Five- and Six-Membered Nitrogen-Containing Compounds as Selective Carbonic Anhydrase Activators

A simple yet multifaceted 90 years old, evergreen enzyme: Carbonic anhydrase, its inhibition and activation

Advances in the carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) research over the last three decades are presented, with an emphasis on the deciphering of the activation mechanism, the development of isoform-selective inhibitors/ activators by the tail approach and their applications in the management of obesity, hypoxic tumors, neurological conditions, and as antiinfectives.

Ergothioneine: A Stress Vitamin with Antiaging, Vascular, and Neuroprotective Roles?

Significance: Ergothioneine (ET) is an unusual sulfur-containing amino acid derived from histidine, acquired predominantly from food. Its depletion is associated with deleterious consequences in response to stress stimuli in cell culture models, prompting us to classify it as a vitamin in 2010, which was later supported by in vivo studies. ET is obtained from a variety of foods and is taken up by a selective transporter. ET possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that confer cytoprotection. ET crosses the blood-brain barrier and has been reported to have beneficial effects in the brain. In this study, we discuss the cytoprotective and neuroprotective properties of ET, which may be harnessed for combating neurodegeneration and decline during aging. Recent Advances: The designation of ET as a stress vitamin is gaining momentum, opening a new field of investigation involving small molecules that are essential for optimal physiological functioning and maintenance of health span. Critical Issues: Although ET was discovered more than a century ago, its physiological functions are still being elucidated, especially in the brain. As ET is present in most foods, toxicity associated with its deprivation has been difficult to assess. Future Directions: Using genetically engineered cells and mice, it may now be possible to elucidate roles of ET. This coupled with advances in genomics and metabolomics may lead to identification of ET function. As ET is a stable antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, whose levels decline during aging, supplementing ET in the diet or consuming an ET-rich diet may prove beneficial. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 36, 1306-1317.

Carbonic Anhydrase Activators for Neurodegeneration: An Overview

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are a family of ubiquitous metal enzymes catalyzing the reversible conversion of CO₂ and H₂O to HCO₃⁻ with the release of a proton. They play an important role in pH regulation and in the balance of body fluids and are involved in several functions such as homeostasis regulation and cellular respiration. For these reasons, they have been studied as targets for the development of agents for treating several pathologies. CA inhibitors have been used in therapy for a long time, especially as diuretics and for the treatment of glaucoma, and are being investigated for application in other pathologies including obesity, cancer, and epilepsy. On the contrary, CAs activators are still poorly studied. They are proposed to act as additional (other than histidine) proton shuttles in the rate-limiting step of the CA catalytic cycle, which is the generation of the active hydroxylated enzyme. Recent studies highlight the involvement of CAs activation in brain processes essential for the transmission of neuronal signals, suggesting CAs activation might represent a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions characterized by memory impairment and cognitive problems. Actually, some compounds able to activate CAs have been identified and proposed to potentially resolve problems related to neurodegeneration. This review reports on the primary literature regarding the potential of CA activators for treating neurodegeneration-related diseases.

Matching chemical properties to molecular biological activities opens a new perspective on L-ergothioneine

L-ergothioneine is a low-molecular weight natural product, the chemical structure of which comprises oxygen-, nitrogen- and sulfur-containing functional groups. This gives L-ergothioneine specific physicochemical properties and allows to better understanding its chemical reactivity, which is primarily due to the 2-thio-imidazole group. Here, I review how different modes of chemical reactivity account for the reported molecular biological activities of L-ergothioneine. By matching the physicochemical properties to the biological properties of L-ergothioneine, a new perspective of the function and the mode of action of this enigmatic molecule emerges into the limelight.

Amine- and Amino Acid-Based Compounds as Carbonic Anhydrase Activators

After being rather neglected as a research field in the past, carbonic anhydrase activators (CAAs) were undoubtedly demonstrated to be useful in diverse pharmaceutical and industrial applications. They also improved the knowledge of the requirements to selectively interact with a CA isoform over the others and confirmed the catalytic mechanism of this class of compounds. Amino acid and amine derivatives were the most explored in in vitro, in vivo and crystallographic studies as CAAs. Most of them were able to activate human or non-human CA isoforms in the nanomolar range, being proposed as therapeutic and industrial tools. Some isoforms are better activated by amino acids than amines derivatives and the stereochemistry may exert a role. Finally, non-human CAs have been very recently tested for activation studies, paving the way to innovative industrial and environmental applications.

Effect of amino acids and amines on the activity of the recombinant ι-carbonic anhydrase from the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia territorii

We here report a study on the activation of the ι-class bacterial CA from Burkholderia territorii (BteCAι). This protein was recently characterised as a zinc-dependent enzyme that shows a significant catalytic activity (kcat 3.0 × 105 s-1) for the physiological reaction of CO2 hydration to bicarbonate and protons. Some amino acids and amines, among which some proteinogenic derivatives as well as histamine, dopamine and serotonin, showed efficient activating properties towards BteCAι, with activation constants in the range 3.9-13.3 µM. L-Phe, L-Asn, L-Glu, and some pyridyl-alkylamines, showed a weaker activating effect towards BteCAι, with KA values ranging between 18.4 µM and 45.6 µM. Nowadays, no information is available on active site architecture, metal ion coordination and catalytic mechanism of members of the ι-group of CAs, and this study represents another contribution towards a better understanding of this still uncharacterised class of enzymes.

Carbonic anhydrase activation profile of indole-based derivatives

Carbonic Anhydrase Activators (CAAs) could represent a novel approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, ageing, and other conditions that require remedial achievement of spatial learning and memory therapy. Within a research project aimed at developing novel CAAs selective for certain isoforms, three series of indole-based derivatives were investigated. Enzyme activation assay on human CA I, II, VA, and VII isoforms revealed several effective micromolar activators, with promising selectivity profiles towards the brain-associated cytosolic isoform hCA VII. Molecular modelling studies suggested a theoretical model of the complex between hCA VII and the new activators and provide a possible explanation for their modulating as well as selectivity properties. Preliminary biological evaluations demonstrated that one of the most potent CAA 7 is not cytotoxic and is able to increase the release of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) from human microglial cells, highlighting its possible application in the treatment of CNS-related disorders.

Activation of carbonic anhydrases from human brain by amino alcohol oxime ethers: towards human carbonic anhydrase VII selective activators

The synthesis and carbonic anhydrase (CA; EC 4.2.1.1) activating effects of a series of oxime ether-based amino alcohols towards four human (h) CA isoforms expressed in human brain, hCA I, II, IV and VII, are described. Most investigated amino alcohol derivatives induced a consistent activation of the tested CAs, with K_As spanning from a low micromolar to a medium nanomolar range. Specifically, hCA II and VII, putative main CA targets when central nervous system (CNS) diseases are concerned, were most efficiently activated by these oxime ether derivatives. Furthermore, a multitude of selective hCA VII activators were identified. As hCA VII is one of the key isoforms involved in brain metabolism and other brain functions, the identified potent and selective hCA VII activators may be considered of interest for investigations of various therapeutic applications or as lead compounds in search of even more potent and selective CA activators.

(Hetero)aryl substituted thiazol-2,4-yl scaffold as human carbonic anhydrase I, II, VII and XIV activators

Using histamine as lead molecule, a library of (hetero)aryl substituted thiazol-2,4-yl derivatives incorporating pyridine as proton shuttling moiety were obtained and investigated as activators of human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms I, II, VII and XIV. Some derivatives displayed good activating and selectivity profiles. This study provides an interesting opportunity to study the thiazole scaffold for the design of CA activators (CAAs), possibly acting on the central nervous system and targeting pathologies involving memory and learning impairments.

Design, synthesis and biological activity of selective hCAs inhibitors based on 2-(benzylsulfinyl)benzoic acid scaffold

A large library of derivatives based on the scaffold of 2-(benzylsulfinyl)benzoic acid were synthesised and tested as atypical inhibitors against four different isoforms of human carbonic anhydrase (hCA I, II, IX and XII, EC 4.2.1.1). The exploration of the chemical space around the main functional groups led to the discovery of selective hCA IX inhibitors in the micromolar/nanomolar range, thus establishing robust structure-activity relationships within this versatile scaffold. HPLC separation of some selected chiral compounds and biological evaluation of the corresponding enantiomers was performed along with molecular modelling studies on the most active derivatives.

Inhibitory Effects of Diketopiperazines from Marine-Derived Streptomyces puniceus on the Isocitrate Lyase of Candida albicans

The glyoxylate cycle is a sequence of anaplerotic reactions catalyzed by the key enzymes isocitrate lyase (ICL) and malate synthase, and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of microorganisms during infection. An icl-deletion mutant of Candida albicans exhibited reduced virulence in mice compared with the wild type. Five diketopiperazines, which are small and stable cyclic peptides, isolated from the marine-derived Streptomyces puniceus Act1085, were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on C. albicans ICL. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic data and comparisons with previously reported data. Cyclo(L-Phe-L-Val) was identified as a potent ICL inhibitor, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 27 μg/mL. Based on the growth phenotype of the icl-deletion mutants and icl expression analyses, we demonstrated that cyclo(L-Phe-L-Val) inhibits the gene transcription of ICL in C. albicans under C2-carbon-utilizing conditions.

Synthesis, biological activity and multiscale molecular modeling studies of bis-coumarins as selective carbonic anhydrase IX and XII inhibitors with effective cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma

A series of novel bis-coumarin derivatives containing triazole moiety as a linker between the alkyl chains was synthesized and their inhibitory activity against the human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoforms I, II, IX and XII were evaluated. In addition, cytotoxic effects of the synthesized compounds on renal adenocarcinoma (769P), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and breast adeno carcinoma (MDA-MB-231) cell lines were examined. While the hCA I and II isoforms were inhibited in the micromolar range, the tumor-associated isoform hCA IX and XII were inhibited in the high nanomolar range. 4-methyl-7-((1-(12-((2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy)dodecyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (5p) showed the strongest inhibitory activity against hCA IX with the K_i of 144.6 nM and 4-methyl-7-((1-(10-((2-oxo-2H-chromen-7-yl)oxy)decyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)-2H-chromen-2-one (5n) exhibited the highest hCA XII inhibition with the K_i of 71.5 nM. In order to better understand the inhibitory profiles of studied molecules, multiscale molecular modelling approaches were applied. Low energy docking poses of studied molecules at the binding sites of targets have been predicted. In addition, electrostatic potential surfaces (ESP) for binding sites were also generated to understand interactions between proteins and active ligands.