Apoferritin and Apoferritin-Capped Metal Nanoparticles Inhibit Arginine Kinase of Trypanosoma brucei

The aim of this study was to explore the inhibitory potential of apoferritin or apoferritin-capped metal nanoparticles (silver, gold and platinum) against Trypanosomabrucei arginine kinase. The arginine kinase activity was determined in the presence and absence of apoferritin or apoferritin-capped metal nanoparticles. In addition, kinetic parameters and relative inhibition of enzyme activity were estimated. Apoferritin or apoferritin-capped metal nanoparticles’ interaction with arginine kinase of T. brucei led to a >70% reduction in the enzyme activity. Further analysis to determine kinetic parameters suggests a mixed inhibition by apoferritin or apoferritin-nanoparticles, with a decrease in V_max. Furthermore, the K_m of the enzyme increased for both ATP and L-arginine substrates. Meantime, the inhibition constant (K_i) values for the apoferritin and apoferritin-nanoparticle interaction were in the submicromolar concentration ranging between 0.062 to 0.168 nM and 0.001 to 0.057 nM, respectively, for both substrates (i.e., L-arginine and ATP). Further kinetic analyses are warranted to aid the development of these nanoparticles as selective therapeutics. Also, more studies are required to elucidate the binding properties of these nanoparticles to arginine kinase of T. brucei.

Arginine kinase: a potential pharmacological target in trypanosomiasis

Trypanosomatids parasites have complex life cycles which involve a wide diversity of milieus with very different physicochemical properties. Arginine kinase is one of the key enzymes, responsible for the parasites' metabolic plasticity, which maintains the cell energy homeostasis during environment changes. Arginine kinase catalyzes the reversible phosphorylation between phosphoarginine and ADP. The phosphagen phosphoarginine sustains high levels of cellular activity until metabolic events, such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, are switched on. In different unicellular and multicellular organisms including trypanosomatids, it was demonstrated that arginine kinase is an important component in resistance mechanisms to different stress factors, such as reactive oxygen species, trypanocidal drugs, pH and starvation. In addition, few arginine kinase inhibitors were identified during the lasts years, some of them with trypanocidal activity, such as polyphenolic compounds. All these unique features, in addition to the fact that arginine kinase is completely absent in mammals, make this pathway a favorable start point for rational drug design for the treatment of human trypanosomamiases.

Identification of physicochemical properties of Scylla paramamosain allergen, arginin kinase

BACKGROUND

Arginine kinase (AK) is expressed in a wide variety of species, including human food sources (seafood) and pests (cockroaches and moths), and has been reported as a novel allergen. However, there has been little research on the allergenicity of AK in crustaceans. In this study the physicochemical properties of AK from mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) were investigated.

RESULTS

Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting and inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that purified AK was unstable in thermal processing and in acid buffer. Under simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) conditions, purified AK was much more readily degraded by pepsin than by trypsin or chymotrypsin. The unpurified AK in crab myogen degraded more markedly than purified AK. In addition, in two-phase gastrointestinal digestion, AK was rapidly degraded by pepsin but resistant to trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion, while tropomyosin derived from mud crab was resistant to pepsin digestion but digested readily by trypsin or chymotrypsin. Further study of serum samples obtained from crab-allergic human patients indicated that the allergenicity of AK was markedly reduced by digestion with SGF but not SIF.

CONCLUSION

AK is an important food allergen despite its unstable physicochemical properties of digestibility.

Chemical modification studies on arginine kinase: Essential cysteine and arginine residues at the active site

Chemical modification was used to elucidate the essential amino acids in the catalytic activity of arginine kinase (AK) from Migratoria manilensis. Among six cysteine (Cys) residues only one Cys residue was determined to be essential in the active site by Tsou's method. Furthermore, the AK modified by DTNB can be fully reactivated by dithiothreitol (DTT) in a monophasic kinetic course. At the same time, this reactivation can be slowed down in the presence of ATP, suggesting that the essential Cys is located near the ATP binding site. The ionizing groups at the AK active site were studied and the standard dissociation enthalpy (DeltaH degrees ) was 12.38kcal/mol, showing that the dissociation group may be the guanidino of arginine (Arg). Using the specific chemical modifier phenylglyoxal (PG) demonstrated that only one Arg, located near the ATP binding site, is essential for the activity of AK.

Effects of aspartic acid and potassium chloride on arginine kinase from shrimp

The aspartic acid (Asp)-induced unfolding and the salt-induced folding of arginine kinase (AK) were studied in terms of enzyme activity, intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra, 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) fluorescence spectra and far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The results showed that Asp caused inactivation and unfolding of AK with no aggregation during AK denaturation. The unfolding of the whole molecule and the inactivation of AK in different Asp concentrations were compared. Much lower Asp concentration was required to induce inactivation than to produce significant conformational changes of the enzyme molecule. However, with further addition of Asp, the molar ellipticity at 222 and 208 nm, the wavelength shift and the emission intensity of ANS hardly changed. Asp denatured AK was reactivated by dilution. In addition, potassium chloride (KCl) induced the molten globule state with a compact structure after AK was denatured with 7.5 mM Asp. These results collectively elucidate the osmotic effect of Asp anions for the molten globule formed during unfolding process. They also suggest that the effect of Asp differed from that of other denaturants such as guanidine hydrochloride or urea during AK folding. The molten globule state indicates that intermediates exist during AK folding.

The mechanism and modes of inhibition of arginine kinase from the cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

The kinetic mechanism and evaluation of several potential inhibitors of purified arginine kinase from the cockroach (Periplanta americana) were investigated. This monomeric phosphagen kinase is important in maintaining ATP levels during the rapid energy demands of muscle required for contraction and motility. Analysis reveals the following dissociation constants (mM) for the binary complex: E.Arg P-->E+Arg P, K=1.0; E.Arg-->E+Arg, K=0.45; E.MgATP-->E+MgATP, K=0.17; E.MgADP-->E+MgADP, K=0.12; and the ternary complex: Arg P.E.MgADP-->E.MgADP+Arg P, K=0.94; Arg.E.MgATP-->E.MgATP+Arg, K=0.49; MgATP.Enz.Arg-->E.Arg+MgATP, K=0.14; MgADP.E.Arg P-->E.Arg P+MgADP, K=0.09. For a particular substrate, the ratio of the dissociation constants for the binary to ternary complex is close to one, indicating little, if any, cooperativity in substrate binding for the rapid equilibrium, random addition mechanism. The time course of the arginine kinase reaction exhibits a pronounced curvature, which, as described for enzyme from other sources, is attributed to formation of an inhibitory catalytic dead-end complex, MgADP.E.Arg. The curvature is accentuated by the addition of monovalent anions, including borate, thiocyanate, and, most notably, nitrite and nitrate. This effect is attributed to stabilization of the dead-end complex through formation of a transition state analog. However, the substantial decrease in initial velocity (92%) caused by nitrate is due to an additional inhibitory effect, further characterized as non-competitive inhibition (Ki=8.0 mM) with the substrate L-arginine. On the other hand, borate inhibition of the initial velocity is only 30% with significant subsequent curvature, suggesting that this anion functions as an inhibitor mainly by formation of a transition state analog. However, some component of the borate inhibition appears to be mediated by an apparent partial competitive inhibition with L-arginine. D-arginine is not a substrate for arginine kinase from the cockroach, but is an effective competitive inhibitor with a Ki=0.31 mM. L-Canavanine is a weak substrate for arginine kinase (Km=6.7 mM) with a Vmax for the pure enzyme that is approximately one-third that of L-arginine. However, initial velocity experiments of substrate mixtures suggest that competition between L-canavanine and L-arginine may not be a simple summation effect and may involve a structural modification. Sensitivity of arginine kinase activity to D-arginine as well as nitrate and borate anions, coupled with the fact that L-arginine is an essential amino acid for the cockroach, suggest that arginine kinase could be a useful chemotherapeutic target for the control of cockroach proliferation.

Intermediates in the inactivation and unfolding of dimeric arginine kinase induced by GdnHCl

Equilibrium studies of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl)-induced unfolding of dimeric arginine kinase (AK) from sea cucumber have been performed by monitoring by enzyme activity, intrinsic protein fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), 1-anilinonaphthalene-8sulfonate (ANS) binding, size-exclusion chromatography and glutaraldehyde cross-linking. The unfolding is a multiphasic process involving at least two dimeric intermediates. The first intermediate, I1, which exists at 0-0.4 M GdnHCl, is a compact inactive dimer lacking partial global structure, while the second dimeric intermediate, I2, formed at 0.5-2.0 M GdnHCl, possesses characteristics similar to the globular folding intermediates described in the literature. The whole unfolding process can be described as follows: (1) inactivation and the appearance of the dimeric intermediate I1; (2) sudden unwinding of I1 to another dimeric intermediate, I2; (3) dissociation of dimeric intermediate I2 to monomers U. The refolding processes initiated by rapid dilution in renaturation buffers indicate that denaturation at low GdnHCl concentrations (below 0.4 M GdnHCl) is reversible and that there seems to be an energy barrier between the two intermediates (0.4-0.5 M GdnHCl), which makes it difficult for AK denatured at high GdnHCl concentrations (above 0.5 M) to reconstitute and regain its catalytic activity completely.

Effects of zinc on the activity and conformational changes of arginine kinase and its intermediate

The effects of zinc on arginine kinase and its collapsed-state intermediate were studied. Both arginine kinase and the collapsed-state intermediate were inactivated in the presence of zinc, following a biphasic kinetic course. The corresponding apparent rate constants of inactivation at different zinc concentrations and conformational changes in the presence of 0.5 mM zinc were obtained. The conformational changes of arginine kinase and the collapsed-state intermediate were followed by fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism spectra. Comparison of the results for arginine kinase and the collapsed-state intermediate showed that the collapsed-state intermediate was more susceptible to zinc, which indicated that the collapsed-state intermediate was more flexible and unstable than arginine kinase. The special structure of arginine kinase might explain these diverse phenomena.

The effect of polyols on the reactivation of guanidium chloride-denatured arginine kinase from shrimp feneropenaeus chinensis muscle

The influence of glycerol, sorbitol, glucose and sucrose, on the refolding and reactivation courses of guanidine-denatured arginine kinase was studied. Glycerol, sucrose, and sorbitol, but not glucose, could improve the reactivation of the denatured arginine kinase, although in all cases aggregation was inhibited. Size exclusion chromatography showed that misfolded products were still formed during polyol-assisted refolding. The chemical and physical characteristics of polyols might explain the various observations.

Screening of substrate analogs as potential enzyme inhibitors for the arginine kinase of Trypanosoma cruzi

Arginine kinase catalyzes the transphosphorylation between phosphoarginine and ADP. Phosphoarginine is involved in temporal ATP buffering and inorganic phosphate regulation. Trypanosoma cruzi arginine kinase phosphorylates only L-arginine (specific activity 398.9 x mUE-min(-1) x mg(-1)), and is inhibited by the arginine analogs, agmatine, canavanine, nitroarginine, and homoarginine. Canavanine and homoarginine also produce a significant inhibition of the epimastigote culture growth (79.7% and 55.8%, respectively). Inhibition constants were calculated for canavanine and homoarginine (7.55 and 6.02 mM, respectively). In addition, two novel guanidino kinase activities were detected in the epimastigote soluble extract. The development of the arginine kinase inhibitors of T. cruzi could be an important feature because the phosphagens biosynthetic pathway in trypanosomatids is different from the one in their mammalian hosts.

Some quantitative aspects of myoplasmic ATPMg and total internal ATP and ArP levels in resting barnacle muscle fibres

1. Flash height recorded following the injection of firefly into the external calibration medium depends on the concentration of K-glutamate used, e.g. 120 mM K glutamate reduces flash height by approximately 20 percent. 2. Suspending the fibre in air instead of artificial sea water (ASW) or replacement of NaCl in the bathing medium with Na-glutamate fails to alter flash height. 3. Firefly preparations from DuPont, Packard and SAI give similar myoplasmic ATPMg values viz. 1.1 mM. 4. Analysis of 36 fibres shows the following: myoplasmic ATP = 1.03 +/- 0.06 mM; total ATP (firefly method) = 5.26 +/- 0.12 mmol/kg water; total ATP (enzymic fluorimetry) = 6.27 +/- 0.13 mmol/kg water and ArP = 20.76 +/- 0.59 mmol/kg water. 5. Measurement of ATPMg in samples of myoplasmic aspirate gives a value that is greater than that obtained in situ. 6. Iodoacetate, whether applied externally or internally, reduces resting luminescence in a dose-dependent manner. It also reduces myoplasmic ATP and total ATP. 7. 2-Deoxy-d-glucose fails to reduce myoplasmic ATP but reduces total ATP. 8. Diethylpyrocarbonate, whether applied externally or internally, reduces myoplasmic ATP. It also causes a slow decline in ArP but little change in total ATP. 9. Injection of L-arginine causes a fall in resting luminescence in some fibres while in others it causes a prompt transitory rise. Injection of L-arginine also causes a fall in total ATP. 10. Collectively, these results suggest that the immediate buffering system in the myoplasm is ArP and that ATP supplied by glycolysis lies in a compartment, presumably the interfibrillar space, which is inaccessible to injected firefly.

The use of arginine analogues for investigating the functional organization of the arginine-binding site in lobster muscle arginine kinase. Role of the 'essential' thiol group

1. The nature of arginine binding to lobster arginine kinase and the extent of its possible involvement with the ;essential' thiol group of the enzyme has been investigated with some inhibitory analogues of arginine. 2. Most of the analogues inhibit competitively, although mixed inhibition may occur if the alpha-carboxy group or alpha-amino group is absent. 3. The K(i) values indicate that strength of binding depends on the length of the carbon chain (l-isoleucine>l-valine>l- alpha-aminobutyrate>l-alanine) and the integrity of the substituents on the alpha-carbon atom (l-arginine>agmatine and l-ornithine>putrescine). The guanidino group probably contributes little to substrate binding, but a positive charge near the delta-nitrogen atom appears to be important (l-ornithine>l -citrulline>l-alpha-aminobutyrate). A cyclic analogue, 2-carboxymethyl-3-oxo-2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-imidazo [1,2-a][1,3]diazepine-8-carboxylic acid, has a low K(i) value similar to that of an equivalent straight-chain form, suggesting that arginine probably binds in a folded configuration. 4. The aliphatic l-amino acids give enzyme difference spectra similar to that with l-arginine and the integrity of the alpha-carboxy and alpha-amino groups appears to be a minimal but not sufficient requirement for this, as l-ornithine gives an atypical difference spectrum. A difference spectrum is interpreted as indicating an enzyme conformational change. No difference spectrum was observed with methylguanidine. 5. The ability of aliphatic alpha-l-amino acids to protect against inhibition by 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) is proportional to the number of atoms in the carbon chain and inversely proportional to K(i). Ornithine gives greater protection than citrulline; analogues lacking the alpha-amino groups also protect. Agmatine, lacking the alpha-carboxy group, did not protect. 6. It is concluded that it is unlikely that the ;essential' thiol group in the enzyme interacts with any part of the arginine molecule during catalysis except, possibly, the alpha-carboxyl group.