Supramolecular interaction of 6-shogaol, a therapeutic agent of Zingiber officinale with human serum albumin as elucidated by spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular docking methods.

BACKGROUND: 6-Shogaol, one of the main bioactive constituents of Zingiber officinale has been shown to possess various therapeutic properties. Interaction of a therapeutic compound with plasma proteins greatly affects its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. PURPOSE: The present investigation was undertaken to characterize the interaction between 6-shogaol and the main in vivo transporter, human serum albumin (HSA). METHODS: Various binding characteristics of 6-shogaol-HSA interaction were studied using fluorescence spectroscopy. Thermal stability of 6-shogaol-HSA system was determined by circular dichroism (CD) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) techniques. Identification of the 6-shogaol binding site on HSA was made by competitive drug displacement and molecular docking experiments. RESULTS: Fluorescence quench titration results revealed the association constant, Ka of 6-shogaol-HSA interaction as 6.29 ± 0.33 × 10(4) M(-1) at 25 ºC. Values of the enthalpy change (-11.76 kJ mol(-1)) and the entropy change (52.52 J mol(-1) K(-1)), obtained for the binding reaction suggested involvement of hydrophobic and van der Waals forces along with hydrogen bonds in the complex formation. Higher thermal stability of HSA was noticed in the presence of 6-shogaol, as revealed by DSC and thermal denaturation profiles. Competitive ligand displacement experiments along with molecular docking results suggested the binding preference of 6-shogaol for Sudlow's site I of HSA. CONCLUSION: All these results suggest that 6-shogaol binds to Sudlow's site I of HSA through moderate binding affinity and involves hydrophobic and van der Waals forces along with hydrogen bonds.

AMP-activated protein kinase mediates insulin-like and lipo-mobilising effects of ß-glucan-rich polysaccharides isolated from Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.), Singer mushroom, in 3T3-L1 cells.

Mushrooms have been used to treat various diseases for thousands of years. In the present study, the effects of Pleurotus sajor-caju mushroom on lipogenesis, lipolysis and oxidative stress in 3T3-L1 cells were investigated. The ß-glucan-rich polysaccharides (GE) from P. sajor-caju stimulated lipogenesis and lipolysis but attenuated protein carbonyl and lipid hydroperoxide levels in 3T3-L1 cells. This extract caused an increase in the expression of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase subunit γ-2 (PKRAG2) and 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase subunit γ-3 (PKRAG3) when compared to control (untreated) cells. Moreover, GE induced the expressions of hormone-sensitive lipase, adipose triglyceride lipase enzymes, leptin, adiponectin and glucose transporter-4 in 3T3-L1 cells which may have contributed to the lipolytic and insulin-like activities observed in this study. These findings suggest that GE is a novel AMPK activator that may be valuable in the formulation of nutraceuticals and functional food for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Beta-Glucan-Rich Extract from Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Singer Prevents Obesity and Oxidative Stress in C57BL/6J Mice Fed on a High-Fat Diet.

Mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. In this study, the effect of ß -glucan-rich extract of P. sajor-caju (GE) on lipid lowering and antioxidant potential was assessed in C57BL/6J mice fed on a high-fat diet. Obesity was induced in C57BL/6J mice by feeding a high-fat diet. The control groups in this study were ND (for normal diet) and HFD (for high-fat diet). The treated groups were ND240 (for normal diet) (240 mg/kg b.w) and HFD60, HFD120, and HFD240 (for high-fat diet), where the mice were administrated with three dosages of GE (60, 120, and 240 mg GE/kg b.w). Metformin (2 mg/kg b.w) served as positive control. GE-treated groups showed significantly reduced body weight, serum lipid, and liver enzymes levels. GE also attenuated protein carbonyl and lipid hydroperoxide levels by increasing the enzymic antioxidants (SOD, CAT, and GPx) activities in the mice. GE-treated groups induced the expression of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) while downregulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR- γ ), sterol regulatory binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Hence, GE prevented weight gain in the mice by inducing lipolysis and may be valuable in the formulation of adjuvant therapy for obesity.

The biology and clinical significance of acquired genomic copy number aberrations and recurrent gene mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world and remains incurable with conventional chemotherapy treatment approaches. CLL as a disease entity is defined by a relatively parsimonious set of diagnostic criteria and therefore likely constitutes an umbrella term for multiple related illnesses. Of the enduring fundamental biological processes that affect the biology and clinical behavior of CLL, few are as central to the pathogenesis of CLL as recurrent acquired genomic copy number aberrations (aCNA) and recurrent gene mutations. Here, a state-of-the-art overview of the pathological anatomy of the CLL genome is presented, including detailed descriptions of the anatomy of aCNA and gene mutations. Data from SNP array profiling and large-scale sequencing of large CLL cohorts, as well as stimulated karyotyping, are discussed. This review is organized by discussions of the anatomy, underlying pathomechanisms and clinical significance of individual genomic lesions and recurrent gene mutations. Finally, gaps in knowledge regarding the biological and clinical effects of recurrent genomic aberrations or gene mutations on CLL are outlined to provide critical stimuli for future research.

p53 stabilization induces apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia blast crisis cells.

Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia has a progressive course starting in a benign phase and terminating in a blastic phase. In this study, we show that human homolog double minute 2 (HDM2) inhibition, with MI-219-a novel compound, and consequently p53 stabilization induce chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) blast crisis cells to undergo apoptosis regardless of the presence of the T315I mutation in the BCR-ABL kinase domain. The response to MI-219 is associated with the downregulation of c-Myc and the induction of p21(WAF1). The p53 target and pro-apoptotic proteins PUMA, Noxa and Bax are induced, whereas full length Bid protein decreases with increased activity of pro-apoptotic cleaved Bid, and decrease of Mcl-1 is observed by increased caspase activity. CD95/FAS (FAS antigen) receptor is also induced by MI-219, indicating that both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic responses are transcriptionally induced. In addition, p53 protein accumulates in the mitochondrial fraction of treated cells involved in transcription-independent induction of apoptosis. We conclude that HDM-2 inhibition with MI-219 effectively induces p53-dependent apoptosis in most blast crisis CML cells, with or without BCR-ABL mutation(s).

Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of extracts of fresh fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Singer.

The chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Pleurotus sajor-caju were investigated in this study. Twenty-two compounds comprising methyl esters, hydrocarbon fatty acids, ethyl esters, and sterols were identified in ethyl acetate extracts, while cinnamic acid, nicotinamide, benzeneacetamide, and 4-hydroxybenzaldyhde were identified in butanol extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and NMR analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined by a ß-carotene bleaching method, ferric reducing antioxidant power, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation assays, while the total phenolic content in P. sajor-caju was assessed by Folin-Ciocalteau's method. The aqueous and butanol extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, corresponding to the total phenolic content. The subfractions from the ethyl acetate extract (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), however, showed moderate antioxidant activity. The regular consumption of P. sajor-caju as a part of our diet may render nutritional and nutraceuticals benefits for good health.

Reduced expression of the tumor suppressor PHLPP1 enhances the antiapoptotic B-cell receptor signal in chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells.

The PI3K/Akt pathway is activated in response to various microenvironmental stimuli that regulate the survival and proliferation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B-cells, including triggering of the B-cell receptor (BCR). Although this pathway is frequently targeted in cancer, no significant alterations have yet been identified in CLL. We now show that the phosphatase PH domain leucin-rich repeat protein phosphatase (PHLPP1), a recently identified tumor suppressor and negative regulator of the Akt kinase, is absent or expressed at substantially reduced levels in CLL B-cells. To determine what the consequences of PHLPP1 loss on BCR signaling are, we downregulated or re-expressed PHLPP1 in lymphoma cell lines and primary CLL B-cells, respectively. Downregulation of PHLPP1 increased BCR-induced phosphorylation and activation of the Akt, GSK3 and ERK kinases, whereas re-expression had the opposite effect. Importantly, re-expression of PHLPP1 in primary CLL cells prevented upregulation of Mcl-1 and inhibited the increase in leukemic cell viability induced by sustained BCR engagement. Enforced expression of PHLPP1 also affected the response to other microenvironmental stimuli, particularly in terms of ERK phosphorylation. Collectively, these data show that CLL cells lack an important negative regulator of the Akt and ERK pathways, which could confer them a growth advantage by facilitating the propagation of crucial microenvironment-derived stimuli.

The B-cell-specific Src-family kinase Blk is dispensable for B-cell development and activation.

The B-cell lymphocyte kinase (Blk) is a src-family protein tyrosine kinase specifically expressed in B-lineage cells of mice. The early onset of Blk expression during B-cell development in the bone marrow and the high expression levels of Blk in mature B cells suggest a possible important role of Blk in B-cell physiology. To study the in vivo function of Blk, mice homozygous for the targeted disruption of the blk gene were generated. In homozygous mutant mice, neither blk mRNA nor Blk protein is expressed. Despite the absence of Blk, the development, in vitro activation, and humoral immune responses of B cells to T-cell-dependent and -independent antigens are unaltered. These data are consistent with functional redundancy of Blk in B-cell development and immune responses.

Malignant transformation of early lymphoid progenitors in mice expressing an activated Blk tyrosine kinase.

The intracellular signals governing cellular proliferation and developmental progression during lymphocyte development are incompletely understood. The tyrosine kinase Blk is expressed preferentially in the B lineage, but its function in B cell development has been largely unexplored. We have generated transgenic mice expressing constitutively active Blk [Blk(Y495F)] in the B and T lymphoid compartments. Expression of Blk(Y495F) in the B lineage at levels similar to that of endogenous Blk induced B lymphoid tumors of limited clonality, whose phenotypes are characteristic of B cell progenitors at the proB/preB-I to preB-II transition. Expression of constitutively active Blk in the T lineage resulted in the appearance of clonal, thymic lymphomas composed of intermediate single positive cells. Taken together, these results indicate that specific B and T cell progenitor subsets are preferentially susceptible to transformation by Blk(Y495F) and suggest a role for Blk in the control of proliferation during B cell development.

p150TSP, a conserved nuclear phosphoprotein that contains multiple tetratricopeptide repeats and binds specifically to SH2 domains.

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are structural modules that function in the assembly of multicomponent signaling complexes by binding to specific phosphopeptides. The tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) is a distinct structural motif that has been suggested to mediate protein-protein interactions. Among SH2-binding phosphoproteins purified from the mouse B cell lymphoma A20, a 150-kDa species was identified and the corresponding complementary DNA (cDNA) was molecularly cloned. This protein encoded by this cDNA, which we have termed p150TSP (for TPR-containing, SH2-binding phosphoprotein), is located predominantly in the nucleus and is highly conserved in evolution. The gene encoding p150TSP (Tsp) was mapped to chromosome 7 of the mouse with gene order: centromere-Tyr-Wnt11-Tsp-Zp2. The amino-terminal two-thirds of p150TSP consist almost entirely of tandemly arranged TPR units, which mediate specific, homotypic protein interactions in transfected cells. The carboxyl-terminal third of p150TSP, which is serine- and glutamic acid-rich, is essential for SH2 binding; this interaction is dependent on serine/threonine phosphorylation but independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. The sequence and binding properties of p150TSP suggest that it may mediate interactions between TPR-containing and SH2-containing proteins.

An SH3-binding site conserved in Bruton's tyrosine kinase and related tyrosine kinases mediates specific protein interactions in vitro and in vivo.

Mutations in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) have been associated with immunodeficiencies in man and in the mouse. Btk and two related proteins, Itk and Tec, are members of a distinct family of tyrosine kinases. These kinases are believed to function in various receptor-mediated signaling pathways, but their specific functions are as yet undefined. Btk and its homologues share extensive sequence similarity, including a conserved region, the Tec-homology (TH) domain, that has been proposed to mediate specific intermolecular or intramolecular interactions. The TH region of Btk contains a functional SH3-binding site at residues 189-192. SH3 binding is selective: Btk is retained by the SH3 domain of Fyn but not by that of Blk, another Src-type kinase. TH-SH3 binding in vitro is abolished by specific, single amino acid substitutions within the Btk TH domain or the Fyn SH3 domain. We provide two lines of evidence that the SH3-binding site in the Btk TH domain mediates protein interactions in intact cells. First, treatment of cells with pervanadate induces an increase in the phosphotyrosine content of kinase-inactive Btk; this response is substantially reduced by a mutation that inactivates the SH3-binding site in the Btk TH domain. Second, in cell lysates Btk is found in association with an as yet unidentified 72-kDa phosphotyrosine-containing protein; this interaction requires a functional SH3-binding site in the TH domain. The TH domain may therefore interact in vivo with other proteins that regulate the phosphorylation state of Btk.

A cyclin-dependent kinase homologue, p130PITSLRE is a phosphotyrosine-independent SH2 ligand.

Src-homology 2 (SH2) domains are conserved, globular protein modules that mediate assembly of multicomponent signaling complexes. Phosphoproteins from the B-lymphoid cell line A20 were isolated by SH2 affinity chromatography; the peptide sequence from one of these proteins was used to molecularly clone several related complementary DNAs whose predominant protein product, p130PITSLRE, is an abundant serine/threonine kinase with ubiquitous expression in murine tissues. The sequence of a previously described cyclin-dependent kinase homologue, p58clk-1, is entirely contained within the p130PITSLRE sequence. Specific binding of p130PITSLRE to SH2 domains is mediated by a serine- and glutamic acid-rich cluster of amino acids in the N-terminal region. This interaction is dependent on serine/threonine phosphorylation but independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. Binding is inhibited by free phosphotyrosine and by a phosphotyrosine-containing peptide from polyoma middle T antigen, suggesting that the p130PITSLRE binding site in the SH2 domain overlaps the region that binds phosphotyrosine-containing peptides. Bacterially expressed p130PITSLRE fragments acquire the ability to bind an SH2 domain when phosphorylated in vitro with casein kinase II. A subset of casein kinase II phosphorylation sites may therefore constitute a phosphotyrosine-independent class of SH2 ligands.

SH2 domains of the protein-tyrosine kinases Blk, Lyn, and Fyn(T) bind distinct sets of phosphoproteins from B lymphocytes.

Several members of the Src family, including Blk, Lyn, Fyn(T), and Lck, are expressed in B cells. These kinases associate with the antigen receptor complex, and the activities of Blk, Fyn(T), and Lyn increase upon receptor engagement. Differences in the amino acid sequences and patterns of expression of these kinases suggest that they serve distinct functions. In this communication it is shown that the SH2 domains from Blk, Lyn, and Fyn(T) preferentially bind distinct sets of phosphoproteins from the mature B cell line A20. These interactions were found to depend on recognition of phosphotyrosine. The Blk SH2 domain bound more than 10 distinct phosphoprotein species, most of which reacted with an antiphosphotyrosine antibody; the phosphotyrosine content of these proteins was increased if surface immunoglobulin was cross-linked before extracts were made. Phosphoproteins of 72, 76, 115, and 130 kDa bound to the SH2 domains of Blk, Lyn, and Fyn(T). Phosphoamino acid analysis of these four proteins revealed that each contained phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, and phosphotyrosine. Proteins of 90 kDa, 130 kDa, and 150 kDa were preferentially bound by the Blk SH2 domain, while the Fyn(T) SH2 domain showed preferential binding to proteins of 76 and 180 kDa. The Lyn SH2 binding profile resembled that of Blk, but differences in the binding specificities of these kinases were also observed. Thus, among proteins that exhibit increased tyrosine phosphorylation following antigen receptor cross-linking, several have been identified that bind preferentially to SH2 domains of Blk, Fyn(T), or Lyn, suggesting that these kinases serve distinct functions. In addition, chimeric Fyn(T)-Blk SH2 domains were shown to be functional in binding assays and to exhibit binding specificities intermediate between those of the parent domains, consistent with the interpretation that the differences we observe in phosphoprotein binding by Fyn(T) and Blk SH2 domains reflect differences in their native structures.

Tandem SH2 domains of ZAP-70 bind to T cell antigen receptor zeta and CD3 epsilon from activated Jurkat T cells.

A proximal and critical biochemical event upon T cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation is the activation of a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) pathway. ZAP-70, a PTK of the p72syk family, associates with phosphorylated TCR subunits upon TCR stimulation. Here we report that the tandem SH2 domains of ZAP-70, expressed as a fusion protein, bind to tyrosine-phosphorylated CD3 epsilon and TCR zeta from activated Jurkat T cell lysates. The single N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of ZAP-70, expressed separately, do not bind these TCR subunits. In comparison to fusion proteins containing SH2 domains from other proteins, the tandem SH2 domains of ZAP-70 demonstrate a remarkably restricted repertoire of protein binding, binding only TCR zeta and CD3 epsilon. ZAP-70 is also recovered in the binding assay, but this is likely to be a consequence of its interaction with multiple SH2 binding sites on the zeta-zeta and CD3 epsilon-containing dimers.

Identification and preliminary characterization of two related proliferation-associated nuclear phosphoproteins.

Two nuclear phosphoproteins, pp35 and pp32, were purified from A20 cells, a murine B-lymphoblastoid cell line. Initially detected by cross-reactivity with antibodies to human erythrocyte protein 4.1, the 35- and 32-kDa proteins were purified by sequential fractionation of non-ionic detergent cell lysates on DEAE-cellulose, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-anion-exchange chromatography, and HPLC hydroxylapatite chromatography. By two-dimensional peptide mapping, pp35 and pp32 are related but do not appear to represent sequential proteolytic products. Both pp35 and pp32 appear to be associated with cell proliferation. Antibodies specific for pp35 and pp32 show prominent intranuclear staining in A20 cells but only focal staining in normal murine lymphoid tissues. Quantitative immunoblotting showed that both pp35 and pp32 are, respectively, expressed at 5.9 x 10(4) and 7.0 x 10(4) copies/cell in small, dense resting B lymphocytes, increasing approximately 12- and 7-fold after polyclonal stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. When normalized to total cell protein, this represents specific inductions of approximately 4- and 2-fold. Expression of both pp35 and pp32 is constitutively high in populations of neoplastic B cell lines; moreover, both are expressed in the nuclei of intestinal crypt epithelial cells but not in other epithelial compartments in the same sections, suggesting that forms of pp35 and pp32 may be expressed in additional tissues and associated with proliferation.