Development and validation of a capillary electrophoresis method for the characterization of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) thymidine kinase substrates and inhibitors

Capillary electrophoresis for enzyme-based studies: Applications to lipases and kinases

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a powerful technique continuously expanding into new application fields. One of these applications involves the study of enzymes, their catalytic activities and the alteration of this activity by specific ligands. In this review, two model enzymes, lipases and kinases, will be used since they differ substantially in their modes of action, reaction requirements and applications making them perfect subjects to demonstrate the advantages and limitations of CE-based enzymatic assays. Indeed, the ability to run CE in various operation modes and hyphenation to different detectors is essential for lipase-based studies. Additionally, the low sample consumption provided by CE promotes it as a promising technique to assay human and viral nucleoside kinases. Undeniably, these are rarely commercially available enzymes and must be frequently produced in the laboratory, a process which requires special sets of skills. CE-based lipase and kinase reactions can be performed outside the capillary (pre-capillary) where the reactants are mixed in a vial prior to their separation or, inside the capillary (in-capillary) where the reactants are mixed before the electrophoretic analysis. These enzyme-based applications of CE will be compared to those of liquid chromatography-based applications in terms of advantages and limitations. Binding assays based on affinity CE and the compelling microscale thermophoresis (MST) will be briefly presented as they allow a broad understanding of the molecular mechanism behind ligand binding and of the resulting modulation in activity.

Discovery of potent nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase3 (NPP3) inhibitors with ancillary carbonic anhydrase inhibition for cancer (immuno)therapy

Nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase3 (NPP3) catalyzes the hydrolysis of extracellular nucleotides. It is expressed by immune cells and some carcinomas, e.g. of kidney and colon. Together with ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73), NPP3 produces immunosuppressive, cancer-promoting adenosine, and has therefore been proposed as a target for cancer therapy. Here we report on the discovery of 4-[(4-methylphthalazin-1-yl)amino]benzenesulfonamide (1) as an inhibitor of human NPP3 identified by compound library screening. Subsequent structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies led to the potent competitive NPP3 inhibitor 2-methyl-5-{4-[(4-sulfamoylphenyl)amino]phthalazin-1-yl}benzenesulfonamide (23, K i 53.7 nM versus the natural substrate ATP). Docking studies predicted its binding pose and interactions. While 23 displayed high selectivity versus other ecto-nucleotidases, it showed ancillary inhibition of two proposed anti-cancer targets, the carbonic anhydrases CA-II (Ki 74.7 nM) and CA-IX (Ki 20.3 nM). Thus, 23 may act as multi-target anti-cancer drug. SARs for NPP3 were steeper than for CAs leading to the identification of potent dual CA-II/CA-IX (e.g. 34) as well as selective CA-IX inhibitors (e.g. 31).

Thymidine kinase and protein kinase in drug-resistant herpesviruses: Heads of a Lernaean Hydra

Herpesviruses thymidine kinase (TK) and protein kinase (PK) allow the activation of nucleoside analogues used in anti-herpesvirus treatments. Mutations emerging in these two genes often lead to emergence of drug-resistant strains responsible for life-threatening diseases in immunocompromised populations. In this review, we analyze the binding of different nucleoside analogues to the TK active site of the three α-herpesviruses [Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV)] and present the impact of known mutations on the structure of the viral TKs. Furthermore, models of β-herpesviruses [Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6)] PKs allow to link amino acid changes with resistance to ganciclovir and/or maribavir, an investigational chemotherapeutic used in patients with multidrug-resistant HCMV. Finally, we set the basis for the understanding of drug-resistance in γ-herpesviruses [Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV)] TK and PK through the use of animal surrogate models.

Antiherpetic Plants: A Review of Active Extracts, Isolated Compounds, and Bioassays

Herpes simplex is a disease that is widely distributed throughout the world. It is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The drugs of choice for treatment are acyclovir (ACV), Penciclovir (PCV) and other guanine analogues, which have the same mechanism of action. However, due to the constant increase of ACV-resistant strains in immunocompromised patients, it is necessary to find new treatment alternatives. It has been shown that natural products are a good alternative for the treatment of these diseases as well as being an excellent source of compounds with anti-herpetic activity, which may be useful for the development of new drugs and act through a mechanism of action different from ACV and PCV. This paper compiles reports on extracts and compounds isolated from plants that have anti-herpetic activity. We present an analysis of the solvents most widely used for extraction from plants as well as cells and commonly used methods for evaluating cytotoxic and anti-herpetic activity. Families that have a higher number of plants with anti-herpetic activity are evaluated, and we also highlight the importance of studies of mechanisms of action of extracts and compounds with anti-herpetic activity.

Large-volume sample stacking with polarity switching for monitoring of nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (NPP1) reactions by capillary electrophoresis

Nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (NPP1) is a membrane glycoprotein involved in the hydrolysis of extracellular nucleotides. Its main substrate is ATP yielding AMP and pyrophosphate. NPP1 has been proposed as a novel drug target, for diabetes type 2 and the treatment of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease leading to inflammatory arthritis. The monitoring of NPP1 reactions is difficult because its velocity is very slow requiring highly sensitive analytical procedures. In this study, a method of large-volume sample stacking with polarity switching was developed, and separations were optimized. Large sample volumes were loaded by hydrodynamic injection (5 psi, 13 s) followed by removal of a large plug of sample matrix from the capillary using polarity switching (-10 kV). The stacked analytes were subsequently separated in phosphate buffer (100 mM, pH 9.2) at 20 kV. The validated method was found to be linear (R(2) = 0.9927) in the concentration range of 0.05-50 μM of AMP, with high accuracy and precision. The determined LOD and LOQ of AMP were 18 nM and 60 nM, respectively. Compared to a previously reported CE procedure using sweeping technique, a fivefold improvement of sensitivity was achieved. Moreover, the new technique was faster, and reproducibility of migration times was improved (RSD value = 1.2%). Importantly, adenine nucleotide analogs and derivatives tested as NPP1 inhibitors could be completely separated from the substrate ATP and the enzymatic product AMP. The method was applied to NPP1 inhibition assays investigating nucleotide-derived inhibitors in the presence of ATP.

A capillary electrophoresis-based enzyme assay for kinetics and inhibition studies of carbonic anhydrase

In the current study, capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based enzyme assay for characterization and inhibition study of bovine carbonic anhydrase II (bCA II) was developed. The developed method is the first CE assay for carbonic anhydrase (CA). The method was optimized in order to get short analysis time, minimal sample volume consumption, and high resolution of substrate and product. The CE conditions were optimized as follows: fused-silica capillary (30 cm effective length×75 μm i.d.), pressure injection for 5s, 20mM sodium borate buffer (pH 9.0), constant voltage of 15 kV, constant capillary temperature of 25 °C, and detection at 260 nm. For precise measurements, uridine was used as an internal standard during optimization of the CE methods. The limits of detection and quantification for p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA) were 3.01 and 9.12 μM, respectively, whereas for p-nitrophenolate they were 2.05 and 6.22 μM, respectively. The performance of the developed method was confirmed by determination of kinetic parameters (i.e., K(m) and V(max) of bCA for p-NPA); the inhibition constant (K(i)) was determined for furosemide, a standard inhibitor of CA. The new method proved to be fast and efficient, and it can be used for the investigation of inhibitors of all isoforms of CAs.

A highly sensitive capillary electrophoresis method using p-nitrophenyl 5'-thymidine monophosphate as a substrate for the monitoring of nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase activities

A highly sensitive capillary electrophoresis method has been developed to monitor the activity of nucleotide pyrophosphatases/phosphodiesterases (NPPs) and screen for NPP inhibitors. In this method, p-nitrophenyl 5'-thymidine monophosphate (p-Nph-5'-TMP) was used as an artificial substrate, and separation of reaction products was performed on a dynamically coated capillary. We found that the optimal capillary electrophoresis (CE) conditions were as follows: fused-silica capillary (20cm effective length×75.5μm (id)), electrokinetic injection for 60s, 70mM phosphate buffer containing polybrene 0.002%, pH 9.2, constant current of -80μA, constant capillary temperature of 15°C and detection at 400nm. To allow precise quantification, 2-methyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinitrocresol) was applied as an internal standard. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 137 and 415nM, respectively. This new method was shown to be over 8-fold more sensitive than the conventional spectrophotometric assays and 16-fold more than the previously reported CE procedure, and the results (K(m) values for NPP1 and NPP3, K(i) values for standard inhibitors) obtained were in accordance with previous literature data. Therefore, this new method is an improvement of actual techniques and could be used as a quick and standard analytical technique for the identification and characterization of NPP inhibitors.

High-sensitivity capillary electrophoresis method for monitoring purine nucleoside phosphorylase and adenosine deaminase reactions by a reversed electrode polarity switching mode

A simple, efficient, and highly sensitive in-line CE method was developed for the characterization and for inhibition studies of the nucleoside-metabolizing enzymes purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) present in membrane preparations of human 1539 melanoma cells. After filling the running buffer (50 mM borate buffer, 100 mM SDS, pH 9.10) into a fused-silica capillary (50 cm effective length × 75 μm), a large sample volume was loaded by hydrodynamic injection (5 psi, 36 s), followed by the removal of the large plug of sample matrix from the capillary using polarity switching (-20 kV). The current was monitored and the polarity was reversed when 95% of the current had been recovered. The separation of the neutral analytes (nucleosides and nucleobases) was performed by applying a voltage of 15 kV. An about 10-fold improvement of sensitivity for the five investigated analytes (adenosine, inosine, adenine, hypoxanthine, xanthine) was achieved by large-volume stacking with polarity switching when compared with CE without stacking. For inosine and adenine detection limits as low as 60 nM were achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest sensitivity for nucleoside and nucleobase analysis using CE with UV detection reported so far. The Michaelis-Menten constants (K(m)) for PNP and ADA and the inhibition constants (K(i)) for standard inhibitors determined with the new method were consistent with literature data.

An enzyme immobilized microassay in capillary electrophoresis for characterization and inhibition studies of alkaline phosphatases

A simple and fast dynamically coated capillary electrophoretic method was developed for the characterization and inhibition studies of alkaline phosphatases(EC 3.1.3.1). An inside capillary enzymatic reaction was performed, and hydrolysis of the substrate 4-nitrophenylphosphate to 4-nitrophenol was measured. Fused-silica capillary surface was dynamically modified with polycationic polybrene coating. By reversal of the electroosmotic flow (EOF), analysis time was reduced up to 3 min as the anionic analytes were migrated in the same direction as the EOF. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the method was increased using electroinjection through high-field amplified injection. The baseline separation of 4-nitrophenylphosphate and 4-nitrophenol was achieved by employing 50 mM sodium phosphate as the running buffer (pH 8.5), 0.0025% polybrene, and a constant voltage of -15 kV, and the products were detected at 322 nm. Under the optimized conditions, a good separation with high efficiency was achieved. The new method was applied to study enzyme kinetics and inhibitor screening. K(m) and K(i) values obtained with the new CE method were compared well with the standard spectrophotometric method. Dynamic coating of fused-silica capillary gave fast and reproducible separation of substrate and product. The method can be easily optimized for inhibition studies of other isozymes.

Separation and quantification of double- and triple-layered rotavirus-like particles by CZE

Virus-like particles have been successfully used as safe vaccines, as their structure is identical to their native counterparts but devoid of the viral genetic material. However, production of these complex structures is not easy, as recombinant proteins must assemble into virus-like particles. Techniques to differentiate assembled and soluble proteins, as well as assembly intermediaries often present in a sample, are required. An example of complex virus-like particles mixture occurs when rotavirus proteins are recombinantly expressed. Rotavirus-like particles (RLP) can be single (sl), double (dl), or triple layered (tl). The use of RLP preparations as vaccines requires their complete characterization, including separation and quantification of each RLP in a sample. In this work, CZE was evaluated for the separation and quantification of dl and triple-layered rotavirus-like particles (tlRLP). A fused-silica capillary with a deoxycholate running buffer efficiently separated dl and tlRLP in RLP preparations, as they migrated in two discrete peaks with electrophoretic mobilities of 1.24+/-0.04 and 2.95+/-0.03 Ti, respectively. Standard curves for dl and tlRLP were generated, and the response was linearly proportional to analyte concentration. The methodology developed was quantitative, specific, accurate, precise, and reproducible. CZE allowed the quantitative characterization of RLP preparations, which is required for evaluation of immunogens, for process development, and for quality control protocols.

Advances in capillary electrophoretic enzyme assays

In recent years, capillary electrophoresis (CE) has become a frequently used tool for enzyme assays due to its well-recognized advantages such as high separation efficiency, short analysis time, small sample and chemicals consumption. The published applications cover all aspects of enzyme characterization and analysis including the determination of the enzyme activity, substrate and modulator characterization and identification, as well as the investigation of enzyme-mediated metabolic pathways of bioactive molecules. The CE assays may be classified into two general categories: (1) pre-capillary assays where the reactions are performed offline followed by CE analysis of the substrates and products and (2) online assays when the enzyme reaction and separation of the analytes are performed in the same capillary. In online assays, the enzyme may be either immobilized or in solution. The latter is also referred to as electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA). The present review will highlight the literature of CE-based enzyme assays from 2006 to November 2009. One section will be devoted to applications of microfluidic devices.

Hexokinase inhibitor screening based on adenosine 5'-diphosphate determination by electrophoretically mediated microanalysis

A CE-based method for hexokinase inhibitor screening was developed in the present paper. In this method, hexokinase activity was assayed via electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA), which combines on-column hexokinase-mediated reaction and measurement of produced adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) via electrophoretical separation and UV detection. Enzyme inhibition can be read out directly from the reduced peak area of ADP in comparison with a reference electropherogram obtained in the absence of any inhibitor. Conditions for on-column enzyme reaction and separation of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and ADP were optimized. The optimal buffer composition for enzymatic reaction was 25 mM HEPES buffer (pH 7.5) containing 5 mM MgCl(2), whereas the optimal buffer composition for separation was 100 mM Tris-phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) containing 0.02% (m/v) hexadimethrine bromide (HDB). Fortunately, discontinuous buffer system can be adapted easily in the EMMA method. The time for separation was reduced dramatically to less than 3 min by reversing the direction of EOF via dynamically coating the capillary wall with the cationic polyelectrolyte HDB. Moreover, the peak tailing of ATP was also reduced by HDB coating. The Z' factor as high as 0.98 was obtained, indicating a high quality of the screening data. The present method is simple, robust and cost-effective.

A highly sensitive CE-UV method with dynamic coating of silica-fused capillaries for monitoring of nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase reactions

A new highly sensitive capillary electrophoresis (CE) method applying dynamic coating and on-line stacking for the monitoring of nucleotide pyrophosphatases/phosphodiesterases (NPPs) and the screening of inhibitors was developed. NPP1 and NPP3 are membrane glycoproteins that catalyze the hydrolysis nucleotides, e.g. convert adenosine 5'-triphosphate to adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) and pyrophosphate. Enzymatic reactions were performed and directly subjected to CE analysis. Since the enzymatic activity was low, standard methods were insufficient. The detection of nanomolar AMP and other nucleotides could be achieved by field-enhanced sample injection and the addition of polybrene to the running buffer. The polycationic polymer caused a dynamic coating of the silica-fused capillary, resulting in a reversed electroosmotic flow. The nucleotides migrated in the direction of the electroosmotic flow, whereas the positively charged polybrene molecules moved in the opposite direction, resulting in a narrow sample zone over a long injection time. Using this on-line sensitivity enhancement technique, a more than 70-fold enrichment was achieved for AMP (limit of detection, 46 nM) along with a short migration time (5 min) without compromising separation efficiency and peak shape. The optimized CE conditions were as follows: fused-silica capillary (30 cm effective lengthx75 mum), electrokinetic injection for 60 s, 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.5, 0.002% polybrene, constant current of -60 microA, UV detection at 210 nm, uridine 5'-monophosphate as the internal standard. The new method was used to study enzyme kinetics and inhibitors. It opens an easy way to determine the activities of slowly metabolizing enzymes such as NPPs, which are of considerable interest as novel drug targets.