center for Manufacturing, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China; Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China.
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2
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Omersa N, Podobnik M, Anderluh G. Inhibition of Pore-Forming Proteins. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:E545. [PMID: 31546810 PMCID: PMC6784129 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11090545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Perforation of cellular membranes by pore-forming proteins can affect cell physiology, tissue integrity, or immune response. Since many pore-forming proteins are toxins or highly potent virulence factors, they represent an attractive target for the development of molecules that neutralize their actions with high efficacy. There has been an assortment of inhibitors developed to specifically obstruct the activity of pore-forming proteins, in addition to vaccination and antibiotics that serve as a plausible treatment for the majority of diseases caused by bacterial infections. Here we review a wide range of potential inhibitors that can specifically and effectively block the activity of pore-forming proteins, from small molecules to more specific macromolecular systems, such as synthetic nanoparticles, antibodies, antibody mimetics, polyvalent inhibitors, and dominant negative mutants. We discuss their mechanism of inhibition, as well as advantages and disadvantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neža Omersa
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Marjetka Podobnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Gregor Anderluh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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3
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Chen AY, Adamek RN, Dick BL, Credille CV, Morrison CN, Cohen SM. Targeting Metalloenzymes for Therapeutic Intervention. Chem Rev 2019; 119:1323-1455. [PMID: 30192523 PMCID: PMC6405328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Metalloenzymes are central to a wide range of essential biological activities, including nucleic acid modification, protein degradation, and many others. The role of metalloenzymes in these processes also makes them central for the progression of many diseases and, as such, makes metalloenzymes attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Increasing awareness of the role metalloenzymes play in disease and their importance as a class of targets has amplified interest in the development of new strategies to develop inhibitors and ultimately useful drugs. In this Review, we provide a broad overview of several drug discovery efforts focused on metalloenzymes and attempt to map out the current landscape of high-value metalloenzyme targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allie Y Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Rebecca N Adamek
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Benjamin L Dick
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Cy V Credille
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Christine N Morrison
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Seth M Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California, San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
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Suryadi K, Shine N. Design and use of a novel substrate for simple, rapid, and specific early detection of anthrax infection. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207084. [PMID: 30412638 PMCID: PMC6226181 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis is a major biological warfare threat. The inhalation form of infection can kill quickly. While antibiotic treatment is effective, if diagnosis is delayed, the rapidly produced toxin may already be present in lethal amounts. This report describes a fast, sensitive, specific and accurate method for detection of active infection by Bacillus anthracis in plasma. One of the virulence factors, anthrax lethal factor, is an endopeptidase present in blood early in the infection. However, the use of peptidic substrates to detect endopetidases is problematic in plasma due to the presence of other proteases and the likelihood of nonspecific cleavage of the substrate. The fluorescently labeled peptide substrate MAPKKide Plus designed in this study is not cleaved by plasma proteases and thus is specific for lethal factor. Three detection strategies are described. Two include enrichment by capture from plasma using lethal factor antibody-coated microtiter plates or similarly coated immuno-tubes. The captured lethal factor is exposed to the MAPKKide Plus, and the amount of cleavage is determined either by HPLC or microplate reader. Concentration of lethal factor using the antibody-coated plates aplnd HPLC allows for detection of less than 5 pg lethal factor/ml of neat plasma after 2 hours of incubation. Using antibody-coated immuno-tubes, 20 pg lethal factor/ml plasma can be detected in 5 hours by a simple end point read of fluorescence in a microplate reader. For a third strategy, the substrate is added directly to diluted plasma, and cleavage is monitored by the increase in fluorescence as a function of time. The limit of detection by this simple method is 25 ng lethal factor/ml of plasma in 15 minutes, 5 ng/ml after 45 minutes, and <1 ng lethal factor/ml of plasma after 5 hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayana Suryadi
- Research and Development, List Biological Laboratories, Inc., Campbell, California, United States of America
| | - Nancy Shine
- Research and Development, List Biological Laboratories, Inc., Campbell, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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5
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Lahousse M, Park HC, Lee SC, Ha NR, Jung IP, Schlesinger SR, Shackelford K, Yoon MY, Kim SK. Inhibition of anthrax lethal factor by ssDNA aptamers. Arch Biochem Biophys 2018; 646:16-23. [PMID: 29580944 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2018.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is able to secrete the toxins protective antigen, edema factor and lethal factor. Due to the high level of secretion from the bacteria and its severe virulence, lethal factor (LF) has been sought as a biomarker for detecting bacterial infection and as an effective target to neutralize toxicity. In this study, we found three aptamers, and binding affinity was determined by fluorescently labeled aptamers. One of the aptamers exhibited high affinity, with a Kd value of 11.0 ± 2.7 nM, along with low cross reactivity relative to bovine serum albumin and protective antigen. The therapeutic functionality of the aptamer was examined by assessing the inhibition of LF protease activity against a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. The aptamer appears to be an effective inhibitor of LF with an IC50 value of 15 ± 1.5 μM and approximately 85% cell viability, suggesting that this aptamer provides a potential clue for not only development of a sensitive diagnostic device of B. anthracis infection but also the design of novel inhibitors of LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieke Lahousse
- The Institute of Biomedical Studies, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76798-7348, USA
| | - Hae-Chul Park
- Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Choon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Na-Reum Ha
- Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Pil Jung
- Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea
| | - Sara R Schlesinger
- The Institute of Biomedical Studies, and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76798-7348, USA
| | - Kaylin Shackelford
- Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, OK 74464, USA
| | - Moon-Young Yoon
- Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Kun Kim
- Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, OK 74464, USA.
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6
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Young CJ, Richard K, Beruar A, Lo SY, Siemann S. An investigation of the pH dependence of copper-substituted anthrax lethal factor and its mechanistic implications. J Inorg Biochem 2018; 182:1-8. [PMID: 29407865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Anthrax lethal factor (LF) is a zinc-dependent endopeptidase involved in the cleavage of proteins critical to the maintenance of host signaling pathways during anthrax infections. Although zinc is typically regarded as the native metal ion in vivo, LF is highly tolerant to metal substitution, with its replacement by copper yielding an enzyme (CuLF) 4.5-fold more active than the native zinc protein (at pH 7). The current study demonstrates that by careful choice of the buffer, ionic strength, pH and substrate, the activity ratio of CuLF and native LF can be increased to >40-fold. Using a fluorogenic LF substrate, such optimized assay conditions can be exploited to detect LF concentrations as low as 2 pM. In contrast to the zinc form, CuLF was found to be inhibited by bromide and iodide ions, to be resistant to metal loss under acidic conditions, and to display a sharp pH dependence with significantly shifted alkaline limb towards more acidic conditions. The alkaline limb in the enzyme's pH profile is suggested to originate from changes in the protonation state of the metal-bound water molecule which serves as the nucleophile in the catalytic mechanism. Based on these observations and studies on other zinc proteases, a minimal mechanism for LF is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin J Young
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kaitlin Richard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ananya Beruar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Suet Y Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stefan Siemann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
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7
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Turk BE. Exceptionally Selective Substrate Targeting by the Metalloprotease Anthrax Lethal Factor. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1111:189-203. [PMID: 30267305 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2018_273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The zinc-dependent metalloprotease anthrax lethal factor (LF) is the enzymatic component of a toxin thought to have a major role in Bacillus anthracis infections. Like many bacterial toxins, LF is a secreted protein that functions within host cells. LF is a highly selective protease that cleaves a limited number of substrates in a site-specific manner, thereby impacting host signal transduction pathways. The major substrates of LF are mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MKKs), which lie in the middle of three-component phosphorylation cascades mediating numerous functions in a variety of cells and tissues. How LF targets its limited substrate repertoire has been an active area of investigation. LF recognizes a specific sequence motif surrounding the scissile bonds of substrate proteins. X-ray crystallography of the protease in complex with peptide substrates has revealed the structural basis of selectivity for the LF cleavage site motif. In addition to having interactions proximal to the cleavage site, LF binds directly to a more distal region in its substrates through a so-called exosite interaction. This exosite has been mapped to a surface within a non-catalytic domain of LF with previously unknown function. A putative LF-binding site has likewise been identified on the catalytic domains of MKKs. Here we review our current state of understanding of LF-substrate interactions and discuss the implications for the design and discovery of inhibitors that may have utility as anthrax therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin E Turk
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Garland
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sebastian Loscher
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Matthew Bogyo
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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9
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Ambrose EA. Botulinum Neurotoxin, Tetanus Toxin, and Anthrax Lethal Factor Countermeasures. TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/7355_2016_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Rotondo CM, Marrone L, Goodfellow VJ, Ghavami A, Labbé G, Spencer J, Dmitrienko GI, Siemann S. Arginine-containing peptides as potent inhibitors of VIM-2 metallo-β-lactamase. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2015; 1850:2228-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Kurbanov EK, Chiu TL, Solberg J, Francis S, Maize KM, Fernandez J, Johnson RL, Hawkinson JE, Walters MA, Finzel BC, Amin EA. Probing the S2′ Subsite of the Anthrax Toxin Lethal Factor Using Novel N-Alkylated Hydroxamates. J Med Chem 2015; 58:8723-33. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elbek K. Kurbanov
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Ting-Lan Chiu
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Jonathan Solberg
- Institute
for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Subhashree Francis
- Institute
for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Kimberly M. Maize
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Jenna Fernandez
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Rodney L. Johnson
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Jon E. Hawkinson
- Institute
for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Michael A. Walters
- Institute
for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Barry C. Finzel
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Elizabeth Ambrose Amin
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
- Minnesota
Supercomputing Institute for Advanced Computational Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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Interactions between Autophagy and Bacterial Toxins: Targets for Therapy? Toxins (Basel) 2015; 7:2918-58. [PMID: 26248079 PMCID: PMC4549733 DOI: 10.3390/toxins7082918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a physiological process involved in defense mechanisms for clearing intracellular bacteria. The autophagic pathway is finely regulated and bacterial toxins interact with this process in a complex manner. Bacterial toxins also interact significantly with many biochemical processes. Evaluations of the effects of bacterial toxins, such as endotoxins, pore-forming toxins and adenylate cyclases, on autophagy could support the development of new strategies for counteracting bacterial pathogenicity. Treatment strategies could focus on drugs that enhance autophagic processes to improve the clearance of intracellular bacteria. However, further in vivo studies are required to decipher the upregulation of autophagy and potential side effects limiting such approaches. The capacity of autophagy activation strategies to improve the outcome of antibiotic treatment should be investigated in the future.
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Effects of metalloprotease anthrax lethal factor on its peptide-based inhibitor R9LF-1. Mol Cell Biochem 2015; 406:293-9. [PMID: 25981534 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-015-2447-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The metalloprotease lethal factor (LF) from Bacillus anthracis plays a vital role in anthrax toxin action, and thus becomes a target for anti-anthrax therapy. Following the guidelines based on existing metalloprotease inhibitors, we designed a 'first-generation' LF inhibitor R9LF-1. This inhibitor was shown to be very stable by itself in a wide range of pH and temperature and able to inhibit LF activity in vitro. However, as we reported previously in the presence of LF, this inhibitor was degraded to a small molecular weight species, resulting in a significantly decreased ability to protect MAPKK from cleavage by LF as well as to protect murine macrophages from lethal toxin. In order to elucidate this unusual phenomenon to build solid basis for high-efficiency LF inhibitor development, we performed extensive research to study the effect of LF on its peptide-based inhibitor. Effects of temperature and incubation period of time on generation of the smaller peptide (short version R9LF-1) by LF as well as its catalytic domain were analyzed. We found that LF degraded R9LF-1 with maximum efficiency in the pH range of 7.0-8.5, which correlates well with the range of LF enzymatic activity with its native substrate. The degradation showed a deviation from normal hyperbolic kinetics but a similarity to the kinetics profile of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction with positive cooperativity. The short version R9LF-1 had decreased inhibitory activity toward LF; surprisingly, BIAcore results suggested a better affinity for its binding to LF. In addition, R9LF-1 was not hydrolyzed by other common proteases, such as chymotrypsin and pepsin, suggesting hydrolysis of the bond between amino acid and hydroxamate groups is unique to LF. This study calls for caution when designing peptide-based LF inhibitors and when interpreting effects of these types of inhibitors.
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Ohanjanian L, Remy KE, Li Y, Cui X, Eichacker PQ. An overview of investigational toxin-directed therapies for the adjunctive management of Bacillus anthracis infection and sepsis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2015; 24:851-65. [PMID: 25920540 DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2015.1041587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sepsis with Bacillus anthracis infection has a very high mortality rate despite appropriate antibiotic and supportive therapies. Over the past 15 years, recent outbreaks in the US and in Europe, coupled with anthrax's bioterrorism weapon potential, have stimulated efforts to develop adjunctive therapies to improve clinical outcomes. Since lethal toxin and edema toxin (LT and ET) make central contributions to the pathogenesis of B. anthracis, these have been major targets in this effort. AREAS COVERED Here, the authors review different investigative biopharmaceuticals that have been recently identified for their therapeutic potential as inhibitors of LT or ET. Among these inhibitors are two antibody preparations that have been included in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and several more that have reached Phase I testing. Presently, however, many of these candidate agents have only been studied in vitro and very few tested in bacteria-challenged models. EXPERT OPINION Although a large number of drugs have been identified as potential therapeutic inhibitors of LT and ET, in most cases their testing has been limited. The use of the two SNS antibody therapies during a large-scale exposure to B. anthracis will be difficult. Further testing and development of agents with oral bioavailability and relatively long shelf lives should be a focus for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lernik Ohanjanian
- National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Critical Care Medicine Department , Building 10, Room 2C145, Bethesda, MD 20892 , USA +1 301 402 2914 ; +1 301 402 1213 ;
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Lo SY, Säbel CE, Mapletoft JP, Siemann S. Influence of chemical denaturants on the activity, fold and zinc status of anthrax lethal factor. Biochem Biophys Rep 2015; 1:68-77. [PMID: 29124135 PMCID: PMC5668564 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax lethal factor (LF) is a zinc-dependent endopeptidase which, through a process facilitated by protective antigen, translocates to the host cell cytosol in a partially unfolded state. In the current report, the influence of urea and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) on LF׳s catalytic function, fold and metal binding was assessed at neutral pH. Both urea and GdnHCl were found to inhibit LF prior to the onset of unfolding, with the inhibition by the latter denaturant being a consequence of its ionic strength. With the exception of demetallated LF (apoLF) in urea, unfolding, as monitored by tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy, was found to follow a two-state (native to unfolded) mechanism. Analysis of the metal status of LF with 4-(2-pyridylazoresorcinol) (PAR) following urea or GdnHCl exposure suggests the enzyme to be capable of maintaining its metal ion passed the observed unfolding transition in a chelator-inaccessible form. Although an increase in the concentration of the denaturants eventually allowed the chelator access to the protein׳s zinc ion, such process is not correlated with the release of the metal ion. Indeed, significant dissociation of the zinc ion from LF was not observed even at 6 M urea, and only high concentrations of GdnHCl (>3 M) were capable of inducing the release of the metal ion from the protein. Hence, the current study demonstrates not only the propensity of LF to tightly bind its zinc ion beyond the spectroscopically determined unfolding transition, but also the utility of PAR as a structural probe. Lethal factor (LF) is strongly inhibited by guanidine hydrochloride. Except of apoLF in urea, unfolding follows a two-state mechanism. LF shields and retains its zinc ion in an unfolded state. Pyridylazoresorcinol is a useful probe to assess metal accessibility and release.
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Key Words
- 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol
- CD, circular dichroism
- Chemical denaturants
- DPA, dipicolinic acid
- EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- EF, edema factor
- LF, anthrax lethal factor
- Lethal factor
- MWCO, molecular weight cut-off
- PA, protective antigen
- PAR, 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol
- Protein folding
- S-pNA, lethal factor substrate
- SASA, solvent-accessible surface area
- SOD, superoxide dismutase
- Tryptophan fluorescence
- Zinc
- ZnLF, zinc-containing lethal factor
- cps, counts per second
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Y. Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | - Crystal E. Säbel
- Bharti School of Engineering, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Stefan Siemann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
- Correspondence to: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6. Tel.: +1 705 675 1151; fax: +1 705 675 4844.
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Abstract
Resistance of important bacterial pathogens to common antimicrobial therapies and the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria are increasing at an alarming rate and constitute one of our greatest challenges in the combat of bacterial infection and accompanied diseases. The current shortage of effective drugs, lack of successful prevention measures and only a few new antibiotics in the clinical pipeline demand the development of novel treatment options and alternative antimicrobial therapies. Our increasing understanding of bacterial virulence strategies and the induced molecular pathways of the infectious disease provides novel opportunities to target and interfere with crucial pathogenicity factors or virulence-associated traits of the bacteria while bypassing the evolutionary pressure on the bacterium to develop resistance. In the past decade, numerous new bacterial targets for anti-virulence therapies have been identified, and structure-based tailoring of intervention strategies and screening assays for small-molecule inhibitors of such pathways were successfully established. In this chapter, we will take a closer look at the bacterial virulence-related factors and processes that present promising targets for anti-virulence therapies, recently discovered inhibitory substances and their promises and discuss the challenges, and problems that have to be faced.
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Lo SY, Säbel CE, Webb MI, Walsby CJ, Siemann S. High metal substitution tolerance of anthrax lethal factor and characterization of its active copper-substituted analogue. J Inorg Biochem 2014; 140:12-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2014.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Kaur M, Singh S, Bhatnagar R. Anthrax vaccines: present status and future prospects. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 12:955-70. [PMID: 23984963 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2013.814860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The management of anthrax remains a top priority among the biowarfare/bioterror agents. It was the Bacillus anthracis spore attack through the US mail system after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the USA that highlighted the potential of B. anthracis as a bioterrorism agent and the threat posed by its deliberate dissemination. These attacks invigorated the efforts toward understanding the anthrax pathogenesis and development of more comprehensive medical intervention strategies for its containment in case of both natural disease and manmade, accidental or deliberate infection of a non-suspecting population. Currently, efforts are directed toward the development of safe and efficacious vaccines as well as intervention tools for controlling the disease in the advanced fulminant stage when toxemia has already developed. This work presents an overview of the current understanding of anthrax pathogenesis and recent advances made, particularly after 2001, for the successful management of anthrax and outlines future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet Kaur
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, Delhi, India
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Santiesteban OJ, Kaittanis C, Perez JM. Identification of toxin inhibitors using a magnetic nanosensor-based assay. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2014; 10:1202-1211. [PMID: 24339142 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201301824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A magnetic nanosensor-based method is described to screen a library of drugs for potential binding to toxins. Screening is performed by measuring changes in the magnetic relaxation signal of the nanosensors (bMR nanosensors) in aqueous suspension upon addition of the toxin. The Anthrax lethal factor (ALF) is selected as a model toxin to test the ability of our bMR nanosensor-based screening method to identify potential inhibitors of the toxin. Out of 30 molecules screened, sulindac, naproxen and fusaric acid are found to bind LF, with dissociation constants in the low micromolar range. Further biological analysis of the free molecules in solution indicate that sulindac and its metabolic products inhibited LF cytotoxicity to macrophages with IC50 values in the micromolar range. Meanwhile, fusaric acid is found to be less effective at inhibiting LF cytotoxicity, while naproxen does not inhibit LF toxicity. Most importantly, when the sulindac and fusaric acid-bMR nanosensors themselves are tested as LF inhibitors, as opposed to the corresponding free molecules, they are stronger inhibitors of LF with IC50 values in the nanomolar range. Taken together, these studies show that a bMR nanosensors-based assay can be used to screen known drugs and other small molecules for inhibitor of toxins. The method can be easily modified to screen for inhibitors of other molecular interactions and not only the selected free molecule can be study as potential inhibitors but also the bMR nanosensors themselves achieving greater inhibitory potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar J Santiesteban
- NanoScience Technology Center, 12424 Research Parway, Suite 400, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA; Department of Chemistry, 4111 Libra Drive, Physical Sciences Bld, Room 255, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32826, USA
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Identification of exosite-targeting inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor by high-throughput screening. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 19:875-82. [PMID: 22840775 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2012.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protease inhibitor discovery has focused almost exclusively on compounds that bind to the active site. Inhibitors targeting protease exosites, regions outside of the active site that influence catalysis, offer potential advantages of increased specificity but are difficult to systematically discover. Here, we describe an assay suitable for detecting exosite-targeting inhibitors of the metalloproteinase anthrax lethal factor (LF) based on cleavage of a full-length mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) substrate. We used this assay to screen a small-molecule library and then subjected hits to a secondary screen to exclude compounds that efficiently blocked cleavage of a peptide substrate. We identified a compound that preferentially inhibited cleavage of MKKs compared with peptide substrates and could suppress LF-induced macrophage cytolysis. This approach should be generally applicable to the discovery of exosite-targeting inhibitors of many additional proteases.
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21
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Structure-based pharmacophore modeling and virtual screening to identify novel inhibitors for anthrax lethal factor. Med Chem Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00044-014-0947-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Present-day rational drug design approaches are based on exploiting unique features of the target biomolecules, small- or macromolecule drug candidates and physical forces that govern their interactions. The 2013 Nobel Prize in chemistry awarded 'for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems' once again demonstrated the importance of the tailored drug discovery that reduces the role of the trial-and-error approach to a minimum. The intentional dissemination of Bacillus anthracis spores in 2001 via the so-called anthrax letters has led to increased efforts, politically and scientifically, to develop medical countermeasures that will protect people from the threat of anthrax bioterrorism. AREAS COVERED This article provides an overview of the recent rational drug design approaches for discovering inhibitors of anthrax toxin. The review also directs the readers to the vast literature on the recognized advances and future possibilities in the field. EXPERT OPINION Existing options to combat anthrax toxin lethality are limited. With the only anthrax toxin inhibiting therapy (protective antigen-targeting with a monoclonal antibody, raxibacumab) approved to treat inhalational anthrax, the situation, in our view, is still insecure. Further, the FDA's animal rule for drug approval, which clears compounds without validated efficacy studies on humans, creates a high level of uncertainty, especially when a well-characterized animal model does not exist. Better identification and validation of anthrax toxin therapeutic targets at the molecular level as well as elucidation of the parameters determining the corresponding therapeutic windows are still necessary for more effective therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina M Nestorovich
- The Catholic University of America, Department of Biology , Washington, DC , USA +1 202 319 6723 ;
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Williams JD, Khan AR, Cardinale SC, Butler MM, Bowlin TL, Peet NP. Small molecule inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor toxin. Bioorg Med Chem 2013; 22:419-34. [PMID: 24290062 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Revised: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This manuscript describes the preparation of new small molecule inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis lethal factor. Our starting point was the symmetrical, bis-quinolinyl compound 1 (NSC 12155). Optimization of one half of this molecule led to new LF inhibitors that were desymmetrized to afford more drug-like compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Williams
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Atiyya R Khan
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Steven C Cardinale
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Michelle M Butler
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Terry L Bowlin
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States
| | - Norton P Peet
- Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States; Microbiotix, Inc., Department of Molecular Biology, One Innovation Drive, Worcester, MA 01605, United States.
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Beitzinger C, Bronnhuber A, Duscha K, Riedl Z, Huber-Lang M, Benz R, Hajós G, Barth H. Designed azolopyridinium salts block protective antigen pores in vitro and protect cells from anthrax toxin. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66099. [PMID: 23840407 PMCID: PMC3688708 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several intracellular acting bacterial protein toxins of the AB-type, which are known to enter cells by endocytosis, are shown to produce channels. This holds true for protective antigen (PA), the binding component of the tripartite anthrax-toxin of Bacillus anthracis. Evidence has been presented that translocation of the enzymatic components of anthrax-toxin across the endosomal membrane of target cells and channel formation by the heptameric/octameric PA63 binding/translocation component are related phenomena. Chloroquine and some 4-aminoquinolones, known as potent drugs against Plasmodium falciparium infection of humans, block efficiently the PA63-channel in a dose dependent way. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we demonstrate that related positively charged heterocyclic azolopyridinium salts block the PA63-channel in the µM range, when both, inhibitor and PA63 are added to the same side of the membrane, the cis-side, which corresponds to the lumen of acidified endosomal vesicles of target cells. Noise-analysis allowed the study of the kinetics of the plug formation by the heterocycles. In vivo experiments using J774A.1 macrophages demonstrated that the inhibitors of PA63-channel function also efficiently block intoxication of the cells by the combination lethal factor and PA63 in the same concentration range as they block the channels in vitro. Conclusions/Significance These results strongly argue in favor of a transport of lethal factor through the PA63-channel and suggest that the heterocycles used in this study could represent attractive candidates for development of novel therapeutic strategies against anthrax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Beitzinger
- Rudolf-Virchow-Center, DFG-Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anika Bronnhuber
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kerstin Duscha
- Rudolf-Virchow-Center, DFG-Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Riedl
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Markus Huber-Lang
- Institute of Traumatology, Hand- and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Roland Benz
- Rudolf-Virchow-Center, DFG-Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- * E-mail: (RB); (HB)
| | - György Hajós
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Holger Barth
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ulm Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
- * E-mail: (RB); (HB)
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Montpellier LH, Siemann S. Effect of pH on the catalytic function and zinc content of native and immobilized anthrax lethal factor. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:317-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2012] [Revised: 11/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Chiu TL, Amin EA. Development of a comprehensive, validated pharmacophore hypothesis for anthrax toxin lethal factor (LF) inhibitors using genetic algorithms, Pareto scoring, and structural biology. J Chem Inf Model 2012; 52:1886-97. [PMID: 22697455 PMCID: PMC3477282 DOI: 10.1021/ci300121p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The anthrax toxin lethal factor (LF), an 89-kDa zinc hydrolase secreted by the bacilli, is the toxin component chiefly responsible for pathogenesis and has been a popular target for rational and structure-based drug design. Although hundreds of small-molecule compounds have been designed to target the LF active site, relatively few reported inhibitors have exhibited activity in cell-based assays, and no LF inhibitor is currently available to treat or prevent anthrax. This study presents a new pharmacophore map assembly, validated by experiment, designed to rapidly identify and prioritize promising LF inhibitor scaffolds from virtual compound libraries. The new hypothesis incorporates structural information from all five available LF enzyme-inhibitor complexes deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and is the first LF pharmacophore map reported to date that includes features representing interactions involving all three key subsites of the LF catalytic binding region. In a wide-ranging validation study on all 546 compounds for which published LF biological activity data exist, this model displayed strong selectivity toward nanomolar-level LF inhibitors, successfully identifying 72.1% of existing nanomolar-level compounds in an unbiased test set, while rejecting 100% of weakly active (>100 μM) compounds. In addition to its capabilities as a database searching tool, this comprehensive model points to a number of key design principles and previously unidentified ligand-receptor interactions that are likely to influence compound potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Lan Chiu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Minnesota Supercomputing Institute for Advanced Computational Research, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Elizabeth A. Amin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Minnesota Supercomputing Institute for Advanced Computational Research, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
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Inhibition of anthrax lethal factor: lability of hydroxamate as a chelating group. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 94:1041-9. [PMID: 22270239 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-3893-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 01/02/2012] [Accepted: 01/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The metalloprotease activity of lethal factor (LF) from Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) is a main source of toxicity in the lethality of anthrax infection. Thus, the understanding of the enzymatic activity and inhibition of B. anthracis LF is of scientific and clinical interests. We have designed, synthesized, and studied a peptide inhibitor of LF, R9LF-1, with the structure NH(2)-(D: -Arg)(9)-Val-Leu-Arg-CO-NHOH in which the C-terminal hydroxamic acid is commonly used in the inhibitors of metalloproteases to chelate the active-site zinc. This inhibitor was shown to be very stable in solution and effectively inhibited LF in kinetic assays. However, its protection on murine macrophages against lethal toxin's lysis activity was relatively weak in longer assays. We further observed that the hydroxamic acid group in R9LF-1 was hydrolyzed by LF, and the hydrolytic product of this inhibitor is considerably weaker in inhibition of potency. To resist this unique hydrolytic activity of LF, we further designed a new inhibitor R9LF-2 which contained the same structure as R9LF-1 except replacing the hydroxamic acid group with N,O-dimethyl hydroxamic acid (DMHA), -N(CH(3))-O-CH(3). R9LF-2 was not hydrolyzed by LF in long-term incubation. It has a high inhibitory potency vs. LF with an inhibition constant of 6.4 nM had a better protection of macrophages against LF toxicity than R9LF-1. These results suggest that in the development of new LF inhibitors, the stability of the chelating group should be carefully examined and that DMHA is a potentially useful moiety to be used in new LF inhibitors.
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Upadhyayula VKK. Functionalized gold nanoparticle supported sensory mechanisms applied in detection of chemical and biological threat agents: a review. Anal Chim Acta 2011; 715:1-18. [PMID: 22244163 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2011.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Revised: 12/05/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
There is a great necessity for development of novel sensory concepts supportive of smart sensing capabilities in defense and homeland security applications for detection of chemical and biological threat agents. A smart sensor is a detection device that can exhibit important features such as speed, sensitivity, selectivity, portability, and more importantly, simplicity in identifying a target analyte. Emerging nanomaterial based sensors, particularly those developed by utilizing functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as a sensing component potentially offer many desirable features needed for threat agent detection. The sensitiveness of physical properties expressed by GNPs, e.g. color, surface plasmon resonance, electrical conductivity and binding affinity are significantly enhanced when they are subjected to functionalization with an appropriate metal, organic or biomolecular functional groups. This sensitive nature of functionalized GNPs can be potentially exploited in the design of threat agent detection devices with smart sensing capabilities. In the presence of a target analyte (i.e., a chemical or biological threat agent) a change proportional to concentration of the analyte is observed, which can be measured either by colorimetric, fluorimetric, electrochemical or spectroscopic means. This article provides a review of how functionally modified gold colloids are applied in the detection of a broad range of threat agents, including radioactive substances, explosive compounds, chemical warfare agents, biotoxins, and biothreat pathogens through any of the four sensory means mentioned previously.
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Characterization of MtfA, a novel regulatory output signal protein of the glucose-phosphotransferase system in Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol 2011; 194:1024-35. [PMID: 22178967 DOI: 10.1128/jb.06387-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucose-phosphotransferase system (PTS) in Escherichia coli K-12 is a complex sensory and regulatory system. In addition to its central role in glucose uptake, it informs other global regulatory networks about carbohydrate availability and the physiological status of the cell. The expression of the ptsG gene encoding the glucose-PTS transporter EIICB(Glc) is primarily regulated via the repressor Mlc, whose inactivation is glucose dependent. During transport of glucose and dephosphorylation of EIICB(Glc), Mlc binds to the B domain of the transporter, resulting in derepression of several Mlc-regulated genes. In addition, Mlc can also be inactivated by the cytoplasmic protein MtfA in a direct protein-protein interaction. In this study, we identified the binding site for Mlc in the carboxy-terminal region of MtfA by measuring the effect of mutated MtfAs on ptsG expression. In addition, we demonstrated the ability of MtfA to inactivate an Mlc super-repressor, which cannot be inactivated by EIICB(Glc), by using in vivo titration and gel shift assays. Finally, we characterized the proteolytic activity of purified MtfA by monitoring cleavage of amino 4-nitroanilide substrates and show Mlc's ability to enhance this activity. Based on our findings, we propose a model of MtfA as a glucose-regulated peptidase activated by cytoplasmic Mlc. Its activity may be necessary during the growth of cultures as they enter the stationary phase. This proteolytic activity of MtfA modulated by Mlc constitutes a newly identified PTS output signal that responds to changes in environmental conditions.
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Säbel CE, Carbone R, Dabous JR, Lo SY, Siemann S. Preparation and characterization of cobalt-substituted anthrax lethal factor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2011; 416:106-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2011] [Accepted: 11/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Dumetz F, Jouvion G, Khun H, Glomski IJ, Corre JP, Rougeaux C, Tang WJ, Mock M, Huerre M, Goossens PL. Noninvasive imaging technologies reveal edema toxin as a key virulence factor in anthrax. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2011; 178:2523-35. [PMID: 21641378 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2010] [Revised: 01/25/2011] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Powerful noninvasive imaging technologies enable real-time tracking of pathogen-host interactions in vivo, giving access to previously elusive events. We visualized the interactions between wild-type Bacillus anthracis and its host during a spore infection through bioluminescence imaging coupled with histology. We show that edema toxin plays a central role in virulence in guinea pigs and during inhalational infection in mice. Edema toxin (ET), but not lethal toxin (LT), markedly modified the patterns of bacterial dissemination leading, to apparent direct dissemination to the spleen and provoking apoptosis of lymphoid cells. Each toxin alone provoked particular histological lesions in the spleen. When ET and LT are produced together during infection, a specific temporal pattern of lesion developed, with early lesions typical of LT, followed at a later stage by lesions typical of ET. Our study provides new insights into the complex spatial and temporal effects of B. anthracis toxins in the infected host, suggesting a greater role than previously suspected for ET in anthrax and suggesting that therapeutic targeting of ET contributes to protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Dumetz
- Pathogenesis of Bacterial Toxi-Infections Laboratory, Pasteur Institute (Institut Pasteur), Paris, France
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32
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Fighting bacterial infections—Future treatment options. Drug Resist Updat 2011; 14:125-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2011.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2011] [Revised: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Li F, Terzyan S, Tang J. Subsite specificity of anthrax lethal factor and its implications for inhibitor development. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2011; 407:400-5. [PMID: 21396916 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Accepted: 03/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The lethal factor of Bacillus anthracis is a major factor for lethality of anthrax infection by this bacterium. With the aid of the protective antigen, lethal factor gains excess to the cell cytosol where it manifests toxicity as a metalloprotease. For better understanding of its specificity, we have determined its residue preferences of 19 amino acids in six subsites (from P3 to P3') as relative k(cat)/K(m) values (specificity constants). These results showed that lethal factor has a broad specificity with preference toward hydrophobic residues, but not charged or branched residues. The most preferred residues in these six subsites are, from P1 to P3', Trp, Leu, Met, Tyr, Pro, and Leu. The result of residue preference was used to design new substrates with superior hydrolytic characteristics and inhibitors with high potency. For better use of the new findings for inhibitor design, we have modeled the most preferred residues in the active site of lethal factor. The observed interactions provide new insights to future inhibitor designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Protein Studies, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
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Säbel CE, St-Denis S, Neureuther JM, Carbone R, Siemann S. Alkaline earth metals are not required for the restoration of the apoform of anthrax lethal factor to its holoenzyme state. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010; 403:209-13. [PMID: 21059339 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 11/02/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Anthrax lethal factor (LF) is a zinc-dependent metalloendopeptidase previously shown to require calcium and magnesium for the restoration of its catalytic function upon exposure of the apoprotein (apoLF) to Zn(2+). Since concrete Ca(2+)/Mg(2+) binding sites have not been identified in LF, the effects of alkaline earth metals on the enzymatic function of holoLF (ZnLF) and on the reconstitution of apoLF were reinvestigated. The current study reveals alkaline earth metals to be inhibitory at concentrations higher than 1mM. A combination of activity/inhibition assays and Tb(3+) luminescence spectroscopy was employed to unequivocally establish the presence of at least one inhibitory low-affinity Ca(2+)-site in LF. A comparative analysis of apoLF preparations obtained by dialysis and centrifugal filtration (following treatment of ZnLF with chelators) revealed the exposure of apoLF to low equimolar amounts of Zn(2+) to be sufficient for the full restoration of the protein's catalytic competence, a finding constistent with the picomolar dissociation constant of ZnLF determined in this study. The previously documented requirement of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) in apoLF reconstitution may be explicable on the basis of contamination of dialyzed apoprotein preparations with residual chelator, a phenomenon not encountered with apoLF obtained by centrifugal filtration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal E Säbel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6
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Kim J, Park HC, Gedi V, Park HY, Roberts AG, Atkins WM, Yoon MY. Yeast-hybrid based high-throughput assay for identification of anthrax lethal factor inhibitors. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010; 404:517-22. [PMID: 21144836 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor (LF) are currently being sought as effective therapeutics for the treatment of anthrax. Here we report a novel screening approach for inhibitors of LF, a yeast-hybrid-based assay system in which the expression of reporter genes from a Gal4 promoter is repressed by LF proteolytic activity. Yeast cells were co-transformed with LF and a chimeric transcription factor that contains an LF substrate sequence inserted between the DNA-binding and activation domains of Gal4. In the resulting yeast cells, LF cleaves the substrate, thus inactivating the chimeric Gal4 and resulting in lack of expression of reporter genes. Compounds that inhibit LF cleavage of its substrate are identified by changes in reporter gene activity. Relative to in vitro screens for inhibitors of LF proteolytic activity, this screen has the advantage of excluding compounds that are toxic or non-permeable to eukaryotic cells. Additionally, the screen has the advantage of being fast, easy and cheap because exogenous LF and substrate are not needed. An initial chemical library screen with this system has identified four candidate inhibitors which were confirmed to inhibit LF protease activity in an in vitro assay. Furthermore, FBS-00831, one of the compounds identified, protects Raw 264.7 macrophages from anthrax lethal toxin and the possible binding site on LF was also evaluated by molecular docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joungmok Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-761, South Korea
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36
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Residue histidine 669 is essential for the catalytic activity of Bacillus anthracis lethal factor. J Bacteriol 2010; 192:5799-805. [PMID: 20833809 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00485-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The lethal factor (LF) of Bacillus anthracis is a Zn(2+)-dependent metalloprotease which plays an important role in anthrax virulence. This study was aimed at identifying the histidine residues that are essential to the catalytic activities of LF. The site-directed mutagenesis was employed to replace the 10 histidine residues in domains II, III, and IV of LF with alanine residues, respectively. The cytotoxicity of these mutants was tested, and the results revealed that the alanine substitution for His-669 completely abolished toxicity to the lethal toxin (LT)-sensitive RAW264.7 cells. The reason for the toxicity loss was further explored. The zinc content of this LF mutant was the same as that of the wild type. Also this LF mutant retained its protective antigan (PA)-binding activity. Finally, the catalytic cleavage activity of this mutant was demonstrated to be drastically reduced. Thus, we conclude that residue His-669 is crucial to the proteolytic activity of LF.
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37
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Smith CR, Smith GK, Yang Z, Xu D, Guo H. Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical study of anthrax lethal factor catalysis. Theor Chem Acc 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00214-010-0765-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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38
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Belogurov A, Kozyr A, Ponomarenko N, Gabibov A. Catalytic antibodies: balancing between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bioessays 2010; 31:1161-71. [PMID: 19795406 DOI: 10.1002/bies.200900020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The immunoglobulin molecule is a perfect template for the de novo generation of biocatalytic functions. Catalytic antibodies, or abzymes, obtained by the structural mimicking of enzyme active sites have been shown to catalyze numerous chemical reactions. Natural enzyme analogs for some of these reactions have not yet been found or possibly do not exist at all. Nowadays, the dramatic breakthrough in antibody engineering and expression technologies has promoted a considerable expansion of immunoglobulin's medical applications and is offering abzymes a unique chance to become a promising source of high-precision "catalytic vaccines." At the same time, the discovery of natural abzymes on the background of autoimmune disease revealed their beneficial and pathogenic roles in the disease progression. Thus, the conflicting Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde protective and destructive essences of catalytic antibodies should be carefully considered in the development of therapeutic abzyme applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Belogurov
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 16/10, Moscow 117997, Russia
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39
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Chiu TL, Solberg J, Patil S, Geders TW, Zhang X, Rangarajan S, Francis R, Finzel BC, Walters MA, Hook DJ, Amin EA. Identification of novel non-hydroxamate anthrax toxin lethal factor inhibitors by topomeric searching, docking and scoring, and in vitro screening. J Chem Inf Model 2009; 49:2726-34. [PMID: 19928768 PMCID: PMC2805240 DOI: 10.1021/ci900186w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium. The lethal factor (LF) enzyme is secreted by B. anthracis as part of a tripartite exotoxin and is chiefly responsible for anthrax-related cytotoxicity. As LF can remain in the system long after antibiotics have eradicated B. anthracis from the body, the preferred therapeutic modality would be the administration of antibiotics together with an effective LF inhibitor. Although LF has garnered a great deal of attention as an attractive target for rational drug design, relatively few published inhibitors have demonstrated activity in cell-based assays and, to date, no LF inhibitor is available as a therapeutic or preventive agent. Here we present a novel in silico high-throughput virtual screening protocol that successfully identified 5 non-hydroxamic acid small molecules as new, preliminary LF inhibitor scaffolds with low micromolar inhibition against that target, resulting in a 12.8% experimental hit rate. This protocol screened approximately 35 million nonredundant compounds for potential activity against LF and comprised topomeric searching, docking and scoring, and drug-like filtering. Among these 5 hit compounds, none of which has previously been identified as a LF inhibitor, three exhibited experimental IC(50) values less than 100 microM. These three preliminary hits may potentially serve as scaffolds for lead optimization as well as templates for probe compounds to be used in mechanistic studies. Notably, our docking simulations predicted that these novel hits are likely to engage in critical ligand-receptor interactions with nearby residues in at least two of the three (S1', S1-S2, and S2') subsites in the LF substrate binding area. Further experimental characterization of these compounds is in process. We found that micromolar-level LF inhibition can be attained by compounds with non-hydroxamate zinc-binding groups that exhibit monodentate zinc chelation as long as key hydrophobic interactions with at least two LF subsites are retained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Lan Chiu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Jonathan Solberg
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Satish Patil
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0431
| | - Todd W. Geders
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Xia Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Subhashree Rangarajan
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Rawle Francis
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Barry C. Finzel
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Michael A. Walters
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Derek J. Hook
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
| | - Elizabeth A. Amin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414-2959
- Minnesota Supercomputing Institute for Advanced Computational Research, 117 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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40
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Tonello F, Montecucco C. The anthrax lethal factor and its MAPK kinase-specific metalloprotease activity. Mol Aspects Med 2009; 30:431-8. [PMID: 19665472 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2009.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Accepted: 07/30/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The anthrax lethal factor is a multi-domain protein toxin released by Bacillus anthracis which enters cells in a process mediated by the protective antigen and specific cell receptors. In the cytosol, the lethal factor cleaves the N-terminal tail of many MAPK kinases, thus deranging a major cell signaling pathway. The structural features at the basis of these activities of LF are reviewed here with particular attention to the proteolytic activity and to the identification of specific inhibitors. A significant similarity between the metalloprotease domain of the lethal factor and of that of the clostridial neurotoxins has been noted and is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorella Tonello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali, Istituto CNR di Neuroscienze, Università di Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Johnson SL, Chen LH, Barille E, Emdadi A, Sabet M, Yuan H, Wei J, Guiney D, Pellecchia M. Structure-activity relationship studies of a novel series of anthrax lethal factor inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2009; 17:3352-68. [PMID: 19359184 PMCID: PMC2730741 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2009.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2009] [Revised: 03/13/2009] [Accepted: 03/20/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We report on the identification of a novel small molecule inhibitor of anthrax lethal factor using a high-throughput screening approach. Guided by molecular docking studies, we carried out structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and evaluated activity and selectivity of most promising compounds in in vitro enzyme inhibition assays and cellular assays. Selected compounds were further analyzed for their in vitro ADME properties, which allowed us to select two compounds for further preliminary in vivo efficacy studies. The data provided represents the basis for further pharmacology and medicinal chemistry optimizations that could result in novel anti-anthrax therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherida L. Johnson
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Li-Hsing Chen
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Elisa Barille
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Aras Emdadi
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Mojgan Sabet
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hongbin Yuan
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Jun Wei
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Donald Guiney
- Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Burnham Institute for Medical Research, Cancer Research Center and Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center, 10901 North Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
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42
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Zakharova MY, Kuznetsov NA, Dubiley SA, Kozyr AV, Fedorova OS, Chudakov DM, Knorre DG, Shemyakin IG, Gabibov AG, Kolesnikov AV. Substrate recognition of anthrax lethal factor examined by combinatorial and pre-steady-state kinetic approaches. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:17902-13. [PMID: 19359249 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m807510200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Lethal factor (LF), a zinc-dependent protease of high specificity produced by Bacillus anthracis, is the effector component of the binary toxin that causes death in anthrax. New therapeutics targeting the toxin are required to reduce systemic anthrax-related fatalities. In particular, new insights into the LF catalytic mechanism will be useful for the development of LF inhibitors. We evaluated the minimal length required for formation of bona fide LF substrates using substrate phage display. Phage-based selection yielded a substrate that is cleaved seven times more efficiently by LF than the peptide targeted in the protein kinase MKK6. Site-directed mutagenesis within the metal-binding site in the LF active center and within phage-selected substrates revealed a complex pattern of LF-substrate interactions. The elementary steps of LF-mediated proteolysis were resolved by the stopped-flow technique. Pre-steady-state kinetics of LF proteolysis followed a four-step mechanism as follows: initial substrate binding, rearrangement of the enzyme-substrate complex, a rate-limiting cleavage step, and product release. Examination of LF interactions with metal ions revealed an unexpected activation of the protease by Ca(2+) and Mn(2+). Based on the available structural and kinetic data, we propose a model for LF-substrate interaction. Resolution of the kinetic and structural parameters governing LF activity may be exploited to design new LF inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Yu Zakharova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117997
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Incidences of antimicrobial-resistant infections have increased dramatically over the past several decades and are associated with adverse patient outcomes. Alternative approaches to combat infection are critical and have led to the development of more specific drugs targeted at particular bacterial virulence systems or essential regulatory pathways. The purpose of this review is to highlight the recent developments in antibacterial therapy and the novel approaches toward increasing our therapeutic armory against bacterial infection. RECENT FINDINGS Although classic antibiotic development is not occurring rapidly, alternative therapeutics that target specific bacterial virulence systems are progressing from the discovery stage through the Food and Drug Administration approval process. Here we review novel antibodies that target specific virulence systems as well as a variety of newly discovered small molecules that block bacterial attachment, communication systems (quorum sensing) or important regulatory processes associated with virulence gene expression. SUMMARY The success of novel therapeutics could significantly change clinical practice. Furthermore, the complications of collateral damage due to antibiotic administration, for example, suprainfections or decreased host immunity due to loss of synergistic bacterial communities, may be minimized using therapeutics that specifically target pathogenic behavior.
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Yang X, Chen E, Jiang H, Muszynski K, Harris RD, Giardina SL, Gromeier M, Mitra G, Soman G. Evaluation of IRES-mediated, cell-type-specific cytotoxicity of poliovirus using a colorimetric cell proliferation assay. J Virol Methods 2008; 155:44-54. [PMID: 18951922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2008.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2008] [Revised: 09/10/2008] [Accepted: 09/22/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PVS-RIPO is a recombinant oncolytic poliovirus designed for clinical application to target CD155 expressing malignant gliomas and other malignant diseases. PVS-RIPO does not replicate in healthy neurons and is therefore non-pathogenic in rodent and non-human primate models of poliomyelitis. A tetrazolium salt dye-based cellular assay was developed and qualified to define the cytotoxicity of virus preparations on susceptible cells and to explore the target cell specificity of PVS-RIPO. In this assay, PVS-RIPO inhibited proliferation of U87-MG astrocytoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. However, HEK293 cells were much less susceptible to cell killing by PVS-RIPO. In contrast, the Sabin type 1 live attenuated poliovirus vaccine strain (PV(1)S) was cytotoxic to both HEK293 and U87-MG cells. The correlation between expression of CD155 and cytotoxicity was also explored using six different cell lines. There was little or no expression of CD155 and PVS-RIPO-induced cytotoxicity in Jurkat and Daudi cells. HEK293 was the only cell line tested that showed CD155 expression and resistance to PVS-RIPO cytotoxicity. The results indicate that differential cytotoxicity measured by the colorimetric assay can be used to evaluate the cytotoxicity and cell-type specificity of recombinant strains of poliovirus and to demonstrate lot to lot consistency during the manufacture of viruses intended for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Yang
- Bioanalytical Development Laboratory, Biopharmaceutical Development Program, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., NCI Frederick, USA
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45
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Kim J, Yoon MY. ANTHRAX LETHAL FACTOR: CRITICAL VIRULENCE FACTOR OF PATHOGENESIS OF ANTHRAX TOXINS. TOXIN REV 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/15569540500320987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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46
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Jacobsen FE, Lewis JA, Cohen SM. The design of inhibitors for medicinally relevant metalloproteins. ChemMedChem 2008; 2:152-71. [PMID: 17163561 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.200600204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A number of metalloproteins are important medicinal targets for conditions ranging from pathogenic infections to cancer. Many but not all of these metalloproteins contain a zinc(II) ion in the protein active site. Small-molecule inhibitors of these metalloproteins are designed to bind directly to the active site metal ions. In this review several metalloproteins of interest are discussed, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), histone deacetylases (HDACs), anthrax lethal factor (LF), and others. Different strategies that have been employed to design effective inhibitors against these proteins are described, with an effort to highlight the strengths and drawbacks of each approach. An emphasis is placed on examining the bioinorganic chemistry of these metal active sites and how a better understanding of the coordination chemistry in these systems may lead to improved inhibitors. It is hoped that this review will help inspire medicinal, biological, and inorganic chemists to tackle this important problem by considering all aspects of metalloprotein inhibitor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith E Jacobsen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0358, USA
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47
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Hudson MJ, Beyer W, Böhm R, Fasanella A, Garofolo G, Golinski R, Goossens PL, Hahn U, Hallis B, King A, Mock M, Montecucco C, Ozin A, Tonello F, Kaufmann SH. Bacillus anthracis: balancing innocent research with dual-use potential. Int J Med Microbiol 2008; 298:345-64. [PMID: 18375178 PMCID: PMC7106442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2007.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2007] [Revised: 09/21/2007] [Accepted: 09/28/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax Euronet, a Coordination Action of the EU 6th Framework Programme, was designed to strengthen networking activities between anthrax research groups in Europe and to harmonise protocols for testing anthrax vaccines and therapeutics. Inevitably, the project also addressed aspects of the current political issues of biosecurity and dual-use research, i.e. research into agents of important diseases of man, livestock or agriculture that could be used as agents of bioterrorism. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology of Bacillus anthracis, of the pathogenesis, epidemiology and diagnosis of anthrax, as well as vaccine and therapeutic intervention strategies. The proposed requirement for a code of conduct for working with dual-use agents such as the anthrax bacillus is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antonio Fasanella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giuliano Garofolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, Foggia, Italy
| | - Robert Golinski
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Bassam Hallis
- Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | | | | | | | - Amanda Ozin
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefan H.E. Kaufmann
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
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48
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Gaddis BD, Rubert Pérez CM, Chmielewski J. Inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor based upon N-oleoyldopamine. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2008; 18:2467-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2008.02.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2007] [Revised: 02/12/2008] [Accepted: 02/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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49
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Cegelski L, Marshall GR, Eldridge GR, Hultgren SJ. The biology and future prospects of antivirulence therapies. Nat Rev Microbiol 2008; 6:17-27. [PMID: 18079741 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro1818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 572] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and increasing prevalence of bacterial strains that are resistant to available antibiotics demand the discovery of new therapeutic approaches. Targeting bacterial virulence is an alternative approach to antimicrobial therapy that offers promising opportunities to inhibit pathogenesis and its consequences without placing immediate life-or-death pressure on the target bacterium. Certain virulence factors have been shown to be potential targets for drug design and therapeutic intervention, whereas new insights are crucial for exploiting others. Targeting virulence represents a new paradigm to empower the clinician to prevent and treat infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynette Cegelski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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50
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Uttamchandani M, Lee WL, Wang J, Yao SQ. Quantitative Inhibitor Fingerprinting of Metalloproteases Using Small Molecule Microarrays. J Am Chem Soc 2007; 129:13110-7. [DOI: 10.1021/ja073914v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Uttamchandani
- Contribution from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and NUS MedChem Program of the Office of Life Sciences, 3 Science Drive 3, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Wei L. Lee
- Contribution from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and NUS MedChem Program of the Office of Life Sciences, 3 Science Drive 3, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Jun Wang
- Contribution from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and NUS MedChem Program of the Office of Life Sciences, 3 Science Drive 3, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
| | - Shao Q. Yao
- Contribution from the Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and NUS MedChem Program of the Office of Life Sciences, 3 Science Drive 3, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
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