Structure of AQEE-30 of VGF Neuropeptide in Membrane-Mimicking Environments.

AQEE-30 is one of the VGF peptides, which are derived from the VGF polypeptide precursor, and related to various physiological phenomena including neuroprotective effects in Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although various functions of AQEE-30 have been reported so far, the structure of this peptide has not been reported yet. In this study, the structure of human AQEE-30 was investigated in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and dodecyl phosphocholine (DPC) micelle solutions, using circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. CD results showed that AQEE-30 had a partial helical structure in aqueous buffer, and the helical structure was stabilized in the HFIP and DPC micelle solutions. The 3D structures determined by NMR spectroscopy showed that AQEE-30 adopted mainly α-helical structure in both the HFIP and DPC micelle solutions. The surface of AQEE-30 showed that it was predominantly negatively charged. The residues from 601 to 611 in both the HFIP and DPC micelle solutions showed amphiphilicity with four negatively charged residues, glutamate. The C-terminal consecutive arginine residues formed a partial positively charged surface. These results suggest an α-helical active structure of AQEE-30 in the cell-membrane environment.

Label-free affinity screening, design and synthesis of inhibitors targeting the Mycobacterium tuberculosis L-alanine dehydrogenase.

The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) to persist in its host may enable an evolutionary advantage for drug resistant variants to emerge. A potential strategy to prevent persistence and gain drug efficacy is to directly target the activity of enzymes that are crucial for persistence. We present a method for expedited discovery and structure-based design of lead compounds by targeting the hypoxia-associated enzyme L-alanine dehydrogenase (AlaDH). Biochemical and structural analyses of AlaDH confirmed binding of nucleoside derivatives and showed a site adjacent to the nucleoside binding pocket that can confer specificity to putative inhibitors. Using a combination of dye-ligand affinity chromatography, enzyme kinetics and protein crystallographic studies, we show the development and validation of drug prototypes. Crystal structures of AlaDH-inhibitor complexes with variations at the N6 position of the adenyl-moiety of the inhibitor provide insight into the molecular basis for the specificity of these compounds. We describe a drug-designing pipeline that aims to block Mtb to proliferate upon re-oxygenation by specifically blocking NAD accessibility to AlaDH. The collective approach to drug discovery was further evaluated through in silico analyses providing additional insight into an efficient drug development strategy that can be further assessed with the incorporation of in vivo studies.

AIMP2-DX2 provides therapeutic interface to control KRAS-driven tumorigenesis.

Recent development of the chemical inhibitors specific to oncogenic KRAS (Kirsten Rat Sarcoma 2 Viral Oncogene Homolog) mutants revives much interest to control KRAS-driven cancers. Here, we report that AIMP2-DX2, a variant of the tumor suppressor AIMP2 (aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multi-functional protein 2), acts as a cancer-specific regulator of KRAS stability, augmenting KRAS-driven tumorigenesis. AIMP2-DX2 specifically binds to the hypervariable region and G-domain of KRAS in the cytosol prior to farnesylation. Then, AIMP2-DX2 competitively blocks the access of Smurf2 (SMAD Ubiquitination Regulatory Factor 2) to KRAS, thus preventing ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Moreover, AIMP2-DX2 levels are positively correlated with KRAS levels in colon and lung cancer cell lines and tissues. We also identified a small molecule that specifically bound to the KRAS-binding region of AIMP2-DX2 and inhibited the interaction between these two factors. Treatment with this compound reduces the cellular levels of KRAS, leading to the suppression of KRAS-dependent cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest the interface of AIMP2-DX2 and KRAS as a route to control KRAS-driven cancers.

Biophysical and electrochemical approaches for studying molecular recognition of IL-33 binding peptides identified via phage display.

Allergy-causing inflammatory diseases have attracted significant attention because they have emerged as global health problems linked to urbanization. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) plays an important role in producing inflammatory cytokines, and it has been suggested as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy-causing inflammatory diseases. In this work, specific peptides that bind to IL-33 were identified by a phage display technique and their molecular interactions were described. The peptide-displaying phages were selected on the basis of relative binding affinity by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The selected IL-33 specific peptide was identified as FGLEPRANLHFT. To investigate the molecular interactions between IL-33 and the affinity peptide, the peptide was separated from the phage particles, chemically synthesized and characterized by SWV, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and microscale thermophoresis (MST). The binding constant (Kd) value with SWV, MST, and ITC was found to be 1.68 ± 0.37 µM, 5.98 ± 1.30 µM, and 2.68 ± 1.37 µM, respectively. Two-dimensional (2D) NMR spectral analysis was performed to elucidate the primary peptide binding site of IL-33, which was near the ST2-D3 and IL1RAcP-D3 binding interfaces. Based on these observations using two different approaches, we conclude that this approach could be applied not only for the design of new peptides or peptide biomimetics for drug development, but also for the creation of unique molecular recognition elements useful for allergy diagnosis.

Amphipathic Small Molecule AZT Compound Displays Potent Inhibitory Effects in Cancer Cell Proliferation.

Cancer has been identified as a leading cause of death worldwide, and the increasing number of cancer cases threatens to shorten the average life expectancy of people. Recently, we reported a 3-azido-3-deoxythymidine (AZT)-based amphipathic small molecule, ADG-2e that revealed a notable potency against tumor metastasis. To evaluate the anticancer potential of ADG-2e, we assessed its anticancer potency in vitro and in vivo. Anticancer screening of ADG-2e against cervical cancer cells, HeLa CCL2, and BT549 mammary gland ductal carcinoma showed significant inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations revealed that cancer cell death presumably proceeded through an oncosis mechanistic pathway because ADG-2e treated cells showed severe damage on the plasma membrane, a loss of membrane integrity, and leakage of α-tubulin and ß-actin. Finally, evaluation of the antitumorigenic potential of ADG-2e in mouse xenograft models revealed that this compound potentially inhibits cancer cell proliferation. Collectively, these findings suggest that ADG-2e can evolve as an anticancer agent, which may represent a model for nucleoside-based small molecule anticancer drug discovery.

Synthesis and Biochemical Evaluation of Baicalein Prodrugs.

Baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxy-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one), a flavonoid analog from Scutellaria baicalensis, possesses several pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anti-inflammatory activities. We previously reported that baicalein inhibits the thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)/TSLP receptor (TSLPR) signaling pathways and can be used as an active ingredient in the treatment of asthma and atopic dermatitis. However, baicalein is rapidly metabolized to baicalin and baicalein-6-O-glucuronide in vivo, which limits its preclinical and clinical use. In this study, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated baicalein prodrugs that protect the OH group at the 7-position of the A ring in baicalein with the amino acid carbamate functional group. Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies identified compound 2 as a baicalein prodrug candidate that improved the plasma exposure of baicalein in mouse animal studies. Our results demonstrated that this prodrug approach could be further adopted to discover oral baicalein prodrugs.

Lignans from Machilus thunbergii as Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Inhibitors.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of various allergic diseases that are mediated by T helper cell type-2 (Th2) responses, including asthma and atopic dermatitis. The primary focus of this study was the identification of potent inhibitors of the TSLP signaling pathway for potential therapeutic use. The 80% methanol extract of Machilus thunbergii bark significantly inhibited the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) phosphorylation in human mast cell (HMC)-1 cells. Through activity-guided isolation, three lignans (1-3) were obtained and identified as (+)-galbelgin (1), meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (2), and machilin A (3). Among them, two lignans (1 and 2) significantly inhibited STAT5 phosphorylation and TSLP/TSLPR interaction, as determined by ELISA. Our results indicated that lignans isolated from M. thunbergii are a promising resource for the treatment of allergic diseases.

Discovery of novel potent migrastatic Thiazolo[5,4-b]pyridines targeting Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) for treatment of Cancer metastasis.

Recently, non-canonical roles of Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase (KRS), which is associated with cell migration and cancer metastasis, have been reported. Therefore, KRS has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of cell migration-related diseases, especially cancer metastasis, although the satisfying chemical inhibitors targeting KRS have not yet been identified. Here, we report the discovery of novel, mechanistically unique, and potent cell migration inhibitors targeting KRS, including the chemical and biological studies on the most effective N,N-dialkylthiazolo [5,4-b]pyridin-2-amine (SL-1910). SL-1910 exhibited highly potent migration inhibition (EC50 = 81 nM against the mutant KRS-overexpressed MDA-MB-231 cells) and was superior to the previously reported KRS inhibitor (migration inhibitory EC50 = 8.5 µM against H226 cells). The KRS protein binding study via fluorescence-based binding titration and KRS protein 2D-NMR mapping study, in vitro concentration-dependent cell migration inhibition, and in vivo anti-metastatic activity of SL-1910, which consists of a new scaffold, have been reported in this study. In addition, in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies and mouse pharmacokinetics experiments for SL-1910 were conducted.

Development of a Polo-like Kinase-1 Polo-Box Domain Inhibitor as a Tumor Growth Suppressor in Mice Models.

Polo-like kinase-1 (Plk1) plays a key role in mitosis and has been identified as an attractive anticancer drug target. Plk1 consists of two drug-targeting sites, namely, N-terminal kinase domain (KD) and C-terminal polo-box domain (PBD). As KD-targeting inhibitors are associated with severe side effects, here we report on the pyrazole-based Plk1 PBD inhibitor, KBJK557, which showed a remarkable in vitro anticancer effect by inducing Plk1 delocalization, mitotic arrest, and apoptosis in HeLa cells. Further, in vivo optical imaging analysis and antitumorigenic activities in mouse xenograft models demonstrate that KBJK557 preferentially accumulates in cancer cells and selectively inhibits cancer cell proliferation. Pharmacokinetic profiles and partition coefficients suggest that KBJK557 was exposed in the blood and circulated through the organs with an intermediate level of clearance (t1/2, 7.73 h). The present investigation offers a strategy for specifically targeting cancer using a newly identified small-molecule inhibitor that targets the Plk1 PBD.

Structural insight into the interaction between p53 TAD1 and AIMP2-DX2 by NMR.

p53 is the most studied tumor suppressor and a key transcriptional factor, with discrete domains that regulate cellular pathways such as apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell-cycle arrest, DNA repair, and senescence. Previous studies have suggested that AIMP2, and ARS-interacting multifunctional protein 2, promote cell death via the protective interaction with p53 upon DNA damage. Also, oncogenic splicing variant of AIMP2 lacking exon2, AIMP2-DX2, compromises the pro-apoptotic activity and anti-proliferative activities of the AIMP2 by competing with AIMP2 for the binding with p53. However, the molecular mechanism for the interaction of p53 and AIMP2 remains elusive. Using NMR spectroscopy, we studied the structural details of the interaction of transactivation domain 1 (TAD1) of p53 with GST domain of AIMP2, which is also common in AIMP2-DX2. The chemical shift perturbation (CSP) experiments demonstrate that amino acid residues from E17 to E28 of p53, known to bind to MDM2 are also involved in binding to AIMP2-DX2. Structure determination of this region based on the transferred-NOE (trNOE) data revealed that TAD1 of the p53 forms a turn structure with hydrophobic interactions by side chains of F19, L22, W23 and L26, distinct from the structure for MDM2 binding. Also, docking results based on NMR CSP data suggest the binding mode of p53 with AIMP2-DX2 GST domain. These data provide the first structural insight into the binding of the p53 TAD1 on AIMP2 and AIMP2-DX2.

Author Correction: Structure-Activity Relationships of Baicalein and its Analogs as Novel TSLP Inhibitors.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Targeting the interaction of AIMP2-DX2 with HSP70 suppresses cancer development.

A tumorigenic factor, AIMP2 lacking exon 2 (AIMP2-DX2), is often upregulated in many cancers. However, how its cellular level is determined is not understood. Here, we report heat-shock protein HSP70 as a critical determinant for the level of AIMP2-DX2. Interaction of the two factors was identified by interactome analysis and structurally determined by X-ray crystallography and NMR analyses. HSP70 recognizes the amino (N)-terminal flexible region, as well as the glutathione S-transferase domain of AIMP2-DX2, via its substrate-binding domain, thus blocking the Siah1-dependent ubiquitination of AIMP2-DX2. AIMP2-DX2-induced cell transformation and cancer progression in vivo was further augmented by HSP70. A positive correlation between HSP70 and AIMP2-DX2 levels was shown in various lung cancer cell lines and patient tissues. Chemical intervention in the AIMP2-DX2-HSP70 interaction suppressed cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Thus, this work demonstrates the importance of the interaction between AIMP2-DX2 and HSP70 on tumor progression and its therapeutic potential against cancer.

Structure-Activity Relationships of Baicalein and its Analogs as Novel TSLP Inhibitors.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in the differentiation and proliferation of Th2 cells, resulting in eosinophilic inflammation and numerous allergic diseases. Baicalein (1), a major component of Scutellaria baicalensis, was found to be the first small molecule to block TSLP signaling pathways. It inhibited effectively eosinophil infiltration in house dust mite-induced and ovalbumin-challenged mouse models. Structure-activity relationship studies identified compound 11a, a biphenyl flavanone analog, as a novel human TSLP inhibitor for the discovery and development of new anti-allergic drugs.

Identification of Polygonum orientale constituents using high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

Our primary focus in this research was to identify and characterize its bioactive compounds for potential therapeutic use. Twenty-seven metabolites of Polygonum orientale were identified using LC-QTOF tandem mass spectrometry. Interestingly, P. orientale extracts included several highly oxygenated flavonoids were isolated from P. orientale by column chromatography. 13C NMR data of highly oxygenated flavonoids (1-7) are reported here for the first time. In addition, nitric oxide, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and water-soluble tetrazolium salt assays were carried out on the isolated compounds to investigate their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and neuroprotective activities, respectively. Compounds 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8 significantly attenuated lipopolysaccharide-stimulated NO production in BV2 cells without affecting cell viability. Compounds 9-12 exhibited significant antioxidant activity, while compounds 8, 9, and 12 exhibited protective effects against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in HT22 cells. Our results indicate that P. orientale is a promising source of natural agents for the potential treatment of inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

Biophysical characterization of the basic cluster in the transcription repression domain of human MeCP2 with AT-rich DNA.

MeCP2 is a chromatin associated protein which is highly expressed in brain and relevant with Rett syndrome (RTT). There are AT-hook motifs in MeCP2 which can bind with AT-rich DNA, suggesting a role in chromatin binding. Here, we report the identification and characterization of another AT-rich DNA binding motif (residues 295 to 313) from the C-terminal transcription repression domain of MeCP2 by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and isothermal calorimetry (ITC). This motif shows a micromolar affinity to AT-rich DNA, and it binds to the minor groove of DNA like AT-hook motifs. Together with the previous studies, our results provide an insight into a critical role of this motif in chromatin structure and function.

Interaction between human angiogenin and the p53 TAD2 domain and its implication for inhibitor discovery.

Interaction between angiogenin and the p53 TAD2 domain in cancer cells can inhibit the function of the p53 tumor suppressor and promote cell survival. Based on a model structure using NMR and mutational analysis, positively charged 31 RRR33 and 50 KRSIK54 motifs of human angiogenin were identified as p53-binding sites that could interact with negatively charged D48/E51 and E56 residues of the p53 TAD2 domain, respectively. These results suggest that 31 RRR33 and 50 KRSIK54 motifs of human angiogenin might play a critical role in the regulation of p53-mediated apoptosis and angiogenesis in cancer cells. This study identifies potential target sites for screening angiogenin-specific inhibitors that could not only inhibit p53 binding but could also simultaneously inhibit cell binding, internalization, DNA binding, and nuclear translocation of human angiogenin.

Outer membrane protein A contributes to antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii through the OmpA-like domain.

OBJECTIVES: Acinetobacter baumannii outer membrane protein A (AbOmpA) is involved in bacterial pathogenesis. However, the role of AbOmpA in the antimicrobial resistance of A. baumannii has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of the OmpA-like domain of AbOmpA in the antimicrobial resistance of A. baumannii. METHODS: The MICs of antimicrobial agents for the WT A. baumannii ATCC 17978, ΔompA mutant, OmpA-like domain-deleted (amino acids 223-356) AbOmpA mutant and single-copy ompA-complemented strain were determined by the Etest method. The MICs of antimicrobial agents for MDR strain 1656-2 and its ΔompA mutant strains were also determined. RESULTS: The ΔompA mutant strain of ATCC 17978 was more susceptible to trimethoprim (>5.3-fold) and other antimicrobial agents tested (<2.0-fold), except tigecycline, than the WT strain. The ΔompA mutant strain of 1656-2 was more susceptible to trimethoprim (>4.0-fold), tetracycline (2.3-fold) and other antimicrobial agents (<2.0-fold), including tigecycline, colistin and imipenem, than the WT strain. The MICs of gentamicin, imipenem and nalidixic acid for the WT ATCC 17978 and ΔompA mutant strains were decreased in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor. A mutant strain of ATCC 17978 with the OmpA-like domain of AbOmpA deleted was more susceptible (≥2.0-fold) to substrates of the resistance-nodulation-division efflux pumps, including aztreonam, gentamicin, imipenem and trimethoprim, than the WT strain. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that AbOmpA contributes to the antimicrobial resistance of A. baumannii through the OmpA-like domain.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of peptide-derived TSLP inhibitors.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a type II cytokine which is associated with most inflammatory allergic disorders in humans. It is produced mainly by epithelial cells with important role in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases by activating T-helper cell type-2 (TH2) pathways. In this study, a total of 16 peptides were prepared by solid phase peptide synthesis based on amino acid sequences of the interface between TSLP and TSLP receptor. Their TSLP inhibition activities were determined by ELISA assay. Among them, three peptides (6-8) exhibited >50% inhibition at concentration of 0.3mM. They can be used as hit compounds for developing peptide-based TSLP inhibitors.

Ligand-Mediated Folding of the OmpA Periplasmic Domain from Acinetobacter baumannii.

The periplasmic domain of OmpA from Acinetobacter baumannii (AbOmpA-PD) binds to diaminopimelate and anchors the outer membrane to the peptidoglycan layer in the cell wall. Although the crystal structure of AbOmpA-PD with its ligands has been reported, the mechanism of ligand-mediated folding of AbOmpA remains elusive. Here, we report that in vitro refolded apo-AbOmpA-PD in the absence of ligand exists as a mixture of two partially folded forms in solution: mostly unfolded (apo-state I) and hololike (apo-state II) states. Binding of the diaminopimelate or glycine ligand induced complete folding of AbOmpA-PD. The apo-state I was highly flexible and contained some secondary structural elements, whereas the apo-state II closely resembled the holo-state in terms of both structure and backbone dynamics, except for the ligand-binding region. 15N-relaxation-dispersion analyses for apo-state II revealed substantial motion on a millisecond timescale of residues in the H3 helix near the ligand-binding site, with this motion disappearing upon ligand binding. These results provide an insight into the ligand-mediated folding mechanism of AbOmpA-PD in solution.

Data on optimization of expression and purification of AIMP2-DX2 protein in Escherichia coli.

AIMP2-DX2 is a splicing variant of AIMP2 protein which has been implicated in human lung cancer and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer (J.W. Choi, D.G. Kim, A.E. Lee, H.R. Kim, J.Y. Lee, N.H. Kwon, et al., 2011; J.W. Choi, J.W. Lee, J.K. Kim, H.K. Jeon, J.J. Choi, D.G. Kim, et al., 2012) [1,2]. We have shown, here, the data for the expression of AIMP2-DX2 protein in Escherichia coli and optimization of the critical steps in purification of AIMP2-DX2. The data described here has been successfully used to get a maximum yield of highly pure AIMP2-DX2 for subsequent characterization of its biophysical property in: "Purification and biophysical characterization of the AIMP2-DX2 protein" (R. Jha, H.Y. Cho, A. Ul Mushtaq, K. Lee, D.G. Kim, S. Kim, et al., 2017) [3].