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Kahler JP, Ji S, Speelman-Rooms F, Vanhoutte R, Verhelst SHL. Phosphinate Esters as Novel Warheads for Quenched Activity-Based Probes Targeting Serine Proteases. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1409-1415. [PMID: 38913607 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Quenched activity-based probes (qABP) are invaluable tools to visualize aberrant protease activity. Unfortunately, most studies so far have only focused on cysteine proteases, and only a few studies describe the synthesis and use of serine protease qABPs. We recently used phosphinate ester electrophiles as a novel type of reactive group to construct ABPs for serine proteases. Here, we report on the construction of qABPs based on the phosphinate warhead, exemplified by probes for the neutrophil serine proteases. The most successful probes show sub-stoichiometric reaction with human neutrophil elastase, efficient fluorescence quenching, and rapid unquenching of fluorescence upon reaction with target proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Pascal Kahler
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shanping Ji
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Femke Speelman-Rooms
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Molecular & Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Herestraat 49 box 802, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roeland Vanhoutte
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven H L Verhelst
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- AG Chemical Proteomics, Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences - ISAS, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6b, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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Skorenski M, Ji S, Verhelst SHL. Covalent activity-based probes for imaging of serine proteases. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:923-935. [PMID: 38629725 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Serine proteases are one of the largest mechanistic classes of proteases. They regulate a plethora of biochemical pathways inside and outside the cell. Aberrant serine protease activity leads to a wide variety of human diseases. Reagents to visualize these activities can be used to gain insight into the biological roles of serine proteases. Moreover, they may find future use for the detection of serine proteases as biomarkers. In this review, we discuss small molecule tools to image serine protease activity. Specifically, we outline different covalent activity-based probes and their selectivity against various serine protease targets. We also describe their application in several imaging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Skorenski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shanping Ji
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven H L Verhelst
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Ji S, Verhelst SHL. Furin-targeting activity-based probes with phosphonate and phosphinate esters as warheads. Org Biomol Chem 2023; 21:6498-6502. [PMID: 37530461 DOI: 10.1039/d3ob00948c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Activity-based probes (ABPs) are covalent chemical tools that are widely used to target proteases in chemical biology. Here, we report a series of novel ABPs for the serine protease furin with phosphonate and phosphinate esters as reactive electrophiles. We show that these probes covalently label furin and have nanomolar potencies, because of proposed interactions with the different recognition pockets around the active site of furin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanping Ji
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Steven H L Verhelst
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
- AG Chemical Proteomics, Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences - ISAS, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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Zmudzinski M, Malon O, Poręba M, Drąg M. Imaging of proteases using activity-based probes. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 74:102299. [PMID: 37031620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Proteases (proteolytic enzymes) are proteins that catalyze one of the most important biochemical reactions, namely the hydrolysis of the peptide bond in peptide and protein substrates. Therefore these molecular biocatalysts participate in virtually all living processes. The proper balance between intact and processed protease substrates enables to maintenance of homeostasis from a single-cell level to the whole living system. However, when the proteolytic activity is altered, this delicate balance is disturbed, which might lead to the development of a plethora of diseases. Given this, monitoring proteolytic activity is indispensable to understanding how proteases operate in disease lesions and how their altered catalytic activity might be harnessed for a better diagnosis and treatment. In this manuscript, we provide a critical review of the recent development of protease chemical probes which are small molecules that detect proteolytic activity by interacting with protease active site, individual proteases as well as complex proteolytic networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikolaj Zmudzinski
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Oliwia Malon
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Marcin Poręba
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Marcin Drąg
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland.
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Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G. Novel specific activity-based probes validate KLK proteases as druggable targets. Cancer Biol Ther 2022; 23:401-403. [PMID: 35652924 PMCID: PMC9176256 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2022.2074775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacology-Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Porta EOJ, Isern JA, Kalesh K, Steel PG. Discovery of Leishmania Druggable Serine Proteases by Activity-Based Protein Profiling. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:929493. [PMID: 35910377 PMCID: PMC9335491 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.929493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis are a group of diseases caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Current treatments are limited by difficult administration, high cost, poor efficacy, toxicity, and growing resistance. New agents, with new mechanisms of action, are urgently needed to treat the disease. Although extensively studied in other organisms, serine proteases (SPs) have not been widely explored as antileishmanial drug targets. Herein, we report for the first time an activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) strategy to investigate new therapeutic targets within the SPs of the Leishmania parasites. Active-site directed fluorophosphonate probes (rhodamine and biotin-conjugated) were used for the detection and identification of active Leishmania serine hydrolases (SHs). Significant differences were observed in the SHs expression levels throughout the Leishmania life cycle and between different Leishmania species. Using iTRAQ-labelling-based quantitative proteomic mass spectrometry, we identified two targetable SPs in Leishmania mexicana: carboxypeptidase LmxM.18.0450 and prolyl oligopeptidase LmxM.36.6750. Druggability was ascertained by selective inhibition using the commercial serine protease inhibitors chymostatin, lactacystin and ZPP, which represent templates for future anti-leishmanial drug discovery programs. Collectively, the use of ABPP method complements existing genetic methods for target identification and validation in Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaime A Isern
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Karunakaran Kalesh
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
- National Horizons Centre, Darlington, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick G Steel
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Bisyris E, Pampalakis G. Activity-Based Probes for Proteases Pave the Way to Theranostic Applications. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050977. [PMID: 35631563 PMCID: PMC9145445 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteases are important enzymes in health and disease. Their activities are regulated at multiple levels. In fact, proteases are synthesized as inactive proenzymes (zymogens) that are activated by proteolytic removal of their pro-peptide sequence and can remain active or their activity can be attenuated by complex formation with specific endogenous inhibitors or by limited proteolysis or degradation. Consequently, quite often, only a fraction of the protease molecules is in the active/functional form, thus, the abundance of a protease is not always linearly proportional to the (patho)physiological function(s). Therefore, assays to determine the active forms of proteases are needed, not only in research but also in molecular diagnosis and therapy. Activity-based probes (ABPs) are chemical entities that bind covalently to the active enzyme/protease. ABPs carry a detection tag to enable localization and quantification of specific enzymatic/proteolytic activities with applications in molecular imaging and diagnosis. Moreover, ABPs act as suicide inhibitors of proteases, which can be exploited for delineation of the functional role(s) of a given protease in (patho) biological context and as potential therapeutics. In this sense, ABPs represent new theranostic agents. We outline recent developments pertaining to ABPs for proteases with potential therapeutic applications, with the aim to highlight their importance in theranostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
| | - Evangelos Bisyris
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (G.P.)
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