1
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Bonati L, Motta S, Callea L. The AhR Signaling Mechanism: A Structural Point of View. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168296. [PMID: 37797832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a well-known sensor of xenobiotics; moreover, it is considered a promising drug target as it is involved in the regulation of many patho-physiological processes. For these reasons the study of its ligand-activated transcription mechanism has stimulated several studies for over twenty years. In this review we highlight the key role of molecular structural information in understanding the different steps of the signaling mechanism. The architecture of the AhR cytosolic complex, encompassing the hsp90 chaperone protein and the XAP2 and p23 co-chaperones, has become available in the last year thanks to Cryo-EM experiments. The structure of the AhR ligand-binding (PAS-B) domain has remained elusive for a long time; it has been predicted by homology modelling, based on known PAS systems, and its ligand-bound forms were modelled through ligand molecular docking. Although very recently some structural information on this domain has become available, considerable efforts are still needed to determine the binding geometries of the AhR key ligands by experimental high-resolution studies. On the other hand, the dimeric structure of AhR with the ARNT protein, bound to the specific DNA responsive element, was partially determined by X-ray crystallography and it was completed by homology modelling. On the whole the current structural knowledge of the main protein complexes that form over the AhR mechanism opens the way to confirm and further investigate the main steps of the proposed ligand-activated transcription mechanism of the AhR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
| | - Stefano Motta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
| | - Lara Callea
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
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2
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Nebert DW. Gene-Environment Interactions: My Unique Journey. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 64:1-26. [PMID: 37788491 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-022323-082311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
I am deeply honored to be invited to write this scientific autobiography. As a physician-scientist, pediatrician, molecular biologist, and geneticist, I have authored/coauthored more than 600 publications in the fields of clinical medicine, biochemistry, biophysics, pharmacology, drug metabolism, toxicology, molecular biology, cancer, standardized gene nomenclature, developmental toxicology and teratogenesis, mouse genetics, human genetics, and evolutionary genomics. Looking back, I think my career can be divided into four distinct research areas, which I summarize mostly chronologically in this article: (a) discovery and characterization of the AHR/CYP1 axis, (b) pharmacogenomics and genetic prediction of response to drugs and other environmental toxicants, (c) standardized drug-metabolizing gene nomenclature based on evolutionary divergence, and (d) discovery and characterization of the SLC39A8 gene encoding the ZIP8 metal cation influx transporter. Collectively, all four topics embrace gene-environment interactions, hence the title of my autobiography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Nebert
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences and Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Developmental Biology, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA;
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3
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Jing H, Wu X, Xiang M, Wang C, Novakovic VA, Shi J. Microparticle Phosphatidylserine Mediates Coagulation: Involvement in Tumor Progression and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15071957. [PMID: 37046617 PMCID: PMC10093313 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15071957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor progression and cancer metastasis has been linked to the release of microparticles (MPs), which are shed upon cell activation or apoptosis and display parental cell antigens, phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS), and nucleic acids on their external surfaces. In this review, we highlight the biogenesis of MPs as well as the pathophysiological processes of PS externalization and its involvement in coagulation activation. We review the available evidence, suggesting that coagulation factors (mainly tissue factor, thrombin, and fibrin) assist in multiple steps of tumor dissemination, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix remodeling, immune escape, and tumor angiogenesis to support the formation of the pre-metastatic niche. Platelets are not just bystander cells in circulation but are functional players in primary tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-induced platelet aggregation protects circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood flow shear forces and immune cell attack while also promoting the binding of CTCs to endothelial cells and extravasation, which activates tumor invasion and sustains metastasis. Finally, in terms of therapy, lactadherin can inhibit coagulation by competing effectively with coagulation factors for PS binding sites and may similarly delay tumor progression. Furthermore, we also investigate the therapeutic potential of coagulation factor inhibitors within the context of cancer treatment. The development of multiple therapies targeting platelet activation and platelet-tumor cell interactions may not only reduce the lethal consequences of thrombosis but also impede tumor growth and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijiao Jing
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Xiaoming Wu
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Mengqi Xiang
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Chengyue Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China
| | - Valerie A Novakovic
- Department of Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02132, USA
| | - Jialan Shi
- Department of Hematology, The First Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China
- Department of Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02132, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02132, USA
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4
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Wang Y, Yang Y, Dang C, Lu B, Luo Y, Fu J. Is it really safe to replace decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) with decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE)?: A perspective from hepatotoxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2023; 38:844-856. [PMID: 36660779 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, the hepatocytotoxicity and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) activity of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and other 18 analogues were evaluated in vitro using human normal liver cell L02. These dioxin-like compounds showed differential hepatocytotoxicity (EC50 = 0.38-17.87 mg/L) and AHR activity (EROD activity = 4.53-46.35 U/μg). In silico study indicated the distance of π-π bonds between the benzene ring of compounds and residue Phe234 of AHR played a key role in the binding of AHR, and the substituents on the benzene ring also influenced the activity. Combining molecular biology and bioomics, the comprehensive investigations on the hepatotoxic mechanisms have demonstrated the AHR signaling pathway was the key mediation mechanism for the hepatotoxicity of DBDPE/BDE209. The cytochrome P450s (CYP2 family) mediated formation of reactive oxygenated intermediates might be the dominant toxic mechanism, which could produce oxidative stress or cause genotoxicity. Although the experimental toxicity of DBDPE was smaller relative to BDE209, the health risk of DBDPE may be much greater than we expected, due to the high potential to form a variety of dioxin-like intermediates by microbial oxidation of ethyl group. Therefore, whether it is really safe to replace BDE209 with DBDPE is a debatable question, and more ecotoxicological and health data are needed to clarify this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biochemical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yushun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chenyuan Dang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Biochemical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin Luo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Fu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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5
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In-depth analysis of the interactions of various aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands from a computational perspective. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 118:108339. [PMID: 36183684 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2022.108339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that acts as a machinery that controls the expression of many genes, including cytochrome P450 CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1. It plays a principal role in numerous biological and toxicological functions, making it a promising target for developing therapeutic agents. Several novel small molecules targeting the AhR signaling pathway are currently under investigation as antitumor agents. Some have already advanced into clinical trials in patients with various tumors. Activation of AhR by diverse chemicals either endogenous or exogenous is initiated by the binding of these ligands to the PAS-B domain, which modulates AhR functions. There is, however, limited information about how various ligands interact with the PAS-B domain for activating or inhibiting the AhR. To better understand the mode of action of AhR agonists/antagonists. The current work proposes a combination of several computational tools to build dynamical models for the PAS-B domain bound to different ligands in mouse and human. Our findings reveal the essential roles of specific PAS-B residues (e.g., S365, V381& Q383), which mediate the AhR ligand-binding process. Our results also explain how these residues regulate the promiscuity of AhR in accommodating various chemicals in its binding PAS-B ligand-binding pocket.
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6
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Nishino K, Someya K, Tsukano C, Ishikawa T, Nagao M. Synthesis of 8β-hydroxy-9(11),13-abietadien-12-one from (+)-dehydroabietylamine and its AhR ligand activity. RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2023.100912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
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7
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Flegel J, Shaaban S, Jia ZJ, Schulte B, Lian Y, Krzyzanowski A, Metz M, Schneidewind T, Wesseler F, Flegel A, Reich A, Brause A, Xue G, Zhang M, Dötsch L, Stender ID, Hoffmann JE, Scheel R, Janning P, Rastinejad F, Schade D, Strohmann C, Antonchick AP, Sievers S, Moura-Alves P, Ziegler S, Waldmann H. The Highly Potent AhR Agonist Picoberin Modulates Hh-Dependent Osteoblast Differentiation. J Med Chem 2022; 65:16268-16289. [PMID: 36459434 PMCID: PMC9791665 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Identification and analysis of small molecule bioactivity in target-agnostic cellular assays and monitoring changes in phenotype followed by identification of the biological target are a powerful approach for the identification of novel bioactive chemical matter in particular when the monitored phenotype is disease-related and physiologically relevant. Profiling methods that enable the unbiased analysis of compound-perturbed states can suggest mechanisms of action or even targets for bioactive small molecules and may yield novel insights into biology. Here we report the enantioselective synthesis of natural-product-inspired 8-oxotetrahydroprotoberberines and the identification of Picoberin, a low picomolar inhibitor of Hedgehog (Hh)-induced osteoblast differentiation. Global transcriptome and proteome profiling revealed the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) as the molecular target of this compound and identified a cross talk between Hh and AhR signaling during osteoblast differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Flegel
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Saad Shaaban
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Vienna Währinger Str. 38, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Zhi Jun Jia
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Evidence-Based Pharmacy Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Britta Schulte
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Yilong Lian
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian Krzyzanowski
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Malte Metz
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Tabea Schneidewind
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Fabian Wesseler
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Anke Flegel
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Alisa Reich
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Alexandra Brause
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Gang Xue
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Minghao Zhang
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Lara Dötsch
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Isabelle D Stender
- Protein Chemistry Facility, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Jan-Erik Hoffmann
- Protein Chemistry Facility, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Rebecca Scheel
- Faculty of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Petra Janning
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Fraydoon Rastinejad
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Dennis Schade
- Dept. of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel 24118, Germany
| | - Carsten Strohmann
- Faculty of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Andrey P Antonchick
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Department of Chemistry and Forensics, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom
| | - Sonja Sievers
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Compound Management and Screening Center, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Pedro Moura-Alves
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom.,i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Slava Ziegler
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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8
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Dai S, Qu L, Li J, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Wei H, Guo M, Chen X, Chen Y. Structural insight into the ligand binding mechanism of aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6234. [PMID: 36266304 PMCID: PMC9585082 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33858-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) family of transcription factors, plays important roles in regulating xenobiotic metabolism, cellular differentiation, stem cell maintenance, as well as immunity. More recently, AHR has gained significant interest as a drug target for the development of novel cancer immunotherapy drugs. Detailed understanding of AHR-ligand binding has been hampered for decades by the lack of a three-dimensional structure of the AHR PAS-B domain. Here, we present multiple crystal structures of the Drosophila AHR PAS-B domain, including its apo, ligand-bound, and AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT) PAS-B-bound forms. Together with biochemical and cellular assays, our data reveal structural features of the AHR PAS-B domain, provide insights into the mechanism of AHR ligand binding, and provide the structural basis for the future development of AHR-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyan Dai
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Lingzhi Qu
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Jun Li
- grid.461579.8Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001 China
| | - Ye Zhang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Longying Jiang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Hudie Wei
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Ming Guo
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Xiaojuan Chen
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
| | - Yongheng Chen
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Oncology, NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics & State Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Anticancer Drugs, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 China
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9
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Brinkmann V, Romeo M, Larigot L, Hemmers A, Tschage L, Kleinjohann J, Schiavi A, Steinwachs S, Esser C, Menzel R, Giani Tagliabue S, Bonati L, Cox F, Ale-Agha N, Jakobs P, Altschmied J, Haendeler J, Coumoul X, Ventura N. Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Dependent and -Independent Pathways Mediate Curcumin Anti-Aging Effects. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:613. [PMID: 35453298 PMCID: PMC9024831 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor whose activity can be modulated by polyphenols, such as curcumin. AhR and curcumin have evolutionarily conserved effects on aging. Here, we investigated whether and how the AhR mediates the anti-aging effects of curcumin across species. Using a combination of in vivo, in vitro, and in silico analyses, we demonstrated that curcumin has AhR-dependent or -independent effects in a context-specific manner. We found that in Caenorhabditis elegans, AhR mediates curcumin-induced lifespan extension, most likely through a ligand-independent inhibitory mechanism related to its antioxidant activity. Curcumin also showed AhR-independent anti-aging activities, such as protection against aggregation-prone proteins and oxidative stress in C. elegans and promotion of the migratory capacity of human primary endothelial cells. These AhR-independent effects are largely mediated by the Nrf2/SKN-1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Brinkmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Margherita Romeo
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Lucie Larigot
- Faculté des Sciences Fondamentales et Biomédicales, Université de Paris, 45 Rue des Saints-Pères, F-75006 Paris, France; (L.L.); (X.C.)
| | - Anne Hemmers
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Lisa Tschage
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Jennifer Kleinjohann
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Alfonso Schiavi
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Swantje Steinwachs
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Charlotte Esser
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Ralph Menzel
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Sara Giani Tagliabue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy; (S.G.T.); (L.B.)
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy; (S.G.T.); (L.B.)
| | - Fiona Cox
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Niloofar Ale-Agha
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
| | - Philipp Jakobs
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
| | - Joachim Altschmied
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
| | - Judith Haendeler
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
| | - Xavier Coumoul
- Faculté des Sciences Fondamentales et Biomédicales, Université de Paris, 45 Rue des Saints-Pères, F-75006 Paris, France; (L.L.); (X.C.)
| | - Natascia Ventura
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostic, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (V.B.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (F.C.); (N.A.-A.); (P.J.); (J.A.); (J.H.)
- IUF—Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf’m Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (A.H.); (L.T.); (J.K.); (S.S.); (C.E.)
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10
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Méndez-López LF, Sosa de León D, López-Cabanillas Lomelí M, González-Martínez BE, Vázquez-Rodríguez JA. Phytochemicals From Vicia faba Beans as Ligands of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor to Regulate Autoimmune Diseases. Front Nutr 2022; 9:790440. [PMID: 35308285 PMCID: PMC8931403 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.790440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Legumes are associated with gut health benefits, and increasing evidence indicates that their consumption reduces the risk of chronic diseases that include autoimmunity. Beans are rich sources of compounds with health-promoting effects, and recent metabolomic approaches have enabled the comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition of Vicia faba L. This article reviewed whether the phytocompounds in broad beans might modulate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which plays an essential role in autoantigen tolerance as a potential dietary strategy for autoimmune disease management. Therefore, thirty molecules present in Vicia faba of the chemical classes of flavonoids, chalcones, stilbenes, jasmonates, alkaloids, and amino acids, and either a human- or microbiome-derived product of biotransformation, retrieved from the literature or predicted in silico were evaluated by docking for affinity against the ligand-binding domain of AhR. Most analyzed compounds showed high affinity even after their metabolism which indicate that some AhR modulators remain active despite several steps in their biotransformation. Hence, our results suggest that in similitude with the gut metabolism of the tryptophan, phytocompounds mainly polyphenols also lead to metabolites that induce the AhR pathway. Furthermore, wyerone acid, wyerone epoxide, jasmonic acid, stizolamine, vicine, and convicine and their metabolite derivatives are reported for the first time as potential AhR ligands. Overall, chronic consumption of phytochemicals in Vicia faba L. and their gut biotransformation may protect against autoimmune disease pathogenesis by AhR modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Méndez-López
- Laboratorio de Alimentos, Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Jesús Alberto Vázquez-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Alimentos, Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Pública, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
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11
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Sellami A, Réau M, Montes M, Lagarde N. Review of in silico studies dedicated to the nuclear receptor family: Therapeutic prospects and toxicological concerns. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:986016. [PMID: 36176461 PMCID: PMC9513233 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.986016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Being in the center of both therapeutic and toxicological concerns, NRs are widely studied for drug discovery application but also to unravel the potential toxicity of environmental compounds such as pesticides, cosmetics or additives. High throughput screening campaigns (HTS) are largely used to detect compounds able to interact with this protein family for both therapeutic and toxicological purposes. These methods lead to a large amount of data requiring the use of computational approaches for a robust and correct analysis and interpretation. The output data can be used to build predictive models to forecast the behavior of new chemicals based on their in vitro activities. This atrticle is a review of the studies published in the last decade and dedicated to NR ligands in silico prediction for both therapeutic and toxicological purposes. Over 100 articles concerning 14 NR subfamilies were carefully read and analyzed in order to retrieve the most commonly used computational methods to develop predictive models, to retrieve the databases deployed in the model building process and to pinpoint some of the limitations they faced.
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12
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Vazquez-Rivera E, Rojas B, Parrott JC, Shen AL, Xing Y, Carney PR, Bradfield CA. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a model PAS sensor. Toxicol Rep 2021; 9:1-11. [PMID: 34950569 PMCID: PMC8671103 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins containing PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) domains are commonly associated with environmental adaptation in a variety of organisms. The PAS domain is found in proteins throughout Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya and often binds small-molecules, supports protein-protein interactions, and transduces input signals to mediate an adaptive physiological response. Signaling events mediated by PAS sensors can occur through induced phosphorelays or genomic events that are often dependent upon PAS domain interactions. In this perspective, we briefly discuss the diversity of PAS domain containing proteins, with particular emphasis on the prototype member, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). This ligand-activated transcription factor acts as a sensor of the chemical environment in humans and many chordates. We conclude with the idea that since mammalian PAS proteins often act through PAS-PAS dimers, undocumented interactions of this type may link biological processes that we currently think of as independent. To support this idea, we present a framework to guide future experiments aimed at fully elucidating the spectrum of PAS-PAS interactions with an eye towards understanding how they might influence environmental sensing in human and wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Vazquez-Rivera
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Brenda Rojas
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Jessica C. Parrott
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Anna L. Shen
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Yongna Xing
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Patrick R. Carney
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Christopher A. Bradfield
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, United States
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13
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Casalegno M, Raos G, Sello G. Identification of viable TCDD access pathways to human AhR PAS-B ligand binding domain. J Mol Graph Model 2021; 105:107886. [PMID: 33706219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2021.107886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Unintentionally released in the environment as by-products of industrial activities, dioxins, exemplified by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), represent a primary concern for human health. Exposure to these chemicals is known to produce a broad spectrum of adverse effects, including cancer. The main mechanism of action of TCDD in humans involves binding to the Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR). Although qualitatively established, TCDD capture by the AhR remains poorly characterized at the molecular level. Starting from a recently developed structural model of the human AhR PAS-B domain, in this work we attempt the identification of viable TCDD access pathways to the human AhR ligand binding domain by means of molecular dynamics. Based on the result of metadynamics simulations, we identify two main regions that may potentially serve as access paths for TCDD. For each path, we characterize the residues closely interacting with TCDD, thereby suggesting a possible mechanism for TCDD capture. Our results are reviewed and discussed in the light of the available information about Human AhR structure and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mosè Casalegno
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via L. Mancinelli 7, 20131, Milano, Italy.
| | - Guido Raos
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via L. Mancinelli 7, 20131, Milano, Italy.
| | - Guido Sello
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Golgi 19, I-20133, Milano, Italy.
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14
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Uemura S, Nakajima Y, Yoshida Y, Furuya M, Matsutani S, Kawate S, Ikeda SI, Tsuji N, Grave E, Wakui H, Itoh H. Biochemical properties of human full-length aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). J Biochem 2021; 168:285-294. [PMID: 32289173 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvaa047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a very unstable protein. AhR binds to the molecular chaperone complex (HSP90-p23-XAP2) to maintain a stable structure in the cytoplasm. After binding to ligands, such as dioxin, AhR translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus with a molecular chaperone complex. The protein forms a heterodimer with Arnt after nuclear transfer, functions as a transcription factor by binding to a xenobiotic responsive element (XRE), and induces the cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1). Because of the unstable protein, expression of the full-length AhR in the E. coli expression system is very difficult. Many studies investigated AhR using AhR domains in vitro. We expressed and purified the human full-length AhR in E. coli expression system. Furthermore, specific antibodies were prepared. Purified full-length AhR could bind to ligand. In the presence of ligand, α-helix and random coil of AhR increased and β-sheet decreased on CD spectrum. Full-length AhR could bind to HSP90, XAP2 and p23 in the presence or absence of ligand. We now show the biochemical properties of full-length AhR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiya Uemura
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Yasutomo Nakajima
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Yuhki Yoshida
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Moeko Furuya
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Shun Matsutani
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Shinya Kawate
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Shun-Ichi Ikeda
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Noriko Tsuji
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Ewa Grave
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Hideki Wakui
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
| | - Hideaki Itoh
- Department of Life Science, Graduate School and Faculty of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita 010-8502, Japan
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15
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Zhu K, Shen C, Tang C, Zhou Y, He C, Zuo Z. Improvement in the screening performance of potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands by using supervised machine learning. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 265:129099. [PMID: 33272675 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which is a ligand-dependent transcription factor, plays a crucial role in the regulation of xenobiotic metabolism. There are a large number of artificial or natural molecules in the environment that can activate AhR. In this study, we developed a virtual screening procedure to identify potential ligands of AhR. One structure-based method and two ligand-based methods were used for the virtual screening procedure. The results showed that the precision rate (0.96) and recall rate (0.64) of our procedure were significantly higher than those of a procedure used in a previous study, which suggests that supervised machine learning techniques can greatly improve the performance of virtual screening. Moreover, a pesticide dataset including 777 frequently used pesticides was screened. Seventy-seven pesticides were identified as potential AhR ligands by all three screening methods, among which 12 have never been previously reported as AhR agonists. Two non-agonist AhR ligands and 14 of the 77 pesticides were randomly selected for testing by in vitro and in vivo assays. All 14 pesticides showed different degrees of AhR agonistic activity, and none of the two non-agonist AhR ligand pesticides showed AhR agonistic activity, which suggests that our procedure had good robustness. Four of the pesticides were reported as AhR agonists for the first time, suggesting that these pesticides may need further toxicity assessment. In general, our procedure is a rapid, powerful and computationally inexpensive tool for predicting chemicals with AhR agonistic activity, which could be useful for environmental risk prediction and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kongyang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Chao Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Chen Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Yixi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China
| | - Chengyong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
| | - Zhenghong Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361005, China.
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16
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Kazzaz SA, Giani Tagliabue S, Franks DG, Denison MS, Hahn ME, Bonati L, Powell WH. An aryl hydrocarbon receptor from the caecilian Gymnopis multiplicata suggests low dioxin affinity in the ancestor of all three amphibian orders. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 299:113592. [PMID: 32858041 PMCID: PMC7771225 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) plays pleiotropic roles in the development and physiology of vertebrates in conjunction with xenobiotic and endogenous ligands. It is best known for mediating the toxic effects of dioxin-like pollutants such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). While most vertebrates possess at least one AHR that binds TCDD tightly, amphibian AHRs bind TCDD with very low affinity. Previous analyses of AHRs from Xenopus laevis (a frog; order Anura) and Ambystoma mexicanum (a salamander; order Caudata) identified three amino acid residues in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) that underlie low-affinity binding. In X. laevis AHR1β, these are A354, A370, and N325. Here we extend the analysis of amphibian AHRs to the caecilian Gymnopis multiplicata, representing the remaining extant amphibian order, Gymnophiona. G. multiplicata AHR groups with the monophyletic vertebrate AHR/AHR1 clade. The LBD includes all three signature residues of low TCDD affinity, and a structural homology model suggests that its architecture closely resembles those of other amphibians. In transactivation assays, the EC50 for reporter gene induction by TCDD was 17.17 nM, comparable to X. laevis AhR1β (26.23 nM) and Ambystoma AHR (34.09 nM) and dramatically higher than mouse AhR (0.13 nM), a trend generally reflected in direct measures of TCDD binding. These shared properties distinguish amphibian AHRs from the high-affinity proteins typical of both vertebrate groups that diverged earlier (teleost fish) and those that appeared more recently (other tetrapods). These findings suggest the hypothesis that AHRs with low TCDD affinity represent a characteristic that evolved in a common ancestor of all three extant amphibian groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Kazzaz
- Biology Department, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH 43022, USA
| | - Sara Giani Tagliabue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
| | - Diana G Franks
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mark E Hahn
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
| | - Wade H Powell
- Biology Department, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH 43022, USA.
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17
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Hypoxia and Oxygen-Sensing Signaling in Gene Regulation and Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218162. [PMID: 33142830 PMCID: PMC7663541 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxygen homeostasis regulation is the most fundamental cellular process for adjusting physiological oxygen variations, and its irregularity leads to various human diseases, including cancer. Hypoxia is closely associated with cancer development, and hypoxia/oxygen-sensing signaling plays critical roles in the modulation of cancer progression. The key molecules of the hypoxia/oxygen-sensing signaling include the transcriptional regulator hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) which widely controls oxygen responsive genes, the central members of the 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG)-dependent dioxygenases, such as prolyl hydroxylase (PHD or EglN), and an E3 ubiquitin ligase component for HIF degeneration called von Hippel–Lindau (encoding protein pVHL). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the canonical hypoxia signaling, HIF transcription factors, and pVHL. In addition, the role of 2-OG-dependent enzymes, such as DNA/RNA-modifying enzymes, JmjC domain-containing enzymes, and prolyl hydroxylases, in gene regulation of cancer progression, is specifically reviewed. We also discuss the therapeutic advancement of targeting hypoxia and oxygen sensing pathways in cancer.
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18
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Faber SC, Giani Tagliabue S, Bonati L, Denison MS. The Cellular and Molecular Determinants of Naphthoquinone-Dependent Activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114111. [PMID: 32526934 PMCID: PMC7312509 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) and 1,4-naphthoquinone (1,4-NQ) are clinically promising biologically active chemicals that have been shown to stimulate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling pathway, but whether they are direct or indirect ligands or activate the AhR in a ligand-independent manner is unknown. Given the structural diversity of AhR ligands, multiple mechanisms of AhR activation of gene expression, and species differences in AhR ligand binding and response, we examined the ability of 1,2-NQ and 1,4-NQ to bind to and activate the mouse and human AhRs using a series of in vitro AhR-specific bioassays and in silico modeling techniques. Both NQs induced AhR-dependent gene expression in mouse and human hepatoma cells, but were more potent and efficacious in human cells. 1,2-NQ and 1,4-NQ stimulated AhR transformation and DNA binding in vitro and was inhibited by AhR antagonists. Ligand binding analysis confirmed the ability of 1,2-NQ and 1,4-NQ to competitively bind to the AhR ligand binding cavity and the molecular determinants for interactions were predicted by molecular modeling methods. NQs were shown to bind distinctly differently from that of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and differences were also observed between species. Mutation of amino acid residues (F289, M334, and M342) involved in critical NQ:AhR binding interactions, decreased NQ- and AhR-dependent gene expression, consistent with a role for these residues in binding and activation of the AhR by NQs. These studies provide insights into the molecular mechanism of action of NQs and contribute to the development of emerging NQ-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C. Faber
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Sara Giani Tagliabue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (S.G.T.); (L.B.)
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (S.G.T.); (L.B.)
| | - Michael S. Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(530)-752-3879
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19
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Artyukov AA, Zelepuga EA, Bogdanovich LN, Lupach NM, Novikov VL, Rutckova TA, Kozlovskaya EP. Marine Polyhydroxynaphthoquinone, Echinochrome A: Prevention of Atherosclerotic Inflammation and Probable Molecular Targets. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E1494. [PMID: 32429179 PMCID: PMC7291202 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of low doses of echinochrome A (EchA), a natural polyhydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone pigment from the sea urchin Scaphechinus mirabilis, has been studied in clinical trials, when it was used as an active substance of the drug Histochrome® and biologically active supplement Thymarin. Several parameters of lipid metabolism, antioxidant status, and the state of the immune system were analyzed in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including contaminating atherosclerosis. It has been shown that EchA effectively normalizes lipid metabolism, recovers antioxidant status and reduces atherosclerotic inflammation, regardless of the method of these preparations' administrations. Treatment of EchA has led to the stabilization of patients, improved function of the intracellular matrix and decreased epithelial dysfunction. The increased expression of surface human leukocyte antigen DR isotype (HLA-DR) receptors reflects the intensification of intercellular cooperation of immune cells, as well as an increase in the efficiency of processing and presentation of antigens, while the regulation of CD95 + expression levels suggests the stimulation of cell renewal processes. The immune system goes to a different level of functioning. Computer simulations suggest that EchA, with its aromatic structure of the naphthoquinone nucleus, may be a suitable ligand of the cytosolic aryl cell receptor, which affects the response of the immune system and causes the rapid expression of detoxification enzymes such as CYP and DT diaphorase, which play a protective role with CVD. Therefore, EchA possesses not only an antiradical effect and antioxidant activity, but is also a SOD3 mimetic, producing hydrogen peroxide and controlling the expression of cell enzymes through hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr A. Artyukov
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 159 Prospect 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022, Russia; (A.A.A.); (E.A.Z.); (V.L.N.); (T.A.R.)
| | - Elena A. Zelepuga
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 159 Prospect 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022, Russia; (A.A.A.); (E.A.Z.); (V.L.N.); (T.A.R.)
| | - Larisa N. Bogdanovich
- Medical Association of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEB RAS MO), Kirov Str., 95, Vladivostok 690022, Russia;
| | - Natalia M. Lupach
- Primorye Regional Clinical Hospital No. One (SHI), Aleutskaya Str., 57, Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai 690091, Russia;
| | - Vyacheslav L. Novikov
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 159 Prospect 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022, Russia; (A.A.A.); (E.A.Z.); (V.L.N.); (T.A.R.)
| | - Tatyana A. Rutckova
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 159 Prospect 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022, Russia; (A.A.A.); (E.A.Z.); (V.L.N.); (T.A.R.)
| | - Emma P. Kozlovskaya
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 159 Prospect 100-letiya Vladivostoka, Vladivostok 690022, Russia; (A.A.A.); (E.A.Z.); (V.L.N.); (T.A.R.)
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20
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Vyhlídalová B, Krasulová K, Pečinková P, Poulíková K, Vrzal R, Andrysík Z, Chandran A, Mani S, Dvorak Z. Antimigraine Drug Avitriptan Is a Ligand and Agonist of Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor That Induces CYP1A1 in Hepatic and Intestinal Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082799. [PMID: 32316498 PMCID: PMC7216230 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The efforts for therapeutic targeting of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) have emerged in recent years. We investigated the effects of available antimigraine triptan drugs, having an indole core in their structure, on AhR signaling in human hepatic and intestinal cells. Activation of AhR in reporter gene assays was observed for Avitriptan and to a lesser extent for Donitriptan, while other triptans were very weak or no activators of AhR. Using competitive binding assay and by homology docking, we identified Avitriptan as a low-affinity ligand of AhR. Avitriptan triggered nuclear translocation of AhR and increased binding of AhR in CYP1A1 promotor DNA, as revealed by immune-fluorescence microscopy and chromatin immune-precipitation assay, respectively. Strong induction of CYP1A1 mRNA was achieved by Avitriptan in wild type but not in AhR-knockout, immortalized human hepatocytes, implying that induction of CYP1A1 is AhR-dependent. Increased levels of CYP1A1 mRNA by Avitriptan were observed in human colon carcinoma cells LS180 but not in primary cultures of human hepatocytes. Collectively, we show that Avitriptan is a weak ligand and activator of human AhR, which induces the expression of CYP1A1 in a cell-type specific manner. Our data warrant the potential off-label therapeutic application of Avitriptan as an AhR-agonist drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Vyhlídalová
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
| | - Kristýna Krasulová
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
| | - Petra Pečinková
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
| | - Karolína Poulíková
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
| | - Radim Vrzal
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
| | - Zdeněk Andrysík
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Aneesh Chandran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1065, USA;
| | - Sridhar Mani
- Department of Genetics and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (Z.D.); Tel.: +1-718-430-2871 (S.M.); +420-58-5634903 (Z.D.)
| | - Zdenek Dvorak
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (B.V.); (K.K.); (P.P.); (K.P.); (R.V.)
- Correspondence: (S.M.); (Z.D.); Tel.: +1-718-430-2871 (S.M.); +420-58-5634903 (Z.D.)
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21
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Calahorra J, Martínez-Lara E, Granadino-Roldán JM, Martí JM, Cañuelo A, Blanco S, Oliver FJ, Siles E. Crosstalk between hydroxytyrosol, a major olive oil phenol, and HIF-1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6361. [PMID: 32286485 PMCID: PMC7156391 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63417-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Olive oil intake has been linked with a lower incidence of breast cancer. Hypoxic microenvironment in solid tumors, such as breast cancer, is known to play a crucial role in cancer progression and in the failure of anticancer treatments. HIF-1 is the foremost effector in hypoxic response, and given that hydroxytyrosol (HT) is one of the main bioactive compounds in olive oil, in this study we deepen into its modulatory role on HIF-1. Our results in MCF-7 breast cancer cells demonstrate that HT decreases HIF-1α protein, probably by downregulating oxidative stress and by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Strikingly, the expression of HIF-1 target genes does not show a parallel decrease. Particularly, adrenomedullin and vascular endothelial growth factor are up-regulated by high concentrations of HT even in HIF-1α silenced cells, pointing to HIF-1-independent mechanisms of regulation. In fact, we show, by in silico modelling and transcriptional analysis, that high doses of HT may act as an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor favoring the induction of these angiogenic genes. In conclusion, we suggest that the effect of HT in a hypoxic environment is largely affected by its concentration and involves both HIF-1 dependent and independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Calahorra
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain
| | - Esther Martínez-Lara
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain
| | - José M Granadino-Roldán
- Departamento de Química Física y Analítica, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain
| | - Juan M Martí
- Instituto López Neyra de Parasitología y Biomedicina, IPBLN, CSIC PTS-Granada, Armilla, 18016, Spain
| | - Ana Cañuelo
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain
| | - Santos Blanco
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain
| | - F Javier Oliver
- Instituto López Neyra de Parasitología y Biomedicina, IPBLN, CSIC PTS-Granada, Armilla, 18016, Spain
| | - Eva Siles
- Departamento de Biología Experimental, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, 23071, Spain.
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22
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Transitional States in Ligand-Dependent Transformation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor into Its DNA-Binding Form. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072474. [PMID: 32252465 PMCID: PMC7177239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the biological and toxicological effects of an AhR lacking the entire PASB structurally diverse chemicals, including halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. Ligand-dependent transformation of the AhR into its DNA binding form involves a ligand-dependent conformational change, heat shock protein 90 (hsp90), dissociation from the AhR complex and AhR dimerization with the AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) protein. The mechanism of AhR transformation was examined using mutational approaches and stabilization of the AhR:hsp90 complex with sodium molybdate. Insertion of a single mutation (F281A) in the hsp90-binding region of the AhR resulted in its constitutive (ligand-independent) transformation/DNA binding in vitro. Mutations of AhR residues within the Arg-Cys-rich region (R212A, R217A, R219A) and Asp371 (D371A) impaired AhR transformation without a significant effect on ligand binding. Stabilization of AhR:hsp90 binding with sodium molybdate decreased transformation/DNA binding of the wild type AhR but had no effect on constitutively active AhR mutants. Interestingly, transformation of the AhR in the presence of molybdate allowed detection of an intermediate transformation ternary complex containing hsp90, AhR, and ARNT. These results are consistent with a stepwise transformation mechanism in which binding of ARNT to the liganded AhR:hsp90 complex results in a progressive displacement of hsp90 and conversion of the AhR into its high affinity DNA binding form. The available molecular insights into the signaling mechanism of other Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) domains and structural information on hsp90 association with other client proteins are consistent with the proposed transformation mechanism of the AhR.
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23
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Hwang JH, Kannan K, Evans TJ, Iwata H, Kim EY. Assessment of Risks of Dioxins for Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Mediated Effects in Polar Bear ( Ursus maritimus) by in Vitro and in Silico Approaches. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:1770-1781. [PMID: 31841312 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations accumulate dioxins and related compounds (DRCs) at levels that are of health concern. The toxicities of DRCs are primarily mediated via aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling pathway. To evaluate the sensitivity and responses to DRCs in polar bears, we assessed the activation potencies of polar bear-specific AHR (pbAHR) by DRCs through in vitro and in silico approaches. In vitro assays showed that the pbAHR was as sensitive to DRCs as C3H/lpr mouse AHR, which is well-known to be highly sensitive to DRCs. Comparison of pbAHR transactivation potencies indicated that TCDF, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, and BaP exhibited high induction equivalency factors (IEFs). Considering the accumulation levels of DRCs in polar bears, PCB126 was found to be the most active inducer of pbAHR. The in vitro transactivation potencies of ligands of pbAHR showed a significant relationship with in silico ligand docking energies in a pbAHR homology model. The protein ligand interaction fingerprint (PLIF) analysis showed different interaction patterns depending on the ligands. Several amino acids which are highly conserved among mammals may be involved in species-specific responses via backbone interactions with neighboring amino acid residues which are specific to pbAHR. We document high susceptibility of polar bears to DRCs, through a mechanistic approach, for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hee Hwang
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology , Kyung Hee University , Seoul 130-701 , Korea
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center , New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza , P.O. Box 509, Albany , New York 12201-0509 , United States
| | - Thomas J Evans
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service , Office of Subsistence Management , Anchorage , Alaska 99503 , United States
| | - Hisato Iwata
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES) , Ehime University , Matsuyama 790-8577 , Japan
| | - Eun-Young Kim
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology , Kyung Hee University , Seoul 130-701 , Korea
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24
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Liu Y, Wei Y, Zhang S, Yan X, Zhu H, Xu L, Zhao B, Xie HQ, Yan B. Regulation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling Pathway and Dioxin Toxicity by Novel Agonists and Antagonists. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:614-624. [PMID: 31878777 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dioxins, mostly through activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), are potent toxic substances widely distributed in the environment, while moderated suppression of AhR also exhibits anti-tumor effects. Therefore, the proper modulation of AhR activity may counteract AhR-mediated toxicities and certain diseases. In this investigation, we identified several novel AhR moderate agonists and antagonists using chemical biology approaches. The mechanisms and mode of interactions with AhR by these hits were also revealed using both experimental and computational studies. The newly identified AhR moderate agonists and antagonists were predicted to bind to AhR and modulate AhR signaling. The structure-activity relationships of moderate agonists and antagonists and their unique binding features with AhR have created a solid framework for further optimization of the next generation of AhR modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Yongyi Wei
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta , Ministry of Education , Guangzhou 510006 , China.,School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Qingdao 266237 , China
| | - Songyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Xiliang Yan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Qingdao 266237 , China.,The Rutgers Center for Computational and Integrative Biology , Camden , New Jersey 08102 , United States
| | - Hao Zhu
- The Rutgers Center for Computational and Integrative Biology , Camden , New Jersey 08102 , United States
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Heidi Qunhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Bing Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta , Ministry of Education , Guangzhou 510006 , China.,School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Shandong University , Qingdao 266237 , China
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25
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Chen J, Haller CA, Jernigan FE, Koerner SK, Wong DJ, Wang Y, Cheong JE, Kosaraju R, Kwan J, Park DD, Thomas B, Bhasin S, De La Rosa RC, Premji AM, Liu L, Park E, Moss AC, Emili A, Bhasin M, Sun L, Chaikof EL. Modulation of lymphocyte-mediated tissue repair by rational design of heterocyclic aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay8230. [PMID: 31998845 PMCID: PMC6962035 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay8230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is an essential regulator of gut immunity and a promising therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Current AHR agonists are inadequate for clinical translation due to low activity, inadequate pharmacokinetics, or toxicity. We synthesized a structurally diverse library and used integrated computational and experimental studies to discover mechanisms governing ligand-receptor interaction and to design potent drug leads PY109 and PY108, which display physiochemical drug-likeness properties, desirable pharmacokinetic profiles, and low toxicity. In a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, orally administered compounds increase interleukin-22 (IL-22) production and accelerate mucosal healing by modulating mucosal adaptive and innate lymphoid cells. AHR and IL-22 pathway induction was confirmed using RNA sequencing and characterization of the lymphocyte protein-protein interaction network. Significant induction of IL-22 was also observed using human T cells from patients with IBD. Our findings support rationally designed AHR agonists for IBD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxuan Chen
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Carolyn A. Haller
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Finith E. Jernigan
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Steffi K. Koerner
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Daniel J. Wong
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yiqiang Wang
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jae Eun Cheong
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Revanth Kosaraju
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Julian Kwan
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Diane D. Park
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Beena Thomas
- BIDMC Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Swati Bhasin
- BIDMC Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Roberto C. De La Rosa
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Alykhan M. Premji
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Liying Liu
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eden Park
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alan C. Moss
- Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrew Emili
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Manoj Bhasin
- BIDMC Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lijun Sun
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Elliot L. Chaikof
- Department of Surgery, Center for Drug Discovery and Translational Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, 3 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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26
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Baker JR, Sakoff JA, McCluskey A. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) as a breast cancer drug target. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:972-1001. [PMID: 31721255 DOI: 10.1002/med.21645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with more than 1.7 million diagnoses worldwide per annum. Metastatic breast cancer remains incurable, and the presence of triple-negative phenotypes makes targeted treatment impossible. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), most commonly associated with the metabolism of xenobiotic ligands, has emerged as a promising biological target for the treatment of this deadly disease. Ligands for the AhR can be classed as exogenous or endogenous and may have agonistic or antagonistic activity. It has been well reported that agonistic ligands may have potent and selective growth inhibition activity in a number of oncogenic cell lines, and one (aminoflavone) has progressed to phase I clinical trials for breast cancer sufferers. In this study, we examine the current state of the literature in this area and elucidate the promising advances that are being made in hijacking the cytosolic-to-nuclear pathway of the AhR for the possible future treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Baker
- Chemistry, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, the University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Jennette A Sakoff
- Department of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital, Waratah, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam McCluskey
- Chemistry, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, the University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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27
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Mexia N, Koutrakis S, He G, Skaltsounis AL, Denison MS, Magiatis P. A Biomimetic, One-Step Transformation of Simple Indolic Compounds to Malassezia-Related Alkaloids with High AhR Potency and Efficacy. Chem Res Toxicol 2019; 32:2238-2249. [PMID: 31647221 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Malassezia furfur isolates from diseased skin preferentially biosynthesize compounds which are among the most active known aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) inducers, such as indirubin, tryptanthrin, indolo[3,2-b]carbazole, and 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole. In our effort to study their production from Malassezia spp., we investigated the role of indole-3-carbaldehyde (I3A), the most abundant metabolite of Malassezia when grown on tryptophan agar, as a possible starting material for the biosynthesis of the alkaloids. Treatment of I3A with H2O2 and use of catalysts like diphenyldiselenide resulted in the simultaneous one-step transformation of I3A to indirubin and tryptanthrin in good yields. The same reaction was first applied on simple indole and then on substituted indoles and indole-3-carbaldehydes, leading to a series of mono- and bisubstituted indirubins and tryptanthrins bearing halogens, alkyl, or carbomethoxy groups. Afterward, they were evaluated for their AhR agonist activity in recombinant human and mouse hepatoma cell lines containing a stably transfected AhR-response luciferase reporter gene. Among them, 3,9-dibromotryptanthrin was found to be equipotent to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as an AhR agonist, and 3-bromotryptanthrin was 10-times more potent than TCDD in the human HG2L7.5c1 cell line. In contrast, 3,9-dibromotryptanthrin and 3-bromotryptanthrin were ∼4000 and >10,000 times less potent than TCDD in the mouse H1L7.5c3 cell line, respectively, demonstrating that they are species-specific AhR agonists. Involvement of the AhR in the action of 3-bromotryptanthrin was confirmed by the ability of the AhR antagonists CH223191 and SR1 to inhibit 3-bromotryptanthrin-dependent reporter gene induction in human HG2L7.5c1 cells. In conclusion, I3A can be the starting material used by Malassezia for the production of both indirubin and tryptanthrin through an oxidation mechanism, and modification of these compounds can produce some highly potent, efficacious and species-selective AhR agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikitia Mexia
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens 15771 , Greece
| | - Stamatis Koutrakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens 15771 , Greece
| | - Guochun He
- Department of Environmental Toxicology , University of California, Davis , Davis , California 95616 , United States
| | - Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens 15771 , Greece
| | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology , University of California, Davis , Davis , California 95616 , United States
| | - Prokopios Magiatis
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens 15771 , Greece.,Department of Environmental Toxicology , University of California, Davis , Davis , California 95616 , United States
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28
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Giani Tagliabue S, Faber SC, Motta S, Denison MS, Bonati L. Modeling the binding of diverse ligands within the Ah receptor ligand binding domain. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10693. [PMID: 31337850 PMCID: PMC6650409 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47138-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ah receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor belonging to the basic helix-loop-helix Per-Arnt-Sim (bHLH-PAS) superfamily. Binding to and activation of the AhR by a variety of chemicals results in the induction of expression of diverse genes and production of a broad spectrum of biological and toxic effects. The AhR also plays important roles in several physiological responses, which has led it to become a novel target for the development of therapeutic drugs. Differences in the interactions of various ligands within the AhR ligand binding domain (LBD) may contribute to differential modulation of AhR functionality. We combined computational and experimental analyses to investigate the binding modes of a group of chemicals representative of major classes of AhR ligands. On the basis of a novel computational approach for molecular docking to the homology model of the AhR LBD that includes the receptor flexibility, we predicted specific residues within the AhR binding cavity that play a critical role in binding of three distinct groups of chemicals. The prediction was validated by site-directed mutagenesis and evaluation of the relative ligand binding affinities for the mutant AhRs. These results provide an avenue for understanding ligand modulation of the AhR functionality and for rational drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Giani Tagliabue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Samantha C Faber
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stefano Motta
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
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29
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Kim EY, Inoue N, Koh DH, Iwata H. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 potentially mediates cytochrome P450 1A induction in the jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 171:99-111. [PMID: 30597322 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To understand the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) isoforms in avian species, we investigated the functional characteristics of two AHR isoforms (designated as jcAHR1 and jcAHR2) of the jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos). Two amino acid residues corresponding to Ile324 and Ser380 (high sensitive type) in chicken AHR1 that are known to determine dioxin sensitivity were Ile325 and Ala381 (moderate sensitive type) in jcAHR1 and Val306 and Ala362 (low sensitive type) in jcAHR2. The quantitative comparison of the two jcAHR mRNA expression levels in a Tokyo jungle crow population showed that jcAHR2 accounted for 92.4% in the liver, while jcAHR1 accounted for only 7.6%. Both in vitro-expressed jcAHR1 and jcAHR2 proteins exhibited a specific binding to [3H]-labeled 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Transactivation potencies for jcAHR1 and jcAHR2 in in vitro reporter gene assays were measured in jcAHR-expressed cells exposed to 16 dioxins and related compounds (DRCs). Both jcAHR1 and jcAHR2 were activated in a congener- and an isoform-specific manner. EC50 value of TCDD for jcAHR2 (0.61 nM) was six-fold higher than that for jcAHR1 (0.098 nM), but jcAHR2 had higher transactivation efficacy than jcAHR1 in terms of the magnitude of response. The high transactivation efficacy of jcAHR2 in DRCs is in contrast to that of AHR2s in other avian species with low transactivation efficacy. Molecular docking simulations of TCDD with in silico jcAHR1 and jcAHR2 homology models showed that the two sensitivity-decisive amino acids indirectly controlled TCDD-binding modes through their surrounding amino acids. Deletion assays of jcAHR2 revealed that 736-805 amino acid residues in the C-terminal region were critical for its transactivation. We suggest that jcAHR2 plays a critical role in regulating the AHR signaling pathway, at least in its highly expressed organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Young Kim
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
| | - Naomi Inoue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Dong-Hee Koh
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Hisato Iwata
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
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Faber SC, Soshilov AA, Giani Tagliabue S, Bonati L, Denison MS. Comparative In Vitro and In Silico Analysis of the Selectivity of Indirubin as a Human Ah Receptor Agonist. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2692. [PMID: 30201897 PMCID: PMC6165432 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that modulates gene expression following its binding and activation by structurally diverse chemicals. Species differences in AhR functionality have been observed, with the mouse AhR (mAhR) and human AhR (hAhR) exhibiting significant differences in ligand binding, coactivator recruitment, gene expression and response. While the AhR agonist indirubin (IR) is a more potent activator of hAhR-dependent gene expression than the prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), it is a significantly less potent activator of the mAhR. DNA binding analysis confirmed the greater potency/efficacy of IR in stimulating transformation/DNA binding of the hAhR in vitro and domain-swapping experiments demonstrated that the enhanced response to IR was primarily due to the hAhR ligand binding domain (LBD). Site-directed mutagenesis and functional analysis studies revealed that mutation of H326 and A349 in the mAhR LBD to the corresponding residues in the hAhR LBD significantly increased the potency of IR. Since these mutations had no significant effect on ligand binding, these residues likely contribute to an enhanced efficiency of transformation/DNA binding by IR-bound hAhR. Molecular docking to mAhR LBD homology models further elucidated the different roles of the A375V mutation in TCDD and IR binding, as revealed by [³H]TCDD competitive binding results. These results demonstrate the differential binding of structurally diverse ligands within the LBD of a given AhR and confirm that amino acid differences within the LBD of AhRs contribute to significant species differences in ligand response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C Faber
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Anatoly A Soshilov
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Sara Giani Tagliabue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy.
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy.
| | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Murugesan T, Rajajeyabalachandran G, Kumar S, Nagaraju S, Jegatheesan SK. Targeting HIF-2α as therapy for advanced cancers. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1444-1451. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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In vitro toxicity and in silico docking analysis of two novel selective AH-receptor modulators. Toxicol In Vitro 2018; 52:178-188. [PMID: 29908305 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The mediator of dioxin toxicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), has also important physiological functions. Selective AHR modulators (SAHRMs) share some effects of dioxins, except for their marked toxicity. We recently characterised toxicologically two novel SAHRMs, prodrugs IMA-08401 and IMA-07101 in rats, demonstrating that they are far less deleterious than the most toxic AHR-agonist, TCDD. Here, we analysed the in vitro toxicity and in silico AHR binding of the respective active, deacetylated metabolites, IMA-06201 (N-ethyl-N-phenyl-5-chloro-1,2-dihydro-4-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-oxo-quinoline-3-carboxamide) and IMA-06504 (N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1,2-dihydro-4-hydroxy-5-methoxy-1-methyl-2-oxo-quinoline-3-carboxamide). In H4IIE rat hepatoma cells, IMA-06201 and IMA-06504 induced CYP1A1 with comparable potencies and efficacies to those of TCDD. They had little effect on cell viability as assessed by LDH leakage and MTT reduction assays, and were not mutagenic in the Ames test, but IMA-06504 elicited a maximally 2.7-fold increase in micronuclei. Molecular docking simulations showed that similar to TCDD, they occupy the central region of AHR ligand binding cavity. Hence, while showing low to negligible in vitro toxicity, these novel SAHRMs bind to the AHR qualitatively in a similar fashion to TCDD, and appear comparably powerful AHR agonists. Combined with our earlier results demonstrating that they seem considerably less toxic in vivo than TCDD, these compounds are thus highly interesting new SAHRMs.
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Stepankova M, Bartonkova I, Jiskrova E, Vrzal R, Mani S, Kortagere S, Dvorak Z. Methylindoles and Methoxyindoles are Agonists and Antagonists of Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor. Mol Pharmacol 2018; 93:631-644. [PMID: 29626056 DOI: 10.1124/mol.118.112151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel methylindoles were identified as endobiotic and xenobiotic ligands of the human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We examined the effects of 22 methylated and methoxylated indoles on the transcriptional activity of AhRs. Employing reporter gene assays in AZ-AHR transgenic cells, we determined full agonist, partial agonist, or antagonist activities of tested compounds, having substantially variable EC50, IC50, and relative efficacies. The most effective agonists (EMAX relative to 5 nM dioxin) of the AhR were 4-Me-indole (134%), 6-Me-indole (91%), and 7-MeO-indole (80%), respectively. The most effective antagonists of the AhR included 3-Me-indole (IC50; 19 μM), 2,3-diMe-indole (IC50; 11 μM), and 2,3,7-triMe-indole (IC50; 12 μM). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses of CYP1A1 mRNA in LS180 cells confirmed the data from gene reporter assays. The compound leads, 4-Me-indole and 7-MeO-indole, induced substantial nuclear translocation of the AhR and enriched binding of the AhR to the CYP1A1 promoter, as observed using fluorescent immunohistochemistry and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, respectively. Molecular modeling and docking studies suggest the agonists and antagonists likely share the same binding pocket but have unique binding modes that code for their affinity. Binding pocket analysis further revealed that 4-methylindole and 7-methoxyindole can simultaneously bind to the pocket and produce synergistic interactions. Together, these data show a dependence on subtle and specific chemical indole structures as AhR modulators and furthermore underscore the importance of complete evaluation of indole compounds as nuclear receptor ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Stepankova
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Iveta Bartonkova
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Eva Jiskrova
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Radim Vrzal
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Sridhar Mani
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Sandhya Kortagere
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
| | - Zdenek Dvorak
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (M.S., I.B., E.J., R.V., Z.D.); Departments of Genetics and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York (S.M.); and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.K.)
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Larsson M, Fraccalvieri D, Andersson CD, Bonati L, Linusson A, Andersson PL. Identification of potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands by virtual screening of industrial chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:2436-2449. [PMID: 29127629 PMCID: PMC5773624 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0437-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We have developed a virtual screening procedure to identify potential ligands to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) among a set of industrial chemicals. AhR is a key target for dioxin-like compounds, which is related to these compounds' potential to induce cancer and a wide range of endocrine and immune system-related effects. The virtual screening procedure included an initial filtration aiming at identifying chemicals with structural similarities to 66 known AhR binders, followed by 3 enrichment methods run in parallel. These include two ligand-based methods (structural fingerprints and nearest neighbor analysis) and one structure-based method using an AhR homology model. A set of 6445 commonly used industrial chemicals was processed, and each step identified unique potential ligands. Seven compounds were identified by all three enrichment methods, and these compounds included known activators and suppressors of AhR. Only approximately 0.7% (41 compounds) of the studied industrial compounds was identified as potential AhR ligands and among these, 28 compounds have to our knowledge not been tested for AhR-mediated effects or have been screened with low purity. We suggest assessment of AhR-related activities of these compounds and in particular 2-chlorotrityl chloride, 3-p-hydroxyanilino-carbazole, and 3-(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Larsson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Domenico Fraccalvieri
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Linusson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
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Molcan T, Swigonska S, Orlowska K, Myszczynski K, Nynca A, Sadowska A, Ruszkowska M, Jastrzebski JP, Ciereszko RE. Structural-functional adaptations of porcine CYP1A1 to metabolize polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 168:205-216. [PMID: 27783961 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) are widespread by-products of human industrial activity. They accumulate in tissues of animals and humans, exerting numerous adverse effects on different systems. In living organisms, dioxins are metabolized by enzymes of the cytochrome P450 family, including CYP1A1. Particular dioxin congeners differ in their toxicity level and ability to undergo biodegradation. Since the molecular mechanisms underlying dioxin susceptibility or resistance to biodegradation are unknown, in the present study the molecular interactions between five selected dioxins and porcine CYP1A1 protein were investigated. It was found that the ability of a dioxin to undergo CYP1A1-mediated degradation is associated mainly with the number and position of chlorine atoms in the dioxin molecule. Among all examined congeners, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) demonstrated the highest affinity to CYP1A1 and, at the same time, the greatest distance to the active site of the enzyme. Interestingly, in contrast to other dioxins, the binding of the TCDD molecule to the porcine CYP1A1 active site resulted in a rapid and continuous closure of substrate channels. All the information may help to explain the extended half-life of TCDD in living organisms as well as its high toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Molcan
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Sylwia Swigonska
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Karina Orlowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Kamil Myszczynski
- Department of Botany and Nature Protection, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Nynca
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sadowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Monika Ruszkowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jan Pawel Jastrzebski
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Renata E Ciereszko
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland; Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
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Molecular modeling of the AhR structure and interactions can shed light on ligand-dependent activation and transformation mechanisms. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2017; 2:42-49. [PMID: 28497129 DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2017.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular modeling has given important contributions to elucidation of the main stages in the AhR signal transduction pathway. Despite the lack of experimentally determined structures of the AhR functional domains, information derived from homologous systems has been exploited for modeling their structure and interactions. Homology models of the AhR PASB domain have provided information on the binding cavity and contributed to elucidate species-specific differences in ligand binding. Molecular Docking simulations of the ligand binding process have given insights into differences in binding of diverse agonists, antagonists, and selective AhR modulators, and their application to virtual screening of large databases of compounds have allowed identification of novel AhR ligands. Recently available structural information on protein-protein and protein-DNA complexes of other bHLH-PAS systems has opened the way for modeling the AhR:ARNT dimer structure and investigating the mechanisms of AhR transformation and DNA binding. Future research directions should include simulation of the protein dynamics to obtain a more reliable description of intermolecular interactions involved in signal transmission.
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Abstract
Docking, a molecular modelling method, has wide applications in identification and optimization in modern drug discovery. This chapter addresses the recent advances in the docking methodologies like fragment docking, covalent docking, inverse docking, post processing, hybrid techniques, homology modeling etc. and its protocol like searching and scoring functions. Advances in scoring functions for e.g. consensus scoring, quantum mechanics methods, clustering and entropy based methods, fingerprinting, etc. are used to overcome the limitations of the commonly used force-field, empirical and knowledge based scoring functions. It will cover crucial necessities and different algorithms of docking and scoring. Further different aspects like protein flexibility, ligand sampling and flexibility, and the performance of scoring function will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwani Kumar
- Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, India
| | - Ruchika Goyal
- Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, India
| | - Sandeep Jain
- Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, India
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Cheng Y, Jin UH, Davidson LA, Chapkin RS, Jayaraman A, Tamamis P, Orr A, Allred C, Denison MS, Soshilov A, Weaver E, Safe S. Editor's Highlight: Microbial-Derived 1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoic Acid and Related Compounds as Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Agonists/Antagonists: Structure-Activity Relationships and Receptor Modeling. Toxicol Sci 2016; 155:458-473. [PMID: 27837168 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfw230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
1,4-Dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1,4-DHNA) is a bacterial-derived metabolite that binds the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in the gut. The structure-dependent AhR activity of hydroxyl/carboxy-substituted naphthoic acids (NAs) was determined in young adult mouse colonic (YAMC) cells and human Caco2 colon cancer cells using CYP1A1/CYP1B1 mRNAs as Ah-responsive genes. Compounds used in this study include 1,4-, 3,5-, and 3,7-DHNA, 1,4-dimethoxy-2-naphthoic acid (1,4-DMNA), 1- and 4-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1-HNA, 4-HNA), 1- and 2-naphthoic acid (1-NA, 2-NA), and 1- and 2-naphthol (1-NOH, 2-NOH). 1,4-DHNA was the most potent compound among hydroxyl/carboxy naphthalene derivatives, and the fold induction response for CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was similar to that observed for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in YAMC and Caco2 cells. 1- and 4-HNA were less potent than 1,4-DHNA but induced maximal (TCDD-like) response for CYP1B1 (both cell lines) and CYP1A1 (Caco2 cells). With the exception of 1- and 2-NA, all compounds significantly induced Cyp1b1 in YAMC cells and these responses were not observed in AhR-deficient YAMC cells generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. In addition, we also observed that 1- and 2-NOH (and 1,4-DHNA) were weak AhR agonists, and 1- and 2-NOH also exhibited partial AhR antagonist activity. Structure-activity relationship studies for CYP1A1 but not CYP1B1 were similar in both cell lines, and CYP1A1 induction required one or both 1,4-dihydroxy substituents and activity was significantly enhanced by the 2-carboxyl group. We also used computational analysis to show that 1,4-DHNA and TCDD share similar interactions within the AhR binding pocket and differ primarily due to the negatively charged group of 1,4-DHNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Cheng
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology
| | - Un-Ho Jin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology
| | | | | | - Arul Jayaraman
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Phanourios Tamamis
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Asuka Orr
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | | | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Anatoly Soshilov
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Evelyn Weaver
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology
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Cocci P, Mozzicafreddo M, Angeletti M, Mosconi G, Palermo FA. In silico prediction and in vivo analysis of antiestrogenic potential of 2-isopropylthioxanthone (2-ITX) in juvenile goldfish (Carassius auratus). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2016; 133:202-210. [PMID: 27454205 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown both anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities of 2-isopropylthioxanthone (2-ITX), a well known food contaminant, in in vitro assays. However, no data are available on the anti-estrogenic potentials and risks of 2-ITX in aquatic organisms. This work evaluated the potential endocrine disrupting effects of 2-ITX at the level of estrogen receptor (ER) signaling cascade using juvenile goldfish (Carassius auratus) as model. Firstly, we investigated the ligand binding efficiency of 2-ITX to the ligand binding domains (LBD) of goldfish ER subtypes using a molecular docking approach. Secondly, we assessed the effects of 2-ITX on E2-induced hepatic expression of ERα1, ERβ1, ERβ2, and vitellogenin (VTG) in vivo. Crosstalk between ER-VTG and aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AhR2)-cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) was also investigated. Fish were injected with increasing doses of 2-ITX ranging from 2 to 10µg/g BW, and results were compared to the effect of tamoxifen, a well-known ER modulator. We observed that compared to ERβ, the interaction potentials of 2-ITX to goldfish ERα1 LBD was more stable in the inactive receptor conformation. The in silico docking simulation analysis also revealed that 2-ITX acted as agonist for the goldfish AhR2 LBDs suggesting the ability of this compound to activate the cross-talk between the ERα- and AhR-signaling pathways. In vivo experiments confirm in silico simulation predictions demonstrating that 2-ITX reduced the estrogenicity of E2 at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, indicating a clear anti-estrogenic effect. Co-exposure of E2 and 2-ITX also resulted in a significant decrease of CYP1A gene expression with respect to 2-ITX alone. Results from these studies collectively revealed that the antiestrogenic property of 2-ITX can be ascribed to a combination of effects on multiple signaling pathways suggesting the potential for this environmental contaminant to affect the hormonal control of reproductive processes in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cocci
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino, MC, Italy.
| | - Matteo Mozzicafreddo
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Mauro Angeletti
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Gilberto Mosconi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Francesco Alessandro Palermo
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino, MC, Italy
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Kim IS, Hwang JH, Hirano M, Iwata H, Kim EY. In vitro and in silico evaluation of transactivation potencies of avian AHR1 and AHR2 by endogenous ligands: Implications for the physiological role of avian AHR2. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2016; 187:1-9. [PMID: 27060260 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2016.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is well conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates, and it mediates the toxic effects of exogenous ligands, including dioxins. Recent studies reported that AHRs activated by endogenous ligands play critical roles in mammalian physiological homeostasis. Avian species possess at least two AHR isoforms (AHR1 and AHR2), which exhibit species- and isoform-specific transactivation potencies to exogenous ligands, whereas mammals possess a single AHR. To delineate the profiles and roles of endogenous ligands for avian AHR isoforms, we investigated in vitro transactivation potencies of avian AHRs (AHR1 and AHR2 from the jungle crow, Corvus macrorhynchos; common cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo; and black-footed albatross, Phoebastria nigripes) treated with the endogenous tryptophan metabolites 6-formylindolo [3,2-b] carbazole (FICZ), l-kynurenine (l-Kyn), kynurenic acid (KYNA), and indoxyl sulfate (IS). Furthermore, we analyzed the binding mode of these ligands to each avian AHR isoform by in silico docking simulations. The EC50 of FICZ (0.009-0.032nM) was similar regardless of the species or isoform of AHR. The estimated in silico binding mode of FICZ to AHRs was well conserved in both isoforms. The transactivation potencies of avian AHRs to other tryptophan metabolites were 10(5)-10(7) fold lower than those for FICZ, and EC50 values varied in a species- and isoform-specific manner. This was consistent with poor conservation of the binding mode of l-Kyn, KYNA, and IS predicted in in silico docking simulations. Our results suggest that in avian species, FICZ is the most potent endogenous AHR ligand, and that AHR1 and AHR2 are physiologically functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Sung Kim
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hee Hwang
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea
| | - Masashi Hirano
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Hisato Iwata
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Eun-Young Kim
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
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Corrada D, Soshilov AA, Denison MS, Bonati L. Deciphering Dimerization Modes of PAS Domains: Computational and Experimental Analyses of the AhR:ARNT Complex Reveal New Insights Into the Mechanisms of AhR Transformation. PLoS Comput Biol 2016; 12:e1004981. [PMID: 27295348 PMCID: PMC4905635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that mediates the biochemical response to xenobiotics and the toxic effects of a number of environmental contaminants, including dioxins. Recently, endogenous regulatory roles for the AhR in normal physiology and development have also been reported, thus extending the interest in understanding its molecular mechanisms of activation. Since dimerization with the AhR Nuclear Translocator (ARNT) protein, occurring through the Helix-Loop-Helix (HLH) and PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) domains, is needed to convert the AhR into its transcriptionally active form, deciphering the AhR:ARNT dimerization mode would provide insights into the mechanisms of AhR transformation. Here we present homology models of the murine AhR:ARNT PAS domain dimer developed using recently available X-ray structures of other bHLH-PAS protein dimers. Due to the different reciprocal orientation and interaction surfaces in the different template dimers, two alternative models were developed for both the PAS-A and PAS-B dimers and they were characterized by combining a number of computational evaluations. Both well-established hot spot prediction methods and new approaches to analyze individual residue and residue-pairwise contributions to the MM-GBSA binding free energies were adopted to predict residues critical for dimer stabilization. On this basis, a mutagenesis strategy for both the murine AhR and ARNT proteins was designed and ligand-dependent DNA binding ability of the AhR:ARNT heterodimer mutants was evaluated. While functional analysis disfavored the HIF2α:ARNT heterodimer-based PAS-B model, most mutants derived from the CLOCK:BMAL1-based AhR:ARNT dimer models of both the PAS-A and the PAS-B dramatically decreased the levels of DNA binding, suggesting this latter model as the most suitable for describing AhR:ARNT dimerization. These novel results open new research directions focused at elucidating basic molecular mechanisms underlying the functional activity of the AhR. Computational modeling combined with experimental validation may give insight into structural and functional properties of protein systems. The basic Helix-Loop-Helix PER-ARNT-SIM (bHLH-PAS) proteins show conserved functional domains despite the broad range of functions exerted by the different systems. Within this protein family, the Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is known to mediate the toxic effects of a number of environmental contaminants, including dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals, and it also exerts other biochemical and physiological effects. Despite the absence of experimentally determined structures, theoretical models of the AhR PAS domains developed on the basis of homologous systems have allowed understanding of some aspects of the molecular mechanisms underlying its function. In this work we present alternative structural models of the transcriptionally active complex of AhR with the AhR Nuclear Translocator (ARNT) protein. Computational characterization of the modeled protein-protein interaction interfaces guided the design of mutagenesis experiments, and evaluation of the DNA binding ability of the resulting AhR:ARNT dimer mutants allowed validation of the models and selection of the most reliable one. These findings open new research directions for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional activity of the AhR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Corrada
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Anatoly A. Soshilov
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Laura Bonati
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Orlowska K, Molcan T, Swigonska S, Sadowska A, Jablonska M, Nynca A, Jastrzebski JP, Ciereszko RE. The tertiary structures of porcine AhR and ARNT proteins and molecular interactions within the TCDD/AhR/ARNT complex. J Mol Graph Model 2016; 67:119-26. [PMID: 27288759 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that can be activated by structurally diverse synthetic and natural chemicals, including toxic environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). In the present study, homology models of the porcine AhR-ligand binding domain (LBD) and the porcine aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-ligand binding domain (ARNT-LBD) were created on the basis of structures of closely related respective proteins i.e., human Hif-2α and ARNT. Molecular docking of TCDD to the porcine AhR-LBD model revealed high binding affinity (-8.8kcal/mol) between TCDD and the receptor. Moreover, formation of the TCDD/AhR-LBD complex was confirmed experimentally with the use of electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). It was found that TCDD (10nM, 2h of incubation) not only bound to the AhR in the porcine granulosa cells but also activated the receptor. The current study provides a framework for examining the key events involved in the ligand-dependent activation of the AhR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Orlowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Tomasz Molcan
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Sylwia Swigonska
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sadowska
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Monika Jablonska
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anna Nynca
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jan P Jastrzebski
- Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Renata E Ciereszko
- Department of Animal Physiology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland; Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland.
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Szöllősi D, Erdei Á, Gyimesi G, Magyar C, Hegedűs T. Access Path to the Ligand Binding Pocket May Play a Role in Xenobiotics Selection by AhR. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146066. [PMID: 26727491 PMCID: PMC4699818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding of multidrug binding at the atomic level would facilitate drug design and strategies to modulate drug metabolism, including drug transport, oxidation, and conjugation. Therefore we explored the mechanism of promiscuous binding of small molecules by studying the ligand binding domain, the PAS-B domain of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Because of the low sequence identities of PAS domains to be used for homology modeling, structural features of the widely employed HIF-2α and a more recent suitable template, CLOCK were compared. These structures were used to build AhR PAS-B homology models. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to characterize dynamic properties of the PAS-B domain and the generated conformational ensembles were employed in in silico docking. In order to understand structural and ligand binding features we compared the stability and dynamics of the promiscuous AhR PAS-B to other PAS domains exhibiting specific interactions or no ligand binding function. Our exhaustive in silico binding studies, in which we dock a wide spectrum of ligand molecules to the conformational ensembles, suggest that ligand specificity and selection may be determined not only by the PAS-B domain itself, but also by other parts of AhR and its protein interacting partners. We propose that ligand binding pocket and access channels leading to the pocket play equally important roles in discrimination of endogenous molecules and xenobiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Szöllősi
- MTA-SE Molecular Biophysics Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
| | - Áron Erdei
- MTA-SE Molecular Biophysics Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
- Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
| | - Gergely Gyimesi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, 3012, Switzerland
| | - Csaba Magyar
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Tamás Hegedűs
- MTA-SE Molecular Biophysics Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1094, Hungary
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Lee S, Shin WH, Hong S, Kang H, Jung D, Yim UH, Shim WJ, Khim JS, Seok C, Giesy JP, Choi K. Measured and predicted affinities of binding and relative potencies to activate the AhR of PAHs and their alkylated analogues. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 139:23-29. [PMID: 26037956 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated forms are important components of crude oil. Both groups of PAHs have been reported to cause dioxin-like responses, mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Thus, characterization of binding affinity to the AhR of unsubstituted or alkylated PAHs is important to understand the toxicological consequences of oil contamination on ecosystems. We investigated the potencies of major PAHs of crude oil, e.g., chrysene, phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene, and their alkylated forms (n=17) to upregulate expression of AhR-mediated processes by use of the H4IIE-luc transactivation bioassay. In addition, molecular descriptors of different AhR activation potencies among PAHs were investigated by use of computational molecular docking models. Based on responses of the H4IIE-luc in vitro assay, it was shown that potencies of PAHs were determined by alkylation in addition to the number and conformation of rings. Potencies of AhR-mediated processes were generally greater when a chrysene group was substituted, especially in 1-methyl-chrysene. Significant negative correlations were observed between the in vitro dioxin-like potency measured in H4IIE-luc cells and the binding distance estimated from the in silico modeling. The difference in relative potency for AhR activation observed among PAHs and their alkylated forms could be explained by differences among binding distances in the ligand binding domain of the AhR caused by alkylation. The docking model developed in the present study may have utility in predicting risks of environmental contaminants of which toxicities are mediated by AhR binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangwoo Lee
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Woong-Hee Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seongjin Hong
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences & Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Habyeong Kang
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dawoon Jung
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Un Hyuk Yim
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Geoje, South Korea
| | - Won Joon Shim
- Oil and POPs Research Group, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Geoje, South Korea
| | - Jong Seong Khim
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences & Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chaok Seok
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Zoology, and Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Biology & Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Kyungho Choi
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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DeGroot DE, Franks DG, Higa T, Tanaka J, Hahn ME, Denison MS. Naturally occurring marine brominated indoles are aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands/agonists. Chem Res Toxicol 2015; 28:1176-85. [PMID: 26001051 PMCID: PMC4469569 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.5b00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates the toxic and biological effects of structurally diverse chemicals, including the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). As part of a larger effort to identify the full spectrum of chemicals that can bind to and activate the AhR, we have examined the ability of several naturally occurring marine-derived brominated indoles and brominated (methylthio)indoles (collectively referred to as brominated indoles) to bind to the AhR and stimulate AhR-dependent gene expression. Incubation of mouse, rat, and guinea pig recombinant cell lines containing a stably transfected AhR-responsive luciferase reporter gene with eight brominated indoles revealed that all compounds stimulated luciferase reporter gene activity, although some species-specific differences were observed. All compounds induced significantly more luciferase activity when incubated with cells for 4 h as compared to 24 h, demonstrating that these compounds are transient activators of the AhR signaling pathway. Three of the brominated indoles induced CYP1A1 mRNA in human HepG2 cells in vitro and Cyp1a mRNA in zebrafish embryos in vivo. The identification of the brominated indoles as direct ligands and activators/agonists of the AhR was confirmed by their ability to compete with [(3)H]TCDD for binding to the AhR and to stimulate AhR transformation and DNA binding in vitro. Taken together, these results indicate that marine-derived brominated indoles are members of a new class of naturally occurring AhR agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danica E. DeGroot
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Diana G. Franks
- Department of Biology and the Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Tatsuo Higa
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, JAPAN
| | - Junichi Tanaka
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, JAPAN
| | - Mark E. Hahn
- Department of Biology and the Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Michael S. Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
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46
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Hirano M, Hwang JH, Park HJ, Bak SM, Iwata H, Kim EY. In silico analysis of the interaction of avian aryl hydrocarbon receptors and dioxins to decipher isoform-, ligand-, and species-specific activations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:3795-804. [PMID: 25692546 DOI: 10.1021/es505733f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates toxic responses to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and other dioxin-like compounds (DLCs). Avian species possess multiple AHR isoforms (AHR1, AHR1β, and AHR2) that exhibit species- and isoform-specific responses to ligands. To account for the ligand preference in terms of the structural features of avian AHRs, we generated in silico homology models of the ligand-binding domain of avian AHRs based on holo human HIF-2α (PDB entry 3H7W ). Molecular docking simulations of TCDD and other DLCs with avian AHR1s and AHR2s using ASEDock indicated that the interaction energy increased with the number of substituted chlorine atoms in congeners, supporting AHR transactivation potencies and World Health Organization TCDD toxic equivalency factors of congeners. The potential interaction energies of an endogenous AHR ligand, 6-formylindolo [3,2-b] carbazole (FICZ) to avian AHRs were lower than those of TCDD, which was supported by a greater potency of FICZ for in vitro AHR-mediated transactivation than TCDD. The molecular dynamics simulation revealed that mean square displacements in Ile324 and Ser380 of TCDD-bound AHR1 of the chicken, the most sensitive species to TCDD, were smaller than those in other avian AHR1s, suggesting that the dynamic stability of these amino acid residues contribute to TCDD preference. For avian AHR2, the corresponding residues (Val/Ser or Val/Ala type) were not responsible for differential TCDD sensitivity. Application of the three-dimensional reference interaction site model showed that the stabilization of TCDD binding to avian AHRs may be due to the solvation effect depending on the characteristics of two amino acids corresponding to Ile324 and Ser380 in chicken AHR1. This study demonstrates that in silico simulations of AHRs and ligands could be used to predict isoform-, ligand-, and species-specific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Hirano
- †Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Ji-Hee Hwang
- ‡Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea
| | - Hae-Jeong Park
- ‡Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea
| | - Su-Min Bak
- ‡Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea
| | - Hisato Iwata
- †Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Eun-Young Kim
- ‡Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea
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Nuti R, Gargaro M, Matino D, Dolciami D, Grohmann U, Puccetti P, Fallarino F, Macchiarulo A. Ligand Binding and Functional Selectivity of l-Tryptophan Metabolites at the Mouse Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (mAhR). J Chem Inf Model 2014; 54:3373-83. [DOI: 10.1021/ci5005459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Nuti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Marco Gargaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Davide Matino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Daniela Dolciami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Ursula Grohmann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Puccetti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Francesca Fallarino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Macchiarulo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Experimental
Medicine, Università di Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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48
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A Structural Switch between Agonist and Antagonist Bound Conformations for a Ligand-Optimized Model of the Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Ligand Binding Domain. BIOLOGY 2014; 3:645-69. [PMID: 25329374 PMCID: PMC4280506 DOI: 10.3390/biology3040645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the expression of a diverse group of genes. Exogenous AHR ligands include the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is a potent agonist, and the synthetic AHR antagonist N-2-(1H-indol-3yl)ethyl)-9-isopropyl-2-(5-methylpyridin-3-yl)-9H-purin-6-amine (GNF351). As no experimentally determined structure of the ligand binding domain exists, homology models have been utilized for virtual ligand screening (VLS) to search for novel ligands. Here, we have developed an “agonist-optimized” homology model of the human AHR ligand binding domain, and this model aided in the discovery of two human AHR agonists by VLS. In addition, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of an agonist TCDD-bound and antagonist GNF351-bound version of this model in order to gain insights into the mechanics of the AHR ligand-binding pocket. These simulations identified residues 307–329 as a flexible segment of the AHR ligand pocket that adopts discrete conformations upon agonist or antagonist binding. This flexible segment of the AHR may act as a structural switch that determines the agonist or antagonist activity of a given AHR ligand.
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49
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Parks AJ, Pollastri MP, Hahn ME, Stanford EA, Novikov O, Franks DG, Haigh SE, Narasimhan S, Ashton TD, Hopper TG, Kozakov D, Beglov D, Vajda S, Schlezinger JJ, Sherr DH. In silico identification of an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist with biological activity in vitro and in vivo. Mol Pharmacol 2014; 86:593-608. [PMID: 25159092 DOI: 10.1124/mol.114.093369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is critically involved in several physiologic processes, including cancer progression and multiple immune system activities. We, and others, have hypothesized that AHR modulators represent an important new class of targeted therapeutics. Here, ligand shape-based virtual modeling techniques were used to identify novel AHR ligands on the basis of previously identified chemotypes. Four structurally unique compounds were identified. One lead compound, 2-((2-(5-bromofuran-2-yl)-4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)oxy)acetamide (CB7993113), was further tested for its ability to block three AHR-dependent biologic activities: triple-negative breast cancer cell invasion or migration in vitro and AHR ligand-induced bone marrow toxicity in vivo. CB7993113 directly bound both murine and human AHR and inhibited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)- and TCDD-induced reporter activity by 75% and 90% respectively. A novel homology model, comprehensive agonist and inhibitor titration experiments, and AHR localization studies were consistent with competitive antagonism and blockade of nuclear translocation as the primary mechanism of action. CB7993113 (IC50 3.3 × 10(-7) M) effectively reduced invasion of human breast cancer cells in three-dimensional cultures and blocked tumor cell migration in two-dimensional cultures without significantly affecting cell viability or proliferation. Finally, CB7993113 effectively inhibited the bone marrow ablative effects of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in vivo, demonstrating drug absorption and tissue distribution leading to pharmacological efficacy. These experiments suggest that AHR antagonists such as CB7993113 may represent a new class of targeted therapeutics for immunomodulation and/or cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley J Parks
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Michael P Pollastri
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Mark E Hahn
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Elizabeth A Stanford
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Olga Novikov
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Diana G Franks
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Sarah E Haigh
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Supraja Narasimhan
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Trent D Ashton
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Timothy G Hopper
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Dmytro Kozakov
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Dimitri Beglov
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Sandor Vajda
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - Jennifer J Schlezinger
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
| | - David H Sherr
- Molecular Medicine Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (A.J.P., E.A.S., O.N., S.N., J.J.S., DHS); Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (M.P.P., T.G.H.); Department of Chemistry, Boston University (T.D.A.); Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (M.E.H., D.G.F.); Wake Forest Innovations, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (S.E.H.); and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts (D.K., D.B., S.V.)
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AhR sensing of bacterial pigments regulates antibacterial defence. Nature 2014; 512:387-92. [PMID: 25119038 DOI: 10.1038/nature13684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a highly conserved ligand-dependent transcription factor that senses environmental toxins and endogenous ligands, thereby inducing detoxifying enzymes and modulating immune cell differentiation and responses. We hypothesized that AhR evolved to sense not only environmental pollutants but also microbial insults. We characterized bacterial pigmented virulence factors, namely the phenazines from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the naphthoquinone phthiocol from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as ligands of AhR. Upon ligand binding, AhR activation leads to virulence factor degradation and regulated cytokine and chemokine production. The relevance of AhR to host defence is underlined by heightened susceptibility of AhR-deficient mice to both P. aeruginosa and M. tuberculosis. Thus, we demonstrate that AhR senses distinct bacterial virulence factors and controls antibacterial responses, supporting a previously unidentified role for AhR as an intracellular pattern recognition receptor, and identify bacterial pigments as a new class of pathogen-associated molecular patterns.
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