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Ciuffreda P, Xynomilakis O, Casati S, Ottria R. Fluorescence-Based Enzyme Activity Assay: Ascertaining the Activity and Inhibition of Endocannabinoid Hydrolytic Enzymes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7693. [PMID: 39062935 PMCID: PMC11276806 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147693] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system, known for its regulatory role in various physiological processes, relies on the activities of several hydrolytic enzymes, such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), N-acylethanolamine-hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA), monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), and α/β-hydrolase domains 6 (ABHD6) and 12 (ABHD12), to maintain homeostasis. Accurate measurement of these enzymes' activities is crucial for understanding their function and for the development of potential therapeutic agents. Fluorometric assays, which offer high sensitivity, specificity, and real-time monitoring capabilities, have become essential tools in enzymatic studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the principles behind these assays, the various substrates and fluorophores used, and advances in assay techniques used not only for the determination of the kinetic mechanisms of enzyme reactions but also for setting up kinetic assays for the high-throughput screening of each critical enzyme involved in endocannabinoid degradation. Through this comprehensive review, we aim to highlight the strengths and limitations of current fluorometric assays and suggest future directions for improving the measurement of enzyme activity in the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Roberta Ottria
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy; (P.C.); (O.X.); (S.C.)
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2
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Dato FM, Sheikh M, Uhl RZ, Schüller AW, Steinkrüger M, Koch P, Neudörfl JM, Gütschow M, Goldfuss B, Pietsch M. ω-Phthalimidoalkyl Aryl Ureas as Potent and Selective Inhibitors of Cholesterol Esterase. ChemMedChem 2018; 13:1833-1847. [PMID: 30004170 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cholesterol esterase (CEase), a serine hydrolase thought to be involved in atherogenesis and thus coronary heart disease, is considered as a target for inhibitor development. We investigated recombinant human and murine CEases with a new fluorometric assay in a structure-activity relationship study of a small library of ω-phthalimidoalkyl aryl ureas. The urea motif with an attached 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl group and the aromatic character of the ω-phthalimide residue were most important for inhibitory activity. In addition, an alkyl chain composed of three or four methylene groups, connecting the urea and phthalimide moieties, was found to be an optimal spacer for inhibitors. The so-optimized compounds 2 [1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-3-(3-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)propyl)urea] and 21 [1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-3-(4-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)butyl)urea] exhibited dissociation constants (Ki ) of 1-19 μm on the two CEases and showed either a competitive (2 on the human enzyme and 21 on the murine enzyme) or a noncompetitive mode of inhibition. Two related serine hydrolases-monoacylglycerol lipase and fatty acid amide hydrolase-were inhibited by ω-phthalimidoalkyl aryl ureas to a lesser extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian M Dato
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Miriam Sheikh
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rocky Z Uhl
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexandra W Schüller
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michaela Steinkrüger
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Koch
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jörg-Martin Neudörfl
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry I, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstrasse 4, 50939, Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus Pietsch
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Strasse 24, 50931, Cologne, Germany
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3
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Castro G, Liu X, Ngo K, De Leon-Tabaldo A, Zhao S, Luna-Roman R, Yu J, Cao T, Kuhn R, Wilkinson P, Herman K, Nelen MI, Blevitt J, Xue X, Fourie A, Fung-Leung WP. RORγt and RORα signature genes in human Th17 cells. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181868. [PMID: 28763457 PMCID: PMC5538713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
RORγt and RORα are transcription factors of the RAR-related orphan nuclear receptor (ROR) family. They are expressed in Th17 cells and have been suggested to play a role in Th17 differentiation. Although RORγt signature genes have been characterized in mouse Th17 cells, detailed information on its transcriptional control in human Th17 cells is limited and even less is known about RORα signature genes which have not been reported in either human or mouse T cells. In this study, global gene expression of human CD4 T cells activated under Th17 skewing conditions was profiled by RNA sequencing. RORγt and RORα signature genes were identified in these Th17 cells treated with specific siRNAs to knock down RORγt or RORα expression. We have generated selective small molecule RORγt modulators and they were also utilized as pharmacological tools in RORγt signature gene identification. Our results showed that RORγt controlled the expression of a very selective number of genes in Th17 cells and most of them were regulated by RORα as well albeit a weaker influence. Key Th17 genes including IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-23R, CCL20 and CCR6 were shown to be regulated by both RORγt and RORα. Our results demonstrated an overlapping role of RORγt and RORα in human Th17 cell differentiation through regulation of a defined common set of Th17 genes. RORγt as a drug target for treatment of Th17 mediated autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis has been demonstrated recently in clinical trials. Our results suggest that RORα could be involved in same disease mechanisms and gene signatures identified in this report could be valuable biomarkers for tracking the pharmacodynamic effects of compounds that modulate RORγt or RORα activities in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenda Castro
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Xuejun Liu
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Karen Ngo
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Shanrong Zhao
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Rosa Luna-Roman
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jingxue Yu
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Tinghua Cao
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Kuhn
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Krystal Herman
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Marina I. Nelen
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Blevitt
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Xiaohua Xue
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Anne Fourie
- Janssen R&D LLC, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Klumpp M. Non-stoichiometric inhibition in integrated lead finding - a literature review. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 11:149-62. [PMID: 26653534 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2016.1128892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-stoichiometric inhibition summarizes different mechanisms by which low-molecular weight compounds can reproducibly inhibit high-throughput screening (HTS) and other lead finding assays without binding to a structurally defined site on their molecular target. This disqualifies such molecules from optimization by medicinal chemistry, and therefore their rapid elimination from screening hit lists is essential for productive and effective drug discovery. AREAS COVERED This review covers recent literature that either investigates the various mechanisms behind non-stoichiometric inhibition or suggests assays and readouts to identify them. In addition, combination of the various methods to distill promising molecules out of raw primary hit lists step-by-step is considered. Emerging technologies to demonstrate target engagement in cells are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Over the last few years, awareness of non-stoichiometric inhibitors within screening libraries and HTS hit lists has considerably increased, not only in the pharmaceutical industry but also in the academic drug discovery community. This has resulted in a variety of methods to detect and handle such compounds. These range from in silico approaches to flag suspicious compounds, and counterassays to measure non-stoichiometric inhibition, to biophysical methods that positively demonstrate stoichiometric binding. In addition, novel technologies to verify target engagement within cells are becoming available. While still a time- and resource-consuming nuisance, non-stoichiometric inhibitors therefore do not fundamentally jeopardize the discovery of low molecular weight lead and drug candidates. Rather, they should be viewed as a manageable issue that with appropriate expertise can be overcome through integration of the above-mentioned approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Klumpp
- a Novartis Institute of Biomedical Research Basel, Novartis Pharma AG , Basel , Switzerland
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Jaeger AM, Makley LN, Gestwicki JE, Thiele DJ. Genomic heat shock element sequences drive cooperative human heat shock factor 1 DNA binding and selectivity. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:30459-30469. [PMID: 25204655 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.591578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) activates expression of a variety of genes involved in cell survival, including protein chaperones, the protein degradation machinery, anti-apoptotic proteins, and transcription factors. Although HSF1 activation has been linked to amelioration of neurodegenerative disease, cancer cells exhibit a dependence on HSF1 for survival. Indeed, HSF1 drives a program of gene expression in cancer cells that is distinct from that activated in response to proteotoxic stress, and HSF1 DNA binding activity is elevated in cycling cells as compared with arrested cells. Active HSF1 homotrimerizes and binds to a DNA sequence consisting of inverted repeats of the pentameric sequence nGAAn, known as heat shock elements (HSEs). Recent comprehensive ChIP-seq experiments demonstrated that the architecture of HSEs is very diverse in the human genome, with deviations from the consensus sequence in the spacing, orientation, and extent of HSE repeats that could influence HSF1 DNA binding efficacy and the kinetics and magnitude of target gene expression. To understand the mechanisms that dictate binding specificity, HSF1 was purified as either a monomer or trimer and used to evaluate DNA-binding site preferences in vitro using fluorescence polarization and thermal denaturation profiling. These results were compared with quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation assays in vivo. We demonstrate a role for specific orientations of extended HSE sequences in driving preferential HSF1 DNA binding to target loci in vivo. These studies provide a biochemical basis for understanding differential HSF1 target gene recognition and transcription in neurodegenerative disease and in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex M Jaeger
- Departments of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Leah N Makley
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Dennis J Thiele
- Departments of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710; Departments of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710 and.
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6
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Oxysterols are agonist ligands of RORγt and drive Th17 cell differentiation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:12163-8. [PMID: 25092323 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1322807111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) is a nuclear receptor required for generating IL-17-producing CD4(+) Th17 T cells, which are essential in host defense and may play key pathogenic roles in autoimmune diseases. Oxysterols elicit profound effects on immune and inflammatory responses as well as on cholesterol and lipid metabolism. Here, we describe the identification of several naturally occurring oxysterols as RORγt agonists. The most potent and selective activator for RORγt is 7β, 27-dihydroxycholesterol (7β, 27-OHC). We show that these oxysterols reverse the inhibitory effect of an RORγt antagonist, ursolic acid, in RORγ- or RORγt-dependent cell-based reporter assays. These ligands bind directly to recombinant RORγ ligand binding domain (LBD), promote recruitment of a coactivator peptide, and reduce binding of a corepressor peptide to RORγ LBD. In primary cells, 7β, 27-OHC and 7α, 27-OHC enhance the differentiation of murine and human IL-17-producing Th17 cells in an RORγt-dependent manner. Importantly, we showed that Th17, but not Th1 cells, preferentially produce these two oxysterols. In vivo, administration of 7β, 27-OHC in mice enhanced IL-17 production. Mice deficient in CYP27A1, a key enzyme in generating these oxysterols, showed significant reduction of IL-17-producing cells, including CD4(+) and γδ(+) T cells, similar to the deficiency observed in RORγt knockout mice. Our results reveal a previously unknown mechanism for selected oxysterols as immune modulators and a direct role for CYP27A1 in generating these RORγt agonist ligands, which we propose as RORγt endogenous ligands, driving both innate and adaptive IL-17-dependent immune responses.
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Orwig SD, Chi PV, Du Y, Hill SE, Cavitt MA, Suntharalingam A, Turnage KC, Dickey CA, France S, Fu H, Lieberman RL. Ligands for glaucoma-associated myocilin discovered by a generic binding assay. ACS Chem Biol 2014; 9:517-25. [PMID: 24279319 DOI: 10.1021/cb4007776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the olfactomedin domain of myocilin (myoc-OLF) are the strongest link to inherited primary open angle glaucoma. In this recently identified protein misfolding disorder, aggregation-prone disease variants of myocilin hasten glaucoma-associated elevation of intraocular pressure, leading to vision loss. Despite its well-documented pathogenic role, myocilin remains a domain of unknown structure or function. Here we report the first small-molecule ligands that bind to the native state of myoc-OLF. To discover these molecules, we designed a general label-free, mix-and-measure, high throughput chemical assay for restabilization (CARS), which is likely readily adaptable to discover ligands for other proteins. Of the 14 hit molecules identified from screening myoc-OLF against the Sigma-Aldrich Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds using CARS, surface plasmon resonance binding studies reveal three are stoichiometric ligand scaffolds with low micromolar affinity. Two compounds, GW5074 and apigenin, inhibit myoc-OLF amyloid formation in vitro. Structure-activity relationship-based soluble derivatives reduce aggregation in vitro as well as enhance secretion of full-length mutant myocilin in a cell culture model. Our compounds set the stage for a new chemical probe approach to clarify the biological function of wild-type myocilin and represent lead therapeutic compounds for diminishing intracellular sequestration of toxic mutant myocilin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan D. Orwig
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Pamela V. Chi
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Yuhong Du
- Department
of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton
Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Shannon E. Hill
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Marchello A. Cavitt
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Amrithaa Suntharalingam
- Department
of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer’s Research Institute, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave. Tampa, Florida 33613, United States
| | - Katherine C. Turnage
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Chad A. Dickey
- Department
of Molecular Medicine and Byrd Alzheimer’s Research Institute, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave. Tampa, Florida 33613, United States
| | - Stefan France
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Haian Fu
- Department
of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton
Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Raquel L. Lieberman
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
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Simeonov A. Recent developments in the use of differential scanning fluorometry in protein and small molecule discovery and characterization. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2013; 8:1071-82. [PMID: 23738712 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2013.806479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite tremendous advances in the application of biophysical methods in drug discovery, the preponderance of instruments and techniques still require sophisticated analyses by dedicated personnel and/or large amounts of frequently hard-to-produce proteins. A technique which carries the promise of simplicity and relatively low protein consumption is the differential scanning fluorometry (DSF). This technique monitors protein through the use of environmentally sensitive fluorescent dye, in a temperature-ramp regime by observing the gradual exposure to the solvent of otherwise buried hydrophobic faces of protein domains. AREAS COVERED This review describes recent developments in the field of DSF. This article pays a particular emphasis on the advances published during the 2010 - 2013 period. EXPERT OPINION There has been a significant diversification of DSF applications beyond initial small molecule discovery into areas such as protein therapeutic development, formulation studies and various mechanistic investigations. This serves as a further indication of the broad penetration of the technique. In the small molecule arena, DSF has expanded toward sophisticated co-dependency MOA tests, demonstrating the wealth of information which the technique can provide. Importantly, the first public deposition of a large screening dataset may enable the use of thermal stabilization data in refining in silico models for small molecule binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Simeonov
- National Institutes of Health, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Division of Discovery Innovation, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3370, USA.
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