A structure-based mechanism of cisplatin resistance mediated by glutathione transferase P1-1.

Cisplatin [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP)] is one of the most successful anticancer agents effective against a wide range of solid tumors. However, its use is restricted by side effects and/or by intrinsic or acquired drug resistance. Here, we probed the role of glutathione transferase (GST) P1-1, an antiapoptotic protein often overexpressed in drug-resistant tumors, as a cis-DDP-binding protein. Our results show that cis-DDP is not a substrate for the glutathione (GSH) transferase activity of GST P1-1. Instead, GST P1-1 sequesters and inactivates cisplatin with the aid of 2 solvent-accessible cysteines, resulting in protein subunits cross-linking, while maintaining its GSH-conjugation activity. Furthermore, it is well known that GST P1-1 binding to the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibits JNK phosphorylation, which is required for downstream apoptosis signaling. Thus, in turn, GST P1-1 overexpression and Pt-induced subunit cross-linking could modulate JNK apoptotic signaling, further confirming the role of GST P1-1 as an antiapoptotic protein.

Glutathione transferase P1-1 as an arsenic drug-sequestering enzyme.

Arsenic-based compounds are paradoxically both poisons and drugs. Glutathione transferase (GSTP1-1) is a major factor in resistance to such drugs. Here we describe using crystallography, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, mutagenesis, mass spectrometry, and kinetic studies how GSTP1-1 recognizes the drug phenylarsine oxide (PAO). In conditions of cellular stress where glutathione (GSH) levels are low, PAO crosslinks C47 to C101 of the opposing monomer, a distance of 19.9 Å, and causes a dramatic widening of the dimer interface by approximately 10 Å. The GSH conjugate of PAO, which forms rapidly in cancerous cells, is a potent inhibitor (Ki = 90 nM) and binds as a di-GSH complex in the active site forming part of a continuous network of interactions from one active site to the other. In summary, GSTP1-1 can detoxify arsenic-based drugs by sequestration at the active site and at the dimer interface, in situations where there is a plentiful supply of GSH, and at the reactive cysteines in conditions of low GSH.

Evolution of Negative Cooperativity in Glutathione Transferase Enabled Preservation of Enzyme Function.

Negative cooperativity in enzyme reactions, in which the first event makes subsequent events less favorable, is sometimes well understood at the molecular level, but its physiological role has often been obscure. Negative cooperativity occurs in human glutathione transferase (GST) GSTP1-1 when it binds and neutralizes a toxic nitric oxide adduct, the dinitrosyl-diglutathionyl iron complex (DNDGIC). However, the generality of this behavior across the divergent GST family and its evolutionary significance were unclear. To investigate, we studied 16 different GSTs, revealing that negative cooperativity is present only in more recently evolved GSTs, indicating evolutionary drift in this direction. In some variants, Hill coefficients were close to 0.5, the highest degree of negative cooperativity commonly observed (although smaller values of nH are theoretically possible). As DNDGIC is also a strong inhibitor of GSTs, we suggest negative cooperativity might have evolved to maintain a residual conjugating activity of GST against toxins even in the presence of high DNDGIC concentrations. Interestingly, two human isoenzymes that play a special protective role, safeguarding DNA from DNDGIC, display a classical half-of-the-sites interaction. Analysis of GST structures identified elements that could play a role in negative cooperativity in GSTs. Beside the well known lock-and-key and clasp motifs, other alternative structural interactions between subunits may be proposed for a few GSTs. Taken together, our findings suggest the evolution of self-preservation of enzyme function as a novel facility emerging from negative cooperativity.

Glutathione transferases and neurodegenerative diseases.

There is substantial agreement that the unbalance between oxidant and antioxidant species may affect the onset and/or the course of a number of common diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Many studies suggest a crucial role for oxidative stress in the first phase of aging, or in the pathogenesis of various diseases including neurological ones. Particularly, the role exerted by glutathione and glutathione-related enzymes (Glutathione Transferases) in the nervous system appears more relevant, this latter tissue being much more vulnerable to toxins and oxidative stress than other tissues such as liver, kidney or muscle. The present review addresses the question by focusing on the results obtained by specimens from patients or by in vitro studies using cells or animal models related to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In general, there is an association between glutathione depletion and Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. In addition, a significant decrease of glutathione transferase activity in selected areas of brain and in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid was found. For some glutathione transferase genes there is also a correlation between polymorphisms and onset/outcome of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, there is a general agreement about the protective effect exerted by glutathione and glutathione transferases but no clear answer about the mechanisms underlying this crucial role in the insurgence of neurodegenerative diseases.

The impact of nitric oxide toxicity on the evolution of the glutathione transferase superfamily: a proposal for an evolutionary driving force.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are protection enzymes capable of conjugating glutathione (GSH) to toxic compounds. During evolution an important catalytic cysteine residue involved in GSH activation was replaced by serine or, more recently, by tyrosine. The utility of these replacements represents an enigma because they yield no improvements in the affinity toward GSH or in its reactivity. Here we show that these changes better protect the cell from nitric oxide (NO) insults. In fact the dinitrosyl·diglutathionyl·iron complex (DNDGIC), which is formed spontaneously when NO enters the cell, is highly toxic when free in solution but completely harmless when bound to GSTs. By examining 42 different GSTs we discovered that only the more recently evolved Tyr-based GSTs display enough affinity for DNDGIC (KD < 10(-9) M) to sequester the complex efficiently. Ser-based GSTs and Cys-based GSTs show affinities 10(2)-10(4) times lower, not sufficient for this purpose. The NO sensitivity of bacteria that express only Cys-based GSTs could be related to the low or null affinity of their GSTs for DNDGIC. GSTs with the highest affinity (Tyr-based GSTs) are also over-represented in the perinuclear region of mammalian cells, possibly for nucleus protection. On the basis of these results we propose that GST evolution in higher organisms could be linked to the defense against NO.

A new target for gold(I) compounds: glutathione-S-transferase inhibition by auranofin.

Nowadays, gold compounds occupy a relevant position constituting a promising class of experimental anticancer metallodrugs. Several research efforts have been devoted to the investigations of the pharmacological properties of gold(I) complexes bearing phosphine ligands, such as the antiarthritic drug auranofin, that has also been shown to produce anticancer effects in vitro. In spite of the numerous studies that appeared in the literature the biological mechanisms of action of auranofin and analogues are still controversial. Here, we report on the inhibition effects of glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GST P1-1) exerted by auranofin. The compound was able to inhibit GST P1-1 with a calculated IC(50) of 32.9±0.5µM. Interestingly, the inhibition of GST P1-1 and its cysteine mutants by the gold(I) compound is essentially the same, suggesting that probably the cysteine residues are not so essential for enzyme inactivation in contrast to other reported inhibitors. High-resolution electrospray ionisation Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS) studies allowed characterising the binding of the compound with GST enzymes at a molecular level, confirming that similar gold binding sites may be present in the wild-type protein and its Cys mutants.

Identifying and characterizing binding sites on the irreversible inhibition of human glutathione S-transferase P1-1 by S-thiocarbamoylation.

Human glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (hGST P1-1) is involved in cell detoxification processes through the conjugation of its natural substrate, reduced glutathione (GSH), with xenobiotics. GSTs are known to be overexpressed in tumors, and naturally occurring isothiocyanates, such as benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), are effective cancer chemopreventive compounds. To identify and characterize the potential inhibitory mechanisms of GST P1-1 induced by isothiocyanate conjugates, we studied the binding of GST P1-1 and some cysteine mutants to the BITC-SG conjugate as well as to the synthetic S-(N-benzylcarbamoylmethyl)glutathione conjugate (BC-SG). We report here the inactivation of GST P1-1 through the covalent modification of two Cys47 residues per dimer and one Cys101. The evidence has been compiled by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). ITC experiments suggest that the BITC-SG conjugate generates adducts with Cys47 and Cys101 at physiological temperatures through a corresponding kinetic process, in which the BITC moiety is covalently bound to these enzyme cysteines through an S-thiocarbamoylation reaction. ESI-MS analysis of the BITC-SG incubated enzymes indicates that although the Cys47 in each subunit is covalently attached to the BITC ligand moiety, only one of the Cys101 residues in the dimer is so attached. A plausible mechanism is given for the emergence of inactivation through the kinetic processes with both cysteines. Likewise, our molecular docking simulations suggest that steric hindrance is the reason why only one Cys101 per dimer is covalently modified by BITC-SG. No covalent inactivation of GST P1-1 with the BC-SG inhibitor has been observed. The affinities and inhibitory potencies for both conjugates are high and very similar, but slightly lower for BC-SG. Thus, we conclude that the presence of the sulfur atom from the isothiocyanate moiety in BITC-SG is crucial for its irreversible inhibition of GST P1-1.

Treatment of doxorubicin-resistant MCF7/Dx cells with nitric oxide causes histone glutathionylation and reversal of drug resistance.

Acquired drug resistance was found to be suppressed in the doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cell line MCF7/Dx after pre-treatment with GSNO (nitrosoglutathione). The effect was accompanied by enhanced protein glutathionylation and accumulation of doxorubicin in the nucleus. Among the glutathionylated proteins, we identified three members of the histone family; this is, to our knowledge, the first time that histone glutathionylation has been reported. Formation of the potential NO donor dinitrosyl-diglutathionyl-iron complex, bound to GSTP1-1 (glutathione transferase P1-1), was observed in both MCF7/Dx cells and drug-sensitive MCF7 cells to a similar extent. In contrast, histone glutathionylation was found to be markedly increased in the resistant MCF7/Dx cells, which also showed a 14-fold higher amount of GSTP1-1 and increased glutathione concentration compared with MCF7 cells. These results suggest that the increased cytotoxic effect of combined doxorubicin and GSNO treatment involves the glutathionylation of histones through a mechanism that requires high glutathione levels and increased expression of GSTP1-1. Owing to the critical role of histones in the regulation of gene expression, the implication of this finding may go beyond the phenomenon of doxorubicin resistance.

Studies of glutathione transferase P1-1 bound to a platinum(IV)-based anticancer compound reveal the molecular basis of its activation.

Platinum-based cancer drugs, such as cisplatin, are highly effective chemotherapeutic agents used extensively for the treatment of solid tumors. However, their effectiveness is limited by drug resistance, which, in some cancers, has been associated with an overexpression of pi class glutathione S-transferase (GST P1-1), an important enzyme in the mercapturic acid detoxification pathway. Ethacraplatin (EA-CPT), a trans-Pt(IV) carboxylate complex containing ethacrynate ligands, was designed as a platinum cancer metallodrug that could also target cytosolic GST enzymes. We previously reported that EA-CPT was an excellent inhibitor of GST activity in live mammalian cells compared to either cisplatin or ethacrynic acid. In order to understand the nature of the drug-protein interactions between EA-CPT and GST P1-1, and to obtain mechanistic insights at a molecular level, structural and biochemical investigations were carried out, supported by molecular modeling analysis using quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical methods. The results suggest that EA-CPT preferentially docks at the dimer interface at GST P1-1 and subsequent interaction with the enzyme resulted in docking of the ethacrynate ligands at both active sites (in the H-sites), with the Pt moiety remaining bound at the dimer interface. The activation of the inhibitor by its target enzyme and covalent binding accounts for the strong and irreversible inhibition of enzymatic activity by the platinum complex.

Diuretic drug binding to human glutathione transferase P1-1: potential role of Cys-101 revealed in the double mutant C47S/Y108V.

The diuretic drug ethacrynic acid (EA), both an inhibitor and substrate of pi class glutathione S-transferase (GST P1-1), has been tested in clinical trials as an adjuvant in chemotherapy. We recently studied the role of the active site residue Tyr-108 in binding EA to the enzyme and found that the analysis was complicated by covalent binding of this drug to the highly reactive Cys-47. Previous attempts to eliminate this binding by chemical modification yielded ambiguous results and therefore we decided here to produce a double mutant C47S/Y108V by site directed mutagenesis and further expression in Escherichia coli and the interaction of EA and its GSH conjugate (EASG) examined by calorimetric studies and X-ray diffraction. Surprisingly, in the absence of Cys-47, Cys-101 (located at the dimer interface) becomes a target for modification by EA, albeit at a lower conjugation rate than Cys-47. The Cys-47 → Ser mutation in the double mutant enzyme induces a positive cooperativity between the two subunits when ligands with affinity to G-site bind to enzyme. However, this mutation does not seem to affect the thermodynamic properties of ligand binding to the electrophilic binding site (H-site) and the thermal or chemical stability of this double mutant does not significantly affect the unfolding mechanism in either the absence or presence of ligand. Crystal structures of apo and an EASG complex are essentially identical with a few exceptions in the H-site and in the water network at the dimer interface.

Monomer-dimer equilibrium in glutathione transferases: a critical re-examination.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are dimeric enzymes involved in cell detoxification versus many endogenous toxic compounds and xenobiotics. In addition, single monomers of GSTs appear to be involved in particular protein-protein interactions as in the case of the pi class GST that regulates the apoptotic process by means of a GST-c-Jun N-terminal kinase complex. Thus, the dimer-monomer transition of GSTs may have important physiological relevance, but many studies reached contrasting conclusions both about the modality and extension of this event and about the catalytic competence of a single subunit. This paper re-examines the monomer-dimer question in light of novel experiments and old observations. Recent papers claimed the existence of a predominant monomeric and active species among pi, alpha, and mu class GSTs at 20-40 nM dilution levels, reporting dissociation constants (K(d)) for dimeric GST of 5.1, 0.34, and 0.16 microM, respectively. However, we demonstrate here that only traces of monomers could be found at these concentrations since all these enzymes display K(d) values of <<1 nM, values thousands of times lower than those reported previously. Time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence anisotropy experiments, two-photon fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, kinetic studies, and docking simulations have been used to reach such conclusions. Our results also indicate that there is no clear evidence of the existence of a fully active monomer. Conversely, many data strongly support the idea that the monomeric form is scarcely active or fully inactive.

Influence of the H-site residue 108 on human glutathione transferase P1-1 ligand binding: structure-thermodynamic relationships and thermal stability.

The effect of the Y108V mutation of human glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (hGST P1-1) on the binding of the diuretic drug ethacrynic acid (EA) and its glutathione conjugate (EASG) was investigated by calorimetric, spectrofluorimetric, and crystallographic studies. The mutation Tyr 108 --> Val resulted in a 3D-structure very similar to the wild type (wt) enzyme, where both the hydrophobic ligand binding site (H-site) and glutathione binding site (G-site) are unchanged except for the mutation itself. However, due to a slight increase in the hydrophobicity of the H-site, as a consequence of the mutation, an increase in the entropy was observed. The Y108V mutation does not affect the affinity of EASG for the enzyme, which has a higher affinity (K(d) approximately 0.5 microM) when compared with those of the parent compounds, K(d) (EA) approximately 13 microM, K(d) (GSH) approximately 25 microM. The EA moiety of the conjugate binds in the H-site of Y108V mutant in a fashion completely different to those observed in the crystal structures of the EA or EASG wt complex structures. We further demonstrate that the Delta C(p) values of binding can also be correlated with the potential stacking interactions between ligand and residues located in the binding sites as predicted from crystal structures. Moreover, the mutation does not significantly affect the global stability of the enzyme. Our results demonstrate that calorimetric measurements maybe useful in determining the preference of binding (the binding mode) for a drug to a specific site of the enzyme, even in the absence of structural information.

Rational design of an organometallic glutathione transferase inhibitor.

Double trouble: A hybrid organic-inorganic (organometallic) inhibitor was designed to target glutathione transferases. The metal center is used to direct protein binding, while the organic moiety acts as the active-site inhibitor (see picture). The mechanism of inhibition was studied using a range of biophysical and biochemical methods.

Glutathione transferases and glutathionylated hemoglobin in workers exposed to low doses of 1,3-butadiene.

We evaluated glutathione transferase (GST) activities and the levels of glutathionylated hemoglobin in the RBC of 42 workers exposed to 1,3-butadiene in a petrochemical plant, using 43 workers not exposed to 1,3-butadiene and 82 foresters as internal and external controls, respectively. Median 1,3-butadiene exposure levels were 1.5, 0.4, and 0.1 microg/m3 in 1,3-butadiene-exposed workers, in workers not directly exposed to 1,3-butadiene, and in foresters, respectively. In addition, we determined in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the same individuals the presence of GST polymorphic genes GSTT1 and GSTM1 and the distribution of GSTP1 allelic variants. Comparing the mean values observed in petrochemical workers with those of control foresters, we found a marked decrease of GST enzymatic activity and a significant increase of glutathionylated hemoglobin in the petrochemical workers. A weak but significant negative correlation was found between levels of 1,3-butadiene exposure and GST activity, whereas a positive correlation was found between 1,3-butadiene exposure and glutathionylated hemoglobin. A negative correlation was also observed between GST activity and glutathionylated hemoglobin. No influence of confounders was observed. Using a multiple linear regression model, up to 50.6% and 41.9% of the variability observed in glutathionylated hemoglobin and GST activity, respectively, were explained by 1,3-butadiene exposure, working setting, and GSTT1 genotype. These results indicate that occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene induces an oxidative stress that impairs the GST balance in RBC, and suggest that GST activity and glutathionylated hemoglobin could be recommended as promising biomarkers of effect in petrochemical workers.

Organometallic ruthenium inhibitors of glutathione-S-transferase P1-1 as anticancer drugs.

Ruthenium-arene complexes conjugated to ethacrynic acid were prepared as part of a strategy to develop novel glutathione-S-transferase (GST) inhibitors with alternate modes of activity through the organometallic fragment, ultimately to provide targeted ruthenium-based anticancer drugs. Enzyme kinetics and electrospray mass spectrometry experiments using GST P1-1 and its cysteine-modified mutant forms revealed that the complexes are effective enzyme inhibitors, but they also rapidly inactivate the enzyme by covalent binding at Cys 47 and, to a lesser extent, Cys 101. They are highly effective against the GST Pi-positive A2780 and A2780cisR ovarian carcinoma cell lines, are among the most effective ruthenium complexes reported so far, and target ubiquitous GST Pi overexpressed in many cancers.

Calorimetric and structural studies of the nitric oxide carrier S-nitrosoglutathione bound to human glutathione transferase P1-1.

The nitric oxide molecule (NO) is involved in many important physiological processes and seems to be stabilized by reduced thiol species, such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO). GSNO binds strongly to glutathione transferases, a major superfamily of detoxifying enzymes. We have determined the crystal structure of GSNO bound to dimeric human glutathione transferase P1-1 (hGSTP1-1) at 1.4 A resolution. The GSNO ligand binds in the active site with the nitrosyl moiety involved in multiple interactions with the protein. Isothermal titration calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have been used to characterize the interaction of GSNO with the enzyme. The binding of GSNO to wild-type hGSTP1-1 induces a negative cooperativity with a kinetic process concomitant to the binding process occurring at more physiological temperatures. GSNO inhibits wild-type enzyme competitively at lower temperatures but covalently at higher temperatures, presumably by S-nitrosylation of a sulfhydryl group. The C47S mutation removes the covalent modification potential of the enzyme by GSNO. These results are consistent with a model in which the flexible helix alpha2 of hGST P1-1 must move sufficiently to allow chemical modification of Cys47. In contrast to wild-type enzyme, the C47S mutation induces a positive cooperativity toward GSNO binding. The DSC results show that the thermal stability of the mutant is slightly higher than wild type, consistent with helix alpha2 forming new interactions with the other subunit. All these results suggest that Cys47 plays a key role in intersubunit cooperativity and that under certain pathological conditions S-nitrosylation of Cys47 by GSNO is a likely physiological scenario.

Nitrosylation of human glutathione transferase P1-1 with dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron complex in vitro and in vivo.

We have recently shown that dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron complex, a possible in vivo nitric oxide (NO) donor, binds with extraordinary affinity to one of the active sites of human glutathione transferase (GST) P1-1 and triggers negative cooperativity in the neighboring subunit of the dimer. This strong interaction has also been observed in the human Mu, Alpha, and Theta GST classes, suggesting a common mechanism by which GSTs may act as intracellular NO carriers or scavengers. We present here the crystal structure of GST P1-1 in complex with the dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron ligand at high resolution. In this complex the active site Tyr-7 coordinates to the iron atom through its phenolate group by displacing one of the GSH ligands. The crucial importance of this catalytic residue in binding the nitric oxide donor is demonstrated by site-directed mutagenesis of this residue with His, Cys, or Phe residues. The relative binding affinity for the complex is strongly reduced in all three mutants by about 3 orders of magnitude with respect to the wild type. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies on intact Escherichia coli cells expressing the recombinant GST P1-1 enzyme indicate that bacterial cells, in response to NO treatment, are able to form the dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron complex using intracellular iron and GSH. We hypothesize the complex is stabilized in vivo through binding to GST P1-1.

Cooperativity and pseudo-cooperativity in the glutathione S-transferase from Plasmodium falciparum.

Binding and catalytic properties of glutathione S-transferase from Plasmodium falciparum (PfGST) have been studied by means of fluorescence, steady state and pre-steady state kinetic experiments, and docking simulations. This enzyme displays a peculiar reversible low-high affinity transition, never observed in other GSTs, which involves the G-site and shifts the apparent K(D) for glutathione (GSH) from 200 to 0.18 mM. The transition toward the high affinity conformation is triggered by the simultaneous binding of two GSH molecules to the dimeric enzyme, and it is manifested as an uncorrected homotropic behavior, termed "pseudo-cooperativity." The high affinity enzyme is able to activate GSH, lowering its pK(a) value from 9.0 to 7.0, a behavior similar to that found in all known GSTs. Using 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, this enzyme reveals a potential optimized mechanism for the GSH conjugation but a low catalytic efficiency mainly due to a very low affinity for this co-substrate. Conversely, PfGST efficiently binds one molecule of hemin/monomer. The binding is highly cooperative (n(H) = 1.8) and occurs only when GSH is bound to the enzyme. The thiolate of GSH plays a crucial role in the intersubunit communication because no cooperativity is observed when S-methylglutathione replaces GSH. Docking simulations suggest that hemin binds to a pocket leaning into both the G-site and the H-site. The iron is coordinated by the amidic nitrogen of Asn-115, and the two carboxylate groups are in electrostatic interaction with the epsilon-amino group of Lys-15. Kinetic and structural data suggest that PfGST evolved by optimizing its binding property with the parasitotoxic hemin rather than its catalytic efficiency toward toxic electrophilic compounds.

Thermodynamic description of the effect of the mutation Y49F on human glutathione transferase P1-1 in binding with glutathione and the inhibitor S-hexylglutathione.

The thermodynamics of binding of both the substrate glutathione (GSH) and the competitive inhibitor S-hexylglutathione to the mutant Y49F of human glutathione S-transferase (hGST P1-1), a key residue at the dimer interface, has been investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy. Calorimetric measurements indicated that the binding of these ligands to both the Y49F mutant and wild-type enzyme is enthalpically favorable and entropically unfavorable over the temperature range studied. The affinity of these ligands for the Y49F mutant is lower than those for the wild-type enzyme due mainly to an entropy change. Therefore, the thermodynamic effect of this mutation is to decrease the entropy loss due to binding. Calorimetric titrations in several buffers with different ionization heat amounts indicate a release of protons when the mutant binds GSH, whereas protons are taken up in binding S-hexylglutathione at pH 6.5. This suggests that the thiol group of GSH releases protons to buffer media during binding and a group with low pKa (such as Asp98) is responsible for the uptake of protons. The temperature dependence of the free energy of binding, DeltaG0, is weak because of the enthalpy-entropy compensation caused by a large heat capacity change. The heat capacity change is -199.5 +/- 26.9 cal K-1 mol-1 for GSH binding and -333.6 +/- 28.8 cal K-1 mol-1 for S-hexylglutathione binding. The thermodynamic parameters are consistent with the mutation Tyr49 --> Phe, producing a slight conformational change in the active site.

Glutathione transferase P1-1: self-preservation of an anti-cancer enzyme.

Self-preservation is a typical property of living organisms, observed in the simplest prokaryotic cell as well as in the more complex pluricellular organisms. Surprisingly we found a self-preservation mechanism operating at the level of a single enzyme. Human glutathione transferase P1-1 operates in such a way towards either killer compounds (competitive and irreversible inhibitors) or physical factors (temperature and UV-rays), which could suppress its detoxicating and anti-cancer activity in the cell. This property, here termed 'co-operative self-preservation', is based on a structural intersubunit communication, by which one subunit, as a consequence of an inactivating modification, triggers a defence arrangement in the other subunit. Paradoxically this ability, developed during evolution for the survival of the cell, may not always be advantageous for us. In fact, glutathione transferase P1-1 is overexpressed in most tumour cells and pharmacological attempts to inhibit this enzyme in vivo, to prevent the drug resistance phenomenon during chemotherapy, may be thwarted by such self-preservation.