The proteasome as a druggable target with multiple therapeutic potentialities: Cutting and non-cutting edges.

Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) is an adaptable and finely tuned system that sustains proteostasis network under a large variety of physiopathological conditions. Its dysregulation is often associated with the onset and progression of human diseases; hence, UPS modulation has emerged as a promising new avenue for the development of treatments of several relevant pathologies, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. The clinical interest in proteasome inhibition has considerably increased after the FDA approval in 2003 of bortezomib for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, which is now used in the front-line setting. Thereafter, two other proteasome inhibitors (carfilzomib and ixazomib), designed to overcome resistance to bortezomib, have been approved for treatment-experienced patients, and a variety of novel inhibitors are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation not only for haematological malignancies but also for solid tumours. However, since UPS collapse leads to toxic misfolded proteins accumulation, proteasome is attracting even more interest as a target for the care of neurodegenerative diseases, which are sustained by UPS impairment. Thus, conceptually, proteasome activation represents an innovative and largely unexplored target for drug development. According to a multidisciplinary approach, spanning from chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology to pharmacology, this review will summarize the most recent available literature regarding different aspects of proteasome biology, focusing on structure, function and regulation of proteasome in physiological and pathological processes, mostly cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, connecting biochemical features and clinical studies of proteasome targeting drugs.

Protective effect of carnosine during nitrosative stress in astroglial cell cultures.

Formation of nitric oxide by astrocytes has been suggested to contribute, via impairment of mitochondrial function, to the neurodegenerative process. Mitochondria under oxidative stress are thought to play a key role in various neurodegenerative disorders; therefore protection by antioxidants against oxidative stress to mitochondria may prove to be beneficial in delaying the onset or progression of these diseases. Carnosine has been recently proposed to act as antioxidant in vivo. In the present study, we demonstrate its neuroprotective effect in astrocytes exposed to LPS- and INFgamma-induced nitrosative stress. Carnosine protected against nitric oxide-induced impairment of mitochondrial function. This effect was associated with decreased formation of oxidatively modified proteins and with decreased up-regulation oxidative stress-responsive genes, such as Hsp32, Hsp70 and mt-SOD. Our results sustain the possibility that carnosine might have anti-ageing effects to brain cells under pathophysiological conditions leading to degenerative damage, such as aging and neurodegenerative disorders.

A spectroscopic investigation of the interaction between nitrogen monoxide and copper sites of the fungal laccase from Rigidoporus lignosus.

The interaction of NO, with the copper centres of the laccase secreted by Rigidoporus lignosus was studied under both aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The reduction of the T1 site was always observed, as detected by the disappearance of the characteristic optical band at 604 nm (T3 presents probably the same behaviour because of the decreasing of the band at 330 nm) and the absence of its characteristic EPR signal, while T2 undergoes an initial partial and transitory reduction, its EPR signal intensity totally restoring after 24 h interaction. Different magnetic parameters of the T2 site have been detected, evidencing an increase of the hyperfine coupling constant. Furthermore, the number of superhyperfine lines on the fourth line of T2 copper was also found to increase from seven in the native to nine in the NO-treated laccase, this fact implying the coordination of a nitrogenous species to the T2 site. It was also shown that nitrite can be a source of NO, thus, paralleling the behaviour of NO-donor molecules or NO gas, but after longer interaction times. The nitrogenous species coordinated to T2 site is probably NO2-, which arises indirectly by NO oxidation. In order to understand the mechanistic pathway of this interaction, some experiments were also carried out in the presence of azide to study the interaction of NO with this laccase having its trinuclear cluster blocked by the presence of an exogenous ligand as N3-. After the addition of NO-donor molecules to the azide-treated laccase, a new EPR signal appeared at low temperatures, which is ascribable to the partially reduced T3 site, while the T1 and T2 sites were found to be totally reduced. The mechanistic pathway of the NO interaction seems to proceed through the reduction of T1 and T3 copper sites, followed by the coordination of nitrogenous species to T2.

Structural and kinetic characterization of native laccases from Pleurotus ostreatus, Rigidoporus lignosus, and Trametes trogii.

A comparative study has been performed on five native laccases purified from the three basidiomycete fungi Pleurotus ostreatus, Rigidoporus lignosus, and Trametes trogii to relate their different catalytic capacities to their structural properties. Spectroscopic absorption features and EPR spectra at various pH values of the five enzymes are very similar and typical of the blue oxidases. The analysis of the dependence of kinetic parameters on pH suggested that a histidine residue is involved in the binding of nonphenolic substrates, whereas both a histidine and an acidic residue may be involved in the binding of phenolic compounds. His and an Asp residue are indeed found at the bottom of a cavity which may be regarded as a suitable substrate channel for approaching to type 1 copper in the 3D homology models of the two laccases from Pleuorotus ostreatus (POXC and POXAlb) whose sequences are known.

Comparison of three fungal laccases from Rigidoporus lignosus and Pleurotus ostreatus: correlation between conformation changes and catalytic activity.

The conformation changes in solution of three fungal laccases in different environmental conditions were examined by circular dichroism (CD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. CD measurements indicate that the secondary structure of proteins depends slightly on the pH or ionic strength, though the presence of salt could interfere in the molecular recognition process between substrates and enzymes. The enzymes, however, are highly destabilized by prolonged exposure to low pH or high temperature. The observed unfolding of the proteins coincides with their inactivation and, in some cases, with precipitation. On the other hand, these conditions do not determine the disruption of the geometric arrangement of their metal centres, and this fact suggests that these centres represent the more stable core of the proteins.

A comparative study of two isoforms of laccase secreted by the "white-rot" fungus Rigidoporus lignosus, exhibiting significant structural and functional differences.

Two isoforms of laccase were obtained as the predominant phenol-oxidases in defined medium liquid cultures of the "white-rot" fungus Rigidoporus lignosus (R. lignosus). A characterization of the two laccases was made in terms of molecular mass, isoelectric point, metal content and N-terminal sequence. Furthermore, in order to gain information on the structural features related to the metal centers, a study of their geometric arrangement and their redox ability was made. It turned out that the two isoenzymes greatly differed with regard to pH stability, catalytic and copper centers features. It is proposed that all such differences are dependent on the amino acid sequences, which cause a distortion of the copper sites, thus accounting for the redox potential values and kinetic properties.

[Beta blockers and heart failure]. / Beta-bloccanti e scompenso cardiaco.

This above paper presents a critical revision of a controversial matter: the use of the beta blockers in congestive heart failure. The authors explain the appearances pathophysiological and the potentialities therapeutic also promote an increase of the attentive follow up for a better acquaintance of the use of these drugs in the along period of it.

[Thrombosis, LES, antiphospholipid antibodies: a case report]. / Trombosi, LES, anticorpi antifosfolipidi: caso clinico.

The association between venous deep thrombosis and the presence in circle of antiphospholipid antibodies in a patient affection from LES has prompted the authors to any considerations on the physiopathology and the therapy of an identified syndrome recently, of big clinical interest and surely not frequent in the departments of inside medicine. The authors also review the literature on the subject.

[Silent myocardial ischemia. Physiopathologic, clinical, and therapeutic considerations and review of the literature]. / La cardiopatia ischemica silente. Considerazioni fisiopatologiche, cliniche e terapeutiche e revisione della letteratura.

The need for a modern methodological approach based on recent acquisitions concerning pathophysiology, diagnostics, and therapy of silent ischemic heart disease, as well as the need to establish criteria for prognostic evaluation have prompted the authors to reexamine the subject in light of their own experience and of the current literature.

Copper(II) complexes encapsulated in human red blood cells.

Copper(II) complexes were encapsulated in human red blood cells in order to test their possible use as antioxidant drugs by virtue of their labile character. ESR spectroscopy was used to verify whether encapsulation in red blood cells leads to the modification of such complexes. With copper(II) complexes bound to dipeptides or tripeptides, an interaction with hemoglobin was found to be present, the hemoglobin having a strong coordinative site formed by four nitrogen donor atoms. Instead, with copper(II) complexes with TAD or PheANN3, which have the greatest stability. ESR spectra always showed the original species. Only the copper(II) complex with GHL gave rise to a complicated behavior, which contained signals from iron(III) species probably coming from oxidative processes. Encapsulation of all copper(II) complexes in erythrocytes caused a slight oxidative stress, compared to the unloaded and to the native cells. However, no significant differences were observed in the major metabolic properties (GSH, glycolytic rate, hexose monophosphate shunt, Ca(2+)-ATPase) of erythrocytes loaded with different copper(II) complexes, with the exception of methemoglobin levels, which were markedly increased in the case of [Cu(GHL)H-1] compared to [Cu(TAD)]. This latter finding suggests that methemoglobin formation can be affected by the type of complex used for encapsulation, depending on the direct interaction of the copper(II) complex with hemoglobin.

[Sarcoidosis with pulmonary abscess caused by emerging microorganisms]. / Sarcoidosi con ascesso polmonare da germi emergenti.

The association sarcoidosis-lung abscess due to emerging microorganisms-mycetoma has prompted the authors to report the above clinical case which is interesting in view of the rarity of the disease and of its infective complications. The authors also review the literature on the subject.

Copper addition prevents the inhibitory effects of interleukin 1-beta on rat pancreatic islets.

Since copper [Cu(II)] is a necessary cofactor for both intra-mitochondrial enzymes involved in energy production and hydroxyl scavenger enzymes, two hypothesised mechanisms for action of interleukin-I beta (IL-1 beta), we studied whether Cu(II) addition could prevent the inhibitory effect of IL-1 beta on insulin release and glucose oxidation in rat pancreatic islets. Islets were incubated with or without 50 U/ml IL-1 beta, in the presence or absence of various concentrations of Cu(II)-GHL (Cu(II) complexed with glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a tripeptide known to enhance copper uptake into cultured cells). CuSO4 (1-1000 ng/ml) was used as a control for Cu(II) effect when present as an inorganic salt. At the end of the incubation period, insulin secretion was evaluated in the presence of either 2.8 mmol/l (basal insulin secretion) or 16.7 mmol/l glucose (glucose-induced release). In control islets basal insulin secretion was 92.0 +/- 11.4 pg.islet-1 h-1 (mean +/- SEM, n = 7) and glucose-induced release was 2824.0 +/- 249.0 pg.islet-1 h-1. In islets pre-exposed to 50 U/ml IL-1 beta, basal insulin release was not significantly affected but glucose-induced insulin release was greatly reduced (841.2 +/- 76.9, n = 7, p < 0.005). In islets incubated with IL-1 beta and Cu-GHL (0.4 mumol/l, maximal effect) basal secretion was 119.0 +/- 13.1 pg.islet-1 h-1 and glucose-induced release was 2797.2 +/- 242.2, (n = 7, p < 0.01 in respect to islets exposed to IL-1 beta alone).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

New platinum(II) complexes of beta-cyclodextrin diamine derivatives and their antitumor activity.

The new platinum(II) complexes of beta-cyclodextrin functionalized at the primary position with ethylenediamine or with propylenediamine were synthesized and characterized by mass spectrometry, electronic spectrophotometry, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Platinum(II) complexation makes the cavity more asymmetric. These complexes were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activity. The relevance of the low activity observed regarding the interaction between the cell and the cyclodextrin cavity is discussed.

[Scrofula in an elderly woman. A clinical case]. / Scrofola in donna anziana. Caso clinico.

The case is described of an elderly woman with scrofula. The peculiarity of this case consisted in the comparative rarity of primary tubercular lymphadenopathy (a pathology that in the past used to be common in poor socioeconomic conditions) even considering the present renewed diffusion of tuberculosis; especially as this elderly patient had no previous history of tubercular infection.

[Cardiothyrosis. Presentation of a clinical case]. / La cardiotireosi. Presentazione di un caso clinico.

The observation of a severe from of cardiotoxicosis in a patient with Plummer's toxic thyroid adenoma has prompted the authors to make some considerations on the pathophysiology and clinical pattern of a type of pathology that is infrequent but clinically highly interesting.