Heart-Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein Binds Long-Chain Acylcarnitines and Protects against Lipotoxicity.

Heart-type fatty-acid binding protein (FABP3) is an essential cytosolic lipid transport protein found in cardiomyocytes. FABP3 binds fatty acids (FAs) reversibly and with high affinity. Acylcarnitines (ACs) are an esterified form of FAs that play an important role in cellular energy metabolism. However, an increased concentration of ACs can exert detrimental effects on cardiac mitochondria and lead to severe cardiac damage. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of FABP3 to bind long-chain ACs (LCACs) and protect cells from their harmful effects. We characterized the novel binding mechanism between FABP3 and LCACs by a cytotoxicity assay, nuclear magnetic resonance, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Our data demonstrate that FABP3 is capable of binding both FAs and LCACs as well as decreasing the cytotoxicity of LCACs. Our findings reveal that LCACs and FAs compete for the binding site of FABP3. Thus, the protective mechanism of FABP3 is found to be concentration dependent.

Long-Chain Acylcarnitines Decrease the Phosphorylation of the Insulin Receptor at Tyr1151 Through a PTP1B-Dependent Mechanism.

The accumulation of lipid intermediates may interfere with energy metabolism pathways and regulate cellular energy supplies. As increased levels of long-chain acylcarnitines have been linked to insulin resistance, we investigated the effects of long-chain acylcarnitines on key components of the insulin signalling pathway. We discovered that palmitoylcarnitine induces dephosphorylation of the insulin receptor (InsR) through increased activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). Palmitoylcarnitine suppresses protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation at Ser473, and this effect is not alleviated by the inhibition of PTP1B by the insulin sensitizer bis-(maltolato)-oxovanadium (IV). This result indicates that palmitoylcarnitine affects Akt activity independently of the InsR phosphorylation level. Inhibition of protein kinase C and protein phosphatase 2A does not affect the palmitoylcarnitine-mediated inhibition of Akt Ser473 phosphorylation. Additionally, palmitoylcarnitine markedly stimulates insulin release by suppressing Akt Ser473 phosphorylation in insulin-secreting RIN5F cells. In conclusion, long-chain acylcarnitines activate PTP1B and decrease InsR Tyr1151 phosphorylation and Akt Ser473 phosphorylation, thus limiting the cellular response to insulin stimulation.

Benzoxepinones: A new isoform-selective class of tumor associated carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

Benzoxepinones ("homocoumarins") are identified as a new class of selective inhibitors for tumor associated human carbonic anhydrases (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms IX and XII. Similar to coumarins, they do not inhibit or poorly inhibit cytosolic human (h) isoforms hCA I and II, but act as nanomolar inhibitors of the trans-membrane, tumor associated isoforms hCA IX and XII.

Sulfocoumarins as dual inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase isoforms IX/XII and of human thioredoxin reductase.

The hypothesis that sulfocoumarin acting as inhibitors of human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) cancer-associated isoforms hCA IX and - hCA XII is being able to also inhibit thioredoxin reductase was verified and confirmed. The dual targeting of two cancer cell defence mechanisms, i.e. hypoxia and oxidative stress, may both contribute to the observed antiproliferative profile of these compounds against many cancer cell lines. This unprecedented dual anticancer mechanism may lead to a new approach for designing innovative therapeutic agents.

Intramolecular Base-Free Catalytic Wittig Reaction: Synthesis of Benzoxepinones.

A straightforward two-step synthesis of benzoxepinones was developed via base-free phosphane-catalyzed Wittig reaction. 3-Methyl-1-phenyl-2-phospholene 1-oxide was used as a precatalyst and trimethoxysilane as a reducing agent. Additionally benzoic acid is employed as a catalyst to facilitate the reduction of the phosphane oxide. Mechanistic investigation revealed the formation of a coumarin as a side product, which was identified by 2D NMR experiments. First results of metabolic activity tests on the prepared benzoxepinones are reported.

Synthesis of 6-aryl-substituted sulfocoumarins and investigation of their carbonic anhydrase inhibitory action.

A series of 6-aryl-substituted 1,2-benzoxathiine 2,2-dioxides was obtained by reacting 6-iodo-sulfocoumarin with arylboronic acids in Suzuki cross-coupling conditions. The new sulfocoumarins incorporating various substituted phenyl moieties in position 6 of the heterocyclic ring were investigated for the inhibition of four human (h) carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms with medicinal chemistry applications, the cytosolic hCA I and II, and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The aryl-substituted sulfocoumarins did not inhibit the ubiquitous, off-target cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II (KIs>10µM) but showed effective inhibition against the two transmembrane CAs, with KIs ranging from 9.0 to 95.3nM against hCA IX, and between 3.5 and 14.2nM against hCA XII. As hCA IX and XII are validated anti-tumor targets, such sulfocoumarin, isoform-selective inhibitors may be useful for identifying suitable drug candidates for further clinical trials of this class of pharmacologic agents.

6-Triazolyl-substituted sulfocoumarins are potent, selective inhibitors of the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrases IX and XII.

A series of 6-substituted sulfocoumarins incorporating substituted-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-/5-yl moieties were synthesized by employing click chemistry. The new sulfocoumarins incorporated cycloalkyl, tert-butyl and substituted aryl moieties at the triazole ring, and were investigated for the inhibition of four human (h) carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic hCA I and II; and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The triazole-substituted sulfocoumarins did not inhibit the ubiquitous, off-target cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II (KIs >10 µM) but showed effective inhibition against the two transmembrane CAs, with KIs ranging from 7.2 to 10.5 nM against hCA IX, and between 5.5 and 17.7 nM against hCA XII. As hCA IX and XII are validated anti-tumor targets, such prodrug, isoform-selective inhibitors as the sulfocoumarins reported here, may be useful for identifying suitable drug candidates for clinical trials.

Synthesis of 6-tetrazolyl-substituted sulfocoumarins acting as highly potent and selective inhibitors of the tumor-associated carbonic anhydrase isoforms IX and XII.

A series of 6-substituted sulfocoumarins incorporating substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-5-yl moieties were synthesized by reaction of 6-iodo-sulfocoumarin and the corresponding tetrazole via the CH activation reaction. The new sulfocoumarins incorporating alkyl and substituted aryl moieties at the 1-position of the tetrazole, were investigated for the inhibition of four human (h) carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms, the cytosolic hCA I and II; and the transmembrane, tumor-associated hCA IX and XII. The tetrazole-substituted sulfocoumarins did not inhibit the ubiquitous, off-target cytosolic isoforms (KIs >10 µM) but showed effective inhibition against the two transmembrane CAs, with KIs ranging from 6.5 to 68.6 nM against hCA IX, and between 4.3 and 59.8 nM against hCA XII. As hCA IX and XII are validated anti-tumor targets, such prodrug, isoform-selective inhibitors as the sulfocoumarins reported here, may be useful for identifying suitable drug candidates for clinical trials.

Binding versus Enzymatic Processing of ε-Trimethyllysine Dioxygenase Substrate Analogues.

ε-Trimethyllysine dioxygenase (TMLD) is a non-heme Fe(II) and α-ketoglutarate dependent oxygenase that catalyzes the stereospecific hydroxylation of ε-trimethyl-l-lysine (TML) to ß-hydroxy-TML during the first step of l-carnitine biosynthesis. Targeting TMLD with inhibitors is a viable strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Herein, we report a methodology for isothermal titration calorimetry analysis of TMLD substrate analogue binding to the enzyme. Despite the high structural similarity of the tested compounds, two different binding mechanisms (enthalpy- and entropy-driven) were observed, giving insight into the ligand (substrate) selectivity of TMLD. We demonstrate that the method allows distinguishing a natural substrate-like binding mode, which correlates with the ability of the compounds to serve as substrates in the TMLD catalytic reaction.

Development of oxathiino[6,5-b]pyridine 2,2-dioxide derivatives as selective inhibitors of tumor-related carbonic anhydrases IX and XII.

Oxathiino[6,5-b]pyridine 2,2-dioxides are identified as a new class of isoform-selective nanomolar inhibitors of tumor associated human carbonic anhydrases (hCA) IX and XII. At the same time they do not inhibit or poorly inhibit cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II. Oxathiino[6,5-b]pyridine 2,2-dioxides exhibited good antiproliferative properties on tumor cell lines MCF-7 (Human breast adenocarcinoma), A549 (human lung (alveolar) adenocarcinoma) and HeLa (epithelioid cervix carcinoma).

6-Substituted sulfocoumarins are selective carbonic anhdydrase IX and XII inhibitors with significant cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells.

6-Substituted sulfocoumarins bearing the carboxamido, trimethylammonium as well as the cyano and methoxy moieties with interesting inhibitory activity/selectivity against the tumor associated carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms hCA IX and XII are reported. Moieties leading to the best inhibition were tert-butylcarboxamido, phenylcarboxamido, and 4-pyridylcarboxamido, with K(I) values of 2.1-8.1 nM. No inhibition of the off-target hCA II and I was observed. A number of these compounds were evaluated against HT-29 colon cancer cell lines ex vivo. Compounds 9c and 9e revealed effective cytotoxic effects after 72 h of incubation in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, unlike sulfonamide CA inhibitors that show such effects only in hypoxia. These results may be of particular importance for the choice of future drug candidates targeting hypoxic tumors and metastases, considering the fact that a sulfonamide CA IX inhibitor (SLC-0111) is presently in phase I clinical trials.

Sulfocoumarins (1,2-benzoxathiine-2,2-dioxides): a class of potent and isoform-selective inhibitors of tumor-associated carbonic anhydrases.

Coumarins were recently shown to constitute a novel class of mechanism-based carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitors. We demonstrate that sulfocoumarins (1,2-benzoxathiine 2,2-dioxides) possess a similar mechanism of action, acting as effective CA inhibitors. The sulfocoumarins were hydrolyzed by the esterase CA activity to 2-hydroxyphenyl-vinylsulfonic acids, which thereafter bind to the enzyme in a region rarely occupied by other classes of inhibitors. The X-ray structure of one of these compounds in adduct with a modified CA II enzyme possessing two amino acid residues from the CA IX active site, allowed us to decipher the inhibition mechanism. The sulfonic acid was observed anchored to the zinc-coordinated water molecule, making favorable interactions with Thr200 and Pro201. Some other sulfocoumarins incorporating substituted-1,2,3-triazole moieties were prepared by using click chemistry and showed low nanomolar inhibitory action against the tumor-associated isoforms CA IX and XII, being less effective against the cytosolic CA I and II.