1
|
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 aromatase (AROM) and steroid (estrone (E1)/dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)) sulfatase (STS) are the two key enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of estrogens in human, and maintenance of the critical balance between androgens and estrogens. Human AROM, an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum, is a member of the Fe-heme containing cytochrome P450 superfamily having a cysteine thiolate as the fifth Fe-coordinating ligand. It is the only enzyme known to catalyze the conversion of androgens with non-aromatic A-rings to estrogens characterized by the aromatic A-ring. Human STS, also an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum, is a Ca2+-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sulfate esters of E1 and DHEA to yield the respective unconjugated steroids, the precursors of the most potent forms of estrogens and androgens, namely, 17β-estradiol (E2), 16α,17β-estriol (E3), testosterone (TST) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Expression of these steroidogenic enzymes locally within various organs and tissues of the endocrine, reproductive, and central nervous systems is the key for maintaining high levels of the reproductive steroids. Thus, the enzymes have been drug targets for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with steroid hormone excesses, especially in breast and prostate malignancies and endometriosis. Both AROM and STS have been the subjects of vigorous research for the past six decades. In this article, we review the procedures of their extraction and purification from human term placenta are described in detail, along with the activity assays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debashis Ghosh
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ghosh D. Structures and Functions of Human Placental Aromatase and Steroid Sulfatase, Two Key Enzymes in Estrogen Biosynthesis. Steroids 2023; 196:109249. [PMID: 37207843 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 aromatase (AROM) and steroid sulfatase (STS) are the two key enzymes for the biosynthesis of estrogens in human, and maintenance of the critical balance between androgens and estrogens. Human AROM, an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum, is a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily. It is the only enzyme to catalyze the conversion of androgens with non-aromatic A-rings to estrogens characterized by the aromatic A-ring. Human STS, also an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum, is a Ca2+-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sulfate esters of estrone and dehydroepiandrosterone to the unconjugated steroids, the precursors of the most potent forms of estrogens and androgens, namely, 17β-estradiol, 16α,17β-estriol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Expression of these steroidogenic enzymes locally within organs and tissues of the endocrine, reproductive, and central nervous systems is the key for maintaining high levels of the reproductive steroids. The enzymes have been drug targets for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with steroid hormone excesses, especially in breast, endometrial and prostate malignancies. Both enzymes have been the subjects of vigorous research for the past six decades. In this article, we review the important findings on their structure-function relationships, specifically, the work that began with unravelling of the closely guarded secrets, namely, the 3-D structures, active sites, mechanisms of action, origins of substrate specificity and the basis of membrane integration. Remarkably, these studies were conducted on the enzymes purified in their pristine forms from human placenta, the discarded and their most abundant source. The purification, assay, crystallization, and structure determination methodologies are described. Also reviewed are their functional quaternary organizations, post-translational modifications and the advancements made in the structure-guided inhibitor design efforts. Outstanding questions that still remain open are summarized in closing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debashis Ghosh
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xiang MH, Jiang ZY, Zhao WL, Zhang E, Xia L, Kong RM, Zhao Y, Kong W, Liu X, Qu F, Tan W. Activatable Near-Infrared Fluorescent and Photoacoustic Dual-Modal Probe for Highly Sensitive Imaging of Sulfatase In Vivo. ACS Sens 2023; 8:2021-2029. [PMID: 37167101 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Sulfatase is an important biomarker closely associated with various diseases. However, the state-of-the-art sulfatase probes are plagued with a short absorption/emission wavelength and limited sensitivity. Developing highly sensitive fluorescent probes for in vivo imaging of sulfatase remains a grand challenge. Herein, for the first time, an activatable near-infrared fluorescence/photoacoustic (NIRF/PA) dual-modal probe (Hcy-SA) for visualizing sulfatase activity in living cells and animals is developed. Hcy-SA is composed of a sulfate ester moiety as the recognition unit and a NIR fluorophore hemicyanine (Hcy-OH) as the NIRF/PA reporter. The designed probe exhibits a rapid response, excellent sensitivity, and high specificity for sulfatase detection in vitro. More importantly, cells and in vivo experiments confirm that Hcy-SA can be successfully applied for PA/NIRF dual-modal imaging of sulfatase activity in living sulfatase-overexpressed tumor cells and tumor-bearing animals. This probe can serve as a promising tool for sulfatase-related pathological research and cancer diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Hao Xiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Jiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Long Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Ensheng Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Lian Xia
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Rong-Mei Kong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Weiheng Kong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Xianjun Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Fengli Qu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- Cancer Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Cancer Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ghosh D. Structure of human placental steroid sulfatase at 2.0 angstrom resolution: Catalysis, quaternary association, and a secondary ligand site. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 227:106228. [PMID: 36427797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human placental estrone (E1)/dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfatase (human placental steroid sulfatase; hSTS) is an integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum. This Ca2+-dependent enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of sulfate esters of E1 and DHEA to yield the respective unconjugated steroids, which then act as precursors for the biosynthesis of 17β-estradiol (E2) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), respectively, the most potent forms of estrogens and androgens. hSTS is a key enzyme for the local production of E2 and DHT in the breast and the prostate. The enzyme is known to be responsible for maintaining high levels of estrogens in the breast tumor cells. The crystal structure of hSTS purified from human placenta has previously been reported at 2.6 Å resolution. Here we present the structure of hSTS determined at the superior 2.0 Å resolution bringing new clarity to the atomic architecture of the active site. The molecular basis of catalysis and steroid-protein interaction are revisited in light of the new data. We also reexamine the enzyme's quaternary association and its implication on the membrane integration. A secondary ligand binding pocket at the intermolecular interface and adjacent to the active site access channel, buried into the gill of the mushroom-shaped molecule, has been identified. Its role as well as that of a phosphate ion bound to an exposed histidine side chain are examined from the structure-function perspective. Higher resolution data also aids in the tracing of an important loop missing in the previous structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debashis Ghosh
- Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zengin Kurt B, Celebi G, Ozturk Civelek D, Angeli A, Akdemir A, Sonmez F, Supuran CT. Tail-Approach-Based Design and Synthesis of Coumarin-Monoterpenes as Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors and Anticancer Agents. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:5787-5807. [PMID: 36816648 PMCID: PMC9933483 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In this study, sixty novel coumarin-monoterpene compounds were synthesized in two series [thirty-two compounds (12-43) bearing a triazole ring in the first series, and twenty-eight compounds (44-71) bearing an alkyl chain in the second one]. Their inhibitory effects on the human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) isoforms I, II, IX, and XII and anticancer potentials were determined. All synthesized molecules selectively inhibited CA IX and XII. 23 and 42 were found to be the strongest inhibitors, with K i values of 1.9 nM against hCA IX. Also, 70 showed the highest inhibitory activity with a K i value of 4.9 nM against hCA XII. Moreover, their cytotoxic effects on colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3), and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines were evaluated. According to the cytotoxicity results, 14 (IC50 = 2.48 μM) and 63 (IC50 = 3.91 μM) exhibited the highest cytotoxicity on the MCF-7 cells, while 23 showed the strongest cytotoxic effect on both PC-3 (IC50 = 9.40 μM) and HT-29 (IC50 = 12.10 μM) cell lines. 14, 23, and 66 decreased CA IX and CA XII protein expression in HT-29 cells, while 23 and 66 showed the strongest reduction of both CA IX and CA XII in MCF-7 cells. All of the selected compounds increased total apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in HT-29 and MCF-7 cells. 14 has the strongest apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cells. 23 increased early apoptosis primarily, while 14 and 66 increased total apoptosis in HT-29. In addition, PI/Hoechst staining proves that apoptotic cells are increased in HT-29 with an effect of 14, 23, and 66. As a result of the modeling studies, it has been shown that only the open coumarin form of the compounds can interact directly with the active-site Zn2+ ion. It has been shown that coumarin-monoterpene structures with different alkyl and monoterpene groups both specifically inhibit CA IX and XII and exhibit specific cytotoxicity in different cell lines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Belma Zengin Kurt
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34093, Türkiye
| | - Gulsen Celebi
- Faculty
of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli 41001, Türkiye
| | - Dilek Ozturk Civelek
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34093, Türkiye
| | - Andrea Angeli
- Dipartimento
Neurofarba, Sezione di Scienze Farmaceutiche e Nutraceutiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy
| | - Atilla Akdemir
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Computer-Aided Drug Discovery
Laboratory, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul 34093, Türkiye
| | - Fatih Sonmez
- Pamukova
Vocational School, Sakarya University of
Applied Sciences, Sakarya 54055, Türkiye
| | - Claudiu T. Supuran
- Dipartimento
Neurofarba, Sezione di Scienze Farmaceutiche e Nutraceutiche, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via U. Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chang CN, Lin IC, Lin TS, Chiu PF, Lu YL, Narwane M, Liu IC, Hng Y, Tsai KC, Lin MH, S. Y. Hsieh Y, Chen MJ, Liang PH. The Design, Structure–Activity, and kinetic studies of 3-Benzyl-5-oxa-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-2H-chromeno-(3,4-c)pyridin-8-yl sulfamates as Steroid sulfatase inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2022; 129:106148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|