Broad-spectrum anti-cancer activity of fused human arginase variants.

The rapid increase in cancer cases worldwide necessitates the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Therapies targeting cancer's altered metabolism, especially those that deplete critical amino acids, have emerged as promising ones, some of which are already being used in clinical practice and many others are under development. This study reports the anti-cancer activity of two novel fused human arginase I (FHA) variants, FHA-3 and FHA-12, assessed using the NCI-60 human tumor cell line panel. Both variants have demonstrated a range of potencies in a single-dose assay (10 µM), but FHA-3 was found to be more potent with significant growth inhibition in most tested cell lines. To calculate 50% growth inhibition (GI50), FHA-3 was further evaluated in a five-dose assay, where notable anti-cancer activity was observed across the nine cancer types of the NCI-60 panel. Our results demonstrated the broad-spectrum anti-cancer activity of novel FHA variants, with FHA-3 being the most potent. Further studies elucidating its efficacy in animal models will help explore its therapeutic potential.

Development and characterization of fused human arginase I for cancer therapy.

Recombinant human arginase I (rhArg I) have emerged as a potential candidate for the treatment of varied pathophysiological conditions ranging from arginine-auxotrophic cancer, inflammatory conditions and microbial infection. However, rhArg I have a low circulatory half-life, leading to poor pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, which necessitating the rapid development of modifications to circumvent these limitations. To address this, polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated-rhArg I variants are being developed by pharmaceutical companies. However, because of the limitations associated with the clinical use of PEGylated proteins, there is a dire need in the art to develop rhArg I variant(s) which is safe (devoid of limitations of PEGylated counterpart) and possess increased circulatory half-life. In this study, we described the generation and characterization of a fused human arginase I variant (FHA-3) having improved circulatory half-life. FHA-3 protein was engineered by fusing rhArg I with a half-life extension partner (domain of human serum albumin) via a peptide linker and was produced using P. pastoris expression system. This purified biopharmaceutical (FHA-3) exhibits (i) increased arginine-hydrolyzing activity in buffer, (ii) cofactor - independency, (iii) increased circulatory half-life (t1/2) and (iv) potent anti-cancer activity against human cancer cell lines under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Human arginase 1, a Jack of all trades?

Arginine, a conditionally essential amino acid, plays a crucial role in several metabolic and signalling pathways. Arginine metabolism in the body can be significantly increased under stress or during certain pathological conditions. Depletion of circulating arginine by administering arginine-hydrolysing enzyme has been shown to mitigate varied pathophysiological conditions ranging from cancer, inflammatory conditions, and microbial infection. This review provides an overview of such intriguing expanse of potential applications of recombinant human arginase 1 for different pathological conditions and its status of development.

Is highly expressed ACE 2 in pregnant women "a curse" in times of COVID-19 pandemic?

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) is a membrane-bound enzyme that cleaves angiotensin II (Ang II) into angiotensin (1-7). It also serves as an important binding site for SARS-CoV-2, thereby, facilitating viral entry into target host cells. ACE 2 is abundantly present in the intestine, kidney, heart, lungs, and fetal tissues. Fetal ACE 2 is involved in myocardium growth, lungs and brain development. ACE 2 is highly expressed in pregnant women to compensate preeclampsia by modulating angiotensin (1-7) which binds to the Mas receptor, having vasodilator action and maintain fluid homeostasis. There are reports available on Zika, H1N1 and SARS-CoV where these viruses have shown to produce fetal defects but very little is known about SARS-CoV-2 involvement in pregnancy, but it might have the potential to interact with fetal ACE 2 and enhance COVID-19 transmission to the fetus, leading to fetal morbidity and mortality. This review sheds light on a path of SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk in pregnancy and its possible link with fetal ACE 2.

Methionine as a double-edged sword in health and disease: Current perspective and future challenges.

Methionine is one of the essential amino acids and plays a vital role in various cellular processes. Reports advocate that methionine restriction and supplementation provide promising outcomes, and its regulation is critical for maintaining a healthy life. Dietary methionine restriction in houseflies and rodents has been proven to extend lifespan. Contrary to these findings, long-term dietary restriction of methionine leads to adverse events such as bone-related disorders, stunted growth, and hyperhomocysteinemia. Conversely, dietary supplementation of methionine improves hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, inflammation, fibrosis, and bone health. However, a high level of methionine intake shows adverse effects such as hyperhomocysteinemia, reduced body weight, and increased cholesterol levels. Therefore, dietary methionine in a safe dose could have medicinal values. Hence, this review is aimed to provide a snapshot of the dietary role and regulation of methionine in the modulation of health and age-related diseases.