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Sample records for leucocyte protease inhibitor

  1. Pulmonary deposition and disappearance of aerosolised secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolk, J.; Camps, J.; Feitsma, H. I.; Hermans, J.; Dijkman, J. H.; Pauwels, E. K.

    1995-01-01

    BACKGROUND--The neutrophil elastase inhibitor, secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), is a potential therapeutic tool in inflammatory lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and pulmonary emphysema. The distribution and disappearance in the lung of aerosolised recombinant SLPI (rSLPI) was investigated in healthy humans and in patients with cystic fibrosis or alpha 1-antitrypsin-associated emphysema. METHODS--To distinguish aerosolised rSLPI from endogenous SLPI the recombinant inhibitor was radiolabelled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) pertechnetate. Distribution and disappearance of aerosolised 99mTc-rSLPI in the lungs were studied by gamma radiation imaging. RESULTS--The deposition of 99mTc-rSLPI in normal volunteers was homogeneous in all lung lobes, while in patients with cystic fibrosis or emphysema only well ventilated areas showed deposition of the aerosol. The disappearance rate of 99mTc-rSLPI was biexponential. The half life of the rapid phase was 0.2-2.8 hours, while that of the slow phase was more than 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS--Future aerosol therapy with rSLPI will be most beneficial for well ventilated lung tissue that needs protection against neutrophil derived elastase. It may be more difficult to neutralise the burden of elastase in poorly ventilated, highly inflamed areas as are seen in cystic fibrosis. Images PMID:7638807

  2. Natural inhibitors of tumor-associated proteases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magdolen, U.; Krol, J.; Sato, S.; Schmitt, M.; Magdolen, V.; Krueger, A.; Mueller, M.M.; Sperl, S.

    2002-01-01

    The turnover and remodelling of extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential part of many normal biological processes including development, morphogenesis, and wound healing. ECM turnover also occurs in severe pathological situations like artherosclerosis, fibrosis, tumor invasion and metastasis. The major proteases involved in this turnover are serine proteases (especially the urokinase-type plasminogen activator/plasmin system), matrix metalloproteases (a family of about 20 zinc-dependent endopeptidases including collagenases, gelatinases, stromelysins, and membrane-type metalloproteases), and cysteine proteases. In vivo, the activity of these proteases is tightly regulated in the extracellular space by zymogen activation and/or controlled inhibition. In the present review, we give an overview on the structure and biochemical properties of important tumor-associated protease inhibitors such as plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 and type 2 (PAI-1, PAI-2), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1, -2, -3, and -4), and the cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin C. Interestingly, some of these inhibitors of tumor-associated proteases display multiple functions which rather promote than inhibit tumor progression, when the presence of inhibitors in the tumor tissue is not balanced. (author)

  3. Co-evolution of insect proteases and plant protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jongsma, Maarten A; Beekwilder, Jules

    2011-08-01

    Plants are at the basis of the food chain, but there is no such thing as a "free lunch" for herbivores. To promote reproductive success, plants evolved multi-layered defensive tactics to avoid or discourage herbivory. To the detriment of plants, herbivores, in turn, evolved intricate strategies to find, eat, and successfully digest essential plant parts to raise their own offspring. In this battle the digestive tract is the arena determining final victory or defeat as measured by growth or starvation of the herbivore. Earlier, specific molecular opponents were identified as proteases and inhibitors: digestive proteases of herbivores evolved structural motifs to occlude plant protease inhibitors, or alternatively, the insects evolved proteases capable of specifically degrading the host plant inhibitors. In response plant inhibitors evolved hyper-variable and novel protein folds to remain active against potential herbivores. At the level of protease regulation in herbivorous insects, it was shown that inhibition-insensitive digestive proteases are up-regulated when sensitive proteases are inhibited. The way this regulation operates in mammals is known as negative feedback by gut-luminal factors, so-called 'monitor peptides' that are sensitive to the concentration of active enzymes. We propose that regulation of gut enzymes by endogenous luminal factors has been an open invitation to plants to "hijack" this regulation by evolving receptor antagonists, although yet these plant factors have not been identified. In future research the question of the co-evolution of insect proteases and plant inhibitors should, therefore, be better approached from a systems level keeping in mind that evolution is fundamentally opportunistic and that the plant's fitness is primarily improved by lowering the availability of essential amino acids to an herbivore by any available mechanism.

  4. Proteases and protease inhibitors of urinary extracellular vesicles in diabetic nephropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musante, Luca; Tataruch, Dorota; Gu, Dongfeng; Liu, Xinyu; Forsblom, Carol; Groop, Per-Henrik; Holthofer, Harry

    2015-01-01

    Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD), and, ultimately, is the main cause for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Beyond urinary albumin, no reliable biomarkers are available for accurate early diagnostics. Urinary extracellular vesicles (UEVs) have recently emerged as an interesting source of diagnostic and prognostic disease biomarkers. Here we used a protease and respective protease inhibitor array to profile urines of type 1 diabetes patients at different stages of kidney involvement. Urine samples were divided into groups based on the level of albuminuria and UEVs isolated by hydrostatic dialysis and screened for relative changes of 34 different proteases and 32 protease inhibitors, respectively. Interestingly, myeloblastin and its natural inhibitor elafin showed an increase in the normo- and microalbuminuric groups. Similarly, a characteristic pattern was observed in the array of protease inhibitors, with a marked increase of cystatin B, natural inhibitor of cathepsins L, H, and B as well as of neutrophil gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in the normoalbuminuric group. This study shows for the first time the distinctive alterations in comprehensive protease profiles of UEVs in diabetic nephropathy and uncovers intriguing mechanistic, prognostic, and diagnostic features of kidney damage in diabetes.

  5. Proteases and Protease Inhibitors of Urinary Extracellular Vesicles in Diabetic Nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luca Musante

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetic nephropathy (DN is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus (DM, leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD, and, ultimately, is the main cause for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD. Beyond urinary albumin, no reliable biomarkers are available for accurate early diagnostics. Urinary extracellular vesicles (UEVs have recently emerged as an interesting source of diagnostic and prognostic disease biomarkers. Here we used a protease and respective protease inhibitor array to profile urines of type 1 diabetes patients at different stages of kidney involvement. Urine samples were divided into groups based on the level of albuminuria and UEVs isolated by hydrostatic dialysis and screened for relative changes of 34 different proteases and 32 protease inhibitors, respectively. Interestingly, myeloblastin and its natural inhibitor elafin showed an increase in the normo- and microalbuminuric groups. Similarly, a characteristic pattern was observed in the array of protease inhibitors, with a marked increase of cystatin B, natural inhibitor of cathepsins L, H, and B as well as of neutrophil gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL in the normoalbuminuric group. This study shows for the first time the distinctive alterations in comprehensive protease profiles of UEVs in diabetic nephropathy and uncovers intriguing mechanistic, prognostic, and diagnostic features of kidney damage in diabetes.

  6. Contemporary protease inhibitors and cardiovascular risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundgren, Jens; Mocroft, Amanda; Ryom, Lene

    2018-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the evidence linking use of HIV protease inhibitors with excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HIV+ populations. RECENT FINDINGS: For the two contemporary most frequently used protease inhibitors, darunavir and atazanavir [both pharmacologically boosted...

  7. High throughput in vivo protease inhibitor selection platform

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    The invention relates to a recombinant microbial cell comprising a selection platform for screening for a protease inhibitor, wherein the platform comprises transgenes encoding a protease having selective peptide bond cleavage activity at a recognition site amino acid sequence; and transgenes...... platform for screening for a protease inhibitor....

  8. Pathophysiological significance and therapeutic applications of snake venom protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Rupamoni; Mukherjee, Ashis K

    2017-06-01

    Protease inhibitors are important constituents of snake venom and play important roles in the pathophysiology of snakebite. Recently, research on snake venom protease inhibitors has provided valuable information to decipher the molecular details of various biological processes and offer insight for the development of some therapeutically important molecules from snake venom. The process of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, in addition to affecting platelet function, are well known as the major targets of several snake venom protease inhibitors. This review summarizes the structure-functional aspects of snake venom protease inhibitors that have been described to date. Because diverse biological functions have been demonstrated by protease inhibitors, a comparative overview of their pharmacological and pathophysiological properties is also highlighted. In addition, since most snake venom protease inhibitors are non-toxic on their own, this review evaluates the different roles of individual protease inhibitors that could lead to the identification of drug candidates and diagnostic molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Serine protease inhibitors of parasitic helminths.

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    Molehin, Adebayo J; Gobert, Geoffrey N; McManus, Donald P

    2012-05-01

    Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are a superfamily of structurally conserved proteins that inhibit serine proteases and play key physiological roles in numerous biological systems such as blood coagulation, complement activation and inflammation. A number of serpins have now been identified in parasitic helminths with putative involvement in immune regulation and in parasite survival through interference with the host immune response. This review describes the serpins and smapins (small serine protease inhibitors) that have been identified in Ascaris spp., Brugia malayi, Ancylostoma caninum Onchocerca volvulus, Haemonchus contortus, Trichinella spiralis, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Anisakis simplex, Trichuris suis, Schistosoma spp., Clonorchis sinensis, Paragonimus westermani and Echinococcus spp. and discusses their possible biological functions, including roles in host-parasite interplay and their evolutionary relationships.

  10. HIV protease drug resistance and its impact on inhibitor design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ala, P J; Rodgers, J D; Chang, C H

    1999-07-01

    The primary cause of resistance to the currently available HIV protease inhibitors is the accumulation of multiple mutations in the viral protease. So far more than 20 substitutions have been observed in the active site, dimer interface, surface loops and flaps of the homodimer. While many mutations reduce the protease's affinity for inhibitors, others appear to enhance its catalytic efficiency. This high degree of genetic flexibility has made the protease an elusive drug target. The design of the next generation of HIV protease inhibitors will be discussed in light of the current structural information.

  11. Reverse zymography alone does not confirm presence of a protease inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Sangita; Bhattacharyya, Debasish

    2013-03-01

    Reverse zymography is applied for identification and semi-quantification of protease inhibitors that are of protein in nature. However, a protein that shows band in reverse zymography against a protease used for digestion of the gel need not be an inhibitor; it might be resistant to degradation by the protease. We demonstrate that in reverse zymography, avidin, streptavidin and the leaf extract of Catharanthus roseus behave like inhibitors of proteases like papain, ficin, bromelain extracts from pineapple leaf, stem and fruit and trypsin. Still, they do not act as inhibitors of those proteases when enzyme assays were done in solution. In reverse zymography, the extract of pineapple crown leaf shows two major inhibitor bands against its own proteases. Identification of these proteins from sequences derived from MALDI TOF MS analysis indicated that they are fruit and stem bromelains. Avidin, streptavidin and bromelains are 'kinetically stable proteins' that are usually resistant to proteolysis. Thus, it is recommended that identification of an inhibitor of a protease by reverse zymography should be supported by independent assay methods for confirmation.

  12. Curcumin derivatives as HIV-1 protease inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sui, Z.; Li, J.; Craik, C.S.; Ortiz de Montellano, P.R. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

    1993-12-31

    Curcumin, a non-toxic natural compound from Curcuma longa, has been found to be an HIV-1 protease inhibitor. Some of its derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against the HIV-1 protease was tested. Curcumin analogues containing boron enhanced the inhibitory activity. At least of the the synthesized compounds irreversibly inhibits the HIV-1 protease.

  13. Boosted protease inhibitors and the electrocardiographic measures of QT and PR durations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soliman, Elsayed Z; Lundgren, Jens D; Roediger, Mollie P

    2011-01-01

    There are contradictory reports regarding the effects of protease inhibitors on the ECG measures of QT and PR interval durations. The effect of interrupting use of protease inhibitors on QT and PR progression is also unknown.......There are contradictory reports regarding the effects of protease inhibitors on the ECG measures of QT and PR interval durations. The effect of interrupting use of protease inhibitors on QT and PR progression is also unknown....

  14. SjAPI, the first functionally characterized Ascaris-type protease inhibitor from animal venoms.

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    Zongyun Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Serine protease inhibitors act as modulators of serine proteases, playing important roles in protecting animal toxin peptides from degradation. However, all known serine protease inhibitors discovered thus far from animal venom belong to the Kunitz-type subfamily, and whether there are other novel types of protease inhibitors in animal venom remains unclear. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, by screening scorpion venom gland cDNA libraries, we identified the first Ascaris-type animal toxin family, which contains four members: Scorpiops jendeki Ascaris-type protease inhibitor (SjAPI, Scorpiops jendeki Ascaris-type protease inhibitor 2 (SjAPI-2, Chaerilus tricostatus Ascaris-type protease inhibitor (CtAPI, and Buthus martensii Ascaris-type protease inhibitor (BmAPI. The detailed characterization of Ascaris-type peptide SjAPI from the venom gland of scorpion Scorpiops jendeki was carried out. The mature peptide of SjAPI contains 64 residues and possesses a classical Ascaris-type cysteine framework reticulated by five disulfide bridges, different from all known protease inhibitors from venomous animals. Enzyme and inhibitor reaction kinetics experiments showed that recombinant SjAPI was a dual function peptide with α-chymotrypsin- and elastase-inhibiting properties. Recombinant SjAPI inhibited α-chymotrypsin with a Ki of 97.1 nM and elastase with a Ki of 3.7 μM, respectively. Bioinformatics analyses and chimera experiments indicated that SjAPI contained the unique short side chain functional residues "AAV" and might be a useful template to produce new serine protease inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To our knowledge, SjAPI is the first functionally characterized animal toxin peptide with an Ascaris-type fold. The structural and functional diversity of animal toxins with protease-inhibiting properties suggested that bioactive peptides from animal venom glands might be a new source of protease inhibitors, which will accelerate the

  15. A Kunitz-type cysteine protease inhibitor from cauliflower and Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halls, C.E.; Rogers, S. W.; Ouffattole, M.

    2006-01-01

    proaleurain maturation protease and of papain when assayed at pH 4.5 but not at pH 6.3. In a pull-down assay, the inhibitor bound tightly to papain, but only weakly to the aspartate protease pepsin. When the cauliflower protease inhibitor was transiently expressed in tobacco suspension culture protoplasts...

  16. Cysteine Protease Inhibitors as Chemotherapy: Lessons from a Parasite Target

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    Selzer, Paul M.; Pingel, Sabine; Hsieh, Ivy; Ugele, Bernhard; Chan, Victor J.; Engel, Juan C.; Bogyo, Matthew; Russell, David G.; Sakanari, Judy A.; McKerrow, James H.

    1999-09-01

    Papain family cysteine proteases are key factors in the pathogenesis of cancer invasion, arthritis, osteoporosis, and microbial infections. Targeting this enzyme family is therefore one strategy in the development of new chemotherapy for a number of diseases. Little is known, however, about the efficacy, selectivity, and safety of cysteine protease inhibitors in cell culture or in vivo. We now report that specific cysteine protease inhibitors kill Leishmania parasites in vitro, at concentrations that do not overtly affect mammalian host cells. Inhibition of Leishmania cysteine protease activity was accompanied by defects in the parasite's lysosome/endosome compartment resembling those seen in lysosomal storage diseases. Colocalization of anti-protease antibodies with biotinylated surface proteins and accumulation of undigested debris and protease in the flagellar pocket of treated parasites were consistent with a pathway of protease trafficking from flagellar pocket to the lysosome/endosome compartment. The inhibitors were sufficiently absorbed and stable in vivo to ameliorate the pathology associated with a mouse model of Leishmania infection.

  17. Loss of second and sixth conserved cysteine residues from trypsin inhibitor-like cysteine-rich domain-type protease inhibitors in Bombyx mori may induce activity against microbial proteases.

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    Li, Youshan; Liu, Huawei; Zhu, Rui; Xia, Qingyou; Zhao, Ping

    2016-12-01

    Previous studies have indicated that most trypsin inhibitor-like cysteine-rich domain (TIL)-type protease inhibitors, which contain a single TIL domain with ten conserved cysteines, inhibit cathepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, or elastase. Our recent findings suggest that Cys 2nd and Cys 6th were lost from the TIL domain of the fungal-resistance factors in Bombyx mori, BmSPI38 and BmSPI39, which inhibit microbial proteases and the germination of Beauveria bassiana conidia. To reveal the significance of these two missing cysteines in relation to the structure and function of TIL-type protease inhibitors in B. mori, cysteines were introduced at these two positions (D36 and L56 in BmSPI38, D38 and L58 in BmSPI39) by site-directed mutagenesis. The homology structure model of TIL domain of the wild-type and mutated form of BmSPI39 showed that two cysteine mutations may cause incorrect disulfide bond formation of B. mori TIL-type protease inhibitors. The results of Far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicated that both the wild-type and mutated form of BmSPI39 harbored predominantly random coil structures, and had slightly different secondary structure compositions. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis showed that cysteine mutations affected the multimerization states and electrophoretic mobility of BmSPI38 and BmSPI39. Activity staining and protease inhibition assays showed that the introduction of cysteine mutations dramaticly reduced the activity of inhibitors against microbial proteases, such as subtilisin A from Bacillus licheniformis, protease K from Engyodontium album, protease from Aspergillus melleus. We also systematically analyzed the key residue sites, which may greatly influence the specificity and potency of TIL-type protease inhibitors. We found that the two missing cysteines in B. mori TIL-type protease inhibitors might be crucial for their inhibitory activities against microbial proteases. The genetic engineering of TIL-type protease inhibitors may be

  18. A cyclic peptidic serine protease inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhao, Baoyu; Xu, Peng; Jiang, Longguang

    2014-01-01

    Peptides are attracting increasing interest as protease inhibitors. Here, we demonstrate a new inhibitory mechanism and a new type of exosite interactions for a phage-displayed peptide library-derived competitive inhibitor, mupain-1 (CPAYSRYLDC), of the serine protease murine urokinase...... pocket, its carbonyl group aligning improperly relative to Ser195 and the oxyanion hole, explaining why the peptide is an inhibitor rather than a substrate. Substitution of the P1 Arg with novel unnatural Arg analogues with aliphatic or aromatic ring structures led to an increased affinity, depending......, in spite of a less favorable binding entropy and loss of a polar interaction. We conclude that increased flexibility of the peptide allows more favorable exosite interactions, which, in combination with the use of novel Arg analogues as P1 residues, can be used to manipulate the affinity and specificity...

  19. Interdependence of Inhibitor Recognition in HIV-1 Protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulsen, Janet L; Leidner, Florian; Ragland, Debra A; Kurt Yilmaz, Nese; Schiffer, Celia A

    2017-05-09

    Molecular recognition is a highly interdependent process. Subsite couplings within the active site of proteases are most often revealed through conditional amino acid preferences in substrate recognition. However, the potential effect of these couplings on inhibition and thus inhibitor design is largely unexplored. The present study examines the interdependency of subsites in HIV-1 protease using a focused library of protease inhibitors, to aid in future inhibitor design. Previously a series of darunavir (DRV) analogs was designed to systematically probe the S1' and S2' subsites. Co-crystal structures of these analogs with HIV-1 protease provide the ideal opportunity to probe subsite interdependency. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations starting from these structures were performed and systematically analyzed in terms of atomic fluctuations, intermolecular interactions, and water structure. These analyses reveal that the S1' subsite highly influences other subsites: the extension of the hydrophobic P1' moiety results in 1) reduced van der Waals contacts in the P2' subsite, 2) more variability in the hydrogen bond frequencies with catalytic residues and the flap water, and 3) changes in the occupancy of conserved water sites both proximal and distal to the active site. In addition, one of the monomers in this homodimeric enzyme has atomic fluctuations more highly correlated with DRV than the other monomer. These relationships intricately link the HIV-1 protease subsites and are critical to understanding molecular recognition and inhibitor binding. More broadly, the interdependency of subsite recognition within an active site requires consideration in the selection of chemical moieties in drug design; this strategy is in contrast to what is traditionally done with independent optimization of chemical moieties of an inhibitor.

  20. Current and Novel Inhibitors of HIV Protease

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pokorná, Jana; Machala, L.; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Konvalinka, Jan

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 1, č. 3 (2009), s. 1209-1239 ISSN 1999-4915 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0508 Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) IAAX00320901 Program:IA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : HIV protease * protease inhibitor * HAART Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

  1. The Cysteine Protease–Cysteine Protease Inhibitor System Explored in Soybean Nodule Development

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    Marian Dorcas Quain

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Almost all protease families have been associated with plant development, particularly senescence, which is the final developmental stage of every organ before cell death. Proteolysis remobilizes and recycles nitrogen from senescent organs that is required, for example, seed development. Senescence-associated expression of proteases has recently been characterized using large-scale gene expression analysis seeking to identify and characterize senescence-related genes. Increasing activities of proteolytic enzymes, particularly cysteine proteases, are observed during the senescence of legume nodules, in which a symbiotic relationship between the host plant and bacteria (Rhizobia facilitate the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. It is generally considered that cysteine proteases are compartmentalized to prevent uncontrolled proteolysis in nitrogen-fixing nodules. In addition, the activities of cysteine proteases are regulated by endogenous cysteine protease inhibitors called cystatins. These small proteins form reversible complexes with cysteine proteases, leading to inactivation. However, very little is currently known about how the cysteine protease-cysteine protease inhibitor (cystatin system is regulated during nodule development. Moreover, our current understanding of the expression and functions of proteases and protease inhibitors in nodules is fragmented. To address this issue, we have summarized the current knowledge and techniques used for studying proteases and their inhibitors including the application of “omics” tools, with a particular focus on changes in the cysteine protease-cystatin system during nodule development.

  2. Developing HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors through Stereospecific Reactions in Protein Crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olajuyigbe, Folasade M; Demitri, Nicola; De Zorzi, Rita; Geremia, Silvano

    2016-10-31

    Protease inhibitors are key components in the chemotherapy of HIV infection. However, the appearance of viral mutants routinely compromises their clinical efficacy, creating a constant need for new and more potent inhibitors. Recently, a new class of epoxide-based inhibitors of HIV-1 protease was investigated and the configuration of the epoxide carbons was demonstrated to play a crucial role in determining the binding affinity. Here we report the comparison between three crystal structures at near-atomic resolution of HIV-1 protease in complex with the epoxide-based inhibitor, revealing an in-situ epoxide ring opening triggered by a pH change in the mother solution of the crystal. Increased pH in the crystal allows a stereospecific nucleophile attack of an ammonia molecule onto an epoxide carbon, with formation of a new inhibitor containing amino-alcohol functions. The described experiments open a pathway for the development of new stereospecific protease inhibitors from a reactive lead compound.

  3. Developing HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors through Stereospecific Reactions in Protein Crystals

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    Folasade M. Olajuyigbe

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Protease inhibitors are key components in the chemotherapy of HIV infection. However, the appearance of viral mutants routinely compromises their clinical efficacy, creating a constant need for new and more potent inhibitors. Recently, a new class of epoxide-based inhibitors of HIV-1 protease was investigated and the configuration of the epoxide carbons was demonstrated to play a crucial role in determining the binding affinity. Here we report the comparison between three crystal structures at near-atomic resolution of HIV-1 protease in complex with the epoxide-based inhibitor, revealing an in-situ epoxide ring opening triggered by a pH change in the mother solution of the crystal. Increased pH in the crystal allows a stereospecific nucleophile attack of an ammonia molecule onto an epoxide carbon, with formation of a new inhibitor containing amino-alcohol functions. The described experiments open a pathway for the development of new stereospecific protease inhibitors from a reactive lead compound.

  4. Pnserpin: A Novel Serine Protease Inhibitor from Extremophile Pyrobaculum neutrophilum

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    Huan Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Serine protease inhibitors (serpins are native inhibitors of serine proteases, constituting a large protein family with members spread over eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, only very few prokaryotic serpins, especially from extremophiles, have been characterized to date. In this study, Pnserpin, a putative serine protease inhibitor from the thermophile Pyrobaculum neutrophilum, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli for purification and characterization. It irreversibly inhibits chymotrypsin-, trypsin-, elastase-, and subtilisin-like proteases in a temperature range from 20 to 100 °C in a concentration-dependent manner. The stoichiometry of inhibition (SI of Pnserpin for proteases decreases as the temperature increases, indicating that the inhibitory activity of Pnserpin increases with the temperature. SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that Pnserpin inhibits proteases by forming a SDS-resistant covalent complex. Homology modeling and molecular dynamic simulations predicted that Pnserpin can form a stable common serpin fold. Results of the present work will help in understanding the structural and functional characteristics of thermophilic serpin and will broaden the current knowledge about serpins from extremophiles.

  5. Crystal structure of a novel cysteinless plant Kunitz-type protease inhibitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hansen, Daiane; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Verissimo, Paula; Yoo Im, Sonia; Sampaio, Misako Uemura; Oliva, Maria Luiza Vilela

    2007-01-01

    Bauhinia bauhinioides Cruzipain Inhibitor (BbCI) is a cysteine protease inhibitor highly homologous to plant Kunitz-type inhibitors. However, in contrast to classical Kunitz family inhibitors it lacks cysteine residues and therefore disulfide bridges. BbCI is also distinct in the ability to inactivate enzymes belonging to two different classes, cysteine and serine proteases. Besides inhibiting the cysteine protease cruzipain, BbCI also inhibits cathepsin L and the serine proteases HNE (human neutrophil elastase) and PPE (porcine pancreatic elastase). Monoclinic crystals of the recombinant inhibitor that diffract to 1.7 A resolution were obtained using hanging drop method by vapor diffusion at 18 o C. The refined structure shows the conservative β-trefoil fold features of the Kunitz inhibitors. In BbCI, one of the two characteristic S-S bonds is replaced by the water-mediated interaction between Tyr125 and Gly132. In this work we explore the structural differences between Kunitz-type inhibitors and analyze the essential interactions that maintain the protein structural stability preserving its biological function

  6. Effects of protease inhibitors on radiation transformation in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennedy, A.R.; Little, J.B.

    1981-01-01

    We have investigated the effects of three protease inhibitors, antipain, leupeptin, and soybean trypsin inhibitor, on the induction of oncogenic transformation in mouse C3H10T 1/2 cells by X-rays. The patterns of inhibition by the three protease inhibitors were different. Antipain was the most effective, having the ability to suppress completely radiation transformation as well as radiation transformation enhanced by the phorbol ester promoting agent 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The fact that antipain could suppress transformation when present for only 1 day following irradiation suggests that an effect on a DNA repair process might be important in its action. Leupeptin was less effective than antipain in its inhibition of radiation transformation. Soybean trypsin inhibitor suppressed only the promotional effects of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on transformation. Our results suggest that there may be more than one protease involved in carcinogenesis

  7. The binding mechanism of a peptidic cyclic serine protease inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Longguang; Svane, Anna Sigrid P.; Sørensen, Hans Peter

    2011-01-01

    Serine proteases are classical objects for studies of catalytic and inhibitory mechanisms as well as interesting as therapeutic targets. Since small-molecule serine protease inhibitors generally suffer from specificity problems, peptidic inhibitors, isolated from phage-displayed peptide libraries......, have attracted considerable attention. Here, we have investigated the mechanism of binding of peptidic inhibitors to serine protease targets. Our model is upain-1 (CSWRGLENHRMC), a disulfide-bond-constrained competitive inhibitor of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator with a noncanonical...... inhibitory mechanism and an unusually high specificity. Using a number of modified variants of upain-1, we characterised the upain-1-urokinase-type plasminogen activator complex using X-ray crystal structure analysis, determined a model of the peptide in solution by NMR spectroscopy, and analysed binding...

  8. Dysregulation of protease and protease inhibitors in a mouse model of human pelvic organ prolapse.

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    Madhusudhan Budatha

    Full Text Available Mice deficient for the fibulin-5 gene (Fbln5(-/- develop pelvic organ prolapse (POP due to compromised elastic fibers and upregulation of matrix metalloprotease (MMP-9. Here, we used casein zymography, inhibitor profiling, affinity pull-down, and mass spectrometry to discover additional protease upregulated in the vaginal wall of Fbln5(-/- mice, herein named V1 (25 kDa. V1 was a serine protease with trypsin-like activity similar to protease, serine (PRSS 3, a major extrapancreatic trypsinogen, was optimum at pH 8.0, and predominantly detected in estrogenized vaginal epithelium of Fbln5(-/- mice. PRSS3 was (a localized in epithelial secretions, (b detected in media of vaginal organ culture from both Fbln5(-/- and wild type mice, and (c cleaved fibulin-5 in vitro. Expression of two serine protease inhibitors [Serpina1a (α1-antitrypsin and Elafin] was dysregulated in Fbln5(-/- epithelium. Finally, we confirmed that PRSS3 was expressed in human vaginal epithelium and that SERPINA1 and Elafin were downregulated in vaginal tissues from women with POP. These data collectively suggest that the balance between proteases and their inhibitors contributes to support of the pelvic organs in humans and mice.

  9. Novel peptide-based protease inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roodbeen, Renée

    of novel peptide-based protease inhibitors, efforts were made towards improved methods for peptide synthesis. The coupling of Fmoc-amino acids onto N-methylated peptidyl resins was investigated. These couplings can be low yielding and the effect of the use of microwave heating combined with the coupling...

  10. Structures of a bi-functional Kunitz-type STI family inhibitor of serine and aspartic proteases: Could the aspartic protease inhibition have evolved from a canonical serine protease-binding loop?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerra, Yasel; Valiente, Pedro A; Pons, Tirso; Berry, Colin; Rudiño-Piñera, Enrique

    2016-08-01

    Bi-functional inhibitors from the Kunitz-type soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) family are glycosylated proteins able to inhibit serine and aspartic proteases. Here we report six crystal structures of the wild-type and a non-glycosylated mutant of the bifunctional inhibitor E3Ad obtained at different pH values and space groups. The crystal structures show that E3Ad adopts the typical β-trefoil fold of the STI family exhibiting some conformational changes due to pH variations and crystal packing. Despite the high sequence identity with a recently reported potato cathepsin D inhibitor (PDI), three-dimensional structures obtained in this work show a significant conformational change in the protease-binding loop proposed for aspartic protease inhibition. The E3Ad binding loop for serine protease inhibition is also proposed, based on structural similarity with a novel non-canonical conformation described for the double-headed inhibitor API-A from the Kunitz-type STI family. In addition, structural and sequence analyses suggest that bifunctional inhibitors of serine and aspartic proteases from the Kunitz-type STI family are more similar to double-headed inhibitor API-A than other inhibitors with a canonical protease-binding loop. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. HIV protease inhibitors in pregnancy : pharmacology and clinical use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andany, Nisha; Loutfy, Mona R

    2013-03-01

    The impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the natural history of HIV-1 infection has resulted in dramatic reductions in disease-associated morbidity and mortality. Additionally, the epidemiology of HIV-1 infection worldwide is changing, as women now represent a substantial proportion of infected adults. As more highly effective and tolerable antiretroviral regimens become available, and as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission becomes an attainable goal in the management of HIV-infected individuals, more and more HIV-positive women are choosing to become pregnant and have children. Consequently, it is important to consider the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral agents in pregnancy. Protease inhibitors are a common class of medication used in the treatment of HIV-1 infection and are increasingly being used in pregnancy. However, several studies have raised concerns regarding pharmacokinetic alterations in pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, which results in suboptimal drug concentrations and a theoretically higher risk of virologic failure and perinatal transmission. Drug level reductions have been observed with each individual protease inhibitor and dose adjustments in pregnancy are suggested for certain agents. Furthermore, studies have also raised concerns regarding the safety of protease inhibitors in pregnancy, particularly as they may increase the risk of pre-term birth and metabolic disturbances. Overall, protease inhibitors are safe and effective for the treatment of HIV-infected pregnant women. Specifically, ritonavir-boosted lopinavir- and atazanavir-based regimens are preferred in pregnancy, while ritonavir-boosted darunavir- and saquinavir-based therapies are reasonable alternatives. This paper reviews the use of protease inhibitors in pregnancy, focusing on pharmacokinetic and safety considerations, and outlines the recommendations for use of this class of medication in the HIV-1-infected pregnant woman.

  12. Metabolic complications associated with HIV protease inhibitor therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nolan, David

    2003-01-01

    HIV protease inhibitors were introduced into clinical practice over 7 years ago as an important component of combination antiretroviral drug regimens which in many ways revolutionised the treatment of HIV infection. The significant improvements in prognosis that have resulted from the use of these regimens, combined with the need for lifelong treatment, have increasingly focused attention on the adverse effects of antiretroviral drugs and on the metabolic complications of HIV protease inhibitors in particular. In this review, the cluster of metabolic abnormalities characterised by triglyceride-rich dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance associated with HIV protease inhibitor therapy are considered, along with implications for cardiovascular risk in patients affected by these complications. Toxicity profiles of individual drugs within the HIV protease inhibitor class are examined, as there is an increased recognition of significant intra-class differences both in terms of absolute risk of metabolic complications as well as the particular metabolic phenotype associated with these drugs. Guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment are emphasised, along with pathophysiological mechanisms that may provide a rational basis for the treatment of metabolic complications. Finally, these drug-specific effects are considered within the context of HIV-specific effects on lipid metabolism as well as lifestyle factors that have contributed to a rapidly increasing incidence of similar metabolic syndromes in the general population. These data highlight the importance of individualising patient management in terms of choice of antiretroviral regimen, assessment of metabolic outcomes and use of therapeutic interventions, based on the assessment of baseline (pre-treatment) metabolic status as well as the presence of potentially modifiable cardiovascular risk factors.

  13. Protease Inhibitors of Parasitic Flukes: Emerging Roles in Parasite Survival and Immune Defence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranasinghe, Shiwanthi L; McManus, Donald P

    2017-05-01

    Protease inhibitors play crucial roles in parasite development and survival, counteracting the potentially damaging immune responses of their vertebrate hosts. However, limited information is currently available on protease inhibitors from schistosomes and food-borne trematodes. Future characterization of these molecules is important not only to expand knowledge on parasitic fluke biology but also to determine whether they represent novel vaccine and/or drug targets. Moreover, protease inhibitors from flukes may represent lead compounds for the development of a new range of therapeutic agents against inflammatory disorders and cancer. This review discusses already identified protease inhibitors of fluke origin, emphasizing their biological function and their possible future development as new intervention targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Inactivation of proteinaceous protease inhibitors of soybeans by isolated fungi

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meijer, M.M.T.; Spekking, W.T.J.; Sijtsma, L.; Bont, de J.A.M.

    1995-01-01

    Proteinaceous protease inhibitors, Kunitz Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor (KSTI) and Bowman Birk Inhibitor (BBI), in legume seeds reduce the digestibility of proteins in feed of monogastric animals. Enzymatic inactivation of these inhibitors will increase the nutritional value of the feed. The aim of this

  15. Design of novel HIV-1 protease inhibitors incorporating isophthalamide-derived P2-P3 ligands: Synthesis, biological evaluation and X-ray structural studies of inhibitor-HIV-1 protease complex

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosh, Arun K.; Brindisi, Margherita; Nyalapatla, Prasanth R.; Takayama, Jun; Ella-Menye, Jean-Rene; Yashchuk, Sofiya; Agniswamy, Johnson; Wang, Yuan-Fang; Aoki, Manabu; Amano, Masayuki; Weber, Irene T.; Mitsuya, Hiroaki

    2017-10-01

    Based upon molecular insights from the X-ray structures of inhibitor-bound HIV-1 protease complexes, we have designed a series of isophthalamide-derived inhibitors incorporating substituted pyrrolidines, piperidines and thiazolidines as P2-P3 ligands for specific interactions in the S2-S3 extended site. Compound 4b has shown an enzyme Ki of 0.025 nM and antiviral IC50 of 69 nM. An X-ray crystal structure of inhibitor 4b-HIV-1 protease complex was determined at 1.33 Å resolution. We have also determined X-ray structure of 3b-bound HIV-1 protease at 1.27 Å resolution. These structures revealed important molecular insight into the inhibitor–HIV-1 protease interactions in the active site.

  16. Structure-Based Design of Novel HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors to Combat Drug Resistance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosh,A.; Sridhar, P.; Leshchenko, S.; Hussain, A.; Li, J.; Kovalevsky, A.; Walters, D.; Wedelind, J.; Grum-Tokars, V.; et al.

    2006-01-01

    Structure-based design and synthesis of novel HIV protease inhibitors are described. The inhibitors are designed specifically to interact with the backbone of HIV protease active site to combat drug resistance. Inhibitor 3 has exhibited exceedingly potent enzyme inhibitory and antiviral potency. Furthermore, this inhibitor maintains impressive potency against a wide spectrum of HIV including a variety of multi-PI-resistant clinical strains. The inhibitors incorporated a stereochemically defined 5-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furanyl urethane as the P2-ligand into the (R)-(hydroxyethylamino)sulfonamide isostere. Optically active (3aS,5R,6aR)-5-hydroxy-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furan was prepared by an enzymatic asymmetrization of meso-diacetate with acetyl cholinesterase, radical cyclization, and Lewis acid-catalyzed anomeric reduction as the key steps. A protein-ligand X-ray crystal structure of inhibitor 3-bound HIV-1 protease (1.35 Angstroms resolution) revealed extensive interactions in the HIV protease active site including strong hydrogen bonding interactions with the backbone. This design strategy may lead to novel inhibitors that can combat drug resistance.

  17. Identification of novel malarial cysteine protease inhibitors using structure-based virtual screening of a focused cysteine protease inhibitor library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Falgun; Mukherjee, Prasenjit; Gut, Jiri; Legac, Jennifer; Rosenthal, Philip J; Tekwani, Babu L; Avery, Mitchell A

    2011-04-25

    Malaria, in particular that caused by Plasmodium falciparum , is prevalent across the tropics, and its medicinal control is limited by widespread drug resistance. Cysteine proteases of P. falciparum , falcipain-2 (FP-2) and falcipain-3 (FP-3), are major hemoglobinases, validated as potential antimalarial drug targets. Structure-based virtual screening of a focused cysteine protease inhibitor library built with soft rather than hard electrophiles was performed against an X-ray crystal structure of FP-2 using the Glide docking program. An enrichment study was performed to select a suitable scoring function and to retrieve potential candidates against FP-2 from a large chemical database. Biological evaluation of 50 selected compounds identified 21 diverse nonpeptidic inhibitors of FP-2 with a hit rate of 42%. Atomic Fukui indices were used to predict the most electrophilic center and its electrophilicity in the identified hits. Comparison of predicted electrophilicity of electrophiles in identified hits with those in known irreversible inhibitors suggested the soft-nature of electrophiles in the selected target compounds. The present study highlights the importance of focused libraries and enrichment studies in structure-based virtual screening. In addition, few compounds were screened against homologous human cysteine proteases for selectivity analysis. Further evaluation of structure-activity relationships around these nonpeptidic scaffolds could help in the development of selective leads for antimalarial chemotherapy.

  18. Modulation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC by bacterial metalloproteases and protease inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael B Butterworth

    Full Text Available The serralysin family of metalloproteases is associated with the virulence of multiple gram-negative human pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. The serralysin proteases share highly conserved catalytic domains and show evolutionary similarity to the mammalian matrix metalloproteases. Our previous studies demonstrated that alkaline protease (AP from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of activating the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC, leading to an increase in sodium absorption in airway epithelia. The serralysin proteases are often co-expressed with endogenous, intracellular or periplasmic inhibitors, which putatively protect the bacterium from unwanted or unregulated protease activities. To evaluate the potential use of these small protein inhibitors in regulating the serralysin induced activation of ENaC, proteases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens were purified for characterization along with a high affinity inhibitor from Pseudomonas. Both proteases showed activity against in vitro substrates and could be blocked by near stoichiometric concentrations of the inhibitor. In addition, both proteases were capable of activating ENaC when added to the apical surfaces of multiple epithelial cells with similar slow activation kinetics. The high-affinity periplasmic inhibitor from Pseudomonas effectively blocked this activation. These data suggest that multiple metalloproteases are capable of activating ENaC. Further, the endogenous, periplasmic bacterial inhibitors may be useful for modulating the downstream effects of the serralysin virulence factors under physiological conditions.

  19. Dengue Virus NS2B/NS3 Protease Inhibitors Exploiting the Prime Side.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Kuan-Hung; Ali, Akbar; Rusere, Linah; Soumana, Djade I; Kurt Yilmaz, Nese; Schiffer, Celia A

    2017-05-15

    The mosquito-transmitted dengue virus (DENV) infects millions of people in tropical and subtropical regions. Maturation of DENV particles requires proper cleavage of the viral polyprotein, including processing of 8 of the 13 substrate cleavage sites by dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease. With no available direct-acting antiviral targeting DENV, NS2/NS3 protease is a promising target for inhibitor design. Current design efforts focus on the nonprime side of the DENV protease active site, resulting in highly hydrophilic and nonspecific scaffolds. However, the prime side also significantly modulates DENV protease binding affinity, as revealed by engineering the binding loop of aprotinin, a small protein with high affinity for DENV protease. In this study, we designed a series of cyclic peptides interacting with both sides of the active site as inhibitors of dengue virus protease. The design was based on two aprotinin loops and aimed to leverage both key specific interactions of substrate sequences and the entropic advantage driving aprotinin's high affinity. By optimizing the cyclization linker, length, and amino acid sequence, the tightest cyclic peptide achieved a K i value of 2.9 μM against DENV3 wild-type (WT) protease. These inhibitors provide proof of concept that both sides of DENV protease active site can be exploited to potentially achieve specificity and lower hydrophilicity in the design of inhibitors targeting DENV. IMPORTANCE Viruses of the flaviviral family, including DENV and Zika virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti , continue to be a threat to global health by causing major outbreaks in tropical and subtropical regions, with no available direct-acting antivirals for treatment. A better understanding of the molecular requirements for the design of potent and specific inhibitors against flaviviral proteins will contribute to the development of targeted therapies for infections by these viruses. The cyclic peptides reported here as DENV protease inhibitors

  20. Genome-wide identification and structure-function studies of proteases and protease inhibitors in Cicer arietinum (chickpea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Ranu; Suresh, C G

    2015-01-01

    Proteases are a family of enzymes present in almost all living organisms. In plants they are involved in many biological processes requiring stress response in situations such as water deficiency, pathogen attack, maintaining protein content of the cell, programmed cell death, senescence, reproduction and many more. Similarly, protease inhibitors (PIs) are involved in various important functions like suppression of invasion by pathogenic nematodes, inhibition of spores-germination and mycelium growth of Alternaria alternata and response to wounding and fungal attack. As much as we know, no genome-wide study of proteases together with proteinaceous PIs is reported in any of the sequenced genomes till now. Phylogenetic studies and domain analysis of proteases were carried out to understand the molecular evolution as well as gene and protein features. Structural analysis was carried out to explore the binding mode and affinity of PIs for cognate proteases and prolyl oligopeptidase protease with inhibitor ligand. In the study reported here, a significant number of proteases and PIs were identified in chickpea genome. The gene expression profiles of proteases and PIs in five different plant tissues revealed a differential expression pattern in more than one plant tissue. Molecular dynamics studies revealed the formation of stable complex owing to increased number of protein-ligand and inter and intramolecular protein-protein hydrogen bonds. The genome-wide identification, characterization, evolutionary understanding, gene expression, and structural analysis of proteases and PIs provide a framework for future analysis when defining their roles in stress response and developing a more stress tolerant variety of chickpea. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Identification of cysteine proteases and screening of cysteine protease inhibitors in biological samples by a two-dimensional gel system of zymography and reverse zymography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saitoh, Eiichi; Yamamoto, Shinya; Okamoto, Eishiro; Hayakawa, Yoshimi; Hoshino, Takashi; Sato, Ritsuko; Isemura, Satoko; Ohtsubo, Sadami; Taniguchi, Masayuki

    2007-11-18

    We have developed a two-dimensional (2D-) gel system of zymography and reverse zymography for the detection and characterization of proteases and protease inhibitors. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) agarose gels with pH gradients were employed for separation in the first-dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with gelatin used for the second dimension. Proteases and protease inhibitors separated by IEF gel were applied on the second gel without trichloroacetic acid (TCA) fixation. Protease activity in the 2D-gel was visualized as transparent spots where gelatin substrate was digested after commassie brilliant blue (CBB) staining. Some of the transparent spots from the skin mucus extract of rainbow trout were determined to be a cysteine protease through use of E-64 or CA-074. In the reverse zymography technique, the gel was incubated with papain solution at 37 degrees C for 18 h. Cysteine protease inhibitors from broad bean seeds were detected as clear blue spots after CBB staining. The amino (N-) terminal sequences of four papain inhibitor spots thus detected were demonstrated to be identical to that of favin beta chain, a broad bean lectin. Taken together, our system can be considered to be an efficient technique for discovering and characterizing new proteases and protease inhibitors in biological samples. This is the first report describing a 2D-gel system of zymography and reverse zymography.

  2. Fifteen years of HIV Protease Inhibitors: raising the barrier to resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wensing, Annemarie M J; van Maarseveen, Noortje M; Nijhuis, Monique

    2010-01-01

    HIV protease plays a crucial role in the viral life cycle and is essential for the generation of mature infectious virus particles. Detailed knowledge of the structure of HIV protease and its substrate has led to the design of specific HIV protease inhibitors. Unfortunately, resistance to all protease inhibitors (PIs) has been observed and the genetic basis of resistance has been well documented over the past 15 years. The arrival of the early PIs was a pivotal moment in the development of antiretroviral therapy. They made possible the dual class triple combination therapy that became known as HAART. However, the clinical utility of the first generation of PIs was limited by low bioavailability and high pill burdens, which ultimately reduced adherence and limited long-term viral inhibition. When therapy failure occurred multiple protease resistance mutations were observed, often resulting in broad class resistance. To combat PI-resistance development, second-generation approaches have been developed. The first advance was to increase the level of existing PIs in the plasma by boosting with ritonavir. The second was to develop novel PIs with high potency against the known PI-resistant HIV protease variants. Both approaches increased the number of protease mutations required for clinical resistance, thereby raising the genetic barrier. This review provides an overview of the history of protease inhibitor therapy, its current status and future perspectives. It forms part of a special issue of Antiviral Research marking the 25th anniversary of antiretroviral drug discovery and development, vol. 85, issue 1, 2010. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Lysine sulfonamides as novel HIV-protease inhibitors: Nepsilon-acyl aromatic alpha-amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stranix, Brent R; Lavallée, Jean-François; Sévigny, Guy; Yelle, Jocelyn; Perron, Valérie; LeBerre, Nicholas; Herbart, Dominik; Wu, Jinzi J

    2006-07-01

    A series of lysine sulfonamide analogues bearing Nepsilon-acyl aromatic amino acids were synthesized using an efficient synthetic route. Evaluation of these novel protease inhibitors revealed compounds with high potency against wild-type and multiple-protease inhibitor-resistant HIV viruses.

  4. Interspecific differences between D. pulex and D. magna in tolerance to cyanobacteria with protease inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian J Kuster

    Full Text Available It is known that cyanobacteria negatively affect herbivores due to their production of toxins such as protease inhibitors. In the present study we investigated potential interspecific differences between two major herbivores, Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex, in terms of their tolerance to cyanobacteria with protease inhibitors. Seven clones each of D. magna and of D. pulex were isolated from different habitats in Europe and North America. To test for interspecific differences in the daphnids' tolerance to cyanobacteria, their somatic and population growth rates were determined for each D. magna and D. pulex clone after exposure to varying concentrations of two Microcystis aeruginosa strains. The M. aeruginosa strains NIVA and PCC(- contained either chymotrypsin or trypsin inhibitors, but no microcystins. Mean somatic and population growth rates on a diet with 20% NIVA were significantly more reduced in D. pulex than in D. magna. On a diet with 10% PCC(-, the population growth of D. pulex was significantly more reduced than that of D. magna. This indicates that D. magna is more tolerant to cyanobacteria with protease inhibitors than D. pulex. The reduction of growth rates was possibly caused by an interference of cyanobacterial inhibitors with proteases in the gut of Daphnia, as many other conceivable factors, which might have been able to explain the reduced growth, could be excluded as causal factors. Protease assays revealed that the sensitivities of chymotrypsins and trypsins to cyanobacterial protease inhibitors did not differ between D. magna and D. pulex. However, D. magna exhibited a 2.3-fold higher specific chymotrypsin activity than D. pulex, which explains the observed higher tolerance to cyanobacterial protease inhibitors of D. magna. The present study suggests that D. magna may control the development of cyanobacterial blooms more efficiently than D. pulex due to differences in their tolerance to cyanobacteria with protease

  5. Anti-fibrinolytic and anti-microbial activities of a serine protease inhibitor from honeybee (Apis cerana) venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jie; Lee, Kwang Sik; Kim, Bo Yeon; Choi, Yong Soo; Yoon, Hyung Joo; Jia, Jingming; Jin, Byung Rae

    2017-10-01

    Bee venom contains a variety of peptide constituents, including low-molecular-weight protease inhibitors. While the putative low-molecular-weight serine protease inhibitor Api m 6 containing a trypsin inhibitor-like cysteine-rich domain was identified from honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom, no anti-fibrinolytic or anti-microbial roles for this inhibitor have been elucidated. In this study, we identified an Asiatic honeybee (A. cerana) venom serine protease inhibitor (AcVSPI) that was shown to act as a microbial serine protease inhibitor and plasmin inhibitor. AcVSPI was found to consist of a trypsin inhibitor-like domain that displays ten cysteine residues. Interestingly, the AcVSPI peptide sequence exhibited high similarity to the putative low-molecular-weight serine protease inhibitor Api m 6, which suggests that AcVSPI is an allergen Api m 6-like peptide. Recombinant AcVSPI was expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells, and it demonstrated inhibitory activity against trypsin, but not chymotrypsin. Additionally, AcVSPI has inhibitory effects against plasmin and microbial serine proteases; however, it does not have any detectable inhibitory effects on thrombin or elastase. Consistent with these inhibitory effects, AcVSPI inhibited the plasmin-mediated degradation of fibrin to fibrin degradation products. AcVSPI also bound to bacterial and fungal surfaces and exhibited anti-microbial activity against fungi as well as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. These findings demonstrate the anti-fibrinolytic and anti-microbial roles of AcVSPI as a serine protease inhibitor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Identification of Cysteine Proteases and Screening of Cysteine Protease Inhibitors in Biological Samples by a Two-Dimensional Gel System of Zymography and Reverse Zymography

    OpenAIRE

    Saitoh, Eiichi; Yamamoto, Shinya; Okamoto, Eishiro; Hayakawa, Yoshimi; Hoshino, Takashi; Sato, Ritsuko; Isemura, Satoko; Ohtsubo, Sadami; Taniguchi, Masayuki

    2007-01-01

    We have developed a two-dimensional (2D-) gel system of zymography and reverse zymography for the detection and characterization of proteases and protease inhibitors. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) agarose gels with pH gradients were employed for separation in the fi rst-dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with gelatin used for the second dimension. Proteases and protease inhibitors separated by IEF gel were applied on the second gel without trichloroacetic...

  7. Roles of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor amniotic membrane in oral wound healing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elly Munadziroh

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI is serine protease inhibitor. Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor is a protein found in secretions such as whole saliva, seminal fluid, cervical mucus, synovial fluid, breast milk, tears, and cerebral spinal fluid, as in secretions from the nose and bronchi, amniotic fluid and amniotic membrane etc. These findings demonstrate that SLPI function as a potent anti protease, anti inflammatory, bactericidal, antifungal, tissue repair, extra cellular synthesis. Impaired healing states are characterized by excessive proteolysis and often bacterial infection, leading to the hypothesis that SLPI may have a role in the process. The objectives of this article are to investigate the role of SLPI in oral inflammation and how it contributes to tissue repair in oral mucosa. The oral wound healing responses are impaired in the SLPI sufficient mice and matrix synthesis and collagen deposition are delayed. This study indicated that SLPI is a povital factor necessary for optimal wound healing.

  8. Cardiovascular disease and use of contemporary protease inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ryom, Lene; Lundgren, Jens D; El-Sadr, Wafaa

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although earlier protease inhibitors have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, whether this increased risk also applies to more contemporary protease inhibitors is unknown. We aimed to assess whether cumulative use of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir and ritonavir......-boosted darunavir were associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV. METHODS: The prospective Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study consists of people living with HIV-1 from 11 cohorts in Australia, Europe, and the USA. Participants were...... monitored from Jan 1, 2009, until the earliest of a cardiovascular event, 6 months after the last visit, or until Feb 1, 2016. The outcome of interest was the incidence of cardiovascular disease in adults (aged ≥16 years) living with HIV who were being treated with contemporary treatments. We defined...

  9. Modulating effects of the protease inhibitor Antipain on x-ray induced transformations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borek, C.; Miller, R.C.

    1979-01-01

    Protease inhibitors have been shown to inhibit the expression of mutations in bacteria and to inhibit the tumor-promoting effect of phorbol esters in mice. We have investigated the effect of the protease inhibitor Antipain on cell transformation by x-irradiation in two in vitro systems; namely short-term cultures of freshly explanted hamster embryo cells and in the 10T1/2 cell line derived and cloned from C3H mouse embryo

  10. Kinetic intermediates en route to the final serpin-protease complex: studies of complexes of α1-protease inhibitor with trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddur, Ashoka A; Swanson, Richard; Izaguirre, Gonzalo; Gettins, Peter G W; Olson, Steven T

    2013-11-01

    Serpin protein protease inhibitors inactivate their target proteases through a unique mechanism in which a major serpin conformational change, resulting in a 70-Å translocation of the protease from its initial reactive center loop docking site to the opposite pole of the serpin, kinetically traps the acyl-intermediate complex. Although the initial Michaelis and final trapped acyl-intermediate complexes have been well characterized structurally, the intermediate stages involved in this remarkable transformation are not well understood. To better characterize such intermediate steps, we undertook rapid kinetic studies of the FRET and fluorescence perturbation changes of site-specific fluorophore-labeled derivatives of the serpin, α1-protease inhibitor (α1PI), which report the serpin and protease conformational changes involved in transforming the Michaelis complex to the trapped acyl-intermediate complex in reactions with trypsin. Two kinetically resolvable conformational changes were observed in the reactions, ascribable to (i) serpin reactive center loop insertion into sheet A with full protease translocation but incomplete protease distortion followed by, (ii) full conformational distortion and movement of the protease and coupled serpin conformational changes involving the F helix-sheet A interface. Kinetic studies of calcium effects on the labeled α1PI-trypsin reactions demonstrated both inactive and low activity states of the distorted protease in the final complex that were distinct from the intermediate distorted state. These studies provide new insights into the nature of the serpin and protease conformational changes involved in trapping the acyl-intermediate complex in serpin-protease reactions and support a previously proposed role for helix F in the trapping mechanism.

  11. Purification of a 6.5 kDa protease inhibitor from Amazon Inga umbratica seeds effective against serine proteases of the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderon, L A; Teles, R C L; Leite, J R S A; Franco, O L; Grossi-de-Sá, M F; Medrano, F J; Bloch, C; Freitas, S M

    2005-08-01

    A 6.5 kDa serine protease inhibitor was purified by anion-exchange chromatography from the crude extract of the Inga umbratica seeds, containing inhibitor isoforms ranging from 6.3 to 6.7 kDa and protease inhibitors of approximately 19 kDa. The purified protein was characterized as a potent inhibitor against trypsin and chymotrypsin and it was named I. umbratica trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (IUTCI). MALDI-TOF spectra of the IUTCI, in the presence of DTT, showed six disulfide bonds content, suggesting that this inhibitor belongs to Bowman-Birk family. The circular dichroism spectroscopy indicates that IUTCI is predominantly formed by unordered and beta-sheet secondary structure. It was also characterized, by fluorescence spectroscopy, as a stable protein at range of pH from 5.0 to 7.0. Moreover, this inhibitor at concentration of 75 microM presented a remarkable inhibitory activity (60%) against digestive serine proteases from boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, an important economical cotton pest.

  12. Some Investigations on Protease Enzyme Production Kinetics Using Bacillus licheniformis BBRC 100053 and Effects of Inhibitors on Protease Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Ghobadi Nejad

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to great commercial application of protease, it is necessary to study kinetic characterization of this enzyme in order to improve design of enzymatic reactors. In this study, mathematical modeling of protease enzyme production kinetics which is derived from Bacillus licheniformis BBRC 100053 was studied (at 37°C, pH 10 after 73 h in stationary phase, and 150 rpm. The aim of the present paper was to determine the best kinetic model and kinetic parameters for production of protease and calculating Ki (inhibition constant of different inhibitors to find the most effective one. The kinetic parameters Km (Michaelis-Menten constant and Vm (maximum rate were calculated 0.626 mM and 0.0523 mM/min. According to the experimental results, using DFP (diisopropyl fluorophosphate and PMSF (phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride as inhibitors almost 50% of the enzyme activity could be inhibited when their concentrations were 0.525 and 0.541 mM, respectively. Ki for DFP and PMSF were 0.46 and 0.56 mM, respectively. Kinetic analysis showed that the Lineweaver-Burk model was the best fitting model for protease production kinetics DFP was more effective than PMSF and both of them should be covered in the group of noncompetitive inhibitors.

  13. Analysis of Milk from Mothers Who Delivered Prematurely Reveals Few Changes in Proteases and Protease Inhibitors across Gestational Age at Birth and Infant Postnatal Age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demers-Mathieu, Veronique; Nielsen, Søren Drud; Underwood, Mark A; Borghese, Robyn; Dallas, David C

    2017-06-01

    Background: Peptidomics research has demonstrated that protease activity is higher in breast milk from preterm-delivering mothers than from term-delivering mothers. However, to our knowledge, the effect of the degree of prematurity and postnatal age on proteases and protease inhibitors in human milk remains unknown. Objective: We aimed to determine the change of proteases and protease inhibitors in milk from mothers who delivered prematurely across gestational age (GA) and postnatal age. Methods: Milk samples were collected from 18 mothers aged 26-40 y who delivered preterm infants and who lacked mastitis. For analysis, samples were separated into 2 groups: 9 from early GA (EGA) (24-26 wk GA)-delivering mothers and 9 from late GA (LGA) (27-32 wk GA)-delivering mothers. Within the 9 samples in each group, the collection time ranged from postnatal days 2 to 47. The activity and predicted activity of proteases in preterm milk were determined with the use of fluorometric and spectrophotometric assays and peptidomics, respectively. Protease and protease inhibitor concentrations were determined with the use of ELISA. Linear mixed models were applied to compare enzymes across GA and postnatal age. Results: Carboxypeptidase B2, kallikrein, plasmin, elastase, thrombin, and cytosol aminopeptidase were present and active in the milk of preterm-delivering mothers. Most milk protease and antiprotease concentrations did not change with GA or postnatal age. However, the concentration and activity of kallikrein, the most abundant and active protease in preterm milk, increased by 25.4 ng · mL -1 · d -1 and 0.454 μg · mL -1 · d -1 postnatally, respectively, in EGA milk samples while remaining stable in LGA milk samples. Conclusions: This research demonstrates that proteases are active in human milk and begin to degrade milk protein within the mammary gland before consumption by infants. Proteases and protease inhibitors in milk from mothers of premature infants mostly did not

  14. Nonnucleoside Reverse-transcriptase Inhibitor- vs Ritonavir-boosted Protease Inhibitor-based Regimens for Initial Treatment of HIV Infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borges, Álvaro H; Lundh, Andreas; Tendal, Britta

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) cause faster virologic suppression, while ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r) recover more CD4 cells. However, individual trials have not been powered to compare clinical outcomes. METHODS: ...

  15. Effect of Semen on Vaginal Fluid Cytokines and Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathy J. Agnew

    2008-01-01

    Methods: 138 pregnant women had vaginal fluid collected for Gram stain, acid phosphatase detection by colorimetric assay, and interleukin 1-Beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor measurement by enzyme immunoassay. Results for women with and without acid phosphatase were compared by Mann-Whitney test. Results: of 138 subjects, 28 (20% had acid phosphatase detected; of these, only 19 (68% reported recent intercourse and 3 (11% had sperm seen on Gram stain. There were no significant differences in proinflammatory cytokine concentrations; however, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor concentrations were significantly higher among women with acid phosphatase. Conclusions: proinflammatory cytokine measurement does not appear to be affected by the presence of semen, but secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor is significantly higher when semen is present. Detection of semen by acid phosphatase was associated with higher vaginal SLPI concentrations, however, the presence of semen did not appear to influence vaginal proinflammatory cytokine concentrations.

  16. Luminometric method for screening retroviral protease inhibitors

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Horáková, D.; Rumlová, Michaela; Pichová, Iva; Ruml, Tomáš

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 345, č. 1 (2005), s. 96-101 ISSN 0003-2697 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA4055304; GA MŠk(CZ) 1M0508; GA MŠk(CZ) 1M0520 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : retroviral protease * inhibitors * luminescent assay Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.670, year: 2005

  17. Assessment and partial purification of serine protease inhibitors from Rhipicephalus (Boophilus annulatuslarvae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sedigheh Nabian

    Full Text Available Ticks are rich sources of serine protease inhibitors, particularly those that prevent blood clotting and inflammatory responses during blood feeding. The tick Rhipicephalus (Boophlus annulatusis an important ectoparasite of cattle. The aims of this study were to characterize and purify the serine protease inhibitors present in R. (B. annulatus larval extract. The inhibitors were characterized by means of one and two-dimensional reverse zymography, and purified using affinity chromatography on a trypsin-Sepharose column. The analysis on one and two-dimensional reverse zymography of the larval extract showed trypsin inhibitory activity at between 13 and 40 kDa. Through non-reducing SDS-PAGE and reverse zymography for proteins purified by trypsin-Sepharose affinity chromatography, some protein bands with molecular weights between 13 and 34 kDa were detected. Western blotting showed that five protein bands at 48, 70, 110, 130 and 250 kDa reacted positively with immune serum, whereas there was no positive reaction in the range of 13-40 kDa. Serine protease inhibitors from R. (B. annulatus have anti-trypsin activity similar to inhibitors belonging to several other hard tick species, thus suggesting that these proteins may be useful as targets in anti-tick vaccines.

  18. Effectiveness of Ritonavir-Boosted Protease Inhibitor Monotherapy in Clinical Practice Even with Previous Virological Failures to Protease Inhibitor-Based Regimens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis F López-Cortés

    Full Text Available Significant controversy still exists about ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy (mtPI/rtv as a simplification strategy that is used up to now to treat patients that have not experienced previous virological failure (VF while on protease inhibitor (PI -based regimens. We have evaluated the effectiveness of two mtPI/rtv regimens in an actual clinical practice setting, including patients that had experienced previous VF with PI-based regimens.This retrospective study analyzed 1060 HIV-infected patients with undetectable viremia that were switched to lopinavir/ritonavir or darunavir/ritonavir monotherapy. In cases in which the patient had previously experienced VF while on a PI-based regimen, the lack of major HIV protease resistance mutations to lopinavir or darunavir, respectively, was mandatory. The primary endpoint of this study was the percentage of participants with virological suppression after 96 weeks according to intention-to-treat analysis (non-complete/missing = failure.A total of 1060 patients were analyzed, including 205 with previous VF while on PI-based regimens, 90 of whom were on complex therapies due to extensive resistance. The rates of treatment effectiveness (intention-to-treat analysis and virological efficacy (on-treatment analysis at week 96 were 79.3% (CI95, 76.8-81.8 and 91.5% (CI95, 89.6-93.4, respectively. No relationships were found between VF and earlier VF while on PI-based regimens, the presence of major or minor protease resistance mutations, the previous time on viral suppression, CD4+ T-cell nadir, and HCV-coinfection. Genotypic resistance tests were available in 49 out of the 74 patients with VFs and only four patients presented new major protease resistance mutations.Switching to mtPI/rtv achieves sustained virological control in most patients, even in those with previous VF on PI-based regimens as long as no major resistance mutations are present for the administered drug.

  19. Protease Inhibitors Extracted from Caesalpinia echinata Lam. Affect Kinin Release during Lung Inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilana Cruz-Silva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Inflammation is an essential process in many pulmonary diseases in which kinins are generated by protease action on kininogen, a phenomenon that is blocked by protease inhibitors. We evaluated kinin release in an in vivo lung inflammation model in rats, in the presence or absence of CeKI (C. echinata kallikrein inhibitor, a plasma kallikrein, cathepsin G, and proteinase-3 inhibitor, and rCeEI (recombinant C. echinata elastase inhibitor, which inhibits these proteases and also neutrophil elastase. Wistar rats were intravenously treated with buffer (negative control or inhibitors and, subsequently, lipopolysaccharide was injected into their lungs. Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF, and lung tissue were collected. In plasma, kinin release was higher in the LPS-treated animals in comparison to CeKI or rCeEI groups. rCeEI-treated animals presented less kinin than CeKI-treated group. Our data suggest that kinins play a pivotal role in lung inflammation and may be generated by different enzymes; however, neutrophil elastase seems to be the most important in the lung tissue context. These results open perspectives for a better understanding of biological process where neutrophil enzymes participate and indicate these plant inhibitors and their recombinant correlates for therapeutic trials involving pulmonary diseases.

  20. Pre-equilibrium competitive library screening for tuning inhibitor association rate and specificity toward serine proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Itay; Naftaly, Si; Ben-Zeev, Efrat; Hockla, Alexandra; Radisky, Evette S; Papo, Niv

    2018-04-16

    High structural and sequence similarity within protein families can pose significant challenges to the development of selective inhibitors, especially toward proteolytic enzymes. Such enzymes usually belong to large families of closely similar proteases and may also hydrolyze, with different rates, protein- or peptide-based inhibitors. To address this challenge, we employed a combinatorial yeast surface display library approach complemented with a novel pre-equilibrium, competitive screening strategy for facile assessment of the effects of multiple mutations on inhibitor association rates and binding specificity. As a proof of principle for this combined approach, we utilized this strategy to alter inhibitor/protease association rates and to tailor the selectivity of the amyloid β-protein precursor Kunitz protease inhibitor domain (APPI) for inhibition of the oncogenic protease mesotrypsin, in the presence of three competing serine proteases, anionic trypsin, cationic trypsin and kallikrein-6. We generated a variant, designated APPI P13W/M17G/I18F/F34V , with up to 30-fold greater specificity relative to the parental APPI M17G/I18F/F34V protein, and 6500- to 230 000-fold improved specificity relative to the wild-type APPI protein in the presence of the other proteases tested. A series of molecular docking simulations suggested a mechanism of interaction that supported the biochemical results. These simulations predicted that the selectivity and specificity are affected by the interaction of the mutated APPI residues with nonconserved enzyme residues located in or near the binding site. Our strategy will facilitate a better understanding of the binding landscape of multispecific proteins and will pave the way for design of new drugs and diagnostic tools targeting proteases and other proteins. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  1. Antimalarial activity of HIV-1 protease inhibitor in chromone series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerdsirisuk, Pradith; Maicheen, Chirattikan; Ungwitayatorn, Jiraporn

    2014-12-01

    Increasing parasite resistance to nearly all available antimalarial drugs becomes a serious problem to human health and necessitates the need to continue the search for new effective drugs. Recent studies have shown that clinically utilized HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) inhibitors can inhibit the in vitro and in vivo growth of Plasmodium falciparum. In this study, a series of chromone derivatives possessing HIV-1 PR inhibitory activity has been tested for antimalarial activity against P. falciparum (K1 multi-drug resistant strain). Chromone 15, the potent HIV-1 PR inhibitor (IC50=0.65μM), was found to be the most potent antimalarial compound with IC50=0.95μM while primaquine and tafenoquine showed IC50=2.41 and 1.95μM, respectively. Molecular docking study of chromone compounds against plasmepsin II, an aspartic protease enzyme important in hemoglobin degradation, revealed that chromone 15 exhibited the higher binding affinity (binding energy=-13.24kcal/mol) than the known PM II inhibitors. Thus, HIV-1 PR inhibitor in chromone series has the potential to be a new class of antimalarial agent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Protease inhibitors enhance extracellular collagen fibril deposition in human mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Sejin; Li, Yuk Yin; Chan, Barbara Pui

    2015-10-15

    Collagen is a widely used naturally occurring biomaterial for scaffolding, whereas mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising cell source in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It is generally known that cells are able to remodel their environment by simultaneous degradation of the scaffolds and deposition of newly synthesized extracellular matrix. Nevertheless, the interactions between MSCs and collagen biomaterials are poorly known, and the strategies enhancing the extracellular matrix deposition are yet to be defined. In this study, we aim to investigate the fate of collagen when it is in contact with MSCs and hypothesize that protease inhibition will enhance their extracellular deposition of collagen fibrils. Specifically, human MSCs (hMSCs) were exposed to fluorescence-labeled collagen with and without intracellular or extracellular protease inhibitors (or both) before tracing the collagen at both intracellular and extracellular spaces. Collagen were internalized by hMSCs and degraded intracellularly in lysosomes. In the presence of protease inhibitors, both intracellular collagen fibril growth and extracellular deposition of collagen fibrils were enhanced. Moreover, protease inhibitors work synergistically with ascorbic acid, a well-known matrix deposition-enhancing reagent, in further enhancing collagen fibril deposition at the extracellular space. These findings provide a better understanding of the interactions between hMSCs and collagen biomaterials and suggest a method to manipulate matrix remodeling and deposition of hMSCs, contributing to better scaffolding for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

  3. Discovery of MK-8718, an HIV Protease Inhibitor Containing a Novel Morpholine Aspartate Binding Group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bungard, Christopher J.; Williams, Peter D.; Ballard, Jeanine E.; Bennett, David J.; Beaulieu, Christian; Bahnck-Teets, Carolyn; Carroll, Steve S.; Chang, Ronald K.; Dubost, David C.; Fay, John F.; Diamond, Tracy L.; Greshock, Thomas J.; Hao, Li; Holloway, M. Katharine; Felock, Peter J.; Gesell, Jennifer J.; Su, Hua-Poo; Manikowski, Jesse J.; McKay, Daniel J.; Miller, Mike; Min, Xu; Molinaro, Carmela; Moradei, Oscar M.; Nantermet, Philippe G.; Nadeau, Christian; Sanchez, Rosa I.; Satyanarayana, Tummanapalli; Shipe, William D.; Singh, Sanjay K.; Truong, Vouy Linh; Vijayasaradhi, Sivalenka; Wiscount, Catherine M.; Vacca, Joseph P.; Crane, Sheldon N.; McCauley, John A. (Merck); (Albany MR)

    2016-07-14

    A novel HIV protease inhibitor was designed using a morpholine core as the aspartate binding group. Analysis of the crystal structure of the initial lead bound to HIV protease enabled optimization of enzyme potency and antiviral activity. This afforded a series of potent orally bioavailable inhibitors of which MK-8718 was identified as a compound with a favorable overall profile.

  4. Evolutionary dynamics of hepatitis C virus NS3 protease domain during and following treatment with narlaprevir, a potent NS3 protease inhibitor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Bruijne, J.; Thomas, X. V.; Rebers, S. P.; Weegink, C. J.; Treitel, M. A.; Hughes, E.; Bergmann, J. F.; de Knegt, R. J.; Janssen, H. L. A.; Reesink, H. W.; Molenkamp, R.; Schinkel, J.

    2013-01-01

    Narlaprevir, a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A serine protease inhibitor, has demonstrated robust antiviral activity in a placebo-controlled phase 1 study. To study evolutionary dynamics of resistant variants, the NS3 protease sequence was clonally analysed in thirty-two HCV genotype 1-infected

  5. A Camelid-derived Antibody Fragment Targeting the Active Site of a Serine Protease Balances between Inhibitor and Substrate Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kromann-Hansen, Tobias; Oldenburg, Emil; Yung, Kristen Wing Yu; Ghassabeh, Gholamreza H; Muyldermans, Serge; Declerck, Paul J; Huang, Mingdong; Andreasen, Peter A; Ngo, Jacky Chi Ki

    2016-07-15

    A peptide segment that binds the active site of a serine protease in a substrate-like manner may behave like an inhibitor or a substrate. However, there is sparse information on which factors determine the behavior a particular peptide segment will exhibit. Here, we describe the first x-ray crystal structure of a nanobody in complex with a serine protease. The nanobody displays a new type of interaction between an antibody and a serine protease as it inserts its complementary determining region-H3 loop into the active site of the protease in a substrate-like manner. The unique binding mechanism causes the nanobody to behave as a strong inhibitor as well as a poor substrate. Intriguingly, its substrate behavior is incomplete, as 30-40% of the nanobody remained intact and inhibitory after prolonged incubation with the protease. Biochemical analysis reveals that an intra-loop interaction network within the complementary determining region-H3 of the nanobody balances its inhibitor versus substrate behavior. Collectively, our results unveil molecular factors, which may be a general mechanism to determine the substrate versus inhibitor behavior of other protease inhibitors. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  6. A Camelid-derived Antibody Fragment Targeting the Active Site of a Serine Protease Balances between Inhibitor and Substrate Behavior*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kromann-Hansen, Tobias; Oldenburg, Emil; Yung, Kristen Wing Yu; Ghassabeh, Gholamreza H.; Muyldermans, Serge; Declerck, Paul J.; Huang, Mingdong; Andreasen, Peter A.; Ngo, Jacky Chi Ki

    2016-01-01

    A peptide segment that binds the active site of a serine protease in a substrate-like manner may behave like an inhibitor or a substrate. However, there is sparse information on which factors determine the behavior a particular peptide segment will exhibit. Here, we describe the first x-ray crystal structure of a nanobody in complex with a serine protease. The nanobody displays a new type of interaction between an antibody and a serine protease as it inserts its complementary determining region-H3 loop into the active site of the protease in a substrate-like manner. The unique binding mechanism causes the nanobody to behave as a strong inhibitor as well as a poor substrate. Intriguingly, its substrate behavior is incomplete, as 30–40% of the nanobody remained intact and inhibitory after prolonged incubation with the protease. Biochemical analysis reveals that an intra-loop interaction network within the complementary determining region-H3 of the nanobody balances its inhibitor versus substrate behavior. Collectively, our results unveil molecular factors, which may be a general mechanism to determine the substrate versus inhibitor behavior of other protease inhibitors. PMID:27226628

  7. Companion Protease Inhibitors for the In Situ Protection of Recombinant Proteins in Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert, Stéphanie; Jutras, Philippe V; Khalf, Moustafa; D'Aoust, Marc-André; Goulet, Marie-Claire; Sainsbury, Frank; Michaud, Dominique

    2016-01-01

    We previously described a procedure for the use of plant protease inhibitors as "companion" accessory proteins to prevent unwanted proteolysis of clinically useful recombinant proteins in leaf crude protein extracts (Benchabane et al. Methods Mol Biol 483:265-273, 2009). Here we describe the use of these inhibitors for the protection of recombinant proteins in planta, before their extraction from leaf tissues. A procedure is first described involving inhibitors co-expressed along-and co-migrating-with the protein of interest in host plant cells. An alternative, single transgene scheme is then described involving translational fusions of the recombinant protein and companion inhibitor. These approaches may allow for a significant improvement of protein steady-state levels in leaves, comparable to yield improvements observed with protease-deficient strains of less complex protein expression hosts such as E. coli or yeasts.

  8. Hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor-resistance mutations: our experience and review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shuang; Kanda, Tatsuo; Nakamoto, Shingo; Imazeki, Fumio; Yokosuka, Osamu

    2013-12-21

    Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are one of the major advances in its medical treatment. The HCV protease inhibitors boceprevir and telaprevir were the first approved DAAs in the United States, Europe, and Japan. When combined with peginterferon plus ribavirin, these agents increase sustained virologic response rates to 70%-80% in treatment-naïve patients and previous-treatment relapsers with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. Without peginterferon plus ribavirin, DAA mono-therapies increased DAA-resistance mutations. Several new DAAs for HCV are now in clinical development and are likely to be approved in the near future. However, it has been reported that the use of these drugs also led to the emergence of DAA-resistance mutations in certain cases. Furthermore, these mutations exhibit cross-resistance to multiple drugs. The prevalence of DAA-resistance mutations in HCV-infected patients who were not treated with DAAs is unknown, and it is as yet uncertain whether such variants are sensitive to DAAs. We performed a population sequence analysis to assess the frequency of such variants in the sera of HCV genotype 1-infected patients not treated with HCV protease inhibitors. Here, we reviewed the literature on resistance variants of HCV protease inhibitors in treatment naïve patients with chronic HCV genotype 1, as well as our experience.

  9. Rhomboid protease inhibitors: Emerging tools and future therapeutics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Stříšovský, Kvido

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 60, Dec (2016), s. 52-62 ISSN 1084-9521 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LK11206; GA MŠk LO1302 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 304154 - Rhomboid substrates Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : rhomboid protease * inhibitor * disease * mechanism * substrate specificity Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 6.614, year: 2016 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084952116302592

  10. Structure-based drug design of novel peptidomimetic cellulose derivatives as HCV-NS3 protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, Noha A; Elshemey, Wael M

    2017-10-15

    Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) represents a global health threat not only due to the large number of reported worldwide HCV infections, but also due to the absence of a reliable vaccine for its prevention. HCV NS3 protease is one of the most important targets for drug design aiming at the deactivation of HCV. In the present work, molecular docking simulations are carried out for suggested novel NS3 protease inhibitors applied to the Egyptian genotype 4. These inhibitors are modifications of dimer cellulose by adding a hexa-peptide to the cellulose at one of the positions 2, 3, 6, 2', 3' or 6'. Results show that the inhibitor compound with the hexa-peptide at position 6 shows significantly higher simulation docking score with HCV NS3 protease active site. This is supported by low total energy value of docking system, formation of two H-bonds with HCV NS3 protease active site residues, high binding affinity and increased stability in the interaction system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Eliminating anti-nutritional plant food proteins: the case of seed protease inhibitors in pea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, Alfonso; Arques, Maria C; Dalmais, Marion; Le Signor, Christine; Chinoy, Catherine; Olias, Raquel; Rayner, Tracey; Isaac, Peter G; Lawson, David M; Bendahmane, Abdelhafid; Domoney, Claire

    2015-01-01

    Several classes of seed proteins limit the utilisation of plant proteins in human and farm animal diets, while plant foods have much to offer to the sustainable intensification of food/feed production and to human health. Reduction or removal of these proteins could greatly enhance seed protein quality and various strategies have been used to try to achieve this with limited success. We investigated whether seed protease inhibitor mutations could be exploited to enhance seed quality, availing of induced mutant and natural Pisum germplasm collections to identify mutants, whilst acquiring an understanding of the impact of mutations on activity. A mutant (TILLING) resource developed in Pisum sativum L. (pea) and a large germplasm collection representing Pisum diversity were investigated as sources of mutations that reduce or abolish the activity of the major protease inhibitor (Bowman-Birk) class of seed protein. Of three missense mutations, predicted to affect activity of the mature trypsin / chymotrypsin inhibitor TI1 protein, a C77Y substitution in the mature mutant inhibitor abolished inhibitor activity, consistent with an absolute requirement for the disulphide bond C77-C92 for function in the native inhibitor. Two further classes of mutation (S85F, E109K) resulted in less dramatic changes to isoform or overall inhibitory activity. The alternative strategy to reduce anti-nutrients, by targeted screening of Pisum germplasm, successfully identified a single accession (Pisum elatius) as a double null mutant for the two closely linked genes encoding the TI1 and TI2 seed protease inhibitors. The P. elatius mutant has extremely low seed protease inhibitory activity and introgression of the mutation into cultivated germplasm has been achieved. The study provides new insights into structure-function relationships for protease inhibitors which impact on pea seed quality. The induced and natural germplasm variants identified provide immediate potential for either halving

  12. Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors: A Light at the End of the Tunnel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatel-Chaix, Laurent; Baril, Martin; Lamarre, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious and growing threat to human health. The current treatment provides limited efficacy and is poorly tolerated, highlighting the urgent medical need for novel therapeutics. The membrane-targeted NS3 protein in complex with the NS4A comprises a serine protease domain (NS3/4A protease) that is essential for viral polyprotein maturation and contributes to the evasion of the host innate antiviral immunity by HCV. Therefore, the NS3/4A protease represents an attractive target for drug discovery, which is tied in with the challenge to develop selective small-molecule inhibitors. A rational drug design approach, based on the discovery of N-terminus product inhibition, led to the identification of potent and orally bioavailable NS3 inhibitors that target the highly conserved protease active site. This review summarizes the NS3 protease inhibitors currently challenged in clinical trials as one of the most promising antiviral drug class, and possibly among the first anti-HCV agents to be approved for the treatment of HCV infection. PMID:21994705

  13. Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors: A Light at the End of the Tunnel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Chatel-Chaix

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is a serious and growing threat to human health. The current treatment provides limited efficacy and is poorly tolerated, highlighting the urgent medical need for novel therapeutics. The membrane-targeted NS3 protein in complex with the NS4A comprises a serine protease domain (NS3/4A protease that is essential for viral polyprotein maturation and contributes to the evasion of the host innate antiviral immunity by HCV. Therefore, the NS3/4A protease represents an attractive target for drug discovery, which is tied in with the challenge to develop selective small-molecule inhibitors. A rational drug design approach, based on the discovery of N-terminus product inhibition, led to the identification of potent and orally bioavailable NS3 inhibitors that target the highly conserved protease active site. This review summarizes the NS3 protease inhibitors currently challenged in clinical trials as one of the most promising antiviral drug class, and possibly among the first anti-HCV agents to be approved for the treatment of HCV infection.

  14. Evolution of inhibitor-resistant natural mutant forms of HIV-1 protease probed by pre-steady state kinetic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakharova, Maria Yu; Kuznetsova, Alexandra A; Kaliberda, Elena N; Dronina, Maria A; Kolesnikov, Alexander V; Kozyr, Arina V; Smirnov, Ivan V; Rumsh, Lev D; Fedorova, Olga S; Knorre, Dmitry G; Gabibov, Alexander G; Kuznetsov, Nikita A

    2017-11-01

    Pre-steady state kinetic analysis of mechanistic features of substrate binding and processing is crucial for insight into the evolution of inhibitor-resistant forms of HIV-1 protease. These data may provide a correct vector for rational drug design assuming possible intrinsic dynamic effects. These data should also give some clues to the molecular mechanism of protease action and resistance to inhibitors. Here we report pre-steady state kinetics of the interaction of wild type or mutant forms of HIV-1 protease with a FRET-labeled peptide. The three-stage "minimal" kinetic scheme with first and second reversible steps of substrate binding and with following irreversible peptide cleavage step adequately described experimental data. For the first time, a set of "elementary" kinetic parameters of wild type HIV-1 protease and its natural mutant inhibitor-resistant forms MDR-HM, ANAM-11 and prDRV4 were compared. Inhibitors of the first and second generation were used to estimate the inhibitory effects on HIV-1 protease activity. The resulting set of kinetic data supported that the mutant forms are kinetically unaffected by inhibitors of the first generation, proving their functional resistance to these compounds. The second generation inhibitor darunavir inhibited mutant forms MDR-HM and ANAM-11, but was ineffective against prDRV4. Our kinetic data revealed that these inhibitors induced different conformational changes in the enzyme and, thereby they have different mode of binding in the enzyme active site. These data confirmed hypothesis that the driving force of the inhibitor-resistance evolution is disruption of enzyme-inhibitor complex by changing of the contact network in the inhibitor binding site. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  15. The molecular basis of drug resistance against hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith P Romano

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infects over 170 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. Available antiviral therapies cause severe side effects and are effective only for a subset of patients, though treatment outcomes have recently been improved by the combination therapy now including boceprevir and telaprevir, which inhibit the viral NS3/4A protease. Despite extensive efforts to develop more potent next-generation protease inhibitors, however, the long-term efficacy of this drug class is challenged by the rapid emergence of resistance. Single-site mutations at protease residues R155, A156 and D168 confer resistance to nearly all inhibitors in clinical development. Thus, developing the next-generation of drugs that retain activity against a broader spectrum of resistant viral variants requires a comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis of drug resistance. In this study, 16 high-resolution crystal structures of four representative protease inhibitors--telaprevir, danoprevir, vaniprevir and MK-5172--in complex with the wild-type protease and three major drug-resistant variants R155K, A156T and D168A, reveal unique molecular underpinnings of resistance to each drug. The drugs exhibit differential susceptibilities to these protease variants in both enzymatic and antiviral assays. Telaprevir, danoprevir and vaniprevir interact directly with sites that confer resistance upon mutation, while MK-5172 interacts in a unique conformation with the catalytic triad. This novel mode of MK-5172 binding explains its retained potency against two multi-drug-resistant variants, R155K and D168A. These findings define the molecular basis of HCV N3/4A protease inhibitor resistance and provide potential strategies for designing robust therapies against this rapidly evolving virus.

  16. A noncovalent class of papain-like protease/deubiquitinase inhibitors blocks SARS virus replication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ratia, Kiira; Pegan, Scott; Takayama, Jun; Sleeman, Katrina; Coughlin, Melissa; Baliji, Surendranath; Chaudhuri, Rima; Fu, Wentao; Prabhakar, Bellur S.; Johnson, Michael E.; Baker, Susan C.; Ghosh, Arun K.; Mesecar, Andrew D. (Loyola); (Purdue); (UIC)

    2008-10-27

    We report the discovery and optimization of a potent inhibitor against the papain-like protease (PLpro) from the coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV). This unique protease is not only responsible for processing the viral polyprotein into its functional units but is also capable of cleaving ubiquitin and ISG15 conjugates and plays a significant role in helping SARS-CoV evade the human immune system. We screened a structurally diverse library of 50,080 compounds for inhibitors of PLpro and discovered a noncovalent lead inhibitor with an IC{sub 50} value of 20 {mu}M, which was improved to 600 nM via synthetic optimization. The resulting compound, GRL0617, inhibited SARS-CoV viral replication in Vero E6 cells with an EC{sub 50} of 15 {mu}M and had no associated cytotoxicity. The X-ray structure of PLpro in complex with GRL0617 indicates that the compound has a unique mode of inhibition whereby it binds within the S4-S3 subsites of the enzyme and induces a loop closure that shuts down catalysis at the active site. These findings provide proof-of-principle that PLpro is a viable target for development of antivirals directed against SARS-CoV, and that potent noncovalent cysteine protease inhibitors can be developed with specificity directed toward pathogenic deubiquitinating enzymes without inhibiting host DUBs.

  17. Identification of semicarbazones, thiosemicarbazones and triazine nitriles as inhibitors of Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jörg Schröder

    Full Text Available Cysteine proteases of the papain superfamily are present in nearly all eukaryotes. They play pivotal roles in the biology of parasites and inhibition of cysteine proteases is emerging as an important strategy to combat parasitic diseases such as sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. Homology modeling of the mature Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8 suggested that it differs significantly from bovine cathepsin B and thus could be a good drug target. High throughput screening of a compound library against this enzyme and bovine cathepsin B in a counter assay identified four novel inhibitors, containing the warhead-types semicarbazone, thiosemicarbazone and triazine nitrile, that can be used as leads for antiparasite drug design. Covalent docking experiments confirmed the SARs of these lead compounds in an effort to understand the structural elements required for specific inhibition of CPB2.8. This study has provided starting points for the design of selective and highly potent inhibitors of L. mexicana cysteine protease CPB that may also have useful efficacy against other important cysteine proteases.

  18. Inferring selection in the Anopheles gambiae species complex: an example from immune-related serine protease inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Little Tom J

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae species complex are the primary vectors of human malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Many host genes have been shown to affect Plasmodium development in the mosquito, and so are expected to engage in an evolutionary arms race with the pathogen. However, there is little conclusive evidence that any of these mosquito genes evolve rapidly, or show other signatures of adaptive evolution. Methods Three serine protease inhibitors have previously been identified as candidate immune system genes mediating mosquito-Plasmodium interaction, and serine protease inhibitors have been identified as hot-spots of adaptive evolution in other taxa. Population-genetic tests for selection, including a recent multi-gene extension of the McDonald-Kreitman test, were applied to 16 serine protease inhibitors and 16 other genes sampled from the An. gambiae species complex in both East and West Africa. Results Serine protease inhibitors were found to show a marginally significant trend towards higher levels of amino acid diversity than other genes, and display extensive genetic structuring associated with the 2La chromosomal inversion. However, although serpins are candidate targets for strong parasite-mediated selection, no evidence was found for rapid adaptive evolution in these genes. Conclusion It is well known that phylogenetic and population history in the An. gambiae complex can present special problems for the application of standard population-genetic tests for selection, and this may explain the failure of this study to detect selection acting on serine protease inhibitors. The pitfalls of uncritically applying these tests in this species complex are highlighted, and the future prospects for detecting selection acting on the An. gambiae genome are discussed.

  19. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of a cysteine protease inhibitor from the human nematode parasite Ascaris lumbricoides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Sanling; Dong, Jianmei; Mei, Guoqiang; Liu, Guiyun; Xu, Wei; Su, Zhong; Liu, Jinsong

    2011-01-01

    A recombinant cysteine protease inhibitor from the human nematode parasite A. lumbricoides has been overexpressed in E. coli, purified and crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 2.1 Å resolution. The cysteine protease inhibitor from Ascaris lumbricoides, a roundworm that lives in the human intestine, may be involved in the suppression of human immune responses. Here, the molecular cloning, protein expression and purification, preliminary crystallization and crystallographic characterization of the cysteine protease inhibitor from A. lumbricoides are reported. The rod-shaped crystal belonged to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 99.40, b = 37.52, c = 62.92 Å, β = 118.26°. The crystal diffracted to 2.1 Å resolution and contained two molecules in the asymmetric unit

  20. Boceprevir: a protease inhibitor for the treatment of hepatitis C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Mei H; Gordon, Lori A; Fung, Horatio B

    2012-10-01

    Boceprevir is a protease inhibitor indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin for treatment-naive patients and those who previously failed to improve with interferon and ribavirin treatment. This article provides an overview of the mechanism of action, pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties, clinical efficacy, and tolerability of boceprevir. Relevant information was identified through a search of PubMed (1990-July 2012), EMBASE (1990-July 2012), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-July 2012), and Google Scholar using the key words boceprevir, SCH 503034, non-structural protein 3 (NS3) serine protease inhibitor, and direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA). Additional information was obtained from the US Food and Drug Administration's Web site, review of the reference lists of identified articles, and posters and abstracts from scientific meetings. Clinical efficacy of boceprevir was assessed in 2 Phase III trials, Serine Protease Inhibitor Therapy-2 (SPRINT-2) for treatment-naive patients and Retreatment with HCV Serine Protease Inhibitor Boceprevir and PegIntron/Rebetol 2 (RESPOND-2) for treatment-experienced patients. In SPRINT-2, patients were randomized to receive peginterferon + ribavirin (PR) or peginterferon + ribavirin + boceprevir (PRB); duration of boceprevir therapy varied from 24, 32, to 44 weeks on the basis of HCV RNA results. The primary endpoint was achievement of sustained virologic response (SVR; lower limit of detection, 9.3 IU/mL). The addition of boceprevir was shown to be superior, with overall SVR rates ranging from 63% to 66% compared with 38% with PR (P < 0.001). Results of SVR in SPRINT-2 were also reorganized to monitor SVRs in black and non-black patients. Treatment-experienced patients were assessed in RESPOND-2; however, null responders were excluded. Patients were again randomized to PR or PRB; duration of boceprevir therapy varied from

  1. Development and evaluation of a phenotypic assay monitoring resistance formation to protease inhibitors in HIV-1-infected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gehringer, Heike; Von der Helm, Klaus; Seelmeir, Sigrid; Weissbrich, Benedikt; Eberle, Josef; Nitschko, Hans

    2003-05-01

    A novel phenotypic assay, based on recombinant expression of the HIV-1-protease was developed and evaluated; it monitors the formation of resistance to protease inhibitors. The HIV-1 protease-encoding region from the blood sample of patients was amplified, ligated into the expression vector pBD2, and recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli TG1 cells. The resulting recombinant enzyme was purified by a newly developed one-step acid extraction protocol. The protease activity was determined in presence of five selected HIV protease inhibitors and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) to the respective protease inhibitors determined. The degree of resistance was expressed in terms of x-fold increase in IC(50) compared to the IC(50) value of an HIV-1 wild type protease preparation. The established test system showed a reproducible recombinant expression of each individual patients' HIV-1 protease population. Samples of nine clinically well characterised HIV-1-infected patients with varying degrees of resistance were analysed. There was a good correlation between clinical parameters and the results obtained by this phenotypic assay. For the majority of patients a blind genotypic analysis of the patients' protease domain revealed a fair correlation to the results of the phenotypic assay. In a minority of patients our phenotypic results diverged from the genotypic ones. This novel phenotypic assay can be carried out within 8-10 days, and offers a significant advantage in time to the current employed phenotypic tests.

  2. Variability and resistance mutations in the hepatitis C virus NS3 protease in patients not treated with protease inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Bonome Zeminian

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The goal of treatment of chronic hepatitis C is to achieve a sustained virological response, which is defined as exhibiting undetectable hepatitis C virus (HCV RNA levels in serum following therapy for at least six months. However, the current treatment is only effective in 50% of patients infected with HCV genotype 1, the most prevalent genotype in Brazil. Inhibitors of the serine protease non-structural protein 3 (NS3 have therefore been developed to improve the responses of HCV-infected patients. However, the emergence of drug-resistant variants has been the major obstacle to therapeutic success. The goal of this study was to evaluate the presence of resistance mutations and genetic polymorphisms in the NS3 genomic region of HCV from 37 patients infected with HCV genotype 1 had not been treated with protease inhibitors. Plasma viral RNA was used to amplify and sequence the HCV NS3 gene. The results indicate that the catalytic triad is conserved. A large number of substitutions were observed in codons 153, 40 and 91; the resistant variants T54A, T54S, V55A, R155K and A156T were also detected. This study shows that resistance mutations and genetic polymorphisms are present in the NS3 region of HCV in patients who have not been treated with protease inhibitors, data that are important in determining the efficiency of this new class of drugs in Brazil.

  3. Schistosome serine protease inhibitors: parasite defense or homeostasis?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Landys A. Lopez Quezada

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Serpins are a structurally conserved family of macromolecular inhibitors found in numerous biological systems. The completion and annotation of the genomes of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum has enabled the identification by phylogenetic analysis of two major serpin clades. S. mansoni shows a greater multiplicity of serpin genes, perhaps reflecting adaptation to infection of a human host. Putative targets of schistosome serpins can be predicted from the sequence of the reactive center loop (RCL. Schistosome serpins may play important roles in both post-translational regulation of schistosome-derived proteases, as well as parasite defense mechanisms against the action of host proteases.Serpinas são uma família de inibidores macromoleculares estruturalmente conservados encontrados em inúmeros sistemas biológicos. O término e a anotação dos genomas de Schistosoma mansoni e de Schistosoma japonicum permitiram a identificação por análise filogenética de dois principais clados de serpinas. S. mansoni mostra uma multiplicidade maior de genes de serpinas, talvez refletindo uma adaptação à infecção de um hospedeiro humano. Alvos putativos das serpinas de esquistossomos podem ser preditos a partir da sequência do "loop" do centro reativo. Serpinas de esquistossomos podem ter importantes papeis tanto na regulação pós-traducional de proteases derivadas do esquistossoma, quanto nos mecanismos de defesa contra a ação de proteases do hospedeiro.

  4. Cancer risk and use of protease inhibitor or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based combination antiretroviral therapy: the D: A: D study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruyand, M.; Ryom, L.; Shepherd, L.; Fatkenheuer, G.; Grulich, A.; Reiss, P.; Wit, S. de; Monforte, A.M.; Furrer, H.; Pradier, C.; Lundgren, J.; Sabin, C.; Warris, A.; et al.,

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The association between combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and cancer risk, especially regimens containing protease inhibitors (PIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), is unclear. METHODS: Participants were followed from the latest of D:A:D study entry or

  5. Cancer risk and use of protease inhibitor or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based combination antiretroviral therapy : the D: A: D study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruyand, Mathias; Ryom, Lene; Shepherd, Leah; Fatkenheuer, Gerd; Grulich, Andrew; Reiss, Peter; de Wit, Stéphane; D Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Furrer, Hansjakob; Pradier, Christian; Lundgren, Jens; Sabin, Caroline; Schölvinck, Elisabeth H.

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The association between combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and cancer risk, especially regimens containing protease inhibitors (PIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), is unclear. METHODS: Participants were followed from the latest of D:A:D study entry or

  6. Localization to Chromosomes of Structural Genes for the Major Protease Inhibitors of Barley Grains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hejgaard, Jørn; Bjørn, S.E.; Nielsen, Gunnar Gissel

    1984-01-01

    Wheat-barley chromosome addition lines were compared by isoelectric focusing of protein extracts to identify chromosomes carrying loci for the major immunochemically distinct protease inhibitors of barley grains. Structural genes for the following inhibitors were localized: an inhibitor of both...... endogenous α-amylase 2 and subtilisin (ASI) on chromosome 2, two chymotrypsin/subtilisin inhibitors (CI-1 and CI-2) on chromosome 5 (long arm) and the major trypsin inhibitor (TI-1) on chromosome 3....

  7. Viagra warning re "poppers" and notice re protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, J S

    1998-05-01

    Pfizer, Inc., manufacturer of Viagra (sildenafil), is warning patients that Viagra is contraindicated with nitrate inhalers (poppers). Nitrates in any form or nitric oxide donors can potentially cause hypotension. Pfizer also recommends that patients using protease inhibitors, particularly ritonavir, use a lower dose of Viagra (25 mg) because they interfere with the elimination of Viagra. This interaction does not pose a significant risk to the patient.

  8. Identification and characterization of digestive serine proteases from inhibitor-resistant Helicoverpa zea larval midgut

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Volpicella, M.; Cordewener, J.H.G.; Jongsma, M.A.; Gallerani, R.; Ceci, L.R.; Beekwilder, M.J.

    2006-01-01

    Protease inhibitors mediate a natural form of plant defence against insects, by interfering with the digestive system of the insect. In this paper, affinity chromatography was used to isolate trypsins and chymotrypsins from Helicoverpa zea larvae, which had been raised on inhibitor-containing diet.

  9. Effect of protease inhibitors on thermal gelation of squid (Illex argentinus. mantle paste

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Elida Paredi

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The characteristics of the thermal gelation of squid mantle paste and the effect of protease inhibitors on them were investigated. Pastes in the absence and presence the protease inhibitors, ethylendiaminetetracetic acid (EDTA and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF, were formulated. Pastes were made by the respective one or two step thermal treatments: direct heating at 85°C for 20 min and preincubation at 27 or 40 °C for 3 or 2 hours, followed by heating at 85 °C for 20 min. The gel strength, water holding capacity (WHC and whiteness of gelled pastes were analyzed. The tricloroacetic acid (TCA soluble peptides in homogenate of the muscle were determined. Gel strength decreased when heating was made in two steps. EDTA and PMSF were effective in avoiding that decrease when pre-incubation was made at 40 °C. Maximum gel strength was observed for the gels in presence of EDTA, giving values of 255 and 219 g x cm for the samples made by direct heating and pre-incubated at 40 °C  respectively. TCA soluble peptides increased between 20 and 60 °C, with maximum values reached at 30 and 60 °C. No significant differences (p>0.05 were observed in gel whiteness, neither with the thermal treatment nor with the inhibitors. The WHC was higher (p<0.05 in the gelated paste formulated with EDTA. These results show a good gelation capacity of I argentinus pastes and improvements with protease inhibitors

  10. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI is, like its homologue trappin-2 (pre-elafin, a transglutaminase substrate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kévin Baranger

    Full Text Available Human lungs contain secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI, elafin and its biologically active precursor trappin-2 (pre-elafin. These important low-molecular weight inhibitors are involved in controlling the potentially deleterious proteolytic activities of neutrophil serine proteases including elastase, proteinase 3 and cathepsin G. We have shown previously that trappin-2, and to a lesser extent, elafin can be linked covalently to various extracellular matrix proteins by tissue transglutaminases and remain potent protease inhibitors. SLPI is composed of two distinct domains, each of which is about 40% identical to elafin, but it lacks consensus transglutaminase sequence(s, unlike trappin-2 and elafin. We investigated the actions of type 2 tissue transglutaminase and plasma transglutaminase activated factor XIII on SLPI. It was readily covalently bound to fibronectin or elastin by both transglutaminases but did not compete with trappin-2 cross-linking. Cross-linked SLPI still inhibited its target proteases, elastase and cathepsin G. We have also identified the transglutamination sites within SLPI, elafin and trappin-2 by mass spectrometry analysis of tryptic digests of inhibitors cross-linked to mono-dansyl cadaverin or to a fibronectin-derived glutamine-rich peptide. Most of the reactive lysine and glutamine residues in SLPI are located in its first N-terminal elafin-like domain, while in trappin-2, they are located in both the N-terminal cementoin domain and the elafin moiety. We have also demonstrated that the transglutamination substrate status of the cementoin domain of trappin-2 can be transferred from one protein to another, suggesting that it may provide transglutaminase-dependent attachment properties for engineered proteins. We have thus added to the corpus of knowledge on the biology of these potential therapeutic inhibitors of airway proteases.

  11. HIV-protease inhibitors for the treatment of cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maksimovic-Ivanic, Danijela; Fagone, Paolo; McCubrey, James

    2017-01-01

    The possible use of HIV protease inhibitors (HIV-PI) as new therapeutic option for the treatment of cancer primarily originated from their success in treating HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). While these findings were initially attributed to immune reconstitution and better control of oncogenic...... and nitric oxide (NO) derivatives of HIV-PIs. In this article, we discuss the current preclinical and clinical evidences for the potential use of HIV-PIs, and of novel derivatives, such as saquinavir-NO in the treatment of cancer....

  12. Potent and Selective Peptidyl Boronic Acid Inhibitors of the Serine Protease Prostate-Specific Antigen

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeBeau, Aaron M.; Singh, Pratap; Isaacs, John T.; Denmeade, Samuel R.

    2012-01-01

    SUMMARY Prostate cancer cells produce high (microgram to milligram/milliliter) levels of the serine protease Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA). PSA is enzymatically active in the extracellular fluid surrounding prostate cancers but is found at 1,000- to 10,000-fold lower concentrations in the circulation, where it is inactivated due to binding to abundant serum protease inhibitors. The exclusive presence of high levels of active PSA within prostate cancer sites makes PSA an attractive candidate for targeted imaging and therapeutics. A synthetic approach based on a peptide substrate identified first peptide aldehyde and then boronic acid inhibitors of PSA. The best of these had the sequence Cbz-Ser-Ser-Lys-Leu-(boro)Leu, with a Ki for PSA of 65 nM. The inhibitor had a 60-fold higher Ki for chymotrypsin. A validated model of PSA’s catalytic site confirmed the critical interactions between the inhibitor and residues within the PSA enzyme. PMID:18635003

  13. Functional analysis of a missense mutation in the serine protease inhibitor SPINT2 associated with congenital sodium diarrhea.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Faller

    Full Text Available Membrane-bound serine proteases play important roles in different biological processes. Their regulation by endogenous inhibitors is poorly understood. A Y163C mutation in the SPINT2 gene encoding the serine protease inhibitor Hepatocyte Growth Factor Inhibitor HAI-2 is associated with a congenital sodium diarrhea. The functional consequences of this mutation on HAI-2 activity and its physiological targets are unknown. We established a cellular assay in Xenopus laevis oocytes to study functional interactions between HAI-2 and candidate membrane-bound serine proteases expressed in the gastro-intestinal tract. We found that the wild-type form of HAI-2 is a potent inhibitor of nine gastro-intestinal serine proteases. The Y163C mutation in the second Kunitz domain of HAI-2 resulted in a complete loss of inhibitory activity on two intestinal proteases, prostasin and tmprss13. The effect of the mutation of the homologous Y68C in the first Kunitz domain of HAI-2 is consistent with a differential contribution of the two Kunitz domains of HAI-2 in the inhibition of serine proteases. By contrast to the Tyr to Cys, the Tyr to Ser substitution did not change the inhibitory potency of HAI-2, indicating that the thiol-group of the cysteine rather than the Tyr deletion is responsible for the HAI-2 loss of function. Our functional assay allowed us to identify membrane-bound serine proteases as cellular target for inhibition by HAI-2 wild type and mutants, and to better define the role of the Tyr in the second Kunitz domain in the inhibitory activity of HAI-2.

  14. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor protein regulates the penetrance of frontotemporal lobar degeneration in progranulin mutation carriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghidoni, Roberta; Flocco, Rosa; Paterlini, Anna; Glionna, Michela; Caruana, Loredana; Tonoli, Elisa; Binetti, Giuliano; Benussi, Luisa

    2014-01-01

    The discovery that mutations in the gene encoding for progranulin (GRN) cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and other neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia has brought renewed interest in progranulin and its functions in the central nervous system. Full length progranulin is preserved from cleavage by secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), one of the smallest serine protease inhibitor circulating in plasma. Herein, we investigated the relationship between circulating SLPI and progranulin in affected and unaffected subjects belonging to 26 Italian pedigrees carrying GRN null mutations. In GRN null mutation carriers, we demonstrated: i) an increase of circulating SLPI levels in affected subjects; ii) an age-related upregulation of the serine-protease inhibitor in response to lifetime progranulin shortage; and iii) a delay in the age of onset in subjects with the highest SLPI protein levels. The study of SLPI and its relation to progranulin suggests the existence of unexpected molecular players in progranulin-associated neurodegeneration.

  15. The kunitz protease inhibitor form of the amyloid precursor protein (KPI/APP) inhibits the proneuropeptide processing enzyme prohormone thiol protease (PTP). Colocalization of KPI/APP and PTP in secretory vesicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hook, V Y; Sei, C; Yasothornsrikul, S; Toneff, T; Kang, Y H; Efthimiopoulos, S; Robakis, N K; Van Nostrand, W

    1999-01-29

    Proteolytic processing of proenkephalin and proneuropeptides is required for the production of active neurotransmitters and peptide hormones. Variations in the extent of proenkephalin processing in vivo suggest involvement of endogenous protease inhibitors. This study demonstrates that "protease nexin 2 (PN2)," the secreted form of the kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), potently inhibited the proenkephalin processing enzyme known as prohormone thiol protease (PTP), with a Ki,app of 400 nM. Moreover, PTP and PN2 formed SDS-stable complexes that are typical of kunitz protease inhibitor interactions with target proteases. In vivo, KPI/APP (120 kDa), as well as a truncated form of KPI/APP that resembles PN2 in apparent molecular mass (110 kDa), were colocalized with PTP and (Met)enkephalin in secretory vesicles of adrenal medulla (chromaffin granules). KPI/APP (110-120 kDa) was also detected in pituitary secretory vesicles that contain PTP. In chromaffin cells, calcium-dependent secretion of KPI/APP with PTP and (Met)enkephalin demonstrated the colocalization of these components in functional secretory vesicles. These results suggest a role for KPI/APP inhibition of PTP in regulated secretory vesicles. In addition, these results are the first to identify an endogenous protease target of KPI/APP, which is developmentally regulated in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

  16. Cloning, characterization, expression analysis and inhibition studies of a novel gene encoding Bowman-Birk type protease inhibitor from rice bean

    Science.gov (United States)

    This paper presents the first study describing the isolation, cloning and characterization of a full length gene encoding Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (RbTI) from rice bean (Vigna umbellata). A full-length protease inhibitor gene with complete open reading frame of 327bp encoding 109 amino acids w...

  17. Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors Incorporating Flexible P2 Quinoxalines Target Drug Resistant Viral Variants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthew, Ashley N; Zephyr, Jacqueto; Hill, Caitlin J; Jahangir, Muhammad; Newton, Alicia; Petropoulos, Christos J; Huang, Wei; Kurt-Yilmaz, Nese; Schiffer, Celia A; Ali, Akbar

    2017-07-13

    A substrate envelope-guided design strategy is reported for improving the resistance profile of HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors. Analogues of 5172-mcP1P3 were designed by incorporating diverse quinoxalines at the P2 position that predominantly interact with the invariant catalytic triad of the protease. Exploration of structure-activity relationships showed that inhibitors with small hydrophobic substituents at the 3-position of P2 quinoxaline maintain better potency against drug resistant variants, likely due to reduced interactions with residues in the S2 subsite. In contrast, inhibitors with larger groups at this position were highly susceptible to mutations at Arg155, Ala156, and Asp168. Excitingly, several inhibitors exhibited exceptional potency profiles with EC 50 values ≤5 nM against major drug resistant HCV variants. These findings support that inhibitors designed to interact with evolutionarily constrained regions of the protease, while avoiding interactions with residues not essential for substrate recognition, are less likely to be susceptible to drug resistance.

  18. Rapid emergence of hepatitis C virus protease inhibitor resistance is expected

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rong, Libin [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Perelson, Alan S [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Ribeiro, Ruy M [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2009-01-01

    Approximately 170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Current therapy, consisting of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV), leads to sustained viral elimination in only about 45% of patients treated. Telaprevir (VX-950), a novel HCV NS3-4A serine protease inhibitor, has demonstrated substantial antiviral activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection. However, some patients experience viral breakthrough during dosing, with drug resistant variants being 5%-20% of the virus population as early as day 2 after treatment initiation. Why viral variants appear such a short time after the start of dosing is unclear, especially since this has not been seen with monotherapy for either human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B virus. Here, using a viral dynamic model, we explain why such rapid emergence of drug resistant variants is expected when potent HCV protease inhibitors are used as monotherapy. Surprisingly, our model also shows that such rapid emergence need not be the case with some potent HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitors. Examining the case of telaprevir therapy in detail, we show the model fits observed dynamics of both wild-type and drug-resistant variants during treatment, and supports combination therapy of direct antiviral drugs with PEG-IFN and/or RBV for hepatitis C.

  19. Boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy versus boosted protease inhibitor plus lamivudine dual therapy as second-line maintenance treatment for HIV-1-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa (ANRS12 286/MOBIDIP): a multicentre, randomised, parallel, open-label, superiority trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciaffi, Laura; Koulla-Shiro, Sinata; Sawadogo, Adrien Bruno; Ndour, Cheik Tidiane; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; Mbouyap, Pretty Rosereine; Ayangma, Liliane; Zoungrana, Jacques; Gueye, Ndeye Fatou Ngom; Diallo, Mohamadou; Izard, Suzanne; Bado, Guillaume; Kane, Coumba Toure; Aghokeng, Avelin Fobang; Peeters, Martine; Girard, Pierre Marie; Le Moing, Vincent; Reynes, Jacques; Delaporte, Eric

    2017-09-01

    Despite satisfactory efficacy of WHO-recommended second-line antiretroviral treatment for patients with HIV in low-income countries, the need for simplified, low-cost, and less-toxic maintenance strategies remains high. We compared boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy with dual therapy with boosted protease inhibitor plus lamivudine in patients on second-line antiretrovial therapy (ART). We did a multicentre, randomised, parallel, open-label, superiority, trial in the HIV services of five hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa (Yaoundé, Cameroon; Dakar, Senegal; and Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso). We recruited patients from the long-term, post-trial cohort of the ANRS 12169/2LADY study that compared the efficacy of three second-line combinations based on boosted protease inhibitors. Participants for our study were HIV-1 infected with multiple mutations including M184V, at first-line failure, aged 18 years and older, on boosted protease inhibitor plus two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) for at least 48 weeks with at least 48 weeks follow-up in the 2LADY trial, with two viral load measurements of less than 200 copies per mL in the previous 6 months, CD4 counts of more than 100 cells per μL, adherence of at least 90%, and no change to ART in the past 3 months. We randomly assigned participants (1:1) to receive either monotherapy with their boosted protease inhibitor (once-daily darunavir 800 mg [two 400 mg tablets] boosted with ritonavir 100 mg [one tablet] or coformulation of lopinavir 200 mg with ritonavir 50 mg [two tablets taken twice per day]) or to boosted protease inhibitor plus once-daily lamivudine 300 mg (one 300 mg tablet or two 150 mg tablets). Computer-generated randomisation was stratified by study site and viral load at screening (treatment allocation was not masked from clinicians or patients]. Patients had follow-up visits at weeks 4 and 12, and every 3 months until 96 weeks; if viral load exceeded 500 copies per mL at any visit, NRTI

  20. Anti-trypanosomal activity of non-peptidic nitrile-based cysteine protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burtoloso, Antonio C B; de Albuquerque, Sérgio; Furber, Mark; Gomes, Juliana C; Gonçalez, Cristiana; Kenny, Peter W; Leitão, Andrei; Montanari, Carlos A; Quilles, José Carlos; Ribeiro, Jean F R; Rocha, Josmar R

    2017-02-01

    The cysteine protease cruzipain is considered to be a validated target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of Chagas disease. Anti-trypanosomal activity against the CL Brener strain of T. cruzi was observed in the 0.1 μM to 1 μM range for three nitrile-based cysteine protease inhibitors based on two scaffolds known to be associated with cathepsin K inhibition. The two compounds showing the greatest potency against the trypanosome were characterized by EC50 values (0.12 μM and 0.25 μM) that were an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding Ki values measured against cruzain, a recombinant form of cruzipain, in an enzyme inhibition assay. This implies that the anti-trypanosomal activity of these two compounds may not be explained only by the inhibition of the cruzain enzyme, thereby triggering a putative polypharmacological profile towards cysteine proteases.

  1. Protease inhibitors and indoleamines selectively inhibit cholinesterases in the histopathologic structures of Alzheimer disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, C I; Guela, C; Mesulam, M M

    1993-01-01

    Neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques express acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity in Alzheimer disease. We previously reported that traditional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as BW284C51, tacrine, and physostigmine were more potent inhibitors of the acetylcholinesterase in normal axons and cell bodies than of the acetylcholinesterase in plaques and tangles. We now report that the reverse pattern is seen with indoleamines (such as serotonin and its precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan), carboxypeptidase inhibitor, and the nonspecific protease inhibitor bacitracin. These substances are more potent inhibitors of the cholinesterases in plaques and tangles than of those in normal axons and cell bodies. These results show that the enzymatic properties of plaque and tangle-associated cholinesterases diverge from those of normal axons and cell bodies. The selective susceptibility to bacitracin and carboxypeptidase inhibitor indicates that the catalytic sites of plaque and tangle-bound cholinesterases are more closely associated with peptidase or protease-like properties than the catalytic sites of cholinesterases in normal axons and cell bodies. This shift in enzymatic affinity may lead to the abnormal protein processing that is thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. The availability of pharmacological and dietary means for altering brain indoleamines raises therapeutic possibilities for inhibiting the abnormal cholinesterase activity associated with Alzheimer disease. Images PMID:8421706

  2. Protease inhibitor from insect silk - activities of derivatives expressed in vitro and in transgenic potato

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kodrík, Dalibor; Kludkiewicz, Barbara; Navrátil, Oldřich; Skoková Habuštová, Oxana; Horáčková, V.; Svobodová, Z.; Vinokurov, Konstantin; Sehnal, František

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 171, č. 1 (2013), s. 209-224 ISSN 0273-2289 R&D Projects: GA MZe QI91A229 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : genetically modified organism * silk protease inhibitor * protease Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 1.687, year: 2013 http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs12010-013-0325-9.pdf

  3. The Second-Generation Maturation Inhibitor GSK3532795 Maintains Potent Activity Toward HIV Protease Inhibitor-Resistant Clinical Isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Neelanjana; Li, Tianbo; Lin, Zeyu; Protack, Tricia; van Ham, Petronella Maria; Hwang, Carey; Krystal, Mark; Nijhuis, Monique; Lataillade, Max; Dicker, Ira

    2017-05-01

    Protease inhibitor (PI)-resistant HIV-1 isolates with primary substitutions in protease (PR) and secondary substitutions in Gag could potentially exhibit cross-resistance to maturation inhibitors. We evaluated the second-generation maturation inhibitor, GSK3532795, for activity toward clinical isolates with genotypic and phenotypic characteristics associated with PI resistance (longitudinal). Longitudinal clinical isolates from 15 PI-treated patients and 7 highly PI-resistant (nonlongitudinal) viruses containing major and minor PI resistance-associated mutations were evaluated for GSK3532795 sensitivity. Phenotypic sensitivity was determined using the PhenoSense Gag/PR assay (Monogram Biosciences) or in-house single- and multiple-cycle assays. Changes from baseline [CFB; ratio of post- to pre-treatment FC-IC50 (fold-change in IC50 versus wild-type virus)] Monogram (11 patients)] and 1.5 (1.0-2.2) [single-cycle (4 patients)]. The 2 post-PI treatment samples showing GSK3532795 CFB >3 (Monogram) were retested using single- and multiple-cycle assays. Neither sample had meaningful sensitivity changes in the multiple-cycle assay. Gag changes were not associated with an increased GSK3532795 CFB. GSK3532795 maintained antiviral activity against PI-resistant isolates with emergent PR and/or Gag mutations. This finding supports continued development of GSK3532795 in treatment-experienced patients with or without previous PI therapy.

  4. Low body weight and type of protease inhibitor predict discontinuation and treatment-limiting adverse drug reactions among HIV-infected patients starting a protease inhibitor regimen: consistent results from a randomized trial and an observational cohort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirk, O; Gerstoft, J; Pedersen, C

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To assess predictors for discontinuation and treatment-limiting adverse drug reactions (TLADR) among patients starting their first protease inhibitor (PI). METHODS: Data on patients starting a PI regimen (indinavir, ritonavir, ritonavir/saquinavir and saquinavir hard gel) in a randomi......OBJECTIVES: To assess predictors for discontinuation and treatment-limiting adverse drug reactions (TLADR) among patients starting their first protease inhibitor (PI). METHODS: Data on patients starting a PI regimen (indinavir, ritonavir, ritonavir/saquinavir and saquinavir hard gel....... Low body weight and initiation of ritonavir relative to other PIs were associated with an increased risk of TLADRs. Very consistent results were found in a randomized trial and an observational cohort....

  5. Protease and protease inhibitory activity in pregnant and postpartum involuting uterus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milwidsky, A.; Beller, U.; Palti, Z.; Mayer, M.

    1982-01-01

    The presence of two distinct proteolytic activities in the rat uterus was confirmed with 14 C-labeled globin used as a sensitive protein substrate and following release of label into the trichloroacetic acid-soluble supernatant fraction. Protease I is a cytoplasmic acid protease while protease II is associated with the pellet fraction, can be extracted by 0.6 M sodium chloride, and is active at pH 7.0. Protease I activity is low during pregnancy and markedly increases at term achieving maximal activity at day 3 post partum with a subsequent decline to preterm activity values. Lactation did not affect the uterine protease I activity. Protease II activity is not significantly different during pregnancy, at term, and post partum. The presence of an inhibitor of protease I was suggested by a decrease in enzyme activity with an increased cytosolic protein concentration. The inhibitor also lessened bovine trypsin activity but had no effect on protease II. Although its inhibitory potency on trypsin fluctuated during the various uterine physiologic stages, these changes appeared to be statistically insignificant. Human uterine samples were also found to contain the two protease activities with similar changes in protease I post partum. It is suggested that, both in the rat and in man, uterine involution post partum is associated with a marked increase in activity of acid cytosolic protease, while a particulate neutral protease and a soluble inhibitor of trypsin, which are also present in uterine cells, do not appear to play a significant role in the dissolution of uterine tissues after parturition

  6. Inga laurina trypsin inhibitor (ILTI) obstructs Spodoptera frugiperda trypsins expressed during adaptive mechanisms against plant protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Suzy Wider; de Oliveira, Caio Fernando Ramalho; Zério, Neide Graciano; Parra, José Roberto Postali; Macedo, Maria Lígia Rodrigues

    2017-08-01

    Plant protease inhibitors (PIs) are elements of a common plant defense mechanism induced in response to herbivores. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, a highly polyphagous lepidopteran pest, responds to various PIs in its diet by expressing genes encoding trypsins. This raises the question of whether the PI-induced trypsins are also inhibited by other PIs, which we posed as the hypothesis that Inga laurina trypsin inhibitor (ILTI) inhibits PI-induced trypsins in S. frugiperda. In the process of testing our hypothesis, we compared its properties with those of selected PIs, soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI), Inga vera trypsin inhibitor (IVTI), Adenanthera pavonina trypsin inhibitor (ApTI), and Entada acaciifolia trypsin inhibitor (EATI). We report that ILTI is more effective in inhibiting the induced S. frugiperda trypsins than SKTI and the other PIs, which supports our hypothesis. ILTI may be more appropriate than SKTI for studies regarding adaptive mechanisms to dietary PIs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Construction of dengue virus protease expression plasmid and in vitro protease assay for screening antiviral inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Huiguo; Teramoto, Tadahisa; Padmanabhan, Radhakrishnan

    2014-01-01

    Dengue virus serotypes 1-4 (DENV1-4) are mosquito-borne human pathogens of global significance causing ~390 million cases annually worldwide. The virus infections cause in general a self-limiting disease, known as dengue fever, but occasionally also more severe forms, especially during secondary infections, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome causing ~25,000 deaths annually. The DENV genome contains a single-strand positive sense RNA, approximately 11 kb in length. The 5'-end has a type I cap structure. The 3'-end has no poly(A) tail. The viral RNA has a single long open reading frame that is translated by the host translational machinery to yield a polyprotein precursor. Processing of the polyprotein precursor occurs co-translationally by cellular proteases and posttranslationally by the viral serine protease in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to yield three structural proteins (capsid (C), precursor membrane (prM), and envelope (E) and seven nonstructural (NS) proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5). The active viral protease consists of both NS2B, an integral membrane protein in the ER, and the N-terminal part of NS3 (180 amino acid residues) that contains the trypsin-like serine protease domain having a catalytic triad of H51, D75, and S135. The C-terminal part of NS3, ~170-618 amino acid residues, encodes an NTPase/RNA helicase and 5'-RNA triphosphatase activities; the latter enzyme is required for the first step in 5'-capping. The cleavage sites of the polyprotein by the viral protease consist of two basic amino acid residues such as KR, RR, or QR, followed by short chain amino acid residues, G, S, or T. Since the cleavage of the polyprotein by the viral protease is absolutely required for assembly of the viral replicase, blockage of NS2B/NS3pro activity provides an effective means for designing dengue virus (DENV) small-molecule therapeutics. Here we describe the screening of small-molecule inhibitors against DENV2 protease.

  8. Structural and functional characterization of cleavage and inactivation of human serine protease inhibitors by the bacterial SPATE protease EspPα from enterohemorrhagic E. coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Weiss

    Full Text Available EspPα and EspI are serine protease autotransporters found in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. They both belong to the SPATE autotransporter family and are believed to contribute to pathogenicity via proteolytic cleavage and inactivation of different key host proteins during infection. Here, we describe the specific cleavage and functional inactivation of serine protease inhibitors (serpins by EspPα and compare this activity with the related SPATE EspI. Serpins are structurally related proteins that regulate vital protease cascades, such as blood coagulation and inflammatory host response. For the rapid determination of serpin cleavage sites, we applied direct MALDI-TOF-MS or ESI-FTMS analysis of coincubations of serpins and SPATE proteases and confirmed observed cleavage positions using in-gel-digest of SDS-PAGE-separated degradation products. Activities of both serpin and SPATE protease were assessed in a newly developed photometrical assay using chromogenic peptide substrates. EspPα cleaved the serpins α1-protease inhibitor (α1-PI, α1-antichymotrypsin, angiotensinogen, and α2-antiplasmin. Serpin cleavage led to loss of inhibitory function as demonstrated for α1-PI while EspPα activity was not affected. Notably, EspPα showed pronounced specificity and cleaved procoagulatory serpins such as α2-antiplasmin while the anticoagulatory antithrombin III was not affected. Together with recently published research, this underlines the interference of EspPα with hemostasis or inflammatory responses during infection, while the observed interaction of EspI with serpins is likely to be not physiologically relevant. EspPα-mediated serpin cleavage occurred always in flexible loops, indicating that this structural motif might be required for substrate recognition.

  9. Design, synthesis and evaluation of a potent substrate analog inhibitor identified by scanning Ala/Phe mutagenesis, mimicking substrate co-evolution, against multidrug-resistant HIV-1 protease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yedidi, Ravikiran S. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States); Muhuhi, Joseck M. [Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States); Liu, Zhigang [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States); Bencze, Krisztina Z. [Department of Chemistry, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS 67601 (United States); Koupparis, Kyriacos [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States); O’Connor, Carrie E.; Kovari, Iulia A. [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States); Spaller, Mark R. [Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 (United States); Kovari, Ladislau C., E-mail: kovari@med.wayne.edu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States)

    2013-09-06

    Highlights: •Inhibitors against MDR HIV-1 protease were designed, synthesized and evaluated. •Lead peptide (6a) showed potent inhibition (IC{sub 50}: 4.4 nM) of MDR HIV-1 protease. •(6a) Showed favorable binding isotherms against NL4-3 and MDR proteases. •(6a) Induced perturbations in the {sup 15}N-HSQC spectrum of MDR HIV-1 protease. •Molecular modeling suggested that (6a) may induce total flap closure inMDR protease. -- Abstract: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolate-769, human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) protease (PDB ID: (1TW7)), was shown to exhibit wide-open flaps and an expanded active site cavity, causing loss of contacts with protease inhibitors. In the current study, the expanded active site cavity of MDR769 HIV-1 protease was screened with a series of peptide-inhibitors that were designed to mimic the natural substrate cleavage site, capsid/p2. Scanning Ala/Phe chemical mutagenesis approach was incorporated into the design of the peptide series to mimic the substrate co-evolution. Among the peptides synthesized and evaluated, a lead peptide (6a) with potent activity (IC{sub 50}: 4.4 nM) was identified against the MDR769 HIV-1 protease. Isothermal titration calorimetry data showed favorable binding profile for 6aagainst both wild type and MDR769 HIV-1 protease variants. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of {sup 15}N-labeled MDR769 HIV-1 protease in complex with 6a showed some major perturbations in chemical shift, supporting the peptide induced conformational changes in protease. Modeling analysis revealed multiple contacts between 6a and MDR769 HIV-1 protease. The lead peptide-inhibitor, 6a, with high potency and good binding profile can be used as the basis for developing potent small molecule inhibitors against MDR variants of HIV.

  10. Design, synthesis and evaluation of a potent substrate analog inhibitor identified by scanning Ala/Phe mutagenesis, mimicking substrate co-evolution, against multidrug-resistant HIV-1 protease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yedidi, Ravikiran S.; Muhuhi, Joseck M.; Liu, Zhigang; Bencze, Krisztina Z.; Koupparis, Kyriacos; O’Connor, Carrie E.; Kovari, Iulia A.; Spaller, Mark R.; Kovari, Ladislau C.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Inhibitors against MDR HIV-1 protease were designed, synthesized and evaluated. •Lead peptide (6a) showed potent inhibition (IC 50 : 4.4 nM) of MDR HIV-1 protease. •(6a) Showed favorable binding isotherms against NL4-3 and MDR proteases. •(6a) Induced perturbations in the 15 N-HSQC spectrum of MDR HIV-1 protease. •Molecular modeling suggested that (6a) may induce total flap closure inMDR protease. -- Abstract: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolate-769, human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) protease (PDB ID: (1TW7)), was shown to exhibit wide-open flaps and an expanded active site cavity, causing loss of contacts with protease inhibitors. In the current study, the expanded active site cavity of MDR769 HIV-1 protease was screened with a series of peptide-inhibitors that were designed to mimic the natural substrate cleavage site, capsid/p2. Scanning Ala/Phe chemical mutagenesis approach was incorporated into the design of the peptide series to mimic the substrate co-evolution. Among the peptides synthesized and evaluated, a lead peptide (6a) with potent activity (IC 50 : 4.4 nM) was identified against the MDR769 HIV-1 protease. Isothermal titration calorimetry data showed favorable binding profile for 6aagainst both wild type and MDR769 HIV-1 protease variants. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of 15 N-labeled MDR769 HIV-1 protease in complex with 6a showed some major perturbations in chemical shift, supporting the peptide induced conformational changes in protease. Modeling analysis revealed multiple contacts between 6a and MDR769 HIV-1 protease. The lead peptide-inhibitor, 6a, with high potency and good binding profile can be used as the basis for developing potent small molecule inhibitors against MDR variants of HIV

  11. Modelling of potentially promising SARS protease inhibitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plewczynski, Dariusz; Hoffmann, Marcin; Grotthuss, Marcin von; Knizewski, Lukasz; Rychewski, Leszek; Eitner, Krystian; Ginalski, Krzysztof

    2007-01-01

    In many cases, at the beginning of a high throughput screening experiment some information about active molecules is already available. Active compounds (such as substrate analogues, natural products and inhibitors of related proteins) are often identified in low throughput validation studies on a biochemical target. Sometimes the additional structural information is also available from crystallographic studies on protein and ligand complexes. In addition, the structural or sequence similarity of various protein targets yields a novel possibility for drug discovery. Co-crystallized compounds from homologous proteins can be used to design leads for a new target without co-crystallized ligands. In this paper we evaluate how far such an approach can be used in a real drug campaign, with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus providing an example. Our method is able to construct small molecules as plausible inhibitors solely on the basis of the set of ligands from crystallized complexes of a protein target, and other proteins from its structurally homologous family. The accuracy and sensitivity of the method are estimated here by the subsequent use of an electronic high throughput screening flexible docking algorithm. The best performing ligands are then used for a very restrictive similarity search for potential inhibitors of the SARS protease within the million compounds from the Ligand.Info small molecule meta-database. The selected molecules can be passed on for further experimental validation

  12. Modelling of potentially promising SARS protease inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Plewczynski, Dariusz [Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, ICM, Warsaw University, Pawinskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw (Poland); Hoffmann, Marcin [BioInfoBank Institute, Limanowskiego 24A/16, 60-744 Poznan (Poland); Grotthuss, Marcin von [BioInfoBank Institute, Limanowskiego 24A/16, 60-744 Poznan (Poland); Knizewski, Lukasz [Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, ICM, Warsaw University, Pawinskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw (Poland); Rychewski, Leszek [BioInfoBank Institute, Limanowskiego 24A/16, 60-744 Poznan (Poland); Eitner, Krystian [BioInfoBank Institute, Limanowskiego 24A/16, 60-744 Poznan (Poland); Ginalski, Krzysztof [Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, ICM, Warsaw University, Pawinskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw (Poland)

    2007-07-18

    In many cases, at the beginning of a high throughput screening experiment some information about active molecules is already available. Active compounds (such as substrate analogues, natural products and inhibitors of related proteins) are often identified in low throughput validation studies on a biochemical target. Sometimes the additional structural information is also available from crystallographic studies on protein and ligand complexes. In addition, the structural or sequence similarity of various protein targets yields a novel possibility for drug discovery. Co-crystallized compounds from homologous proteins can be used to design leads for a new target without co-crystallized ligands. In this paper we evaluate how far such an approach can be used in a real drug campaign, with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus providing an example. Our method is able to construct small molecules as plausible inhibitors solely on the basis of the set of ligands from crystallized complexes of a protein target, and other proteins from its structurally homologous family. The accuracy and sensitivity of the method are estimated here by the subsequent use of an electronic high throughput screening flexible docking algorithm. The best performing ligands are then used for a very restrictive similarity search for potential inhibitors of the SARS protease within the million compounds from the Ligand.Info small molecule meta-database. The selected molecules can be passed on for further experimental validation.

  13. Interaction of protein C inhibitor with the type II transmembrane serine protease enteropeptidase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas A Prohaska

    Full Text Available The serine protease inhibitor protein C inhibitor (PCI is expressed in many human tissues and exhibits broad protease reactivity. PCI binds glycosaminoglycans and certain phospholipids, which modulate its inhibitory activity. Enteropeptidase (EP is a type II transmembrane serine protease mainly found on the brush border membrane of epithelial cells in the duodenum, where it activates trypsinogen to initiate the digestion of food proteins. Some active EP is also present in duodenal fluid and has been made responsible for causing pancreatitis in case of duodeno-pancreatic reflux. Together with its substrate trypsinogen, EP is furthermore present in the epidermis and in some cancer cells. In this report, we show that PCI inhibited EP with an apparent 2nd order rate constant of 4.48 × 10(4 M(-1 s(-1. Low molecular weight (LMWH and unfractionated heparin (UFH slightly reduced the inhibitory effect of PCI. The SI (stoichiometry of inhibition value for the inhibition of EP by PCI was 10.8 in the absence and 17.9 in the presence of UFH (10 U/ml. By inhibiting trypsin, chymotrypsin, and additionally EP, PCI might play a role in the protection of the pancreas from autodigestion. Furthermore the interaction of PCI with EP may influence the regulation of epithelial differentiation.

  14. Effects of cysteine protease inhibitors on rabbit cathepsin D maturation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samarel, A.M.; Ferguson, A.G.; Decker, R.S.; Lesch, M.

    1989-01-01

    To examine the effects of cysteine protease inhibitors on cathepsin D intracellular transport, proteolytic processing, and secretion, primary cultures of rabbit cardiac fibroblasts were grown to confluence and exposed to media containing leupeptin, E 64, or chloroquine. Cathepsin D maturation was then evaluated in pulse-chase biosynthetic labeling experiments. None of the three agents affected the charge modification of procathepsin D within the Golgi apparatus. However, all three agents interfered with the subsequent proteolytic processing of procathepsin D isoforms to active cathepsin D. Both leupeptin and E 64 caused the intracellular accumulation of large amounts of a Mr 51,000 processing intermediate. Trace amounts of this intermediate were also detected in chloroquine-treated cells. Combined activity assay and radioimmunoassay of cell lysates indicated that this partially processed form of cathepsin D possessed proteolytic activity. Whereas low medium concentrations of leupeptin (10-100 microM) but not E 64 appeared to stimulate procathepsin D secretion, neither agent appeared to have a major effect on the rate of proenzyme secretion at doses required to inhibit proteolytic maturation (1-10 mM). Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with 10 mM leupeptin appeared only to delay, but not prevent, the intracellular transport of cathepsin D to lysosomes. In contrast, chloroquine increased procathepsin D secretion in a dose-dependent manner, diverting the majority of newly synthesized procathepsin D from the intracellular protease(s) responsible for proteolytic processing. These results suggest that cysteine proteases participate in the proteolytic maturation of procathepsin D during the transport of newly synthesized enzyme to lysosomes, but cysteine protease-mediated proteolytic processing is not required for cathepsin D activation or lysosomal translocation

  15. Ecological costs and benefits correlated with trypsin protease inhibitor production in Nicotiana attenuata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Glawe, G.A.; Zavala, J.A.; Kessler, A.; Van Dam, N.M.; Baldwin, I.T.

    2003-01-01

    Genotypes of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata from different geographic regions in North America vary considerably in the level of constitutive and inducible trypsin protease inhibitors (TrypPIs), a potent direct defense, as well as in the production of herbivore-induced volatiles that function

  16. Tri-domain Bifunctional Inhibitor of Metallocarboxypeptidases A and Serine Proteases Isolated from Marine Annelid Sabellastarte magnifica*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso-del-Rivero, Maday; Trejo, Sebastian A.; Reytor, Mey L.; Rodriguez-de-la-Vega, Monica; Delfin, Julieta; Diaz, Joaquin; González-González, Yamile; Canals, Francesc; Chavez, Maria Angeles; Aviles, Francesc X.

    2012-01-01

    This study describes a novel bifunctional metallocarboxypeptidase and serine protease inhibitor (SmCI) isolated from the tentacle crown of the annelid Sabellastarte magnifica. SmCI is a 165-residue glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 19.69 kDa (mass spectrometry) and 18 cysteine residues forming nine disulfide bonds. Its cDNA was cloned and sequenced by RT-PCR and nested PCR using degenerated oligonucleotides. Employing this information along with data derived from automatic Edman degradation of peptide fragments, the SmCI sequence was fully characterized, indicating the presence of three bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor/Kunitz domains and its high homology with other Kunitz serine protease inhibitors. Enzyme kinetics and structural analyses revealed SmCI to be an inhibitor of human and bovine pancreatic metallocarboxypeptidases of the A-type (but not B-type), with nanomolar Ki values. SmCI is also capable of inhibiting bovine pancreatic trypsin, chymotrypsin, and porcine pancreatic elastase in varying measures. When the inhibitor and its nonglycosylated form (SmCI N23A mutant) were overproduced recombinantly in a Pichia pastoris system, they displayed the dual inhibitory properties of the natural form. Similarly, two bi-domain forms of the inhibitor (recombinant rSmCI D1-D2 and rSmCI D2-D3) as well as its C-terminal domain (rSmCI-D3) were also overproduced. Of these fragments, only the rSmCI D1-D2 bi-domain retained inhibition of metallocarboxypeptidase A but only partially, indicating that the whole tri-domain structure is required for such capability in full. SmCI is the first proteinaceous inhibitor of metallocarboxypeptidases able to act as well on another mechanistic class of proteases (serine-type) and is the first of this kind identified in nature. PMID:22411994

  17. Identification of novel small molecule inhibitors against NS2B/NS3 serine protease from Zika virus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hyun; Ren, Jinhong; Nocadello, Salvatore; Rice, Amy J.; Ojeda, Isabel; Light, Samuel; Minasov, George; Vargas, Jason; Nagarathnam, Dhanapalan; Anderson, Wayne F.; Johnson, Michael E. (UIC); (NWU); (Novalex); (DNSK)

    2016-12-26

    Zika flavivirus infection during pregnancy appears to produce higher risk of microcephaly, and also causes multiple neurological problems such as Guillain–Barré syndrome. The Zika virus is now widespread in Central and South America, and is anticipated to become an increasing risk in the southern United States. With continuing global travel and the spread of the mosquito vector, the exposure is expected to accelerate, but there are no currently approved treatments against the Zika virus. The Zika NS2B/NS3 protease is an attractive drug target due to its essential role in viral replication. Our studies have identified several compounds with inhibitory activity (IC50) and binding affinity (KD) of ~5–10 μM against the Zika NS2B-NS3 protease from testing 71 HCV NS3/NS4A inhibitors that were initially discovered by high-throughput screening of 40,967 compounds. Competition surface plasmon resonance studies and mechanism of inhibition analyses by enzyme kinetics subsequently determined the best compound to be a competitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 9.5 μM. We also determined the X-ray structure of the Zika NS2B-NS3 protease in a “pre-open conformation”, a conformation never observed before for any flavivirus proteases. This provides the foundation for new structure-based inhibitor design.

  18. Potential of plant alkaloids as dengue ns3 protease inhibitors: Molecular docking and simulation approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Dengue infection has become a worldwide health problem and infection rate is increasing each year. Alkaloids are important phytochemicals of medicinal plant and can be used as vaccine candidates for viruses. Therefore, present study was designed to find potential alkaloids inhibitors against the Dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease which can inhibit the viral replication inside the host cell. Through molecular docking it was investigated that most of the alkaloids bound deeply in the binding pocket of Dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease and had potential interactions with catalytic triad. Five alkaloids (6’-desmethylthalifaboramin; 3,5-dihydroxythalifaboramine; Betanin; Reserpic acid and Tubulosine successfully blocked the catalytic triad of NS2B/NS3 protease and these alkaloids can serve as a potential drug candidate to stop viral replication. It can be concluded from this study that these alkaloids could serve as important inhibitors to inhibit the replication of DENV and need further in-vitro investigations to confirm their efficacy and drug ability.

  19. Antiretroviral activity of protease inhibitors against Toxoplasma gondii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lianet Monzote

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART has caused a marked reduction in the occurrence and severity of parasitic infections, including the toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE. These changes have been attributed to the restoration of cell-mediated immunity. This study was developed to examine the activity of six antiretroviral protease inhibitors (API on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. The six API showed anti-Toxoplasma activity, with IC50 value between 1.4 and 6.6 µg/mL. Further studies at the molecular level should be performed to clarify if the use of API could be beneficial or not for AIDS patients with TE.

  20. Mutations in serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 are strongly associated with chronic pancreatitis

    OpenAIRE

    Drenth, J P H; te Morsche, R; Jansen, J B M J

    2002-01-01

    Background: Although chronic pancreatitis is associated with risk factors such as alcoholism, hyperparathyroidism, and hypertriglyceridaemia, little is known of the actual aetiology of the disease. It is thought that inappropriate activation of trypsinogen causes pancreatitis, and indeed in cases of hereditary pancreatitis mutations of cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1) have been described. As serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) is a potent natural inhibitor of pancreatic trypsin activi...

  1. Differential centrifugation of leucocytes and platelets applied to 111In-leucocyte labelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mountford, P.J.

    1986-01-01

    Platelet contamination of 111 In-leucocytes can be minimized by centrifugation of leucocyte-rich plasma before labelling. The differential recovery of leucocytes and platelets from centrifugation depends on various biological and physical factors. Experimental measurements have been made of the effect of some of these factors. The ratio of leucocyte-to-platelet recovery was increased by using more than one centrifugation, and by using a low relative centrifugal force (RCF). To extend the study, a method of calculating cell recovery from centrifugation was developed, based on the experimental results. Calculations indicated that this ratio was at a maximum at around 85g RCF, and was least affected by changes in the suspension medium viscosity. At 85g, leucocyte recovery was incomplete, but calculations indicated that there was a preferential recovery of granulocytes which was subsequently verified by experiment. (author)

  2. Effects of Mucuna pruriens protease inhibitors on Echis carinatus venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hope-Onyekwere, Nnadozie Stanley; Ogueli, Godwin Ifeanyi; Cortelazzo, Alessio; Cerutti, Helena; Cito, Annarita; Aguiyi, John C; Guerranti, Roberto

    2012-12-01

    The medicinal plant Mucuna pruriens, with reputed anti-snake venom properties has been reported to contain a kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor. This study was undertaken to further evaluate the protease inhibitory potential of gpMuc, a multiform glycoprotein, and other protein fractions from M. pruriens seeds against trypsin, chymotrypsin, Echis carinatus snake venom, ecarin and thrombin. The results showed that gpMuc inhibited both trypsin and chymotrypsin activities and was thermally stable, maintaining its trypsin inhibitory activity at temperatures of up to 50°C. Its structural conformation was also maintained at pH ranges of 4-7. Immunoreactivity study confirms that it contains protease-recognizing epitope on one of its isoforms. The whole protein extract of M. pruriens seeds inhibited prothrombin activation by ecarin and whole E. carinatus venom, and also thrombin-like activity using chromogenic assay. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. An unusual helix-turn-helix protease inhibitory motif in a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica (Veronica hederifolia L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conners, Rebecca; Konarev, Alexander V; Forsyth, Jane; Lovegrove, Alison; Marsh, Justin; Joseph-Horne, Timothy; Shewry, Peter; Brady, R Leo

    2007-09-21

    The storage tissues of many plants contain protease inhibitors that are believed to play an important role in defending the plant from invasion by pests and pathogens. These proteinaceous inhibitor molecules belong to a number of structurally distinct families. We describe here the isolation, purification, initial inhibitory properties, and three-dimensional structure of a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica hederifolia (VhTI). The VhTI peptide inhibits trypsin with a submicromolar apparent K(i) and is expected to be specific for trypsin-like serine proteases. VhTI differs dramatically in structure from all previously described families of trypsin inhibitors, consisting of a helix-turn-helix motif, with the two alpha helices tightly associated by two disulfide bonds. Unusually, the crystallized complex is in the form of a stabilized acyl-enzyme intermediate with the scissile bond of the VhTI inhibitor cleaved and the resulting N-terminal portion of the inhibitor remaining attached to the trypsin catalytic serine 195 by an ester bond. A synthetic, truncated version of the VhTI peptide has also been produced and co-crystallized with trypsin but, surprisingly, is seen to be uncleaved and consequently forms a noncovalent complex with trypsin. The VhTI peptide shows that effective enzyme inhibitors can be constructed from simple helical motifs and provides a new scaffold on which to base the design of novel serine protease inhibitors.

  4. Genetically pyramiding protease-inhibitor genes for dual broad-spectrum resistance against insect and phytopathogens in transgenic tobacco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senthilkumar, Rajendran; Cheng, Chiu-Ping; Yeh, Kai-Wun

    2010-01-01

    Protease inhibitors provide a promising means of engineering plant resistance against attack by insects and pathogens. Sporamin (trypsin inhibitor) from sweet potato and CeCPI (phytocystatin) from taro were stacked in a binary vector, using pMSPOA (a modified sporamin promoter) to drive both genes. Transgenic tobacco lines of T0 and T1 generation with varied inhibitory activity against trypsin and papain showed resistance to both insects and phytopathogens. Larvae of Helicoverpa armigera that ingested tobacco leaves either died or showed delayed growth and development relative to control larvae. Transgenic tobacco-overexpressing the stacked genes also exhibited strong resistance against bacterial soft rot disease caused by Erwinia carotovora and damping-off disease caused by Pythium aphanidermatum. Thus, stacking protease-inhibitor genes, driven by the wound and pathogen responsive pMSPOA promoter, is an effective strategy for engineering crops to resistance against insects and phytopathogens.

  5. Light Activation of a Cysteine Protease Inhibitor: Caging of a Peptidomimetic Nitrile with RuII(bpy)2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Respondek, Tomasz; Garner, Robert N.; Herroon, Mackenzie K.; Podgorski, Izabela; Turro, Claudia; Kodanko, Jeremy J.

    2013-01-01

    A novel method for caging protease inhibitors is described. The complex [RuII(bpy)2(1)2](PF6)2 (2) was prepared from the nitrile-based peptidomimetic inhibitor Ac-Phe-NHCH2CN (1). 1H NMR, UV-vis and IR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data confirm that two equiv of inhibitor 1 bind to RuII through the nitrile functional group. Complex 2 shows excellent stability in aqueous solution in the dark and fast release of 1 upon irradiation with visible light. Due to binding to the RuII center, the nitriles of complex 2 are caged, and 2 does not act as a potent enzyme inhibitor. However, when 2 is irradiated, it releases 1 that inhibits the cysteine proteases papain and cathepsins B, K and L, up to two times more potently than 1 alone. Ratios for IC50 values for 2 range from 6:1 to 33:1 under dark vs. light conditions, against isolated enzymes and in human cell lysates, confirming a high level of photoinduced enzyme inhibition is obtained with this method. PMID:21973207

  6. The protease inhibitor HAI-2, but not HAI-1, regulates matriptase activation and shedding through prostasin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friis, Stine; Sales, Katiuchia Uzzun; Schafer, Jeffrey Martin

    2014-01-01

    cells. Whereas ablation of HAI-1 did not affect matriptase in epithelial cells of the small or large intestine, ablation of HAI-2 resulted in the loss of matriptase from both tissues. Gene silencing studies in intestinal Caco-2 cell monolayers revealed that this loss of cell-associated matriptase......The membrane-anchored serine proteases, matriptase and prostasin, and the membrane-anchored serine protease inhibitors, hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor (HAI)-1 and HAI-2, are critical effectors of epithelial development and postnatal epithelial homeostasis. Matriptase and prostasin...... form a reciprocal zymogen activation complex that results in the formation of active matriptase and prostasin that are targets for inhibition by HAI-1 and HAI-2. Conflicting data, however, have accumulated as to the existence of auxiliary functions for both HAI-1 and HAI-2 in regulating...

  7. Role of Proteases in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kailash C. Pandey

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is generally associated with progressive destruction of airways and lung parenchyma. Various factors play an important role in the development and progression of COPD, like imbalance of proteases, environmental and genetic factors and oxidative stress. This review is specifically focused on the role of proteases and their imbalance in COPD. There are three classes (serine, mettalo, and cysteine of proteases involved in COPD. In serine proteases, neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G, and proteinase-3 are involved in destruction of alveolar tissue. Matrix-mettaloproteinase-9, 12, 13, plays an influential role in severity of COPD. Among cysteine proteases, caspase-3, caspases-8 and caspase-9 play an important role in controlling apoptosis. These proteases activities can be regulated by inhibitors like α-1-antitrypsin, neutrophil elastase inhibitor, and leukocyte protease inhibitor. Studies suggest that neutrophil elastase may be a therapeutic target for COPD, and specific inhibitor against this enzyme has potential role to control the disease. Current study suggests that Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV is a potential marker for COPD. Since the expression of proteases and its inhibitors play an important role in COPD pathogenesis, therefore, it is worth investigating the role of proteases and their regulation. Understanding the biochemical basis of COPD pathogenesis using advanced tools in protease biochemistry and aiming toward translational research from bench-to-bedside will have great impact to deal with this health problem.

  8. Nationwide experience of treatment with protease inhibitors in chronic hepatitis C patients in Denmark: identification of viral resistance mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sølund, Christina; Krarup, Henrik; Ramirez, Santseharay; Thielsen, Peter; Røge, Birgit T; Lunding, Suzanne; Barfod, Toke S; Madsen, Lone G; Tarp, Britta; Christensen, Peer B; Gerstoft, Jan; Laursen, Alex L; Bukh, Jens; Weis, Nina

    2014-01-01

    The first standard of care in treatment of chronic HCV genotype 1 infection involving directly acting antivirals was protease inhibitors telaprevir or boceprevir combined with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin (triple therapy). Phase III studies include highly selected patients. Thus, treatment response and development of viral resistance during triple therapy in a routine clinical setting needs to be determined. The aims of this study were to investigate treatment outcome and identify sequence variations after triple therapy in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection in a routine clinical setting. 80 patients, who initiated and completed triple therapy in Denmark between May 2011 and November 2012, were included. Demographic data and treatment response were obtained from the Danish Database for Hepatitis B and C. Direct sequencing and clonal analysis of the RT-PCR amplified NS3 protease were performed in patients without cure following triple therapy. 38 (47%) of the patients achieved cure, 15 (19%) discontinued treatment due to adverse events and remained infected, and 27 (34%) experienced relapse or treatment failure of whom 15 of 21 analyzed patients had well-described protease inhibitor resistance variants detected. Most frequently detected protease variants were V36M and/or R155K, and V36M, in patients with genotype 1a and 1b infection, respectively. The cure rate after triple therapy in a routine clinical setting was 47%, which is substantially lower than in clinical trials. Resistance variants towards protease inhibitors were seen in 71% of patients failing therapy indicating that resistance could have an important role in treatment response.

  9. Characterization of the Mamestra configurata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larval midgut protease complement and adaptation to feeding on artificial diet, Brassica species, and protease inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erlandson, Martin A; Hegedus, Dwayne D; Baldwin, Douglas; Noakes, Amy; Toprak, Umut

    2010-10-01

    The midgut protease profiles from 5th instar Mamestra configurata larvae fed various diets (standard artificial diet, low protein diet, low protein diet with soybean trypsin inhibitor [SBTI], or Brassica napus) were characterized by one-dimensional enzymography in gelatin gels. The gut protease profile of larvae fed B. napus possessed protease activities of molecular masses of approximately 33 and 55 kDa, which were not present in the guts of larvae fed artificial diet. Similarly, larvae fed artificial diet had protease activities of molecular masses of approximately 21, 30, and 100 kDa that were absent in larvae fed B. napus. Protease profiles changed within 12 to 24 h after switching larvae from artificial diet to plant diet and vice versa. The gut protease profiles from larvae fed various other brassicaceous species and lines having different secondary metabolite profiles did not differ despite significant differences in larval growth rates on the different host plants. Genes encoding putative digestive proteolytic enzymes, including four carboxypeptidases, five aminopeptidases, and 48 serine proteases, were identified in cDNA libraries from 4th instar M. configurata midgut tissue. Many of the protease-encoding genes were expressed at similar levels on all diets; however, three chymoptrypsin-like genes (McSP23, McSP27, and McSP37) were expressed at much higher levels on standard artificial diet and diet containing SBTI as was the trypsin-like gene McSP34. The expression of the trypsin-like gene McSP50 was highest on B. napus. The adaptation of M. configurata digestive biochemistry to different diets is discussed in the context of the flexibility of polyphagous insects to changing diet sources.

  10. Evaluation of HIV protease inhibitor use and the risk of sudden death or nonhemorrhagic stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Worm, S W; Kamara, D A; Reiss, P

    2012-01-01

    Concerns have arisen about possible effects of protease inhibitors (PIs) on cardiac conductivity. We found no significant association between current or recent PI exposure and sudden death or nonhemorrhagic stroke (adjusted rate ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, .95-1.57), whereas cumulative...

  11. Crystal Structure of Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus Main Protease in Complex with Synergetic Dual Inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fenghua; Chen, Cheng; Liu, Xuemeng; Yang, Kailin; Xu, Xiaoling; Yang, Haitao

    2016-02-15

    Coronaviruses (CoVs) can cause highly prevalent diseases in humans and animals. Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) belongs to the genus Alphacoronavirus, resulting in a lethal systemic granulomatous disease called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is one of the most important fatal infectious diseases of cats worldwide. No specific vaccines or drugs have been approved to treat FIP. CoV main proteases (M(pro)s) play a pivotal role in viral transcription and replication, making them an ideal target for drug development. Here, we report the crystal structure of FIPV M(pro) in complex with dual inhibitors, a zinc ion and a Michael acceptor. The complex structure elaborates a unique mechanism of two distinct inhibitors synergizing to inactivate the protease, providing a structural basis to design novel antivirals and suggesting the potential to take advantage of zinc as an adjunct therapy against CoV-associated diseases. Coronaviruses (CoVs) have the largest genome size among all RNA viruses. CoV infection causes various diseases in humans and animals, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). No approved specific drugs or vaccinations are available to treat their infections. Here, we report a novel dual inhibition mechanism targeting CoV main protease (M(pro)) from feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), which leads to lethal systemic granulomatous disease in cats. M(pro), conserved across all CoV genomes, is essential for viral replication and transcription. We demonstrated that zinc ion and a Michael acceptor-based peptidomimetic inhibitor synergistically inactivate FIPV M(pro). We also solved the structure of FIPV M(pro) complexed with two inhibitors, delineating the structural view of a dual inhibition mechanism. Our study provides new insight into the pharmaceutical strategy against CoV M(pro) through using zinc as an adjuvant therapy to enhance the efficacy of an irreversible

  12. Validation of Simultaneous Quantitative Method of HIV Protease Inhibitors Atazanavir, Darunavir and Ritonavir in Human Plasma by UPLC-MS/MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tulsidas Mishra

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. HIV protease inhibitors are used in the treatment of patients suffering from AIDS and they act at the final stage of viral replication by interfering with the HIV protease enzyme. The paper describes a selective, sensitive, and robust method for simultaneous determination of three protease inhibitors atazanavir, darunavir and ritonavir in human plasma by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Materials and Methods. The sample pretreatment consisted of solid phase extraction of analytes and their deuterated analogs as internal standards from 50 μL human plasma. Chromatographic separation of analytes was performed on Waters Acquity UPLC C18 (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm column under gradient conditions using 10 mM ammonium formate, pH 4.0, and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Results. The method was established over a concentration range of 5.0–6000 ng/mL for atazanavir, 5.0–5000 ng/mL for darunavir and 1.0–500 ng/mL for ritonavir. Accuracy, precision, matrix effect, recovery, and stability of the analytes were evaluated as per US FDA guidelines. Conclusions. The efficiency of sample preparation, short analysis time, and high selectivity permit simultaneous estimation of these inhibitors. The validated method can be useful in determining plasma concentration of these protease inhibitors for therapeutic drug monitoring and in high throughput clinical studies.

  13. Activities of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitor nelfinavir mesylate in combination with reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors against acute HIV-1 infection in vitro.

    OpenAIRE

    Patick, A K; Boritzki, T J; Bloom, L A

    1997-01-01

    Nelfinavir mesylate (formerly AG1343) is a potent and selective, nonpeptidic inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease that was discovered by protein structure-based design methodologies. We evaluated the antiviral and cytotoxic effects of two-drug combinations of nelfinavir with the clinically approved antiretroviral therapeutics zidovudine (ZDV), lamivudine (3TC), dideoxycytidine (ddC; zalcitabine), stavudine (d4T), didanosine (ddI), indinavir, saquinavir, and ritona...

  14. Analysis of binding properties and specificity through identification of the interface forming residues (IFR for serine proteases in silico docked to different inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    da Silveira Carlos H

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Enzymes belonging to the same super family of proteins in general operate on variety of substrates and are inhibited by wide selection of inhibitors. In this work our main objective was to expand the scope of studies that consider only the catalytic and binding pocket amino acids while analyzing enzyme specificity and instead, include a wider category which we have named the Interface Forming Residues (IFR. We were motivated to identify those amino acids with decreased accessibility to solvent after docking of different types of inhibitors to sub classes of serine proteases and then create a table (matrix of all amino acid positions at the interface as well as their respective occupancies. Our goal is to establish a platform for analysis of the relationship between IFR characteristics and binding properties/specificity for bi-molecular complexes. Results We propose a novel method for describing binding properties and delineating serine proteases specificity by compiling an exhaustive table of interface forming residues (IFR for serine proteases and their inhibitors. Currently, the Protein Data Bank (PDB does not contain all the data that our analysis would require. Therefore, an in silico approach was designed for building corresponding complexes The IFRs are obtained by "rigid body docking" among 70 structurally aligned, sequence wise non-redundant, serine protease structures with 3 inhibitors: bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI, ecotine and ovomucoid third domain inhibitor. The table (matrix of all amino acid positions at the interface and their respective occupancy is created. We also developed a new computational protocol for predicting IFRs for those complexes which were not deciphered experimentally so far, achieving accuracy of at least 0.97. Conclusions The serine proteases interfaces prefer polar (including glycine residues (with some exceptions. Charged residues were found to be uniquely prevalent at the

  15. Analysis of binding properties and specificity through identification of the interface forming residues (IFR) for serine proteases in silico docked to different inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Cristina; Togawa, Roberto C; Neshich, Izabella A P; Mazoni, Ivan; Mancini, Adauto L; Minardi, Raquel C de Melo; da Silveira, Carlos H; Jardine, José G; Santoro, Marcelo M; Neshich, Goran

    2010-10-20

    Enzymes belonging to the same super family of proteins in general operate on variety of substrates and are inhibited by wide selection of inhibitors. In this work our main objective was to expand the scope of studies that consider only the catalytic and binding pocket amino acids while analyzing enzyme specificity and instead, include a wider category which we have named the Interface Forming Residues (IFR). We were motivated to identify those amino acids with decreased accessibility to solvent after docking of different types of inhibitors to sub classes of serine proteases and then create a table (matrix) of all amino acid positions at the interface as well as their respective occupancies. Our goal is to establish a platform for analysis of the relationship between IFR characteristics and binding properties/specificity for bi-molecular complexes. We propose a novel method for describing binding properties and delineating serine proteases specificity by compiling an exhaustive table of interface forming residues (IFR) for serine proteases and their inhibitors. Currently, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) does not contain all the data that our analysis would require. Therefore, an in silico approach was designed for building corresponding complexes. The IFRs are obtained by "rigid body docking" among 70 structurally aligned, sequence wise non-redundant, serine protease structures with 3 inhibitors: bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), ecotine and ovomucoid third domain inhibitor. The table (matrix) of all amino acid positions at the interface and their respective occupancy is created. We also developed a new computational protocol for predicting IFRs for those complexes which were not deciphered experimentally so far, achieving accuracy of at least 0.97. The serine proteases interfaces prefer polar (including glycine) residues (with some exceptions). Charged residues were found to be uniquely prevalent at the interfaces between the "miscellaneous-virus" subfamily

  16. The battle in the apoplast: further insights into the roles of proteases and their inhibitors in plant-pathogen interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansoor eKarimi Jashni

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Upon host penetration, fungal pathogens secrete a plethora of effectors to promote disease, including proteases that degrade plant antimicrobial proteins, and protease inhibitors (PIs that inhibit plant proteases with antimicrobial activity. Conversely, plants secrete proteases and PIs to protect themselves against pathogens or to mediate recognition of pathogen proteases and PIs, which leads to induction of defense responses. Many examples of proteases and PIs mediating effector-triggered immunity in host plants have been reported in the literature, but little is known about their role in compromising basal defense responses induced by microbe-associated molecular patterns. Recently, several reports appeared in literature on secreted fungal proteases that modify or degrade pathogenesis-related proteins, including plant chitinases or PIs that compromise their activities. This prompted us to review the recent advances on proteases and PIs involved in fungal virulence and plant defense. Proteases and PIs from plants and their fungal pathogens play an important role in the arms race between plants and pathogens, which has resulted in co-evolutionary diversification and adaptation shaping pathogen lifestyles.

  17. Differential sensitivity of 5'UTR-NS5A recombinants of hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-6 to protease and NS5A inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Yi-Ping; Ramirez, Santseharay; Humes, Daryl

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy will benefit from the preclinical evaluation of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents in infectious culture systems that test the effects on different virus genotypes. We developed HCV recombinants comprising the 5' untranslated region-NS5A (5-5A...... daclatasvir. The 1a(TN) 5-5A and JFH1-independent full-length viruses had similar levels of sensitivity to the DAA agents, validating the 5-5A recombinants as surrogates for full-length viruses in DAA testing. Compared with the 1a(TN) full-length virus, the 3a(S52) 5-5A recombinant was highly resistant to all...... protease inhibitors, and the 4a(ED43) recombinant was highly resistant to telaprevir and boceprevir, but most sensitive to other protease inhibitors. Compared with other protease inhibitors, MK-5172 had exceptional potency against all HCV genotypes. The NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir had the highest potency...

  18. Impact of Stereochemistry on Ligand Binding: X-ray Crystallographic Analysis of an Epoxide-Based HIV Protease Inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benedetti, Fabio; Berti, Federico; Campaner, Pietro; Fanfoni, Lidia; Demitri, Nicola; Olajuyigbe, Folasade M; De March, Matteo; Geremia, Silvano

    2014-09-11

    A new pseudopeptide epoxide inhibitor, designed for irreversible binding to HIV protease (HIV-PR), has been synthesized and characterized in solution and in the solid state. However, the crystal structure of the complex obtained by inhibitor-enzyme cocrystallization revealed that a minor isomer, with inverted configuration of the epoxide carbons, has been selected by HIV-PR during crystallization. The structural characterization of the well-ordered pseudopeptide, inserted in the catalytic channel with its epoxide group intact, provides deeper insights into inhibitor binding and HIV-PR stereoselectivity, which aids development of future epoxide-based HIV inhibitors.

  19. Understanding serine proteases implications on Leishmania spp lifecycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves, Carlos Roberto; Souza, Raquel Santos de; Charret, Karen Dos Santos; Côrtes, Luzia Monteiro de Castro; Sá-Silva, Matheus Pereira de; Barral-Veloso, Laura; Oliveira, Luiz Filipe Gonçalves; da Silva, Franklin Souza

    2018-01-01

    Serine proteases have significant functions over a broad range of relevant biological processes to the Leishmania spp lifecycle. Data gathered here present an update on the Leishmania spp serine proteases and the status of these enzymes as part of the parasite degradome. The serine protease genes (n = 26 to 28) in Leishmania spp, which encode proteins with a wide range of molecular masses (35 kDa-115 kDa), are described along with their degrees of chromosomal and allelic synteny. Amid 17 putative Leishmania spp serine proteases, only ∼18% were experimentally demonstrated, as: signal peptidases that remove the signal peptide from secretory pre-proteins, maturases of other proteins and with metacaspase-like activity. These enzymes include those of clans SB, SC and SF. Classical inhibitors of serine proteases are used as tools for the characterization and investigation of Leishmania spp. Endogenous serine protease inhibitors, which are ecotin-like, can act modulating host actions. However, crude or synthetic based-natural serine protease inhibitors, such as potato tuber extract, Stichodactyla helianthus protease inhibitor I, fukugetin and epoxy-α-lapachone act on parasitic serine proteases and are promising leishmanicidal agents. The functional interrelationship between serine proteases and other Leishmania spp proteins demonstrate essential functions of these enzymes in parasite physiology and therefore their value as targets for leishmaniasis treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. PRACTICE OF USING VIRAL PROTEASE INHIBITORS IN CHILDREN WITH HIV INFECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.B. Denisenko

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Selection of the most effective and safest high-active antiretroviral therapies is a critical issue faced by modern HIV medicine. Authors studied 28 children with HIV infection aged from 3 to 7 divided into two groups administered a combination of two HIV reverse transcriptase nucleoside inhibitors with viral protease nelfinavir inhibitors (n = 13 and lopinavir/ritonavir (n = 15. The subjects in both groups demonstrated a decreased frequency of HIV-associated symptoms and opportunistic infections, positive dynamics of immunological indicators, suppression of HIV replication. When lopinavir/ritonavir was administered, there was more even better dynamics in clinical, immunological and virologic parameters, which allows this medication to be recommended as a antiretroviral therapy for children. Key words: HIV infection, lopinavir/ritonavir, nelfinavir, children. (Pediatric Pharmacology. – 2010; 7(1:62-67

  1. The Effect of Serine Protease Inhibitors on Airway Inflammation in a Chronic Allergen-Induced Asthma Mouse Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Che Lin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Serine protease inhibitors reportedly attenuated airway inflammation and had antioxidant in multiorgan. However, the effects of the serine protease inhibitors nafamostat mesilate (FUT, gabexate mesilate (FOY, and ulinastatin (UTI on a long-term challenged mouse model of chronic asthma are unclear. BALB/c mice (6 mice/group were intratracheally inoculated with five doses of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p; 50 μL, 1 mg/mL at one-week intervals. Therapeutic doses of FUT (0.0625 mg/kg, FOY (20 mg/kg, or UTI (10,000 U/kg were, respectively, injected intraperitoneally into these mice. Control mice received sterile PBS. At 3 days after the last challenge, mice were sacrificed to assess airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR, remodeling, and inflammation; lung histological features; and cytokine expression profiles. Compared with untreated controls, mice treated with FUT, FOY, and UTI had decreased AHR and goblet cell hyperplasia, decreased eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration, decreased Der p-induced IL-4 levels in serum and IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, and IL-17 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and inhibited nuclear factor (NF-κB activity in lung tissues. The serine protease inhibitors FUT, FOY, and UTI have potential therapeutic benefits for treating asthma by downregulating Th2 cytokines and Th17 cell function and inhibiting NF-κB activation in lung tissue.

  2. The serine protease inhibitor TLCK attenuates intrinsic death pathways in neurons upstream of mitochondrial demise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reuther, C; Ganjam, G K; Dolga, A M; Culmsee, C

    2014-11-01

    It is well-established that activation of proteases, such as caspases, calpains and cathepsins are essential components in signaling pathways of programmed cell death (PCD). Although these proteases have also been linked to mechanisms of neuronal cell death, they are dispensable in paradigms of intrinsic death pathways, e.g. induced by oxidative stress. However, emerging evidence implicated a particular role for serine proteases in mechanisms of PCD in neurons. Here, we investigated the role of trypsin-like serine proteases in a model of glutamate toxicity in HT-22 cells. In these cells glutamate induces oxytosis, a form of caspase-independent cell death that involves activation of the pro-apoptotic protein BH3 interacting-domain death agonist (Bid), leading to mitochondrial demise and ensuing cell death. In this model system, the trypsin-like serine protease inhibitor Nα-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone hydrochloride (TLCK) inhibited mitochondrial damage and cell death. Mitochondrial morphology alterations, the impairment of the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP depletion were prevented and, moreover, lipid peroxidation induced by glutamate was completely abolished. Strikingly, truncated Bid-induced cell death was not affected by TLCK, suggesting a detrimental activity of serine proteases upstream of Bid activation and mitochondrial demise. In summary, this study demonstrates the protective effect of serine protease inhibition by TLCK against oxytosis-induced mitochondrial damage and cell death. These findings indicate that TLCK-sensitive serine proteases play a crucial role in cell death mechanisms upstream of mitochondrial demise and thus, may serve as therapeutic targets in diseases, where oxidative stress and intrinsic pathways of PCD mediate neuronal cell death.

  3. α₁-Antitrypsin protease inhibitor MZ heterozygosity is associated with airflow obstruction in two large cohorts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørheim, Inga-Cecilie; Bakke, Per; Gulsvik, Amund

    2010-01-01

    Severe a1-antitrypsin deficiency is a known genetic risk factor for COPD. Heterozygous (protease inhibitor [PI] MZ) individuals have moderately reduced serum levels of a1-antitrypsin, but whether they have an increased risk of COPD is uncertain....

  4. Activities of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitor nelfinavir mesylate in combination with reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors against acute HIV-1 infection in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patick, A K; Boritzki, T J; Bloom, L A

    1997-10-01

    Nelfinavir mesylate (formerly AG1343) is a potent and selective, nonpeptidic inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease that was discovered by protein structure-based design methodologies. We evaluated the antiviral and cytotoxic effects of two-drug combinations of nelfinavir with the clinically approved antiretroviral therapeutics zidovudine (ZDV), lamivudine (3TC), dideoxycytidine (ddC; zalcitabine), stavudine (d4T), didanosine (ddI), indinavir, saquinavir, and ritonavir and a three-drug combination of nelfinavir with ZDV and 3TC against an acute HIV-1 strain RF infection of CEM-SS cells in vitro. Quantitative assessment of drug interaction was evaluated by a universal response surface approach (W. R. Greco, G. Bravo, and J. C. Parsons, Pharm. Rev. 47:331-385, 1995) and by the method of M. N. Prichard and C. Shipman (Antiviral Res. 14:181-206, 1990). Both analytical methods yielded similar results and showed that the two-drug combinations of nelfinavir with the reverse transcriptase inhibitors ZDV, 3TC, ddI, d4T, and ddC and the three-drug combination with ZDV and 3TC resulted in additive to statistically significant synergistic interactions. In a similar manner, the combination of nelfinavir with the three protease inhibitors resulted in additive (ritonavir and saquinavir) to slightly antagonistic (indinavir) interactions. In all combinations, minimal cellular cytotoxicity was observed with any drug alone and in combination. These results suggest that administration of combinations of the appropriate doses of nelfinavir with other currently approved antiretroviral therapeutic agents in vivo may result in enhanced antiviral activity with no associated increase in cellular cytotoxicity.

  5. Inhibition of influenza virus infection and hemagglutinin cleavage by the protease inhibitor HAI-2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamilton, Brian S.; Chung, Changik; Cyphers, Soreen Y.; Rinaldi, Vera D.; Marcano, Valerie C.; Whittaker, Gary R., E-mail: grw7@cornell.edu

    2014-07-25

    Highlights: • Biochemical and cell biological analysis of HAI-2 as an inhibitor of influenza HA cleavage activation. • Biochemical and cell biological analysis of HAI-2 as an inhibitor of influenza virus infection. • Comparative analysis of HAI-2 for vesicular stomatitis virus and human parainfluenza virus type-1. • Analysis of the activity of HAI-2 in a mouse model of influenza. - Abstract: Influenza virus remains a significant concern to public health, with the continued potential for a high fatality pandemic. Vaccination and antiviral therapeutics are effective measures to circumvent influenza virus infection, however, multiple strains have emerged that are resistant to the antiviral therapeutics currently on the market. With this considered, investigation of alternative antiviral therapeutics is being conducted. One such approach is to inhibit cleavage activation of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), which is an essential step in the viral replication cycle that permits viral-endosome fusion. Therefore, targeting trypsin-like, host proteases responsible for HA cleavage in vivo may prove to be an effective therapeutic. Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor 2 (HAI-2) is naturally expressed in the respiratory tract and is a potent inhibitor of trypsin-like serine proteases, some of which have been determined to cleave HA. In this study, we demonstrate that HAI-2 is an effective inhibitor of cleavage of HA from the human-adapted H1 and H3 subtypes. HAI-2 inhibited influenza virus H1N1 infection in cell culture, and HAI-2 administration showed protection in a mouse model of influenza. HAI-2 has the potential to be an effective, alternative antiviral therapeutic for influenza.

  6. Inhibition of influenza virus infection and hemagglutinin cleavage by the protease inhibitor HAI-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamilton, Brian S.; Chung, Changik; Cyphers, Soreen Y.; Rinaldi, Vera D.; Marcano, Valerie C.; Whittaker, Gary R.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Biochemical and cell biological analysis of HAI-2 as an inhibitor of influenza HA cleavage activation. • Biochemical and cell biological analysis of HAI-2 as an inhibitor of influenza virus infection. • Comparative analysis of HAI-2 for vesicular stomatitis virus and human parainfluenza virus type-1. • Analysis of the activity of HAI-2 in a mouse model of influenza. - Abstract: Influenza virus remains a significant concern to public health, with the continued potential for a high fatality pandemic. Vaccination and antiviral therapeutics are effective measures to circumvent influenza virus infection, however, multiple strains have emerged that are resistant to the antiviral therapeutics currently on the market. With this considered, investigation of alternative antiviral therapeutics is being conducted. One such approach is to inhibit cleavage activation of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA), which is an essential step in the viral replication cycle that permits viral-endosome fusion. Therefore, targeting trypsin-like, host proteases responsible for HA cleavage in vivo may prove to be an effective therapeutic. Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor 2 (HAI-2) is naturally expressed in the respiratory tract and is a potent inhibitor of trypsin-like serine proteases, some of which have been determined to cleave HA. In this study, we demonstrate that HAI-2 is an effective inhibitor of cleavage of HA from the human-adapted H1 and H3 subtypes. HAI-2 inhibited influenza virus H1N1 infection in cell culture, and HAI-2 administration showed protection in a mouse model of influenza. HAI-2 has the potential to be an effective, alternative antiviral therapeutic for influenza

  7. Protease Inhibitors in Tick Saliva: The Role of Serpins and Cystatins in Tick-host-Pathogen Interaction

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Chmelař, J.; Kotál, Jan; Langhansová, Helena; Kotsyfakis, Michalis

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 7, MAY 29 (2017), č. článku 276. ISSN 2235-2988 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : tick-host interaction * immunomodulation * protease inhibitors * serpins * cystatins Subject RIV: EC - Immunology OBOR OECD: Immunology Impact factor: 4.300, year: 2016

  8. Bowman-Birk Protease Inhibitor from Vigna unguiculata Seeds Enhances the Action of Bradykinin-Related Peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alice da Cunha M. Álvares

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The hydrolysis of bradykinin (Bk by different classes of proteases in plasma and tissues leads to a decrease in its half-life. Here, Bk actions on smooth muscle and in vivo cardiovascular assays in association with a protease inhibitor, Black eyed-pea trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI and also under the effect of trypsin and chymotrypsin were evaluated. Two synthetic Bk-related peptides, Bk1 and Bk2, were used to investigate the importance of additional C-terminal amino acid residues on serine protease activity. BTCI forms complexes with Bk and analogues at pH 5.0, 7.4 and 9.0, presenting binding constants ranging from 103 to 104 M−1. Formation of BTCI-Bk complexes is probably driven by hydrophobic forces, coupled with slight conformational changes in BTCI. In vitro assays using guinea pig (Cavia porcellus ileum showed that Bk retains the ability to induce smooth muscle contraction in the presence of BTCI. Moreover, no alteration in the inhibitory activity of BTCI in complex with Bk and analogous was observed. When the BTCI and BTCI-Bk complexes were tested in vivo, a decrease of vascular resistance and consequent hypotension and potentiating renal and aortic vasodilatation induced by Bk and Bk2 infusions was observed. These results indicate that BTCI-Bk complexes may be a reliable strategy to act as a carrier and protective approach for Bk-related peptides against plasma serine proteases cleavage, leading to an increase in their half-life. These findings also indicate that BTCI could remain stable in some tissues to inhibit chymotrypsin or trypsin-like enzymes that cleave and inactivate bradykinin in situ.

  9. Structure of HIV-1 protease determined by neutron crystallography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adachi, Motoyasu; Kuroki, Ryota

    2009-01-01

    HIV-1 protease is an aspartic protease, and plays an essential role in replication of HIV. To develop HIV-1 protease inhibitors through structure-based drug design, it is necessary to understand the catalytic mechanism and inhibitor recognition of HIV-1 protease. We have determined the crystal structure of HIV-1 protease in complex with KNI-272 to 1.9 A resolution by neutron crystallography in combination with 1.4 A resolution X-ray diffraction data. The results show that the carbonyl group of hydroxymethylcarbonyl (HMC) in KNI-272 forms a hydrogen bonding interaction with protonated Asp 25 and the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group of HMC forms a hydrogen bonding interaction with the deprotonated Asp125. This is the first neutron report for HIV-1/inhibitor complex and shows directly the locations of key hydrogen atoms in catalysis and in the binding of a transition-state analog. The results confirm key aspect of the presumed catalytic mechanism of HIV-1 protease and will aid in the further development of protease inhibitors. (author)

  10. Serine protease inhibitors containing a Kunitz domain: their role in modulation of host inflammatory responses and parasite survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Magalhães, Mariana T Q; Mambelli, Fábio S; Santos, Bruno P O; Morais, Suellen B; Oliveira, Sergio C

    2018-03-31

    Proteins containing a Kunitz domain have the typical serine protease inhibition function ranging from sea anemone to man. Protease inhibitors play major roles in infection, inflammation disorders and cancer. This review discusses the role of serine proteases containing a Kunitz domain in immunomodulation induced by helminth parasites. Helminth parasites are associated with protection from inflammatory conditions. Therefore, interest has raised whether worm parasites or their products hold potential as drugs for treatment of immunological disorders. Finally, we also propose the use of recombinant SmKI-1 from Schistosoma mansoni as a potential therapeutic molecule to treat inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2018 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. The Role of Factor XIa (FXIa) Catalytic Domain Exosite Residues in Substrate Catalysis and Inhibition by the Kunitz Protease Inhibitor Domain of Protease Nexin 2*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Ya-Chi; Miller, Tara N.; Navaneetham, Duraiswamy; Schoonmaker, Robert T.; Sinha, Dipali; Walsh, Peter N.

    2011-01-01

    To select residues in coagulation factor XIa (FXIa) potentially important for substrate and inhibitor interactions, we examined the crystal structure of the complex between the catalytic domain of FXIa and the Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain of a physiologically relevant FXIa inhibitor, protease nexin 2 (PN2). Six FXIa catalytic domain residues (Glu98, Tyr143, Ile151, Arg3704, Lys192, and Tyr5901) were subjected to mutational analysis to investigate the molecular interactions between FXIa and the small synthetic substrate (S-2366), the macromolecular substrate (factor IX (FIX)) and inhibitor PN2KPI. Analysis of all six Ala mutants demonstrated normal Km values for S-2366 hydrolysis, indicating normal substrate binding compared with plasma FXIa; however, all except E98A and K192A had impaired values of kcat for S-2366 hydrolysis. All six Ala mutants displayed deficient kcat values for FIX hydrolysis, and all were inhibited by PN2KPI with normal values of Ki except for K192A, and Y5901A, which displayed increased values of Ki. The integrity of the S1 binding site residue, Asp189, utilizing p-aminobenzamidine, was intact for all FXIa mutants. Thus, whereas all six residues are essential for catalysis of the macromolecular substrate (FIX), only four (Tyr143, Ile151, Arg3704, and Tyr5901) are important for S-2366 hydrolysis; Glu98 and Lys192 are essential for FIX but not S-2366 hydrolysis; and Lys192 and Tyr5901 are required for both inhibitor and macromolecular substrate interactions. PMID:21778227

  12. Hydroxyethylamine derivatives as HIV-1 protease inhibitors: a predictive QSAR modelling study based on Monte Carlo optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhargava, S; Adhikari, N; Amin, S A; Das, K; Gayen, S; Jha, T

    2017-12-01

    Application of HIV-1 protease inhibitors (as an anti-HIV regimen) may serve as an attractive strategy for anti-HIV drug development. Several investigations suggest that there is a crucial need to develop a novel protease inhibitor with higher potency and reduced toxicity. Monte Carlo optimized QSAR study was performed on 200 hydroxyethylamine derivatives with antiprotease activity. Twenty-one QSAR models with good statistical qualities were developed from three different splits with various combinations of SMILES and GRAPH based descriptors. The best models from different splits were selected on the basis of statistically validated characteristics of the test set and have the following statistical parameters: r 2 = 0.806, Q 2 = 0.788 (split 1); r 2 = 0.842, Q 2 = 0.826 (split 2); r 2 = 0.774, Q 2 = 0.755 (split 3). The structural attributes obtained from the best models were analysed to understand the structural requirements of the selected series for HIV-1 protease inhibitory activity. On the basis of obtained structural attributes, 11 new compounds were designed, out of which five compounds were found to have better activity than the best active compound in the series.

  13. Structure-Aided Design of Novel Inhibitors of HIV Protease Based on a Benzodiazepine Scaffold

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Schimer, Jiří; Cígler, Petr; Veselý, J.; Grantz Šašková, Klára; Lepšík, Martin; Brynda, Jiří; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Kožíšek, Milan; Císařová, I.; Oberwinkler, H.; Kraeusslich, H. G.; Konvalinka, Jan

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 55, č. 22 (2012), s. 10130-10135 ISSN 0022-2623 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP208/12/G016; GA ČR GAP207/11/1798 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506; CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : HIV protease inhibitor * rational drug design * 1,4-benzodiazepines Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 5.614, year: 2012

  14. Potent radiolabeled human renin inhibitor, [3H]SR42128: enzymatic, kinetic, and binding studies to renin and other aspartic proteases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cumin, F.; Nisato, D.; Gagnol, J.P.; Corvol, P.

    1987-01-01

    The in vitro binding of [ 3 H]SR42128 (Iva-Phe-Nle-Sta-Ala-Sta-Arg), a potent inhibitor of human renin activity, to purified human renin and a number of other aspartic proteases was examined. SR42128 was found to be a competitive inhibitor of human renin, with a K/sub i/ of 0.35 nM at pH 5.7 and 2.0 nM at pH 7.4; it was thus more effective at pH 5.7 than at pH 7.4. Scatchard analysis of the interaction binding of [ 3 H]SR42128 to human renin indicated that binding was reversible and saturable at both pH 5.7 and pH 7.4. There was a single class of binding sites, and the K/sub D/ was 0.9 nM at pH 5.7 and 1 nM at pH 7.4. The association rate was 10 times more rapid at pH 5.7 than at pH 7.4, but there was no difference between the rates of dissociation of the enzyme-inhibitor complex at the two pHs. The effect of pH on the binding of [ 3 H]SR42128 to human renin, cathepsin D, pepsin, and gastricsin was also examined over the pH range 3-8. All the aspartic proteases had a high affinity for the inhibitor at low pH. However, at pH 7.4, [ 3 H]SR42128 was bound only to human renin and to none of the other aspartic proteases. Competitive binding studies with [ 3 H]SR42128 and a number of other inhibitors on human renin or cathepsin D were used to examine the relationships between structure and activity in these systems. The study as a whole indicates that pH plays a major role in the binding of [ 3 H]SR42128 to aspartic proteases and that the nature of the inhibitor residue reacting with the renin S 2 subsites is of critical importance for the specificity of the renin-inhibitor interaction

  15. A cysteine protease inhibitor of plasmodium berghei is essential for exo-erythrocytic development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Lehmann

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Plasmodium parasites express a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases (ICP throughout their life cycle. To analyze the role of ICP in different life cycle stages, we generated a stage-specific knockout of the Plasmodium berghei ICP (PbICP. Excision of the pbicb gene occurred in infective sporozoites and resulted in impaired sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes, despite residual PbICP protein being detectable in sporozoites. The vast majority of these parasites invading a cultured hepatocyte cell line did not develop to mature liver stages, but the few that successfully developed hepatic merozoites were able to initiate a blood stage infection in mice. These blood stage parasites, now completely lacking PbICP, exhibited an attenuated phenotype but were able to infect mosquitoes and develop to the oocyst stage. However, PbICP-negative sporozoites liberated from oocysts exhibited defective motility and invaded mosquito salivary glands in low numbers. They were also unable to invade hepatocytes, confirming that control of cysteine protease activity is of critical importance for sporozoites. Importantly, transfection of PbICP-knockout parasites with a pbicp-gfp construct fully reversed these defects. Taken together, in P. berghei this inhibitor of the ICP family is essential for sporozoite motility but also appears to play a role during parasite development in hepatocytes and erythrocytes.

  16. Design, synthesis, X-ray studies, and biological evaluation of novel macrocyclic HIV-1 protease inhibitors involving the P1'-P2' ligands

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosh, Arun K.; Sean Fyvie, W.; Brindisi, Margherita; Steffey, Melinda; Agniswamy, Johnson; Wang, Yuan-Fang; Aoki, Manabu; Amano, Masayuki; Weber, Irene T.; Mitsuya, Hiroaki

    2017-11-01

    Design, synthesis, and evaluation of a new class of HIV-1 protease inhibitors containing diverse flexible macrocyclic P1'-P2' tethers are reported. Inhibitor 5a with a pyrrolidinone-derived macrocycle exhibited favorable enzyme inhibitory and antiviral activity (Ki = 13.2 nM, IC50 = 22 nM). Further incorporation of heteroatoms in the macrocyclic skeleton provided macrocyclic inhibitors 5m and 5o. These compounds showed excellent HIV-1 protease inhibitory (Ki = 62 pM and 14 pM, respectively) and antiviral activity (IC50 = 5.3 nM and 2.0 nM, respectively). Inhibitor 5o also remained highly potent against a DRV-resistant HIV-1 variant.

  17. Dynamic hepatitis C virus genotypic and phenotypic changes in patients treated with the protease inhibitor telaprevir

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sarrazin, Christoph; Kieffer, Tara L.; Bartels, Doug; Hanzelka, Brian; Müh, Ute; Welker, Martin; Wincheringer, Dennis; Zhou, Yi; Chu, Hui-May; Lin, Chao; Weegink, Christine; Reesink, Henk; Zeuzem, Stefan; Kwong, Ann D.

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Telaprevir (VX-950), a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3.4A protease inhibitor, has shown strong antiviral activity in phase 1 clinical studies. Because of high levels of HCV replication and the low fidelity of HCV polymerase, selection of resistant isolates during therapy may occur.

  18. Viral kinetics in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with the serine protease inhibitor BILN 2061

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Herrmann, Eva; Zeuzem, Stefan; Sarrazin, Christoph; Hinrichsen, Holger; Benhamou, Yves; Manns, Michael P.; Reiser, Markus; Reesink, Henk; Calleja, José L.; Forns, Xavier; Steinmann, Gerhard G.; Nehmiz, Gerhard

    2006-01-01

    We analysed viral kinetics from a 2-day treatment with BILN 2061, a serine protease inhibitor of hepatitis C virus, in patients chronically infected with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus. The efficiency (E), describing inhibition of viral production, was above 99.45% in all patients with minor or

  19. The putative serine protease inhibitor Api m 6 from Apis mellifera venom: recombinant and structural evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michel, Y; McIntyre, M; Ginglinger, H; Ollert, M; Cifuentes, L; Blank, S; Spillner, E

    2012-01-01

    Immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated reactions to honeybee venom can cause severe anaphylaxis, sometimes with fatal consequences. Detailed knowledge of the allergic potential of all venom components is necessary to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of allergy and to gain a better understanding of the allergological mechanisms of insect venoms. Our objective was to undertake an immunochemical and structural evaluation of the putative low-molecular-weight serine protease inhibitor Api m 6, a component of honeybee venom. We recombinantly produced Api m 6 as a soluble protein in Escherichia coli and in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells.We also assessed specific IgE reactivity of venom-sensitized patients with 2 prokaryotically produced Api m 6 variants using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, we built a structural model ofApi m 6 and compared it with other protease inhibitor structures to gain insights into the function of Api m 6. In a population of 31 honeybee venom-allergic patients, 26% showed specific IgE reactivity with prokaryotically produced Api m 6, showing it to be a minor but relevant allergen. Molecular modeling of Api m 6 revealed a typical fold of canonical protease inhibitors, supporting the putative function of this venom allergen. Although Api m 6 has a highly variant surface charge, its epitope distribution appears to be similar to that of related proteins. Api m 6 is a honeybee venom component with IgE-sensitizing potential in a fraction of venom-allergic patients. Recombinant Api m 6 can help elucidate individual component-resolved reactivity profiles and increase our understanding of immune responses to low-molecular-weight allergens

  20. Rational redesign of inhibitors of furin/kexin processing proteases by electrostatic mutations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Xiao-hui; Zhang, Qing; Ding, Da-fu

    2004-12-01

    To model the three-dimensional structure and investigate the interaction mechanism of the proprotein convertase furin/kexin and their inhibitors (eglin c mutants). The three-dimensional complex structures of furin/kexin with its inhibitors, eglin c mutants, were generated by modeller program using the newly published X-ray crystallographical structures of mouse furin and yeast kexin as templates. The electrostatic interaction energy of each complex was calculated and the results were compared with the experimentally determined inhibition constants to find the correlation between them. High quality models of furin/kexin-eglin c mutants were obtained and used for calculation of the electrostatic interaction energies between the proteases and their inhibitors. The calculated electrostatic energies of interaction showed a linear correlation to the experimental inhibition constants. The modeled structures give good explanations of the specificity of eglin c mutants to furin/kexin. The electrostatic interactions play important roles in inhibitory activity of eglin c mutants to furin/kexin. The results presented here provided quantitative structural and functional information concerning the role of the charge-charge interactions in the binding of furin/kexin and their inhibitors.

  1. Protease purification and characterization of a serine protease inhibitor from Egyptian varieties of soybean seeds and its efficacy against Spodoptera littoralis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    El-latif Ashraf Oukasha Abd

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Serine inhibitors have been described in many plant species and are universal throughout the plant kingdom. Trypsin inhibitors are the most common type. In the present study, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity was detected in the seed flour extracts of four Egyptian varieties of soybean (Glycine max. The soybean variety, Giza 22, was found to have higher trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory potential compared to other tested soybean varieties. For this reason, Giza 22 was selected for further purification studies which used ammonium sulphate fractionation and DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column. Soybean purified proteins showed a single band on SDS-PAGE corresponding to a molecular mass of 17.9 kDa. The purified inhibitor was stable at temperatures below 60°C and was active at a wide range of pH, from 2 to 12 pH. The kinetic analysis revealed a non-competitive type of inhibition against trypsin and chymotrypsin enzymes. The inhibitor constant (Ki values suggested that the inhibitor has higher affinity toward a trypsin enzyme than to a chymotrypsin enzyme. Purified inhibitor was found to have deep and negative effects on the mean larval weight, larval mortality, pupation, and mean pupal weight of Spodoptera littoralis. It may be concluded, that soybean protease inhibitor gene(s could be potential targets for those future studies which are concerned with developing insect resistant transgenic plants

  2. The kunitz protease inhibitor domain of protease nexin-2 inhibits factor XIa and murine carotid artery and middle cerebral artery thrombosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wenman; Li, Hongbo; Navaneetham, Duraiswamy; Reichenbach, Zachary W.; Tuma, Ronald F.

    2012-01-01

    Coagulation factor XI (FXI) plays an important part in both venous and arterial thrombosis, rendering FXIa a potential target for the development of antithrombotic therapy. The kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain of protease nexin-2 (PN2) is a potent, highly specific inhibitor of FXIa, suggesting its possible role in the inhibition of FXI-dependent thrombosis in vivo. Therefore, we examined the effect of PN2KPI on thrombosis in the murine carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery. Intravenous administration of PN2KPI prolonged the clotting time of both human and murine plasma, and PN2KPI inhibited FXIa activity in both human and murine plasma in vitro. The intravenous administration of PN2KPI into WT mice dramatically decreased the progress of FeCl3-induced thrombus formation in the carotid artery. After a similar initial rate of thrombus formation with and without PN2KPI treatment, the propagation of thrombus formation after 10 minutes and the amount of thrombus formed were significantly decreased in mice treated with PN2KPI injection compared with untreated mice. In the middle cerebral artery occlusion model, the volume and fraction of ischemic brain tissue were significantly decreased in PN2KPI-treated compared with untreated mice. Thus, inhibition of FXIa by PN2KPI is a promising approach to antithrombotic therapy. PMID:22674803

  3. Purification, partial characterization, and immunological relationships of multiple low molecular weight protease inhibitors of soybean

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hwang, D L.R.; Lin, K T.D.; Yang, W K; Foard, D E

    1977-01-01

    Five protease inhibitors, I-V, in the molecular weight range 7000-8000 were purified from Tracy soybeans by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and G-75, and column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. In common with previously described trypsin inhibitors from legumes, I-V have a high content of half-cystine and lack tryptophan. By contrast with other legume inhibitors, inhibitor II contains 3 methionine residues. Isoelectric points range from 6.2 to 4.2 in order from inhibitor I to V. Molar ratios (inhibitor/enzyme) for 50% trypsin inhibition are I = 4.76, II = 1.32, III = 3.22, IV = 2.17, V = 0.97. Only V inhibits chymotrypsin significantly (molar ratio = 1.33 for 50% inhibition). The sequence of the first 16 N-terminal amino acid residues of inhibitor V is identical to that of the Bowman-Birk inhibitor; all other observations also indicate that inhibitor V and Bowman-Birk are identical. The first 20 N-terminal amino acid residues of inhibitor II show high homology to those of Bowman-Birk inhibitor, differing by 1 deletion and 5 substitutions. Immunological tests show that inhibitors I through IV are fully cross-reactive with each other but are distinct from inhibitor V.

  4. Protease inhibitors: changing the way AIDS case management does business.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merithew, M A; Davis-Satterla, L

    2000-09-01

    The purpose of the qualitative evaluation study discussed in this article was to examine the AIDS case management model under which five nonprofit AIDS service organizations (ASOs) in Midcity were operating. The study was organized around 40 qualitative interviews with executive directors, directors, and case managers. The finding was that AIDS case management is evolving to accommodate the changing environmental/contextual conditions that have resulted from combination drug therapies (protease inhibitors) introduced in 1996. The agencies are responding to the changes individually rather than as a network, and responses vary among the agencies. Institutional theory, an examination of the interconnectedness of clients, the ASOs, and their environmental context guided the analysis of the findings.

  5. Low lopinavir plasma or hair concentrations explain second-line protease inhibitor failures in a resource-limited setting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Zyl, Gert Uves; van Mens, Thijs E.; McIlleron, Helen; Zeier, Michele; Nachega, Jean B.; Decloedt, Eric; Malavazzi, Carolina; Smith, Peter; Huang, Yong; van der Merwe, Lize; Gandhi, Monica; Maartens, Gary

    2011-01-01

    In resource-limited settings, many patients, with no prior protease inhibitor (PI) treatment on a second-line, high genetic barrier, ritonavir-boosted PI-containing regimen have virologic failure. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to investigate the aetiology of virologic failure in 2 public

  6. HIV-protease inhibitors for the treatment of cancer: Repositioning HIV protease inhibitors while developing more potent NO-hybridized derivatives?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maksimovic-Ivanic, Danijela; Fagone, Paolo; McCubrey, James; Bendtzen, Klaus; Mijatovic, Sanja; Nicoletti, Ferdinando

    2017-04-15

    The possible use of HIV protease inhibitors (HIV-PI) as new therapeutic option for the treatment of cancer primarily originated from their success in treating HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). While these findings were initially attributed to immune reconstitution and better control of oncogenic viral infections, the number of reports on solid tumors, KS, lymphoma, fibrosarcoma, multiple myeloma and prostate cancer suggest other mechanisms for the anti-neoplastic activity of PIs. However, a major drawback for the possible adoption of HIV-PIs in the therapy of cancer relies on their relatively weak anticancer potency and important side effects. This has propelled several groups to generate derivatives of HIV-PIs for anticancer use, through modifications such as attachment of different moieties, ligands and transporters, including saquinavir-loaded folic acid conjugated nanoparticles and nitric oxide (NO) derivatives of HIV-PIs. In this article, we discuss the current preclinical and clinical evidences for the potential use of HIV-PIs, and of novel derivatives, such as saquinavir-NO in the treatment of cancer. © 2016 UICC.

  7. Proteases in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus confer reduced susceptibility to lactoferricin B.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulvatne, Hilde; Haukland, Hanne Husom; Samuelsen, Ørjan; Krämer, Manuela; Vorland, Lars H

    2002-10-01

    Lactoferricin B is a cationic antimicrobial peptide derived from the N-terminal part of bovine lactoferrin. The effect of bacterial proteases on the antibacterial activity of lactoferricin B towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was investigated using various protease inhibitors and protease-deficient E. coli mutants. Sodium-EDTA, a metalloprotease inhibitor, was the most efficient inhibitors in both species, but combinations of sodium-EDTA with other types of protease inhibitor gave a synergic effect. The results indicate that several groups of proteases are involved in resistance to lactoferricin B in both E. coli and S. aureus. We also report that genetic inactivation of the heat shock-induced serine protease DegP increased the susceptibility to lactoferricin B in E. coli, suggesting that this protease, at least, is involved in reduced susceptibility to lactoferricin B.

  8. Solid-state characterization of the HIV protease inhibitor

    CERN Document Server

    Kim, Y A

    2002-01-01

    The LB71350, (3S, 4R)-Epoxy-(5S)-[[N-(1-methylethoxy) carbonyl]-3-(methylsulfonyl)-L-valinyl]amin= o]-N-[2-methyl-(1R)-[(phenyl)carbonyl]propyl-6-phenylhexanamide, is a novel HIV protease inhibitor. Its equilibrium solubility at room temperature was less than 40 mu g/mL. It was speculated that the low aqueous solubility might be due to the high crystalline lattice energy resulting from intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The present study was carried out to learn the solid-state characteristics of LB71350 using analytical methods such as NMR, FT-IR and XRD. sup 1 sup 3 C Solid-state NMR, solution NMR, and FT-IR spectra of the various solid forms of LB71350 were used to identify the conformation and structure of the solid forms. The chemical shifts of sup 1 sup 3 C solid-state NMR spectra suggest that the crystalline form might have 3 intermolecular hydrogen bondings between monomers.

  9. The protease inhibitor PI*S allele and COPD

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hersh, C P; Ly, N P; Berkey, C S

    2005-01-01

    In many countries, the protease inhibitor (SERPINA1) PI*S allele is more common than PI*Z, the allele responsible for most cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to severe alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. However, the risk of COPD due to the PI*S allele is not clear. The current...... authors located studies that addressed the risk of COPD or measured lung function in individuals with the PI SZ, PI MS and PI SS genotypes. A separate meta-analysis for each genotype was performed. Aggregating data from six studies, the odds ratio (OR) for COPD in PI SZ compound heterozygotes compared...... with PI MM (normal) individuals was significantly increased at 3.26 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.24-8.57). In 17 cross-sectional and case-control studies, the OR for COPD in PI MS heterozygotes was 1.19 (95%CI: 1.02-1.38). However, PI MS genotype was not associated with COPD risk after correcting...

  10. Biopotency of serine protease inhibitors from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds on digestive proteases and the development of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd El-latif, Ashraf Oukasha

    2015-05-01

    Serine protease inhibitors (PIs) have been described in many plant species and are universal throughout the plant kingdom, where trypsin inhibitors is the most common type. In the present study, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity was detected in the seed flour extracts of 13 selected cultivars/accessions of cowpea. Two cowpea cultivars, Cream7 and Buff, were found to have higher trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory potential compared to other tested cultivars for which they have been selected for further purification studies using ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column. Cream7-purified proteins showed two bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) corresponding to molecular mass of 17.10 and 14.90 kDa, while the purified protein from Buff cultivar showed a single band corresponding mass of 16.50 kDa. The purified inhibitors were stable at temperature below 60°C and were active at wide range of pH from 2 to 12. The kinetic analysis revealed noncompetitive type of inhibition for both inhibitors against both enzymes. The inhibitor constant (Ki ) values suggested high affinity between inhibitors and enzymes. Purified inhibitors were found to have deep and negative effects on the mean larval weight, larval mortality, pupation, and mean pupal weight of Spodoptera littoralis, where Buff PI was more effective than Cream7 PI. It may be concluded that cowpea PI gene(s) could be potential insect control protein for future studies in developing insect-resistant transgenic plants. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Synthesis and structure-activity relationship of α-keto amides as enterovirus 71 3C protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Debin; Ma, Yuying; Zhang, Rui; Nie, Quandeng; Cui, Zhengjie; Wang, Yaxin; Shang, Luqing; Yin, Zheng

    2016-04-01

    α-Keto amide derivatives as enterovirus 71 (EV71) 3C protease (3C(pro)) inhibitors have been synthesized and assayed for their biochemical and antiviral activities. structure-activity relationship (SAR) study indicated that small moieties were primarily tolerated at P1' and the introduction of para-fluoro benzyl at P2 notably improved the potency of inhibitor. Inhibitors 8v, 8w and 8x exhibited satisfactory activity (IC50=1.32±0.26μM, 1.88±0.35μM and 1.52±0.31μM, respectively) and favorable CC50 values (CC50>100μM). α-Keto amide may represent a good choice as a warhead for EV71 3C(pro) inhibitor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Inhibition of protease-inhibitor resistant hepatitis C virus replicons and infectious virus by intracellular intrabodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gal-Tanamy, Meital; Zemel, Romy; Bachmatov, Larissa; Jangra, Rohit K.; Shapira, Assaf; Villanueva, Rodrigo; Yi, MinKyung; Lemon, Stanley M.; Benhar, Itai; Tur-Kaspa, Ran

    2015-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common cause of chronic liver disease and a serious threat to human health. The HCV NS3/4A serine protease is necessary for viral replication and innate immune evasion, and represents a well-validated target for specific antiviral therapy. We previously reported the isolation of single-chain antibodies (scFvs) that inhibit NS3/4A protease activity in vitro. Expressed intracellularly (intrabodies), these scFvs blocked NS3-mediated proliferation of NS3-transfected cells. Here we show that anti-NS3 scFvs suppress HCV RNA replication when expressed intracellularly in Huh7 hepatoma cells bearing either subgenomic or genome-length HCV RNA replicons. The expression of intrabodies directed against NS3 inhibited the autonomous amplification of HCV replicons resistant to small molecule inhibitors of the NS3/4A protease, and replicons derived from different HCV genotypes. The combination of intrabodies and interferon-α had an additive inhibitory effect on RNA replication in the replicon model. Intrabody expression also inhibited production of infectious HCV in a cell culture system. The NS3 protease activity was inhibited by the intrabodies in NS3-expressing cells. In contrast, cell-free synthesis of HCV RNA by preformed replicase complexes was not inhibited by intrabodies, suggesting that the major mode of inhibition of viral replication is inhibition of NS3/4A protease activity and subsequent suppression of viral polyprotein processing. PMID:20705106

  13. Cysteine protease inhibition by nitrile-based inhibitors: a computational study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quesne, Matthew G.; Ward, Richard A.; de Visser, Sam P.

    2013-01-01

    Cysteine protease enzymes are important for human physiology and catalyze key protein degradation pathways. These enzymes react via a nucleophilic reaction mechanism that involves a cysteine residue and the proton of a proximal histidine. Particularly efficient inhibitors of these enzymes are nitrile-based, however, the details of the catalytic reaction mechanism currently are poorly understood. To gain further insight into the inhibition of these molecules, we have performed a combined density functional theory and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study on the reaction of a nitrile-based inhibitor with the enzyme active site amino acids. We show here that small perturbations to the inhibitor structure can have dramatic effects on the catalysis and inhibition processes. Thus, we investigated a range of inhibitor templates and show that specific structural changes reduce the inhibitory efficiency by several orders of magnitude. Moreover, as the reaction takes place on a polar surface, we find strong differences between the DFT and QM/MM calculated energetics. In particular, the DFT model led to dramatic distortions from the starting structure and the convergence to a structure that would not fit the enzyme active site. In the subsequent QM/MM study we investigated the use of mechanical vs. electronic embedding on the kinetics, thermodynamics and geometries along the reaction mechanism. We find minor effects on the kinetics of the reaction but large geometric and thermodynamics differences as a result of inclusion of electronic embedding corrections. The work here highlights the importance of model choice in the investigation of this biochemical reaction mechanism. PMID:24790966

  14. Nucleic Acid Aptamers Against Proteases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dupont, D M; Andersen, L M; Bøtkjær, Kenneth Alrø

    2011-01-01

    , directed against blood coagulation factors, are in clinical trials as anticoagulant drugs. Several of the studies on protease-binding aptamers have been pioneering and trend-setting in the field. The work with protease-binding aptamers also demonstrates many interesting examples of non-standard selection......Proteases are potential or realized therapeutic targets in a wide variety of pathological conditions. Moreover, proteases are classical subjects for studies of enzymatic and regulatory mechanisms. We here review the literature on nucleic acid aptamers selected with proteases as targets. Designing...... small molecule protease inhibitors of sufficient specificity has proved a daunting task. Aptamers seem to represent a promising alternative. In our review, we concentrate on biochemical mechanisms of aptamer selection, proteinaptamer recognition, protease inhibition, and advantages of aptamers...

  15. Novel tetra-peptide insertion in Gag-p6 ALIX-binding motif in HIV-1 subtype C associated with protease inhibitor failure in Indian patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neogi, Ujjwal; Rao, Shwetha D; Bontell, Irene; Verheyen, Jens; Rao, Vasudev R; Gore, Sagar C; Soni, Neelesh; Shet, Anita; Schülter, Eugen; Ekstrand, Maria L; Wondwossen, Amogne; Kaiser, Rolf; Madhusudhan, Mallur S; Prasad, Vinayaka R; Sonnerborg, Anders

    2014-09-24

    A novel tetra-peptide insertion was identified in Gag-p6 ALIX-binding region, which appeared in protease inhibitor failure Indian HIV-1C sequences (odds ratio=17.1, P < 0.001) but was naturally present in half of untreated Ethiopian HIV-1C sequences. The insertion is predicted to restore ALIX-mediated virus release pathway, which is lacking in HIV-1C. The clinical importance of the insertion needs to be evaluated in HIV-1C dominating regions wherein the use of protease inhibitor drugs are being scaled up.

  16. HIV-1 protease-substrate coevolution in nelfinavir resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolli, Madhavi; Ozen, Ayşegül; Kurt-Yilmaz, Nese; Schiffer, Celia A

    2014-07-01

    Resistance to various human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitors (PIs) challenges the effectiveness of therapies in treating HIV-1-infected individuals and AIDS patients. The virus accumulates mutations within the protease (PR) that render the PIs less potent. Occasionally, Gag sequences also coevolve with mutations at PR cleavage sites contributing to drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the structural basis of coevolution of the p1-p6 cleavage site with the nelfinavir (NFV) resistance D30N/N88D protease mutations by determining crystal structures of wild-type and NFV-resistant HIV-1 protease in complex with p1-p6 substrate peptide variants with L449F and/or S451N. Alterations of residue 30's interaction with the substrate are compensated by the coevolving L449F and S451N cleavage site mutations. This interdependency in the PR-p1-p6 interactions enhances intermolecular contacts and reinforces the overall fit of the substrate within the substrate envelope, likely enabling coevolution to sustain substrate recognition and cleavage in the presence of PR resistance mutations. Resistance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitors challenges the effectiveness of therapies in treating HIV-1-infected individuals and AIDS patients. Mutations in HIV-1 protease selected under the pressure of protease inhibitors render the inhibitors less potent. Occasionally, Gag sequences also mutate and coevolve with protease, contributing to maintenance of viral fitness and to drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the structural basis of coevolution at the Gag p1-p6 cleavage site with the nelfinavir (NFV) resistance D30N/N88D protease mutations. Our structural analysis reveals the interdependency of protease-substrate interactions and how coevolution may restore substrate recognition and cleavage in the presence of protease drug resistance mutations. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  17. Reversal of atherogenic lipoprotein profile in HIV-1 infected patients with lipodystrophy after replacing protease inhibitors by nevirapine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Negredo, Eugenia; Ribalta, Josep; Paredes, Roger; Ferré, Raimón; Sirera, Guillem; Ruiz, Lidia; Salazar, Juliana; Reiss, Peter; Masana, Lluís; Clotet, Bonaventura

    2002-01-01

    Background: The widespread use of protease inhibitors (PI) has been associated with abnormalities in the lipid profile of HIV-1-infected patients. Treatment simplification approaches in which PI are replaced by nevirapine (NVP) have been shown to improve PI-related toxicity. Objective: To assess the

  18. Ninety-nine is not enough: molecular characterization of inhibitor-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease mutants with insertions in the flap region

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kožíšek, Milan; Grantz Šašková, Klára; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Brynda, Jiří; Maarseveen van, N. M.; De Jongh, D.; Boucher, Ch. A. B.; Kagan, R. M.; Nijhuis, M.; Konvalinka, Jan

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 82, č. 12 (2008), s. 5869-5878 ISSN 0022-538X R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0508; GA MZd NR8571 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506; CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : HIV protease inhibitors * aspartic proteases * viral resistance * insertions Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 5.308, year: 2008

  19. A novel protease activity assay using a protease-responsive chaperone protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sao, Kentaro; Murata, Masaharu; Fujisaki, Yuri; Umezaki, Kaori; Mori, Takeshi; Niidome, Takuro; Katayama, Yoshiki; Hashizume, Makoto

    2009-01-01

    Protease activity assays are important for elucidating protease function and for developing new therapeutic agents. In this study, a novel turbidimetric method for determining the protease activity using a protease-responsive chaperone protein is described. For this purpose, a recombinant small heat-shock protein (sHSP) with an introduced Factor Xa protease recognition site was synthesized in bacteria. This recombinant mutant, FXa-HSP, exhibited chaperone-like activity at high temperatures in cell lysates. However, the chaperone-like activity of FXa-HSP decreased dramatically following treatment with Factor Xa. Protein precipitation was subsequently observed in the cell lysates. The reaction was Factor Xa concentration-dependent and was quantitatively suppressed by a specific inhibitor for Factor Xa. Protein aggregation was detected by a simple method based on turbidimetry. The results clearly demonstrate that this assay is an effective, easy-to-use method for determining protease activities without the requirement of labeling procedures and the use of radioisotopes.

  20. A novel protease activity assay using a protease-responsive chaperone protein

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sao, Kentaro [Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Murata, Masaharu, E-mail: m-murata@dem.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Fujisaki, Yuri; Umezaki, Kaori [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan); Mori, Takeshi; Niidome, Takuro; Katayama, Yoshiki [Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Nishi-ku Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Hashizume, Makoto [Department of Advanced Medical Initiatives, Faculty of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka 812-8582 (Japan)

    2009-06-05

    Protease activity assays are important for elucidating protease function and for developing new therapeutic agents. In this study, a novel turbidimetric method for determining the protease activity using a protease-responsive chaperone protein is described. For this purpose, a recombinant small heat-shock protein (sHSP) with an introduced Factor Xa protease recognition site was synthesized in bacteria. This recombinant mutant, FXa-HSP, exhibited chaperone-like activity at high temperatures in cell lysates. However, the chaperone-like activity of FXa-HSP decreased dramatically following treatment with Factor Xa. Protein precipitation was subsequently observed in the cell lysates. The reaction was Factor Xa concentration-dependent and was quantitatively suppressed by a specific inhibitor for Factor Xa. Protein aggregation was detected by a simple method based on turbidimetry. The results clearly demonstrate that this assay is an effective, easy-to-use method for determining protease activities without the requirement of labeling procedures and the use of radioisotopes.

  1. The Serine Protease Inhibitor Neuroserpin Is Required for Normal Synaptic Plasticity and Regulates Learning and Social Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reumann, Rebecca; Vierk, Ricardo; Zhou, Lepu; Gries, Frederice; Kraus, Vanessa; Mienert, Julia; Romswinkel, Eva; Morellini, Fabio; Ferrer, Isidre; Nicolini, Chiara; Fahnestock, Margaret; Rune, Gabriele; Glatzel, Markus; Galliciotti, Giovanna

    2017-01-01

    The serine protease inhibitor neuroserpin regulates the activity of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in the nervous system. Neuroserpin expression is particularly prominent at late stages of neuronal development in most regions of the central nervous system (CNS), whereas it is restricted to regions related to learning and memory in the…

  2. Isolation and identification of java race amniotic membrane secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elly Munadziroh

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI has been found to facilitate epithelialization, maintain a normal epithelial phenotype, reduce inflammation, secrete growth factors such as IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, EGF, FGF, TGF, HGFand 2-microbulin. SLPI is serine protease inhibitor, which found in secretions such as whole saliva, seminal fluid, cervical mucus, synovial fluid, breast milk, tears, amniotic fluid and amniotic membrane. Impaired healing states are characterized by excessive proteolysis and oftenbacterial infection, leading to the hypothesis that SLPI may have a role in the healing process in oral inflammation and contributes to tissue repair in oral mucosa. The oral wound healing response is impaired in the SLPI sufficient mice since matrix synthesis and collagen deposition delayed. The objective of this research is to isolate and identify the amniotic membrane of Java Race SLPI Gene. Methods: SLPI RNA was isolated from Java Race amniotic membrane and the cDNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Result: Through sequence analyses, SLPI cDNA was 530 nucleotide in length with a predicted molecular mass about 12 kDa. The nucleotide sequence showed that human SLPI from sample was 98% identical with human SLPI from gene bank. PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA of SLPI was highly expressed in the amniotic membrane from Java Race sample. Conclusion: it is demonstrated that human SLPI are highly conserved in sequence content as compared to the human SLPI from gene.

  3. Multi-step inhibition explains HIV-1 protease inhibitor pharmacodynamics and resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabi, S. Alireza; Laird, Gregory M.; Durand, Christine M.; Laskey, Sarah; Shan, Liang; Bailey, Justin R.; Chioma, Stanley; Moore, Richard D.; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2013-01-01

    HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PIs) are among the most effective antiretroviral drugs. They are characterized by highly cooperative dose-response curves that are not explained by current pharmacodynamic theory. An unresolved problem affecting the clinical use of PIs is that patients who fail PI-containing regimens often have virus that lacks protease mutations, in apparent violation of fundamental evolutionary theory. Here, we show that these unresolved issues can be explained through analysis of the effects of PIs on distinct steps in the viral life cycle. We found that PIs do not affect virion release from infected cells but block entry, reverse transcription, and post–reverse transcription steps. The overall dose-response curves could be reconstructed by combining the curves for each step using the Bliss independence principle, showing that independent inhibition of multiple distinct steps in the life cycle generates the highly cooperative dose-response curves that make these drugs uniquely effective. Approximately half of the inhibitory potential of PIs is manifest at the entry step, likely reflecting interactions between the uncleaved Gag and the cytoplasmic tail (CT) of the Env protein. Sequence changes in the CT alone, which are ignored in current clinical tests for PI resistance, conferred PI resistance, providing an explanation for PI failure without resistance. PMID:23979165

  4. Inhibition of xyloglucanase from an alkalothermophilic Thermomonospora sp. by a peptidic aspartic protease inhibitor from Penicillium sp. VM24.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menon, Vishnu; Rao, Mala

    2012-11-01

    A bifunctional inhibitor from Penicillium sp VM24 causing inactivation of xyloglucanase from Thermomonospora sp and an aspartic protease from Aspergillus saitoi was identified. Steady state kinetics studies of xyloglucanase and the inhibitor revealed an irreversible, non-competitive, two-step inhibition mechanism with IC(50) and K(i) values of 780 and 500nM respectively. The interaction of o-phthalaldehyde (OPTA)-labeled xyloglucanase with the inhibitor revealed that the inhibitor binds to the active site of the enzyme. Far- and near-UV spectrophotometric analysis suggests that the conformational changes induced in xyloglucanase by the inhibitor may be due to irreversible denaturation of enzyme. The bifunctional inhibitor may have potential as a biocontrol agent for the protection of plants against phytopathogenic fungi. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Redistribuição da gordura corporal induzida pelos inibidores de protease em pacientes com Aids Redistribution of body fat induced by HIV protease inhibitors in patients with AIDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Mansur

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Apresentam-se quatro pacientes com infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana em tratamento com inibidores de proteases há oito meses e três semanas em média. Ressaltam-se o acúmulo de gordura na região dorsocervical e fáscies de lua cheia, semelhante à que ocorre na síndrome de Cushing.Four patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in treatment with protease inhibitors for an average of 8 months and 3 weeks are reported. Fat accumulation in the cervical-dorsal region (buffalo hump and moon face, similar to that of Cushing's Syndrome, are highlighted.

  6. Pharmacokinetics and antiviral activity of PHX1766, a novel HCV protease inhibitor, using an accelerated Phase I study design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D.M. Hotho (Daphne); J. Bruijne (Joep); N. O'Farrell; T. Boyea (Teresa); J. Li (Jianke); M. Bracken (Michele); X. Li (Xin); D. Campbell (David); H.-P. Guler (Hans-Peter); C.J. Weegink (Christine); J. Schinkel (Janke); R. Molenkamp (Richard); J. Van De Wetering De Rooij (Jeroen); A.A. Vliet (Andre); H.L.A. Janssen (Harry); R.J. de Knegt (Robert); H.W. Reesink (Henk)

    2012-01-01

    textabstractBackground: PHX1766 is a novel HCV NS3/4 protease inhibitor with robust potency and high selectivity in replicon studies (50% maximal effective concentration 8 nM). Two clinical trials investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and antiviral activity of PHX1766 in healthy

  7. Potent Inhibition of Feline Coronaviruses with Peptidyl Compounds Targeting Coronavirus 3C-like Protease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yunjeong; Mandadapu, Sivakoteswara Rao; Groutas, William C.; Chang, Kyeong-Ok

    2012-01-01

    Feline coronavirus infection is common among domestic and exotic felid species and usually associated with mild or asymptomatic enteritis; however, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease of cats that is caused by systemic infection with a feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a variant of feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for FIP despite the importance of FIP as the leading infectious cause of death in young cats. During the replication process, coronavirus produces viral polyproteins that are processed into mature proteins by viral proteases, the main protease (3C-like [3CL] protease) and the papain-like protease. Since the cleavages of viral polyproteins are an essential step for virus replication, blockage of viral protease is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Previously, we reported the generation of broad-spectrum peptidyl inhibitors against viruses that possess a 3C or 3CL protease. In this study, we further evaluated the antiviral effects of the peptidyl inhibitors against feline coronaviruses, and investigated the interaction between our protease inhibitor and a cathepsin B inhibitor, an entry blocker, against feline coronaviruses in cell culture. Herein we report that our compounds behave as reversible, competitive inhibitors of 3CL protease, potently inhibited the replication of feline coronaviruses (EC50 in a nanomolar range) and, furthermore, the combination of cathepsin B and 3CL protease inhibitors led to a strong synergistic interaction against feline coronaviruses in cell culture systems. PMID:23219425

  8. The Second-Generation Maturation Inhibitor GSK3532795 Maintains Potent Activity Toward HIV Protease Inhibitor–Resistant Clinical Isolates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Neelanjana; Li, Tianbo; Lin, Zeyu; Protack, Tricia; van Ham, Petronella Maria; Hwang, Carey; Krystal, Mark; Nijhuis, Monique; Lataillade, Max

    2017-01-01

    Background: Protease inhibitor (PI)-resistant HIV-1 isolates with primary substitutions in protease (PR) and secondary substitutions in Gag could potentially exhibit cross-resistance to maturation inhibitors. We evaluated the second-generation maturation inhibitor, GSK3532795, for activity toward clinical isolates with genotypic and phenotypic characteristics associated with PI resistance (longitudinal). Methods: Longitudinal clinical isolates from 15 PI-treated patients and 7 highly PI-resistant (nonlongitudinal) viruses containing major and minor PI resistance-associated mutations were evaluated for GSK3532795 sensitivity. Phenotypic sensitivity was determined using the PhenoSense Gag/PR assay (Monogram Biosciences) or in-house single- and multiple-cycle assays. Changes from baseline [CFB; ratio of post- to pre-treatment FC-IC50 (fold-change in IC50 versus wild-type virus)] Monogram (11 patients)] and 1.5 (1.0–2.2) [single-cycle (4 patients)]. The 2 post-PI treatment samples showing GSK3532795 CFB >3 (Monogram) were retested using single- and multiple-cycle assays. Neither sample had meaningful sensitivity changes in the multiple-cycle assay. Gag changes were not associated with an increased GSK3532795 CFB. Conclusions: GSK3532795 maintained antiviral activity against PI-resistant isolates with emergent PR and/or Gag mutations. This finding supports continued development of GSK3532795 in treatment-experienced patients with or without previous PI therapy. PMID:28234686

  9. A Synthetic Serine Protease Inhibitor, Nafamostat Mesilate, Is a Drug Potentially Applicable to the Treatment of Ebola Virus Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, Hidekazu; Yamaya, Mutsuo

    2015-09-01

    Ebola virus disease (EVD) has been a great concern worldwide because of its high mortality. EVD usually manifests with fever, diarrhea and vomiting, as well as disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). To date, there is neither a licensed Ebola vaccine nor a promising therapeutic agent, although clinical trials are ongoing. For replication inside the cell, Ebola virus (EBOV) must undergo the proteolytic processing of its surface glycoprotein in the endosome by proteases including cathepsin B (CatB), followed by the fusion of the viral membrane and host endosome. Thus, the proteases have been considered as potential targets for drugs against EVD. However, no protease inhibitor has been presented as effective clinical drug against it. A synthetic serine protease inhibitor, nafamostat mesilate (NM), reduced the release of CatB from the rat pancreas. Furthermore, it has anticoagulant activities, such as inhibition of the factor VIIa complex, and has been used for treating DIC in Japan. Thus, NM could be considered as a drug candidate for the treatment of DIC induced by EBOV infection, as well as for the possible CatB-related antiviral action. Moreover, the drug has a history of large-scale production and clinical use, and the issues of safety and logistics might have been cleared. We advocate in vitro and in vivo experiments using active EBOV to examine the activities of NM against the infection and the DIC induced by the infection. In addition, we suggest trials for comparison among anti-DIC drugs including the NM in EVD patients, in parallel with the experiments.

  10. A new class of HIV-1 protease inhibitor: the crystallographic structure, inhibition and chemical synthesis of an aminimide peptide isostere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutenber, E E; McPhee, F; Kaplan, A P; Gallion, S L; Hogan, J C; Craik, C S; Stroud, R M

    1996-09-01

    The essential role of HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) in the viral life cycle makes it an attractive target for the development of substrate-based inhibitors that may find efficacy as anti-AIDS drugs. However, resistance has arisen to potent peptidomimetic drugs necessitating the further development of novel chemical backbones for diversity based chemistry focused on probing the active site for inhibitor interactions and binding modes that evade protease resistance. AQ148 is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 PR and represents a new class of transition state analogues incorporating an aminimide peptide isostere. A 3-D crystallographic structure of AQ148, a tetrapeptide isostere, has been determined in complex with its target HIV-1 PR to a resolution of 2.5 A and used to evaluate the specific structural determinants of AQ148 potency and to correlate structure-activity relationships within the class of related compounds. AQ148 is a competitive inhibitor of HIV-1 PR with a Ki value of 137 nM. Twenty-nine derivatives have been synthesized and chemical modifications have been made at the P1, P2, P1', and P2' sites. The atomic resolution structure of AQ148 bound to HIV-1 PR reveals both an inhibitor binding mode that closely resembles that of other peptidomimetic inhibitors and specific protein/inhibitor interactions that correlate with structure-activity relationships. The structure provides the basis for the design, synthesis and evaluation of the next generation of hydroxyethyl aminimide inhibitors. The aminimide peptide isostere is a scaffold with favorable biological properties well suited to both the combinatorial methods of peptidomimesis and the rational design of potent and specific substrate-based analogues.

  11. Characterization of a membrane-associated serine protease in Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmer, S.M.; St John, A.C.

    1987-01-01

    Three membrane-associated proteolytic activities in Escherichia coli were resolved by DEAE-cellulose chromatography from detergent extracts of the total envelope fraction. On the basis of substrate specificity for the hydrolysis of chromogenic amino acid ester substrates, the first two eluting activities were determined previously to be protease V and protease IV, respectively. The third proteolytic activity eluting from the DEAE-cellulose column was further purified by affinity chromatography on benzamidine-Sepharose 6B. They termed this enzyme protease VI. Protease VI did not hydrolyze any of the chromogenic substrates used in the detection of protease IV and protease V. However, all three enzymes generated acid-soluble fragments from a mixture of E. coli membrane proteins which were biosynthetically labeled with radioactive amino acids. The activity of protease VI was sensitive to serine protease inhibitors. Using [ 3 H]diisopropylfluorophosphate as an active-site labeling reagent, they determined that protease VI has an apparent molecular weight of 43,000 in polyacrylamide gels. All three membrane-associated serine proteases were insensitive to inhibition by Ecotin, an endogenous, periplasmic inhibitor of trypsin

  12. Constitutive over-expression of rice chymotrypsin protease inhibitor gene OCPI2 results in enhanced growth, salinity and osmotic stress tolerance of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, Lalit Dev; Mittal, Dheeraj; Chandra Mishra, Ratnesh; Grover, Anil

    2015-07-01

    Protease inhibitors are involved primarily in defense against pathogens. In recent years, these proteins have also been widely implicated in response of plants to diverse abiotic stresses. Rice chymotrypsin protease inhibitor gene OCPI2 is highly induced under salt and osmotic stresses. The construct containing the complete coding sequence of OCPI2 cloned downstream to CaMV35S promoter was transformed in Arabidopsis and single copy, homozygous transgenic lines were produced. The transgenic plants exhibited significantly enhanced tolerance to NaCl, PEG and mannitol stress as compared to wild type plants. Importantly, the vegetative and reproductive growth of transgenic plants under unstressed, control conditions was also enhanced: transgenic plants were more vigorous than wild type, resulting into higher yield in terms of silique number. The RWC values and membrane stability index of transgenic in comparison to wild type plants was higher. Higher proline content was observed in the AtOCPI2 lines, which was associated with higher transcript expression of pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and lowered levels of proline dehydrogenase genes. The chymotrypsin protease activities were lower in the transgenic as against wild type plants, under both unstressed, control as well as stressed conditions. It thus appears that rice chymotrypsin protease inhibitor gene OCPI2 is a useful candidate gene for genetic improvement of plants against salt and osmotic stress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Protease inhibitor (PI) mediated defense in leaves and flowers of pigeonpea (protease inhibitor mediated defense in pigeonpea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padul, Manohar V; Tak, Rajesh D; Kachole, Manvendra S

    2012-03-01

    More than 200 insect pests are found growing on pigeonpea. Insects lay eggs, attack and feed on leaves, flowers and developing pods. Plants have developed elaborate defenses against these insect pests. The present work evaluates protease inhibitor (PI) based defense of pigeonpea in leaves and flowers. PIs in the extracts of these tender tissues were detected by using gel X-ray film contact print method. Up to three PIs (PI-3, PI-4 and PI-5) were detected in these tissues as against nine (PI-1-PI-9) in mature seeds. PI-3 is the major component of these tissues. Mechanical wounding, insect chewing, fungal pathogenesis and application of salicylic acid induced PIs in pigeonpea in these tissues. Induction was found to be local as well as systemic but local response was stronger than systemic response. During both local and systemic induction, PI-3 appeared first. In spite of the presence and induction of PIs in these tender tissues and seeds farmers continue to suffer yield loses. This is due to the weak expression of PIs. However the ability of the plant to respond to external stimuli by producing defense proteins does not seem to be compromised. This study therefore indicates that PIs are components of both constitutive and inducible defense and provide a ground for designing stronger inducible defense (PIs or other insect toxin based) in pigeonpea. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. The human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor ritonavir is potentially active against urological malignancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sato A

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Akinori Sato Department of Urology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan Abstract: The human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor ritonavir has recently been shown to have antineoplastic activity, and its use in urological malignancies is under investigation with an eye toward drug repositioning. Ritonavir is thought to exert its antineoplastic activity by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways, including the Akt and nuclear factor-kappaB pathways. It can increase the amount of unfolded proteins in the cell by inhibiting both the proteasome and heat shock protein 90. Combinations of ritonavir with agents that increase the amount of unfolded proteins, such as proteasome inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, or heat shock protein 90 inhibitors, therefore, induce endoplasmic reticulum stress cooperatively and thereby kill cancer cells effectively. Ritonavir is also a potent cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibitor, increasing the intracellular concentration of combined drugs by inhibiting their degradation and efflux from cancer cells and thereby enhancing their antineoplastic activity. Furthermore, riotnavir’s antineoplastic activity includes modulation of immune system activity. Therapies using ritonavir are thus an attractive new approach to cancer treatment and, due to their novel mechanisms of action, are expected to be effective against malignancies that are refractory to current treatment strategies. Further investigations using ritonavir are expected to find new uses for clinically available drugs in the treatment of urological malignancies as well as many other types of cancer. Keywords: drug repositioning, novel treatment

  15. Broad-Spectrum Inhibitors against 3C-Like Proteases of Feline Coronaviruses and Feline Caliciviruses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shivanna, Vinay; Narayanan, Sanjeev; Prior, Allan M.; Weerasekara, Sahani; Hua, Duy H.; Kankanamalage, Anushka C. Galasiti; Groutas, William C.; Chang, Kyeong-Ok

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Feline infectious peritonitis and virulent, systemic calicivirus infection are caused by certain types of feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) and feline caliciviruses (FCVs), respectively, and are important infectious diseases with high fatality rates in members of the Felidae family. While FCoV and FCV belong to two distinct virus families, the Coronaviridae and the Caliciviridae, respectively, they share a dependence on viral 3C-like protease (3CLpro) for their replication. Since 3CLpro is functionally and structurally conserved among these viruses and essential for viral replication, 3CLpro is considered a potential target for the design of antiviral drugs with broad-spectrum activities against these distinct and highly important viral infections. However, small-molecule inhibitors against the 3CLpro enzymes of FCoV and FCV have not been previously identified. In this study, derivatives of peptidyl compounds targeting 3CLpro were synthesized and evaluated for their activities against FCoV and FCV. The structures of compounds that showed potent dual antiviral activities with a wide margin of safety were identified and are discussed. Furthermore, the in vivo efficacy of 3CLpro inhibitors was evaluated using a mouse model of coronavirus infection. Intraperitoneal administration of two 3CLpro inhibitors in mice infected with murine hepatitis virus A59, a hepatotropic coronavirus, resulted in significant reductions in virus titers and pathological lesions in the liver compared to the findings for the controls. These results suggest that the series of 3CLpro inhibitors described here may have the potential to be further developed as therapeutic agents against these important viruses in domestic and wild cats. This study provides important insights into the structure and function relationships of 3CLpro for the design of antiviral drugs with broader antiviral activities. IMPORTANCE Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is the leading cause of death in young cats

  16. Human Kunitz-type protease inhibitor engineered for enhanced matrix retention extends longevity of fibrin biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briquez, Priscilla S; Lorentz, Kristen M; Larsson, Hans M; Frey, Peter; Hubbell, Jeffrey A

    2017-08-01

    Aprotinin is a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor used in the clinic as an anti-fibrinolytic agent in fibrin-based tissue sealants. However, upon re-exposure, some patients suffer from hypersensitivity immune reactions likely related to the bovine origin of aprotinin. Here, we aimed to develop a human-derived substitute to aprotinin. Based on sequence homology analyses, we identified the Kunitz-type protease inhibitor (KPI) domain of human amyloid-β A4 precursor protein as being a potential candidate. While KPI has a lower intrinsic anti-fibrinolytic activity than aprotinin, we reasoned that its efficacy is additionally limited by its fast release from fibrin material, just as aprotinin's is. Thus, we engineered KPI variants for controlled retention in fibrin biomaterials, using either covalent binding through incorporation of a substrate for the coagulation transglutaminase Factor XIIIa or through engineering of extracellular matrix protein super-affinity domains for sequestration into fibrin. We showed that both engineered KPI variants significantly slowed plasmin-mediated fibrinolysis in vitro, outperforming aprotinin. In vivo, our best engineered KPI variant (incorporating the transglutaminase substrate) extended fibrin matrix longevity by 50%, at a dose at which aprotinin did not show efficacy, thus qualifying it as a competitive substitute of aprotinin in fibrin sealants. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. Hyperlipidemia related to the use of HIV-protease inhibitors: natural history and results of treatment with fenofibrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caramelli Bruno

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Hyperlipidemia has been frequently recorded as a side effect of treating HIV patients with protease inhibitors (PI. This study was initiated to analyze the modifications on blood lipids in HIV-patients receiving PI and the safety and efficacy of the treatment with fenofibrate. Total (TC and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides (TG, and CD4+ T-cell counts were measured in 30 HAART-naive patients (Group I before and after PI introduction. In a second phase of the study, the effects of fenofibrate on lipids, CPK, CD4+, and viral load were determined in 13 patients (Group II with elevated TC or TG. In Group I, 60% of the patients showed TC or TG elevations. Average increments of 31% and 146% in TC and TG respectively (p<0.0006 and p<0.0001 were observed. In Group II, fenofibrate treatment was associated with decrements of 6.6% (TC and 45.7% (TG (p=0.07 and 0.0002 and no modifications on CPK, CD4+, and viral load. In conclusion, hyperlipidemia is common during the treatment of HIV with protease inhibitors, and fenofibrate appears to be an effective and safe choice for its treatment.

  18. Two Kazal-type protease inhibitors from Macrobrachium nipponense and Eriocheir sinensis: comparative analysis of structure and activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Ye-Qing; Li, Ye; Yang, Fan; Yu, Yan-Qin; Yang, Jin-Shu; Yang, Wei-Jun

    2012-03-01

    Kazal-type inhibitors (KPIs) play important roles in many biological and physiological processes, such as blood clotting, the immune response and reproduction. In the present study, two male reproductive tract KPIs, termed Man-KPI and Ers-KPI, were identified in Macrobrachium nipponense and Eriocheir sinensis, respectively. The inhibitory activities of recombinant Man-KPI and Ers-KPI against chymotrypsin, elastase, trypsin and thrombin were determined. The results showed that both of them strongly inhibit chymotrypsin and elastase. Kinetic studies were performed to elucidate their inhibition mechanism. Furthermore, individual domains were also expressed to learn further which domain contributes to the inhibitory activities of intact KPIs. Only Man-KPI_domain3 is active in the inhibition of chymotrypsin and elastase. Meanwhile, Ers-KPI_domain2 and 3 are responsible for inhibition of chymotrypsin, and Ers-KPI_domains2, 3 and 4 are responsible for the inhibition of elastase. Meanwhile, the inhibitory activities of these two KPIs toward Macrobrachium rosenbergii, M. nipponense and E. sinensis sperm were compared with that of the Kazal-type peptidase inhibitor (MRPINK) characterized from the M. rosenbergii reproductive tract in a previous study. The results demonstrated that KPIs can completely inhibit the gelatinolytic activities of sperm proteases from their own species, while different levels of cross-inhibition were observed between KPI and proteases from different species. These results may provide new perspective to further clarify the mechanism of KPI-proteases interaction in the male reproductive system. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity of A77003, a C2 symmetry-based human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reedijk, M.; Boucher, C. A.; van Bommel, T.; Ho, D. D.; Tzeng, T. B.; Sereni, D.; Veyssier, P.; Jurriaans, S.; Granneman, R.; Hsu, A.

    1995-01-01

    A77003, an inhibitor of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease, was administered to asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients in a phase I trial. The drug was given by continuous intravenous infusion at dosages of 0.035, 0.07, 0.14, and 0.28 mg/kg of body weight per h. The drug was

  20. A SARS-coronovirus 3CL protease inhibitor isolated from the marine sponge Axinella cf. corrugata: structure elucidation and synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lira, Simone P. de; Seleghim, Mirna H.R.; Berlinck, Roberto G.S.

    2007-01-01

    Two coumarin derivatives, esculetin-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (1) and esculetin-4- carboxylic acid ethyl ester (2), have been isolated from the marine sponge Axinella cf. corrugata. Structure determination included analysis of spectroscopic data and total synthesis of compound 2. These are the first coumarin derivatives isolated from a marine sponge. The ethyl ester 2 was found to be an in vitro inhibitor of SARS 3CL-protease and an effective inhibitor of SARS-CoV replication in Vero cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. (author)

  1. Discovery and Biological Evaluation of Potent and Selective N-Methylene Saccharin-Derived Inhibitors for Rhomboid Intramembrane Proteases

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Goel, P.; Jumpertz, T.; Mikles, David C.; Tichá, Anežka; Nguyen, M. T. N.; Verhelst, S.; Hubálek, Martin; Johnson, D. C.; Bachovchin, D. A.; Ogorek, I.; Pietrzik, C. U.; Stříšovský, Kvido; Schmidt, B.; Weggen, S.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 56, č. 51 (2017), s. 6713-6725 ISSN 0006-2960 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LK11206; GA MŠk LO1302 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 304154 - Rhomboid substrates Grant - others:EMBO(DE) 2329 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : intramembrane protease * rhomboid * inhibitor Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 2.938, year: 2016

  2. Cysteine proteases: Modes of activation and future prospects as pharmacological targets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia eVerma

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Proteolytic enzymes are crucial for a variety of biological processes in organisms ranging from lower (virus, bacteria and parasite to the higher organisms (mammals. Proteases cleave proteins into smaller fragments by catalyzing peptide bonds hydrolysis. Proteases are classified according to their catalytic site, and distributed into four major classes: cysteine proteases, serine proteases, aspartic proteases and metallo-proteases. This review will cover only cysteine proteases, papain family enzymes which are involved in multiple functions such as extracellular matrix turnover, antigen presentation, processing events, digestion, immune invasion, hemoglobin hydrolysis, parasite invasion, parasite egress and processing surface proteins. Therefore, they are promising drug targets for various diseases. For preventing unwanted digestion, cysteine proteases are synthesized as zymogens, and contain a pro-domain (regulatory and a mature domain (catalytic. The prodomain acts as an endogenous inhibitor of the mature enzyme. For activation of the mature enzyme, removal of the prodomain is necessary and achieved by different modes. The pro-mature domain interaction can be categorized as protein-protein interactions (PPIs and may be targeted in a range of diseases. Cysteine protease inhibitors are available that can block the active site but no such inhibitor available yet that can be targeted to block the pro-mature domain interactions and prevent it activation. This review specifically highlights the modes of activation (processing of papain family enzymes, which involve auto-activation, trans-activation and also clarifies the future aspects of targeting PPIs to prevent the activation of cysteine proteases.

  3. Characterization of HIV-1 from patients with virological failure to a boosted protease inhibitor regimen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lillemark, Marie Rathcke; Gerstoft, Jan; Obel, Niels

    2011-01-01

    The use of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) regimens with unboosted protease inhibitors (PIs) has resulted in a high level of virological failure primarily due to the development of resistant virus. Current boosted PI regimens combine successfully low-dose ritonavir (r) with a second.......3%) experienced virological failure, of whom 19 (83%) started PI/r treatment before 2001. Patients from Copenhagen (n=19) were selected to study the development of protease (PR) and gag cleavage site (CS) mutations during PI/r treatment and PI plasma levels at the time of virological failure. Three patients (16......%) developed major PI resistance mutations. Mutations in the p7/p1 and p1/p6 gag CS only developed in patients with major or minor mutations in PR. Drug concentrations were low or undetectable in 10 out of the 19 patients. In total PR resistance mutations and low drug levels could account for 12 (63...

  4. Higher Desolvation Energy Reduces Molecular Recognition in Multi-Drug Resistant HIV-1 Protease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ladislau C. Kovari

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Designing HIV-1 protease inhibitors that overcome drug-resistance is still a challenging task. In this study, four clinical isolates of multi-drug resistant HIV-1 proteases that exhibit resistance to all the US FDA-approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors and also reduce the substrate recognition ability were examined. A multi-drug resistant HIV-1 protease isolate, MDR 769, was co-crystallized with the p2/NC substrate and the mutated CA/p2 substrate, CA/p2 P1’F. Both substrates display different levels of molecular recognition by the wild-type and multi-drug resistant HIV-1 protease. From the crystal structures, only limited differences can be identified between the wild-type and multi-drug resistant protease. Therefore, a wild-type HIV-1 protease and four multi-drug resistant HIV-1 proteases in complex with the two peptides were modeled based on the crystal structures and examined during a 10 ns-molecular dynamics simulation. The simulation results reveal that the multi-drug resistant HIV-1 proteases require higher desolvation energy to form complexes with the peptides. This result suggests that the desolvation of the HIV-1 protease active site is an important step of protease-ligand complex formation as well as drug resistance. Therefore, desolvation energy could be considered as a parameter in the evaluation of future HIV-1 protease inhibitor candidates.

  5. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic study of Feline infectious peritonitis virus main protease in complex with an inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinshan; Wang, Fenghua; Tan, Yusheng; Chen, Xia; Zhao, Qi; Fu, Sheng; Li, Shuang; Chen, Cheng; Yang, Haitao

    2014-12-01

    Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) causes a lethal systemic granulomatous disease in wild and domestic cats around the world. Currently, no effective vaccines or drugs have been developed against it. As a member of the genus Alphacoronavirus, FIPV encodes two polyprotein precursors required for genome replication and transcription. Each polyprotein undergoes extensive proteolytic processing, resulting in functional subunits. This process is mainly mediated by its genome-encoded main protease, which is an attractive target for antiviral drug design. In this study, the main protease of FIPV in complex with a Michael acceptor-type inhibitor was crystallized. The complex crystals diffracted to 2.5 Å resolution and belonged to space group I422, with unit-cell parameters a = 112.3, b = 112.3, c = 102.1 Å. There is one molecule per asymmetric unit.

  6. Immunological changes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals during HIV-specific protease inhibitor treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ullum, H; Katzenstein, T; Aladdin, H

    1999-01-01

    The present study examines the influence of effective anti-retroviral treatment on immune function, evaluated by a broad array of immunological tests. We followed 12 individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for 6 months after initiation of combination anti-retroviral treatment...... including a protease inhibitor. Unstimulated and pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-, interleukin (IL)-2- and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocyte proliferative responses increased during follow-up reaching average levels from 1.3-fold (PHA) to 3.7-fold (PWM) above baseline values. The total CD4+ lymphocyte...

  7. Isolation, expression and characterization of a novel dual serine protease inhibitor, OH-TCI, from king cobra venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Ying-Ying; Liu, Shu-Bai; Lee, Wen-Hui; Qian, Jin-Qiao; Zhang, Yun

    2008-10-01

    Snake venom Kunitz/BPTI members are good tools for understanding of structure-functional relationship between serine proteases and their inhibitors. A novel dual Kunitz/BPTI serine proteinase inhibitor named OH-TCI (trypsin- and chymotrypsin-dual inhibitor from Ophiophagus hannah) was isolated from king cobra venom by three chromatographic steps of gel filtration, trypsin affinity and reverse phase HPLC. OH-TCI is composed of 58 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 6339Da. Successful expression of OH-TCI was performed as the maltose-binding fusion protein in E. coli DH5alpha. Much different from Oh11-1, the purified native and recombinant OH-TCI both had strong inhibitory activities against trypsin and chymotrypsin although the sequence identity (74.1%) between them is very high. The inhibitor constants (K(i)) of recombinant OH-TCI were 3.91 x 10(-7) and 8.46 x10(-8)M for trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. To our knowledge, it was the first report of Kunitz/BPTI serine proteinase inhibitor from snake venom that had equivalent trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activities.

  8. The effect of chemical anti-inhibitors on fibrinolytic enzymes and inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sidelmann, Johannes Jakobsen; Jespersen, J; Kluft, C

    1997-01-01

    proteases. We studied the influence of chemical anti-inhibitors (chloramine T, flufenamate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and methylamine) on fibrinolytic serine proteases and fibrinolytic enzyme inhibitors using the physiological substrate fibrin as plasmin substrate. Low concentrations of chloramine T (0.01 mmol......%) and plasminogen activators (apparent recovery > 200%). Sodium lauryl sulfate eliminates the major fibrinolytic enzyme inhibitors, but increases the activity of plasmin (apparent recovery > 200%) and plasminogen activator, urokinase type (apparent recovery 130%). Methylamine affects only plasmin inhibition. We...

  9. Serine protease inhibitor A3K suppressed the formation of ocular surface squamous metaplasia in a mouse model of experimental dry eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Zhirong; Zhou, Yueping; Wang, Yuqian; Zhou, Tong; Li, Jie; Luo, Pingping; He, Hui; Wu, Huping; Liu, Zuguo

    2014-08-07

    To investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of serine protease inhibitor A3K (SERPINA3K) on the formation of ocular surface squamous metaplasia in a mouse dry eye model induced by topical benzalkonium chloride (BAC). The eye drops containing SERPINA3K were topically administered during the induction of BAC-induced dry eye. The clinical indications of dry eye were evaluated on day (D)16, including tear break-up time (BUT), tear volume, corneal fluorescein staining, and inflammatory index. Global specimens were collected on D16 and the following examinations were performed: histologic investigation, immunostaining of cytokeratin 10 (K10), p63 and Ki67 in the cornea, and Western blot analysis of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Serine protease inhibitor A3K suppressed the formation of BAC-induced dry eye, presenting with longer BUTs, lower corneal fluorescein staining scores, and inflammatory index, while no significant changes in tear volume. It also reduced the severity of abnormal differentiation and proliferation on ocular surface with lower expressions of K10, p63, and Ki67, and retained the number of goblet cells in the conjunctival fornix. Serine protease inhibitor A3K significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α in the cornea. Topical application of SERPINA3K ameliorated the severity of ocular surface squamous metaplasia and suppressed the formation of BAC-induced dry eye. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  10. Assessment of FIV-C infection of cats as a function of treatment with the protease inhibitor, TL-3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    de Rozières Sohela

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The protease inhibitor, TL-3, demonstrated broad efficacy in vitro against FIV, HIV and SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus, and exhibited very strong protective effects on early neurologic alterations in the CNS of FIV-PPR infected cats. In this study, we analyzed TL-3 efficacy using a highly pathogenic FIV-C isolate, which causes a severe acute phase immunodeficiency syndrome, with high early mortality rates. Results Twenty cats were infected with uncloned FIV-C and half were treated with TL-3 while the other half were left untreated. Two uninfected cats were used as controls. The general health and the immunological and virological status of the animals was monitored for eight weeks following infection. All infected animals became viremic independent of TL-3 treatment and seven of 20 FIV-C infected animals developed severe immunodepletive disease in conjunction with significantly (p ≤ 0.05 higher viral RNA loads as compared to asymptomatic animals. A marked and progressive increase in CD8+ T lymphocytes in animals surviving acute phase infection was noted, which was not evident in symptomatic animals (p ≤ 0.05. Average viral loads were lower in TL-3 treated animals and of the 6 animals requiring euthanasia, four were from the untreated cohort. At eight weeks post infection, half of the TL-3 treated animals and only one of six untreated animals had viral loads below detection limits. Analysis of protease genes in TL-3 treated animals with higher than average viral loads revealed sequence variations relative to wild type protease. In particular, one mutant, D105G, imparted 5-fold resistance against TL-3 relative to wild type protease. Conclusions The findings indicate that the protease inhibitor, TL-3, when administered orally as a monotherapy, did not prevent viremia in cats infected with high dose FIV-C. However, the modest lowering of viral loads with TL-3 treatment, the greater survival rate in symptomatic animals of

  11. Development of potent inhibitors of the coxsackievirus 3C protease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Eui Seung; Lee, Won Gil; Yun, Soo-Hyeon; Rho, Seong Hwan; Im, Isak; Yang, Sung Tae; Sellamuthu, Saravanan; Lee, Yong Jae; Kwon, Sun Jae; Park, Ohkmae K.; Jeon, Eun-Seok; Park, Woo Jin; Kim, Yong-Chul

    2007-01-01

    Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) 3C protease (3CP) plays essential roles in the viral replication cycle, and therefore, provides an attractive therapeutic target for treatment of human diseases caused by CVB3 infection. CVB3 3CP and human rhinovirus (HRV) 3CP have a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity. Comparative modeling of these two 3CPs revealed one prominent distinction; an Asn residue delineating the S2' pocket in HRV 3CP is replaced by a Tyr residue in CVB3 3CP. AG7088, a potent inhibitor of HRV 3CP, was modified by substitution of the ethyl group at the P2' position with various hydrophobic aromatic rings that are predicted to interact preferentially with the Tyr residue in the S2' pocket of CVB3 3CP. The resulting derivatives showed dramatically increased inhibitory activities against CVB3 3CP. In addition, one of the derivatives effectively inhibited the CVB3 proliferation in vitro

  12. Isolation, cDNA cloning, and structure-based functional characterization of oryctin, a hemolymph protein from the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, as a novel serine protease inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horita, Shoichiro; Ishibashi, Jun; Nagata, Koji; Miyakawa, Takuya; Yamakawa, Minoru; Tanokura, Masaru

    2010-09-24

    We isolated oryctin, a 66-residue peptide, from the hemolymph of the coconut rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros and cloned its cDNA. Oryctin is dissimilar to any other known peptides in amino acid sequence, and its function has been unknown. To reveal that function, we determined the solution structure of recombinant (13)C,(15)N-labeled oryctin by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Oryctin exhibits a fold similar to that of Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors but has a unique additional C-terminal α-helix. We performed protease inhibition assays of oryctin against several bacterial and eukaryotic proteases. Oryctin does inhibit the following serine proteases: α-chymotrypsin, endopeptidase K, subtilisin Carlsberg, and leukocyte elastase, with K(i) values of 3.9 × 10(-10) m, 6.2 × 10(-10) m, 1.4 × 10(-9) m, and 1.2 × 10(-8) m, respectively. Although the target molecule of oryctin in the beetle hemolymph remains obscure, our results showed that oryctin is a novel single domain Kazal-type inhibitor and could play a key role in protecting against bacterial infections.

  13. Protease activation involved in resistance of human cells to x-ray cell killing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Hong-Chang; Takahashi, Shuji; Karata, Kiyonobu; Kita, Kazuko; Suzuki, Nobuo

    2003-01-01

    Little is known of proteases that play roles in the early steps of X-ray irradiation response. In the present study, we first searched for proteases whose activity is induced in human RSa-R cells after X-ray irradiation. The activity was identified as fibrinolytic, using 125 I-labeled fibrin as a substrate. Protease samples were prepared by lysation of cells with a buffer containing MEGA-8. RSa-R cells showed an increased level of protease activity 10 min after X-ray (up to 3 Gy) irradiation. We next examined whether this protease inducibility is causally related with the X-ray susceptibility of cells. Leupeptin, a serine-cysteine protease inhibitor, inhibited the protease activity in samples obtained from X-ray-irradiated RSa-R cells. Treatment of RSa-R cells with the inhibitor before and after X-ray irradiation resulted in an increased susceptibility of the cells to X-ray cell killing. However, the treatment of cells with other inhibitors tested did not modulate the X-ray susceptibility. These results suggest that leupeptin-sensitive proteases are involved in the resistance of human cells to X-ray cell killing. (author)

  14. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor: A Novel Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor from Garlic Is a New Comrade of the Serpin Family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsi, Tooba Naz; Parveen, Romana; Amir, Mohd; Baig, Mohd Affan; Qureshi, M Irfan; Ali, Sher; Fatima, Sadaf

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed to purify and characterize the Protease inhibitor (PI) from a plant Allium sativum (garlic) with strong medicinal properties and to explore its phytodrug potentials. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor (ASPI) was purified using ammonium sulphate fractionation and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography on anion exchanger Hi-Trap DEAE column. The purified protein was analyzed for its purity and molecular weight by SDS PAGE. The confirmation of presence of trypsin inhibiting PI was performed by MALDI TOF-TOF and analyzed by MASCOT database. The ASPI was further investigated for its kinetic properties and stability under extreme conditions of pH, temperature and chemical denaturants. Secondary structure was determined by Circular Dichorism (CD) spectroscopy. ASPI of ~15 kDa inhibited trypsin and matched "truncated kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (Glycine max)" in MASCOT database. The purified ASPI showed 30376.1371 U/mg specific activity with a fold purity of 159.92 and yield ~93%. ASPI was quite stable in the range of pH 2-12 showing a decline in the activity around pH 4-5 suggesting that the pI value of the protein as ASPI aggregates in this range. ASPI showed stability to a broad range of temperature (10-80°C) but declined beyond 80°C. Further, detergents, oxidizing agents and reducing agents demonstrated change in ASPI activity under varying concentrations. The kinetic analysis revealed sigmoidal relationship of velocity with substrate concentration with Vmax 240.8 (μM/min) and Km value of 0.12 μM. ASPI showed uncompetitive inhibition with a Ki of 0.08±0.01 nM). The Far UV CD depicted 2.0% α -helices and 51% β -sheets at native pH. To conclude, purified ~15 kDa ASPI exhibited fair stability in wide range of pH and temperature Overall, there was an increase in purification fold with remarkable yield. Chemical modification studies suggested the presence of lysine and tryptophan residues as lead amino acids present in the reactive sites. Therefore, ASPI

  15. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor: A Novel Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor from Garlic Is a New Comrade of the Serpin Family.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tooba Naz Shamsi

    Full Text Available This study was aimed to purify and characterize the Protease inhibitor (PI from a plant Allium sativum (garlic with strong medicinal properties and to explore its phytodrug potentials.Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor (ASPI was purified using ammonium sulphate fractionation and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography on anion exchanger Hi-Trap DEAE column. The purified protein was analyzed for its purity and molecular weight by SDS PAGE. The confirmation of presence of trypsin inhibiting PI was performed by MALDI TOF-TOF and analyzed by MASCOT database. The ASPI was further investigated for its kinetic properties and stability under extreme conditions of pH, temperature and chemical denaturants. Secondary structure was determined by Circular Dichorism (CD spectroscopy.ASPI of ~15 kDa inhibited trypsin and matched "truncated kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (Glycine max" in MASCOT database. The purified ASPI showed 30376.1371 U/mg specific activity with a fold purity of 159.92 and yield ~93%. ASPI was quite stable in the range of pH 2-12 showing a decline in the activity around pH 4-5 suggesting that the pI value of the protein as ASPI aggregates in this range. ASPI showed stability to a broad range of temperature (10-80°C but declined beyond 80°C. Further, detergents, oxidizing agents and reducing agents demonstrated change in ASPI activity under varying concentrations. The kinetic analysis revealed sigmoidal relationship of velocity with substrate concentration with Vmax 240.8 (μM/min and Km value of 0.12 μM. ASPI showed uncompetitive inhibition with a Ki of 0.08±0.01 nM. The Far UV CD depicted 2.0% α -helices and 51% β -sheets at native pH.To conclude, purified ~15 kDa ASPI exhibited fair stability in wide range of pH and temperature Overall, there was an increase in purification fold with remarkable yield. Chemical modification studies suggested the presence of lysine and tryptophan residues as lead amino acids present in the reactive sites

  16. STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF STRONG INHIBITION AND ROLE OF SCAFFOLD FOR SERINE PROTEASE INHIBITORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jhimli Dasgupta

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Canonical serine protease inhibitors inhibit their cognate enzymes by binding tightly at the enzyme active site in a substrate-like manner, being cleaved extremely slowly compared to a true substrate. They interact with cognate enzymes through P3-P2 region of the inhibitory loop while the scaffold hardly makes any contact. Neighbouring scaffolding residues like arginine or asparagine shape-up the inhibitory loop and religate the cleaved scissile bond. The specificity of the inhibitor can be altered by mutating the hyper solvent accessible P1 residue without changing loop-scaffold interactions. To understand the loop-scaffold compatibility, we prepared three chimeric proteins ECIL-WCIS , ETIL-WCIS , and STIL-WCIS , where the inhibitory loops of ECI, ETI, and STI were placed on the scaffold of their homologue WCI. Results showed that although ECIL-WCIS and STIL-WCIS behave like inhibitors, ETIL-WCIS behaves like a substrate. Crystal structure of ETIL-WCIS and its comparison with ETI indicated that three novel scaffolding residues Trp88, Arg74, and Tyr113 in ETI act as barrier to confine the inhibitory loop to canonical conformation. Absence of this barrier in the scaffold of WCI makes the inhibitory loop flexible in ETIL-WCIS leading to a loss of canonical conformation, explaining its substrate-like behaviour. Furthermore, complex structures of the inhibitors with their cognate enzymes indicate that rigidification of the inhibitory loop at the enzyme active site is necessary for efficient inhibition.

  17. Molecular Basis for Drug Resistance in HIV-1 Protease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celia A. Schiffer

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 protease is one of the major antiviral targets in the treatment of patients infected with HIV-1. The nine FDA approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors were developed with extensive use of structure-based drug design, thus the atomic details of how the inhibitors bind are well characterized. From this structural understanding the molecular basis for drug resistance in HIV-1 protease can be elucidated. Selected mutations in response to therapy and diversity between clades in HIV-1 protease have altered the shape of the active site, potentially altered the dynamics and even altered the sequence of the cleavage sites in the Gag polyprotein. All of these interdependent changes act in synergy to confer drug resistance while simultaneously maintaining the fitness of the virus. New strategies, such as incorporation of the substrate envelope constraint to design robust inhibitors that incorporate details of HIV-1 protease’s function and decrease the probability of drug resistance, are necessary to continue to effectively target this key protein in HIV-1 life cycle.

  18. General and Modular Strategy for Designing Potent, Selective, and Pharmacologically Compliant Inhibitors of Rhomboid Proteases

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tichá, Anežka; Stanchev, Stancho; Vinothkumar, K. R.; Mikles, David C.; Pachl, Petr; Began, Jakub; Škerle, Jan; Švehlová, Kateřina; Nguyen, M. T. N.; Verhelst, S. H. L.; Johnson, D. C.; Bachovchin, D. A.; Lepšík, Martin; Majer, Pavel; Stříšovský, Kvido

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 24, č. 12 (2017), s. 1523-1536 ISSN 2451-9448 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LK11206; GA MŠk LO1302; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1304; GA ČR(CZ) GBP208/12/G016 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 304154 - Rhomboid substrates Grant - others:EMBO(DE) 2329 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : alpha-ketoamide inhibitors * activity-based probes * intramembrane protease Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451945617303513?via%3Dihub

  19. Teaching Foundational Topics and Scientific Skills in Biochemistry within the Conceptual Framework of HIV Protease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, R. Jeremy

    2014-01-01

    HIV protease has served as a model protein for understanding protein structure, enzyme kinetics, structure-based drug design, and protein evolution. Inhibitors of HIV protease are also an essential part of effective HIV/AIDS treatment and have provided great societal benefits. The broad applications for HIV protease and its inhibitors make it a…

  20. Comparison of single and boosted protease inhibitor versus nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-containing cART regimens in antiretroviral-naïve patients starting cART after January 1, 2000

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mocroft, A; Horban, A; Clumeck, N

    2006-01-01

    increase) response in antiretroviral-naïve patients starting either a single protease inhibitor (PI; n = 183), a ritonavir-boosted PI regimen (n = 197), or a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based cART regimen (n = 447) after January 1, 2000, and the odds of lack of virologic...... or immunologic response at 3 years after starting cART. METHOD: Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression. RESULTS: After adjustment, compared to patients taking an NNRTI-regimen, patients taking a single-PI regimen were significantly less likely to achieve a viral load (VL)

  1. A rare phenomenon of atypical lipodystrophy in a patient on HAART in the absence of a protease inhibitor regimen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Mitha

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Lipodystrophy is a complication of patients on antiretroviral (ARV medication; however, it is commonest in patients on long-term treatment and those on protease inhibitor (PI regimens.1,2 We present a rare case of atypical lipodystrophy, presenting as multiple subcutaneous lipomas, in a patient who had been on a non-PI ART regimen for 6 weeks.

  2. Escherichia coli contains a soluble ATP-dependent protease (Ti) distinct from protease La

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hwang, B.J.; Park, W.J.; Chung, C.H.; Goldberg, A.L.

    1987-08-01

    The energy requirement for protein breakdown in Escherichia coli has generally been attributed to the ATP-dependence of protease La, the lon gene product. The authors have partially purified another ATP-dependent protease from lon/sup -/ cells that lack protease La (as shown by immunoblotting). This enzyme hydrolyzes (/sup 3/H)methyl-casein to acid-soluble products in the presence of ATP and Mg/sup 2 +/. ATP hydrolysis appears necessary for proteolytic activity. Since this enzyme is inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, it appears to be a serine protease, but it also contains essential thiol residues. They propose to name this enzyme protease Ti. It differs from protease La in nucleotide specificity, inhibitor sensitivity, and subunit composition. On gel filtration, protease Ti has an apparent molecular weight of 370,000. It can be fractionated by phosphocellulose chromatography or by DEAE chromatography into two components with apparent molecular weights of 260,000 and 140,000. When separated, they do not show preteolytic activity. One of these components, by itself, has ATPase activity and is labile in the absence of ATP. The other contains the diisopropyl fluorophosphate-sensitive proteolytic site. These results and the similar findings of Katayama-Fujimura et al. indicate that E. coli contains two ATP-hydrolyzing proteases, which differ in many biochemical features and probably in their physiological roles.

  3. Escherichia coli contains a soluble ATP-dependent protease (Ti) distinct from protease La

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, B.J.; Park, W.J.; Chung, C.H.; Goldberg, A.L.

    1987-01-01

    The energy requirement for protein breakdown in Escherichia coli has generally been attributed to the ATP-dependence of protease La, the lon gene product. The authors have partially purified another ATP-dependent protease from lon - cells that lack protease La (as shown by immunoblotting). This enzyme hydrolyzes [ 3 H]methyl-casein to acid-soluble products in the presence of ATP and Mg 2+ . ATP hydrolysis appears necessary for proteolytic activity. Since this enzyme is inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, it appears to be a serine protease, but it also contains essential thiol residues. They propose to name this enzyme protease Ti. It differs from protease La in nucleotide specificity, inhibitor sensitivity, and subunit composition. On gel filtration, protease Ti has an apparent molecular weight of 370,000. It can be fractionated by phosphocellulose chromatography or by DEAE chromatography into two components with apparent molecular weights of 260,000 and 140,000. When separated, they do not show preteolytic activity. One of these components, by itself, has ATPase activity and is labile in the absence of ATP. The other contains the diisopropyl fluorophosphate-sensitive proteolytic site. These results and the similar findings of Katayama-Fujimura et al. indicate that E. coli contains two ATP-hydrolyzing proteases, which differ in many biochemical features and probably in their physiological roles

  4. A protein extract and a cysteine protease inhibitor enriched fraction from Jatropha curcas seed cake have in vitro anti-Toxoplasma gondii activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, A M S; Carvalho, L P; Melo, E J T; Costa, H P S; Vasconcelos, I M; Oliveira, J T A

    2015-06-01

    Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite of great medical and veterinary importance that has worldwide distribution and causes toxoplasmosis. There are few treatments available for toxoplasmosis and the search for plant extracts and compounds with anti-Toxoplasma activity is of utmost importance for the discovery of new active drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the action of a protein extract and a protease inhibitor enriched fraction from J. curcas seed cake on developing tachyzoites of T. gondii-infected Vero cells. The protein extract (JcCE) was obtained after solubilization of the J. curcas seed cake with 100 mM sodium borate buffer, pH 10, centrifugation and dialysis of the resulting supernatant with the extracting buffer. JcCE was used for the in vitro assays of anti-Toxoplasma activity at 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0 mg/ml concentration for 24 h. The results showed that JcCE reduced the percentage of infection and the number of intracellular parasites, but had no effect on the morphology of Vero cells up to 3.0 mg/mL. The cysteine protease inhibitor enriched fraction, which was obtained after chromatography of JcCE on Sephadex G-75 and presented a unique protein band following SDS-PAGE, reduced both the number of T. gondii infected cells and intracellular parasites. These results suggest that both JcCE and the cysteine protease inhibitor enriched fraction interfere with the intracellular growth of T. gondii. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Lectin, hemolysin and protease inhibitors in seed fractions with ovicidal activity against Haemonchus contortus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salles, Hévila Oliveira; Braga, Ana Carolina Linhares; Nascimento, Maria Thayana dos Santos Canuto do; Sousa, Ana Márjory Paiva; Lima, Adriano Rodrigues; Vieira, Luiz da Silva; Cavalcante, Antônio Cézar Rocha; Egito, Antonio Silvio do; Andrade, Lúcia Betânia da Silva

    2014-01-01

    Bioactive molecules of plant species are promising alternatives for the chemical control of gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants. Extracts of native and exotic seed species from Brazil's semi-arid region were tested in vitro in an egg hatch assay and the bioactivity of their proteins was investigated. Each seed species was subjected to three extractions with three types of solvents. All the seeds showed ovicidal activity, which varied according to the solvents. Higher ovicidal activity was found in the molecule fractions of low molecular weight (Albizia lebbeck, Ipomoea asarifolia, Jatropha curcas, Libidibia ferrea, Moringa oleifera and Ricinus communis (P0.05, Bonferroni test). Hemagglutinating activity was detected in the fractions of C. spectabilis and M. oleifera fractions, hemolysin activity in the A. lebbeck and M. oleifera fractions, serine protease inhibitory activity in the A. lebbeck, I. asarifolia, J. curcas, M. oleifera and R. communis fractions, cysteine protease inhibitor activity in the M. oleifera fraction, and no protein activity in the L. ferrea fraction. The results of this work reveal new plant species with a potential for use in controlling nematode parasites in goats, thus opening a new field of research involving plant protein molecules with ovicidal properties.

  6. Lectin, hemolysin and protease inhibitors in seed fractions with ovicidal activity against Haemonchus contortus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hévila Oliveira Salles

    Full Text Available Bioactive molecules of plant species are promising alternatives for the chemical control of gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants. Extracts of native and exotic seed species from Brazil's semi-arid region were tested in vitro in an egg hatch assay and the bioactivity of their proteins was investigated. Each seed species was subjected to three extractions with three types of solvents. All the seeds showed ovicidal activity, which varied according to the solvents. Higher ovicidal activity was found in the molecule fractions of low molecular weight (0.05, Bonferroni test. Hemagglutinating activity was detected in the fractions of C. spectabilis and M. oleifera fractions, hemolysin activity in the A. lebbeck and M. oleifera fractions, serine protease inhibitory activity in the A. lebbeck, I. asarifolia, J. curcas, M. oleifera and R. communis fractions, cysteine protease inhibitor activity in the M. oleifera fraction, and no protein activity in the L. ferrea fraction. The results of this work reveal new plant species with a potential for use in controlling nematode parasites in goats, thus opening a new field of research involving plant protein molecules with ovicidal properties.

  7. Diversity of both the cultivable protease-producing bacteria and bacterial extracellular proteases in the coastal sediments of King George Island, Antarctica.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Yang Zhou

    Full Text Available Protease-producing bacteria play a vital role in degrading sedimentary organic nitrogen. However, the diversity of these bacteria and their extracellular proteases in most regions remain unknown. In this paper, the diversity of the cultivable protease-producing bacteria and of bacterial extracellular proteases in the sediments of Maxwell Bay, King George Island, Antarctica was investigated. The cultivable protease-producing bacteria reached 10(5 cells/g in all 8 sediment samples. The cultivated protease-producing bacteria were mainly affiliated with the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, and the predominant genera were Bacillus (22.9%, Flavobacterium (21.0% and Lacinutrix (16.2%. Among these strains, Pseudoalteromonas and Flavobacteria showed relatively high protease production. Inhibitor analysis showed that nearly all the extracellular proteases from the bacteria were serine proteases or metalloproteases. These results begin to address the diversity of protease-producing bacteria and bacterial extracellular proteases in the sediments of the Antarctic Sea.

  8. Donor leucocyte imaging in patients with AIDS: A preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Doherty, M.J.; Kent and Canterbury Hospital; Revell, P.; Page, C.J.; Nunan, T.O.; Lee, S.; Mountford, P.J.

    1990-01-01

    Four patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and fever were investigated using donor leucocyte scans. The lung/liver and lung/spleen uptake ratios in these patients were compared with the uptake ratios in donor leucocyte scans in seven neutropenic (non-AIDS) patients and five patients who had autologous leucocyte scans performed over the same time period. All scans used indium oxine In 111 labelled leucocytes except that for one AIDS patient which used technetium hexamethyl-propylene amine oxide Tc99m labelled donor leucocytes. There were no adverse reactions to the donor cell infusions. Two patients had repeat studies 8 weeks apart (from different donors) without ill effect. There were no differences in the 111 In uptake ratios between the three groups. There were three positive studies in the patients with AIDS, and these elucidated the cause of the pyrexia in all three. The negative case is more difficult to confirm, but the clinical course and the absence of focal disease on post-mortem have been taken to support the scan findings. There was no difference in the acceptibility of the technique or the distribution of the labelled leucocytes between the AIDS and non-AIDS patients. Donor leucocyte imaging of patients with AIDS is probably more effective and considerably less hazardous for technical staff than autologous leucocyte methods. This study demonstrates that the technique can be applied successfully to patients with AIDS. (orig.)

  9. 99Tcm-labelled leucocyte imaging in active rheumatoid arthritis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Janabi, M.A.; Jones, A.K.P.; Solanki, K.; Sobnack, R.; Bomanji, J.; Al-Nahhas, A.A.; Britton, K.E.; Huskisson, E.C.; Doyle, D.V.

    1988-01-01

    A simplified technique of labelling leucocytes with technetium-99m is described and applied to patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. The clinically active and less active knees in seven patients were imaged and the uptake of labelled leucocytes was measured. The measurements were repeated after local steroid injection into nine painful knees. A 50-80% reduction in leucocyte uptake localized to the region of the synovium was demonstrated in the eight knees which showed clinical responses and a rise of 8% in the non-responder. There was a variable response in the knees that were not injected. 99 Tc m leucocyte imaging in rheumatoid arthritis is able to assess objectively joint inflammation and its response to treatment. (author)

  10. Insecticide resistance and intracellular proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, Richard M

    2017-12-01

    Pesticide resistance is an example of evolution in action with mechanisms of resistance arising from mutations or increased expression of intrinsic genes. Intracellular proteases have a key role in maintaining healthy cells and in responding to stressors such as pesticides. Insecticide-resistant insects have constitutively elevated intracellular protease activity compared to corresponding susceptible strains. This increase was shown for some cases originally through biochemical enzyme studies and subsequently putatively by transcriptomics and proteomics methods. Upregulation and expression of proteases have been characterised in resistant strains of some insect species, including mosquitoes. This increase in proteolysis results in more degradation products (amino acids) of intracellular proteins. These may be utilised in the resistant strain to better protect the cell from stress. There are changes in insect intracellular proteases shortly after insecticide exposure, suggesting a role in stress response. The use of protease and proteasome inhibitors or peptide mimetics as synergists with improved application techniques and through protease gene knockdown using RNA interference (possibly expressed in crop plants) may be potential pest management strategies, in situations where elevated intracellular proteases are relevant. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Validity of total leucocytes count and neutrophil count (differential leucocytes) in diagnosing suspected acute appendicitis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, M.W.; Abid, I.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of Total Leucocytes Count (TLC) with Neutrophil count; Differential Leucocytes Count (DLC) in diagnosing cases of suspected acute appendicitis. Study design: Validation study. Place and duration of the study: Department of Surgery, Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalpindi, from April 2008 to October 2008. Method: A total of 100 patients of Pain right iliac fossae who underwent appendicectomy were included. Detailed history of all the patients was taken for pain in right lower abdomen, its severity, its nature, relieving or provoking factors. Clinical examination was done in detail. Total and Differential Leucocytes Count was done. Every patient's appendix was examined grossly after appendicectomy for evidence of appendicitis. Diagnostic measures of TLC and DLC were calculated by standard formulas. Results: Sensitivity and specificity of TLC is 86.9% and 81.25% respectively and that of DLC is 82% and 68.75% respectively. Accuracy was 86% for TLC and 80% for DLC. Conclusion: TLC is more sensitive, specific and accurate test as compared to DLC and it should be used as diagnostic aid for suspected acute appendicitis cases. (author)

  12. QSAR studies of the bioactivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitors by multiple linear regression (MLR) and support vector machine (SVM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Zijian; Wang, Maolin; Yan, Aixia

    2017-07-01

    In this study, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models using various descriptor sets and training/test set selection methods were explored to predict the bioactivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease inhibitors by using a multiple linear regression (MLR) and a support vector machine (SVM) method. 512 HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors and their IC 50 values which were determined by the same FRET assay were collected from the reported literature to build a dataset. All the inhibitors were represented with selected nine global and 12 2D property-weighted autocorrelation descriptors calculated from the program CORINA Symphony. The dataset was divided into a training set and a test set by a random and a Kohonen's self-organizing map (SOM) method. The correlation coefficients (r 2 ) of training sets and test sets were 0.75 and 0.72 for the best MLR model, 0.87 and 0.85 for the best SVM model, respectively. In addition, a series of sub-dataset models were also developed. The performances of all the best sub-dataset models were better than those of the whole dataset models. We believe that the combination of the best sub- and whole dataset SVM models can be used as reliable lead designing tools for new NS3/4A protease inhibitors scaffolds in a drug discovery pipeline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Isolation, cDNA Cloning, and Structure-based Functional Characterization of Oryctin, a Hemolymph Protein from the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, as a Novel Serine Protease Inhibitor*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horita, Shoichiro; Ishibashi, Jun; Nagata, Koji; Miyakawa, Takuya; Yamakawa, Minoru; Tanokura, Masaru

    2010-01-01

    We isolated oryctin, a 66-residue peptide, from the hemolymph of the coconut rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros and cloned its cDNA. Oryctin is dissimilar to any other known peptides in amino acid sequence, and its function has been unknown. To reveal that function, we determined the solution structure of recombinant 13C,15N-labeled oryctin by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Oryctin exhibits a fold similar to that of Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors but has a unique additional C-terminal α-helix. We performed protease inhibition assays of oryctin against several bacterial and eukaryotic proteases. Oryctin does inhibit the following serine proteases: α-chymotrypsin, endopeptidase K, subtilisin Carlsberg, and leukocyte elastase, with Ki values of 3.9 × 10−10 m, 6.2 × 10−10 m, 1.4 × 10−9 m, and 1.2 × 10−8 m, respectively. Although the target molecule of oryctin in the beetle hemolymph remains obscure, our results showed that oryctin is a novel single domain Kazal-type inhibitor and could play a key role in protecting against bacterial infections. PMID:20630859

  14. Development of Broad-Spectrum Halomethyl Ketone Inhibitors Against Coronavirus Main Protease 3CL(pro)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bacha,U.; Barilla, J.; Gabelli, S.; Kiso, Y.; Amzel, L.; Freire, E.

    2008-01-01

    Coronaviruses comprise a large group of RNA viruses with diverse host specificity. The emergence of highly pathogenic strains like the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and the discovery of two new coronaviruses, NL-63 and HKU1, corroborates the high rate of mutation and recombination that have enabled them to cross species barriers and infect novel hosts. For that reason, the development of broad-spectrum antivirals that are effective against several members of this family is highly desirable. This goal can be accomplished by designing inhibitors against a target, such as the main protease 3CLpro (Mpro), which is highly conserved among all coronaviruses. Here 3CLpro derived from the SARS-CoV was used as the primary target to identify a new class of inhibitors containing a halomethyl ketone warhead. The compounds are highly potent against SARS 3CLpro with Ki's as low as 300 nm. The crystal structure of the complex of one of the compounds with 3CLpro indicates that this inhibitor forms a thioether linkage between the halomethyl carbon of the warhead and the catalytic Cys 145. Furthermore, Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) studies of these compounds have led to the identification of a pharmacophore that accurately defines the essential molecular features required for the high affinity.

  15. Differential body composition effects of protease inhibitors recommended for initial treatment of HIV infection: A randomized clinical trial

    OpenAIRE

    Martinez, Esteban; Gonzalez-Cordon, Ana; Ferrer, Elena; Domingo, Pere; Negredo, Eugenia; Gutierrez, Felix; Portilla, Joaquin; Curran, Adrià; Podzamczer, Daniel; Ribera, Esteban; Murillas, Javier; Bernardino, Jose I.; Santos, Ignacio; Carton, Jose A.; Peraire, Joaquim

    2015-01-01

    This article has been accepted for publication in Clinical Infectious Diseases ©2014 The Authors .Published by Oxford University Press on Clinical Infectious Disease 60.5. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciu898 Background. It is unclear whether metabolic or body composition effects may differ between protease inhibitor-based regimens recommended for initial treatment of HIV infection. Methods. ATADAR is a phase IV, open-label, multicenter randomized clinical trial. Stable antiretroviral-naive HIV-in...

  16. Structure of protease-cleaved Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin reveals a putative mechanism of conformational activation for protease entrapment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fyfe, Cameron D.; Grinter, Rhys; Josts, Inokentijs; Mosbahi, Khedidja; Roszak, Aleksander W.; Cogdell, Richard J.; Wall, Daniel M.; Burchmore, Richard J. S.; Byron, Olwyn; Walker, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    The X-ray structure of protease-cleaved E. coli α-2-macroglobulin is described, which reveals a putative mechanism of activation and conformational change essential for protease inhibition. Bacterial α-2-macroglobulins have been suggested to function in defence as broad-spectrum inhibitors of host proteases that breach the outer membrane. Here, the X-ray structure of protease-cleaved Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin is described, which reveals a putative mechanism of activation and conformational change essential for protease inhibition. In this competitive mechanism, protease cleavage of the bait-region domain results in the untethering of an intrinsically disordered region of this domain which disrupts native interdomain interactions that maintain E. coli α-2-macroglobulin in the inactivated form. The resulting global conformational change results in entrapment of the protease and activation of the thioester bond that covalently links to the attacking protease. Owing to the similarity in structure and domain architecture of Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin and human α-2-macroglobulin, this protease-activation mechanism is likely to operate across the diverse members of this group

  17. Structure of protease-cleaved Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin reveals a putative mechanism of conformational activation for protease entrapment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fyfe, Cameron D.; Grinter, Rhys; Josts, Inokentijs; Mosbahi, Khedidja [University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland (United Kingdom); Roszak, Aleksander W. [University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland (United Kingdom); University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland (United Kingdom); Cogdell, Richard J.; Wall, Daniel M.; Burchmore, Richard J. S.; Byron, Olwyn; Walker, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.walker@glasgow.ac.uk [University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland (United Kingdom)

    2015-06-30

    The X-ray structure of protease-cleaved E. coli α-2-macroglobulin is described, which reveals a putative mechanism of activation and conformational change essential for protease inhibition. Bacterial α-2-macroglobulins have been suggested to function in defence as broad-spectrum inhibitors of host proteases that breach the outer membrane. Here, the X-ray structure of protease-cleaved Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin is described, which reveals a putative mechanism of activation and conformational change essential for protease inhibition. In this competitive mechanism, protease cleavage of the bait-region domain results in the untethering of an intrinsically disordered region of this domain which disrupts native interdomain interactions that maintain E. coli α-2-macroglobulin in the inactivated form. The resulting global conformational change results in entrapment of the protease and activation of the thioester bond that covalently links to the attacking protease. Owing to the similarity in structure and domain architecture of Escherichia coli α-2-macroglobulin and human α-2-macroglobulin, this protease-activation mechanism is likely to operate across the diverse members of this group.

  18. Chemistry and biology of natural product derived protease inhibitors

    OpenAIRE

    Stolze, Sara Christina

    2012-01-01

    Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation sollten Naturstoffe und davon abgeleitete Derivate synthetisiert und im Hinblick auf ihre biologische Aktivität als Protease-Inhibitoren untersucht werden. Für die Naturstoffklasse der 3-Amino-6-Hydroxy-2-piperidon(Ahp)-Cyclodepsipeptide, die als nicht-kovalente Serin-Protease-Inhibitoren bekannt sind, konnte eine Festphasensynthese basierend auf einem allgemeinen Ahp-Vorläufermolekül entwickelt werden. Für den Ahp-Vorläufer wurde eine Lösungssynthese entwicke...

  19. SCREENING OF PROTEASE INHIBITORS RESISTANCE MUTATIONS IN HEPATITIS C VIRUS ISOLATES INFECTING ROMANIAN PATIENTS UNEXPOSED TO TRIPLE THERAPY.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinu, Sorin; Calistru, Petre-Iacob; Ceauşu, Emanoil; Târdeil, Graţiela; Oprişan, Gabriela

    2015-01-01

    Although the European recommendations include the use of new antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C, in Romania the current treatment remains interferon plus ribavirin. First generation viral protease inhibitors (i.e. boceprevir, telaprevir), which have raised the chances of obtaining viral clearance in up to 70% of infection cases produced by genotype 1 isolates, have not been introduced yet as standard treatment in our country. The success of these new antivirals is limited by the occurrence and selection of resistance mutations during therapy. We set-up a molecular study aiming to detect any resistance mutations to boceprevir and telaprevir harbored by hepatitis C isolates infecting Romanian patients naïve to viral protease inhibitors. Since these new antivirals are efficient and approved for genotype 1 infection, viral samples were genotyped following a protocol previously developed by our research group. We analyzed by both population sequencing and molecular cloning and sequencing the NS3 protease region of hepatitis C virus isolates infecting patients which were not previously exposed to boceprevir and telaprevir. All the analyzed samples were subtype 1b and resembled the samples collected in recent years from Romanian patients. Molecular cloning followed by sequencing showed great intra-host diversity, which is known to represent the source of isolates with different resistance phenotypes. Both population sequencing and molecular cloning followed by clone sequencing revealed two boceprevir resistance mutations (T54S and V55A), respectively, a telaprevir resistance mutation (T54S) in the sequences obtained from a patient with chronic hepatitis C. To our knowledge, this is the first study indicating the existence of pre-treatment resistance mutations to boceprevir and telaprevir in hepatitis C virus isolates infecting Romanian patients.

  20. Evaluating Andrographolide as a Potent Inhibitor of NS3-4A Protease and Its Drug-Resistant Mutants Using In Silico Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivek Chandramohan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Current combination therapy of PEG-INF and ribavirin against the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV genotype-1 infections is ineffective in maintaining sustained viral response in 50% of the infection cases. New compounds in the form of protease inhibitors can complement the combination therapy. Asunaprevir is new to the drug regiment as the NS3-4A protease inhibitor, but it is susceptible to two mutations, namely, R155K and D168A in the protein. Thus, in our study, we sought to evaluate Andrographolide, a labdane-diterpenoid from the Andrographis paniculata plant as an effective compound for inhibiting the NS3-4A protease as well as its concomitant drug-resistant mutants by using molecular docking and dynamic simulations. Our study shows that Andrographolide has best docking scores of −15.0862, −15.2322, and −13.9072 compared to those of Asunaprevir −3.7159, −2.6431, and −5.4149 with wild-type R155K and D168A mutants, respectively. Also, as shown in the MD simulations, the compound was good in binding the target proteins and maintains strong bonds causing very less to negligible perturbation in the protein backbone structures. Our results validate the susceptibility of Asunaprevir to protein variants as seen from our docking studies and trajectory period analysis. Therefore, from our study, we hope to add one more option in the drug regiment to tackle drug resistance in HCV infections.

  1. Inhibitors of HIV-protease from computational design. A history of theory and synthesis still to be fully appreciated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berti, Federico; Frecer, Vladimir; Miertus, Stanislav

    2014-01-01

    Despite the fact that HIV-Protease is an over 20 years old target, computational approaches to rational design of its inhibitors still have a great potential to stimulate the synthesis of new compounds and the discovery of new, potent derivatives, ever capable to overcome the problem of drug resistance. This review deals with successful examples of inhibitors identified by computational approaches, rather than by knowledge-based design. Such methodologies include the development of energy and scoring functions, docking protocols, statistical models, virtual combinatorial chemistry. Computations addressing drug resistance, and the development of related models as the substrate envelope hypothesis are also reviewed. In some cases, the identified structures required the development of synthetic approaches in order to obtain the desired target molecules; several examples are reported.

  2. Characterization and identification of proteases secreted by Aspergillus fumigatus using free flow electrophoresis and MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neustadt, Madlen; Costina, Victor; Kupfahl, Claudio; Buchheidt, Dieter; Eckerskorn, Christoph; Neumaier, Michael; Findeisen, Peter

    2009-06-01

    Early diagnosis of life-threatening invasive aspergillosis in neutropenic patients remains challenging because current laboratory methods have limited diagnostic sensitivity and/or specificity. Aspergillus species are known to secrete various pathogenetically relevant proteases and the monitoring of their protease activity in serum specimens might serve as a new diagnostic approach.For the characterization and identification of secreted proteases, the culture supernatant of Aspergillus fumigatus was fractionated using free flow electrophoresis (Becton Dickinson). Protease activity of separated fractions was measured using fluorescently labeled reporter peptides. Fractions were also co-incubated in parallel with various protease inhibitors that specifically inhibit a distinct class of proteases e.g. metallo- or cysteine-proteases. Those fractions with high protease activity were further subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis for protease identification. The highest protease activity was measured in fractions with an acidic pH range. The results of the 'inhibitor-panel' gave a clear indication that it is mainly metallo- and serine-proteases that are involved in the degradation of reporter peptides. Furthermore, several proteases were identified that facilitate the optimization of reporter peptides for functional protease profiling as a diagnostic tool for invasive aspergillosis.

  3. Small ring constrained peptidomimetics. Synthesis of epoxy peptidomimetics, inhibitors of cysteine proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demarcus, M; Ganadu, M L; Mura, G M; Porcheddu, A; Quaranta, L; Reginato, G; Taddei, M

    2001-02-09

    Different dipeptide analogues containing an oxirane ring in the place of the peptidic bond were prepared starting from naturally occurring amino acids. N-Fmoc-amino aldehydes were transformed into the corresponding methoxyvinyl derivatives through a Wittig reaction, and the addition of PhSeCl gave a series of different alpha-phenylselenyl aldehydes. Mukajiama reaction with silylketene acetals gave an intermediate product that was finally transformed into the desired oxiranyl peptidomimetics. Following this strategy we were able to control three new contiguous stereocenters starting from the enantiomerically pure amino acid. The dipeptide analogues could be used in SPPS on a SASRIN resin as the final epoxides were relatively unstable under acidic conditions. Moreover the synthesis of the single dipeptide mimetics was carried out on solid phase to generate a small library of epoxy peptidomimetics. Some of the products prepared in this work resulted as time-dependent reversible inhibitors of cysteine protease.

  4. Effect of a protease inhibitor on the stability of catalase in liver and blood from acatalasemic and normal mice.

    OpenAIRE

    Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Ogata, Masana

    1991-01-01

    Effects of Gabexate mesilate (GM) (([ethyl-4-(6-guanidino hexanoyloxy) benzoate] methane sulfonate)), a protease inhibitor, on the activities of catalase in liver, erythrocytes and reticulocytes from acatalasemic mice were examined. Preincubation without GM at 37 degrees C for 160 min lowered the catalase activities of liver, erythrocytes and reticulocytes from acatalasemic mice, to 24%, 40% and 10% of the initial levels, respectively. But, preincubation with GM at 37 degrees C for 160 min de...

  5. Structure of the Enterovirus 71 3C Protease in Complex with NK-1.8k and Indications for the Development of Antienterovirus Protease Inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yaxin; Cao, Lin; Zhai, Yangyang; Yin, Zheng; Sun, Yuna; Shang, Luqing

    2017-07-01

    Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), caused by enterovirus, is a threat to public health worldwide. To date, enterovirus 71 (EV71) has been one of the major causative agents of HFMD in the Pacific-Asia region, and outbreaks with EV71 cause millions of infections. However, no drug is currently available for clinical therapeutics. In our previous works, we developed a set of protease inhibitors (PIs) targeting the EV71 3C protease (3C pro ). Among these are NK-1.8k and NK-1.9k, which have various active groups and high potencies and selectivities. In the study described here, we determined the structures of the PI NK-1.8k in complex with wild-type (WT) and drug-resistant EV71 3C pro Comparison of these structures with the structure of unliganded EV71 3C pro and its complex with AG7088 indicated that the mutation of N69 to a serine residue destabilized the S2 pocket. Thus, the mutation influenced the cleavage activity of EV71 3C pro and the inhibitory activity of NK-1.8k in an in vitro protease assay and highlighted that site 69 is an additional key site for PI design. More information for the optimization of the P1' to P4 groups of PIs was also obtained from these structures. Together with the results of our previous works, these in-depth results elucidate the inhibitory mechanism of PIs and shed light to develop PIs for the clinical treatment of infections caused by EV71 and other enteroviruses. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  6. Stabilization of Tc-99m D,L-HMPAO preparations as a leucocyte labelling agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kao, C.H.; Huang, W.T.; Tsai, C.S.

    1998-01-01

    An attempt was made to use stabilized Tc-99m D,L-HMPAO (S-HMPAO) to label leucocytes. The radiochemical purity of Tc-99m D,L-HMPAO, labelling efficiency of leucocytes, cell viability of labelled leucocytes, and stability of S-HMPAO labelled leucocytes were calculated. In comparison with commercial Tc-99m D,L-HMPAO (C-HMPAO) without stabilization, immediately, at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after HMPAO preparation, the radiochemical purity of S-HMPAO and the labelling efficiencies of S-HMPAO labelled leucocytes were higher. S-HMPAO is more stable than C-HMPAO and can provide higher leucocyte labelling efficiency. S-HMPAO, therefore, has the potential to replace C-HMPAO as a leucocyte-labelling agent

  7. Inhibition of cornifins and up-regulation of protease inhibitors in cervicovaginal lavage imparts resistance to heterosexual HIV transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sushama Rokade

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESNs are persons who remain seronegative despite repeated exposure to HIV, suggesting an in vivo resistance mechanism to HIV. Elucidation of endogenous factors responsible for this phenomenon may aid in the development of new classes of microbicides and therapeutics. The genital mucosal secretions of both men and women are known to contain a spectrum of antimicrobials and immune mediators that may contribute to resistance against HIV-1. Existence of HIV serodiscordant couples is a testimony to mucosal factors in the genital tract that prevent sexual transmission of the virus. We attempted to map such mucosal factors in female genital secretions of the serodiscordant couples in comparison with HIV infected and healthy participants using quantitative proteomics. The cervico vaginal lavage (CVL samples were collected from three groups of study participants (HIV infected, n=30; Un-infected Controls, n=10; Serodiscordant, n=24. Abundant proteins, albumin and globulins were removed from the pooled samples using multiple affinity removal spin cartridge (Agilent to enhance the sensitivity of iTRAQ proteomics analysis. Initial analysis identified a total of 135 proteins and associated 497 peptide matches. Serodiscordant females showed significantly down regulated levels of Cornifin A, B and C, Neutrophil gelatinase, myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase. Cornifins are cross-linked envelope protein of keratinocytes and are upregulated during inflammation. Downregulation of oxidative stress inducing enzymes and cornifins suggests immune-quiescence in serodiscordant females. CVL of these women showed significantly upregulated levels of Mucin 5B, S100A7, Alpha-2-macroglobulin, Cystatin A (protease inhibitor, Lacto-transferrin, SLPI (anti-leukoproteinase inhibitor and SERPIN G1 (protease inhibitor.  Significantly elevated levels of Cystatin B and Elafin in the CVL of serodiscordant females were confirmed by ELISA

  8. Labelling of leucocytes with 18 F-FDG

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomas, M.B.; Tronco, G.G.; Palestro, C.J.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: Objective: To investigate the effect of blood glucose levels on in-vitro 18 F-FDG labeling of autologous leucocytes. Methods: Seventeen volunteers, 11 men and 6 women, 20 - 54 years old, participated in this study. Using standard techniques, a mixed leucocyte suspension was prepared from 40 ml of blood withdrawn from each volunteer. Blood glucose levels were also measured for each blood sample. After resuspension in 3 ml heparinized saline, the leucocytes were incubated with 11.03 (± 4.48) mCi 18 F-FDG for 30 minutes at 370 C. The labeled cell suspension was then centrifuged for 5 min (150 g). Activity in the cell pellet and supernatant were measured and labelling efficiency calculated. Results: Blood glucose levels ranged from 80 to 178 mg% with a mean of 113 mg%. The overall labelling efficiency was 61.2% (±7.3%). The mean labelling efficiency for blood glucose levels 100 mg%. There is no statistically significant difference between the labeling efficiencies obtained at blood glucose levels 100 mg% (p =0.72). Blood Glucose Level (mg%) Labelling Efficiency (%) 100 61. Conclusion: In summary, no correlation between blood glucose levels and labeling efficiency was observed. Blood glucose levels up to 178 mg% do not affect 18 F-FDG in-vitro labelling of autologous leucocytes. (author)

  9. Structure-based discovery of clinically approved drugs as Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors that potently inhibit Zika virus infection in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Shuofeng; Chan, Jasper Fuk-Woo; den-Haan, Helena; Chik, Kenn Ka-Heng; Zhang, Anna Jinxia; Chan, Chris Chung-Sing; Poon, Vincent Kwok-Man; Yip, Cyril Chik-Yan; Mak, Winger Wing-Nga; Zhu, Zheng; Zou, Zijiao; Tee, Kah-Meng; Cai, Jian-Piao; Chan, Kwok-Hung; de la Peña, Jorge; Pérez-Sánchez, Horacio; Cerón-Carrasco, José Pedro; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2017-09-01

    Zika virus (ZIKV) infection may be associated with severe complications in fetuses and adults, but treatment options are limited. We performed an in silico structure-based screening of a large chemical library to identify potential ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors. Clinically approved drugs belonging to different drug classes were selected among the 100 primary hit compounds with the highest predicted binding affinities to ZIKV NS2B-NS3-protease for validation studies. ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitory activity was validated in most of the selected drugs and in vitro anti-ZIKV activity was identified in two of them (novobiocin and lopinavir-ritonavir). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations predicted that novobiocin bound to ZIKV NS2B-NS3-protease with high stability. Dexamethasone-immunosuppressed mice with disseminated ZIKV infection and novobiocin treatment had significantly (P < 0.05) higher survival rate (100% vs 0%), lower mean blood and tissue viral loads, and less severe histopathological changes than untreated controls. This structure-based drug discovery platform should facilitate the identification of additional enzyme inhibitors of ZIKV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Peripheral Blood Leucocyte Apoptosis in Two Dogs Infected with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Blood leucocyte apoptosis in the trypanosome-infected natural hosts is yet to be documented and recognized as a feature of trypanosomiasis. We provide evidence of marked peripheral blood leucocyte apoptosis in two cases of dogs severely infected with Trypanosoma congolense. It is expected that this case report will ...

  11. Reversible Cysteine Protease Inhibitors Show Promise for a Chagas Disease Cure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaulieu, Christian; Black, W. Cameron; Isabel, Elise; Vasquez-Camargo, Fabio; Nath-Chowdhury, Milli; Massé, Frédéric; Mellon, Christophe; Methot, Nathalie

    2014-01-01

    The cysteine protease cruzipain is essential for the viability, infectivity, and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Thus, inhibitors of cruzipain are considered promising anti-T. cruzi chemotherapeutic agents. Reversible cruzipain inhibitors containing a nitrile “warhead” were prepared and demonstrated 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) as potent as 1 nM in baculovirus-generated cruzipain enzyme assays. In epimastigote and intracellular amastigote in vitro assays, the most potent compounds demonstrated antiparasitic behavior in the 5 to 10 μM IC50 range; however, trypomastigote production from the amastigote form was ∼90 to 95% inhibited at 2 μM. Two key compounds, Cz007 and Cz008, with IC50s of 1.1 and 1.8 nM, respectively, against the recombinant enzyme were tested in a murine model of acute T. cruzi infection, with oral dosing in chow for 28 days at doses from 3 to 50 mg/kg of body weight. At 3 mg/kg of Cz007 and 3 mg/kg of Cz008, the blood parasitemia areas under the concentration-time curves were 16% and 25% of the untreated group, respectively. At sacrifice, 24 days after immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide, parasite presence in blood, heart, and esophagus was evaluated. Based on negative quantitative PCR results in all three tissues, cure rates in surviving animals were 90% for Cz007 at 3 mg/kg, 78% for Cz008 at 3 mg/kg, and 71% for benznidazole, the control compound, at 50 mg/kg. PMID:24323474

  12. The potential of P1 site alterations in peptidomimetic protease inhibitors as suggested by virtual screening and explored by the use of C-C-coupling reagents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weik, Steffen; Luksch, Torsten; Evers, Andreas; Böttcher, Jark; Sotriffer, Christoph A; Hasilik, Andrej; Löffler, Hans-Gerhard; Klebe, Gerhard; Rademann, Jörg

    2006-04-01

    A synthetic concept is presented that allows the construction of peptide isostere libraries through polymer-supported C-acylation reactions. A phosphorane linker reagent is used as a carbanion equivalent; by employing MSNT as a coupling reagent, the C-acylation can be conducted without racemization. Diastereoselective reduction was effected with L-selectride. The reagent linker allows the preparation of a norstatine library with full variation of the isosteric positions including the P1 side chain that addresses the protease S1 pocket. Therefore, the concept was employed to investigate the P1 site specificity of peptide isostere inhibitors systematically. The S1 pocket of several aspartic proteases including plasmepsin II and cathepsin D was modeled and docked with approximately 500 amino acid side chains. Inspired by this virtual screen, a P1 site mutation library was designed, synthesized, and screened against three aspartic proteases (plasmepsin II, HIV protease, and cathepsin D). The potency of norstatine inhibitors was found to depend strongly on the P1 substituent. Large, hydrophobic residues such as biphenyl, 4-bromophenyl, and 4-nitrophenyl enhanced the inhibitory activity (IC50) by up to 70-fold against plasmepsin II. In addition, P1 variation introduced significant selectivity, as up to 9-fold greater activity was found against plasmepsin II relative to human cathepsin D. The active P1 site residues did not fit into the crystal structure; however, molecular dynamics simulation suggested a possible alternative binding mode.

  13. Effects of 17 beta-estradiol on radiation transformation in vitro; inhibition of effects by protease inhibitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennedy, A.R.; Weichselbaum, R.R.

    1981-01-01

    We have investigated the effects of 17 beta-estradiol, given both alone and with X-irradiation, on the induction of malignant transformation in vitro. Treatment with 10(-6)M 17 beta-estradiol for 6 weeks, or 10(-5)M 17 beta-estradiol for only 5 days, induced malignant transformation in C3H 10T1/2 cells. Estradiol also acted as a cocarcinogen for X-ray induced transformation; the results indicate an additive effect when the cells were exposed to both agents together. The protease inhibitors antipain and leupeptin suppressed estradiol induced transformation as well as the additive effect observed for estradiol-radiation transformation

  14. Effects of 17β-estradiol on radiation transformation in vitro; inhibition of effects by protease inhibitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennedy, A.R.; Weichselbaum, R.R.

    1981-01-01

    The effects of 17β-estradiol, given either alone or with X-radiation, on the induction of malignant transformation were investigated in vitro. Treatment with 10 -6 M 17β-estradiol for 6 weeks, or 10 -5 M 17β-estradiol for only 5 days, induced malignant transformation in C3H 10T1/2 cells. Estradiol also acted as a cocarcinogen for X-ray induced transformation; the results indicated an additive effect when the cells were exposed to both agents together. The protease inhibitors antipain and leupeptin suppressed estradiol induced transformation as well as the additive effect observed for estradiol-radiation transformation. (author)

  15. Effects of 17 beta-estradiol on radiation transformation in vitro; inhibition of effects by protease inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kennedy, A.R.; Weichselbaum, R.R.

    1981-01-01

    We have investigated the effects of 17 beta-estradiol, given both alone and with X-irradiation, on the induction of malignant transformation in vitro. Treatment with 10(-6)M 17 beta-estradiol for 6 weeks, or 10(-5)M 17 beta-estradiol for only 5 days, induced malignant transformation in C3H 10T1/2 cells. Estradiol also acted as a cocarcinogen for X-ray induced transformation; the results indicate an additive effect when the cells were exposed to both agents together. The protease inhibitors antipain and leupeptin suppressed estradiol induced transformation as well as the additive effect observed for estradiol-radiation transformation.

  16. Equine protease inhibitor system as a marker for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinocur Myriam E.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The protease inhibitor system (PI was investigated to ascertain if it can be used as a marker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD in thoroughbred horses. Serum samples were taken from healthy thoroughbreds (n = 13 and those diagnosed as having COPD (n = 24 or inflammatory airway disease (IAD, n = 38 as well as from 3,600 undiagnosed thoroughbred horses. PI allelic and genotypic frequencies were estimated using protein electrophoresis on starch and polyacrylamide gels. The four groups of horses showed high genotypic similarity and none of the observed alleles or genotypes of the equine PI system were found to be associated with COPD.

  17. Two-Dimensional Zymography of Proteases from Steatotic Duck Liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkesman, Jeff; Padrón, María Fernanda; Kurz, Liliana; Rémignon, Hervé

    2017-01-01

    Protease activity present in liver cells with steatosis can be electrophoretically characterized. Zymographic techniques allow semi-quantitative results, successfully detecting cathepsin and metalloprotease activity using polyacrylamide gels copolymerized with gelatin and quantified by densitometry. By using specific inhibitors, the identity of the proteases can be confirmed. 2D zymography allows the determination of both M r. and pI of the metalloprotease and cathepsin activity present in the homogenates. The analysis of liver proteases activities in force fed ducks may elucidate the mechanisms behind steatosis development.

  18. Caspase-dependant activation of chymotrypsin-like proteases mediates nuclear events during Jurkat T cell apoptosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Connell, A.R.; Lee, B.W.; Stenson-Cox, C.

    2006-01-01

    Apoptosis involves a cascade of biochemical and morphological changes resulting in the systematic disintegration of the cell. Caspases are central mediators of this process. Supporting and primary roles for serine proteases as pro-apoptotic mediators have also been highlighted. Evidence for such roles comes largely from the use of pharmacological inhibitors; as a consequence information regarding their apoptotic function and biochemical properties has been limited. Here, we circumvented limitations associated with traditional serine protease inhibitors through use of a fluorescently labelled inhibitor of serine proteases (FLISP) that allowed for analysis of the specificity, regulation and positioning of apoptotic serine proteases within a classical apoptotic cascade. We demonstrate that staurosporine triggers a caspase-dependant induction of chymotrypsin-like activity in the nucleus of apoptotic Jurkat T cells. We show that serine protease activity is required for the generation of late stage nuclear events including condensation, fragmentation and DNA degradation. Furthermore, we reveal caspase-dependant activation of two chymotrypsin-like protein species that we hypothesize mediate cell death-associated nuclear events

  19. Fusion to Human Serum Albumin Extends the Circulatory Half-Life and Duration of Antithrombotic Action of the Kunitz Protease Inhibitor Domain of Protease Nexin 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheffield, William P; Eltringham-Smith, Louise J; Bhakta, Varsha

    2018-01-01

    The Kunitz Protease Inhibitor (KPI) domain of protease nexin 2 (PN2) potently inhibits coagulation factor XIa. Recombinant KPI has been shown to inhibit thrombosis in mouse models, but its clearance from the murine circulation remains uncharacterized. The present study explored the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of fusing KPI to human serum albumin (HSA) in fusion protein KPIHSA. Hexahistidine-tagged KPI (63 amino acids) and KPIHSA (656 amino acids) were expressed in Pichia pastoris yeast and purified by nickel-chelate chromatography. Clearance profiles in mice were determined, as well as the effects of KPI or KPIHSA administration on FeCl3-induced vena cava thrombus size or carotid artery time to occlusion, respectively. Fusion to HSA increased the mean terminal half-life of KPI by 8-fold and eliminated its interaction with the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein. KPI and KPIHSA similarly reduced thrombus size and occlusion in both venous and arterial thrombosis models when administered at the time of injury, but only KPI was effective when administered one hour before injury. Albumin fusion deflects KPI from rapid in vivo clearance without impairing its antithrombotic properties and widens its potential therapeutic window. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Acquisition of complement inhibitor serine protease factor I and its cofactors C4b-binding protein and factor H by Prevotella intermedia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malm, Sven; Jusko, Monika; Eick, Sigrun; Potempa, Jan; Riesbeck, Kristian; Blom, Anna M

    2012-01-01

    Infection with the Gram-negative pathogen Prevotella intermedia gives rise to periodontitis and a growing number of studies implies an association of P. intermedia with rheumatoid arthritis. The serine protease Factor I (FI) is the central inhibitor of complement degrading complement components C3b and C4b in the presence of cofactors such as C4b-binding protein (C4BP) and Factor H (FH). Yet, the significance of complement inhibitor acquisition in P. intermedia infection and FI binding by Gram-negative pathogens has not been addressed. Here we show that P. intermedia isolates bound purified FI as well as FI directly from heat-inactivated human serum. FI bound to bacteria retained its serine protease activity as shown in degradation experiments with (125)I-labeled C4b. Since FI requires cofactors for its activity we also investigated the binding of purified cofactors C4BP and FH and found acquisition of both proteins, which retained their activity in FI mediated degradation of C3b and C4b. We propose that FI binding by P. intermedia represents a new mechanism contributing to complement evasion by a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen associated with chronic diseases.

  1. In vivo neuronal synthesis and axonal transport of Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI)-containing forms of the amyloid precursor protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moya, K L; Confaloni, A M; Allinquant, B

    1994-11-01

    We have shown previously that the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is synthesized in retinal ganglion cells and is rapidly transported down the axons, and that different molecular weight forms of the precursor have different developmental time courses. Some APP isoforms contain a Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain, and APP that lacks the KPI domain is considered the predominant isoform in neurons. We now show that, among the various rapidly transported APPs, a 140-kDa isoform contains the KPI domain. This APP isoform is highly expressed in rapidly growing retinal axons, and it is also prominent in adult axon endings. This 140-kDa KPI-containing APP is highly sulfated compared with other axonally transported isoforms. These results show that APP with the KPI domain is a prominent isoform synthesized in neurons in vivo, and they suggest that the regulation of protease activity may be an important factor during the establishment of neuronal connections.

  2. Effect of Seed Proteinaceous Inhibitors on Digestive Protease Activity of Tomato Leaf Miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick (Lep.: Gelechiidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. University of Tehran

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lep.: Gelechiidae is one of the most important pest of tomato around the world which have been introduced to Iran in recent years. Pesticides can usually reduce the damage caused by the pest, however the extensive use of pesticides substantially increase production costs and lead to development of insecticide resistance. Thus, pest resistance and also adverse effects of pesticides on the human health and the environment make search for alternative control method/s inevitable. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of proteinaceous extracts of Datura (Datura stramonium L., Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Wild Oat (Avena fatua L., Broad bean (Vicia faba L., Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus L., Mung bean (Vigna radiate L., Pea (Pisum sativum L., Canola (Brassica napus L., Triticale (Triticosecale wittmack and Sivand, Aflak and Alborz wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cultivars seeds on protease activity of tomato leaf miner. Also in this study optimum pH for protease activity and effects of pH on inhibitory activity of extracts were determined. Materials and Methods: For this work fourth instar larvae of Tuta absoluta was used for enzyme extraction. Plant proteinaceous extracts were obtained using 0.1 M NaCl. For protease activity assay 10 μl enzyme extract and 50 μl substrate solution (Azocasein 2% were mixed with 40 μl of the 20 mM Glycine-NaOH buffer at pH 10.0 After 60 min incubation, 100 μl of 30% trichloroacetic acid (TCA was added to the reaction mixture, and kept at 4 °C for 30 min, followed by centrifugation at 15,000gfor 15 min to precipitate non-hydrolysis substrate. 100 μl of 1 M NaOH was added to 100μl supernatant and the absorbance at 405 nm was measured. To determine the effect of the seed proteinaceous extracts on the protease activities, enzymes were pre-incubated with each seed extracts for 30 min at 35 °C followed by determination of the residual enzyme activity as

  3. Protease-associated cellular networks in malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilburn Timothy G

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Malaria continues to be one of the most severe global infectious diseases, responsible for 1-2 million deaths yearly. The rapid evolution and spread of drug resistance in parasites has led to an urgent need for the development of novel antimalarial targets. Proteases are a group of enzymes that play essential roles in parasite growth and invasion. The possibility of designing specific inhibitors for proteases makes them promising drug targets. Previously, combining a comparative genomics approach and a machine learning approach, we identified the complement of proteases (degradome in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and its sibling species 123, providing a catalog of targets for functional characterization and rational inhibitor design. Network analysis represents another route to revealing the role of proteins in the biology of parasites and we use this approach here to expand our understanding of the systems involving the proteases of P. falciparum. Results We investigated the roles of proteases in the parasite life cycle by constructing a network using protein-protein association data from the STRING database 4, and analyzing these data, in conjunction with the data from protein-protein interaction assays using the yeast 2-hybrid (Y2H system 5, blood stage microarray experiments 678, proteomics 9101112, literature text mining, and sequence homology analysis. Seventy-seven (77 out of 124 predicted proteases were associated with at least one other protein, constituting 2,431 protein-protein interactions (PPIs. These proteases appear to play diverse roles in metabolism, cell cycle regulation, invasion and infection. Their degrees of connectivity (i.e., connections to other proteins, range from one to 143. The largest protease-associated sub-network is the ubiquitin-proteasome system which is crucial for protein recycling and stress response. Proteases are also implicated in heat shock response, signal peptide

  4. Crystal structure of an FIV/HIV chimeric protease complexed with the broad-based inhibitor, TL-3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elder John H

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract We have obtained the 1.7 Å crystal structure of FIV protease (PR in which 12 critical residues around the active site have been substituted with the structurally equivalent residues of HIV PR (12X FIV PR. The chimeric PR was crystallized in complex with the broad-based inhibitor TL-3, which inhibits wild type FIV and HIV PRs, as well as 12X FIV PR and several drug-resistant HIV mutants 1234. Biochemical analyses have demonstrated that TL-3 inhibits these PRs in the order HIV PR > 12X FIV PR > FIV PR, with Ki values of 1.5 nM, 10 nM, and 41 nM, respectively 234. Comparison of the crystal structures of the TL-3 complexes of 12X FIV and wild-typeFIV PR revealed theformation of additinal van der Waals interactions between the enzyme inhibitor in the mutant PR. The 12X FIV PR retained the hydrogen bonding interactions between residues in the flap regions and active site involving the enzyme and the TL-3 inhibitor in comparison to both FIV PR and HIV PR. However, the flap regions of the 12X FIV PR more closely resemble those of HIV PR, having gained several stabilizing intra-flap interactions not present in wild type FIV PR. These findings offer a structural explanation for the observed inhibitor/substrate binding properties of the chimeric PR.

  5. In vivo measurement of circulating leucocyte activation in patients following cardiopulmonary bypass

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jones, Hazel A. E-mail: hazel.jones@imperial.ac.uk; Choudhury, Marina; Harris, David N.F

    2004-10-01

    We have developed a simple technique to measure in vivo activation of circulating leucocytes and assessed it in 6 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Arterial, mixed venous, and jugular bulb blood samples were taken following i.v. [{sup 18}F]FDG, before and after CPB. [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake in leucocytes was measured by phosphor imaging of spun blood-filled capillary tubes. Leucocyte radioactivity was quantified ([(leucocytes-plasma)/plasma radioactivity] and normalised to leucocyte counts. [{sup 18}F]FDG uptake (mean{+-}SEM)) before CPB was undetectable, being -0.014{+-}0.007, -0.011{+-}0.003, -0.012{+-}0.006, -0.010{+-}0.005, whereas increased uptake was demonstrated following CPB, 0.006{+-}0.006, 0.009{+-}0.005, 0.021{+-}0.005, 0.034{+-}0.006, at 20, 40, 60, and 80 min, respectively. There was no significant difference in activation between sampling sites before or after CPB. This method gives a sensitive index of activation of circulating leucocytes in whole blood, enabling investigation of activation of circulating white cells without the influence of sample handling or the requirement for time-consuming cell separation procedures.

  6. Labelling of leucocytes with colloidal technetium-99m-SnF2: an investigation of the labelling process by autoradiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puncher, M.R.B.; Blower, P.J.

    1995-01-01

    Autoradiography of smears and frozen sections of labelled cell suspensions was used to study the distribution of radioactivity in and among blood cells labelled in either whole blood or leucocyte-rich plasma (LRP) with technetium-99m-SnF 2 colloid. The tracer proved selective for neutrophils: the labelling probability (relative to that for erythrocytes) for each cell type in LRP (mean of five samples) was: neutrophils, 9.4; lymphocytes, 3.7; monocytes, 3.0; eosinophils 1.4; erythrocytes, 1.0. When labelling was carried out in whole blood (five samples), 74.5%±8.3% of the cell-bound radioactivity was bound to erythrocytes, 13.6%±6.5% to neutrophils, and 11.9%±2.1% to lymphocytes, whereas in LRP (in which the leucocytes were only slightly outnumbered by erythrocytes), 76.5%±14.9% of radioactivity was neutrophil bound. Labelled cells in smear autoradiographs exhibited two distinct silver grain patterns, ''diffuse'', consistent with an intracellular radioactive particle (in neutrophils), and ''focal'', consistent with a cell surface-adhering particle in direct contact with the emulsion (in other leucocyte types and erythrocytes). The phagocytic inhibitor cytochalasin B neither reduced the proportion of labelled neutrophils nor altered the labelling pattern. Neutrophils were able to scavenge radioactivity from the surface of erythrocytes. It is concluded that neutrophils bind 99m Tc-SnF 2 intracellularly by phagocytosis, with high affinity; other cells become labelled at the cell surface reversibly and with lower affinity. This selectivity is high enough to permit predominantly leucocyte labelling in LRP but not in whole blood. (orig.)

  7. Delay of Iris flower senescence by protease inhibitors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pak, C.; Doorn, van W.G.

    2005-01-01

    asterisk inside a circle sign Visible senescence of the flag tepals in Iris x hollandica (cv. Blue Magic) was preceded by a large increase in endoprotease activity. Just before visible senescence about half of total endoprotease activity was apparently due to cysteine proteases, somewhat less than

  8. Fragment Linking and Optimization of Inhibitors of the Aspartic Protease Endothiapepsin: Fragment‐Based Drug Design Facilitated by Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondal, Milon; Radeva, Nedyalka; Fanlo‐Virgós, Hugo; Otto, Sijbren; Klebe, Gerhard

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Fragment‐based drug design (FBDD) affords active compounds for biological targets. While there are numerous reports on FBDD by fragment growing/optimization, fragment linking has rarely been reported. Dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) has become a powerful hit‐identification strategy for biological targets. We report the synergistic combination of fragment linking and DCC to identify inhibitors of the aspartic protease endothiapepsin. Based on X‐ray crystal structures of endothiapepsin in complex with fragments, we designed a library of bis‐acylhydrazones and used DCC to identify potent inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor exhibits an IC50 value of 54 nm, which represents a 240‐fold improvement in potency compared to the parent hits. Subsequent X‐ray crystallography validated the predicted binding mode, thus demonstrating the efficiency of the combination of fragment linking and DCC as a hit‐identification strategy. This approach could be applied to a range of biological targets, and holds the potential to facilitate hit‐to‐lead optimization. PMID:27400756

  9. Evaluation of a D-amino-acid-containing fluorescence resonance energy transfer peptide library for profiling prokaryotic proteases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kaman, W.E.; Voskamp-Visser, I.; de Jongh, D.M.C.; Endtz, H.P.; van Belkum, A.; Hays, J.P.; Bikker, F.J.

    2013-01-01

    Bacterial proteases play an important role in a broad spectrum of processes, including colonization, proliferation, and virulence. In this respect, bacterial proteases are potential biomarkers for bacterial diagnosis and targets for novel therapeutic protease inhibitors. To investigate these

  10. Isolation and labelling of human leucocytes with sup(99m)Tc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalbaek, H.

    1986-01-01

    The role of the leucocyte isolation procedure on cell labeling with sup(99m)Tc has been evaluated. Separation of leucocytes was performed by two procedures: (1) sedimentation on methyl cellulose, followed by discontinuous gradient centrifugation; (2) methyl cellulose sedimentation and hypotonic haemolysis of residual red blood cells. After washing the cells in saline and incubation with a stannous pyrophosphate agent, the leucocytes were labelled with 5-10 mCi sup(99m)Tc. Procedure 1 gave a higher purity but lower recovery of polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and a minor contamination of red blood cells. sup(99m)Tc labelling of cells was slightly more efficient with this method, probably due to the presence of red blood cells. Procedure 1 is recommended for in vitro studies on cell kinetics and procedure 2 is recommended for clinical use. (orig.)

  11. Protease-Mediated Suppression of DRG Neuron Excitability by Commensal Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sessenwein, Jessica L; Baker, Corey C; Pradhananga, Sabindra; Maitland, Megan E; Petrof, Elaine O; Allen-Vercoe, Emma; Noordhof, Curtis; Reed, David E; Vanner, Stephen J; Lomax, Alan E

    2017-11-29

    Peripheral pain signaling reflects a balance of pronociceptive and antinociceptive influences; the contribution by the gastrointestinal microbiota to this balance has received little attention. Disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, are associated with exaggerated visceral nociceptive actions that may involve altered microbial signaling, particularly given the evidence for bacterial dysbiosis. Thus, we tested whether a community of commensal gastrointestinal bacteria derived from a healthy human donor (microbial ecosystem therapeutics; MET-1) can affect the excitability of male mouse DRG neurons. MET-1 reduced the excitability of DRG neurons by significantly increasing rheobase, decreasing responses to capsaicin (2 μm) and reducing action potential discharge from colonic afferent nerves. The increase in rheobase was accompanied by an increase in the amplitude of voltage-gated K + currents. A mixture of bacterial protease inhibitors abrogated the effect of MET-1 effects on DRG neuron rheobase. A serine protease inhibitor but not inhibitors of cysteine proteases, acid proteases, metalloproteases, or aminopeptidases abolished the effects of MET-1. The serine protease cathepsin G recapitulated the effects of MET-1 on DRG neurons. Inhibition of protease-activated receptor-4 (PAR-4), but not PAR-2, blocked the effects of MET-1. Furthermore, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii recapitulated the effects of MET-1 on excitability of DRG neurons. We conclude that serine proteases derived from commensal bacteria can directly impact the excitability of DRG neurons, through PAR-4 activation. The ability of microbiota-neuronal interactions to modulate afferent signaling suggests that therapies that induce or correct microbial dysbiosis may impact visceral pain. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Commercially available probiotics have the potential to modify visceral pain. Here we show that secretory products from gastrointestinal microbiota derived from a human

  12. Proteinaceous alpha-araylase inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svensson, Birte; Fukuda, Kenji; Nielsen, P.K.

    2004-01-01

    -amylase inhibitors belong to seven different protein structural families, most of which also contain evolutionary related proteins without inhibitory activity. Two families include bifunctional inhibitors acting both on alpha-amylases and proteases. High-resolution structures are available of target alpha...

  13. Labelling of leucocytes with colloidal technetium-99m-SnF{sub 2}: an investigation of the labelling process by autoradiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puncher, M.R.B. [Biological Lab., Canterbury Univ. (United Kingdom); Blower, P.J. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury (United Kingdom)

    1995-02-01

    Autoradiography of smears and frozen sections of labelled cell suspensions was used to study the distribution of radioactivity in and among blood cells labelled in either whole blood or leucocyte-rich plasma (LRP) with technetium-99m-SnF{sub 2} colloid. The tracer proved selective for neutrophils: the labelling probability (relative to that for erythrocytes) for each cell type in LRP (mean of five samples) was: neutrophils, 9.4; lymphocytes, 3.7; monocytes, 3.0; eosinophils 1.4; erythrocytes, 1.0. When labelling was carried out in whole blood (five samples), 74.5%{+-}8.3% of the cell-bound radioactivity was bound to erythrocytes, 13.6%{+-}6.5% to neutrophils, and 11.9%{+-}2.1% to lymphocytes, whereas in LRP (in which the leucocytes were only slightly outnumbered by erythrocytes), 76.5%{+-}14.9% of radioactivity was neutrophil bound. Labelled cells in smear autoradiographs exhibited two distinct silver grain patterns, ``diffuse``, consistent with an intracellular radioactive particle (in neutrophils), and ``focal``, consistent with a cell surface-adhering particle in direct contact with the emulsion (in other leucocyte types and erythrocytes). The phagocytic inhibitor cytochalasin B neither reduced the proportion of labelled neutrophils nor altered the labelling pattern. Neutrophils were able to scavenge radioactivity from the surface of erythrocytes. It is concluded that neutrophils bind {sup 99m}Tc-SnF{sub 2} intracellularly by phagocytosis, with high affinity; other cells become labelled at the cell surface reversibly and with lower affinity. This selectivity is high enough to permit predominantly leucocyte labelling in LRP but not in whole blood. (orig.)

  14. Body surface dosimetry following re-injection of 111In-leucocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mountford, P.J.; Coakley, A.J.

    1989-01-01

    The dose to a young infant cared for by a parent re-injected with 111 In-leucocytes was estimated from the exposure of thermoluminescent dosimeters at five sites on the chest wall of eight patients. The UK Guidance Notes recommend that patients with a residual activity exceeding 20 MBq of 111 In should avoid non-essential contact with children. The results confirmed those of an earlier preliminary study which showed that re-injection of 20 MBq of 111 In-leucocytes to a parent could lead to a close contact dose greater than 1 mSv. It was concluded that the 111 In-leucocyte activity administered to a parent of a young infant should not exceed 10 MBq. (author)

  15. Long-term analysis of resistance development in HIV-1 positive patients treated with protease and reverse transcriptase inhibitors: Correlation of the genotype and disease progression

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Prejdová, Jana; Weber, Jan; Machala, L.; Reiniš, Milan; Linka, M.; Brůčková, M.; Vandasová, M.; Staňková, M.; Konvalinka, Jan

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 49, č. 1 (2005), 29-36 ISSN 0001-723X R&D Projects: GA MZd(CZ) NI6339 Grant - others:5th Framework(XE) QLK2-CT-2001-02360 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4055905 Keywords : HIV * protease inhibitors * resistance development Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 0.696, year: 2005

  16. Intervention with Serine Protease Activity with Small Peptides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xu, Peng

    2015-01-01

    Serine proteases perform proteolytic reactions in many physiological and metabolic processes and have been certified as targets for therapeutics. Small peptides can be used as potent antagonists to target serine proteases and intervene with their activities. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u......PA) plays an important role in plasminogen activation system, which has many physiological and pathological functions and is closely associated with the metastasis of tumor cells. Based on a mono-cyclic peptidic inhibitor of murine uPA (muPA), mupain-1, which was screened out from a phage-display library...... before, we elucidated the binding and inhibitory mechanism by using multiple techniques, like X-ray crystallography, site-directed mutagenesis, isothermal titration calorimetry and surface plasmon resonance analysis. By studying the peptide-enzyme interaction, we discovered an unusual inhibitor...

  17. In Vitro Evaluation of Novel Inhibitors against the NS2B-NS3 Protease of Dengue Fever Virus Type 4

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thi Thanh Hanh Nguyen

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The discovery of potent therapeutic compounds against dengue virus is urgently needed. The NS2B-NS3 protease (NS2B-NS3pro of dengue fever virus carries out all enzymatic activities needed for polyprotein processing and is considered to be amenable to antiviral inhibition by analogy. Virtual screening of 300,000 compounds using Autodock 3 on the GVSS platform was conducted to identify novel inhibitors against the NS2B-NS3pro. Thirty-six compounds were selected for in vitro assay against NS2B-NS3pro expressed in Pichia pastoris. Seven novel compounds were identified as inhibitors with IC50 values of 3.9 ± 0.6–86.7 ± 3.6 μM. Three strong NS2B-NS3pro inhibitors were further confirmed as competitive inhibitors with Ki values of 4.0 ± 0.4, 4.9 ± 0.3, and 3.4 ± 0.1 μM, respectively. Hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions between amino acid residues in the NS3pro active site with inhibition compounds were also identified.

  18. Natural Polymorphisms Conferring Resistance to HCV Protease and Polymerase Inhibitors in Treatment-Naïve HIV/HCV Co-Infected Patients in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kali Zhou

    Full Text Available The advent of direct-acting agents (DAAs has improved treatment of HCV in HIV co-infection, but may be limited by primary drug resistance. This study reports the prevalence of natural polymorphisms conferring resistance to NS3/4A protease inhibitors and NS5B polymerase inhibitors in treatment-naïve HIV/HCV co-infected individuals in China.Population based NS3/4A sequencing was completed for 778 treatment-naïve HIV/HCV co-infected patients from twelve provinces. NS3 sequences were amplified by nested PCR using in-house primers for genotypes 1-6. NS5B sequencing was completed for genotyping in 350 sequences. Resistance-associated variants (RAVs were identified in positions associated with HCV resistance.Overall, 72.8% (566/778 of all HCV sequences had at least one RAV associated with HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor resistance. Variants were found in 3.6% (7/193 of genotype 1, 100% (23/23 of genotype 2, 100% (237/237 of genotype 3 and 92% (299/325 of genotype 6 sequences. The Q80K variant was present in 98.4% of genotype 6a sequences. High-level RAVs were rare, occurring in only 0.8% of patients. 93% (64/69 patients with genotype 1b also carried the C316N variant associated with NS5B low-level resistance.The low frequency of high-level RAVs associated with primary HCV DAA resistance among all genotypes in HIV/HCV co-infected patients is encouraging. Further phenotypic studies and clinical research are needed.

  19. Protease inhibitor associated mutations compromise the efficacy of therapy in human immunodeficiency virus – 1 (HIV-1 infected pediatric patients: a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrova Anna

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the introduction of combined therapy with reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors has resulted in considerable decrease in HIV related mortality; it has also induced the development of multiple drug-resistant HIV-1 variants. The few studies on HIV-1 mutagenesis in HIV infected children have not evaluated the impact of HIV-1 mutations on the clinical, virological and immunological presentation of HIV disease that is fundamental to optimizing the treatment regimens for these patients. Results A cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate the impact of treatment regimens and resistance mutation patterns on the clinical, virological, and immunological presentation of HIV disease in 41 children (25 male and 16 female at the Robert Wood Johnson Pediatric AIDS Program in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The study participants were symptomatic and had preceding treatment history with combined ARV regimens including protease inhibitors (PIs, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs. Fifteen (36.6% children were treated with NRTI+NNRTI+ PI, 6 (14.6% with NRTI+NNRTIs, 13 (31.7% with NRTI+PIs, and the remaining 7 (17.1% received NRTIs only. Combined ARV regimens did not significantly influence the incidence of NRTI and NNRTI associated mutations. The duration of ARV therapy and the child's age had no significant impact on the ARV related mutations. The clinico-immunological presentation of the HIV disease was not associated with ARV treatment regimens or number of resistance mutations. However, primary mutations in the protease (PR gene increased the likelihood of plasma viral load (PVL ≥ 10,000 copies/mL irrespective of the child's age, duration of ARV therapy, presence of NRTI and NNRTI mutation. Viremia ≥ 10,000 copies/mL was recorded in almost all the children with primary mutations in the PR region (n = 12/13, 92.3% as compared with only 50.0% (n

  20. Molecular models of NS3 protease variants of the Hepatitis C virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mello Isabel MVGC

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV currently infects approximately three percent of the world population. In view of the lack of vaccines against HCV, there is an urgent need for an efficient treatment of the disease by an effective antiviral drug. Rational drug design has not been the primary way for discovering major therapeutics. Nevertheless, there are reports of success in the development of inhibitor using a structure-based approach. One of the possible targets for drug development against HCV is the NS3 protease variants. Based on the three-dimensional structure of these variants we expect to identify new NS3 protease inhibitors. In order to speed up the modeling process all NS3 protease variant models were generated in a Beowulf cluster. The potential of the structural bioinformatics for development of new antiviral drugs is discussed. Results The atomic coordinates of crystallographic structure 1CU1 and 1DY9 were used as starting model for modeling of the NS3 protease variant structures. The NS3 protease variant structures are composed of six subdomains, which occur in sequence along the polypeptide chain. The protease domain exhibits the dual beta-barrel fold that is common among members of the chymotrypsin serine protease family. The helicase domain contains two structurally related beta-alpha-beta subdomains and a third subdomain of seven helices and three short beta strands. The latter domain is usually referred to as the helicase alpha-helical subdomain. The rmsd value of bond lengths and bond angles, the average G-factor and Verify 3D values are presented for NS3 protease variant structures. Conclusions This project increases the certainty that homology modeling is an useful tool in structural biology and that it can be very valuable in annotating genome sequence information and contributing to structural and functional genomics from virus. The structural models will be used to guide future efforts in the structure

  1. NMR analysis of the dynamic exchange of the NS2B cofactor between open and closed conformations of the West Nile virus NS2B-NS3 protease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xun-Cheng Su

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The two-component NS2B-NS3 proteases of West Nile and dengue viruses are essential for viral replication and established targets for drug development. In all crystal structures of the proteases to date, the NS2B cofactor is located far from the substrate binding site (open conformation in the absence of inhibitor and lining the substrate binding site (closed conformation in the presence of an inhibitor. METHODS: In this work, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR spectroscopy of isotope and spin-labeled samples of the West Nile virus protease was used to investigate the occurrence of equilibria between open and closed conformations in solution. FINDINGS: In solution, the closed form of the West Nile virus protease is the predominant conformation irrespective of the presence or absence of inhibitors. Nonetheless, dissociation of the C-terminal part of the NS2B cofactor from the NS3 protease (open conformation occurs in both the presence and the absence of inhibitors. Low-molecular-weight inhibitors can shift the conformational exchange equilibria so that over 90% of the West Nile virus protease molecules assume the closed conformation. The West Nile virus protease differs from the dengue virus protease, where the open conformation is the predominant form in the absence of inhibitors. CONCLUSION: Partial dissociation of NS2B from NS3 has implications for the way in which the NS3 protease can be positioned with respect to the host cell membrane when NS2B is membrane associated via N- and C-terminal segments present in the polyprotein. In the case of the West Nile virus protease, discovery of low-molecular-weight inhibitors that act by breaking the association of the NS2B cofactor with the NS3 protease is impeded by the natural affinity of the cofactor to the NS3 protease. The same strategy can be more successful in the case of the dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease.

  2. Possible identity of IL-8 converting enzyme in human fibroblasts as a cysteine protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohashi, Kensaku; Sano, Emiko; Nakaki, Toshio; Naruto, Masanobu

    2003-04-01

    A converting activity was characterized in human diploid fibroblasts, which secrete 72IL-8 and 77IL-8 in treatment with IFN-beta and poly I: poly C. 77IL-8 was significantly converted to 72IL-8 by a partially purified fraction of the culture supernatant of human diploid fibroblasts. The converting activity, which was temperature-dependent and optimal at pH 6, was completely inhibited by cysteine protease inhibitors, antipain dihydrochloride and E-64, but not by other types of protease inhibitors. These data clearly show that human diploid fibroblasts are capable of processing IL-8 to produce a mature IL-8 and that the putative converting enzyme appears to be a cysteine protease.

  3. Preclinical Characterization and Human Microdose Pharmacokinetics of ITMN-8187, a Nonmacrocyclic Inhibitor of the Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajagopalan, Ravi; Pan, Lin; Schaefer, Caralee; Nicholas, John; Lim, Sharlene; Misialek, Shawn; Stevens, Sarah; Hooi, Lisa; Aleskovski, Natalia; Ruhrmund, Donald; Kossen, Karl; Huang, Lea; Yap, Sophia; Beigelman, Leonid; Serebryany, Vladimir; Liu, Jyanwei; Sastry, Srikonda; Seiwert, Scott; Buckman, Brad

    2017-01-01

    The current paradigm for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection involves combinations of agents that act directly on steps of the HCV life cycle. Here we report the preclinical characteristics of ITMN-8187, a nonmacrocyclic inhibitor of the NS3/4A HCV protease. X-ray crystallographic studies of ITMN-8187 and simeprevir binding to NS3/4A protease demonstrated good agreement between structures. Low nanomolar biochemical potency was maintained against NS3/4A derived from HCV genotypes 1, 2b, 4, 5, and 6. In cell-based potency assays, half-maximal reduction of genotype 1a and 1b HCV replicon RNA was afforded by 11 and 4 nM doses of ITMN-8187, respectively. Combinations of ITMN-8187 with other directly acting antiviral agents in vitro displayed additive antiviral efficacy. A 30-mg/kg of body weight dose of ITMN-8187 administered for 4 days yielded significant viral load reductions through day 5 in a chimeric mouse model of HCV. A 3-mg/kg oral dose administered to rats, dogs, or monkeys yielded concentrations in plasma 16 h after dosing that exceeded the half-maximal effective concentration of ITMN-8187. Human microdose pharmacokinetics showed low intersubject variability and prolonged oral absorption with first-order elimination kinetics compatible with once-daily dosing. These preclinical characteristics compare favorably with those of other NS3/4A inhibitors approved for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

  4. The effect of storage of whole potatoes of three cultivars on the patatin and protease inhibitor content; a study using capillary electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pots, A.M.; Gruppen, H.; Diepenbeek, R. van; Lee, J.J. van der; Boekel, M.A.J.S. van; Wijngaards, G.; Voragen, A.G.J.

    1999-01-01

    The content and biological activity of patatin and the protease inhibitors of molecular size 20-22 kDa present in whole potato tubers were investigated as a function of storage time. The amount of buffer-extractable protein decreased gradually during storage of whole potatoes of the cultivars Bintje

  5. Leucocyte esterase in the rapid diagnosis of paediatric septic arthritis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kelly, E G

    2013-02-01

    Septic arthritis may affect any age group but is more common in the paediatric population. Infection is generally bacterial in nature. Prompt diagnosis is crucial, as delayed treatment is associated with lifelong joint dysfunction. A clinical history and application of Kocher\\'s criteria may indicate that there is a septic arthritis. However, definitive diagnosis is made on culture of septic synovial fluid. The culture process can take over 24h for the initial culture to yield bacterial colonies. Leucocyte esterase is released by leucocytes at the site of an infection. We hypothesise that leucocyte esterase can be utilized in the rapid diagnosis of septic arthritis and shorten the time to decisive treatment whilst simultaneously decreasing unnecessary treatment of non-septic joints.

  6. Radiation enteropathy and leucocyte-endothelial cell reactions in a refined small bowel model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osman Nadia

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Leucocyte recruitment and inflammation are key features of high dose radiation-induced tissue injury. The inflammatory response in the gut may be more pronounced following radiotherapy due to its high bacterial load in comparison to the response in other organs. We designed a model to enable us to study the effects of radiation on leucocyte-endothelium interactions and on intestinal microflora in the murine ileum. This model enables us to study specifically the local effects of radiation therapy. Method A midline laparotomy was performed in male C57/Bl6 mice and a five-centimetre segment of ileum is irradiated using the chamber. Leucocyte responses (rolling and adhesion were then analysed in ileal venules 2 – 48 hours after high dose irradiation, made possible by an inverted approach using intravital fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, intestinal microflora, myeloperoxidase (MPO and cell histology were analysed. Results The highest and most reproducible increase in leucocyte rolling was exhibited 2 hours after high dose irradiation whereas leucocyte adhesion was greatest after 16 hours. Radiation reduced the intestinal microflora count compared to sham animals with a significant decrease in the aerobic count after 2 hours of radiation. Further, the total aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus decreased significantly after 16 hours. In the radiation groups, the bacterial count showed a progressive increase from 2 to 24 hours after radiation. Conclusion This study presents a refinement of a previous method of examining mechanisms of radiation enteropathy, and a new approach at investigating radiation induced leucocyte responses in the ileal microcirculation. Radiation induced maximum leucocyte rolling at 2 hours and adhesion peaked at 16 hours. It also reduces the microflora count, which then starts to increase steadily afterwards. This model may be instrumental in developing strategies against pathological

  7. Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangyun; Wu, Jingjing; Chen, Yitian; Ye, Dongxia; Lei, Hu; Xu, Hanzhang; Yang, Li; Wu, Yingli; Gu, Wenli

    2016-10-01

    Ubiquitin-specific protease 14, a deubiquitinating enzyme, has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of several cancers, but its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to explore the expression pattern and roles of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 in the occurrence and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Interestingly, Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 was overexpressed in oral cancer tissues and cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels. b-AP15, a specific inhibitor of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14, significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cells and increased cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, knockdown of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 by shRNA significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of cancer cells in vitro. Finally, using a xenograft mouse model of oral squamous cell carcinoma, knockdown of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 markedly inhibited tumor growth and triggered the cancer cell apoptosis in vivo, supporting previous results. In conclusion, for the first time we have demonstrated the expression pattern of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and verified a relationship with tumor growth and metastasis. These results may highlight new therapeutic strategies for tumor treatment, application of Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 selective inhibitor, such as b-AP15, or knockdown by shRNA. Collectively, Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 could be a potential therapeutic target for oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The increase in leucocyte count during menstruation is a function of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Menstruation is an endocrine mediated physiologic cyclical bleeding per vagina in a non-pregnant woman of the reproductive age group. Blood is a good culture medium for bacteria and as such, menstruation can affect leucocytes count. This study is aimed at evaluating leucocytes count during menstruation. Fifty-eight ...

  9. Design, synthesis and crystallographic analysis of nitrile-based broad-spectrum peptidomimetic inhibitors for coronavirus 3C-like proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuck, Chi-Pang; Chen, Chao; Ke, Zhihai; Wan, David Chi-Cheong; Chow, Hak-Fun; Wong, Kam-Bo

    2013-01-01

    Coronaviral infection is associated with up to 5% of respiratory tract diseases. The 3C-like protease (3CL(pro)) of coronaviruses is required for proteolytic processing of polyproteins and viral replication, and is a promising target for the development of drugs against coronaviral infection. We designed and synthesized four nitrile-based peptidomimetic inhibitors with different N-terminal protective groups and different peptide length, and examined their inhibitory effect on the in-vitro enzymatic activity of 3CL(pro) of severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome-coronavirus. The IC(50) values of the inhibitors were in the range of 4.6-49 μM, demonstrating that the nitrile warhead can effectively inactivate the 3CL(pro) autocleavage process. The best inhibitor, Cbz-AVLQ-CN with an N-terminal carbobenzyloxy group, was ~10x more potent than the other inhibitors tested. Crystal structures of the enzyme-inhibitor complexes showed that the nitrile warhead inhibits 3CL(pro) by forming a covalent bond with the catalytic Cys145 residue, while the AVLQ peptide forms a number of favourable interactions with the S1-S4 substrate-binding pockets. We have further showed that the peptidomimetic inhibitor, Cbz-AVLQ-CN, has broad-spectrum inhibition against 3CL(pro) from human coronavirus strains 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, and infectious bronchitis virus, with IC(50) values ranging from 1.3 to 3.7 μM, but no detectable inhibition against caspase-3. In summary, we have shown that the nitrile-based peptidomimetic inhibitors are effective against 3CL(pro), and they inhibit 3CL(pro) from a broad range of coronaviruses. Our results provide further insights into the future design of drugs that could serve as a first line defence against coronaviral infection. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Prolonged pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin C results in elimination of neutrophil serine proteases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guarino, Carla; Hamon, Yveline; Croix, Cécile

    2017-01-01

    cyclopropyl nitrile CatC inhibitor almost totally lack elastase. We confirmed the elimination of neutrophil elastase-like proteases by prolonged inhibition of CatC in a non-human primate. We also showed that neutrophils lacking elastase-like protease activities were still recruited to inflammatory sites....... These preclinical results demonstrate that the disappearance of neutrophil elastase-like proteases as observed in PLS patients can be achieved by pharmacological inhibition of bone marrow CatC. Such a transitory inhibition of CatC might thus help to rebalance the protease load during chronic inflammatory diseases...

  11. Effects of Pregnancy and Bacterial Vaginosis on Proinflammatory Cytokine and Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor Concentrations in Vaginal Secretions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Balkus

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available We compared vaginal proinflammatory cytokine and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI concentrations among pregnant and nonpregnant women according to bacterial vaginosis (BV status. One-hundred and twenty-two women at 12–20 weeks' gestation and 133 nonpregnant controls had vaginal concentrations of interleukin (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and SLPI measured by enzyme immunoassay. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate factors independently associated with vaginal cytokine and SLPI response. Pregnancy and BV were both independently associated with increased vaginal concentrations of IL-1β and IL-8; pregnant women had increased concentrations of SLPI, while women with BV had decreased SLPI concentrations.

  12. The prevalence of the pre-existing hepatitis C viral variants and the evolution of drug resistance in patients treated with the NS3-4a serine protease inhibitor telaprevir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rong, Libin [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Ribeiro, Ruy M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Perelson, Alan S [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2008-01-01

    Telaprevir (VX-950), a novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-4A serine protease inhibitor, has demonstrated substantial antiviral activity in patients infected with HCV genotype 1. Some patients experience viral breakthrough, which has been shown to be associated with emergence of telaprevir-resistant HCV variants during treatment. The exact mechanisms underlying the rapid selection of drug resistant viral variants during dosing are not fully understood. In this paper, we develop a two-strain model to study the pre-treatment prevalence of the mutant virus and derive an analytical solution of the mutant frequency after administration of the protease inhibitor. Our analysis suggests that the rapid increase of the mutant frequency during therapy is not due to mutant growth but rather due to the rapid and profound loss of wild-type virus, which uncovers the pre-existing mutant variants. We examine the effects of backward mutation and hepatocyte proliferation on the pre-existence of the mutant virus and the competition between wild-type and drug resistant virus during therapy. We then extend the simple model to a general model with multiple viral strains. Mutations during therapy do not play a significant role in the dynamics of various viral strains, although they are capable of generating low levels of HCV variants that would otherwise be completely suppressed because of fitness disadvantages. Hepatocyte proliferation may not affect the pretreatment frequency of mutant variants, but is able to influence the quasispecies dynamics during therapy. It is the relative fitness of each mutant strain compared with wild-type that determines which strain(s) will dominate the virus population. The study provides a theoretical framework for exploring the prevalence of pre-existing mutant variants and the evolution of drug resistance during treatment with other protease inhibitors or HCV polymerase inhibitors.

  13. Fragment Linking and Optimization of Inhibitors of the Aspartic Protease Endothiapepsin: Fragment-Based Drug Design Facilitated by Dynamic Combinatorial Chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mondal, Milon; Radeva, Nedyalka; Fanlo-Virgós, Hugo; Otto, Sijbren; Klebe, Gerhard; Hirsch, Anna K H

    2016-08-01

    Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) affords active compounds for biological targets. While there are numerous reports on FBDD by fragment growing/optimization, fragment linking has rarely been reported. Dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) has become a powerful hit-identification strategy for biological targets. We report the synergistic combination of fragment linking and DCC to identify inhibitors of the aspartic protease endothiapepsin. Based on X-ray crystal structures of endothiapepsin in complex with fragments, we designed a library of bis-acylhydrazones and used DCC to identify potent inhibitors. The most potent inhibitor exhibits an IC50 value of 54 nm, which represents a 240-fold improvement in potency compared to the parent hits. Subsequent X-ray crystallography validated the predicted binding mode, thus demonstrating the efficiency of the combination of fragment linking and DCC as a hit-identification strategy. This approach could be applied to a range of biological targets, and holds the potential to facilitate hit-to-lead optimization. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

  14. The Degradome database: mammalian proteases and diseases of proteolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quesada, Víctor; Ordóñez, Gonzalo R; Sánchez, Luis M; Puente, Xose S; López-Otín, Carlos

    2009-01-01

    The degradome is defined as the complete set of proteases present in an organism. The recent availability of whole genomic sequences from multiple organisms has led us to predict the contents of the degradomes of several mammalian species. To ensure the fidelity of these predictions, our methods have included manual curation of individual sequences and, when necessary, direct cloning and sequencing experiments. The results of these studies in human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat have been incorporated into the Degradome database, which can be accessed through a web interface at http://degradome.uniovi.es. The annotations about each individual protease can be retrieved by browsing catalytic classes and families or by searching specific terms. This web site also provides detailed information about genetic diseases of proteolysis, a growing field of great importance for multiple users. Finally, the user can find additional information about protease structures, protease inhibitors, ancillary domains of proteases and differences between mammalian degradomes.

  15. Leucocyte count in young adults with first-ever ischaemic stroke: associated factors and association on prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heikinheimo, Terttu; Putaala, Jukka; Haapaniemi, Elena; Kaste, Markku; Tatlisumak, Turgut

    2015-02-01

    Limited data exist on the associated factors and correlation of leucocyte count to outcome in young adults with first-ever ischaemic stroke. Our objectives were to investigate factors associated with elevated leucocyte count and whether there is correlation between leucocyte count and short- and long-term outcomes. Of our database of 1008 consecutive patients aged 15 to 49, we included those with leucocyte count measured within the first two days from stroke onset. Outcomes were three-month and long-term disability, death, and vascular events. Linear regression was used to explore baseline variables associated with leucocyte count. Logistic regression and Cox proportional models studied the association between leucocyte count and clinical outcomes. In our study cohort of 781 patients (61.7% males; mean age 41.4 years), mean leucocyte count was high: 8.8 ± 3.1 × 10(9) cells/L (Reference range: 3.4-8.2 × 10(9) cells/L). Higher leucocyte levels were associated with dyslipidaemia, smoking, peripheral arterial disease, stroke severity, and lesion size. After adjustment for age, gender, relevant risk factors, both continuous leucocyte count and the highest quartile of leucocyte count were independently associated with unfavourable three-month outcome. Regarding events in the long-term (follow-up 8.1 ± 4.2 years in survivors), no association between leucocyte count and the event risks appeared. Among young stroke patients, high leucocyte count was a common finding. It was associated with vascular disease and its risk factors as well as severity of stroke, but it was also independently associated with unfavourable three-month outcome in these patients. There was no association with the long-term outcome. [Correction added on 31 October 2013 after first online publication: In the Results section of the Abstract, the cohort of 797 patients in this study was corrected to 781 patients.]. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2013 World Stroke Organization.

  16. Bicyclic peptide inhibitor of urokinase-type plasminogen activator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roodbeen, Renée; Jensen, Berit Paaske; Jiang, Longguang

    2013-01-01

    The development of protease inhibitors for pharmacological intervention has taken a new turn with the use of peptide-based inhibitors. Here, we report the rational design of bicyclic peptide inhibitors of the serine protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), based on the established...... investigated the solution structures of the bicyclic peptide by NMR spectroscopy to map possible conformations. An X-ray structure of the bicyclic-peptide-uPA complex confirmed an interaction similar to that for the previous upain-1/upain-2-uPA complexes. These physical studies of the peptide...

  17. Isolation and molecular characterization of cathepsin L-like cysteine protease cDNAs from Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuipers, A.G.J.; Jongsma, M.A.

    2004-01-01

    Cysteine proteases are predominant in thrips guts (TGs) and, therefore, a suitable target for selecting effective protease inhibitors against western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). We report the isolation of four full-length cysteine protease cDNA clones from thrips in a two-step PCR

  18. Identification and characterization of fusolisin, the Fusobacterium nucleatum autotransporter serine protease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lior Doron

    Full Text Available Fusobacterium nucleatum is an oral anaerobe associated with periodontal disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes and colorectal carcinoma. A serine endopeptidase of 61-65 kDa capable of damaging host tissue and of inactivating immune effectors was detected previously in F. nucleatum. Here we describe the identification of this serine protease, named fusolisin, in three oral F. nucleatum sub-species. Gel zymogram revealed fusobacterial proteolytic activity with molecular masses ranging from 55-101 kDa. All of the detected proteases were inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor PMSF. analysis revealed that all of the detected proteases are encoded by genes encoding an open reading frame (ORF with a calculated mass of approximately 115 kDa. Bioinformatics analysis of the identified ORFs demonstrated that they consist of three domains characteristic of autotransporters of the type Va secretion system. Our results suggest that the F. nucleatum fusolisins are derived from a precursor of approximately 115 kDa. After crossing the cytoplasmic membrane and cleavage of the leader sequence, the C-terminal autotransporter domain of the remaining 96-113 kDa protein is embedded in the outer membrane and delivers the N-terminal S8 serine protease passenger domain to the outer cell surface. In most strains the N-terminal catalytic 55-65 kDa domain self cleaves and liberates itself from the autotransporter domain after its transfer across the outer cell membrane. In F. nucleatum ATCC 25586 this autocatalytic activity is less efficient resulting in a full length membrane-anchored serine protease. The mature serine protease was found to cleave after Thr, Gly, Ala and Leu residues at the P1 position. Growth of F. nucleatum in complex medium was inhibited when serine protease inhibitors were used. Additional experiments are needed to determine whether fusolisin might be used as a target for controlling fusobacterial infections.

  19. Identification and isoforms specificity of barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain proteinaceous inhibitors of commercial feed protease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dionisio, Giuseppe; Brinch-Pedersen, Henrik

    2016-01-01

    Protease is commonly used as feed additive. Ronozyme® ProAct, a subtilisin-like serine feed protease is different from the already characterized Bacillus subtilisin-like serine protease. When used in wheat and barley based feed, its degree of efficiency differs according to the cultivar in analys...

  20. Density functional theory and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study of cysteine protease inhibition by nitrile-based inhibitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sam P De Visser

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Cysteine protease enzymes are important for human physiology and catalyze key protein degradation pathways. These enzymes react via a nucleophilic reaction mechanism that involves a cysteine residue and the proton of a proximal histidine. Particularly efficient inhibitors of these enzymes are nitrile-based, however, the details of the catalytic reaction mechanism currently are poorly understood. To gain further insight into the inhibition of these molecules, we have performed a combined density functional theory and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study on the reaction of a nitrile-based inhibitor with the enzyme active site amino acids. We show here that small perturbations to the inhibitor structure can have dramatic effects on the catalysis and inhibition processes. Thus, we investigated a range of inhibitor templates and show that specific structural changes reduce the inhibitory efficiency by several orders of magnitude. Moreover, as the reaction takes place on a polar surface, we find strong differences between the DFT and QM/MM calculated energetics. In particular, the DFT model led to dramatic distortions from the starting structure and the convergence to a structure that would not fit the enzyme active site. In the subsequent QM/MM study we investigated the use of mechanical versus electronic embedding on the kinetics, thermodynamics and geometries along the reaction mechanism. We find minor effects on the kinetics of the reaction but large geometric and thermodynamics differences as a result of inclusion of electronic embedding corrections. The work here highlights the importance of model choice in the investigation of this biochemical reaction mechanism.

  1. Expression, characterization, and cellular localization of knowpains, papain-like cysteine proteases of the Plasmodium knowlesi malaria parasite.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Prasad

    Full Text Available Papain-like cysteine proteases of malaria parasites degrade haemoglobin in an acidic food vacuole to provide amino acids for intraerythrocytic parasites. These proteases are potential drug targets because their inhibitors block parasite development, and efforts are underway to develop chemotherapeutic inhibitors of these proteases as the treatments for malaria. Plasmodium knowlesi has recently been shown to be an important human pathogen in parts of Asia. We report expression and characterization of three P. knowlesi papain-like proteases, termed knowpains (KP2-4. Recombinant knowpains were produced using a bacterial expression system, and tested for various biochemical properties. Antibodies against recombinant knowpains were generated and used to determine their cellular localization in parasites. Inhibitory effects of the cysteine protease inhibitor E64 were assessed on P. knowlesi culture to validate drug target potential of knowpains. All three knowpains were present in the food vacuole, active in acidic pH, and capable of degrading haemoglobin at the food vacuolar pH (≈5.5, suggesting roles in haemoglobin degradation. The proteases showed absolute (KP2 and KP3 to moderate (KP4 preference for peptide substrates containing leucine at the P2 position; KP4 preferred arginine at the P2 position. While the three knowpains appear to have redundant roles in haemoglobin degradation, KP4 may also have a role in degradation of erythrocyte cytoskeleton during merozoite egress, as it displayed broad substrate specificity and was primarily localized at the parasite periphery. Importantly, E64 blocked erythrocytic development of P. knowlesi, with enlargement of food vacuoles, indicating inhibition of haemoglobin hydrolysis and supporting the potential for inhibition of knowpains as a strategy for the treatment of malaria. Functional expression and characterization of knowpains should enable simultaneous screening of available cysteine protease

  2. Cross-talk between malarial cysteine proteases and falstatin: the BC loop as a hot-spot target.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srinivasan Sundararaj

    Full Text Available Cysteine proteases play a crucial role in the development of the human malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Our earlier studies demonstrated that these enzymes are equipped with specific domains for defined functions and further suggested the mechanism of activation of cysteine proteases. The activities of these proteases are regulated by a new class of endogenous inhibitors of cysteine proteases (ICPs. Structural studies of the ICPs of Trypanosoma cruzi (chagasin and Plasmodium berghei (PbICP indicated that three loops (termed BC, DE, and FG are crucial for binding to target proteases. Falstatin, an ICP of P. falciparum, appears to play a crucial role in invasion of erythrocytes and hepatocytes. However, the mechanism of inhibition of cysteine proteases by falstatin has not been established. Our study suggests that falstatin is the first known ICP to function as a multimeric protein. Using site-directed mutagenesis, hemoglobin hydrolysis assays and peptide inhibition studies, we demonstrate that the BC loop, but not the DE or FG loops, inhibits cysteine proteases of P. falciparum and P. vivax via hydrogen bonds. These results suggest that the BC loop of falstatin acts as a hot-spot target for inhibiting malarial cysteine proteases. This finding suggests new strategies for the development of anti-malarial agents based on protease-inhibitor interactions.

  3. Noninvasive High-Throughput Single-Cell Analysis of HIV Protease Activity Using Ratiometric Flow Cytometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rok Gaber

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available To effectively fight against the human immunodeficiency virus infection/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS epidemic, ongoing development of novel HIV protease inhibitors is required. Inexpensive high-throughput screening assays are needed to quickly scan large sets of chemicals for potential inhibitors. We have developed a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET-based, HIV protease-sensitive sensor using a combination of a fluorescent protein pair, namely mCerulean and mCitrine. Through extensive in vitro characterization, we show that the FRET-HIV sensor can be used in HIV protease screening assays. Furthermore, we have used the FRET-HIV sensor for intracellular quantitative detection of HIV protease activity in living cells, which more closely resembles an actual viral infection than an in vitro assay. We have developed a high-throughput method that employs a ratiometric flow cytometry for analyzing large populations of cells that express the FRET-HIV sensor. The method enables FRET measurement of single cells with high sensitivity and speed and should be used when subpopulation-specific intracellular activity of HIV protease needs to be estimated. In addition, we have used a confocal microscopy sensitized emission FRET technique to evaluate the usefulness of the FRET-HIV sensor for spatiotemporal detection of intracellular HIV protease activity.

  4. Noninvasive High-Throughput Single-Cell Analysis of HIV Protease Activity Using Ratiometric Flow Cytometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaber, Rok; Majerle, Andreja; Jerala, Roman; Benčina, Mojca

    2013-01-01

    To effectively fight against the human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic, ongoing development of novel HIV protease inhibitors is required. Inexpensive high-throughput screening assays are needed to quickly scan large sets of chemicals for potential inhibitors. We have developed a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based, HIV protease-sensitive sensor using a combination of a fluorescent protein pair, namely mCerulean and mCitrine. Through extensive in vitro characterization, we show that the FRET-HIV sensor can be used in HIV protease screening assays. Furthermore, we have used the FRET-HIV sensor for intracellular quantitative detection of HIV protease activity in living cells, which more closely resembles an actual viral infection than an in vitro assay. We have developed a high-throughput method that employs a ratiometric flow cytometry for analyzing large populations of cells that express the FRET-HIV sensor. The method enables FRET measurement of single cells with high sensitivity and speed and should be used when subpopulation-specific intracellular activity of HIV protease needs to be estimated. In addition, we have used a confocal microscopy sensitized emission FRET technique to evaluate the usefulness of the FRET-HIV sensor for spatiotemporal detection of intracellular HIV protease activity. PMID:24287545

  5. House dust mite major allergens Der p 1 and Der p 5 activate human airway-derived epithelial cells by protease-dependent and protease-independent mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timmerman J André B

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract House dust mite allergens (HDM cause bronchoconstriction in asthma patients and induce an inflammatory response in the lungs due to the release of cytokines, chemokines and additional mediators. The mechanism how HDM components achieve this is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to assess whether HDM components of Dermatophagoides pteronissinus with protease activity (Der p 1 and unknown enzymatic activity (Der p 2, Der p 5 induce biological responses in a human airway-derived epithelial cell line (A549, and if so, to elucidate the underlying mechanism(s of action. A549 cells were incubated with HDM extract, Der p 1, recombinant Der p 2 and recombinant Der p 5. Cell desquamation was assessed by microscopy. The proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, were measured by ELISA. Intracellular Ca2+ levels were assessed in A549 cells and in mouse fibroblasts expressing the human protease activated receptor (PAR1, PAR2 or PAR4. HDM extract, Der p 1 and Der p 5 dose-dependently increased the production of IL-6 and IL-8. Added simultaneously, Der p 1 and Der p 5 further increased the production of IL-6 and IL-8. The action of Der p 1 was blocked by cysteine-protease inhibitors, while that of Der p 5 couldn't be blocked by either serine- or cysteine protease inhibitors. Der p 5 only induced cell shrinking, whereas HDM extract and Der p1 also induced cell desquamation. Der p 2 had no effect on A549 cells. Der p 1's protease activity causes desquamation and induced the release of IL6 and IL-8 by a mechanism independent of Ca2+ mobilisation and PAR activation. Der p 5 exerts a protease-independent activation of A549 that involves Ca2+ mobilisation and also leads to the production of these cytokines. Together, our data indicate that allergens present in HDM extracts can trigger protease-dependent and protease-independent signalling pathways in A549 cells.

  6. Novel tetra-peptide insertion in Gag-p6 ALIX-binding motif in HIV-1 subtype C associated with protease inhibitor failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neogi, Ujjwal; RAO, Shwetha D; BONTELL, Irene; VERHEYEN, Jens; RAO, Vasudev R; GORE, Sagar C; SONI, Neelesh; SHET, Anita; SCHÜLTER, Eugen; EKSTRAND, Maria L.; WONDWOSSEN, Amogne; KAISER, Rolf; MADHUSUDHAN, Mallur S.; PRASAD, Vinayaka R; SONNERBORG, Anders

    2014-01-01

    A novel tetra-peptide insertion was identified in Gag-p6 ALIX-binding region which is appears in protease inhibitor (PI) failure Indian HIV-1C sequences (Odds Ratio 17.1, p<0.001) but naturally present in half of untreated Ethiopian sequences. The insertion will probably restore the ALIX mediated virus release pathway, which is lacking in HIV-1C. The clinical importance of such insertion need to be evaluated in HIV-1C dominating regions were PI-drugs are being scaled up as second line treatment options. PMID:25102091

  7. Characterization of Fibrinolytic Proteases from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus Venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suk Ho Choi

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : This study was undertaken to identify fibrinolytic proteases from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom and to characterize a major fibrinolytic protease purified from the venom. Methods: The venom was subjected to chromatography using columns of Q-Sepharose and Sephadex G-75. The molecular weights of fibrinolytic proteases showing fibrinolytic zone in fibrin plate assay were determined in SDS-PAGE (Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis The effects of inhibitors and metal ions on fibrinolytic protease and the proteolysis patterns of fibrinogen, gelatin, and bovine serum albumin were investigated. Results : 1 The fibrinolytic fractions of the three peaks isolated from Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained two polypeptides of 46 and 59 kDa and three polypeptides of 32, 18, and 15 kDa and a major polypeptide of 54 kDa, respectively. 2 The fibrinolytic activity of the purified protease of 54 kDA was inhibited by metal chelators, such as EDTA, EGTA, and 1,10-phenanthroline, and disulfhydryl-reducing compounds, such as dithiothreitol and cysteine. 3 Calcium chloride promoted the fibrinolytic activity of the protease, but mercuric chloride and cobalt(II chloride inhibited it. 4 The fibrinolytic protease cleaved preferentially A-chain and slowly B-chain of fibrinogen. It also hydrolyzed gelatin but not bovine serum albumin. Conclusions: The Gloydius blomhoffii siniticus venom contained more than three fibrinolytic proteases. The major fibrinolytic protease was a metalloprotease which hydrolyzed both fibrinogen and gelatin, but not bovine serum albumin.

  8. Diagnosis of pyogenic pelvic inflammatory diseases by {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rachinsky, I.; Boguslavsky, L.; Golan, H.; Lantsberg, S. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev (Israel); Goldstein, D.; Pak, I.; Katz, M. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel)

    2000-12-01

    Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the major health problems of women of child-bearing age. Among the most serious complications of PID is the formation of a tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). Early diagnosis of this condition may prevent serious surgical complications such as peritonitis and sepsis, which may be fatal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) leucocyte scintigraphy in the diagnosis of TOA. Twenty women with high clinical suspicion of TOA underwent {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy. The labelling of leucocytes with {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO was performed according to a standard protocol. Scans were obtained at 1, 3 and 24 h following the injection of the labelled leucocytes. In eight cases the early and/or late scan was positive, in 11 cases it was negative, and in one case of ovarian cyst torsion, confirmed by laparoscopy, it showed slight uptake in the capsule of the cyst (false-positive). The sensitivity of {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy was 100%, specificity 91.6%, positive predictive value 89%, negative predictive value 100% and overall accuracy 95%. It is concluded that leucocyte scintigraphy is a non-invasive, safe, physiological and accurate procedure for the diagnosis of TOA. The 24-h scan is crucial, since in some cases the abscess was not clearly visualized on the early scan. Leucocyte scintigraphy may reduce the need for CT, diagnostic laparoscopy and unnecessary invasive surgical procedures. (orig.)

  9. Suppressive Effects of the Site 1 Protease (S1P) Inhibitor, PF-429242, on Dengue Virus Propagation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, Leo; Urata, Shuzo; Ulanday, Gianne Eduard L; Takamatsu, Yuki; Yasuda, Jiro; Morita, Kouichi; Hayasaka, Daisuke

    2016-02-10

    Dengue virus (DENV) infection causes one of the most widespread mosquito-borne diseases in the world. Despite the great need, effective vaccines and practical antiviral therapies are still under development. Intracellular lipid levels are regulated by sterol regulatory elements-binding proteins (SREBPs), which are activated by serine protease, site 1 protease (S1P). Small compound PF-429242 is known as a S1P inhibitor and the antivirus effects have been reported in some viruses. In this study, we examined the anti-DENV effects of PF-429242 using all four serotypes of DENV by several primate-derived cell lines. Moreover, emergence of drug-resistant DENV mutants was assessed by sequential passages with the drug. DENV dependency on intracellular lipids during their infection was also evaluated by adding extracellular lipids. The addition of PF-429242 showed suppression of viral propagation in all DENV serotypes. We showed that drug-resistant DENV mutants are unlikely to emerge after five times sequential passages through treatment with PF-429242. Although the levels of intracellular cholesterol and lipid droplets were reduced by PF-429242, viral propagations were not recovered by addition of exogenous cholesterol or fatty acids, indicating that the reduction of LD and cholesterol caused by PF-429242 treatment is not related to its mechanism of action against DENV propagation. Our results suggest that PF-429242 is a promising candidate for an anti-DENV agent.

  10. Measurement of specific [3H]-ouabain binding to different types of human leucocytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boon, Arnold; Oh, V M; Taylor, John E.

    1984-01-01

    We have studied the specific binding of [3H]-ouabain to intact mononuclear leucocytes (82% lymphocytes) and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. In both types of cells [3H]-ouabain binding was saturable, confined to a single site of high affinity, slow to reach equilibrium, slow to reverse, temperature...... were expressed per square micron of cell surface area the difference between the two cell types was proportionately greater (83 and 186 sites per micron 2 respectively). We conclude that the [3H]-ouabain binding sites on mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leucocytes are similar in nature, but different...

  11. The Wonders of Phosphodiesterase‑5 Inhibitors: A Majestic History

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A milestone in drug discovery was the selective inhibitors of. PDE‑5 that ... the pharmacotherapeutics of PDE‑5 inhibitors and the majestic history that led to their discovery. ..... including HIV protease inhibitors, ketoconazole, itraconazole,.

  12. Purification and characterization of a novel trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsi, Tooba Naz; Parveen, Romana; Sen, Priyankar; Fatima, Sadaf

    2017-05-28

    The present study describes the purification and physicochemical and biochemical characterization of trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum). The crude extract of chickpea trypsin (CpT) was obtained by homogenization followed by differential ammonium sulfate precipitation. The CpT was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) column, pre-equilibrated with 20 mM tris-CaCl 2 buffer (pH 8.2) with a flow rate of 0.5 mL min -1 . The molecular weight and purity of ∼23 kDa of CpT were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Activity of protease was determined using Nα-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide as chromogenic substrate and CpT purified showed a specific inhibitor activity of 26978.7697 U mg -1 , fold purity of 9.8, and the yield of 70.2%. The characterization was performed for thermal stability, pH profile, and effect of various inhibitors on enzymatic activity. The protein isolated showed stability in the neutral to mild alkaline pH range and thermostability up to 50°C. CpT confirmed its serine nature as it was appreciably inhibited by serine protease inhibitors (maximum 6%), whereas metalloprotease inhibitors barely affected the activity of the enzyme (85%). To the best of our knowledge, it is first reported on purification of protease with trypsin-like properties, from this source.

  13. A rapid method for the preparation of 99Tcm hexametazime-labelled leucocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solanki, K.K.; Mather, S.J.; Janabi, M.A.; Britton, K.E.

    1988-01-01

    99 Tc m (±)-hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime (HMPAO) ( 99 Tc m Hexametazime) has been recently reported as an alternative for labelling leucocytes. This technique has been modified to give a simpler routine in-house labelling technique. It has three advantages: only about 20 ml of blood is required, the labelling time is just under 1 h and high yields of labelled leucocytes are obtained (mean of 500 MBq per injection dose). The properties of labelled leucocytes using this modified method are; 80% granulocyte-bound radioactivity, a rapid lung transit and a blood granulocyte recovery of 40% at 30 min similar to those described previously. The viability of the labelled leucocytes was tested and confirmed in vitro using a migration technique and in vivo by showing no lung retention on early imaging and high splenic uptake. A rapid in-process chromatography assessment procedure for regulating the protocol has been developed. Successful abscess imaging by 4 h has been achieved in 21 patients with normal results in another 22 patients without abscesses. This simpler method should encourage a more widespread application of scintigraphy using radiolabelled granulocytes. (author)

  14. Comparison of Effects of Running and Playing Exercises on Differential Leucocyte Count in Young Elite Athletes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cenikli, Abdullah

    2016-01-01

    The aims of the present research are to test the effects of running and playing exercises on leucocyte and differential leucocyte accounts, and to test the possible differences between running and playing exercises in terms of leucocyte accounts. They were thirty two male young soccer players. Participants arrived at the laboratory after a 12-hour…

  15. Proteases and antiproteases in chronic neutrophilic lung disease - relevance to drug discovery.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Greene, Catherine M

    2009-10-01

    Chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis and emphysema are characterized by higher-than-normal levels of pulmonary proteases. While these enzymes play important roles such as bacterial killing, their dysregulated expression or activity can adversely impact on the inflammatory process. The existence of efficient endogenous control mechanisms that can dampen or halt this overexuberant protease activity in vivo is essential for the effective resolution of inflammatory lung disease. The function of pulmonary antiproteases is to fulfil this role. Interestingly, in addition to their antiprotease activity, protease inhibitors in the lung also often possess other intrinsic properties that contribute to microbial killing or termination of the inflammatory process. This review will outline important features of chronic inflammation that are regulated by pulmonary proteases and will describe the various mechanisms by which antiproteases attempt to counterbalance exaggerated protease-mediated inflammatory events. These proteases, antiproteases and their modifiers represent interesting targets for therapeutic intervention.

  16. Acute toxicity of second generation HIV protease-inhibitors in combination with radiotherapy: a retrospective case series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    See, Alfred P; Zeng, Jing; Tran, Phuoc T; Lim, Michael

    2011-01-01

    There is little data on the safety of combining radiation therapy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors to treat cancers in HIV-positive patients. We describe acute toxicities observed in a series of HIV-positive patients receiving modern radiation treatments, and compare patients receiving HIV protease inhibitors (PI) with patients not receiving HIV PIs. By reviewing the clinical records beginning January 1, 2009 from the radiation oncology department, we identified 29 HIV-positive patients who received radiation therapy to 34 body sites. Baseline information, treatment regimen, and toxicities were documented by review of medical records: patient age, histology and source of the primary tumor, HIV medication regimen, pre-radiation CD4 count, systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy dose and fractionation, irradiated body region, toxicities, and duration of follow-up. Patients were grouped according to whether they received concurrent HIV PIs and compared using Pearson's chi-square test. At baseline, the patients in the two groups were similar with the exception of HIV medication regimens, CD4 count and presence of AIDS-defining malignancy. Patients taking concurrent PIs were more likely to be taking other HIV medications (p = 0.001) and have CD4 count >500 (p = 0.006). Patients taking PIs were borderline less likely to have an AIDS-defining malignancy (p = 0.06). After radiation treatment, 100 acute toxicities were observed and were equally common in both groups (64 [median 3 per patient, IQR 1-7] with PIs; 36 [median 3 per patient, IQR 2-3] without PIs). The observed toxicities were also equally severe in the two groups (Grades I, II, III respectively: 30, 30, 4 with PIs; 23, 13, 0 without PIs: p = 0.38). There were two cases that were stopped early, one in each group; these were not attributable to toxicity. In this study of recent radiotherapy in HIV-positive patients taking second generation PIs, no difference in toxicities was

  17. The effect of in vitro procedures on cyclic AMP accumulation in human leucocytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Torben; Friis, U G; Rasmussen, A K

    1994-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various methodological procedures or protocols on cyclic AMP formation in human leucocytes. The data showed that: (1) ATP content and lactate production was unaffected by hypotonic lysis during leucocyte isolation; (2) there was a linear rela...

  18. Differential effect of extracellular calcium on the Na(+)-K+ pump activity in intact polymorphonuclear leucocytes and erythrocytes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, R H; Knudsen, T; Johansen, Torben

    1991-01-01

    The effect of extracellular calcium on the Na(+)-K+ pump activity in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes and erythrocytes was studied and compared with the activity in mixed peritoneal leucocytes from rats. While there was maximal decrease in the pump activity (25-30%) of leucocytes from both rat ...

  19. Prevalence, Mutation Patterns, and Effects on Protease Inhibitor Susceptibility of the L76V Mutation in HIV-1 Protease▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Thomas P.; Parkin, Neil T.; Stawiski, Eric; Pilot-Matias, Tami; Trinh, Roger; Kempf, Dale J.; Norton, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Patterns of HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) and effects on PI susceptibility associated with the L76V mutation were studied in a large database. Of 20,501 sequences with ≥1 PI RAM, 3.2% contained L76V; L76V was alone in 0.04%. Common partner mutations included M46I, I54V, V82A, I84V, and L90M. L76V was associated with a 2- to 6-fold decrease in susceptibility to lopinavir, darunavir, amprenavir, and indinavir and a 7- to 8-fold increase in susceptibility to atazanavir and saquinavir. PMID:20805393

  20. Conserved hydrogen bonds and water molecules in MDR HIV-1 protease substrate complexes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Zhigang [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States); Harbor Hospital Baltimore, MD (United States); Wang, Yong [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); Yedidi, Ravikiran S. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States); Dewdney, Tamaria G. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); Reiter, Samuel J. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); Brunzelle, Joseph S. [Northwestern Univ. Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Kovari, Iulia A. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States); Kovari, Ladislau C. [Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States)

    2012-12-19

    Success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in anti-HIV therapy is severely compromised by the rapidly developing drug resistance. HIV-1 protease inhibitors, part of HAART, are losing their potency and efficacy in inhibiting the target. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) 769 HIV-1 protease (resistant mutations at residues 10, 36, 46, 54, 62, 63, 71, 82, 84, 90) was selected for the present study to understand the binding to its natural substrates. The nine crystal structures of MDR769 HIV-1 protease substrate hepta-peptide complexes were analyzed in order to reveal the conserved structural elements for the purpose of drug design against MDR HIV-1 protease. Our structural studies demonstrated that highly conserved hydrogen bonds between the protease and substrate peptides, together with the conserved crystallographic water molecules, played a crucial role in the substrate recognition, substrate stabilization and protease stabilization. Additionally, the absence of the key flap-ligand bridging water molecule might imply a different catalytic mechanism of MDR769 HIV-1 protease compared to that of wild type (WT) HIV-1 protease.

  1. Variable context Markov chains for HIV protease cleavage site prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oğul, Hasan

    2009-06-01

    Deciphering the knowledge of HIV protease specificity and developing computational tools for detecting its cleavage sites in protein polypeptide chain are very desirable for designing efficient and specific chemical inhibitors to prevent acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In this study, we developed a generative model based on a generalization of variable order Markov chains (VOMC) for peptide sequences and adapted the model for prediction of their cleavability by certain proteases. The new method, called variable context Markov chains (VCMC), attempts to identify the context equivalence based on the evolutionary similarities between individual amino acids. It was applied for HIV-1 protease cleavage site prediction problem and shown to outperform existing methods in terms of prediction accuracy on a common dataset. In general, the method is a promising tool for prediction of cleavage sites of all proteases and encouraged to be used for any kind of peptide classification problem as well.

  2. An efficient method to eliminate the protease activity contaminating commercial bovine pancreatic DNase I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Tien; Lee, Hak Jin; Jin, Hyung Jong

    2015-08-15

    A method was developed to eliminate the proteases contaminating commercial DNase I, which can cause degradation of target protein during the purification process. Bio Basic DNase stock solution (in Tris-HCl buffer [pH 8.0] containing 5mM CaCl2) was first incubated at 50 °C to generate autolysis of proteases and zymogens, leading to a significant reduction in protease activity while preserving DNase activity. The residual protease activity was completely inhibited by further incubation with 2mM PMSF (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride) or 2× S8830 inhibitor cocktail. This approach could be readily applicable to eliminate the protease activity in any DNase products or during the preparation of commercial DNase. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Protective effects of an aptamer inhibitor of neutrophil elastase in lung inflammatory injury

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bless, N M; Smith, D; Charlton, J

    1997-01-01

    Neutrophils play an important part in the development of acute inflammatory injury. Human neutrophils contain high levels of the serine protease elastase, which is stored in azurophilic granules and is secreted in response to inflammatory stimuli. Elastase is capable of degrading many components...... of extracellular matrix [1-4] and has cytotoxic effects on endothelial cells [5-7] and airway epithelial cells. Three types of endogenous protease inhibitors control the activity of neutrophil elastase, including alpha-1 protease inhibitor (alpha-1PI), alpha-2 macroglobulin and secreted leukoproteinase inhibitor...... (SLPI) [8-10]. A disturbed balance between neutrophil elastase and these inhibitors has been found in various acute clinical conditions (such as adult respiratory syndrome and ischemia-reperfusion injury) and in chronic diseases. We investigated the effect of NX21909, a selected oligonucleotide (aptamer...

  4. Synthesis and extended activity of triazole-containing macrocyclic protease inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pehere, A.D.; Pietsch, M.; Gütschow, M.

    2013-01-01

    of their activity against a panel of proteases. Acyclic azidoalkyne-based aldehydes are also evaluated for comparison. The macrocyclic peptidomimetics showed considerable activity towards calpain II, cathepsin L and S, and the 20S proteasome chymotrypsin-like activity. Some of the first examples of highly potent...

  5. High-resolution structure of a retroviral protease folded as a monomer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilski, Miroslaw; Kazmierczyk, Maciej; Krzywda, Szymon; Zábranská, Helena; Cooper, Seth; Popović, Zoran; Khatib, Firas; DiMaio, Frank; Thompson, James; Baker, David; Pichová, Iva; Jaskolski, Mariusz

    2011-01-01

    The crystal structure of Mason–Pfizer monkey virus protease folded as a monomer has been solved by molecular replacement using a model generated by players of the online game Foldit. The structure shows at high resolution the details of a retroviral protease folded as a monomer which can guide rational design of protease dimerization inhibitors as retroviral drugs. Mason–Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV), a D-type retrovirus assembling in the cytoplasm, causes simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SAIDS) in rhesus monkeys. Its pepsin-like aspartic protease (retropepsin) is an integral part of the expressed retroviral polyproteins. As in all retroviral life cycles, release and dimerization of the protease (PR) is strictly required for polyprotein processing and virion maturation. Biophysical and NMR studies have indicated that in the absence of substrates or inhibitors M-PMV PR should fold into a stable monomer, but the crystal structure of this protein could not be solved by molecular replacement despite countless attempts. Ultimately, a solution was obtained in mr-rosetta using a model constructed by players of the online protein-folding game Foldit. The structure indeed shows a monomeric protein, with the N- and C-termini completely disordered. On the other hand, the flap loop, which normally gates access to the active site of homodimeric retropepsins, is clearly traceable in the electron density. The flap has an unusual curled shape and a different orientation from both the open and closed states known from dimeric retropepsins. The overall fold of the protein follows the retropepsin canon, but the C α deviations are large and the active-site ‘DTG’ loop (here NTG) deviates up to 2.7 Å from the standard conformation. This structure of a monomeric retropepsin determined at high resolution (1.6 Å) provides important extra information for the design of dimerization inhibitors that might be developed as drugs for the treatment of retroviral infections

  6. Suppressive Effects of the Site 1 Protease (S1P Inhibitor, PF-429242, on Dengue Virus Propagation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leo Uchida

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV infection causes one of the most widespread mosquito-borne diseases in the world. Despite the great need, effective vaccines and practical antiviral therapies are still under development. Intracellular lipid levels are regulated by sterol regulatory elements-binding proteins (SREBPs, which are activated by serine protease, site 1 protease (S1P. Small compound PF-429242 is known as a S1P inhibitor and the antivirus effects have been reported in some viruses. In this study, we examined the anti-DENV effects of PF-429242 using all four serotypes of DENV by several primate-derived cell lines. Moreover, emergence of drug-resistant DENV mutants was assessed by sequential passages with the drug. DENV dependency on intracellular lipids during their infection was also evaluated by adding extracellular lipids. The addition of PF-429242 showed suppression of viral propagation in all DENV serotypes. We showed that drug-resistant DENV mutants are unlikely to emerge after five times sequential passages through treatment with PF-429242. Although the levels of intracellular cholesterol and lipid droplets were reduced by PF-429242, viral propagations were not recovered by addition of exogenous cholesterol or fatty acids, indicating that the reduction of LD and cholesterol caused by PF-429242 treatment is not related to its mechanism of action against DENV propagation. Our results suggest that PF-429242 is a promising candidate for an anti-DENV agent.

  7. Clinical validation and applicability of different tipranavir/ritonavir genotypic scores in HIV-1 protease inhibitor-experienced patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saracino, Annalisa; Monno, Laura; Tartaglia, Alessandra; Tinelli, Carmine; Seminari, Elena; Maggiolo, Franco; Bonora, Stefano; Rusconi, Stefano; Micheli, Valeria; Lo Caputo, Sergio; Lazzaroni, Laura; Ferrara, Sergio; Ladisa, Nicoletta; Nasta, Paola; Parruti, Giustino; Bellagamba, Rita; Forbici, Federica; Angarano, Gioacchino

    2009-07-01

    Tipranavir, a non-peptidic protease inhibitor which shows in vitro efficacy against some HIV-1-resistant strains, can be used in salvage therapies for multi-experienced HIV patients due to its peculiar resistance profile including 21 mutations at 16 protease positions according to International AIDS Society (IAS). Other genotypic scores, however, which attribute a different weight to single amino-acid substitutions, have been recently proposed. To validate the clinical utility of four different genotypic scores for selecting tipranavir responders, the baseline resistance pattern of 176 HIV heavily experienced patients was correlated with virological success (HIV-RNA42.5% of patients. With univariate analysis, genotypic scores were all associated with outcome but showed a low accuracy with ROC analysis, with the weighted score (WS) by Scherer et al. demonstrating the best performance with an AUC of 68%. Only 52% of patients classified as susceptible (WSIAS mutations: L33F, I54AMV, Q58E, and non-IAS mutation: N37DES. On the contrary, the use of T20 in T20-naïve patients and the V82AFSI and F53LY non-IAS mutations were associated with virological success. The study suggests that even if the "weighted" scores are able to interpret correctly the antiretroviral resistance profile of multi-experienced patients, it is difficult to individuate a cut-off which can be easily applied to this population for discriminating responders.

  8. Study on the relationship of protease production and luminescence in Vibrio harveyi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakayama, T; Nomura, N; Matsumura, M

    2006-07-01

    To demonstrate that Vibrio harveyi produces various types of toxins and how the production of those toxins is related with luminescence. Luminescence and toxicity of eight V. harveyi were evaluated. We demonstrated that all V. harveyi emitting luminescence were isolated from marine organisms and also showed that they were highly pathogenic when compared with culture collection V. harveyi based on cytotoxic assay test. On the contrary, V. harveyi isolated from shrimp farm showed no luminescence but showed high pathogenicity based on toxicity test. The effect of protease inhibitors on pathogenicity and luminescence was also investigated. We demonstrated that light emission of pathogenic V. harveyi remarkably decreased after addition of protease inhibitor. Furthermore, extracellular proteins from cell-free culture supernatant of luminescent and nonluminescent V. harveyi were compared using SDS-PAGE analysis. Results showed that there were differences in molecular weight and amount of proteins. Vibrio harveyi parasiting marine organisms have both luminescence and pathogenicity. Based on this study, luminescence and protease toxin activity in V. harveyi are related. Moreover, this paper clarified that V. harveyi produces various types of toxins. The current study demonstrated that V. harveyi produces two kinds of toxins, haemolysin and protease toxin. It may be clear roots of V. harveyi toxin.

  9. Extracellular Protease Inhibition Alters the Phenotype of Chondrogenically Differentiating Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) in 3D Collagen Microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Sejin; Li, Yuk Yin; Chan, Barbara Pui

    2016-01-01

    Matrix remodeling of cells is highly regulated by proteases and their inhibitors. Nevertheless, how would the chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) be affected, when the balance of the matrix remodeling is disturbed by inhibiting matrix proteases, is incompletely known. Using a previously developed collagen microencapsulation platform, we investigated whether exposing chondrogenically differentiating MSCs to intracellular and extracellular protease inhibitors will affect the extracellular matrix remodeling and hence the outcomes of chondrogenesis. Results showed that inhibition of matrix proteases particularly the extracellular ones favors the phenotype of fibrocartilage rather than hyaline cartilage in chondrogenically differentiating hMSCs by upregulating type I collagen protein deposition and type II collagen gene expression without significantly altering the hypertrophic markers at gene level. This study suggests the potential of manipulating extracellular proteases to alter the outcomes of hMSC chondrogenesis, contributing to future development of differentiation protocols for fibrocartilage tissues for intervertebral disc and meniscus tissue engineering.

  10. Extracellular Protease Inhibition Alters the Phenotype of Chondrogenically Differentiating Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs in 3D Collagen Microspheres.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sejin Han

    Full Text Available Matrix remodeling of cells is highly regulated by proteases and their inhibitors. Nevertheless, how would the chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs be affected, when the balance of the matrix remodeling is disturbed by inhibiting matrix proteases, is incompletely known. Using a previously developed collagen microencapsulation platform, we investigated whether exposing chondrogenically differentiating MSCs to intracellular and extracellular protease inhibitors will affect the extracellular matrix remodeling and hence the outcomes of chondrogenesis. Results showed that inhibition of matrix proteases particularly the extracellular ones favors the phenotype of fibrocartilage rather than hyaline cartilage in chondrogenically differentiating hMSCs by upregulating type I collagen protein deposition and type II collagen gene expression without significantly altering the hypertrophic markers at gene level. This study suggests the potential of manipulating extracellular proteases to alter the outcomes of hMSC chondrogenesis, contributing to future development of differentiation protocols for fibrocartilage tissues for intervertebral disc and meniscus tissue engineering.

  11. Compatibility in the Ustilago maydis-maize interaction requires inhibition of host cysteine proteases by the fungal effector Pit2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André N Mueller

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize, with large plant tumors being formed as the most prominent disease symptoms. During all steps of infection, U. maydis depends on a biotrophic interaction, which requires an efficient suppression of plant immunity. In a previous study, we identified the secreted effector protein Pit2, which is essential for maintenance of biotrophy and induction of tumors. Deletion mutants for pit2 successfully penetrate host cells but elicit various defense responses, which stops further fungal proliferation. We now show that Pit2 functions as an inhibitor of a set of apoplastic maize cysteine proteases, whose activity is directly linked with salicylic-acid-associated plant defenses. Consequently, protease inhibition by Pit2 is required for U. maydis virulence. Sequence comparisons with Pit2 orthologs from related smut fungi identified a conserved sequence motif. Mutation of this sequence caused loss of Pit2 function. Consequently, expression of the mutated protein in U. maydis could not restore virulence of the pit2 deletion mutant, indicating that the protease inhibition by Pit2 is essential for fungal virulence. Moreover, synthetic peptides of the conserved sequence motif showed full activity as protease inhibitor, which identifies this domain as a new, minimal protease inhibitor domain in plant-pathogenic fungi.

  12. Identification of an archaeal presenilin-like intramembrane protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres-Arancivia, Celia; Ross, Carolyn M; Chavez, Jose; Assur, Zahra; Dolios, Georgia; Mancia, Filippo; Ubarretxena-Belandia, Iban

    2010-09-29

    The GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane protease, presenilin, constitutes the catalytic core of the γ-secretase multi-protein complex responsible for activating critical signaling cascades during development and for the production of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The only other known GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases are the eukaryotic signal peptide peptidases (SPPs). The presence of presenilin-like enzymes outside eukaryots has not been demonstrated. Here we report the existence of presenilin-like GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases in archaea. We have employed in vitro activity assays to show that MCMJR1, a polytopic membrane protein from the archaeon Methanoculleus marisnigri JR1, is an intramembrane protease bearing the signature YD and GXGD catalytic motifs of presenilin-like enzymes. Mass spectrometry analysis showed MCMJR1 could cleave model intramembrane protease substrates at several sites within their transmembrane region. Remarkably, MCMJR1 could also cleave substrates derived from the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) without the need of protein co-factors, as required by presenilin. Two distinct cleavage sites within the transmembrane domain of APP could be identified, one of which coincided with Aβ40, the predominant site processed by γ-secretase. Finally, an established presenilin and SPP transition-state analog inhibitor could inhibit MCMJR1. Our findings suggest that a primitive GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane protease from archaea can recapitulate key biochemical properties of eukaryotic presenilins and SPPs. MCMJR1 promises to be a more tractable, simpler system for in depth structural and mechanistic studies of GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases.

  13. Ensemble-based ADME-Tox profiling and virtual screening for the discovery of new inhibitors of the Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scala, Angela; Rescifina, Antonio; Micale, Nicola; Piperno, Anna; Schirmeister, Tanja; Maes, Louis; Grassi, Giovanni

    2018-02-01

    In an effort to identify novel molecular warheads able to inhibit Leishmania mexicana cysteine protease CPB2.8ΔCTE, fused benzo[b]thiophenes and β,β'-triketones emerged as covalent inhibitors binding the active site cysteine residue. Enzymatic screening showed a moderate-to-excellent activity (12%-90% inhibition of the target enzyme at 20 μm). The most promising compounds were selected for further profiling including in vitro cell-based assays and docking studies. Computational data suggest that benzo[b]thiophenes act immediately as non-covalent inhibitors and then as irreversible covalent inhibitors, whereas a reversible covalent mechanism emerged for the 1,3,3'-triketones with a Y-topology. Based on the predicted physicochemical and ADME-Tox properties, compound 2b has been identified as a new drug-like, non-mutagen, non-carcinogen, and non-neurotoxic lead candidate. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  14. Positive selection pressure introduces secondary mutations at Gag cleavage sites in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 harboring major protease resistance mutations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Banke, S.; Lillemark, M.R.; Gerstoft, J.

    2009-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitors (PIs) specifically target the HIV-1 protease enzyme. Mutations in the enzyme can result in PI resistance (termed PI mutations); however, mutations in the HIV-1 gag region, the substrate for the protease enzyme, might also lead to PI ...

  15. Hemoglobin cleavage site-specificity of the Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases falcipain-2 and falcipain-3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoba Subramanian

    Full Text Available The Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases falcipain-2 and falcipain-3 degrade host hemoglobin to provide free amino acids for parasite protein synthesis. Hemoglobin hydrolysis has been described as an ordered process initiated by aspartic proteases, but cysteine protease inhibitors completely block the process, suggesting that cysteine proteases can also initiate hemoglobin hydrolysis. To characterize the specific roles of falcipains, we used three approaches. First, using random P(1 - P(4 amino acid substrate libraries, falcipain-2 and falcipain-3 demonstrated strong preference for cleavage sites with Leu at the P(2 position. Second, with overlapping peptides spanning alpha and beta globin and proteolysis-dependent (18O labeling, hydrolysis was seen at many cleavage sites. Third, with intact hemoglobin, numerous cleavage products were identified. Our results suggest that hemoglobin hydrolysis by malaria parasites is not a highly ordered process, but rather proceeds with rapid cleavage by falcipains at multiple sites. However, falcipain-2 and falcipain-3 show strong specificity for P(2 Leu in small peptide substrates, in agreement with the specificity in optimized small molecule inhibitors that was identified previously. These results are consistent with a principal role of falcipain-2 and falcipain-3 in the hydrolysis of hemoglobin by P. falciparum and with the possibility of developing small molecule inhibitors with optimized specificity as antimalarial agents.

  16. The Fps/Fes kinase regulates leucocyte recruitment and extravasation during inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, Sean A; Mewburn, Jeffrey D; Truesdell, Peter; Greer, Peter A

    2007-12-01

    Fps/Fes and Fer comprise a distinct subfamily of cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases, and have both been implicated in the regulation of innate immunity. Previous studies showed that Fps/Fes-knockout mice were hypersensitive to systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, and Fer-deficient mice displayed enhanced recruitment of leucocytes in response to localized LPS challenge. We show here for the first time, a role for Fps in the regulation of leucocyte recruitment to areas of inflammation. Using the cremaster muscle intravital microscopy model, we observed increased leucocyte adherence to venules, and increased rates and degrees of transendothelial migration in Fps/Fes-knockout mice relative to wild-type animals subsequent to localized LPS challenge. There was also a decreased vessel wall shear rate in the post-capillary venules of LPS-challenged Fps/Fes-knockout mice, and an increase in neutrophil migration into the peritoneal cavity subsequent to thioglycollate challenge. Using flow cytometry to quantify the expression of surface molecules, we observed prolonged expression of the selectin ligand PSGL-1 on peripheral blood neutrophils from Fps/Fes-knockout mice stimulated ex vivo with LPS. These observations provide important insights into the observed in vivo behaviour of leucocytes in LPS-challenged Fps/Fes-knockout mice and provide evidence that the Fps/Fes kinase plays an important role in the innate immune response.

  17. Autoprocessing of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease miniprecursor fusions in mammalian cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Chaoping

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV protease (PR is a virus-encoded aspartic protease that is essential for viral replication and infectivity. The fully active and mature dimeric protease is released from the Gag-Pol polyprotein as a result of precursor autoprocessing. Results We here describe a simple model system to directly examine HIV protease autoprocessing in transfected mammalian cells. A fusion precursor was engineered encoding GST fused to a well-characterized miniprecursor, consisting of the mature protease along with its upstream transframe region (TFR, and small peptide epitopes to facilitate detection of the precursor substrate and autoprocessing products. In HEK 293T cells, the resulting chimeric precursor undergoes effective autoprocessing, producing mature protease that is rapidly degraded likely via autoproteolysis. The known protease inhibitors Darunavir and Indinavir suppressed both precursor autoprocessing and autoproteolysis in a dose-dependent manner. Protease mutations that inhibit Gag processing as characterized using proviruses also reduced autoprocessing efficiency when they were introduced to the fusion precursor. Interestingly, autoprocessing of the fusion precursor requires neither the full proteolytic activity nor the majority of the N-terminal TFR region. Conclusions We suggest that the fusion precursors provide a useful system to study protease autoprocessing in mammalian cells, and may be further developed for screening of new drugs targeting HIV protease autoprocessing.

  18. Characterization and expression profiling of serine protease inhibitors in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hailan; Lin, Xijian; Zhu, Jiwei; Yu, Xiao-Qiang; Xia, Xiaofeng; Yao, Fengluan; Yang, Guang; You, Minsheng

    2017-02-14

    Serine protease inhibitors (SPIs) have been found in all living organisms and play significant roles in digestion, development and innate immunity. In this study, we present a genome-wide identification and expression profiling of SPI genes in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a major pest of cruciferous crops with global distribution and broad resistance to different types of insecticides. A total of 61 potential SPI genes were identified in the P. xylostella genome, and these SPIs were classified into serpins, canonical inhibitors, and alpha-2-macroglobulins based on their modes of action. Sequence alignments showed that amino acid residues in the hinge region of known inhibitory serpins from other insect species were conserved in most P. xylostella serpins, suggesting that these P. xylostella serpins may be functionally active. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that P. xylostella inhibitory serpins were clustered with known inhibitory serpins from six other insect species. More interestingly, nine serpins were highly similar to the orthologues in Manduca sexta which have been demonstrated to participate in regulating the prophenoloxidase activation cascade, an important innate immune response in insects. Of the 61 P.xylostella SPI genes, 33 were canonical SPIs containing seven types of inhibitor domains, including Kunitz, Kazal, TIL, amfpi, Antistasin, WAP and Pacifastin. Moreover, some SPIs contained additional non-inhibitor domains, including spondin_N, reeler, and other modules, which may be involved in protein-protein interactions. Gene expression profiling showed gene-differential, stage- and sex-specific expression patterns of SPIs, suggesting that SPIs may be involved in multiple physiological processes in P. xylostella. This is the most comprehensive investigation so far on SPI genes in P. xylostella. The characterized features and expression patterns of P. xylostella SPIs indicate that the SPI family genes may be involved in innate immunity

  19. Protease signaling through protease activated receptor 1 mediate nerve activation by mucosal supernatants from irritable bowel syndrome but not from ulcerative colitis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhner, Sabine; Hahne, Hannes; Hartwig, Kerstin; Li, Qin; Vignali, Sheila; Ostertag, Daniela; Meng, Chen; Hörmannsperger, Gabriele; Braak, Breg; Pehl, Christian; Frieling, Thomas; Barbara, Giovanni; De Giorgio, Roberto; Demir, Ihsan Ekin; Ceyhan, Güralp Onur; Zeller, Florian; Boeckxstaens, Guy; Haller, Dirk; Kuster, Bernhard; Schemann, Michael

    2018-01-01

    The causes of gastrointestinal complaints in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remain poorly understood. Altered nerve function has emerged as an important pathogenic factor as IBS mucosal biopsy supernatants consistently activate enteric and sensory neurons. We investigated the neurally active molecular components of such supernatants from patients with IBS and quiescent ulcerative colitis (UC). Effects of supernatants from 7 healthy controls (HC), 20 IBS and 12 UC patients on human and guinea pig submucous neurons were studied with neuroimaging techniques. We identify differentially expressed proteins with proteome analysis. Nerve activation by IBS supernatants was prevented by the protease activated receptor 1 (PAR1) antagonist SCHE79797. UC supernatants also activated enteric neurons through protease dependent mechanisms but without PAR1 involvement. Proteome analysis of the supernatants identified 204 proteins, among them 17 proteases as differentially expressed between IBS, UC and HC. Of those the four proteases elastase 3a, chymotrypsin C, proteasome subunit type beta-2 and an unspecified isoform of complement C3 were significantly more abundant in IBS compared to HC and UC supernatants. Of eight proteases, which were upregulated in IBS, the combination of elastase 3a, cathepsin L and proteasome alpha subunit-4 showed the highest prediction accuracy of 98% to discriminate between IBS and HC groups. Elastase synergistically potentiated the effects of histamine and serotonin-the two other main neuroactive substances in the IBS supernatants. A serine protease inhibitor isolated from the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum NCC2705 (SERPINBL), known to inhibit elastase-like proteases, prevented nerve activation by IBS supernatants. Proteases in IBS and UC supernatants were responsible for nerve activation. Our data demonstrate that proteases, particularly those signalling through neuronal PAR1, are biomarker candidates for IBS, and protease profiling may be used to

  20. Structural Principles in the Development of Cyclic Peptidic Enzyme Inhibitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Peng; Andreasen, Peter A.; Huang, Mingdong

    2017-01-01

    This review summarizes our studies in the development of small cyclic peptides for specifically modulating enzyme activity. Serine proteases share highly similar active sites but perform diverse physiological and pathological functions. From a phage-display peptide library, we isolated two mono-cyclic peptides, upain-1 (CSWRGLENHRMC) and mupain-1 (CPAYSRYLDC), which inhibit the activity of human and murine urokinase-type plasminogen activators (huPA and muPA) with Ki values in the micromolar or sub-micromolar range, respectively. The following affinity maturations significantly enhanced the potencies of the two peptides, 10-fold and >250-fold for upain-1 and mupain-1, respectively. The most potent muPA inhibitor has a potency (Ki = 2 nM) and specificity comparable to mono-clonal antibodies. Furthermore, we also found an unusual feature of mupain-1 that its inhibitory potency can be enhanced by increasing the flexibility, which challenges the traditional viewpoint that higher rigidity leading to higher affinity. Moreover, by changing a few key residues, we converted mupain-1 from a uPA inhibitor to inhibitors of other serine proteases, including plasma kallikrein (PK) and coagulation factor XIa (fXIa). PK and fXIa inhibitors showed Ki values in the low nanomolar range and high specificity. Our studies demonstrate the versatility of small cyclic peptides to engineer inhibitory potency against serine proteases and to provide a new strategy for generating peptide inhibitors of serine proteases. PMID:29104489

  1. Calcein AM release-based cytotoxic cell assay for fish leucocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwanowicz, Luke R; Densmore, Christine L; Ottinger, Christopher A

    2004-02-01

    A non-specific cytotoxic cell assay for fish is presented that is based on the release of the activated fluorochrome calcein AM from lysed carp epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cells. To establish the suitability of treating EPC cells with calcein AM the uptake and spontaneous release of the calcein AM by the EPC cells was evaluated. Incubation of 5 microM calcein AM in culture medium with 1x10(5)EPC cells well(-1)for a minimum of 3 h provided sufficient labelling. Spontaneous release of fluorescence from the labelled EPC cells during 10 h of post labelling incubation ranged from 30 to 39% of the total observed fluorescence. Cytotoxic activity of trout leucocytes was evaluated at three leucocyte to target cell ratios (10:1, 2:1 and 1:1) following incubation (4, 6, 8, and 10 h) with calcein AM-labelled EPC cells at 15 degrees C. In some instances, the monoclonal antibody specific for the NCC surface receptor NCCRP-1 (MAb5C.6) was included in the cultures. The activity of NCC cells was significantly inhibited in the presence of 0.25 microg well(-1)of MAb5C.6 relative to no antibody (Pleucocyte to target cell ratios. Percent cytotoxic cell activity using calcein AM was similar to values reported for rainbow trout leucocytes using the 51Cr-release assay.

  2. A conformational switch high-throughput screening assay and allosteric inhibition of the flavivirus NS2B-NS3 protease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Brecher

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The flavivirus genome encodes a single polyprotein precursor requiring multiple cleavages by host and viral proteases in order to produce the individual proteins that constitute an infectious virion. Previous studies have revealed that the NS2B cofactor of the viral NS2B-NS3 heterocomplex protease displays a conformational dynamic between active and inactive states. Here, we developed a conformational switch assay based on split luciferase complementation (SLC to monitor the conformational change of NS2B and to characterize candidate allosteric inhibitors. Binding of an active-site inhibitor to the protease resulted in a conformational change of NS2B and led to significant SLC enhancement. Mutagenesis of key residues at an allosteric site abolished this induced conformational change and SLC enhancement. We also performed a virtual screen of NCI library compounds to identify allosteric inhibitors, followed by in vitro biochemical screening of the resultant candidates. Only three of these compounds, NSC135618, 260594, and 146771, significantly inhibited the protease of Dengue virus 2 (DENV2 in vitro, with IC50 values of 1.8 μM, 11.4 μM, and 4.8 μM, respectively. Among the three compounds, only NSC135618 significantly suppressed the SLC enhancement triggered by binding of active-site inhibitor in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that it inhibits the conformational change of NS2B. Results from virus titer reduction assays revealed that NSC135618 is a broad spectrum flavivirus protease inhibitor, and can significantly reduce titers of DENV2, Zika virus (ZIKV, West Nile virus (WNV, and Yellow fever virus (YFV on A549 cells in vivo, with EC50 values in low micromolar range. In contrast, the cytotoxicity of NSC135618 is only moderate with CC50 of 48.8 μM on A549 cells. Moreover, NSC135618 inhibited ZIKV in human placental and neural progenitor cells relevant to ZIKV pathogenesis. Results from binding, kinetics, Western blot, mass spectrometry and

  3. Structural Evidence for Regulation and Specificity of Flaviviral Proteases and Evolution of the Flaviviridae Fold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aleshin,A.; Shiryaev, S.; Strongin, A.; Liddington, R.

    2007-01-01

    Pathogenic members of the flavivirus family, including West Nile Virus (WNV) and Dengue Virus (DV), are growing global threats for which there are no specific treatments. The two-component flaviviral enzyme NS2B-NS3 cleaves the viral polyprotein precursor within the host cell, a process that is required for viral replication. Here, we report the crystal structure of WNV NS2B-NS3pro both in a substrate-free form and in complex with the trypsin inhibitor aprotinin/BPTI. We show that aprotinin binds in a substrate-mimetic fashion in which the productive conformation of the protease is fully formed, providing evidence for an 'induced fit' mechanism of catalysis and allowing us to rationalize the distinct substrate specificities of WNV and DV proteases. We also show that the NS2B cofactor of WNV can adopt two very distinct conformations and that this is likely to be a general feature of flaviviral proteases, providing further opportunities for regulation. Finally, by comparing the flaviviral proteases with the more distantly related Hepatitis C virus, we provide insights into the evolution of the Flaviviridae fold. Our work should expedite the design of protease inhibitors to treat a range of flaviviral infections.

  4. Studies on the pathogenesis of fever. III. The leucocytic origin of endogenous pyrogen in acute inflammatory exudates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    KING, M K; WOOD, W B

    1958-02-01

    The evolution of an acute inflammatory exudate produced in rabbits by the intraperitoneal injection of saline has been described. Evidence has been presented that polymorphonuclear leucocytes release endogenous pyrogen into the cell-free fluid of the exudate. Leucocytes from such exudates have also been shown to release pyrogen into the surrounding medium during incubation in vitro at 37 degrees C. The results of parallel cytological studies have provided evidence which suggests that the leucocytes give up their pyrogen while functionally intact. These observations add further support to the hypothesis that polymorphonuclear leucocytes play a significant role in the pathogenesis of fever.

  5. Prophenoloxidase system, lysozyme and protease inhibitor distribution in the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Pabic, Charles; Safi, Georges; Serpentini, Antoine; Lebel, Jean-Marc; Robin, Jean-Paul; Koueta, Noussithé

    2014-01-01

    The immune system of cephalopods remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the specific activity of immune enzymes in epithelial barriers, circulatory and digestive systems of the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. Three enzyme groups with putative functions in immunity were investigated: phenoloxidases (POs), lysozymes and protease inhibitors (PIs). Consistent with a role in immunity, highest PO activities were found in the integument as well as the respiratory and circulatory organs under zymogenic (proPO) and active form. Surprisingly, high PO activities were also found in the digestive gland and its appendages. Similarly, high lysozyme activities were detected in the integument and circulatory organs, but also in the posterior salivary glands, highlighting the implication of this antibacterial enzyme group in most tissues exposed to the environment but also within the circulatory system. Albeit highest in digestive organs, the ubiquitous detection of PI activity in assayed compartments suggests immune function(s) in a wide range of tissues. Our study reports proPO/PO, lysozyme and PI distributions in S. officinalis body compartments for the first time, and thus provides the fundamental basis for a better understanding of the humoral immune system in cephalopods as well as invertebrates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Contribution of Kunitz protease inhibitor and transmembrane domains to amyloid precursor protein homodimerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Khalifa, N; Tyteca, D; Courtoy, P J; Renauld, J C; Constantinescu, S N; Octave, J N; Kienlen-Campard, P

    2012-01-01

    The two major isoforms of the human amyloid precursor protein (APP) are APP695 and APP751. They differ by the insertion of a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor (KPI) sequence in the extracellular domain of APP751. APP-KPI isoforms are increased in Alzheimer's disease brains, and they could be associated with disease progression. Recent studies have shown that APP processing to Aβ is regulated by homodimerization, which involves both extracellular and juxtamembrane/transmembrane (JM/TM) regions. Our aim is to understand the mechanisms controlling APP dimerization and the contribution of the ectodomain and JM/TM regions to this process. We used bimolecular fluorescence complementation approaches coupled to fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis to measure the dimerization level of different APP isoforms and APP C-terminal fragments (C99) mutated in their JM/TM region. APP751 was found to form significantly more homodimers than APP695. Mutation of dimerization motifs in the TM domain of APP or C99 did not significantly affect fluorescence complementation. These findings indicate that the KPI domain plays a major role in APP dimerization. They set the basis for further investigation of the relation between dimerization, metabolism and function of APP. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Pulmonary dynamics of radiolabelled erythrocytes and leucocytes in early gram-negative sepsis in pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walther, Sten; Wenyao, Shi; Lennquist, Sten

    1999-01-01

    objective: to study the pulmonary dynamic of erythrocytes and leucocytes in vivo in early experimental sepsis. design: open, experimental study. setting: academic research laboratory, Sweden. material: 10 adolescent, domestic pigs. interventions: technetium (Tc 99) labelling of erythrocytes (n=5) and indium (In 111) labelling of autologous leucocytes (n=10). sepsis was induced by endotoxin (n=4) or live Escherichia Coli (n=3), given intravenously. major outcome measures: regional pulmonary scintigraphy, central haemodynamics and gas exchange followed for 180 minutes. results: septic animals developed arterial hypoxia, pulmonary hypertension and systemic hypotension. They also had an early increase in mean (SD) regional pulmonary erythrocyte and leucocyte counts (+10.3(7.7%) and + 12.0 (3.5%) respectively) with simultaneous maximum 27-32 minutes after the start of the septic insult. Conclusions: The immediate sepsis-induced pulmonary accumulation of leucocytes as detected by external scintigraphy can be ascribed at least in part, to a simultaneous sepsis-induced increase in pulmonary blood volume. 3 figs., 1 tab., 19 refs

  8. Cysteine Protease Zymography: Brief Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkesman, Jeff

    2017-01-01

    Cysteine proteases play multiple roles in basically all aspects of physiology and development. In plants, they are involved in growth and development and in accumulation and mobilization of storage proteins. Furthermore, they are engaged in signalling pathways and in the response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In animals and also in humans, they are responsible for senescence and apoptosis, prohormone processing, and ECM remodelling. When analyzed by zymography, the enzyme must be renaturated after SDS-PAGE. SDS must be washed out and substituted by Triton X-100. Gels are then further incubated under ideal conditions for activity detection. Cysteine proteases require an acidic pH (5.0-6.0) and a reducing agent, usually DTT. When screening biological samples, there is generally no previous clue on what peptidase class will be present, neither optimal proteolysis conditions are known. Hence, it is necessary to assess several parameters, such as incubation time, pH, temperature, influence of ions or reducing agents, and finally evaluate the inhibition profile. For detection of cysteine peptidase activity, the use of specific inhibitors, such as E-64, can be used to prevent the development of cysteine peptidase activity bands and positively confirm its presence. Here four different protocols to assess cysteine protease activity from different sources are presented.

  9. Computer Aided Solution for Automatic Segmenting and Measurements of Blood Leucocytes Using Static Microscope Images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulhay, Enas; Mohammed, Mazin Abed; Ibrahim, Dheyaa Ahmed; Arunkumar, N; Venkatraman, V

    2018-02-17

    Blood leucocytes segmentation in medical images is viewed as difficult process due to the variability of blood cells concerning their shape and size and the difficulty towards determining location of Blood Leucocytes. Physical analysis of blood tests to recognize leukocytes is tedious, time-consuming and liable to error because of the various morphological components of the cells. Segmentation of medical imagery has been considered as a difficult task because of complexity of images, and also due to the non-availability of leucocytes models which entirely captures the probable shapes in each structures and also incorporate cell overlapping, the expansive variety of the blood cells concerning their shape and size, various elements influencing the outer appearance of the blood leucocytes, and low Static Microscope Image disparity from extra issues outcoming about because of noise. We suggest a strategy towards segmentation of blood leucocytes using static microscope images which is a resultant of three prevailing systems of computer vision fiction: enhancing the image, Support vector machine for segmenting the image, and filtering out non ROI (region of interest) on the basis of Local binary patterns and texture features. Every one of these strategies are modified for blood leucocytes division issue, in this manner the subsequent techniques are very vigorous when compared with its individual segments. Eventually, we assess framework based by compare the outcome and manual division. The findings outcome from this study have shown a new approach that automatically segments the blood leucocytes and identify it from a static microscope images. Initially, the method uses a trainable segmentation procedure and trained support vector machine classifier to accurately identify the position of the ROI. After that, filtering out non ROI have proposed based on histogram analysis to avoid the non ROI and chose the right object. Finally, identify the blood leucocytes type using

  10. Identification of an archaeal presenilin-like intramembrane protease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celia Torres-Arancivia

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane protease, presenilin, constitutes the catalytic core of the γ-secretase multi-protein complex responsible for activating critical signaling cascades during development and for the production of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The only other known GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases are the eukaryotic signal peptide peptidases (SPPs. The presence of presenilin-like enzymes outside eukaryots has not been demonstrated. Here we report the existence of presenilin-like GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases in archaea. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have employed in vitro activity assays to show that MCMJR1, a polytopic membrane protein from the archaeon Methanoculleus marisnigri JR1, is an intramembrane protease bearing the signature YD and GXGD catalytic motifs of presenilin-like enzymes. Mass spectrometry analysis showed MCMJR1 could cleave model intramembrane protease substrates at several sites within their transmembrane region. Remarkably, MCMJR1 could also cleave substrates derived from the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP without the need of protein co-factors, as required by presenilin. Two distinct cleavage sites within the transmembrane domain of APP could be identified, one of which coincided with Aβ40, the predominant site processed by γ-secretase. Finally, an established presenilin and SPP transition-state analog inhibitor could inhibit MCMJR1. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that a primitive GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane protease from archaea can recapitulate key biochemical properties of eukaryotic presenilins and SPPs. MCMJR1 promises to be a more tractable, simpler system for in depth structural and mechanistic studies of GXGD-type diaspartyl intramembrane proteases.

  11. Activity-Based Protein Profiling of Rhomboid Proteases in Liposomes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Wolf, E. V.; Seybold, M.; Hadravová, Romana; Stříšovský, Kvido; Verhelst, S. H. L.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 11 (2015), s. 1616-1621 ISSN 1439-4227 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LK11206; GA MŠk LO1302 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : activity-based protein profiling * chemical probes * inhibitors * intramembrane proteases * liposomes Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.850, year: 2015

  12. Characterization of the Entire Cystatin Gene Family in Barley and Their Target Cathepsin L-Like Cysteine-Proteases, Partners in the Hordein Mobilization during Seed Germination1[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, Manuel; Cambra, Ines; Carrillo, Laura; Diaz-Mendoza, Mercedes; Diaz, Isabel

    2009-01-01

    Plant cystatins are inhibitors of cysteine-proteases of the papain C1A and legumain C13 families. Cystatin data from multiple plant species have suggested that these inhibitors act as defense proteins against pests and pathogens and as regulators of protein turnover. In this study, we characterize the entire cystatin gene family from barley (Hordeum vulgare), which contain 13 nonredundant genes, and identify and characterize their target enzymes, the barley cathepsin L-like proteases. Cystatins and proteases were expressed and purified from Escherichia coli cultures. Each cystatin was found to have different inhibitory capability against barley cysteine-proteases in in vitro inhibitory assays using specific substrates. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that inhibitors and enzymes present a wide variation in their messenger RNA expression patterns. Their transcripts were mainly detected in developing and germinating seeds, and some of them were also expressed in leaves and roots. Subcellular localization of cystatins and cathepsin L-like proteases fused to green fluorescent protein demonstrated the presence of both protein families throughout the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex. Proteases and cystatins not only colocalized but also interacted in vivo in the plant cell, as revealed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation. The functional relationship between cystatins and cathepsin L-like proteases was inferred from their common implication as counterparts of mobilization of storage proteins upon barley seed germination. The opposite pattern of transcription expression in gibberellin-treated aleurones presented by inhibitors and enzymes allowed proteases to specifically degrade B, C, and D hordeins stored in the endosperm of barley seeds. PMID:19759340

  13. Thermodynamic and structural analysis of HIV protease resistance to darunavir - analysis of heavily mutated patient- derived HIV-1 proteases

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kožíšek, Milan; Lepšík, Martin; Grantz Šašková, Klára; Brynda, Jiří; Konvalinka, Jan; Řezáčová, Pavlína

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 281, č. 7 (2014), s. 1834-1847 ISSN 1742-464X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP207/11/1798 Grant - others:OPPC(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24016 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378050 Keywords : enthropic contribution * HIV protease inhibitors * isothermal titration calorimetry * resistance mutation * X-ray crystallography Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.001, year: 2014

  14. Clinical evaluation of a new synthetic protease inhibitor in open heart surgery. Effect on plasma serotonin and histamine release and blood conservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyamoto, Y; Nakano, S; Kaneko, M; Takano, H; Matsuda, H

    1992-01-01

    To achieve more physiologically successful cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the effects of a new synthetic protease inhibitor, nafamostat mesilate (FUT), were examined in open heart surgery. Thirty adult patients were divided into two groups. In Group F (GpF; n = 15), 2 mg/kg/hr of FUT was administered continuously during CPB and 0.2 mg/kg/hr before and after CPB. FUT was not given to Group C patients (GpC; n = 15), who acted as controls. Serotonin and histamine levels in plasma, platelet counts, platelet adhesive function levels, and alpha 2 plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complexes (PIC) were serially measured. The serotonin level in GpF was significantly lower at 5 min of CPB than in GpC. Histamine levels in GpC decreased remarkably after starting CPB, then later recovered; by contrast, they did not decrease in GpF during CPB. At 1 hr after CPB, platelet counts were higher (p platelet adhesion was lower (p platelets and inhibiting fibrinolysis during CPB.

  15. C-terminal domains of bacterial proteases: structure, function and the biotechnological applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, J; Wu, C; Liu, D; Yang, X; Wu, R; Zhang, J; Ma, C; He, H

    2017-01-01

    C-terminal domains widely exist in the C-terminal region of multidomain proteases. As a β-sandwich domain in multidomain protease, the C-terminal domain plays an important role in proteolysis including regulation of the secretory process, anchoring and swelling the substrate molecule, presenting as an inhibitor for the preprotease and adapting the protein structural flexibility and stability. In this review, the diversity, structural characteristics and biological function of C-terminal protease domains are described. Furthermore, the application prospects of C-terminal domains, including polycystic kidney disease, prepeptidase C-terminal and collagen-binding domain, in the area of medicine and biological artificial materials are also discussed. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. Docking, thermodynamics and molecular dynamics (MD) studies of a non-canonical protease inhibitor, MP-4, from Mucuna pruriens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Ashish; Kaur, Harmeet; Jain, Abha; Nair, Deepak T; Salunke, Dinakar M

    2018-01-12

    Sequence and structural homology suggests that MP-4 protein from Mucuna pruriens belongs to Kunitz-type protease inhibitor family. However, biochemical assays showed that this protein is a poor inhibitor of trypsin. To understand the basis of observed poor inhibition, thermodynamics and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies on binding of MP-4 to trypsin were carried out. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that temperature influences the spectrum of conformations adopted by the loop regions in the MP-4 structure. At an optimal temperature, MP-4 achieves maximal binding while above and below the optimum temperature, its functional activity is hampered due to unfavourable flexibility and relative rigidity, respectively. The low activity at normal temperature is due to the widening of the conformational spectrum of the Reactive Site Loop (RSL) that reduces the probability of formation of stabilizing contacts with trypsin. The unique sequence of the RSL enhances flexibility at ambient temperature and thus reduces its ability to inhibit trypsin. This study shows that temperature influences the function of a protein through modulation in the structure of functional domain of the protein. Modulation of function through appearance of new sequences that are more sensitive to temperature may be a general strategy for evolution of new proteins.

  17. The effect of protease inhibitors on the induction of osteoarthritis-related biomarkers in bovine full-depth cartilage explants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Yi; Zheng, Qinlong; Jiang, Mengmeng

    2015-01-01

    contribution of ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 to cartilage degradation upon catabolic stimulation; ii) To investigate the effect of regulating the activities of key enzymes by mean of broad-spectrum inhibitors. Methods Bovine full-depth cartilage explants stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF...... protease for the generation of 374ARGS aggrecan fragment in the TNF-α/OSM stimulated bovine cartilage explants. This study addresses the need to determine the roles of ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 in human articular degradation in OA and hence identify the attractive target for slowing down human cartilage......Objective The specific degradation of type II collagen and aggrecan by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, -13 and ADAMTS-4 and -5 (aggrecanase-1 and -2) in the cartilage matrix is a critical step in pathology of osteoarthritis (OA). The aims of this study were: i) To investigate the relative...

  18. A retinoic acid-inducible mRNA from F9 teratocarcinoma cells encodes a novel protease inhibitor homologue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, S Y; Gudas, L J

    1990-09-15

    We have previously isolated several cDNA clones specific for mRNA species that increase in abundance during the retinoic acid-associated differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma stem cells. One of these mRNAs, J6, encodes a approximately 40 kDa protein as assayed by hybrid selection and in vitro translation (Wang, S.-Y., LaRosa, G., and Gudas, L. J. (1985) Dev. Biol. 107, 75-86). The time course of J6 mRNA expression is similar to those of both laminin B1 and collagen IV (alpha 1) messages following retinoic acid addition. To address the functional role of this protein, we have isolated a full-length cDNA clone complementary to this approximately 40-kDa protein mRNA. Sequence analysis reveals an open reading frame of 406 amino acids (Mr 45,652). The carboxyl-terminal portion of this predicted protein contains a region that is homologous to the reactive sites found among members of the serpin (serine protease inhibitor) family. The predicted reactive site (P1-P1') of this J6 protein is Arg-Ser, which is the same as that of antithrombin III. Like ovalbumin and human monocyte-derived plasminogen activator inhibitor (mPAI-2), which are members of the serpin gene family, the J6 protein appears to have no typical amino-terminal signal sequence.

  19. Leucocyte Response In Nigerian Indigenous Dogs With Surgically ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... such as cardiopulmonary and coronary artery bypass are known to trigger an inflammatory response, leading to the activation of leucocytes, platelets and endothelial cells (Asimakopoulos and Taylor, 1998; Asimakopoulos et al., 2000; Ngaage, 2003).Major surgeries reportedly also produce PMNL (neutrophil) dysfunction ...

  20. Involvement of leucocyte/endothelial cell interactions in anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Víctor, Víctor M; Rovira-Llopis, Susana; Saiz-Alarcón, Vanessa; Sangüesa, Maria C; Rojo-Bofill, Luis; Bañuls, Celia; de Pablo, Carmen; Álvarez, Ángeles; Rojo, Luis; Rocha, Milagros; Hernández-Mijares, Antonio

    2015-07-01

    Anorexia nervosa is a common psychiatric disorder in adolescence and is related to cardiovascular complications. Our aim was to study the effect of anorexia nervosa on metabolic parameters, leucocyte-endothelium interactions, adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines. This multicentre, cross-sectional, case-control study employed a population of 24 anorexic female patients and 36 controls. We evaluated anthropometric and metabolic parameters, interactions between leucocytes polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), proinflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) including E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Anorexia nervosa was related to a decrease in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR, and an increase in HDL cholesterol. These effects disappeared after adjusting for BMI. Anorexia nervosa induced a decrease in PMN rolling velocity and an increase in PMN rolling flux and PMN adhesion. Increases in IL-6 and TNF-α and adhesion molecule VCAM-1 were also observed. This study supports the hypothesis of an association between anorexia nervosa, inflammation and the induction of leucocyte-endothelium interactions. These findings may explain, in part at least, the increased risk of vascular disease among patients with anorexia nervosa. © 2015 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

  1. Automated processing of leucocyte-poor platelet concentrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandy, N P; Seghatchian, M J; Bessos, H

    1992-10-01

    In view of transfusion reactions and alloimmunization associated with leucocyte contamination of platelet concentrates (PC), there is a general move towards the production of leuco-poor PC. This goal is currently pursued by the production of various PC using buffy coat and apheresis techniques. Although there is no overall consensus on the meaning of 'leuco-poor', by assuming that this refers to a level of 5-50 x 10(7) leucocytes per PC, we were able to make comparisons with available systems used in Europe. In addition to platelet and white cell counts, other markers of PC quality were assessed in some cases. These included traditional markers (such as hypotonic stress response, pH, and lactate and beta-thromboglobulin levels) and newer markers (such as glycocalicin and plasma von Willebrand factor levels). Our preliminary results showed appreciable differences in platelet and white cell content of PC prepared by various types of apheresis equipment. Appreciable differences in the quality of stored PC were also observed between routine PC (non-leuco-poor and buffy coat and apheresed PC (leuco-poor).

  2. Functional dissection of the alphavirus capsid protease: sequence requirements for activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Saijo; Rai, Jagdish; John, Lijo; Günther, Stephan; Drosten, Christian; Pützer, Brigitte M; Schaefer, Stephan

    2010-11-18

    The alphavirus capsid is multifunctional and plays a key role in the viral life cycle. The nucleocapsid domain is released by the self-cleavage activity of the serine protease domain within the capsid. All alphaviruses analyzed to date show this autocatalytic cleavage. Here we have analyzed the sequence requirements for the cleavage activity of Chikungunya virus capsid protease of genus alphavirus. Amongst alphaviruses, the C-terminal amino acid tryptophan (W261) is conserved and found to be important for the cleavage. Mutating tryptophan to alanine (W261A) completely inactivated the protease. Other amino acids near W261 were not having any effect on the activity of this protease. However, serine protease inhibitor AEBSF did not inhibit the activity. Through error-prone PCR we found that isoleucine 227 is important for the effective activity. The loss of activity was analyzed further by molecular modelling and comparison of WT and mutant structures. It was found that lysine introduced at position 227 is spatially very close to the catalytic triad and may disrupt electrostatic interactions in the catalytic site and thus inactivate the enzyme. We are also examining other sequence requirements for this protease activity. We analyzed various amino acid sequence requirements for the activity of ChikV capsid protease and found that amino acids outside the catalytic triads are important for the activity.

  3. Adapted J6/JFH1-based Hepatitis C virus recombinants with genotype-specific NS4A show similar efficacies against lead protease inhibitors, alpha interferon, and a putative NS4A inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gottwein, Judith M; Jensen, Sanne B; Serre, Stéphanie B N

    2013-01-01

    To facilitate studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS4A, we aimed at developing J6/JFH1-based recombinants with genotype 1- to 7-specific NS4A proteins. We developed efficient culture systems expressing NS4A proteins of genotypes (isolates) 1a (H77 and TN), 1b (J4), 2a (J6), 4a (ED43), 5a (SA13), 6a...... (HK6a), and 7a (QC69), with peak infectivity titers of ∼3.5 to 4.5 log10 focus-forming units per ml. Except for genotype 2a (J6), growth depended on adaptive mutations identified in long-term culture. Genotype 1a, 1b, and 4a recombinants were adapted by amino acid substitutions F772S (p7) and V1663A...... (NS4A), while 5a, 6a, and 7a recombinants required additional substitutions in the NS3 protease and/or NS4A. We demonstrated applicability of the developed recombinants for study of antivirals. Genotype 1 to 7 NS4A recombinants showed similar responses to the protease inhibitors telaprevir (VX-950...

  4. Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Inhibitors: Current and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazi Abdus Salam

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is considered a serious health-care problem all over the world. A good number of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs against HCV infection are in clinical progress including NS3-4A protease inhibitors, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors, and NS5A inhibitors as well as host targeted inhibitors. Two NS3-4A protease inhibitors (telaprevir and boceprevir have been recently approved for the treatment of hepatitis C in combination with standard of care (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. The new therapy has significantly improved sustained virologic response (SVR; however, the adverse effects associated with this therapy are still the main concern. In addition to the emergence of viral resistance, other targets must be continually developed. One such underdeveloped target is the helicase portion of the HCV NS3 protein. This review article summarizes our current understanding of HCV treatment, particularly with those of NS3 inhibitors.

  5. Insight to structural subsite recognition in plant thiol protease-inhibitor complexes : Understanding the basis of differential inhibition and the role of water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukhopadhayay Bishnu P

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This work represents an extensive MD simulation / water-dynamics studies on a series of complexes of inhibitors (leupeptin, E-64, E-64-C, ZPACK and plant cysteine proteases (actinidin, caricain, chymopapain, calotropin DI of papain family to understand the various interactions, water binding mode, factors influencing it and the structural basis of differential inhibition. Results The tertiary structure of the enzyme-inhibitor complexes were built by visual interactive modeling and energy minimization followed by dynamic simulation of 120 ps in water environment. DASA study with and without the inhibitor revealed the potential subsite residues involved in inhibition. Though the interaction involving main chain atoms are similar, critical inspection of the complexes reveal significant differences in the side chain interactions in S2-P2 and S3-P3 pairs due to sequence differences in the equivalent positions of respective subsites leading to differential inhibition. Conclusion The key finding of the study is a conserved site of a water molecule near oxyanion hole of the enzyme active site, which is found in all the modeled complexes and in most crystal structures of papain family either native or complexed. Conserved water molecules at the ligand binding sites of these homologous proteins suggest the structural importance of the water, which changes the conventional definition of chemical geometry of inhibitor binding domain, its shape and complimentarity. The water mediated recognition of inhibitor to enzyme subsites (Pn...H2O....Sn of leupeptin acetyl oxygen to caricain, chymopapain and calotropinDI is an additional information and offer valuable insight to potent inhibitor design.

  6. Potential elucidation of a novel CTL epitope in HIV-1 protease by the protease inhibitor resistance mutation L90M.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Werner Smidt

    Full Text Available The combination of host immune responses and use of antiretrovirals facilitate partial control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection and result in delayed progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS. Both treatment and host immunity impose selection pressures on the highly mutable HIV-1 genome resulting in antiretroviral resistance and immune escape. Researchers have shown that antiretroviral resistance mutations can shape cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity by altering the epitope repertoire of HIV infected cells. Here it was discovered that an important antiretroviral resistance mutation, L90M in HIV protease, occurs at lower frequencies in hosts that harbor the B*15, B*48 or A*32 human leukocyte antigen subtypes. A likely reason is the elucidation of novel epitopes by L90M. NetMHCPan predictions reveal increased affinity of the peptide spanning the HIV protease region, PR 89-97 and PR 90-99 to HLA-B*15/B*48 and HLA-A*32 respectively due to the L90M substitution. The higher affinity could increase the chance of the epitope being presented and recognized by Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and perhaps provide additional immunological pressures in the presence of antiretroviral attenuating mutations. This evidence supports the notion that knowledge of HLA allotypes in HIV infected individuals could augment antiretroviral treatment by the elucidation of epitopes due to antiretroviral resistance mutations in HIV protease.

  7. Potential elucidation of a novel CTL epitope in HIV-1 protease by the protease inhibitor resistance mutation L90M.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smidt, Werner

    2013-01-01

    The combination of host immune responses and use of antiretrovirals facilitate partial control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and result in delayed progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Both treatment and host immunity impose selection pressures on the highly mutable HIV-1 genome resulting in antiretroviral resistance and immune escape. Researchers have shown that antiretroviral resistance mutations can shape cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity by altering the epitope repertoire of HIV infected cells. Here it was discovered that an important antiretroviral resistance mutation, L90M in HIV protease, occurs at lower frequencies in hosts that harbor the B*15, B*48 or A*32 human leukocyte antigen subtypes. A likely reason is the elucidation of novel epitopes by L90M. NetMHCPan predictions reveal increased affinity of the peptide spanning the HIV protease region, PR 89-97 and PR 90-99 to HLA-B*15/B*48 and HLA-A*32 respectively due to the L90M substitution. The higher affinity could increase the chance of the epitope being presented and recognized by Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and perhaps provide additional immunological pressures in the presence of antiretroviral attenuating mutations. This evidence supports the notion that knowledge of HLA allotypes in HIV infected individuals could augment antiretroviral treatment by the elucidation of epitopes due to antiretroviral resistance mutations in HIV protease.

  8. Leucocyte Function in Protein Deficiency States | Wolfsdorf | South ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    No difference in leucocyte counts could be demonstrated between the groups; however, both groups of malnourished patients (groups ll and lll) had elevated NBT levels, although no difference could be detected between those malnourished infants with and without clinical or laboratory evidence of infection, or both.

  9. Radioisotope methods for leucocyte labelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kostadinova, I.; Kovacheva, S.

    1988-01-01

    A review is made of the labelling methods with the following tracers: 3 H-thymidine, 32 P-DP, 111 In (oxine, tropolon, acetylacetone, MERC), 99m Tc (reduced 99m Tc, lypophyl 99m Tc-complexes and 99m Tc-colloids). The main diagnosis areas are mentioned: abdominal abscesses and inflammations, inflammation foci of skeleton or of implanted prosthesis; acute myocardial infarction, bacterial endocarditis, rejection of kydney transplantations or vascular grafts. It is concluded that labelled leucocytes are very reliable for noninvasive diagnosis of inflammation foci with unclear localization

  10. Exploration of peptides that fit into the thermally vibrating active site of cathepsin K protease by alternating artificial intelligence and molecular simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishiyama, Katsuhiko

    2017-08-01

    Eighteen tripeptides that fit into the thermally vibrating active site of cathepsin K were discovered by alternating artificial intelligence and molecular simulation. The 18 tripeptides fit the active site better than the cysteine protease inhibitor E64, and a better inhibitor of cathepsin K could be designed considering these tripeptides. Among the 18 tripeptides, Phe-Arg-Asp and Tyr-Arg-Asp fit the active site the best and their structural similarity should be considered in the design process. Interesting factors emerged from the structure of the decision tree, and its structural information will guide exploration of potential inhibitor molecules for proteases.

  11. Evaluation of droplet digital PCR for quantification of residual leucocytes in red blood cell concentrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doescher, A; Loges, U; Petershofen, E K; Müller, T H

    2017-11-01

    Enumeration of residual white blood cells in leucoreduced blood components is essential part of quality control. Digital PCR has substantially facilitated quantitative PCR and was thus evaluated for measurements of leucocytes. Target for quantification of leucocytes by digital droplet PCR was the blood group gene RHCE. The SPEF1 gene was added as internal control for the entire assay starting with automated DNA extraction. The sensitivity of the method was determined by serial dilutions of standard samples. Quality control samples were analysed within 24 h, 7 days and 6 months after collection. Routine samples from leucodepleted red blood cell concentrates (n = 150) were evaluated in parallel by flow-cytometry (LeucoCount) and by digital PCR. Digital PCR reliably detected at least 0·4 leucocytes per assay. The mean difference between PCR and flow-cytometric results from 150 units was -0·01 (±1·0). DNA samples were stable for up to at least six months. PCR measurement of leucocytes in samples from plasma and platelet concentrates also provided valid results in a pilot study. Droplet digital PCR to enumerate leucocytes offers an alternative for quality control of leucoreduced blood products. Sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility are comparable to flow-cytometry. The option to collect samples over an extended period of time and the automatization introduce attractive features for routine quality control. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  12. Computer Aided Screening of Phytochemicals from Garcinia against the Dengue NS2B/NS3 Protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qamar, Tahir Ul; Mumtaz, Arooj; Ashfaq, Usman Ali; Azhar, Samia; Fatima, Tabeer; Hassan, Muhammad; Hussain, Syed Sajid; Akram, Waheed; Idrees, Sobia

    2014-01-01

    Dengue virus NS2/NS3 protease because of its ability to cleave viral proteins is considered as an attractive target to screen antiviral agents. Medicinal plants contain a variety of phytochemicals that can be used as drug against different diseases and infections. Therefore, this study was designed to uncover possible phytochemical of different classes (Aromatic, Carbohydrates, Lignin, Saponins, Steroids, Tannins, Terpenoids, Xanthones) that could be used as inhibitors against the NS2B/NS3 protease of DENV. With the help of molecular docking, Garcinia phytochemicals found to be bound deeply inside the active site of DENV NS2B/NS3 protease among all tested phytochemicals and had interactions with catalytic triad (His51, Asp75, Ser135). Thus, it can be concluded from the study that these Gracinia phytochemicals could serve as important inhibitors to inhibit the viral replication inside the host cell. Further in-vitro investigations require confirming their efficacy.

  13. High-resolution structure of a retroviral protease folded as a monomer

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Gilski, M.; Kazmierczyk, M.; Krzywda, S.; Zábranská, Helena; Cooper, S.; Popovic, Z.; Khatíb, F.; Dímaio, F.; Thompson, J.; Baker, D.; Pichová, Iva; Jaskolski, M.

    D67, č. 11 (2011), s. 907-914 ISSN 0907-4449 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0508 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : M-PMV protease * crystal structure * monomer * dimerization inhibitors Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 12.619, year: 2011

  14. Is there a role for Tc-99m HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy in patients with infective endocarditis?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ellmann, A.; Rubow, S.M.; Erlank, P.; Reuter, H.

    2002-01-01

    Aim: Infective endocarditis is still an important disease in developing countries. Due to the difficult diagnosis, treatment is often delayed or inappropriate. A combination of clinical findings and echocardiography are used most often, but have a low sensitivity. As Tc-99m HMPAO labelled leucocyte scintigraphy is used routinely to evaluate patients with suspected infectious processes, it was postulated that this technique may also aid in the diagnosis of acute infective endocarditis in patients with rheumatic heart disease. Materials and Methods: Six patients who presented with clinical signs and symptoms of infective endocarditis, were referred for Tc-99m HMPAO labelled leucocyte scintigraphy. The white blood cells were labelled according to standard procedures. Whole body planar imaging, and single photon emission tomography of the chest area, with imaging at 30 minutes, 3 hours and 24 hours after the administration of the labelled leucocytes, were performed on all patients. Results: All the scintigrams were negative. No abnormal concentration of leucocytes could be detected in the region of the heart. This was in spite of clinical findings indicative of active infective endocarditis. Conclusion: Vegetations mainly consist of masses of clotted blood and blood cell debris, containing the causative organisms. Leucocytes do not play a major role in the pathologic process. Although only six patients were studied, it appears that Tc-99m HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy is of no value in the evaluation of patients with infective endocarditis. A study after the administration of radiolabelled antibiotics may be of greater value and should be considered in these patients

  15. Partial characterisation of digestive proteases of the Mayan cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuenca-Soria, C A; Álvarez-González, C A; Ortiz-Galindo, J L; Nolasco-Soria, H; Tovar-Ramírez, D; Guerrero-Zárate, R; Castillo-Domínguez, A; Perera-García, M A; Hernández-Gómez, R; Gisbert, E

    2014-06-01

    The characterisation of digestive proteases in native freshwater fish such as the Mayan cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus provides scientific elements that may be used to design balanced feed that matches with the digestive capacity of the fish. The purpose of this study was to characterise the digestive proteases, including the effect of the pH and the temperature on enzyme activity and stability, as well as the effect of inhibitors using multienzymatic extracts of the stomach and intestine of C. urophthalmus juveniles. Results showed that the optimum activities of the acid and alkaline proteases occurred at pH values of 3 and 9, respectively, whereas their optimum temperatures were 55 and 65 °C, respectively. The acid proteases were most stable at pH values of 2–3 and at temperatures of 35–45 °C, whereas the alkaline proteases were most stable at pH values of 6–9 and at 25–55 °C. The inhibition assays recorded a residual activity of 4% with pepstatin A for the acid proteases. The inhibition of the alkaline proteases was greater than 80% with TPCK, TLCK, EDTA and ovalbumin, and of 60 and 43.8% with PMSF and SBT1, respectively. The results obtained in this study make it possible to state that C. urophthalmus has a sufficiently complete digestive enzyme machinery to degrade food items characteristic of an omnivorous fish species, although specimens showed a tendency to carnivory.

  16. Indium-111 labelled leucocyte scintigraphy in the diagnosis of inflammatory disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roevekamp, M.H.

    1982-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of indium-111 oxinate labelled autologous leucocytes in inflammatory disease. Chapter I provides an outline of the theoretical aspects of leucocyte labelling with indium-111 oxinate, as well as giving a description of the labelling method and scintigraphic technique and of the in-vitro and in-vivo studies performed to evaluate the method. In Chapter II details are given of the initial results obtained in a pilot study. A high false-negative rate led to modification of the labelling technique. The results obtained in patients suspected of intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal located inflammatory lesions are described in Chapter III. Chapter IV contains the description of an indium-111-leucocyte-99mTc-Sn-colloid computer-assisted subtraction technique for a better evaluation of patients suspected of an upper-abdominal inflammatory process. In Chapter V the study performed in patients after arterial reconstructive surgery is described, and the results obtained in patients suspected of an infected orthopaedic prosthesis are given in Chapter VI. Finally the characteristics of the different types of inflammatory responses is reviewed. (Auth.)

  17. Glyceroneogenesis is inhibited through HIV protease inhibitor-induced inflammation in human subcutaneous but not visceral adipose tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroyer, Stéphanie; Vatier, Camille; Kadiri, Sarah; Quette, Joëlle; Chapron, Charles; Capeau, Jacqueline; Antoine, Bénédicte

    2011-01-01

    Glyceroneogenesis, a metabolic pathway that participates during lipolysis in the recycling of free fatty acids to triglycerides into adipocytes, contributes to the lipid-buffering function of adipose tissue. We investigated whether glyceroneogenesis could be affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors (PIs) responsible or not for dyslipidemia in HIV-infected patients. We treated explants obtained from subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depots from lean individuals. We observed that the dyslipidemic PIs nelfinavir, lopinavir and ritonavir, but not the lipid-neutral PI atazanavir, increased lipolysis and decreased glyceroneogenesis, leading to an increased release of fatty acids from SAT but not from VAT. At the same time, dyslipidemic PIs decreased the amount of perilipin and increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion in SAT but not in VAT. Parthenolide, an inhibitor of the NFκB pathway, counteracted PI-induced increased inflammation and decreased glyceroneogenesis. IL-6 (100 ng) inhibited the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, the key enzyme of glyceroneogenesis, in SAT but not in VAT. Our data show that dyslipidemic but not lipid-neutral PIs decreased glyceroneogenesis as a consequence of PI-induced increased inflammation in SAT that could have an affect on adipocytes and/or macrophages. These results add a new link between fat inflammation and increased fatty acids release and suggest a greater sensitivity of SAT than VAT to PI-induced inflammation. PMID:21068005

  18. Regulation of leucocyte homeostasis in the circulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheiermann, Christoph; Frenette, Paul S; Hidalgo, Andrés

    2015-08-01

    The functions of blood cells extend well beyond the immune functions of leucocytes or the respiratory and hemostatic functions of erythrocytes and platelets. Seen as a whole, the bloodstream is in charge of nurturing and protecting all organs by carrying a mixture of cell populations in transit from one organ to another. To optimize these functions, evolution has provided blood and the vascular system that carries it with various mechanisms that ensure the appropriate influx and egress of cells into and from the circulation where and when needed. How this homeostatic control of blood is achieved has been the object of study for over a century, and although the major mechanisms that govern it are now fairly well understood, several new concepts and mediators have recently emerged that emphasize the dynamism of this liquid tissue. Here we review old and new concepts that relate to the maintenance and regulation of leucocyte homeostasis in blood and briefly discuss the mechanisms for platelets and red blood cells. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Influence of X-rays, vitamin A and protease inhibitor on the hydroproteolytic activity and serotonin content in pancreas and intestine of rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kocmierska-Grodzka, D [Akademia Medyczna, Bialystok (Poland). Zaklad Farmakologii

    1976-06-01

    Activity of MAO, hydroproteolytic enzymes including some lysosomal markers as well as serotonin content were examined in pancreas and intestinal tissue of rats 24 hours after irradiation with the dose of 800 R. It was stated that postirradiation disturbances of enzymatic activity in intestinal tract were accompanied by changes of serotonin content. Administration of vitamin A into rats caused in some parts of the intestine slight increase of acid phosphatase activity - and evident changes in serotonin content. Inhibitor of proteases (Trasylol) evidently prevented the disturbances of serotonin content both in rats exposed to X-rays or vitamin A administration - when simultaneously its influence on changes in hydroproteolytic activity (except of pancreas and colon) was of smaller degree.

  20. 99Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled leucocytes: comparison with 111In-tropolonate labelled granulocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peters, A.M.; Roddie, M.E.; Zacharopoulos, G.P.; George, P.; Stuttle, A.W.J.; Lavender, J.P.; Danpure, H.J.; Osman, S.

    1988-01-01

    The lipophilic complex, 99 Tcsup(m)-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) is an efficient leucocyte label, and labels granulocytes with more stability than mononuclear leucocytes. The recovery of 99 Tcsup(m)-HMPAO granulocytes was similar to 111 In-labelled granulocytes isolated and labelled in plasma using tropolone. The Tsub(1/2) of 99 Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled granulocytes in blood was less than that of 111 In-labelled granulocytes. The initial biodistribution of 99 Tcsup(m)-labelled leucocytes was similar to 111 In-labelled granulocytes, with a rapid initial lung transit, prominent splenic activity, bone marrow activity and minimal hepatic activity, although, unlike 111 In, 99 Tcsup(m) activity was also seen in urine, occasionally in the gallbladder, and, from about 4 h, consistently in the colon. Bone marrow activity was particularly prominent with 99 Tcsup(m). About 6% of 99 Tcsup(m) was excreted in the faeces up to 48 h after injection, and about 17% in urine up to 24 h. The time-activity curves of reticuloendothelial activity up to 24 h were broadly similar for the two labelled cell preparations. Clinical information given by the two agents was similar in 27 of 30 patients who received both. We conclude that with respect to granulocyte kinetics and clinical data, 99 Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled leucocytes are comparable with 111 In-tropolonate labelled granulocytes. (author)

  1. Kinetics of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane A2 synthesis and suppression of PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awara, W; Hillier, K; Jones, D

    1986-12-01

    The immunomodulatory effects of thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin E2 on peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes stimulated with PHA in vitro, and the relationship of this to the time-course of their synthesis in culture, were investigated using prostaglandin E2, a thromboxane A2 synthesis inhibitor (UK37248), a thromboxane A2 mimic (U46619) and a thromboxane A2 receptor blocker (EP045). The inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2 on PHA-induced human peripheral blood mononuclear leucocyte proliferation diminishes if the addition of PGE2 is delayed. If added 4 hr after a maximum concentration of PHA (5 micrograms/ml), the effect of PGE2 was reduced by 60%. If a submaximal concentration of PHA (1 microgram/ml) was used, the effect of PGE2 was not reduced if added 4 hr later but fell by about 60% after 16 hr. UK37248 moderately inhibited PHA-induced activation while substantially inhibiting thromboxane A2 synthesis and simultaneously enhancing PGE2 synthesis. The enhanced accumulation of PGE2 occurs while sensitivity to PGE2 is dropping. U46619, exogenously applied as a thromboxane A2 mimic, inhibited PHA-induced activation at concentrations that did not significantly alter PGE2 synthesis. EP045, which may modulate the effects of endogenous thromboxane A2 by blocking receptors, did not alter PHA-induced activation. We conclude that thromboxane A2 may have a role in inhibiting PHA-induced activation on the basis of the effect of U46619. However, this study highlights difficulties in utilizing prostaglandin and thromboxane receptor and synthesis inhibitors to examine their endogenous role in the modulation of mitogen-induced activation in vitro. If sensitivity to the purported endogenous substance is limited to the early stages of culture and if only low levels are synthesized at this early stage, then blocking drugs would have little effect.

  2. Radioisotope methods for leucocyte labelling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kostadinova, I; Kovacheva, S [Meditsinska Akademiya, Sofia (Bulgaria). Katedra po Rentgenologiya i Radiologiya

    1988-01-01

    A review is made of the labelling methods with the following tracers: {sup 3}H-thymidine, {sup 32}P-DP, {sup 111}In (oxine, tropolon, acetylacetone, MERC), {sup 99m}Tc (reduced {sup 99m}Tc, lypophyl {sup 99m}Tc-complexes and {sup 99m}Tc-colloids). The main diagnosis areas are mentioned: abdominal abscesses and inflammations, inflammation foci of skeleton or of implanted prosthesis; acute myocardial infarction, bacterial endocarditis, rejection of kydney transplantations or vascular grafts. It is concluded that labelled leucocytes are very reliable for noninvasive diagnosis of inflammation foci with unclear localization.

  3. Allicin and derivates are cysteine protease inhibitors with antiparasitic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waag, Thilo; Gelhaus, Christoph; Rath, Jennifer; Stich, August; Leippe, Matthias; Schirmeister, Tanja

    2010-09-15

    Allicin and derivatives thereof inhibit the CAC1 cysteine proteases falcipain 2, rhodesain, cathepsin B and L in the low micromolar range. The structure-activity relationship revealed that only derivatives with primary carbon atom in vicinity to the thiosulfinate sulfur atom attacked by the active-site Cys residue are active against the target enzymes. Some compounds also show potent antiparasitic activity against Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The effect of liposome encapsulation on the pharmacokinetics of recombinant secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (rSLPI) therapy after local delivery to a guinea pig asthma model.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Gibbons, Aileen

    2011-09-01

    Inhaled recombinant Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (rSLPI) has shown potential for treatment of inflammatory lung conditions. Rapid inactivation of rSLPI by cathepsin L (Cat L) and rapid clearance from the lungs have limited clinical efficacy. Encapsulation of rSLPI within 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-[Phospho-L-Serine]:Cholesterol liposomes (DOPS-rSLPI) protects rSLPI against Cat L inactivation in vitro. We aimed to determine the effect of liposomes on rSLPI pharmacokinetics and activity in vitro and after local delivery to the airways in vivo.

  5. Adaptive mechanisms of insect pests against plant protease inhibitors and future prospects related to crop protection: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo, Maria L R; de Oliveira, Caio F R; Costa, Poliene M; Castelhano, Elaine C; Silva-Filho, Marcio C

    2015-01-01

    The overwhelming demand for food requires the application of technology on field. An important issue that limits the productivity of crops is related to insect attacks. Hence, several studies have evaluated the application of different compounds to reduce the field losses, especially insecticide compounds from plant sources. Among them, plant protease inhibitors (PIs) have been studied in both basic and applied researches, displaying positive results in control of some insects. However, certain species are able to bypass the insecticide effects exerted by PIs. In this review, we disclosed the adaptive mechanisms showed by lepidopteran and coleopteran insects, the most expressive insect orders related to crop predation. The structural aspects involved in adaptation mechanisms are presented as well as the newest alternatives for pest control. The application of biotechnological tools in crop protection will be mandatory in agriculture, and it will be up to researchers to find the best candidates for effective control in long-term.

  6. 111In autologous leucocytes in the diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory bowel disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saverymuttu, S.H.; Peters, A.M.; Reavy, H.J.; Danpure, H.J.; Osman, S.; Chadwick, V.S.; Hodgson, H.J.; Lavender, J.P.

    1982-01-01

    111 In-labelled leucocytes were used to obtain gamma camera images of inflamed of bowel in a wide variety of inflammatory bowel disease. No false positive scans were observed in the irritable bowel syndrome and in bowel malignancy. All patients with moderate or severely active disease had positive scans. Faecal excretion of 111 Indium increased with disease severity. 111 In-tropolone labelling appeared to offer the advantage over 111 In-acac labelling in localising inflamed bowel earlier. In many cases the bowel was imaged within 40 min of re-injection of the leucocytes. 111 In-leucocyte scanning provides a novel approach to the problem of diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory bowel disease. It is non-invasive, requires no bowel preparation and thus is safe in the acutely sick patient where conventional radiological imaging methods may be hazardous. 111 Indium faecal excretion provides an objective assessment of disease activity which should prove useful in evaluating treatment regimes

  7. Response of peripheral leucocytes to whole body irradiation and vitamin E treatment in white leghorn chick

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rana, K.; Malhotra, N.

    1993-01-01

    Radiation induced changes in peripheral blood leucocytes in 1 day old male white leghorn chicks were studied after whole body exposure to 2.25 Gy dose of gamma radiation at the rate of 0.50 Gy/sec with and without vitamin E. The changes in total leucocyte counts, lymphocytes and heterophils were observed at 1,3,5,7,14 and 28 days postirradiation. A pronounced leucocytopenia was noted in the initial post-irradiation period. The lymphocytes and heterophils showed a reciprocal relationship after radiation. With vitamin E treatment, considerable and faster recovery was noticed in the leucocytes after irradiation. (author). 16 refs., 3 figs

  8. Hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibits complement activation by cleaving complement component 4.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seiichi Mawatari

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is mediated in part by viral proteins that abrogate the host immune response, including the complement system, but the precise mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated whether HCV proteins are involved in the fragmentation of complement component 4 (C4, composed of subunits C4α, C4β, and C4γ, and the role of HCV proteins in complement activation. METHODS: Human C4 was incubated with HCV nonstructural (NS 3/4A protease, core, or NS5. Samples were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then subjected to peptide sequencing. The activity of the classical complement pathway was examined using an erythrocyte hemolysis assay. The cleavage pattern of C4 in NS3/4A-expressing and HCV-infected cells, respectively, was also examined. RESULTS: HCV NS3/4A protease cleaved C4γ in a concentration-dependent manner, but viral core and NS5 did not. A specific inhibitor of NS3/4A protease reduced C4γ cleavage. NS3/4A protease-mediated cleavage of C4 inhibited classical pathway activation, which was abrogated by a NS3/4A protease inhibitor. In addition, co-transfection of cells with C4 and wild-type NS3/4A, but not a catalytic-site mutant of NS3/4A, produced cleaved C4γ fragments. Such C4 processing, with a concomitant reduction in levels of full-length C4γ, was also observed in HCV-infected cells expressing C4. CONCLUSIONS: C4 is a novel cellular substrate of the HCV NS3/4A protease. Understanding disturbances in the complement system mediated by NS3/4A protease may provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying persistent HCV infection.

  9. Low leucocyte myeloperoxidase activity in patients with multiple sclerosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramsaransing, G; Teelken, A; Prokopenko, VM; Arutjunyan, AV; De Keyser, J

    The gene for myeloperoxidase (MPO) has been implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS). By measuring H2O2 dependent oxidation of 3,3'5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine with spectrophotometry the authors investigated MPO activity in peripheral blood leucocytes from 42 patients with MS (12 with secondary

  10. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Chitobiose-Based Peptide N-Glycanase Inhibitor Library

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witte, Martin D.; Horst, Danielle; Wiertz, Emmanuel J.H.J.; Marel, Gijsbert A. van der; Overkleeft, Herman S.

    2009-01-01

    Peptide N-glycanase (PNGase), the enzyme responsible for the deglycosylation of N-linked glycoproteins, has an active site related to that of cysteine proteases. Chitiobiose was equipped with electrophilic traps often used in cysteine protease inhibitors, and the resulting compounds were evaluated

  11. Autoradiography and density gradient separation of technetium-99m-Exametazime (HMPAO) labelled leucocytes reveals selectivity for eosinophils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puncher, M.R.B. [Biological Lab., Univ. of Kent, Canterbury (United Kingdom); Blower, P.J. [Nuclear Medicine Dept., Kent and Canterbury Hospital (United Kingdom)

    1994-11-01

    Technetium-99m-Exametazime (HMPAO) is widely used for radiolabelling leucocytes for localization of infection. The subcellular distribution of radionuclide in the labelled cells and the distribution of radioactivity among the leucocyte population are incompletely understood. Frozen section autoradiography was used to determine quantitatively the distribution of {sup 99m}Tc in leucocytes labelled with {sup 99m}Tc-Exametazime. Sections of rapidly frozen suspensions of labelled leucocytes in plasma were autoradiographed on Ilford K2 emulsion and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Neutrophils, eosinophils and mononuclear cells were separated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Cell nuclei were isolated by a rapid cell-breakage and fractionation method. In a typical experiment mean grain densities [grains/100 {mu}m{sup 2} (ESD)] over cells were: eosinophils 31.2 (18.4), neutrophils 3.5 (3.5), mononuclear cells 4.2 (5.1). Mean grain numbers per cell (ESD) were: eosinophils 13 (6.8), neutrophils 1.3 (1.3), mononuclear cells 1.1 (1.3). These findings were confirmed by separation of labelled leucocytes on discontinuous density gradients. In four separation experiments, the mean activity-per-cell ratio for eosinophils to neutrophils was 10.1 (4.8):1, and for eosinophils to mononuclear cells, 14.1 (6.7):1. The subcellular distribution of the label was investigated using image analysis of autoradiographs and cell fractionation. This revealed no selectivity for nuclear or extranuclear compartments. It may be concluded that {sup 99m}Tc-Exametazime has strong selectivity for eosinophils over other leucocytes but no selectivity for nuclear/cytoplasmic compartments. (orig.)

  12. Clinical application of 99mTc-HMPAO labeled leucocytes imaging in detecting bone joint infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Biao; Barthe, N.; Basse-Cathalinat, B.

    1995-01-01

    99m Tc-MDP scintigraphy and 99m Tc-HMPAO-leucocytes imaging were performed in twenty five patients with clinically suspected bone joint infection. All of the 25 cases were confirmed by surgery, microbiological and histologic examinations. Among them 21 cases were definitively diagnosed as infections, while 3 cases were non-infection. The results of 99m Tc-MDP scintigraphy showed that all of 25 cases demonstrated anomalous accumulation of radioactivity in the clinically suspected infections sites, while in 99m Tc-HMPAO-leucocytes imaging, concentrated radioactivity in proved infectious sites was observed in 19 cases, non-anomalous radioactivity found in 4 cases of non-infectious sites, but there were 2 cases false negative with long term antibiotics treatment, none of the case was false positive. Thereby a sensitivity of the labelled leucocytes imaging of 90.5%, a specificity of 100%, and a accuracy of about 92% were found. Present research work concluded that 99m Tc-HMPAO labelled leucocytes imaging provided a non-invasive, effective, and reliable diagnostic method in detecting patients with clinically suspected bone joint infection and afforded strong evidence for effective therapy

  13. Antiviral Activity and Resistance Analysis of NS3/4A Protease Inhibitor Grazoprevir and NS5A Inhibitor Elbasvir in Hepatitis C Virus GT4 Replicons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asante-Appiah, Ernest; Curry, Stephanie; McMonagle, Patricia; Ingravallo, Paul; Chase, Robert; Nickle, David; Qiu, Ping; Howe, Anita; Lahser, Frederick C

    2017-07-01

    Although genotype 4 (GT4)-infected patients represent a minor overall percentage of the global hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected population, the high prevalence of the genotype in specific geographic regions coupled with substantial sequence diversity makes it an important genotype to study for antiviral drug discovery and development. We evaluated two direct-acting antiviral agents-grazoprevir, an HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and elbasvir, an HCV NS5A inhibitor-in GT4 replicons prior to clinical studies in this genotype. Following a bioinformatics analysis of available GT4 sequences, a set of replicons bearing representative GT4 clinical isolates was generated. For grazoprevir, the 50% effective concentration (EC 50 ) against the replicon bearing the reference GT4a (ED43) NS3 protease and NS4A was 0.7 nM. The median EC 50 for grazoprevir against chimeric replicons encoding NS3/4A sequences from GT4 clinical isolates was 0.2 nM (range, 0.11 to 0.33 nM; n = 5). The difficulty in establishing replicons bearing NS3/4A resistance-associated substitutions was substantially overcome with the identification of a G162R adaptive substitution in NS3. Single NS3 substitutions D168A/V identified from de novo resistance selection studies reduced grazoprevir antiviral activity by 137- and 47-fold, respectively, in the background of the G162R replicon. For elbasvir, the EC 50 against the replicon bearing the reference full-length GT4a (ED43) NS5A gene was 0.0002 nM. The median EC 50 for elbasvir against chimeric replicons bearing clinical isolates from GT4 was 0.0007 nM (range, 0.0002 to 34 nM; n = 14). De novo resistance selection studies in GT4 demonstrated a high propensity to suppress the emergence of amino acid substitutions that confer high-potency reductions to elbasvir. Phenotypic characterization of the NS5A amino acid substitutions identified (L30F, L30S, M31V, and Y93H) indicated that they conferred 15-, 4-, 2.5-, and 7.5-fold potency losses, respectively, to elbasvir

  14. Kempopeptin C, a Novel Marine-Derived Serine Protease Inhibitor Targeting Invasive Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma H. Al-Awadhi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Kempopeptin C, a novel chlorinated analogue of kempopeptin B, was discovered from a marine cyanobacterium collected from Kemp Channel in Florida. The structure was elucidated using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS. The presence of the basic Lys residue adjacent to the N-terminus of the 3-amino-6-hydroxy-2-piperidone (Ahp moiety contributed to its selectivity towards trypsin and related proteases. The antiproteolytic activity of kempopeptin C was evaluated against trypsin, plasmin and matriptase and found to inhibit these enzymes with IC50 values of 0.19, 0.36 and 0.28 μM, respectively. Due to the significance of these proteases in cancer progression and metastasis, as well as their functional redundancy with respect to targeting overlapping substrates, we examined the effect of kempopeptin C on the downstream cellular substrates of matriptase: CDCP1 and desmoglein-2 (Dsg-2. Kempopeptin C was shown to inhibit the cleavage of both substrates in vitro. Additionally, kempopeptin C reduced the cleavage of CDCP1 in MDA-MB-231 cells up to 10 µM. The functional relevance of targeting matriptase and related proteases was investigated by assessing the effect of kempopeptin C on the migration of breast cancer cells. Kempopeptin C inhibited the migration of the invasive MDA-MB-231 cells by 37 and 60% at 10 and 20 µM, respectively.

  15. Inhibition of protease-inhibitor resistant hepatitis C virus replicons and infectious virus by intracellular intrabodies

    OpenAIRE

    Gal-Tanamy, Meital; Zemel, Romy; Bachmatov, Larissa; Jangra, Rohit K.; Shapira, Assaf; Villanueva, Rodrigo; Yi, MinKyung; Lemon, Stanley M.; Benhar, Itai; Tur-Kaspa, Ran

    2010-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common cause of chronic liver disease and a serious threat to human health. The HCV NS3/4A serine protease is necessary for viral replication and innate immune evasion, and represents a well-validated target for specific antiviral therapy. We previously reported the isolation of single-chain antibodies (scFvs) that inhibit NS3/4A protease activity in vitro. Expressed intracellularly (intrabodies), these scFvs blocked NS3-mediated proliferation of NS3-tra...

  16. HIV Protease Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy Is Associated With Decreased Progesterone Levels, Suggesting a Potential Mechanism Contributing to Fetal Growth Restriction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papp, Eszter; Mohammadi, Hakimeh; Loutfy, Mona R.; Yudin, Mark H.; Murphy, Kellie E.; Walmsley, Sharon L.; Shah, Rajiv; MacGillivray, Jay; Silverman, Michael; Serghides, Lena

    2015-01-01

    Background. Protease inhibitor (PI)–based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is administered during pregnancy to prevent perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. However, PI use has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. The mechanisms underlying these outcomes are unknown. We hypothesized that PIs contribute to these adverse events by altering progesterone levels. Methods. PI effects on trophoblast progesterone production were assessed in vitro. A mouse pregnancy model was used to assess the impact of PI-based cART on pregnancy outcomes and progesterone levels in vivo. Progesterone levels were assessed in plasma specimens from 27 HIV-infected and 17 HIV-uninfected pregnant women. Results. PIs (ritonavir, lopinavir, and atazanavir) but not nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors reduced trophoblast progesterone production in vitro. In pregnant mice, PI-based cART but not dual-NRTI therapy was associated with significantly lower progesterone levels that directly correlated with fetal weight. Progesterone supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in fetal weight. We observed lower progesterone levels and smaller infants in HIV-infected women receiving PI-based cART, compared with the control group. In HIV-infected women, progesterone levels correlated significantly with birth weight percentile. Conclusions. Our data suggest that PI use in pregnancy may lead to lower progesterone levels that could contribute to adverse birth outcomes. PMID:25030058

  17. HIV protease inhibitor use during pregnancy is associated with decreased progesterone levels, suggesting a potential mechanism contributing to fetal growth restriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papp, Eszter; Mohammadi, Hakimeh; Loutfy, Mona R; Yudin, Mark H; Murphy, Kellie E; Walmsley, Sharon L; Shah, Rajiv; MacGillivray, Jay; Silverman, Michael; Serghides, Lena

    2015-01-01

    Protease inhibitor (PI)-based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is administered during pregnancy to prevent perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. However, PI use has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. The mechanisms underlying these outcomes are unknown. We hypothesized that PIs contribute to these adverse events by altering progesterone levels. PI effects on trophoblast progesterone production were assessed in vitro. A mouse pregnancy model was used to assess the impact of PI-based cART on pregnancy outcomes and progesterone levels in vivo. Progesterone levels were assessed in plasma specimens from 27 HIV-infected and 17 HIV-uninfected pregnant women. PIs (ritonavir, lopinavir, and atazanavir) but not nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors reduced trophoblast progesterone production in vitro. In pregnant mice, PI-based cART but not dual-NRTI therapy was associated with significantly lower progesterone levels that directly correlated with fetal weight. Progesterone supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in fetal weight. We observed lower progesterone levels and smaller infants in HIV-infected women receiving PI-based cART, compared with the control group. In HIV-infected women, progesterone levels correlated significantly with birth weight percentile. Our data suggest that PI use in pregnancy may lead to lower progesterone levels that could contribute to adverse birth outcomes. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

  18. The crystal structure of the secreted aspartic protease 1 from Candida parapsilosis in complex with pepstatin A

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dostál, Ji& #345; í; Brynda, Ji& #345; í; Hrušková-Heidingsfeldová, Olga; Sieglová, Irena; Pichová, Iva; & #344; ezá& #269; ová, Pavlína; (ASCR-ICP)

    2010-09-01

    Opportunistic pathogens of the genus Candida cause infections representing a major threat to long-term survival of immunocompromised patients. Virulence of the Candida pathogens is enhanced by production of extracellular proteolytic enzymes and secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) are therefore studied as potential virulence factors and possible targets for therapeutic drug design. Candida parapsilosis is less invasive than C. albicans, however, it is one of the leading causative agents of yeast infections. We report three-dimensional crystal structure of Sapp1p from C. parapsilosis in complex with pepstatin A, the classical inhibitor of aspartic proteases. The structure of Sapp1p was determined from protein isolated from its natural source and represents the first structure of Sap from C. parapsilosis. Overall fold and topology of Sapp1p is very similar to the archetypic fold of monomeric aspartic protease family and known structures of Sap isoenzymes from C. albicans and Sapt1p from C. tropicalis. Structural comparison revealed noticeable differences in the structure of loops surrounding the active site. This resulted in differential character, shape, and size of the substrate binding site explaining divergent substrate specificities and inhibitor affinities. Determination of structures of Sap isoenzymes from various species might contribute to the development of new Sap-specific inhibitors.

  19. The influence of X-rays, vitamin A and protease inhibitor on the hydroproteolytic activity and serotonin content in pancreas and intestine of rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kocmierska-Grodzka, D.

    1976-01-01

    Activity of MAO, hydroproteolytic enzymes including some lysosomal markers as well as serotonin content were examined in pancreas and intestinal tissue of rats 24 hours after irradiation with the dose of 800 R. It was stated that postirradiation disturbances of enzymatic activity in intestinal tract were accompanied by changes of serotonin content. Administration of vitamin A into rats caused in some parts of the intestine slight increase of acid phosphatase activity - and evident changes in serotonin content. Inhibitor of proteases (Trasylol) evidently prevented the disturbances of serotonin content both in rats exposed to X-rays or vitamin A administration - when simultaneously its influence on changes in hydroproteolytic activity (except of pancreas and colon) was of smaller degree. (orig.) [de

  20. Purification and characterization of a serine protease (CESP) from mature coconut endosperm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panicker, Leelamma M; Usha, Rajamma; Roy, Samir; Mandal, Chhabinath

    2009-01-01

    Background In plants, proteases execute an important role in the overall process of protein turnover during seed development, germination and senescence. The limited knowledge on the proteolytic machinery that operates during seed development in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) prompted us to search for proteases in the coconut endosperm. Findings We have identified and purified a coconut endosperm protease (CESP) to apparent homogeneity. CESP is a single polypeptide enzyme of approximate molecular mass of 68 kDa and possesses pH optimum of 8.5 for the hydrolysis of BAPNA. Studies relating to substrate specificity and pattern of inhibition by various protease inhibitors indicated that CESP is a serine protease with cleavage specificity to peptide bonds after arginine. Purified CESP was often autolysed to two polypeptides of 41.6 kDa (CESP1) and 26.7 kDa (CESP2) and is confirmed by immunochemistry. We have shown the expression of CESP in all varieties of coconut and in all stages of coconut endosperm development with maximum amount in fully matured coconut. Conclusion Since the involvement of proteases in the processing of pre-proteins and maintenance of intracellular protein levels in seeds are well known, we suspect this CESP might play an important role in the coconut endosperm development. However this need to be confirmed using further studies. PMID:19426537

  1. GS-8374, a Prototype Phosphonate-Containing Inhibitor of HIV-1 Protease, Effectively Inhibits Protease Mutants with Amino Acid Insertions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Grantz Šašková, Klára; Kožíšek, Milan; Stray, K.; Jong de, D.; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Brynda, Jiří; Maarseveen van, N. M.; Nijhuis, M.; Cihlář, T.; Konvalinka, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 88, č. 6 (2014), s. 3586-3590 ISSN 0022-538X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP207/11/1798 Grant - others:OPPC(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/24016 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378050 Keywords : virus type-1 protease * antiviral activity * drug resistance Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.439, year: 2014

  2. Leucocytes labelled with In-111-oxine in acute inflammatory processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herranz, R.; Lomena, F.; Fernandez, R.M.; Del Rio, L.; Piera, C.; Vida, F.; Setoain, J.

    1982-01-01

    We used autologous leucocytes labelled with In-111-Oxine to diagnose inflammatory processes, located or scattered, in 60 patients. In 46 there was suspected located infection focus. Gammagraphy was abnormal in 38 cases (83%), 28 abdominally located (87%), 5 thorax located (71%) and 5 of several locations. In other 14 cases there was clinic suspicion of infection without located septic focus. In 5 of them gammagraphy was interpreted as positive but only in 3 patients it was found abdominal located abscess. The two other cases are considered as false positive ones. In the 9 remaining, with negative gammagraphy there was no clinic confirmation nor other diagnostic methods of abscess existence. In this paper we checked high sensitivity of leucocytes In-111-Oxine to diagnose and locate infectious focuses. In our casuistry there was only a false negative and two false positive ones

  3. Energetics of DNA repair: effects of temperature on DNA repair in UV-irradiated peripheral blood leucocytes from chronic myeloid leukemic patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, A.; Sharma, R.; Jain, V.K.

    1988-05-01

    The effects of different temperatures (34-43/sup 0/C) were studied on the repair of UV-induced (254-nm) DNA damage and its energetics in peripheral blood leucocytes of chronic myeloid leukaemic patients. DNA repair was measured by the unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) technique. Cellular energy supply was modulated by inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation (antimycin-A) and glycolysis (2-deoxy-D-glucose). It was observed that there is an increase in the amount of DNA repair with increasing temperatures up to 40/sup 0/C and a fall thereafter. Longer periods of heat treatment (4 h) beyond 40/sup 0/C were observed to further decrease the DNA repair. Increasing temperatures were observed to have no significant effect on the parameters of energy metabolism. Further, the activation energy of DNA repair was calculated as 92 +- 46 kJ/mol (22 +- 11 kcal/mol), which did not alter significantly even in the presence of inhibitors of energy metabolism.

  4. Discovery and Early Clinical Evaluation of BMS-605339, a Potent and Orally Efficacious Tripeptidic Acylsulfonamide NS3 Protease Inhibitor for the Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scola, Paul M.; Wang, Alan Xiangdong; Good, Andrew C.; Sun, Li-Qiang; Combrink, Keith D.; Campbell, Jeffrey A.; Chen, Jie; Tu, Yong; Sin, Ny; Venables, Brian L.; Sit, Sing-Yuen; Chen, Yan; Cocuzza, Anthony; Bilder, Donna M.; D’Andrea, Stanley; Zheng, Barbara; Hewawasam, Piyasena; Ding, Min; Thuring, Jan; Li, Jianqing; Hernandez, Dennis; Yu, Fei; Falk, Paul; Zhai, Guangzhi; Sheaffer, Amy K.; Chen, Chaoqun; Lee, Min S.; Barry, Diana; Knipe, Jay O.; Li, Wenying; Han, Yong-Hae; Jenkins, Susan; Gesenberg, Christoph; Gao, Qi; Sinz, Michael W.; Santone, Kenneth S.; Zvyaga, Tatyana; Rajamani, Ramkumar; Klei, Herbert E.; Colonno, Richard J.; Grasela, Dennis M.; Hughes, Eric; Chien, Caly; Adams, Stephen; Levesque, Paul C.; Li, Danshi; Zhu, Jialong; Meanwell, Nicholas A.; McPhee, Fiona

    2014-03-13

    The discovery of BMS-605339 (35), a tripeptidic inhibitor of the NS3/4A enzyme, is described. This compound incorporates a cyclopropylacylsulfonamide moiety that was designed to improve the potency of carboxylic acid prototypes through the introduction of favorable nonbonding interactions within the S1' site of the protease. The identification of 35 was enabled through the optimization and balance of critical properties including potency and pharmacokinetics (PK). This was achieved through modulation of the P2* subsite of the inhibitor which identified the isoquinoline ring system as a key template for improving PK properties with further optimization achieved through functionalization. A methoxy moiety at the C6 position of this isoquinoline ring system proved to be optimal with respect to potency and PK, thus providing the clinical compound 35 which demonstrated antiviral activity in HCV-infected patients.

  5. Vitamin C in plasma and leucocytes in relation to periodontitis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuzmanova, D.; Jansen, I.D.C.; Schoenmaker, T.; Nazmi, K.; Teeuw, W.J.; Bizzarro, S.; Loos, B.G.; van der Velden, U.

    2012-01-01

    Aim To test the hypothesis that vitamin C concentrations in plasma, polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leucocytes (PMNs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are lower in periodontitis patients compared with healthy controls. Methods Twenty-one untreated periodontal patients and 21 healthy

  6. Detection of proteases from Sporosarcina aquimarina and Algoriphagus antarcticus isolated from Antarctic soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson F. Santos

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Two psychrophilic bacterial samples were isolated from King George Island soil, in Antarctica. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA (rrs gene led to the correlation with the closest related isolates as Sporosarcina aquimarina (99% and Algoriphagus antarcticus(99%, with query coverage of 99% and 98%, respectively.The spent culture media from both isolates displayed proteolytic activities detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis containing gelatin as protein substrate. Under the employed conditions, S. aquimarina showed a 55 kDa protease with the best activity detected at pH 7.0 and at 27°C. A. antarcticusalso showed a single extracellular protease, however its molecular mass was around 90kDa and its best activity was detected at pH 9.0 and at 37°C. The proteases from both isolates were inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline and EDTA, two metalloprotease inhibitors. This is the first record of protease detection in both species, and our results may contribute to broaden the basic knowledge of proteases from the Antarctica environment and may help prospecting future biotechnological applications of these enzymes.

  7. Development of lyophilized kit of Tin-Glucoheptonate for in vitro labeling of leucocytes with 99mTc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nascimento, Rosemeire Fagundes

    2007-01-01

    The study and localization of inflammatory and infection process in Nuclear Medicine represents a relevant tool in diagnostic procedures. In same cases, the diagnostic is easy and based on anamnesis and clinical observation; in other cases, the patients are asymptomatic or present non specific symptoms that difficult the diagnostic. The early diagnostic of inflammatory or infectious process allow the early introduction of therapy and prevents complications. Farther, the differentiation between inflammation and infection is of extreme importance as well as the localization of the focus. The use of labeled leucocytes, studied and applied in much pathologies, is the method of choice for the visualization of inflammation and infection. The scintigraphy using labeled leucocytes was introduced at 1976 by McAffe and Thakur and since of this is used in the diagnostic of different pathologies related to leucocyte infiltration like intestinal inflammatory disease, bone or prosthetic-vascular infections. The in vitro labeling of leucocytes with 111 In was performed using oxime or tropolone as ligand and with 99m Tc using hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) as ligand, resulting in a lipophilic complex. The 99m Tc-HMPAG complex was preferably employed in many indications and countries do to the ideal physical properties of 99m Tc that results in low dose to the patient. However, the labeling employing the HMPAO complex results in some disadvantages like the low stability of the complex, and some requirements related to the 99m Tc elution (like the time pos elution), beyond the high cost of the compound that is imported. The aim of this work was the development of a tin-glucoheptonate lyophilized kit for in vitro leucocytes labeling with 99m Tc using the pre-stannization method. The optimization of the labeling technique was developed using leucocytes isolated from total blood and employing different volumes of the tinglucoheptonate reagent and different incubation times at

  8. Clinical experience with 111In tropolonate leucocytes in the detection of occult infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wraight, E.P.

    1988-01-01

    Over a period of 3 years, 275 scans were performed in 233 patients with suspected occult sepsis. A firm diagnosis was ultimately established in 160 cases. 81 sites of infection were correctly identified and there were 77 true negative studies. There were 4 false negative and 7 false positive studies, most of which were due to misinterpreting bowel activity as sepsis and vice versa. In 56 cases CT scans were performed within a few days of the leucocyte study. There was good agreement between the findings. Comparison was possible with ultrasound in 81 cases. In 15 of these ultrasound failed to detect infection in the abdomen which was demonstrated by 111 In leucocytes, suggesting that ultrasound is much less sensitive in this situation. The overall accuracy of 111 In leucocyte scanning in this series was 93,5%. The predictive value of a positive result was 92% and of a negative one 95%. The need for serial images to distinguish bowel activity (colitis or swallowed activity) from paracolic sepsis is emphasised. (orig.)

  9. Development of elvitegravir resistance and linkage of integrase inhibitor mutations with protease and reverse transcriptase resistance mutations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark A Winters

    Full Text Available Failure of antiretroviral regimens containing elvitegravir (EVG and raltegravir (RAL can result in the appearance of integrase inhibitor (INI drug-resistance mutations (DRMs. While several INI DRMs have been identified, the evolution of EVG DRMs and the linkage of these DRMs with protease inhibitor (PI and reverse transcriptase inhibitor (RTI DRMs have not been studied at the clonal level. We examined the development of INI DRMs in 10 patients failing EVG-containing regimens over time, and the linkage of INI DRMs with PI and RTI DRMs in these patients plus 6 RAL-treated patients. A one-step RT-nested PCR protocol was used to generate a 2.7 kB amplicon that included the PR, RT, and IN coding region, and standard cloning and sequencing techniques were used to determine DRMs in 1,277 clones (mean 21 clones per time point. Results showed all patients had multiple PI, NRTI, and/or NNRTI DRMs at baseline, but no primary INI DRM. EVG-treated patients developed from 2 to 6 strains with different primary INI DRMs as early as 2 weeks after initiation of treatment, predominantly as single mutations. The prevalence of these strains fluctuated and new strains, and/or strains with new combinations of INI DRMs, developed over time. Final failure samples (weeks 14 to 48 typically showed a dominant strain with multiple mutations or N155H alone. Single N155H or multiple mutations were also observed in RAL-treated patients at virologic failure. All patient strains showed evidence of INI DRM co-located with single or multiple PI and/or RTI DRMs on the same viral strand. Our study shows that EVG treatment can select for a number of distinct INI-resistant strains whose prevalence fluctuates over time. Continued appearance of new INI DRMs after initial INI failure suggests a potent, highly dynamic selection of INI resistant strains that is unaffected by co-location with PI and RTI DRMs.

  10. Structural basis for decreased induction of class IB PI3-kinases expression by MIF inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Abhay Kumar [Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO USA; Pantouris, Georgios [Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT USA; Borosch, Sebastian [Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen Germany; Rojanasthien, Siripong [Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO USA; Cho, Thomas Yoonsang [Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO USA

    2016-09-13

    Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a master regulator of proinflammatory cytokines and plays pathological roles when not properly regulated in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, atherosclerosis, asthma and cancer. Unlike canonical cytokines, MIF has vestigial keto-enol tautomerase activity. Most of the current MIF inhibitors were screened for the inhibition of this enzymatic activity. However, only some of the enzymatic inhibitors inhibit receptor-mediated biological functions of MIF, such as cell recruitment, through an unknown molecular mechanism. The goal of this study was to understand the molecular basis underlying the pharmacological inhibition of biological functions of MIF. Here, we demonstrate how the structural changes caused upon inhibitor binding translate into the alteration of MIF-induced downstream signalling. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor activates phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) that play a pivotal role in immune cell recruitment in health and disease. There are several different PI3K isoforms, but little is known about how they respond to MIF. We demonstrate that MIF up-regulates the expression of Class IB PI3Ks in leucocytes. We also demonstrate that MIF tautomerase active site inhibitors down-regulate the expression of Class IB PI3Ks as well as leucocyte recruitment in vitro and in vivo. Finally, based on our MIF:inhibitor complex crystal structures, we hypothesize that the reduction in Class IB PI3K expression occurs because of the displacement of Pro1 towards the second loop of MIF upon inhibitor binding, which results in increased flexibility of the loop 2 and sub-optimal MIF binding to its receptors. These results will provide molecular insights for fine-tuning the biological functions of MIF.

  11. Degradation of the disease-associated prion protein by a serine protease from lichens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, C.J.; Bennett, J.P.; Biro, S.M.; Duque-Velasquez, J.C.; Rodriguez, C.M.; Bessen, R.A.; Rocke, T.E.; Bartz, Jason C.

    2011-01-01

    The disease-associated prion protein (PrP(TSE)), the probable etiological agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), is resistant to degradation and can persist in the environment. Lichens, mutualistic symbioses containing fungi, algae, bacteria and occasionally cyanobacteria, are ubiquitous in the environment and have evolved unique biological activities allowing their survival in challenging ecological niches. We investigated PrP(TSE) inactivation by lichens and found acetone extracts of three lichen species (Parmelia sulcata, Cladonia rangiferina and Lobaria pulmonaria) have the ability to degrade prion protein (PrP) from TSE-infected hamsters, mice and deer. Immunoblots measuring PrP levels and protein misfolding cyclic amplification indicated at least two logs of reductions in PrP(TSE). Degradative activity was not found in closely related lichen species or in algae or a cyanobacterium that inhabit lichens. Degradation was blocked by Pefabloc SC, a serine protease inhibitor, but not inhibitors of other proteases or enzymes. Additionally, we found that PrP levels in PrP(TSE)-enriched preps or infected brain homogenates are also reduced following exposure to freshly-collected P. sulcata or an aqueous extract of the lichen. Our findings indicate that these lichen extracts efficiently degrade PrP(TSE) and suggest that some lichens could have potential to inactivate TSE infectivity on the landscape or be a source for agents to degrade prions. Further work to clone and characterize the protease, assess its effect on TSE infectivity and determine which organism or organisms present in lichens produce or influence the protease activity is warranted.

  12. Characterization and inhibition of norovirus proteases of genogroups I and II using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Kyeong-Ok; Takahashi, Daisuke; Prakash, Om; Kim, Yunjeong

    2012-01-01

    Noroviruses are the major cause of food- or water-borne gastroenteritis outbreaks in humans. The norovirus protease that cleaves a large viral polyprotein to nonstructural proteins is essential for virus replication and an attractive target for antiviral drug development. Noroviruses show high genetic diversity with at least five genogroups, GI–GV, of which GI and GII are responsible for the majority of norovirus infections in humans. We cloned and expressed proteases of Norwalk virus (GI) and MD145 virus (GII) and characterized the enzymatic activities with fluorescence resonance energy transfer substrates. We demonstrated that the GI and GII proteases cleaved the substrates derived from the naturally occurring cleavage site in the open reading frame (ORF) 1 of G1 norovirus with similar efficiency, and that enzymatic activity of both proteases was inhibited by commercial protease inhibitors including chymostatin. The interaction of chymostatin to Norwalk virus protease was validated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

  13. The dissemination of C10 cysteine protease genes in Bacteroides fragilis by mobile genetic elements

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Thornton, Roibeard F

    2010-04-23

    Abstract Background The C10 family of cysteine proteases includes enzymes that contribute to the virulence of bacterial pathogens, such as SpeB in Streptococcus pyogenes. The presence of homologues of cysteine protease genes in human commensal organisms has not been examined. Bacteroides fragilis is a member of the dominant Bacteroidetes phylum of the human intestinal microbiota, and is a significant opportunistic pathogen. Results Four homologues of the streptococcal virulence factor SpeB were identified in the B. fragilis genome. These four protease genes, two were directly contiguous to open reading frames predicted to encode staphostatin-like inhibitors, with which the protease genes were co-transcribed. Two of these protease genes are unique to B. fragilis 638R and are associated with two large genomic insertions. Gene annotation indicated that one of these insertions was a conjugative Tn-like element and the other was a prophage-like element, which was shown to be capable of excision. Homologues of the B. fragilis C10 protease genes were present in a panel of clinical isolates, and in DNA extracted from normal human faecal microbiota. Conclusions This study suggests a mechanism for the evolution and dissemination of an important class of protease in major members of the normal human microbiota.

  14. The dissemination of C10 cysteine protease genes in Bacteroides fragilis by mobile genetic elements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kagawa Todd F

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The C10 family of cysteine proteases includes enzymes that contribute to the virulence of bacterial pathogens, such as SpeB in Streptococcus pyogenes. The presence of homologues of cysteine protease genes in human commensal organisms has not been examined. Bacteroides fragilis is a member of the dominant Bacteroidetes phylum of the human intestinal microbiota, and is a significant opportunistic pathogen. Results Four homologues of the streptococcal virulence factor SpeB were identified in the B. fragilis genome. These four protease genes, two were directly contiguous to open reading frames predicted to encode staphostatin-like inhibitors, with which the protease genes were co-transcribed. Two of these protease genes are unique to B. fragilis 638R and are associated with two large genomic insertions. Gene annotation indicated that one of these insertions was a conjugative Tn-like element and the other was a prophage-like element, which was shown to be capable of excision. Homologues of the B. fragilis C10 protease genes were present in a panel of clinical isolates, and in DNA extracted from normal human faecal microbiota. Conclusions This study suggests a mechanism for the evolution and dissemination of an important class of protease in major members of the normal human microbiota.

  15. Mast cells limit extracellular levels of IL-13 via a serglycin proteoglycan-serine protease axis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waern, Ida; Karlsson, Iulia; Thorpe, Michael; Schlenner, Susan M; Feyerabend, Thorsten B; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer; Åbrink, Magnus; Hellman, Lars; Pejler, Gunnar; Wernersson, Sara

    2012-12-01

    Mast cell (MC) granules contain large amounts of proteases of the chymase, tryptase and carboxypeptidase A (MC-CPA) type that are stored in complex with serglycin,a proteoglycan with heparin side chains. Hence, serglycinprotease complexes are released upon MC degranulation and may influence local inflammation. Here we explored the possibility that a serglycin-protease axis may regulate levels of IL-13, a cytokine involved in allergic asthma. Indeed, we found that wild-type MCs efficiently degraded exogenous or endogenously produced IL-13 upon degranulation,whereas serglycin −/− MCs completely lacked this ability.Moreover, MC-mediated IL-13 degradation was blocked both by a serine protease inhibitor and by a heparin antagonist,which suggests that IL-13 degradation is catalyzed by serglycin-dependent serine proteases and that optimal IL-13 degradation is dependent on both the serglycin and the protease component of the serglycin-protease complex.Moreover, IL-13 degradation was abrogated in MC-CPA −/−MC cultures, but was normal in cultures of MCs with an inactivating mutation of MC-CPA, which suggests that the IL-13-degrading serine proteases rely on MC-CPA protein.Together, our data implicate a serglycin-serine protease axis in the regulation of extracellular levels of IL-13. Reduction of IL-13 levels through this mechanism possibly can provide a protective function in the context of allergic inflammation.

  16. Pharmacological inhibition of caspase and calpain proteases: a novel strategy to enhance the homing responses of cord blood HSPCs during expansion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V M Sangeetha

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Expansion of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs is a well-known strategy employed to facilitate the transplantation outcome. We have previously shown that the prevention of apoptosis by the inhibition of cysteine proteases, caspase and calpain played an important role in the expansion and engraftment of cord blood (CB derived HSPCs. We hypothesize that these protease inhibitors might have maneuvered the adhesive and migratory properties of the cells rendering them to be retained in the bone marrow for sustained engraftment. The current study was aimed to investigate the mechanism of the homing responses of CB cells during expansion. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: CB derived CD34(+ cells were expanded using a combination of growth factors with and without Caspase inhibitor -zVADfmk or Calpain 1 inhibitor- zLLYfmk. The cells were analyzed for the expression of homing-related molecules. In vitro adhesive/migratory interactions and actin polymerization dynamics of HSPCs were assessed. In vivo homing assays were carried out in NOD/SCID mice to corroborate these observations. We observed that the presence of zVADfmk or zLLYfmk (inhibitors caused the functional up regulation of CXCR4, integrins, and adhesion molecules, reflecting in a higher migration and adhesive interactions in vitro. The enhanced actin polymerization and the RhoGTPase protein expression complemented these observations. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed a significantly enhanced homing to the bone marrow of NOD/SCID mice. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our present study reveals another novel aspect of the regulation of caspase and calpain proteases in the biology of HSPCs. The priming of the homing responses of the inhibitor-cultured HSPCs compared to the cytokine-graft suggests that the modulation of these proteases may help in overcoming the major homing defects prevalent in the expansion cultures thereby facilitating the manipulation of cells for transplant

  17. Production and partial characterization of proteases from Mucor hiemalis URM3773

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roana Cecília dos Santos Ribeiro

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The current study evaluated the proteases production from 11 fungal species belonging to the genera Mucor, Rhizomucor and Absidia. The species were obtained from the Collection of Cultures URM at the Mycology Department-UFPE, Brazil. The best producing species was Mucor hiemalis URM 3773 (1.689 U mL-1. Plackett-Burman design methodology was employed to select the most effective parameter for protease production out of 11 medium components, including: concentration of filtrate soybean, glucose, incubation period, yeast extract, tryptone, pH, aeration, rotation, NH4Cl, MgSO4 and K2HPO4. Filtrated soybean concentration was the significant variable over the response variable, which was the specific protease activity. The crude enzyme extract showed optimal activity in pH 7.5 and at 50ºC. The enzyme was stable within a wide pH range from 5.8 to 8.0, in the phosphate buffer 0.1M and in stable temperature variation of 40-70ºC, for 180 minutes. The ions FeSO4, NaCl, MnCl2, MgCl2 and KCl stimulated the protease activity, whereas ZnCl2 ion inhibited the activity in 2.27%. Iodoacetic acid at 1mM was the proteases inhibitor that presented greater action.The results indicate that the studied enzyme have great potential for industrial application.

  18. Energetic basis for drug resistance of HIV-1 protease mutants against amprenavir

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kar, Parimal; Knecht, Volker

    2012-02-01

    Amprenavir (APV) is a high affinity (0.15 nM) HIV-1 protease (PR) inhibitor. However, the affinities of the drug resistant protease variants V32I, I50V, I54V, I54M, I84V and L90M to amprenavir are decreased 3 to 30-fold compared to the wild-type. In this work, the popular molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area method has been used to investigate the effectiveness of amprenavir against the wild-type and these mutated protease variants. Our results reveal that the protonation state of Asp25/Asp25' strongly affects the dynamics, the overall affinity and the interactions of the inhibitor with individual residues. We emphasize that, in contrast to what is often assumed, the protonation state may not be inferred from the affinities but requires pKa calculations. At neutral pH, Asp25 and Asp25' are ionized or protonated, respectively, as suggested from pKa calculations. This protonation state was thus mainly considered in our study. Mutation induced changes in binding affinities are in agreement with the experimental findings. The decomposition of the binding free energy reveals the mechanisms underlying binding and drug resistance. Drug resistance arises from an increase in the energetic contribution from the van der Waals interactions between APV and PR (V32I, I50V, and I84V mutant) or a rise in the energetic contribution from the electrostatic interactions between the inhibitor and its target (I54M and I54V mutant). For the V32I mutant, also an increased free energy for the polar solvation contributes to the drug resistance. For the L90M mutant, a rise in the van der Waals energy for APV-PR interactions is compensated by a decrease in the polar solvation free energy such that the net binding affinity remains unchanged. Detailed understanding of the molecular forces governing binding and drug resistance might assist in the design of new inhibitors against HIV-1 PR variants that are resistant against current drugs.

  19. The dimer interfaces of protease and extra-protease domains influence the activation of protease and the specificity of GagPol cleavage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettit, Steven C; Gulnik, Sergei; Everitt, Lori; Kaplan, Andrew H

    2003-01-01

    Activation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease is an essential step in viral replication. As is the case for all retroviral proteases, enzyme activation requires the formation of protease homodimers. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which retroviral proteases become active within their precursors. Using an in vitro expression system, we have examined the determinants of activation efficiency and the order of cleavage site processing for the protease of HIV-1 within the full-length GagPol precursor. Following activation, initial cleavage occurs between the viral p2 and nucleocapsid proteins. This is followed by cleavage of a novel site located in the transframe domain. Mutational analysis of the dimer interface of the protease produced differential effects on activation and specificity. A subset of mutations produced enhanced cleavage at the amino terminus of the protease, suggesting that, in the wild-type precursor, cleavages that liberate the protease are a relatively late event. Replacement of the proline residue at position 1 of the protease dimer interface resulted in altered cleavage of distal sites and suggests that this residue functions as a cis-directed specificity determinant. In summary, our studies indicate that interactions within the protease dimer interface help determine the order of precursor cleavage and contribute to the formation of extended-protease intermediates. Assembly domains within GagPol outside the protease domain also influence enzyme activation.

  20. Functional C1-inhibitor diagnostics in hereditary angioedema: Assay evaluation and recommendations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagenaar-Bos, Ineke G. A.; Drouet, Christian; Aygoeren-Pursun, Emel; Bork, Konrad; Bucher, Christoph; Bygum, Anette; Farkas, Henriette; Fust, George; Gregorek, Hanna; Hack, C. Erik; Hickey, Alaco; Joller-Jemelka, Helen I.; Kapusta, Maria; Kreuz, Wolfhart; Longhurst, Hilary; Lopez-Trascasa, Margarita; Madalinski, Kazimierz; Naskalski, Jerzy; Nieuwenhuys, Ed; Ponard, Denise; Truedsson, Lennart; Varga, Lilian; Nielsen, Erik Waage; Wagner, Eric; Zingale, Lorenza; Cicardi, Marco; van Ham, S. Marieke

    2008-01-01

    Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by recurrent episodes of potentially life-threatening angioedema. The most widespread underlying genetic deficiency is a heterozygous deficiency of the serine protease inhibitor Cl esterase inhibitor (C1-Inh). In addition to

  1. Functional C1-inhibitor diagnostics in hereditary angioedema: assay evaluation and recommendations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wagenaar-Bos, Ineke G A; Drouet, Christian; Aygören-Pursun, Emel

    2008-01-01

    Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by recurrent episodes of potentially life-threatening angioedema. The most widespread underlying genetic deficiency is a heterozygous deficiency of the serine protease inhibitor C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-Inh). In addition ...

  2. Phospholipid Binding Protein C Inhibitor (PCI) Is Present on Microparticles Generated In Vitro and In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Einfinger, Katrin; Badrnya, Sigrun; Furtmüller, Margareta; Handschuh, Daniela; Lindner, Herbert; Geiger, Margarethe

    2015-01-01

    Protein C inhibitor is a secreted, non-specific serine protease inhibitor with broad protease reactivity. It binds glycosaminoglycans and anionic phospholipids, which can modulate its activity. Anionic phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine are normally localized to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, but are exposed on activated and apoptotic cells and on plasma membrane-derived microparticles. In this report we show by flow cytometry that microparticles derived from cultured cells and activated platelets incorporated protein C inhibitor during membrane blebbing. Moreover, protein C inhibitor is present in/on microparticles circulating in normal human plasma as judged from Western blots, ELISAs, flow cytometry, and mass spectrometry. These plasma microparticles are mainly derived from megakaryocytes. They seem to be saturated with protein C inhibitor, since they do not bind added fluorescence-labeled protein C inhibitor. Heparin partially removed microparticle-bound protein C inhibitor, supporting our assumption that protein C inhibitor is bound via phospholipids. To assess the biological role of microparticle-bound protein C inhibitor we performed protease inhibition assays and co-precipitated putative binding partners on microparticles with anti-protein C inhibitor IgG. As judged from amidolytic assays microparticle-bound protein C inhibitor did not inhibit activated protein C or thrombin, nor did microparticles modulate the activity of exogenous protein C inhibitor. Among the proteins co-precipitating with protein C inhibitor, complement factors, especially complement factor 3, were most striking. Taken together, our data do not support a major role of microparticle-associated protein C inhibitor in coagulation, but rather suggest an interaction with proteins of the complement system present on these phospholipid vesicles. PMID:26580551

  3. Earthworm Protease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong Pan

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The alimentary tract of earthworm secretes a group of proteases with a relative wide substrate specificity. In 1983, six isozymes were isolated from earthworm with fibrinolytic activities and called fibriniolytic enzymes. So far, more isozymes have been found from different earthworm species such as Lumbricus rubellus and Eisenia fetida. For convenience, the proteases are named on the basis of the earthworm species and the protein function, for instance, Eisenia fetida protease (EfP. The proteases have the abilities not only to hydrolyze fibrin and other protein, but also activate proenzymes such as plasminogen and prothrombin. In the light of recent studies, eight of the EfPs contain oligosaccharides chains which are thought to support the enzyme structure. Interestingly, EfP-II has a broader substrate specificity presenting alkaline trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase activities, but EfP-III-1 has a stricter specificity. The protein crystal structures show the characteristics in their specificities. Earthworm proteases have been applied in several areas such as clinical treatment of clotting diseases, anti-tumor study, environmental protection and nutritional production. The current clinical utilizations and some potential new applications of the earthworm protease will be discussed in this paper.

  4. Earthworm Protease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan, R.; Zhang, Z.; He, R.

    2010-01-01

    The alimentary tract of earthworm secretes a group of proteases with a relative wide substrate specificity. In 1983, six isozymes were isolated from earthworm with fibrinolytic activities and called fibrinolytic enzymes. So far, more isozymes have been found from different earthworm species such as Lumbricus rubellus and Eisenia fetida. For convenience, the proteases are named on the basis of the earthworm species and the protein function, for instance, Eisenia fetida protease (EfP). The proteases have the abilities not only to hydrolyze fibrin and other protein, but also activate pro enzymes such as plasminogen and prothrombin. In the light of recent studies, eight of the EfPs contain oligosaccharides chains which are thought to support the enzyme structure. Interestingly, EfP-II has a broader substrate specificity presenting alkaline trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase activities, but EfP-III-1 has a stricter specificity. The protein crystal structures show the characteristics in their specificities. Earthworm proteases have been applied in several areas such as clinical treatment of clotting diseases, anti-tumor study, environmental protection and nutritional production. The current clinical utilizations and some potential new applications of the earthworm protease will be discussed in this paper.

  5. Towards generation of bioactive peptides from meat industry waste proteins: Generation of peptides using commercial microbial proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryder, Kate; Bekhit, Alaa El-Din; McConnell, Michelle; Carne, Alan

    2016-10-01

    Five commercially available food-grade microbial protease preparations were evaluated for their ability to hydrolyse meat myofibrillar and connective tissue protein extracts to produce bioactive peptides. A bacterial-derived protease (HT) extensively hydrolysed both meat protein extracts, producing peptide hydrolysates with significant in vitro antioxidant and ACE inhibitor activities. The hydrolysates retained bioactivity after simulated gastrointestinal hydrolysis challenge. Gel permeation chromatography sub-fractionation of the crude protein hydrolysates showed that the smaller peptide fractions exhibited the highest antioxidant and ACE inhibitor activities. OFFGEL electrophoresis of the small peptides of both hydrolysates showed that low isoelectric point peptides had antioxidant activity; however, no consistent relationship was observed between isoelectric point and ACE inhibition. Cell-based assays indicated that the hydrolysates present no significant cytotoxicity towards Vero cells. The results indicate that HT protease hydrolysis of meat myofibrillar and connective tissue protein extracts produces bioactive peptides that are non-cytotoxic, should be stable in the gastrointestinal tract and may contain novel bioactive peptide sequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Docking, synthesis and bioassay studies of imine derivatives as potential inhibitors for dengue NS2B/ NS3 serine protease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neni Frimayanti

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To search imine derivatives as new active agents against dengue type 2 NS2B/NS3 using molecular docking, since there is no effective vaccine against flaviviral infections. Methods: In this research, molecular docking was performed for a series of imine derivatives and the information obtained from the docking studies was used to explore the binding modes of these imine derivatives with dengue type 2 NS2B/NS3 serine protease. A set of imine were synthesized and bioassay study of the inhibitory activities of these compounds was then performed. Results: The results indicated that MY8 and MY4 have the ability to inhibit DEN2 NS2B/NS3 proteolytic activity. Conclusions: These two compounds were chosen as the reference for the next stage in drug design as new inhibitor agents against NS2B/NS3.

  7. Regulation of Adrenal Aldosterone Production by Serine Protease Prostasin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takehiro Ko

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A serine protease prostasin has been demonstrated to have a pivotal role in the activation of the epithelial sodium channel. Systemic administration of adenovirus carrying human prostasin gene in rats resulted in an increase in plasma prostasin and aldosterone levels. However, the mechanism by which the elevation of prostasin levels in the systemic circulation stimulated the plasma aldosterone levels remains unknown. Therefore, we examined if prostasin increases the aldosterone synthesis in a human adrenocortical cell line (H295R cells. Luciferase assay using CYP11B2 promoter revealed that prostasin significantly increased the transcriptional activity of CYP11B2. Prostasin significantly increased both CYP11B2 mRNA expression and aldosterone production in a dose-dependent manner. Surprisingly, treatment with camostat mesilate, a potent prostasin inhibitor, had no effect on the aldosterone synthesis by prostasin and also a protease-dead mutant of prostasin significantly stimulated the aldosterone production. A T-type/L-type calcium channel blocker and a protein kinase C (PKC inhibitor significantly reduced the aldosterone synthesis by prostasin. Our findings suggest a stimulatory effect of prostasin on the aldosterone synthesis by adrenal gland through the nonproteolytic action and indicate a new role of prostasin in the systemic circulation.

  8. The crystal structure of protease Sapp1p from Candida parapsilosis in complex with the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dostál, Jiří; Brynda, Jiří; Hrušková-Heidingsfeldová, Olga; Pachl, Petr; Pichová, Iva; Řezáčová, Pavlína

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 27, č. 1 (2012), s. 160-165 ISSN 1475-6366 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC531; GA ČR GA310/09/1945; GA ČR GA203/09/0820 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506; CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : secreted aspartic protease * virulence factor * X-ray structure * candidiasis Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 1.495, year: 2012

  9. Structure of a Kunitz-type potato cathepsin D inhibitor

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Guo, J.; Erskine, P. T.; Coker, A. R.; Wood, S. P.; Cooper, J. B.; Mareš, Michael; Baudyš, Miroslav

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 192, č. 3 (2015), s. 554-560 ISSN 1047-8477 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-18929S; GA MŠk LO1302 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : potato cathepsin D inhibitor * Kunitz-type protease inhibitor * protein X-ray structure * reactive-site loop * docking Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.570, year: 2015

  10. Mature and progenitor endothelial cells perform angiogenesis also under protease inhibition: the amoeboid angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chillà, Anastasia; Margheri, Francesca; Biagioni, Alessio; Del Rosso, Mario; Fibbi, Gabriella; Laurenzana, Anna

    2018-04-03

    Controlling vascular growth is a challenging aim for the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. The amoeboid and mesenchymal types of invasiveness are two modes of migration interchangeable in cancer cells: the Rac-dependent mesenchymal migration requires the activity of proteases; the Rho-ROCK-dependent amoeboid motility is protease-independent and has never been described in endothelial cells. A cocktail of physiologic inhibitors (Ph-C) of serine-proteases, metallo-proteases and cysteine-proteases, mimicking the physiological environment that cells encounter during their migration within the angiogenesis sites was used to induce amoeboid style migration of Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) and mature endothelial cells (ECs). To evaluate the mesenchymal-ameboid transition RhoA and Rac1 activation assays were performed along with immunofluorescence analysis of proteins involved in cytoskeleton organization. Cell invasion was studied in Boyden chambers and Matrigel plug assay for the in vivo angiogenesis. In the present study we showed in both ECFCs and ECs, a decrease of activated Rac1 and an increase of activated RhoA upon shifting of cells to the amoeboid conditions. In presence of Ph-C inhibitors both cell lines acquired a round morphology and Matrigel invasion was greatly enhanced with respect to that observed in the absence of protease inhibition. We also observed that the urokinase-plasminogen-activator (uPAR) receptor silencing and uPAR-integrin uncoupling with the M25 peptide abolished both mesenchymal and amoeboid angiogenesis of ECFCs and ECs in vitro and in vivo, indicating a role of the uPAR-integrin-actin axis in the regulation of amoeboid angiogenesis. Furthermore, under amoeboid conditions endothelial cells seem to be indifferent to VEGF stimulation, which induces an amoeboid signaling pattern also in mesenchymal conditions. Here we first provide a data set disclosing that endothelial cells can move and differentiate into vascular

  11. Comparative characterization of protease activity in cultured spotted rose snapper juveniles (Lutjanus guttatus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emyr Peña

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Partial characterizations of digestive proteases were studied in three life stages of spotted rose snapper: early (EJ, middle (MJ and late juvenile (LJ with corresponding average weights of 21.3 ± 2.6 g (3 months after hatching, MAH, 190 ± 4.4 g (7 MAH, and 400 ± 11.5 g (12 MAH. At sampling points, the digestive tract was dissected into the stomach (St, pyloric caeca (PC, and the intestine in three sections (proximal (PI, middle (MI and distal intestine (DI. The effect of pH and temperature and specific inhibitors were evaluated for acid and alkaline proteases. Total acid and alkaline protease activity showed a tendency to increase with juvenile life stage of fish while trypsin activity decreased. Differences were found in acid and alkaline protease activities at different pH and temperatures during juvenile stages. Pepstatin A inhibited total activity in the stomach extract in all juvenile stages. Activity in total alkaline protease inhibition was significantly higher in EJ using TLCK, PMSF, SBTI, Phen and Ovo than in MJ and LJ, while no significant differences were found with TPCK inhibition. Therefore increases in protease activities with fish growth through juvenile stages in which a substitution or diversification in the type of alkaline enzymes exist. These results lead a better comprehension of changes in digestive potential of Lutjanidae fish.

  12. Protease Inhibitors Drug Resistance Mutations in Turkish Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargin Altunok, Elif; Sayan, Murat; Akhan, Sila; Aygen, Bilgehan; Yildiz, Orhan; Tekin Koruk, Suda; Mistik, Resit; Demirturk, Nese; Ural, Onur; Kose, Şükran; Aynioglu, Aynur; Korkmaz, Fatime; Ersoz, Gülden; Tuna, Nazan; Ayaz, Celal; Karakecili, Faruk; Keten, Derya; Inan, Dilara; Yazici, Saadet; Koculu, Safiye; Yildirmak, Taner

    2016-09-01

    Drug resistance development is an expected problem during treatment with protease inhibitors (PIs), this is largely due to the fact that Pls are low-genetic barrier drugs. Resistance-associated variants (RAVs) however may also occur naturally, and prior to treatment with Pls, the clinical impact of this basal resistance remains unknown. In Turkey, there is yet to be an investigation into the hepatitis C (HCV) drug associated resistance to oral antivirals. 178 antiviral-naïve patients infected with HCV genotype 1 were selected from 27 clinical centers of various geographical regions in Turkey and included in the current study. The basal NS3 Pls resistance mutations of these patients were analyzed. In 33 (18.5%) of the patients included in the study, at least one mutation pattern that can cause drug resistance was identified. The most frequently detected mutation pattern was T54S while R109K was the second most frequently detected. Following a more general examination of the patients studied, telaprevir (TVR) resistance in 27 patients (15.2%), boceprevir (BOC) resistance in 26 (14.6%) patients, simeprevir (SMV) resistance in 11 (6.2%) patients and faldaprevir resistance in 13 (7.3%) patients were detected. Our investigation also revealed that rebound developed in the presence of a Q80K mutation and amongst two V55A mutations following treatment with TVR, while no response to treatment was detected in a patient with a R55K mutation. We are of the opinion that drug resistance analyses can be beneficial and necessary in revealing which variants are responsible for pre-treatment natural resistance and which mutations are responsible for the viral breakthrough that may develop during the treatment. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. A Biofilm Matrix-Associated Protease Inhibitor Protects Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Proteolytic Attack.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Boo Shan; Reichhardt, Courtney; Merrihew, Gennifer E; Araujo-Hernandez, Sophia A; Harrison, Joe J; MacCoss, Michael J; Parsek, Matthew R

    2018-04-10

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces an extracellular biofilm matrix that consists of nucleic acids, exopolysaccharides, lipid vesicles, and proteins. In general, the protein component of the biofilm matrix is poorly defined and understudied relative to the other major matrix constituents. While matrix proteins have been suggested to provide many functions to the biofilm, only proteins that play a structural role have been characterized thus far. Here we identify proteins enriched in the matrix of P. aeruginosa biofilms. We then focused on a candidate matrix protein, the serine protease inhibitor ecotin (PA2755). This protein is able to inhibit neutrophil elastase, a bactericidal enzyme produced by the host immune system during P. aeruginosa biofilm infections. We show that ecotin binds to the key biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide Psl and that it can inhibit neutrophil elastase when associated with Psl. Finally, we show that ecotin protects both planktonic and biofilm P. aeruginosa cells from neutrophil elastase-mediated killing. This may represent a novel mechanism of protection for biofilms to increase their tolerance against the innate immune response. IMPORTANCE Proteins associated with the extracellular matrix of bacterial aggregates called biofilms have long been suggested to provide many important functions to the community. To date, however, only proteins that provide structural roles have been described, and few matrix-associated proteins have been identified. We developed a method to identify matrix proteins and characterized one. We show that this protein, when associated with the biofilm matrix, can inhibit a bactericidal enzyme produced by the immune system during infection and protect biofilm cells from death induced by the enzyme. This may represent a novel mechanism of protection for biofilms, further increasing their tolerance against the immune response. Together, our results are the first to show a nonstructural function for a confirmed matrix

  14. GRL-09510, a Unique P2-Crown-Tetrahydrofuranylurethane -Containing HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor, Maintains Its Favorable Antiviral Activity against Highly-Drug-Resistant HIV-1 Variants in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amano, Masayuki; Miguel Salcedo-Gómez, Pedro; Yedidi, Ravikiran S.; Delino, Nicole S.; Nakata, Hirotomo; Venkateswara Rao, Kalapala; Ghosh, Arun K.; Mitsuya, Hiroaki

    2017-09-25

    We report that GRL-09510, a novel HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI) containing a newly-generated P2-crown-tetrahydrofuranylurethane (Crwn-THF), a P2'-methoxybenzene, and a sulfonamide isostere, is highly active against laboratory and primary clinical HIV-1 isolates (EC50: 0.0014–0.0028 μM) with minimal cytotoxicity (CC50: 39.0 μM). Similarly, GRL-09510 efficiently blocked the replication of HIV-1NL4-3 variants, which were capable of propagating at high-concentrations of atazanavir, lopinavir, and amprenavir (APV). GRL-09510 was also potent against multi-drug-resistant clinical HIV-1 variants and HIV-2ROD. Under the selection condition, where HIV-1NL4-3 rapidly acquired significant resistance to APV, an integrase inhibitor raltegravir, and a GRL-09510 congener (GRL-09610), no variants highly resistant against GRL-09510 emerged over long-term in vitro passage of the virus. Crystallographic analysis demonstrated that the Crwn-THF moiety of GRL-09510 forms strong hydrogen-bond-interactions with HIV-1 protease (PR) active-site amino acids and is bulkier with a larger contact surface, making greater van der Waals contacts with PR than the bis-THF moiety of darunavir. The present data demonstrate that GRL-09510 has favorable features for treating patients infected with wild-type and/or multi-drug-resistant HIV-1 variants, that the newly generated P2-Crwn-THF moiety confers highly desirable anti-HIV-1 potency. The use of the novel Crwn-THF moiety sheds lights in the design of novel PIs.

  15. FDG and FDG-labelled leucocyte PET/CT in the imaging of prosthetic joint infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aksoy, Sabire Yilmaz; Asa, Sertac; Ozhan, Meftune; Sager, M.S.; Halac, Metin; Kabasakal, Levent; Soenmezoglu, Kerim; Kanmaz, Bedii [University of Istanbul, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Aksaray, Istanbul (Turkey); Ocak, Meltem [University of Istanbul, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul (Turkey); Erkan, Melih Engin [Duzce University School of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Duzce (Turkey)

    2014-03-15

    The demand for arthroplasty is rapidly growing as a result of the ageing of the population. Although complications such as heterotrophic ossification, fracture and dislocation are relatively rare, differentiating aseptic loosening, the most common complication of arthroplasty from infection, is a major challenge for clinicians. Radionuclide imaging is currently the imaging modality of choice since it is not affected by orthopaedic hardware. Whereas FDG PET/CT imaging has been widely used in periprosthetic infection, it cannot discriminate aseptic from septic inflammation. In this study we aimed to evaluate the role of FDG PET/CT and FDG-labelled leucocyte PET/CT in the diagnosis of periprosthetic infection. Of 54 patients with painful joint arthroplasty who were imaged by FDG PET/CT for diagnosis of periprosthetic infection examined, 46 (36 women, 10 men; mean age 61.04 ± 12.2 years, range 32 - 89 years) with 54 painful joint prostheses (19 hip, 35 knee) with grade 2 (above liver uptake) FDG accumulation on FDG PET/CT were included in the study and these 46 patients also underwent FDG-labelled leucocyte PET/CT. Final diagnoses were made by histopathological-microbiological culture or clinical follow-up. The final diagnosis showed infection in 15 (28 %) and aseptic loosening in 39 (72 %) of the 54 prostheses. FDG PET/CT was found to have a positive predictive value of 28 % (15/54). Since patients with no FDG uptake on FDG PET/CT were excluded from the study, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and accuracy could not be calculated. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of FDG-labelled leucocyte PET/CT were 93.3 % (14/15), 97.4 % (38/39), 93.3 % and 97.4 %, respectively. Since FDG is not specific to infection, the specificity of FDG PET/CT was very low. FDG-labelled leucocyte PET/CT with its high specificity may be a useful method and better than labelled leucocyte scintigraphy in periprosthetic infection

  16. 86Rubidium uptake in mononuclear leucocytes from young subjects at increased risk of developing essential hypertension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, J R; Johansen, Torben; Pedersen, K E

    1988-01-01

    This study was designed to assess any changes in mononuclear leucocytes from young men at increased risk of developing essential hypertension and to determine whether any changes found were associated with borderline hypertension and/or heredity. To this end we used mononuclear leucocytes......, and especially in those borderline hypertensives with at least one hypertensive parent. The latter group was also the group at greatest risk of developing essential hypertension....

  17. Molecular characterization of alkaline protease of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SP1 involved in biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guleria, Shiwani; Walia, Abhishek; Chauhan, Anjali; Shirkot, C K

    2016-09-02

    An alkaline protease gene was amplified from genomic DNA of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SP1 which was involved in effective biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum. We investigated the antagonistic capacity of protease of B. amyloliquifaciens SP1, under in vitro conditions. The 5.62 fold purified enzyme with specific activity of 607.69U/mg reported 24.14% growth inhibition of F. oxysporum. However, no antagonistic activity was found after addition of protease inhibitor i.e. PMSF (15mM) to purified enzyme. An 1149bp nucleotide sequence of protease gene encoded 382 amino acids of 43kDa and calculated isoelectric point of 9.29. Analysis of deduced amino acid sequence revealed high homology (86%) with subtilisin E of Bacillus subtilis. The B. amyloliquefaciens SP1 protease gene was expressed in Escherichiax coli BL21. The expressed protease was secreted into culture medium by E. coli and exhibited optimum activity at pH8.0 and 60°C. The most reliable three dimensional structure of alkaline protease was determined using Phyre 2 server which was validated on the basis of Ramachandran plot and ERRAT value. The expression and structure prediction of the enzyme offers potential value for commercial application in agriculture and industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Production and Characterization of Keratinolytic Protease from New Wool-Degrading Bacillus Species Isolated from Egyptian Ecosystem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed A. Hassan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Novel keratin-degrading bacteria were isolated from sand soil samples collected from Minia Governorate, Egypt. In this study, the isolates were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MA20 and Bacillus subtilis MA21 based on morphological and biochemical characteristics as well as 16S rRNA gene sequencing. B. amyloliquefaciens MA20 and B. subtilis MA21 produced alkaline keratinolytic serine protease when cultivated in mineral medium containing 1% of wool straight off sheep as sole carbon and nitrogen source. The two strains were observed to degrade wool completely to powder at pH 7 and 37°C within 5 days. Under these conditions the maximum activity of proteases produced by B. amyloliquefaciens MA20 and B. subtilis MA21 was 922 and 814 U/ml, respectively. The proteases exhibited optimum temperature and pH at 60°C and 9, respectively. However, the keratinolytic proteases were stable in broad range of temperature and pH values towards casein Hammerstein. Furthermore the protease inhibitor studies indicated that the produced proteases belong to serine protease because of their sensitivity to PMSF while they were inhibited partially in presence of EDTA. The two proteases are stable in most of the used organic solvents and enhanced by metals suggesting their potential use in biotechnological applications such as wool industry.

  19. Protease activated receptors (PARS) mediation in gyroxin biological activity; Mediacao dos receptores ativados por proteases (PARs) em atividades biologicas da giroxina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, Jose Alberto Alves da

    2009-07-01

    Gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom; it is only partially characterized and has multiple activities. Gyroxin induces blood coagulation, blood pressure decrease and a neurotoxic behavior named barrel rotation. The mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not known. Whereas gyroxin is a member of enzymes with high potential to become a new drug with clinical applications such as thrombin, batroxobin, ancrod, tripsyn and kalicrein, it is important to find out how gyroxin works. The analysis on agarose gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism confirmed the molecules' integrity and purity. The gyroxin intravenous administration in mice proved its neurotoxicity (barrel rotation). In vivo studies employing intravital microscopy proved that gyroxin induces vasodilation with the participation of protease activated receptors (PARs), nitric oxide and Na+K+ATPase. The leukocytes' adherence and rolling counting indicated that gyroxin has no pro inflammatory activity. Gyroxin induced platelet aggregation, which was blocked by inhibitors of PAR1 and PAR4 receptors (SCH 79797 and tcY-NH{sub 2}, respectively). Finally, it was proved that the gyroxin temporarily alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Our study has shown that both the protease-activated receptors and nitric oxide are mediators involved in the biological activities of gyroxin. (author)

  20. Endosymbiotic and host proteases in the digestive tract of the invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata: diversity, origin and characterization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martín S Godoy

    Full Text Available Digestive proteases of the digestive tract of the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata were studied. Luminal protease activity was found in the crop, the style sac and the coiled gut and was significantly higher in the coiled gut. Several protease bands and their apparent molecular weights were identified in both tissue extracts and luminal contents by gel zymography: (1 a 125 kDa protease in salivary gland extracts and in the crop content; (2 a 30 kDa protease throughout all studied luminal contents and in extracts of the midgut gland and of the endosymbionts isolated from this gland; (3 two proteases of 145 and 198 kDa in the coiled gut content. All these proteases were inhibited by aprotinin, a serine-protease inhibitor, and showed maximum activity between 30°C and 35°C and pH between 8.5 and 9.5. Tissue L-alanine-N-aminopeptidase activity was determined in the wall of the crop, the style sac and the coiled gut and was significantly higher in the coiled gut. Our findings show that protein digestion in P. canaliculata is carried out through a battery of diverse proteases originated from the salivary glands and the endosymbionts lodged in the midgut gland and by proteases of uncertain origin that occur in the coiled gut lumen.

  1. Degradation of the encephalomyocarditis virus and hepatitis A virus 3C proteases by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlax, Peter E.; Zhang Jin; Lewis, Elizabeth; Planchart, Antonio; Lawson, T. Glen

    2007-01-01

    We have isolated stably transfected mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines that inducibly express either the mature encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) or hepatitis A virus (HAV) 3C protease and have used these cells to demonstrate that both proteins are subject to degradation in vivo by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system. The detection of 3C protease expression in these cells requires inducing conditions and the presence of one of several proteasome inhibitors. Both 3C proteases are incorporated into conjugates with ubiquitin in vivo. HAV 3C protease expression has deleterious effects on cell viability, as determined by observation and counting of cells cultured in the absence or presence of inducing conditions. The EMCV 3C protease was found to be preferentially localized to the nucleus of induced cells, while the HAV 3C protease remains in the cytoplasm. The absence of polyubiquitinated EMCV 3C protease conjugates in nuclear fraction preparations suggests that localization to the nucleus can protect this protein from ubiquitination

  2. Conversion of Squid Pens to Chitosanases and Proteases via Paenibacillus sp. TKU042

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chien Thang Doan

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Chitosanases and proteases have received much attention due to their wide range of applications. Four kinds of chitinous materials, squid pens, shrimp heads, demineralized shrimp shells and demineralized crab shells, were used as the sole carbon and nitrogen (C/N source to produce chitosanases, proteases and α-glucosidase inhibitors (αGI by four different strains of Paenibacillus. Chitosanase productivity was highest in the culture supernatants using squid pens as the sole C/N source. The maximum chitosanase activity of fermented squid pens (0.759 U/mL was compared to that of fermented shrimp heads (0.397 U/mL, demineralized shrimp shells (0.201 U/mL and demineralized crab shells (0.216 U/mL. A squid pen concentration of 0.5% was suitable for chitosanase, protease and αGI production via Paenibacillus sp. TKU042. Multi-purification, including ethanol precipitation and column chromatography of Macro-Prep High S as well as Macro-Prep DEAE (diethylaminoethyl, led to the isolation of Paenibacillus sp. TKU042 chitosanase and protease with molecular weights of 70 and 35 kDa, respectively. For comparison, 16 chitinolytic bacteria, including strains of Paenibacillus, were investigated for the production of chitinase, exochitinase, chitosanase, protease and αGI using two kinds of chitinous sources.

  3. Purification and characterization of an alkaline protease from Micrococcus sp. isolated from the South China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Enling; Xia, Tao; Zhang, Zhaohui; Mao, Xiangzhao

    2017-04-01

    Protease is wildly used in various fields, such as food, medicine, washing, leather, cosmetics and other industrial fields. In this study, an alkaline protease secreted by Micrococcus NH54PC02 isolated from the South China Sea was purified and characterized. The growth curve and enzyme activity curve indicated that the cell reached a maximum concentration at the 30th hour and the enzyme activity reached the maximum value at the 36th hour. The protease was purified with 3 steps involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography and hydrophobic chromatography with 8.22-fold increase in specific activity and 23.68% increase in the recovery. The molecular mass of the protease was estimated to be 25 kDa by SDS-PAGE analysis. The optimum temperature and pH for the protease activity were 50°C and pH 10.0, respectively. The protease showed a strong stability in a wide range of pH values ranging from 6.0-11.0, and maintained 90% enzyme activity in strong alkaline environment with pH 11.0. Inhibitor trials indicated that the protease might be serine protease. But it also possessed the characteristic of metalloprotease as it could be strongly inhibited by EDTA and strongly stimulated by Mn2+. Evaluation of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight MS (MALDI-TOF-TOF/MS) showed that the protease might belong to the peptidase S8 family.

  4. Differential expression of PARP1 mRNA in leucocytes of patients ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    P. 2011 Differential expression of PARP1 mRNA in leucocytes of patients with Down's syndrome. J. Genet. ... of Alzheimer disease at an earlier age than subjects with- ... family and personal informed consent. .... In effect, they report that.

  5. Efficient expression and purification of a protease from the common cold virus, human rhinovirus type 14

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leong, L. E.-C.; Walker, P. A.; Porter, A. G.

    1992-08-01

    The protease (3C pro) from human rhinovirus serotype-14 (HRV-14) has been cloned and efficiently expressed in E. coli. A straightforward single-step purification of the recombinant 3C pro has been achieved by fusing the protein to the car☐y-terminus of the glutathione-S-transferase from Schistosoma japonicum. Modifications made to the 5' end of the PCR fragment coding for the 3C pro have allowed the specific cleavage of the fusion protein using thrombin to yield mature 3C pro with the correct amino-terminal amino acid. This protease has been shown to be active when assayed using synthetic peptides corresponding to the natural cleavage recognition sequences within the polyprotein. Other substrates are being developed for this protease for possible use in the screening of inhibitors of 3C pro. Sufficient protease 3C pro has been purified for initial attempts at crystallization.

  6. Post-translational regulation and trafficking of the granulin-containing protease RD21 of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Gu

    Full Text Available RD21-like proteases are ubiquitous, plant-specific papain-like proteases typified by carrying a C-terminal granulin domain. RD21-like proteases are involved in immunity and associated with senescence and various types of biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we interrogated Arabidopsis RD21 regulation and trafficking by site-directed mutagenesis, agroinfiltration, western blotting, protease activity profiling and protein degradation. Using an introduced N-glycan sensor, deglycosylation experiments and glyco-engineered N. benthamiana plants, we show that RD21 passes through the Golgi where it becomes fucosylated. Our studies demonstrate that RD21 is regulated at three post-translational levels. Prodomain removal is not blocked in the catalytic Cys mutant, indicating that RD21 is activated by a proteolytic cascade. However, RD21 activation in Arabidopsis does not require vacuolar processing enzymes (VPEs or aleurain-like protease AALP. In contrast, granulin domain removal requires the catalytic Cys and His residues and is therefore autocatalytic. Furthermore, SDS can (re-activate latent RD21 in Arabidopsis leaf extracts, indicating the existence of a third layer of post-translational regulation, possibly mediated by endogenous inhibitors. RD21 causes a dominant protease activity in Arabidopsis leaf extracts, responsible for SDS-induced proteome degradation.

  7. Structure of the Unbound Form of HIV-1 Subtype A Protease: Comparison with Unbound Forms of Proteases from other HIV Subtypes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robbins, Arthur H.; Coman, Roxana M.; Bracho-Sanchez, Edith; Fernandez, Marty A.; Gilliland, C.Taylor; Li, Mi; Agbandje-McKenna, Mavis; Wlodawer, Alexander; Dunn, Ben M.; McKenna, Robert (NCI); (Florida)

    2010-03-12

    The crystal structure of the unbound form of HIV-1 subtype A protease (PR) has been determined to 1.7 {angstrom} resolution and refined as a homodimer in the hexagonal space group P6{sub 1} to an R{sub cryst} of 20.5%. The structure is similar in overall shape and fold to the previously determined subtype B, C and F PRs. The major differences lie in the conformation of the flap region. The flaps in the crystal structures of the unbound subtype B and C PRs, which were crystallized in tetragonal space groups, are either semi-open or wide open. In the present structure of subtype A PR the flaps are found in the closed position, a conformation that would be more anticipated in the structure of HIV protease complexed with an inhibitor. The amino-acid differences between the subtypes and their respective crystal space groups are discussed in terms of the differences in the flap conformations.

  8. Characterization of a serine protease-mediated cell death program activated in human leukemia cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Connell, A.R.; Holohan, C.; Torriglia, A.; Lee, B.F.; Stenson-Cox, C.

    2006-01-01

    Tightly controlled proteolysis is a defining feature of apoptosis and caspases are critical in this regard. Significant roles for non-caspase proteases in cell death have been highlighted. Staurosporine causes a rapid induction of apoptosis in virtually all mammalian cell types. Numerous studies demonstrate that staurosporine can activate cell death under caspase-inhibiting circumstances. The aim of this study was to investigate the proteolytic mechanisms responsible for cell death under these conditions. To that end, we show that inhibitors of serine proteases can delay cell death in one such system. Furthermore, through profiling of proteolytic activation, we demonstrate, for the first time, that staurosporine activates a chymotrypsin-like serine protease-dependent cell death in HL-60 cells independently, but in parallel with the caspase controlled systems. Features of the serine protease-mediated system include cell shrinkage and apoptotic morphology, regulation of caspase-3, altered nuclear morphology, generation of an endonuclease and DNA degradation. We also demonstrate a staurosporine-induced activation of a putative 16 kDa chymotrypsin-like protein during apoptosis

  9. Gag mutations strongly contribute to HIV-1 resistance to protease inhibitors in highly drug-experienced patients besides compensating for fitness loss.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth Dam

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 resistance to protease inhibitors (PI results from mutations in the viral protease (PR that reduce PI binding but also decrease viral replicative capacity (RC. Additional mutations compensating for the RC loss subsequently accumulate within PR and in Gag substrate cleavage sites. We examined the respective contribution of mutations in PR and Gag to PI resistance and RC and their interdependence using a panel of HIV-1 molecular clones carrying different sequences from six patients who had failed multiple lines of treatment. Mutations in Gag strongly and directly contributed to PI resistance besides compensating for fitness loss. This effect was essentially carried by the C-terminal region of Gag (containing NC-SP2-p6 with little or no contribution from MA, CA, and SP1. The effect of Gag on resistance depended on the presence of cleavage site mutations A431V or I437V in NC-SP2-p6 and correlated with processing of the NC/SP2 cleavage site. By contrast, reverting the A431V or I437V mutation in these highly evolved sequences had little effect on RC. Mutations in the NC-SP2-p6 region of Gag can be dually selected as compensatory and as direct PI resistance mutations, with cleavage at the NC-SP2 site behaving as a rate-limiting step in PI resistance. Further compensatory mutations render viral RC independent of the A431V or I437V mutations while their effect on resistance persists.

  10. Rational discovery of dengue type 2 non-competitive inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heh, Choon H; Othman, Rozana; Buckle, Michael J C; Sharifuddin, Yusrizam; Yusof, Rohana; Rahman, Noorsaadah A

    2013-07-01

    Various works have been carried out in developing therapeutics against dengue. However, to date, no effective vaccine or anti-dengue agent has yet been discovered. The development of protease inhibitors is considered as a promising option, but most previous works have involved competitive inhibition. In this study, we focused on rational discovery of potential anti-dengue agents based on non-competitive inhibition of DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 protease. A homology model of the DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 protease (using West Nile Virus NS2B/NS3 protease complex, 2FP7, as the template) was used as the target, and pinostrobin, a flavanone, was used as the standard ligand. Virtual screening was performed involving a total of 13 341 small compounds, with the backbone structures of chalcone, flavanone, and flavone, available in the ZINC database. Ranking of the resulting compounds yielded compounds with higher binding affinities compared with the standard ligand. Inhibition assay of the selected top-ranking compounds against DEN-2 NS2B/NS3 proteolytic activity resulted in significantly better inhibition compared with the standard and correlated well with in silico results. In conclusion, via this rational discovery technique, better inhibitors were identified. This method can be used in further work to discover lead compounds for anti-dengue agents. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  11. /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled leucocytes: comparison with /sup 111/In-tropolonate labelled granulocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, A.M.; Roddie, M.E.; Zacharopoulos, G.P.; George, P.; Stuttle, A.W.J.; Lavender, J.P.; Danpure, H.J.; Osman, S.

    1988-06-01

    The lipophilic complex, /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) is an efficient leucocyte label, and labels granulocytes with more stability than mononuclear leucocytes. The recovery of /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-HMPAO granulocytes was similar to /sup 111/In-labelled granulocytes isolated and labelled in plasma using tropolone. The Tsub(1/2) of /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled granulocytes in blood was less than that of /sup 111/In-labelled granulocytes. The initial biodistribution of /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-labelled leucocytes was similar to /sup 111/In-labelled granulocytes, with a rapid initial lung transit, prominent splenic activity, bone marrow activity and minimal hepatic activity, although, unlike /sup 111/In, /sup 99/Tcsup(m) activity was also seen in urine, occasionally in the gallbladder, and, from about 4 h, consistently in the colon. Bone marrow activity was particularly prominent with /sup 99/Tcsup(m). About 6% of /sup 99/Tcsup(m) was excreted in the faeces up to 48 h after injection, and about 17% in urine up to 24 h. The time-activity curves of reticuloendothelial activity up to 24 h were broadly similar for the two labelled cell preparations. Clinical information given by the two agents was similar in 27 of 30 patients who received both. We conclude that with respect to granulocyte kinetics and clinical data, /sup 99/Tcsup(m)-HMPAO labelled leucocytes are comparable with /sup 111/In-tropolonate labelled granulocytes.

  12. Liver Fibrosis in HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: Dysregulation of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs and Their Tissue Inhibitors TIMPs and Effect of HCV Protease Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiziana Latronico

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available An imbalance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs may contribute to liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C (HCV infection. We measured the circulating levels of different MMPs and TIMPs in HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected patients and evaluated the potential for anti-HCV therapy to modulate MMP and TIMP levels in HCV subjects. We analyzed 83 plasma samples from 16 HCV monoinfected patients undergoing dual or triple anti-HCV therapy, 15 HIV/HCV coinfected patients with undetectable HIV load, and 10 healthy donors (HD. Levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were measured by a SearchLight Multiplex Immunoassay Kit. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were the highest expressed MMPs among all the analyzed samples and their levels significantly increased in HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected subjects compared to HD. TIMP-1 levels were significantly higher in HCV and HIV/HCV subjects compared to HD and were correlated with liver stiffness. These findings raise the possibility of using circulating TIMP-1 as a non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis in HCV infection. A longitudinal study demonstrated that MMP-9 levels significantly decreased (40% reduction from baseline in patients receiving dual as well as triple direct-acting antivirals (DAA anti-HCV therapy, which had no effect on MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. As the dysregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may reflect inflammatory processes in the liver, the decrease of MMP-9 following HCV protease inhibitor treatment suggests a positive effect on the reduction of liver inflammation.

  13. Indium 111 leucocyte scintigraphy in abdominal sepsis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baba, A.A.; McKillop, J.H.; Gray, H.W.; Cuthbert, G.F.; Neilson, W.; Anderson, J.R.

    1990-01-01

    We have studied the clinical utility of indium 111 autologous leucocyte scintigraphy retrospectively in 45 patients presenting with suspected intra-abdominal sepsis. The sensitivity was 95% (21/22) and the specificity was 91% (21/23). Some 34 of the studies (17 positive and 17 negative) were considered helpful in furthering patient management (76%) and 8, unhelpful (18%). In 3, the study results were misleading and led to inappropriate treatment. Indium 111 scintigraphy, whether positive or negative, provides information in patients with suspected intra-abdominal sepsis upon which therapeutic decisions can be based. (orig.)

  14. Reversal of the Progression of Fatal Coronavirus Infection in Cats by a Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Protease Inhibitor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunjeong Kim

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Coronaviruses infect animals and humans causing a wide range of diseases. The diversity of coronaviruses in many mammalian species is contributed by relatively high mutation and recombination rates during replication. This dynamic nature of coronaviruses may facilitate cross-species transmission and shifts in tissue or cell tropism in a host, resulting in substantial change in virulence. Feline enteric coronavirus (FECV causes inapparent or mild enteritis in cats, but a highly fatal disease, called feline infectious peritonitis (FIP, can arise through mutation of FECV to FIP virus (FIPV. The pathogenesis of FIP is intimately associated with immune responses and involves depletion of T cells, features shared by some other coronaviruses like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. The increasing risks of highly virulent coronavirus infections in humans or animals call for effective antiviral drugs, but no such measures are yet available. Previously, we have reported the inhibitors that target 3C-like protease (3CLpro with broad-spectrum activity against important human and animal coronaviruses. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of our 3CLpro inhibitor in laboratory cats with FIP. Experimental FIP is 100% fatal once certain clinical and laboratory signs become apparent. We found that antiviral treatment led to full recovery of cats when treatment was started at a stage of disease that would be otherwise fatal if left untreated. Antiviral treatment was associated with a rapid improvement in fever, ascites, lymphopenia and gross signs of illness and cats returned to normal health within 20 days or less of treatment. Significant reduction in viral titers was also observed in cats. These results indicate that continuous virus replication is required for progression of immune-mediated inflammatory disease of FIP. These findings may provide important insights into devising therapeutic strategies and selection of antiviral compounds for

  15. Production and Characterization of an Extracellular Acid Protease from Thermophilic Brevibacillus sp. OA30 Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomri, Mohamed Amine; Rico-Díaz, Agustín; Escuder-Rodríguez, Juan-José; El Moulouk Khaldi, Tedj; González-Siso, María-Isabel; Kharroub, Karima

    2018-04-12

    Proteases have numerous biotechnological applications and the bioprospection for newly-thermostable proteases from the great biodiversity of thermophilic microorganisms inhabiting hot environments, such as geothermal sources, aims to discover more effective enzymes for processes at higher temperatures. We report in this paper the production and the characterization of a purified acid protease from strain OA30, a moderate thermophilic bacterium isolated from an Algerian hot spring. Phenotypic and genotypic study of strain OA30 was followed by the production of the extracellular protease in a physiologically-optimized medium. Strain OA30 showed multiple extracellular proteolytic enzymes and protease 32-F38 was purified by chromatographic methods and its biochemical characteristics were studied. Strain OA30 was affiliated with Brevibacillus thermoruber species. Protease 32-F38 had an estimated molecular weight of 64.6 kDa and was optimally active at 50 °C. It showed a great thermostability after 240 min and its optimum pH was 6.0. Protease 32-F38 was highly stable in the presence of different detergents and solvents and was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors. The results of this work suggest that protease 32-F38 might have interesting biotechnological applications.

  16. Production and Characterization of an Extracellular Acid Protease from Thermophilic Brevibacillus sp. OA30 Isolated from an Algerian Hot Spring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Amine Gomri

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Proteases have numerous biotechnological applications and the bioprospection for newly-thermostable proteases from the great biodiversity of thermophilic microorganisms inhabiting hot environments, such as geothermal sources, aims to discover more effective enzymes for processes at higher temperatures. We report in this paper the production and the characterization of a purified acid protease from strain OA30, a moderate thermophilic bacterium isolated from an Algerian hot spring. Phenotypic and genotypic study of strain OA30 was followed by the production of the extracellular protease in a physiologically-optimized medium. Strain OA30 showed multiple extracellular proteolytic enzymes and protease 32-F38 was purified by chromatographic methods and its biochemical characteristics were studied. Strain OA30 was affiliated with Brevibacillus thermoruber species. Protease 32-F38 had an estimated molecular weight of 64.6 kDa and was optimally active at 50 °C. It showed a great thermostability after 240 min and its optimum pH was 6.0. Protease 32-F38 was highly stable in the presence of different detergents and solvents and was inhibited by metalloprotease inhibitors. The results of this work suggest that protease 32-F38 might have interesting biotechnological applications.

  17. Production and some properties of crude alkaline proteases of indigenous Central Amazonian rhizobia strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arlem Nascimento de Oliveira

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Two rhizobia strains isolated from soils of the Central Amazonian floodplain produced appreciable quantities of crude alkaline protease extracts with inexpensive carbon and nitrogen sources. These protease crude extracts were optimally active at pH 9.0-11.0. The optimum temperatures were 35 ºC for Rhizobium sp. strain R-986 and 55 ºC for Bradyrhizobium sp. strain R-993. Protease activities in the crude extracts were enhanced in the presence of 5 mM metal ions, such as Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+. Rhizobia proteases were strongly inhibited by PMSF, a serine-protease inhibitor. The enzymes were active in the presence of surfactants (SDS and Triton X-100 and stable in oxidizing (H2O2 and reducing agents (β-mercaptoethanol, and organic solvents (acetone, hexane, methanol, 1-propanol and toluene.Duas estirpes de rizóbia isoladas de solos de várzea da Amazônia Central produziram grandes quantidades de proteases alcalinas extracelulares, usando fontes baratas de carbono e nitrogênio. Os extratos brutos de proteases foram ativos em pH 9,0-11,0. As temperaturas ótimas foram de 35 ºC para a enzima do Rhizobium R-986 e de 55 ºC para a do Bradyrhizobium R-993. As atividades proteolíticas aumentaram na presença de 5 mM dos íons Na+, Ca2+ , Mg2+ e Mn2+ . As proteases secretadas pelos rizóbios foram fortemente inibidas por PMSF, um inibidor de serina protease. As enzimas foram ativas na presença de surfactantes (SDS e Triton X-100, e estáveis na presença de agentes oxidantes (H2O2 e redutores (β-mercaptoetanol e solventes orgânicos (acetona, hexano, metanol, 1-propanol e tolueno.

  18. Iminopyrimidinones: A novel pharmacophore for the development of orally active renin inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McKittrick, Brian A.; Caldwell, John P.; Bara, Thomas; Boykow, George; Chintala, Madhu; Clader, John; Czarniecki, Michael; Courneya, Brandy; Duffy, Ruth; Fleming, Linda; Giessert, Rachel; Greenlee, William J.; Heap, Charles; Hong, Liwu; Huang, Ying; Iserloh, Ulrich; Josien, Hubert; Khan, Tanweer; Korfmacher, Walter; Liang, Xian; Mazzola, Robert; Mitra, Soumya; Moore, Kristina; Orth, Peter; Rajagopalan, Murali; Roy, Sudipta; Sakwa, Samuel; Strickland, Corey; Vaccaro, Henry; Voigt, Johannes; Wang, Hongwu; Wong, Jesse; Zhang, Rumin; Zych, Andrew (Merck); (Albany MR)

    2015-04-01

    The development of renin inhibitors with favorable oral pharmacokinetic profiles has been a longstanding challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. As part of our work to identify inhibitors of BACE1, we have previously developed iminopyrimidinones as a novel pharmacophore for aspartyl protease inhibition. In this letter we describe how we modified substitution around this pharmacophore to develop a potent, selective and orally active renin inhibitor.

  19. Possibilities for prognostication of radiation injury in rats by leucocyte nucleic acid levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Minkova, M.; Pantev, T.

    1988-01-01

    The possibilities to prognosticate acute radiation injury by the changes in the amount of nucleic acids in the leucocytes was studied. Experiments were carried out on male Wistar albino rats, gamma-irradiated with nonlethal and sublethal doses of 0.5, 2 and 4 Gy and lethal dose of 8 Gy (LD 90/30 ). The nucleic acid content and the total leucocyte count were determined at definite intervals on days 1-30. The changes in the nucleic acids in nonlethally and sublethally irradiated animals had phase nature, with a clear-cut abortive increase in their amount on days 7-10. In lethally irradiated animals the phase character of the changes was lost and the abortive peak disappeared. By reducing the effectiveness of the lethal radiation dose survival of the population increased from 10-75% through physical and from 10-70% - through chemical protection. The nucleic acid dynamics showed features typical for an injury with possible survival - appearance of abortive peak and resumption of their normal values. It is assumed that determination of leucocyte nucleic acid content may be used for early prognostication of radiation injury, as it allows keen differentiation of the lethal from nonlethal outcome of radiation sickness. The absence of abortive peak (over 50%) by day 14 post-irradiation is a poor prognostic sign

  20. Molecular adaptation of a plant-bacterium outer membrane protease towards plague virulence factor Pla

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Omptins are a family of outer membrane proteases that have spread by horizontal gene transfer in Gram-negative bacteria that infect vertebrates or plants. Despite structural similarity, the molecular functions of omptins differ in a manner that reflects the life style of their host bacteria. To simulate the molecular adaptation of omptins, we applied site-specific mutagenesis to make Epo of the plant pathogenic Erwinia pyrifoliae exhibit virulence-associated functions of its close homolog, the plasminogen activator Pla of Yersinia pestis. We addressed three virulence-associated functions exhibited by Pla, i.e., proteolytic activation of plasminogen, proteolytic degradation of serine protease inhibitors, and invasion into human cells. Results Pla and Epo expressed in Escherichia coli are both functional endopeptidases and cleave human serine protease inhibitors, but Epo failed to activate plasminogen and to mediate invasion into a human endothelial-like cell line. Swapping of ten amino acid residues at two surface loops of Pla and Epo introduced plasminogen activation capacity in Epo and inactivated the function in Pla. We also compared the structure of Pla and the modeled structure of Epo to analyze the structural variations that could rationalize the different proteolytic activities. Epo-expressing bacteria managed to invade human cells only after all extramembranous residues that differ between Pla and Epo and the first transmembrane β-strand had been changed. Conclusions We describe molecular adaptation of a protease from an environmental setting towards a virulence factor detrimental for humans. Our results stress the evolvability of bacterial β-barrel surface structures and the environment as a source of progenitor virulence molecules of human pathogens. PMID:21310089

  1. Elastolytic activity of human blood monocytes characterized by a new monoclonal antibody against human leucocyte elastase. Relationship to rheumatoid arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, H S; Christensen, L D

    1990-01-01

    The leucocyte elastase of human blood monocytes was investigated by applying a new monoclonal antibody which did not block the enzyme activity against elastin. In a fixed population of mononuclear cells (MNC) and using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), the human leucocyte elastase (HLE...

  2. Protease activated receptors (PARS) mediation in gyroxin biological activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Jose Alberto Alves da

    2009-01-01

    Gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom; it is only partially characterized and has multiple activities. Gyroxin induces blood coagulation, blood pressure decrease and a neurotoxic behavior named barrel rotation. The mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not known. Whereas gyroxin is a member of enzymes with high potential to become a new drug with clinical applications such as thrombin, batroxobin, ancrod, tripsyn and kalicrein, it is important to find out how gyroxin works. The analysis on agarose gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism confirmed the molecules' integrity and purity. The gyroxin intravenous administration in mice proved its neurotoxicity (barrel rotation). In vivo studies employing intravital microscopy proved that gyroxin induces vasodilation with the participation of protease activated receptors (PARs), nitric oxide and Na+K+ATPase. The leukocytes' adherence and rolling counting indicated that gyroxin has no pro inflammatory activity. Gyroxin induced platelet aggregation, which was blocked by inhibitors of PAR1 and PAR4 receptors (SCH 79797 and tcY-NH 2 , respectively). Finally, it was proved that the gyroxin temporarily alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Our study has shown that both the protease-activated receptors and nitric oxide are mediators involved in the biological activities of gyroxin. (author)

  3. Distinct properties of proteases and nucleases in the gut, salivary gland and saliva of southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lomate, Purushottam R.; Bonning, Bryony C.

    2016-01-01

    Stink bugs negatively impact numerous plant species of agricultural and horticultural importance. While efforts to develop effective control measures are underway, the unique digestive physiology of these pests presents a significant hurdle for either protein- or nucleotide-based management options. Here we report the comparative biochemical and proteomic characterization of proteases and nucleases from the gut, salivary gland and saliva of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula. The pH optimum for protease activity was acidic (5 to 6) in the gut with the primary proteases being cysteine proteases, and alkaline (8 to 9) in the saliva and salivary gland with the primary proteases being serine proteases. The serine proteases in saliva differ biochemically from trypsin and chymotrypsin, and the cathepsins in the gut and saliva showed distinct properties in inhibitor assays. Nuclease activity (DNase, RNase, dsRNase) was concentrated in the salivary gland and saliva with negligible activity in the gut. The most abundant proteins of the gut (530) and salivary gland (631) identified by proteomic analysis included four gut proteases along with eight proteases and one nuclease from the salivary gland. Understanding of N. viridula digestive physiology will facilitate the design of new strategies for management of this significant pest. PMID:27282882

  4. Studies on the pathogensis of fever. IX. The production of endogenous pyrogen by polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    KAISER, H K; WOOD, W B

    1962-01-01

    Determination of the dose-response curve for rabbit leucocytic pyrogen reveals a hyperthermic "ceiling" at which there is a marked insensitivity to dosage. This finding has important implications in relation to the quantitative assay of leucocytic pyrogen. Polymorphonuclear leucocytes separated from normal rabbit blood possess the capacity to produce less than 5 per cent of the pyrogen generated by the same number of rabbit granulocytes collected from acute peritoneal exudates. Blood granulocytes, separated in the cold from the buffy coat, contain no detectable preformed pyrogen. The amount of preformed pyrogen within exudate granulocytes represents but a small fraction of the pyrogen which the cells are capable of generating when incubated in normal saline at 37 degrees C. It is suggested that the active pyrogen is formed from an inactive precursor within the cells. Under the conditions tested, cell fragments of rabbit granulocytes fail to produce endogenous pyrogen. The fact that the production of pyrogen is blocked at 4 degrees C is in keeping with the hypothesis that it involves metabolic reactions within the cell.

  5. The predictive value of leucocyte progression for one-week mortality on acutely admitted medical patients to the emergency department

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brabrand, Mikkel; Soltau, Matilde Røgilds

    2018-01-01

    female. Using logistic regression, we found significantly lower one-week mortality with falling leucocyte count progression, even when controlling for confounders. A decreasing leucocyte count had a sensitivity for one-week mortality of 65%, specificity of 62%, positive predictive value of 4......%, and negative predictive value of 99%. Difference in admission to the intensive care unit was non-significant between the three groups. Difference in length of stay was significant, but with one day difference, the clinical significance is questionable. CONCLUSION: Leucocyte count progression is not sensitive...... enough to predict one-week mortality, nor specific enough to discount it. It is important for physicians to be aware of this to avoid faulty assessments based on imprecise assumptions....

  6. Hepatocyte growth factor inhibitor-2 prevents shedding of matritpase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Brian R; Steffensen, Simon D; Nielsen, Nis V L

    2013-01-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor-2 (HAI-2) is an inhibitor of many proteases in vitro, including the membrane-bound serine protease, matriptase. Studies of knock-out mice have shown that HAI-2 is essential for placental development only in mice expressing matriptase, suggesting that HAI......-2 is important for regulation of matriptase. Previous studies have shown that recombinant expression of matriptase was unsuccessful unless co-expressed with another HAI, HAI-1. In the present study we show that when human matriptase is recombinantly expressed alone in the canine cell line MDCK......, then human matriptase mRNA can be detected and the human matriptase ectodomain is shed to the media, suggesting that matriptase expressed alone is rapidly transported through the secretory pathway and shed. Whereas matriptase expressed together with HAI-1 or HAI-2 accumulates on the plasma membrane where...

  7. Entamoeba histolytica-secreted cysteine proteases induce IL-8 production in human mast cells via a PAR2-independent mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Young Ah; Nam, Young Hee; Min, Arim; Kim, Kyeong Ah; Nozaki, Tomoyoshi; Saito-Nakano, Yumiko; Mirelman, David; Shin, Myeong Heon

    2014-01-01

    Entamoeba histolytica is an extracellular tissue parasite causing colitis and occasional liver abscess in humans. E. histolytica-derived secretory products (SPs) contain large amounts of cysteine proteases (CPs), one of the important amoebic virulence factors. Although tissue-residing mast cells play an important role in the mucosal inflammatory response to this pathogen, it is not known whether the SPs induce mast cell activation. In this study, when human mast cells (HMC-1 cells) were stimulated with SPs collected from pathogenic wild-type amoebae, interleukin IL-8 mRNA expression and production were significantly increased compared with cells incubated with medium alone. Inhibition of CP activity in the SPs with heat or the CP inhibitor E64 resulted in significant reduction of IL-8 production. Moreover, SPs obtained from inhibitors of cysteine protease (ICP)-overexpressing amoebae with low CP activity showed weaker stimulatory effects on IL-8 production than the wild-type control. Preincubation of HMC-1 cells with antibodies to human protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) did not affect the SP-induced IL-8 production. These results suggest that cysteine proteases in E. histolytica-derived secretory products stimulate mast cells to produce IL-8 via a PAR2-independent mechanism, which contributes to IL-8-mediated tissue inflammatory responses during the early phase of human amoebiasis. © Y.A. Lee et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2014.

  8. Entamoeba histolytica-secreted cysteine proteases induce IL-8 production in human mast cells via a PAR2-independent mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Young Ah

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Entamoeba histolytica is an extracellular tissue parasite causing colitis and occasional liver abscess in humans. E. histolytica-derived secretory products (SPs contain large amounts of cysteine proteases (CPs, one of the important amoebic virulence factors. Although tissue-residing mast cells play an important role in the mucosal inflammatory response to this pathogen, it is not known whether the SPs induce mast cell activation. In this study, when human mast cells (HMC-1 cells were stimulated with SPs collected from pathogenic wild-type amoebae, interleukin IL-8 mRNA expression and production were significantly increased compared with cells incubated with medium alone. Inhibition of CP activity in the SPs with heat or the CP inhibitor E64 resulted in significant reduction of IL-8 production. Moreover, SPs obtained from inhibitors of cysteine protease (ICP-overexpressing amoebae with low CP activity showed weaker stimulatory effects on IL-8 production than the wild-type control. Preincubation of HMC-1 cells with antibodies to human protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2 did not affect the SP-induced IL-8 production. These results suggest that cysteine proteases in E. histolytica-derived secretory products stimulate mast cells to produce IL-8 via a PAR2-independent mechanism, which contributes to IL-8-mediated tissue inflammatory responses during the early phase of human amoebiasis.

  9. A serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor blocks hepatitis C virus replication in human hepatocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsume, Asao; Tokunaga, Yuko; Hirata, Yuichi; Munakata, Tsubasa; Saito, Makoto; Hayashi, Hitohisa; Okamoto, Koichi; Ohmori, Yusuke; Kusanagi, Isamu; Fujiwara, Shinya; Tsukuda, Takuo; Aoki, Yuko; Klumpp, Klaus; Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; El-Gohary, Ahmed; Sudoh, Masayuki; Kohara, Michinori

    2013-10-01

    Host cell lipid rafts form a scaffold required for replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Serine palmitoyltransferases (SPTs) produce sphingolipids, which are essential components of the lipid rafts that associate with HCV nonstructural proteins. Prevention of the de novo synthesis of sphingolipids by an SPT inhibitor disrupts the HCV replication complex and thereby inhibits HCV replication. We investigated the ability of the SPT inhibitor NA808 to prevent HCV replication in cells and mice. We tested the ability of NA808 to inhibit SPT's enzymatic activity in FLR3-1 replicon cells. We used a replicon system to select for HCV variants that became resistant to NA808 at concentrations 4- to 6-fold the 50% inhibitory concentration, after 14 rounds of cell passage. We assessed the ability of NA808 or telaprevir to inhibit replication of HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 4a in mice with humanized livers (transplanted with human hepatocytes). NA808 was injected intravenously, with or without pegylated interferon alfa-2a and HCV polymerase and/or protease inhibitors. NA808 prevented HCV replication via noncompetitive inhibition of SPT; no resistance mutations developed. NA808 prevented replication of all HCV genotypes tested in mice with humanized livers. Intravenous NA808 significantly reduced viral load in the mice and had synergistic effects with pegylated interferon alfa-2a and HCV polymerase and protease inhibitors. The SPT inhibitor NA808 prevents replication of HCV genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 3a, and 4a in cultured hepatocytes and in mice with humanized livers. It might be developed for treatment of HCV infection or used in combination with pegylated interferon alfa-2a or HCV polymerase or protease inhibitors. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Expression and localization of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 in normal and atherosclerotic human vessels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crawley, James T. B.; Goulding, David A.; Ferreira, Valérie; Severs, Nicholas J.; Lupu, Florea

    2002-01-01

    Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) is a Kunitz-type, serine protease inhibitor with inhibitory activity toward activated factor XI, plasma kallikrein, plasmin, certain matrix metalloproteinases, and the tissue factor:activated factor VII complex. In this study, we investigated TFPI-2

  11. Prevalence of naturally occurring protease inhibitor resistance-associated variants in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavares, Rita C F; Feldner, Ana C C A; Pinho, João R R; Uehara, Silvia N O; Emori, Christini T; Carvalho-Filho, Roberto J; Silva, Ivonete S S; Santana, Rúbia A F; de Castro, Vanessa F D; Castoli, Gregório T F; Cristovão, Charliana U; Ferraz, Maria L C G

    2017-07-01

    Background NS3 protease inhibitors (PIs) were the first direct antiviral agents used for the treatment of hepatitis C virus. The combination of second-wave PIs with other direct antiviral agents enabled the use of interferon-free regimens for chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis and renal transplant (RTx) recipients, populations in which the use of interferon and ribavirin is limited. However, the occurrence of PI resistance-associated variants (RAVs), both baseline and induced by therapy, has resulted in the failure of many treatment strategies. Methods The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of PI RAVs and of the Q80K polymorphism in chronic kidney disease patients on hemodialysis and RTx recipients. Direct sequencing of the NS3 protease was performed in 67 patients (32 hemodialysis and 35 RTx).Results RAVs to PIs were detected in 18% of the patients: V55A (9%), V36L (1.5%), T54S (1.5%), S122N (1.5%), I170L (1.5%), and M175L (1.5%). Only 1.5% of the patients carried the Q80K polymorphism. The frequency of these mutations was more than two times higher in patients infected with GT1a (25%) than GT1b (9.7%) (P=0.1). The mutations were detected in 20% of treatment-naive patients and in 15.6% of peginterferon/ribavirin-experienced patients (P=0.64). Furthermore, no mutation that would confer high resistance to PIs was detected.Conclusion The Q80K polymorphism was rare in the population studied. The occurrence of RAVs was common, with predominance in GT1a. However, the variants observed were those associated with a low level of resistance to PIs, facilitating the use of these drugs in this special group of patients.

  12. Aspartic Protease Zymography Case Study: Detection of Fungal Acid Proteases by Zymography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kernaghan, Gavin; Mayerhofer, Michael

    2017-01-01

    This chapter describes a method for the production and characterization of fungal acid proteases. Protease production is induced by growth on BSA media over a pH gradient and protein levels are monitored over time with the Bradford assay. Once protein is depleted, the media is purified and proteases are characterized by gelatin zymography using acrylamide and buffers at near-neutral pH. Maintaining pH levels below those found in traditional zymographic systems avoids the potential loss of activity that may occur in aspartic proteases under alkaline conditions.

  13. Social and environmental factors modulate leucocyte profiles in free-living Greylag geese (Anser anser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Didone Frigerio

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Blood parameters such as haematocrit or leucocyte counts are indicators of immune status and health, which can be affected, in a complex way, by exogenous as well as endogenous factors. Additionally, social context is known to be among the most potent stressors in group living individuals, therefore potentially influencing haematological parameters. However, with few exceptions, this potential causal relationship received only moderate scientific attention. Methods In a free-living and individually marked population of the highly social and long-lived Greylag goose, Anser anser, we relate variation in haematocrit (HCT, heterophils to lymphocytes ratio (H/L and blood leucocyte counts to the following factors: intrinsic (sex, age, raising condition, i.e. goose- or hand-raised, social (pair-bond status, pair-bond duration and parental experience and environmental (biologically relevant periods, ambient temperature factors. Blood samples were collected repeatedly from a total of 105 focal birds during three biologically relevant seasons (winter flock, mating season, summer. Results We found significant relationships between haematological parameters and social as well as environmental factors. During the mating season, unpaired individuals had higher HCT compared to paired and family individuals and this pattern reversed in fall. Similarly, H/L ratio was positively related to pair-bond status in a seasonally dependent way, with highest values during mating and successful pairs had higher H/L ratio than unsuccessful ones. Also, absolute number of leucocytes tended to vary depending on raising condition in a seasonally dependent way. Discussion Haematology bears a great potential in ecological and behavioural studies on wild vertebrates. In sum, we found that HTC, H/L ratio and absolute number of leucocytes are modulated by social factors and conclude that they may be considered valid indicators of individual stress load.

  14. Application and bioactive properties of CaTI, a trypsin inhibitor from Capsicum annuum seeds: membrane permeabilization, oxidative stress and intracellular target in phytopathogenic fungi cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Marciele S; Ribeiro, Suzanna Ff; Taveira, Gabriel B; Rodrigues, Rosana; Fernandes, Katia Vs; Carvalho, André O; Vasconcelos, Ilka Maria; Mello, Erica Oliveira; Gomes, Valdirene M

    2017-08-01

    During the last few years, a growing number of antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from plants and particularly from seeds. Recent results from our laboratory have shown the purification of a new trypsin inhibitor, named CaTI, from chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds. This study aims to evaluate the antifungal activity and mechanism of action of CaTI on phytopathogenic fungi and detect the presence of protease inhibitors in other species of this genus. Our results show that CaTI can inhibit the growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. lindemuthianum. CaTI can also permeabilize the membrane of all tested fungi. When testing the inhibitor on its ability to induce reactive oxygen species, an induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) particularly in Fusarium species was observed. Using CaTI coupled to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), it was possible to determine the presence of the inhibitor inside the hyphae of the Fusarium oxysporum fungus. The search for protease inhibitors in other Capsicum species revealed their presence in all tested species. This paper shows the antifungal activity of protease inhibitors such as CaTI against phytopathogenic fungi. Antimicrobial peptides, among which the trypsin protease inhibitor family stands out, are present in different species of the genus Capsicum and are part of the chemical arsenal that plants use to defend themselves against pathogens. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  15. Saliva and wound healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Henk S; Ligtenberg, Antoon J M; Veerman, Enno C I

    2014-01-01

    Oral wounds heal faster and with less scar formation than skin wounds. One of the key factors involved is saliva, which promotes wound healing in several ways. Saliva creates a humid environment, thus improving the survival and functioning of inflammatory cells that are crucial for wound healing. In addition, saliva contains several proteins which play a role in the different stages of wound healing. Saliva contains substantial amounts of tissue factor, which dramatically accelerates blood clotting. Subsequently, epidermal growth factor in saliva promotes the proliferation of epithelial cells. Secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor inhibits the tissue-degrading activity of enzymes like elastase and trypsin. Absence of this protease inhibitor delays oral wound healing. Salivary histatins in vitro promote wound closure by enhancing cell spreading and cell migration, but do not stimulate cell proliferation. A synthetic cyclic variant of histatin exhibits a 1,000-fold higher activity than linear histatin, which makes this cyclic variant a promising agent for the development of a new wound healing medication. Conclusively, recognition of the many roles salivary proteins play in wound healing makes saliva a promising source for the development of new drugs involved in tissue regeneration.

  16. 2D-QSAR study of fullerene nanostructure derivatives as potent HIV-1 protease inhibitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzegar, Abolfazl; Jafari Mousavi, Somaye; Hamidi, Hossein; Sadeghi, Mehdi

    2017-09-01

    The protease of human immunodeficiency virus1 (HIV-PR) is an essential enzyme for antiviral treatments. Carbon nanostructures of fullerene derivatives, have nanoscale dimension with a diameter comparable to the diameter of the active site of HIV-PR which would in turn inhibit HIV. In this research, two dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (2D-QSAR) of fullerene derivatives against HIV-PR activity were employed as a powerful tool for elucidation the relationships between structure and experimental observations. QSAR study of 49 fullerene derivatives was performed by employing stepwise-MLR, GAPLS-MLR, and PCA-MLR models for variable (descriptor) selection and model construction. QSAR models were obtained with higher ability to predict the activity of the fullerene derivatives against HIV-PR by a correlation coefficient (R2training) of 0.942, 0.89, and 0.87 as well as R2test values of 0.791, 0.67and 0.674 for stepwise-MLR, GAPLS-MLR, and PCA -MLR models, respectively. Leave-one-out cross-validated correlation coefficient (R2CV) and Y-randomization methods confirmed the models robustness. The descriptors indicated that the HIV-PR inhibition depends on the van der Waals volumes, polarizability, bond order between two atoms and electronegativities of fullerenes derivatives. 2D-QSAR simulation without needing receptor's active site geometry, resulted in useful descriptors mainly denoting ;C60 backbone-functional groups; and ;C60 functional groups; properties. Both properties in fullerene refer to the ligand fitness and improvement van der Waals interactions with HIV-PR active site. Therefore, the QSAR models can be used in the search for novel HIV-PR inhibitors based on fullerene derivatives.

  17. Sub-Microscopic Organization and Functional Properties of Cells Stored in a Bank for Frozen Leucocytes and Platelets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vinograd-Finkel, F. R.; Terentieva, E. I.; Leontovich, V. A.; Skopina, S. B.; Abezgauz, N. N.; Totskaya, A. A. [Central Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Moscow, USSR (Russian Federation)

    1969-07-15

    Massive transfusions of leucocyte mass containing young and stem cells in addition to adult cells are carried out successfully in the treatment of patients suffering from depressed haemopoiesis. To meet the needs of clinics a leucocyte mass bank-has been established and methods have been developed for the long-term storage of leucocyte mass by keeping it in the frozen state at -196 Degree-Sign C. Various carrier solutions containing cryoprotective substances (dimethylsulphoxide, glycerine, polyvinyl pyrrolidone) have been proposed. These make it possible to conserve from 70 to 90% of live cells for as long as two years or more. The viability of the frozen cells is proved by supravital staining and luminescent microscopy, and also by determining the extent to which their functional properties are preserved, the phagocytic activity of the granulocytes and the ability of the lymphocytes to produce young forms in tissue culture. It has also been observed that their glycolytic activity is preserved (up to 60%). All these data correlate with the data obtained by electron microscopy regarding the extent to which the sub-microscopic organization of frozen leucocytes is preserved. The bank is also used to store a frozen platelet mass, dimethylsulphoxide being used as the cryoprotective agent. The ultrastructure of the platelets and their functional properties (retractile activity) suffer least impairment. (author)

  18. Suppressing IL-36-driven inflammation using peptide pseudosubstrates for neutrophil proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Graeme P; Henry, Conor M; Clancy, Danielle M; Mametnabiev, Tazhir; Belotcerkovskaya, Ekaterina; Davidovich, Pavel; Sura-Trueba, Sylvia; Garabadzhiu, Alexander V; Martin, Seamus J

    2018-03-07

    Sterile inflammation is initiated by molecules released from necrotic cells, called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Members of the extended IL-1 cytokine family are important DAMPs, are typically only released through necrosis, and require limited proteolytic processing for activation. The IL-1 family cytokines, IL-36α, IL-36β, and IL-36γ, are expressed as inactive precursors and have been implicated as key initiators of psoriatic-type skin inflammation. We have recently found that IL-36 family cytokines are proteolytically processed and activated by the neutrophil granule-derived proteases, elastase, and cathepsin G. Inhibitors of IL-36 processing may therefore have utility as anti-inflammatory agents through suppressing activation of the latter cytokines. We have identified peptide-based pseudosubstrates for cathepsin G and elastase, based on optimal substrate cleavage motifs, which can antagonize activation of all three IL-36 family cytokines by the latter proteases. Human psoriatic skin plaques displayed elevated IL-36β processing activity that could be antagonized by peptide pseudosubstrates specific for cathepsin G. Thus, antagonists of neutrophil-derived proteases may have therapeutic potential for blocking activation of IL-36 family cytokines in inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis.

  19. Substrate-derived triazolo- and azapeptides as inhibitors of cathepsins K and S.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galibert, Matthieu; Wartenberg, Mylène; Lecaille, Fabien; Saidi, Ahlame; Mavel, Sylvie; Joulin-Giet, Alix; Korkmaz, Brice; Brömme, Dieter; Aucagne, Vincent; Delmas, Agnès F; Lalmanach, Gilles

    2018-01-20

    Cathepsin (Cat) K is a critical bone-resorbing protease and is a relevant target for the treatment of osteoporosis and bone metastasis, while CatS is an attractive target for drugs in autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), emphysema or neuropathic pain. Despite major achievements, current pharmacological inhibitors are still lacking in safety and may have damaging side effects. A promising strategy for developing safer reversible and competitive inhibitors as new lead compounds could be to insert non-cleavable bonds at the scissile P1-P1' position of selective substrates of CatS and CatK. Accordingly, we introduced a 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole heterocycle that mimics most of the features of a trans-amide bond, or we incorporated a semicarbazide bond (azaGly residue) by replacing the α-carbon of the glycyl residue at P1 by a nitrogen atom. AzaGly-containing peptidomimetics inhibited powerfully their respective target proteases in the nM range, while triazolopeptides were weaker inhibitors (Ki in the μM range). The selectivity of the azaGly CatS inhibitor (1b) was confirmed by using spleen lysates from wild-type vs CatS-deficient mice. Alternatively, the azaGly bradykinin-derived CatK inhibitor (2b) potently inhibited CatK (Ki = 9 nM) and impaired its kininase activity in vitro. Molecular modeling studies support that the semicarbazide bond of 2b is more favorable than the 1,2,3-triazole linkage of the bradykinin-derived pseudopeptide 2a to preserve an effective affinity towards CatK, its protease target. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Mechanisms and cellular functions of intramembrane proteases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urban, Siniša

    2013-12-01

    The turn of the millennium coincided with the branding of a fundamentally different class of enzyme - proteases that reside immersed inside the membrane. This new field was the convergence of completely separate lines of research focused on cholesterol homeostasis, Alzheimer's disease, and developmental genetics. None intended their ultimate path, but soon became a richly-integrated fabric for an entirely new field: regulated intramembrane proteolysis. Our aim in this Special Issue is to focus on the ancient and nearly ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze this unexpected yet important reaction. The pace of progress has been dramatic, resulting in a rapidly-expanding universe of known cellular functions, and a paradigm shift in the biochemical understanding of these once heretical enzymes. More recently, the first therapeutic successes have been attained by targeting an intramembrane protease. We consider these advances and identify oncoming opportunities in four parts: growing spectra of cellular roles, insights into biochemical mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and newly-emerging topics. Recent studies also expose challenges for the future, including non-linear relationships between substrate identification and physiological functions, and the need for potent and specific, not broad-class, inhibitors. © 2013.

  1. Barley alpha-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor: structure, biophysics and protein engineering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, P.K.; Bønsager, Birgit Christine; Fukuda, Kenji

    2004-01-01

    Bifunctional alpha-amylase/subtilisin inhibitors have been implicated in plant defence and regulation of endogenous alpha-amylase action. The barley alpha-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor (BASI) inhibits the barley alpha-amylase 2 (AMY2) and subtilisin-type serine proteases. BASI belongs to the Kunitz...... Ca2+-modulated kinetics of the AMY2/BASl interaction and found that the complex formation involves minimal structural changes. The modulation of the interaction by calcium ions makes it unique among the currently known binding mechanisms of proteinaceous alpha-amylase inhibitors....

  2. Cathepsin K in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: LAM Cell-Fibroblast Interactions Enhance Protease Activity by Extracellular Acidification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dongre, Arundhati; Clements, Debbie; Fisher, Andrew J; Johnson, Simon R

    2017-08-01

    Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease in which LAM cells and fibroblasts form lung nodules and it is hypothesized that LAM nodule-derived proteases cause cyst formation and tissue damage. On protease gene expression profiling in whole lung tissue, cathepsin K gene expression was 40-fold overexpressed in LAM compared with control lung tissue (P ≤ 0.0001). Immunohistochemistry confirmed cathepsin K protein was expressed in LAM but not control lungs. Cathepsin K gene expression and protein and protease activity were detected in LAM-associated fibroblasts but not the LAM cell line 621-101. In lung nodules, cathepsin K immunoreactivity predominantly co-localized with LAM-associated fibroblasts. In vitro, fibroblast extracellular cathepsin K activity was minimal at pH 7.5 but significantly enhanced at pH 7 and 6. 621-101 cells reduced extracellular pH with acidification dependent on 621-101 mechanistic target of rapamycin activity and net hydrogen ion exporters, particularly sodium bicarbonate co-transporters and carbonic anhydrases, which were also expressed in LAM lung tissue. In LAM cell-fibroblast co-cultures, acidification paralleled cathepsin K activity, and both were reduced by sodium bicarbonate co-transporter (P ≤ 0.0001) and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (P = 0.0021). Our findings suggest that cathepsin K activity is dependent on LAM cell-fibroblast interactions, and inhibitors of extracellular acidification may be potential therapies for LAM. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Fluorescently labeled inhibitors detect localized serine protease activities in Drosophila melanogaster pole cells, embryos, and ovarian egg chambers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Rasmus Kragh; Ono, S.; Powers, J. C.

    2005-01-01

    processes that they mediate. Until only recently, the tools to conveniently address the question of where and when serine proteases are active within complex tissues have been lacking. In order to detect spatially restricted serine protease activities in Drosophila embryos and ovaries we introduce...... activity localized to the oocyte-somatic follicle cell interface of the developing egg chamber. Our results suggest that this technique holds promise to identify new spatially restricted activities in adult Drosophila tissues and developing embryos....

  4. Leucocyte depletion attenuates the early increase in myocardial capillary permeability to small hydrophilic solutes following ischaemia and reperfusion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup; Hansen, P R; Ali, S

    1993-01-01

    The aim was to assess the significance of polymorphonuclear leucocytes on the myocardial capillary permeability to a small hydrophilic indicator, on the vascular tone of the resistance vessels, and on contractile function following ischaemia and reperfusion.......The aim was to assess the significance of polymorphonuclear leucocytes on the myocardial capillary permeability to a small hydrophilic indicator, on the vascular tone of the resistance vessels, and on contractile function following ischaemia and reperfusion....

  5. Mutational analysis of target enzyme recognition of the beta-trefoil fold barley alpha-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bønsager, Birgit Christine; Nielsen, Per K.; Abou Hachem, Maher

    2005-01-01

    The barley alpha-amylase/subtilisin inhibitor ( BASI) inhibits alpha-amylase 2 (AMY2) with subnanomolar affinity. The contribution of selected side chains of BASI to this high affinity is discerned in this study, and binding to other targets is investigated. Seven BASI residues along the AMY2-BASI...... interface and four residues in the putative protease-binding loop on the opposite side of the inhibitor were mutated. A total of 15 variants were compared with the wild type by monitoring the alpha-amylase and protease inhibitory activities using Blue Starch and azoalbumin, respectively, and the kinetics...

  6. Discovery and X-ray crystallographic analysis of a spiropiperidine iminohydantoin inhibitor of beta-secretase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrow, James C; Stauffer, Shaun R; Rittle, Kenneth E; Ngo, Phung L; Yang, ZhiQiang; Selnick, Harold G; Graham, Samuel L; Munshi, Sanjeev; McGaughey, Georgia B; Holloway, M Katharine; Simon, Adam J; Price, Eric A; Sankaranarayanan, Sethu; Colussi, Dennis; Tugusheva, Katherine; Lai, Ming-Tain; Espeseth, Amy S; Xu, Min; Huang, Qian; Wolfe, Abigail; Pietrak, Beth; Zuck, Paul; Levorse, Dorothy A; Hazuda, Daria; Vacca, Joseph P

    2008-10-23

    A high-throughput screen at 100 microM inhibitor concentration for the BACE-1 enzyme revealed a novel spiropiperidine iminohydantoin aspartyl protease inhibitor template. An X-ray cocrystal structure with BACE-1 revealed a novel mode of binding whereby the inhibitor interacts with the catalytic aspartates via bridging water molecules. Using the crystal structure as a guide, potent compounds with good brain penetration were designed.

  7. Characterization of the protease activity that cleaves the extracellular domain of β-dystroglycan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Di; Saito, Fumiaki; Saito, Yuko; Nakamura, Ayami; Shimizu, Teruo; Matsumura, Kiichiro

    2006-01-01

    Dystroglycan (DG) complex, composed of αDG and βDG, provides a link between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cortical cytoskeleton. Although the proteolytic processing of βDG was reported in various physiological and pathological conditions, its exact mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we addressed this issue using the cell culture system of rat schwannoma cell line RT4. We found that the culture medium of RT4 cells was enriched with the protease activity that degrades the fusion protein construct of the extracellular domain of βDG specifically. This activity was suppressed by the inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, but not by the inhibitors of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-13. Zymography and RT-PCR analysis showed that RT4 cells secreted MMP-2 and MMP-9 into the culture medium. Finally, active MMP-2 and MMP-9 enzymes degraded the fusion protein construct of the extracellular domain of βDG. These results indicate (1) that RT4 cells secrete the protease activity that degrades the extracellular domain of βDG specifically and (2) that MMP-2 and MMP-9 may be involved in this process

  8. Effects of dietary n-3 fatty acids on Toll-like receptor activation in primary leucocytes from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnemo, Marianne; Kavaliauskis, Arturas; Andresen, Adriana Magalhaes Santos; Bou, Marta; Berge, Gerd Marit; Ruyter, Bente; Gjøen, Tor

    2017-08-01

    The shortage of the n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the international markets has led to increasing substitution of fish oil by plant oils in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) feed and thereby reducing the EPA and DHA content in salmon. However, the minimum required levels of these fatty acids in fish diets for securing fish health are unknown. Fish were fed with 0, 1 or 2% EPA or DHA alone or in combination of both over a period, growing from 50 to 400 g. Primary head kidney leucocytes were isolated and stimulated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands to determine if EPA and DHA deficiency can affect expression of important immune genes and eicosanoid production. Several genes related to viral immune response did not vary between groups. However, there was a tendency that the high-level EPA and DHA groups expressed lower levels of IL-1β in non-stimulated leucocytes. These leucocytes were also more responsive to the TLR ligands, inducing higher expression levels of IL-1β and Mx1 after stimulation. The levels of prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4 in serum and media from stimulated leucocytes were lower in both low and high EPA and DHA groups. In conclusion, leucocytes from low EPA and DHA groups seemed to be less responsive towards immunostimulants, like TLR ligands, indicating that low levels or absence of dietary EPA and DHA may have immunosuppressive effects.

  9. EFFECTS OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS AS BACTERIAL EFFLUX PUMP INHIBITORS ON QUORUM SENSING REGULATED BEHAVIORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aynur Aybey

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Psychotropic drugs are known to have antimicrobial activity against several groups of microorganisms. The antidepressant agents such as duloxetine, paroxetine, hydroxyzine and venlafaxine are shown to act as efflux pump inhibitors in bacterial cells. In order to the investigation of the effects of psychotropic drugs were determined for clinically significant pathogens by using standart broth microdillusion method. The anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS activity of psychotropic drugs was tested against four test pathogens using the agar well diffusion method. All drugs showed strong inhibitory effect on the growth of S. typhimurium. Additionally, quorum sensing-regulated behaviors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, including swarming, swimming and twitching motility and alkaline protease production were investigated. Most effective drugs on swarming, swimming and twitching motility and alkaline protease production, respectively, were paroxetine and duloxetine; duloxetine; hydroxyzine and venlafaxine; paroxetine and venlafaxine; venlafaxine. Accordingly, psychotropic drugs were shown strongly anti-QS activity by acting as bacterial efflux pump inhibitors and effection on motility and alkaline protease production of P. aeruginosa.

  10. Bacterial proteases and virulence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frees, Dorte; Brøndsted, Lone; Ingmer, Hanne

    2013-01-01

    signalling to short-circuit host cell processes. Common to both intra- and extracellular proteases is the tight control of their proteolytic activities. In general, substrate recognition by the intracellular proteases is highly selective which is, in part, attributed to the chaperone activity associated...... tolerance to adverse conditions such as those experienced in the host. In the membrane, HtrA performs similar functions whereas the extracellular proteases, in close contact with host components, pave the way for spreading infections by degrading host matrix components or interfering with host cell...... with the proteases either encoded within the same polypeptide or on separate subunits. In contrast, substrate recognition by extracellular proteases is less selective and therefore these enzymes are generally expressed as zymogens to prevent premature proteolytic activity that would be detrimental to the cell...

  11. Defense response in non-genomic model species: methyl jasmonate exposure reveals the passion fruit leaves' ability to assemble a cocktail of functionally diversified Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors and recruit two of them against papain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botelho-Júnior, Sylvio; Machado, Olga L T; Fernandes, Kátia V S; Lemos, Francisco J A; Perdizio, Viviane A; Oliveira, Antônia E A; Monteiro, Leandro R; Filho, Mauri L; Jacinto, Tânia

    2014-08-01

    Multiplicity of protease inhibitors induced by predators may increase the understanding of a plant's intelligent behavior toward environmental challenges. Information about defense mechanisms of non-genomic model plant passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) in response to predator attack is still limited. Here, via biochemical approaches, we showed its flexibility to build-up a broad repertoire of potent Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors (KTIs) in response to methyl jasmonate. Seven inhibitors (20-25 kDa) were purified from exposed leaves by chromatographic techniques. Interestingly, the KTIs possessed truncated Kunitz motif in their N-terminus and some of them also presented non-consensus residues. Gelatin-Native-PAGE established multiple isoforms for each inhibitor. Significant differences regarding inhibitors' activity toward trypsin and chymotrypsin were observed, indicating functional polymorphism. Despite its rarity, two of them also inhibited papain, and such bifunctionality suggests a recruiting process onto another mechanistic class of target protease (cysteine-type). All inhibitors acted strongly on midgut proteases from sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (a lepidopteran insect) while in vivo assays supported their insecticide properties. Moreover, the bifunctional inhibitors displayed activity toward midgut proteases from cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (a coleopteran insect). Unexpectedly, all inhibitors were highly effective against midgut proteases from Aedes aegypti a dipteran insect (vector of neglected tropical diseases) opening new avenues for plant-derived PIs for vector control-oriented research. Our results reflect the KTIs' complexities in passion fruit which could be wisely exploited by influencing plant defense conditions. Therefore, the potential of passion fruit as source of bioactive compounds with diversified biotechnological application was strengthened.

  12. Switch from unboosted protease inhibitor to a single-tablet regimen containing rilpivirine improves cholesterol and triglycerides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Biagio, Antonio; Riccardi, Niccolò; Taramasso, Lucia; Capetti, Amedeo; Cenderello, Giovanni; Signori, Alessio; Vitiello, Paola; Guerra, Michele; de Socio, Giuseppe Vittorio; Cassola, Giovanni; Quirino, Tiziano; Viscoli, Claudio

    2016-11-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and potential savings of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) simplification from an unboosted protease inhibitor (PI) regimen with atazanavir or fosamprenavir to a single-tablet regimen (STR) based on rilpivirine/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (RPV/FTC/TDF) among HIV-1-infected patients with HIV-1 RNA triglycerides, bilirubin, glycaemia, creatinine and physical examination were performed at baseline and at scheduled follow-up. All patient costs were calculated and were estimated for 52 weeks of therapy. Fifty-one patients were enrolled [28 male (54.9%)]. At baseline, 30 patients (58.8%) were treated with FTC/TDF, 20 (39.2%) with abacavir/lamivudine and 1 (2.0%) with lamivudine/zidovudine. Thirty-three patients (64.7%) received atazanavir. All patients maintained HIV-RNA triglycerides decreased from 124 mg/dL (range, 39-625) at enrolment to 108.7 mg/dL (range, 39-561) at study end (P = 0.25). At baseline, mean cholesterol was 172.8 ± 38.1 mg/dL and decreased to 161.9 ± 38.6 mg/dL (P = 0.038); likewise, median total bilirubin decreased from 1.07 mg/dL (range, 0.2-4.7) to 0.6 mg/dL (range, 0.13-3.1) (P triglycerides, cholesterol and cART-related costs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  13. Exposure to ozone modulates human airway protease/antiprotease balance contributing to increased influenza A infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew J Kesic

    Full Text Available Exposure to oxidant air pollution is associated with increased respiratory morbidities and susceptibility to infections. Ozone is a commonly encountered oxidant air pollutant, yet its effects on influenza infections in humans are not known. The greater Mexico City area was the primary site for the spring 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic, which also coincided with high levels of environmental ozone. Proteolytic cleavage of the viral membrane protein hemagglutinin (HA is essential for influenza virus infectivity. Recent studies suggest that HA cleavage might be cell-associated and facilitated by the type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs human airway trypsin-like protease (HAT and transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2, whose activities are regulated by antiproteases, such as secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI. Based on these observations, we sought to determine how acute exposure to ozone may modulate cellular protease/antiprotease expression and function, and to define their roles in a viral infection. We utilized our in vitro model of differentiated human nasal epithelial cells (NECs to determine the effects of ozone on influenza cleavage, entry, and replication. We show that ozone exposure disrupts the protease/antiprotease balance within the airway liquid. We also determined that functional forms of HAT, TMPRSS2, and SLPI are secreted from human airway epithelium, and acute exposure to ozone inversely alters their expression levels. We also show that addition of antioxidants significantly reduces virus replication through the induction of SLPI. In addition, we determined that ozone-induced cleavage of the viral HA protein is not cell-associated and that secreted endogenous proteases are sufficient to activate HA leading to a significant increase in viral replication. Our data indicate that pre-exposure to ozone disrupts the protease/antiprotease balance found in the human airway, leading to increased influenza susceptibility.

  14. Increased leucocyte Na-K ATPase in obesity: reversal following weight loss

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turaihi, K.; Baron, D.N.; Dandona, P.

    1987-01-01

    Ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb influx and [ 3 H] ouabain binding capacity were investigated in the leucocytes of 17 obese patients and 15 control subjects. Both were significantly increased in the obese when compared with controls. Following dietary restriction and a 4% to 5% weight reduction in the obese over 2 weeks, [ 3 H] ouabain binding and ouabain-sensitive 86 Rb influx (a model for K+ influx) decreased to levels similar to those in controls. This shows that the number of Na-K ATPase sites on leucocyte membranes of the obese are significantly increased and that this is associated with accelerated 86 Rb transport. Since both of these indices decreased following 4% to 5% reduction in body weight while the patients were still obese, increased Na-K ATPase is neither a marker of nor cardinal to the pathogenesis of obesity. We conclude that (1) increase in Na-K ATPase units and 86 Rb influx are not characteristic of obesity itself and (2) dietary restriction over the short-term with limited weight reduction restores Na-K ATPase units and 86 Rb influx to normal

  15. An assay to monitor HIV-1 protease activity for the identification of novel inhibitors in T-cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brett J Hilton

    Full Text Available The emergence of resistant HIV strains, together with the severe side-effects of existing drugs and lack of development of effective anti-HIV vaccines highlight the need for novel antivirals, as well as innovative methods to facilitate their discovery. Here, we have developed an assay in T-cells to monitor the proteolytic activity of the HIV-1 protease (PR. The assay is based on the inducible expression of HIV-1 PR fused within the Gal4 DNA-binding and transactivation domains. The fusion protein binds to the Gal4 responsive element and activates the downstream reporter, enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP gene only in the presence of an effective PR Inhibitor (PI. Thus, in this assay, eGFP acts as a biosensor of PR activity, making it ideal for flow cytometry based screening. Furthermore, the assay was developed using retroviral technology in T-cells, thus providing an ideal environment for the screening of potential novel PIs in a cell-type that represents the natural milieu of HIV infection. Clones with the highest sensitivity, and robust, reliable and reproducible reporter activity, were selected. The assay is easily adaptable to other PR variants, a multiplex platform, as well as to high-throughput plate reader based assays and will greatly facilitate the search for novel peptide and chemical compound based PIs in T-cells.

  16. DCAF4, a novel gene associated with leucocyte telomere length

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mangino, Massimo; Christiansen, Lene; Stone, Rivka

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Leucocyte telomere length (LTL), which is fashioned by multiple genes, has been linked to a host of human diseases, including sporadic melanoma. A number of genes associated with LTL have already been identified through genome-wide association studies. The main aim of this study was t...

  17. Nitric oxide production by nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and clearnose skate (Raja eglanteria) peripheral blood leucocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Cathy J; Toranto, Jason D; Gilliland, C Taylor; Noyes, David R; Bodine, Ashby B; Luer, Carl A

    2006-01-01

    Reactive nitrogen intermediates, such as nitric oxide (NO), are important immunomodulators in vertebrate immune systems, but have yet to be identified as mediators of host defence in any member of class Chondrichthyes, the cartilaginous fishes. In the present study, production of NO by nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) stimulated with bacterial cell wall lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated. PBL were cultured for 24 to 96 h following stimulation with LPS at concentrations ranging from 0 to 25 microg ml(-1), in both serum-supplemented and serum-free culture conditions. Production of NO was measured indirectly using the Griess reaction, with maximal NO production occurring after 72 h using 10% FBS and 10 microg LPS ml(-1). Application of these culture conditions to PBL from another cartilaginous fish (clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria) resulted in a similar NO response. Addition of a specific inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), L-N(6)-(1-iminoethyl)lysine (L-NIL), resulted in a significant decrease in the production of NO by PBL from both species.

  18. Transthyretin protects against A-beta peptide toxicity by proteolytic cleavage of the peptide: a mechanism sensitive to the Kunitz protease inhibitor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Costa

    Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease (AD is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the deposition of amyloid beta-peptide (A-Beta in the brain. Transthyretin (TTR is a tetrameric protein of about 55 kDa mainly produced in the liver and choroid plexus of the brain. The known physiological functions of TTR are the transport of thyroid hormone T(4 and retinol, through binding to the retinol binding protein. TTR has also been established as a cryptic protease able to cleave ApoA-I in vitro. It has been described that TTR is involved in preventing A-Beta fibrilization, both by inhibiting and disrupting A-Beta fibrils, with consequent abrogation of toxicity. We further characterized the nature of the TTR/A-Beta interaction and found that TTR, both recombinant or isolated from human sera, was able to proteolytically process A-Beta, cleaving the peptide after aminoacid residues 1, 2, 3, 10, 13, 14,16, 19 and 27, as determined by mass spectrometry, and reversed phase chromatography followed by N-terminal sequencing. A-Beta peptides (1-14 and (15-42 showed lower amyloidogenic potential than the full length counterpart, as assessed by thioflavin binding assay and ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy. A-Beta cleavage by TTR was inhibited in the presence of an alphaAPP peptide containing the Kunitz Protease Inhibitor (KPI domain but not in the presence of the secreted alphaAPP derived from the APP isoform 695 without the KPI domain. TTR was also able to degrade aggregated forms of A-Beta peptide. Our results confirmed TTR as a protective molecule in AD, and prompted A-Beta proteolysis by TTR as a protective mechanism in this disease. TTR may prove to be a useful therapeutic agent for preventing or retarding the cerebral amyloid plaque formation implicated in AD pathology.

  19. Distinct protease pathways control cell shape and apoptosis in v-src-transformed quail neuroretina cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neel, Benjamin D.; Aouacheria, Abdel; Nouvion, Anne-Laure; Ronot, Xavier; Gillet, Germain

    2005-01-01

    Intracellular proteases play key roles in cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. In nerve cells, little is known about their relative contribution to the pathways which control cell physiology, including cell death. Neoplastic transformation of avian neuroretina cells by p60 v-src tyrosine kinase results in dramatic morphological changes and deregulation of apoptosis. To identify the proteases involved in the cellular response to p60 v-src , we evaluated the effect of specific inhibitors of caspases, calpains and the proteasome on cell shape changes and apoptosis induced by p60 v-src inactivation in quail neuroretina cells transformed by tsNY68, a thermosensitive strain of Rous sarcoma virus. We found that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is recruited early after p60 v-src inactivation and is critical for morphological changes, whereas caspases are essential for cell death. This study provides evidence that distinct intracellular proteases are involved in the control of the morphology and fate of v-src-transformed cells

  20. Naringenin and quercetin--potential anti-HCV agents for NS2 protease targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lulu, S Sajitha; Thabitha, A; Vino, S; Priya, A Mohana; Rout, Madhusmita

    2016-01-01

    Nonstructural proteins of hepatitis C virus had drawn much attention for the scientific fraternity in drug discovery due to its important role in the disease. 3D structure of the protein was predicted using molecular modelling protocol. Docking studies of 10 medicinal plant compounds and three drugs available in the market (control) with NS2 protease were employed by using rigid docking approach of AutoDock 4.2. Among the molecules tested for docking study, naringenin and quercetin revealed minimum binding energy of - 7.97 and - 7.95 kcal/mol with NS2 protease. All the ligands were docked deeply within the binding pocket region of the protein. The docking study results showed that these compounds are potential inhibitors of the target; and also all these docked compounds have good inhibition constant, vdW+Hbond+desolv energy with best RMSD value.