Intrinsically disordered features of carbonic anhydrase IX proteoglycan-like domain.

hCA IX is a multi-domain protein belonging to the family of hCAs which are ubiquitous zinc enzymes that catalyze the reversible hydration of CO2 to HCO3- and H+. hCA IX is a tumor-associated enzyme with a limited distribution in normal tissues, but over-expressed in many tumors, and is a promising drug target. Although many studies concerning the CA IX catalytic domain were performed, little is known about the proteoglycan-like (PG-like) domain of hCA IX which has been poorly investigated so far. Here we attempt to fill this gap by providing an overview on the functional, structural and therapeutic studies of the PG-like domain of hCA IX which represents a unique feature within the CA family. The main studies and recent advances concerning PG role in modulating hCA IX catalytic activity as well as in tumor spreading and migration are here reported. Special attention has been paid to the newly discovered disordered features of the PG domain which open new perspectives about its molecular mechanisms of action under physiological and pathological conditions, since disorder is likely involved in mediating interactions with partner proteins. The emerged disordered features of PG domain will be explored for putative diagnostic and therapeutic applications involving CA IX targeting in tumors.

Biochemical and Structural Insights into the Winged Helix Domain of P150, the Largest Subunit of the Chromatin Assembly Factor 1.

The Chromatin Assembly Factor 1 is a heterotrimeric complex responsible for the nucleosome assembly during DNA replication and DNA repair. In humans, the largest subunit P150 is the major actor of this process. It has been recently considered as a tumor-associated protein due to its overexpression in many malignancies. Structural and functional studies targeting P150 are still limited and only scarce information about this subunit is currently available. Literature data and bioinformatics analysis assisted the identification of a stable DNA binding domain, encompassing residues from 721 to 860 of P150 within the full-length protein. This domain was recombinantly produced and in vitro investigated. An acidic region modulating its DNA binding ability was also identified and characterized. Results showed similarities and differences between the P150 and its yeast homologue, namely Cac-1, suggesting that, although sharing a common biological function, the two proteins may also possess different features.

α-CAs from Photosynthetic Organisms.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze the reversible carbon dioxide hydration reaction. Among the eight different CA classes existing in nature, the α-class is the largest one being present in animals, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and photosynthetic organisms. Although many studies have been reported on these enzymes, few functional, biochemical, and structural data are currently available on α-CAs isolated from photosynthetic organisms. Here, we give an overview of the most recent literature on the topic. In higher plants, these enzymes are engaged in both supplying CO2 at the Rubisco and determining proton concentration in PSII membranes, while in algae and cyanobacteria they are involved in carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM), photosynthetic reactions and in detecting or signaling changes in the CO2 level in the environment. Crystal structures are only available for three algal α-CAs, thus not allowing to associate specific structural features to cellular localizations or physiological roles. Therefore, further studies on α-CAs from photosynthetic organisms are strongly needed to provide insights into their structure-function relationship.

Biochemical, biophysical and molecular dynamics studies on the proteoglycan-like domain of carbonic anhydrase IX.

Human carbonic anhydrase IX (hCA IX) is a tumour-associated enzyme present in a limited number of normal tissues, but overexpressed in several malignant human tumours. It is a transmembrane protein, where the extracellular region consists of a greatly investigated catalytic CA domain and a much less investigated proteoglycan-like (PG) domain. Considering its important role in tumour biology, here, we report for the first time the full characterization of the PG domain, providing insights into its structural and functional features. In particular, this domain has been produced at high yields in bacterial cells and characterized by means of biochemical, biophysical and molecular dynamics studies. Results show that it belongs to the family of intrinsically disordered proteins, being globally unfolded with only some local residual polyproline II secondary structure. The observed conformational flexibility may have several important roles in tumour progression, facilitating interactions of hCA IX with partner proteins assisting tumour spreading and progression.

Exploration of the residues modulating the catalytic features of human carbonic anhydrase XIII by a site-specific mutagenesis approach.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitous metallo-enzymes that catalyse the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate and proton. In humans there are 15 isoforms among which only 12 are catalytically active. Since active human (h) CAs show different efficiency, the understanding of the molecular determinants affecting it is a matter of debate. Here we investigated, by a site-specific mutagenesis approach, residues modulating the catalytic features of one of the least investigated cytosolic isoform, i.e. hCA XIII. Results showed that residues assisting the formation of an ordered solvent network within the catalytic site as well as those forming a histidine cluster on the protein surface are important to guarantee an efficient proton transfer.

Exploring benzoxaborole derivatives as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: a structural and computational analysis reveals their conformational variability as a tool to increase enzyme selectivity.

Recent studies identified the benzoxaborole moiety as a new zinc-binding group able to interact with carbonic anhydrase (CA) active site. Here, we report a structural analysis of benzoxaboroles containing urea/thiourea groups, showing that these molecules are very versatile since they can bind the enzyme assuming different binding conformations and coordination geometries of the catalytic zinc ion. In addition, theoretical calculations of binding free energy were performed highlighting the key role of specific residues for protein-inhibitor recognition. Overall, these data are very useful for the development of new inhibitors with higher selectivity and efficacy for various CAs.

Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase IX targets primary tumors, metastases, and cancer stem cells: Three for the price of one.

Human carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX is a tumor-associated protein, since it is scarcely present in normal tissues, but highly overexpressed in a large number of solid tumors, where it actively contributes to survival and metastatic spread of tumor cells. Due to these features, the characterization of its biochemical, structural, and functional features for drug design purposes has been extensively carried out, with consequent development of several highly selective small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies to be used for different purposes. Aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art of studies performed on this enzyme, regarding structural, functional, and biomedical aspects, as well as the development of molecules with diagnostic and therapeutic applications for cancer treatment. A brief description of additional pharmacologic applications for CA IX inhibition in other diseases, such as arthritis and ischemia, is also provided.

The zinc - but not cadmium - containing ζ-carbonic from the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii is potently activated by amines and amino acids.

The activation of the ζ-class carbonic anhydrase (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) from the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (TweCAζ) incorporating both Zn(II) and Cd(II) at the active site, was investigated for the first time, using a panel of natural and non-natural amino acids and amines. CdTweCAζ was completely insensitive to activation, whereas all these compounds were effective activators of the zinc-containing enzyme ZnTweCAζ, with activation constants ranging between 92 nM and 37.9 µM. The most effective ZnTweCAζ activators were l-adrenaline, 1-(2-aminoethyl)-piperazine and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-morpholine, with KAs in the range of 92-150 nM. l-His, l- and d-Tyr and some pyridyl-alkylamines, had KAs in the range of 0.62-0.98 µM, whereas l-/d-DOPA, d-Trp, histamine, serotonin and l-Asn were the next most efficient activators, with KAs in the range of 1.27-3.19 µM. The least effective activators were l-Phe (KA of 15.4 µM) and l-Asp (KA of 37.9 µM). This in vitro study may be useful for a more complete understanding of the activation processes of various CA enzyme families, of which the ζ-class was scarcely investigated.

Inhibition studies of Brucella suis ß-carbonic anhydrases with a series of 4-substituted pyridine-3-sulphonamides.

The two ß-carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) from the pathogenic bacterium Brucella suis, BsuCA1 and BsuCA2, were investigated for their inhibition profile with a series of pyridine-3-sulphonamide derivatives incorporating 4-hetaryl moieties. BsuCA1 was effectively inhibited by these sulphonamides with inhibition constants ranging between 34 and 624 nM. BsuCA2 was less sensitive to these inhibitors, with KIs in the range of 62 nM - > 10 µM. The nature of the 4-substituent present on the pyridine ring was the main factor influencing the inhibitory profile against both isoforms, with 4-halogenophenylpiperazin-1-yl and 3,4,5-trisubstituted-pyrazol-1-yl derivatives showing the most effective inhibition. Some of these sulphonamides were most effective bacterial CA than human (h) CA I and II inhibitors, making them selective for the prokaryotic enzymes. Investigation of bacterial CA inhibitors may be relevant for finding antibiotics with a new mechanism of action compared to the clinically used agents for which substantial drug resistance emerged.

Crystal structure of the human carbonic anhydrase II adduct with 1-(4-sulfamoylphenyl-ethyl)-2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium perchlorate, a membrane-impermeant, isoform selective inhibitor.

Pyridinium containing sulfonamides have been largely investigated as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs), showing interesting selectivity features. Nevertheless, only few structural studies are so far available on adducts that these compounds form with diverse CA isoforms. In this paper, we report the structural characterization of the adduct that a triphenylpyridinium derivative forms with hCA II, showing that the substitution of the pyridinium ring plays a key role in determining the conformation of the inhibitor in the active site and consequently the binding affinity to the enzyme. These findings open new perspectives on the basic structural requirements for designing sulfonamide CAIs with a selective inhibition profile.

The Crystal Structure of a hCA VII Variant Provides Insights into the Molecular Determinants Responsible for Its Catalytic Behavior.

Although important progress has been achieved in understanding the catalytic mechanism of Carbonic Anhydrases, a detailed picture of all factors influencing the catalytic efficiency of the various human isoforms is still missing. In this paper we report a detailed structural study and theoretical pKa calculations on a hCA VII variant. The obtained data were compared with those already known for another thoroughly investigated cytosolic isoform, hCA II. Our structural studies show that in hCA VII the network of ordered water molecules, which connects the zinc bound solvent molecule to the proton shuttle His64, is altered compared to hCA II, causing a reduction of the catalytic efficiency. Theoretical calculations suggest that changes in solvent network are related to the difference in pKa of the proton shuttle in the two enzymes. The residue that plays a major role in determining the diverse pKa values of the proton shuttle is the one in position four, namely His for hCA II and Gly for hCA VII. This residue is located on the protein surface, outside of the active site cavity. These findings are in agreement with our previous studies that highlighted the importance of histidines on the protein surface of hCA II (among which His4) as crucial residues for the high catalytic efficiency of this isoform.

Protein conformational perturbations in hereditary amyloidosis: Differential impact of single point mutations in ApoAI amyloidogenic variants.

Amyloidoses are devastating diseases characterized by accumulation of misfolded proteins which aggregate in fibrils. Specific gene mutations in Apolipoprotein A I (ApoAI) are associated with systemic amyloidoses. Little is known on the effect of mutations on ApoAI structure and amyloid properties. Here we performed a physico-chemical characterization of L75P- and L174S-amyloidogenic ApoAI (AApoAI) variants to shed light on the effects of two single point mutations on protein stability, proteolytic susceptibility and aggregation propensity. Both variants are destabilized in their N-terminal region and generate fibrils with different morphological features. L75P-AApoAI is significantly altered in its conformation and compactness, whereas a more flexible and pronounced aggregation-competent state is associated to L174S-AApoAI. These observations point out how single point mutations in ApoAI gene evocate differences in the physico-chemical and conformational behavior of the corresponding protein variants, with the common feature of diverting ApoAI from its natural role towards a pathogenic pathway.

Synthesis of isoxazole-containing sulfonamides with potent carbonic anhydrase II and VII inhibitory properties.

Two series of benzenesulfonamide containing isoxazole compounds were prepared by using conventional and microwave (MW) methods. 5-Amino-3-aryl-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)isoxazole-4-carboxamide derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of hydroxymoyl chlorides with 2-cyano-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)acetamide in the presence of triethylamine. The synthesized 5-amino isoxazoles were reacted with various benzoyl chlorides in order to obtain 5-amidoisoxazoles. The novel compounds were screened in vitro as inhibitors of four human (h) isoforms of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1): hCA I, hCA II, hCA IV and hCA VII. The derivatives of the first series were shown to possess excellent inhibitory activity against the cytosolic isoform hCA II, an antiglaucoma drug target, with KIs in the range of 0.5-49.3nM and hCA VII, a recently validated anti-neuropathic pain target with KIs in the range of 4.3-51.9nM.

Discovery of 4-sulfamoyl-phenyl-ß-lactams as a new class of potent carbonic anhydrase isoforms I, II, IV and VII inhibitors: The first example of subnanomolar CA IV inhibitors.

A series of benzenesulfonamides incorporating 1,3,4-trisubstituted-ß-lactam moieties was prepared from sulfanilamide Schiff bases and in situ obtained ketenes, by using the Staudinger cycloaddition reaction. The new compounds were assayed as inhibitors of four human isoforms of the metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) involved in various physiological/pathological conditions, hCA I, II, IV and VII. Excellent inhibitory activity was observed against all these isoforms, as follows: hCA I, involved in some eye diseases was inhibited with KIs in the range of 7.3-917nM; hCA II, an antiglaucoma drug target, with KIs in the range of 0.76-163nM. hCA IV, an isoform involved in several pathological conditions such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa and edema was potently inhibited by the lactam-sulfonamides, with KIs in the range of 0.53-51.0nM, whereas hCA VII, a recently validated anti-neuropathic pain target was the most inhibited isoform by these derivatives, with KIs in the range of 0.68-9.1nM. The structure-activity relationship for inhibiting these CAs with the new lactam-sulfonamides is discussed in detail.

Insights into the binding mode of sulphamates and sulphamides to hCA II: crystallographic studies and binding free energy calculations.

Sulphamate and sulphamide derivatives have been largely investigated as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) by means of different experimental techniques. However, the structural determinants responsible for their different binding mode to the enzyme active site were not clearly defined so far. In this paper, we report the X-ray crystal structure of hCA II in complex with a sulphamate inhibitor incorporating a nitroimidazole moiety. The comparison with the structure of hCA II in complex with its sulphamide analogue revealed that the two inhibitors adopt a completely different binding mode within the hCA II active site. Starting from these results, we performed a theoretical study on sulphamate and sulphamide derivatives, demonstrating that electrostatic interactions with residues within the enzyme active site play a key role in determining their binding conformation. These findings open new perspectives in the design of effective CAIs using the sulphamate and sulphamide zinc binding groups as lead compounds.

Kinetic and X-ray crystallographic investigations of substituted 2-thio-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidine-benzenesulfonamides acting as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

Herein we report an in vitro kinetic evaluation against the most relevant human carbonic anhydrase (hCA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms (I, II, IX and XII) of a small series of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27) inhibitors. All compounds contain a primary sulfonamide zinc-binding group (ZBG) substituted with the 2-thio-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidine scaffold. By means of X-ray crystallographic experiments we explored the ligand-enzyme binding modes, thus highlighting the contribution of the 2-thio-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrimidine moiety to the stabilization of the complex.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of N-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl/1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-4-(3-substitutedphenylureido) benzenesulfonamides as human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I, II, VII and XII inhibitors.

A series of N-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl/1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-4-(3-substitutedphenylureido) benzenesulfonamide derivatives has been designed, synthesized and screened for their in vitro human carbonic anhydrase (hCA; EC 4.2.1.1) inhibition potential. These newly synthesized sulfonamide compounds were assessed against isoforms hCA I, II, VII and XII, with acetazolamide (AAZ) as a reference compound. The majority of these compounds were found quite weak inhibitor against all tested isoforms. Compound 15 showed a modest inhibition potency against hCA I (Ki = 73.7 µM) and hCA VII (Ki = 85.8 µM). Compounds 19 and 25 exhibited hCA II inhibition with Ki values of 96.0 µM and 87.8 µM, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that, although the synthesized derivatives have weak inhibitory potential towards all investigated isoforms, some of them may serve as lead molecules for the further development of selective inhibitors incorporating secondary sulfonamide functionalities, a class of inhibitors for which the inhibition mechanism is poorly understood.

Simultaneous quantification of amino acids and Amadori products in foods through ion-pairing liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

The formation of the Amadori products (APs) is the first key step of Maillard reaction. Only few papers have dealt with simultaneous quantitation of amino acids and corresponding APs (1-amino-1-deoxy-2-ketose). Chromatographic separation of APs is affected by several drawbacks mainly related to their poor retention in conventional reversed phase separation. In this paper, a method for the simultaneous quantification of amino acids and their respective APs was developed combining high-resolution mass spectrometry with ion-pairing liquid chromatography. The limit of detection was 0.1 ng/mL for tryptophan, valine and arginine, while the limit of quantification ranged from 2 to 5 ng/mL according to the specific sensitivity of each analyte. The relative standard deviation % was lower than 10 % and the coefficient of correlation was higher than 0.99 for each calibration curve. The method was applied to milk, milk-based products, raw and processed tomato. Among the analyzed products, the most abundant amino acid was glutamic acid (16,646.89 ± 1,385.40 µg/g) and the most abundant AP was fructosyl-arginine in tomato puree (774.82 ± 10.01 µg/g). The easiness of sample preparation coupled to the analytical performances of the proposed method introduced the possibility to use the pattern of free amino acids and corresponding APs in the evaluation of the quality of raw food as well as the extent of thermal treatments in different food products.

Crystal structure of the most catalytically effective carbonic anhydrase enzyme known, SazCA from the thermophilic bacterium Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense.

Two thermostable α-carbonic anhydrases (α-CAs) isolated from thermophilic Sulfurihydrogenibium spp., namely SspCA (from S. yellowstonensis) and SazCA (from S. azorense), were shown in a previous work to possess interesting complementary properties. SspCA was shown to have an exceptional thermal stability, whereas SazCA demonstrated to be the most active α-CA known to date for the CO2 hydration reaction. Here we report the crystallographic structure of SazCA and the identification of the structural features responsible for its high catalytic activity, by comparing it with SspCA structure. These data are of relevance for the design of engineered proteins showing higher stability and catalytic activity than other α-CAs known to date.

Inhibition studies of bacterial, fungal and protozoan ß-class carbonic anhydrases with Schiff bases incorporating sulfonamide moieties.

A series of new Schiff bases derived from sulfanilamide, 3-fluorosulfanilamide or 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonamide containing either a hydrophobic or a hydrophilic tail, have been investigated as inhibitors of three ß-carbonic anhydrases (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) from three different microorganisms. Their antifungal, antibacterial and antiprotozoan activities have been determined against the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, the bacterial pathogen Brucella suis and the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani chagasi, responsible for Leishmaniasis. The results of these inhibition studies show that all three enzymes were efficiently inhibited by the Schiff base sulfonamides with KI values in the nanomolar or submicromolar range, depending on the nature of the tail, coming from the aryl/heteroaryl moiety present in the starting aldehyde employed in the synthesis. Furthermore, the compounds hereby investigated revealed high ß-CAs selectivity over the ubiquitous, physiologically relevant and off-target human isoforms (CA I and II) and to be more potent as antifungal and antibacterial than as antiprotozoan potential drugs.