1
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Wang X, Hu S, Wang J, Zhang T, Ye K, Wen A, Zhu G, Vegas A, Zhang L, Yan W, Liu X, Liu P. Biochemical and Structural Characterization of OvoA Th2: A Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Enzyme from Hydrogenimonas thermophila for Ovothiol Biosynthesis. ACS Catal 2023; 13:15417-15426. [PMID: 38058600 PMCID: PMC10696552 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c04026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Ovothiol A and ergothioneine are thiol-histidine derivatives with sulfur substitutions at the δ-carbon or ε-carbon of the l-histidine imidazole ring, respectively. Both ovothiol A and ergothioneine have protective effects on many aging-related diseases, and the sulfur substitution plays a key role in determining their chemical and biological properties, while factors governing sulfur incorporation regioselectivities in ovothiol and ergothioneine biosynthesis in the corresponding enzymes (OvoA, Egt1, or EgtB) are not yet known. In this study, we have successfully obtained the first OvoA crystal structure, which provides critical information to explain their C-S bond formation regioselectivity. Furthermore, OvoATh2 exhibits several additional activities: (1) ergothioneine sulfoxide synthase activity akin to Egt1 in ergothioneine biosynthesis; (2) cysteine dioxygenase activity using l-cysteine and l-histidine analogues as substrates; (3) cysteine dioxygenase activity upon mutation of an active site tyrosine residue (Y406). The structural insights and diverse chemistries demonstrated by OvoATh2 pave the way for future comprehensive structure-function correlation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinye Wang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sha Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Jun Wang
- School
of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Ke Ye
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Aiwen Wen
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Guoliang Zhu
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Arturo Vegas
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Lixin Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wupeng Yan
- School
of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- State
Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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2
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Russo MT, Santin A, Zuccarotto A, Leone S, Palumbo A, Ferrante MI, Castellano I. The first genetic engineered system for ovothiol biosynthesis in diatoms reveals a mitochondrial localization for the sulfoxide synthase OvoA. Open Biol 2023; 13:220309. [PMID: 36722300 PMCID: PMC9890322 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Diatoms represent one of the most abundant groups of microalgae in the ocean and are responsible for approximately 20% of photosynthetically fixed CO2 on Earth. Due to their complex evolutionary history and ability to adapt to different environments, diatoms are endowed with striking molecular biodiversity and unique metabolic activities. Their high growth rate and the possibility to optimize their biomass make them very promising 'biofactories' for biotechnological applications. Among bioactive compounds, diatoms can produce ovothiols, histidine-derivatives, endowed with unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and occurring in many marine invertebrates, bacteria and pathogenic protozoa. However, the functional role of ovothiols biosynthesis in organisms remains almost unexplored. In this work, we have characterized the thiol fraction of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, providing the first evidence of the presence of ovothiol B in pennate diatoms. We have used P. tricornutum to overexpress the 5-histidylcysteine sulfoxide synthase ovoA, the gene encoding the key enzyme involved in ovothiol biosynthesis and we have discovered that OvoA localizes in the mitochondria, a finding that uncovers new concepts in cellular redox biochemistry. We have also obtained engineered biolistic clones that can produce higher amount of ovothiol B compared to wild-type cells, suggesting a new strategy for the eco-sustainable production of these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monia Teresa Russo
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Santin
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Zuccarotto
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Leone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Immacolata Ferrante
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
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3
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Milito A, Cocurullo M, Columbro A, Nonnis S, Tedeschi G, Castellano I, Arnone MI, Palumbo A. Ovothiol ensures the correct developmental programme of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus embryo. Open Biol 2022; 12:210262. [PMID: 35042403 PMCID: PMC8767189 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.210262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovothiols are π-methyl-5-thiohistidines produced in great amounts in sea urchin eggs, where they can act as protective agents against the oxidative burst at fertilization and environmental stressors during development. Here we examined the biological relevance of ovothiol during the embryogenesis of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus by assessing the localization of the key biosynthetic enzyme OvoA, both at transcript and protein level, and perturbing its protein translation by morpholino antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown experiments. In addition, we explored the possible involvement of ovothiol in the inflammatory response by assessing ovoA gene expression and protein localization following exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The results of the present study suggest that ovothiol may be a key regulator of cell proliferation in early developing embryos. Moreover, the localization of OvoA in key larval cells and tissues, in control and inflammatory conditions, suggests that ovothiol may ensure larval skeleton formation and mediate inflammatory processes triggered by bacterial infection. This work significantly contributes to the understanding of the biological function of ovothiols in marine organisms, and may provide new inspiration for the identification of the biological activities of ovothiols in humans, considering the pharmacological potential of these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Cocurullo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Columbro
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Nonnis
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,CRC 'Innovation for Well-Being and Environment' (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tedeschi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine (DIMEVET), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,CRC 'Innovation for Well-Being and Environment' (I-WE), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Ina Arnone
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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4
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Osik NA, Zelentsova EA, Tsentalovich YP. Kinetic Studies of Antioxidant Properties of Ovothiol A. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091470. [PMID: 34573105 PMCID: PMC8470380 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovothiol A (OSH) is one of the strongest natural antioxidants. So far, its presence was found in tissues of marine invertebrates, algae and fish. Due to very low pKa value of the SH group, under physiological conditions, this compound is almost entirely present in chemically active thiolate form and reacts with ROS and radicals significantly faster than other natural thiols. In biological systems, OSH acts in tandem with glutathione GSH, with OSH neutralizing oxidants and GSH maintaining ovothiol in the reduced state. In the present work, we report the rate constants of OSH oxidation by H2O2 and of reduction of oxidized ovothiol OSSO by GSH and we estimate the Arrhenius parameters for these rate constants. The absorption spectra of reaction intermediates, adduct OSSG and sulfenic acid OSOH, were obtained. We also found that OSH effectively quenches the triplet state of kynurenic acid with an almost diffusion-controlled rate constant. This finding indicates that OSH may serve as a good photoprotector to inhibit the deleterious effect of solar UV irradiation; this assumption explains the high concentrations of OSH in the fish lens. The unique antioxidant and photoprotecting properties of OSH open promising perspectives for its use in the treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya A. Osik
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ekaterina A. Zelentsova
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Yuri P. Tsentalovich
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Institutskaya 3a, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (N.A.O.); (E.A.Z.)
- Physical Department, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
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5
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Brancaccio M, Tangherlini M, Danovaro R, Castellano I. Metabolic adaptations to marine environments: molecular diversity and evolution of ovothiol biosynthesis in Bacteria. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6323227. [PMID: 34272861 PMCID: PMC8433421 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovothiols are sulfur-containing amino acids synthesized by marine invertebrates, protozoans, and bacteria. They act as pleiotropic molecules in signaling and protection against oxidative stress. The discovery of ovothiol biosynthetic enzymes, sulfoxide synthase OvoA and β-lyase OvoB, paves the way for a systematic investigation of ovothiol distribution and molecular diversification in nature. In this work, we conducted genomic and metagenomics data mining to investigate the distribution and diversification of ovothiol biosynthetic enzymes in Bacteria. We identified the bacteria endowed with this secondary metabolic pathway, described their taxonomy, habitat and biotic interactions in order to provide insight into their adaptation to specific environments. We report that OvoA and OvoB are mostly encountered in marine aerobic Proteobacteria, some of them establishing symbiotic or parasitic relationships with other organisms. We identified a horizontal gene transfer event of OvoB from Bacteroidetes living in symbiosis with Hydrozoa. Our search within the Ocean Gene Atlas revealed the occurrence of ovothiol biosynthetic genes in Proteobacteria living in a wide range of pelagic and highly oxygenated environments. Finally, we tracked the evolutionary history of ovothiol biosynthesis from marine bacteria to unicellular eukaryotes and metazoans. Our analysis provides new conceptual elements to unravel the evolutionary and ecological significance of ovothiol biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Michael Tangherlini
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Centre, Fano, Italy
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.,Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Naples, Italy
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6
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Milito A, Orefice I, Smerilli A, Castellano I, Napolitano A, Brunet C, Palumbo A. Insights into the Light Response of Skeletonema marinoi: Involvement of Ovothiol. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18090477. [PMID: 32962291 PMCID: PMC7551349 DOI: 10.3390/md18090477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Diatoms are one of the most widespread groups of microalgae on Earth. They possess extraordinary metabolic capabilities, including a great ability to adapt to different light conditions. Recently, we have discovered that the diatom Skeletonema marinoi produces the natural antioxidant ovothiol B, until then identified only in clams. In this study, we investigated the light-dependent modulation of ovothiol biosynthesis in S. marinoi. Diatoms were exposed to different light conditions, ranging from prolonged darkness to low or high light, also differing in the velocity of intensity increase (sinusoidal versus square-wave distribution). The expression of the gene encoding the key ovothiol biosynthetic enzyme, ovoA, was upregulated by high sinusoidal light mimicking natural conditions. Under this situation higher levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide as well as ovothiol and glutathione increase were detected. No ovoA modulation was observed under prolonged darkness nor low sinusoidal light. Unnatural conditions such as continuous square-wave light induced a very high oxidative stress leading to a drop in cell growth, without enhancing ovoA gene expression. Only one of the inducible forms of nitric oxide synthase, nos2, was upregulated by light with consequent production of NO under sinusoidal light and darkness conditions. Our data suggest that ovothiol biosynthesis is triggered by a combined light stress caused by natural distribution and increased photon flux density, with no influence from the daily light dose. These results open new perspectives for the biotechnological production of ovothiols, which are receiving a great interest for their biological activities in human model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Cerdanyola, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.P.); Tel.: +39-081-5833 (ext. 293/276) (A.M.)
| | - Ida Orefice
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Arianna Smerilli
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Napolitano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Christophe Brunet
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy; (I.O.); (A.S.); (C.B.)
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
- Correspondence: or (A.M.); (A.P.); Tel.: +39-081-5833 (ext. 293/276) (A.M.)
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7
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Diaz de Cerio O, Reina L, Squatrito V, Etxebarria N, Gonzalez-Gaya B, Cancio I. Gametogenesis-Related Fluctuations in Ovothiol Levels in the Mantle of Mussels from Different Estuaries: Fighting Oxidative Stress for Spawning in Polluted Waters. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E373. [PMID: 32121166 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species present a challenge for marine organisms releasing gametes into the water. Thiol-containing molecules protect cells against oxidative stress, and ovothiol (OSH), an antioxidant-reducing mercaptohistidine, has been described as especially relevant in the oocytes of marine invertebrates. Ovothiol synthase (ovoA), in charge of the first step in OSH synthesis, was sequenced in mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Transcription levels of ovoA in mantle did not significantly change along the reproductive cycle. No alterations of ovoA transcription were observed after a laboratory copper (10 µg/L) exposure or in mussels captured in a highly polluted site. Conversely, the metabolomic analysis of the hydrophilic metabolite content in mantle clearly classified mussels according to their site of origin, especially at the most advanced stages of oogenesis. Quantification of OSH-A and -B and glutathione (GSH), revealed stable levels in mantle at early gametogenesis in the unpolluted sampling site, but a strong increase in female mantle previous to spawning in the polluted site. These increased concentrations under pollution suggest that OSH-A accumulates along oogenesis, independent of gene transcription regulation. The concerted accumulation of OSH-A and GSH suggests the building of a balanced cellular redox-system to scavenge ROS produced in the oocyte before and during fertilization.
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8
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Abstract
Sulfoxide synthases are enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of small sulfur-containing natural products. Their enzymatic activity represents a unique sulfur transfer strategy in nature that is the insertion of a sulfur atom on the imidazole ring of histidine. To date, only two enzymes are known to carry out this function: the sulfoxide synthase EgtB, involved in the biosynthesis of ergothioneine in fungi and bacteria, and the 5-histidylcysteine sulfoxide synthase OvoA, involved in the biosynthesis of ovothiols, found in the eggs and biological fluids of marine invertebrates, some proteobacteria and protists. In particular, ovothiols, thanks to their unique redox properties, are probably the most intriguing marine sulfur-containing molecules. Although they have long been considered as cellular protective molecules, new evidence suggest that their biological activities and ecological role might be more complex than originally thought. Here, we investigate the evolutionary history of OvoA in Metazoa, reporting its monophyletic ancient origins, which could be traced back to the latest common ancestor of Choanozoa. Nevertheless, we show that OvoA is missing in several major extant taxa and we discuss this patchy distribution in the light of the massive genome reduction events documented in Metazoa. We also highlight two interesting cases of secondary acquisition through horizontal gene transfer, which occurred in hydrozoans and bdelloid rotifers. The evolutionary success of this metabolic pathway is probably ascribable to its role in the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, which enables organisms to survive in different environmental niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Gerdol
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Marco Sollitto
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alberto Pallavicini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
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9
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Milito A, Brancaccio M, Lisurek M, Masullo M, Palumbo A, Castellano I. Probing the Interactions of Sulfur-Containing Histidine Compounds with Human Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17120650. [PMID: 31757046 PMCID: PMC6949936 DOI: 10.3390/md17120650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is a cell surface enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism and maintenance of redox homeostasis. High expression of GGT on tumor cells is associated with an increase of cell proliferation and resistance against chemotherapy. GGT inhibitors that have been evaluated in clinical trials are too toxic for human use. We have previously identified ovothiols, 5(Nπ)-methyl-thiohistidines of marine origin, as non-competitive-like inhibitors of GGT that are more potent than the known GGT inhibitor, 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON), and are not toxic for human embryonic cells. We extended these studies to the desmethylated form of ovothiol, 5-thiohistidine, and confirmed that this ovothiol derivative also acts as a non-competitive-like GGT inhibitor, with a potency comparable to ovothiol. We also found that both 5-thiohistidine derivatives act as reversible GGT inhibitors compared to the irreversible DON. Finally, we probed the interactions of 5-thiohistidines with GGT by docking analysis and compared them with the 2-thiohistidine ergothioneine, the physiological substrate glutathione, and the DON inhibitor. Overall, our results provide new insight for further development of 5-thiohistidine derivatives as therapeutics for GGT-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Michael Lisurek
- Department of Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, 13125 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Mariorosario Masullo
- Department of Human Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy;
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (M.B.); (A.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-5833206
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10
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Milito A, Brancaccio M, D'Argenio G, Castellano I. Natural Sulfur-Containing Compounds: An Alternative Therapeutic Strategy against Liver Fibrosis. Cells 2019; 8:E1356. [PMID: 31671675 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a pathophysiologic process involving the accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins as collagen deposition. Advanced liver fibrosis can evolve in cirrhosis, portal hypertension and often requires liver transplantation. At the cellular level, hepatic fibrosis involves the activation of hepatic stellate cells and their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts. Numerous pro-fibrogenic mediators including the transforming growth factor-β1, the platelet-derived growth factor, endothelin-1, toll-like receptor 4, and reactive oxygen species are key players in this process. Knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis development need to be extended to find novel therapeutic strategies. Antifibrotic therapies aim to inhibit the accumulation of fibrogenic cells and/or prevent the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Natural products from terrestrial and marine sources, including sulfur-containing compounds, exhibit promising activities for the treatment of fibrotic pathology. Although many therapeutic interventions are effective in experimental models of liver fibrosis, their efficacy and safety in humans are largely unknown. This review aims to provide a reference collection on experimentally tested natural anti-fibrotic compounds, with particular attention on sulfur-containing molecules. Their chemical structure, sources, mode of action, molecular targets, and pharmacological activity in the treatment of liver disease will be discussed.
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11
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Brancaccio M, Russo M, Masullo M, Palumbo A, Russo GL, Castellano I. Sulfur-containing histidine compounds inhibit γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in human cancer cells. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:14603-14614. [PMID: 31375562 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an enzyme located on the surface of cellular membranes and involved in GSH metabolism and maintenance of redox homeostasis. High GGT expression on tumor cells is associated with increased cell proliferation and resistance against chemotherapy. GGT inhibitors evaluated so far in clinical trials are too toxic for human use. In this study, using enzyme kinetics analyses, we demonstrate that ovothiols, 5(Nπ)-methyl thiohistidines of marine origin, act as noncompetitive inhibitors of GGT, with an apparent Ki of 21 μm, when we fixed the concentrations of the donor substrate. We found that these compounds are more potent than the known GGT inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine and are not toxic toward human embryonic cells. In particular, cellular process-specific fluorescence-based assays revealed that ovothiols induce a mixed cell-death phenotype of apoptosis and autophagy in GGT-overexpressing cell lines, including human liver cancer and chronic B leukemic cells. The findings of our study provide the basis for further development of 5-thiohistidines as therapeutics for GGT-positive tumors and highlight that GGT inhibition is involved in autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariarita Brancaccio
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Russo
- Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, 83100 Avellino, Italy
| | - Mariorosario Masullo
- Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples "Parthenope," 80133 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Palumbo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Russo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy.,Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, 83100 Avellino, Italy
| | - Immacolata Castellano
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Naples, Italy
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Goncharenko KV, Vit A, Blankenfeldt W, Seebeck FP. Structure of the sulfoxide synthase EgtB from the ergothioneine biosynthetic pathway. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:2821-4. [PMID: 25597398 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201410045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The non-heme iron enzyme EgtB catalyzes O2 -dependent C-S bond formation between γ-glutamyl cysteine and N-α-trimethyl histidine as the central step in ergothioneine biosynthesis. Both, the catalytic activity and the architecture of EgtB are distinct from known sulfur transferases or thiol dioxygenases. The crystal structure of EgtB from Mycobacterium thermoresistibile in complex with γ-glutamyl cysteine and N-α-trimethyl histidine reveals that the two substrates and three histidine residues serve as ligands in an octahedral iron binding site. This active site geometry is consistent with a catalytic mechanism in which C-S bond formation is initiated by an iron(III)-complexed thiyl radical attacking the imidazole ring of N-α-trimethyl histidine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina V Goncharenko
- Department for Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel (Switzerland)
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