Synthesis and characterisation of sulfated amphiphilic alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins: application to the complexation of acyclovir

The synthesis of sulfated amphiphilic alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins was achieved according to the standard protection-deprotection procedure. The formation of inclusion complexes between the amphiphilic alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins and an antiviral molecule, acyclovir (ACV) was investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESIMS). UV-Vis spectroscopy allowed determination of the stoichiometry and stability constants of complexes, whereas ESIMS, a soft ionisation technique, allowed the detection of the inclusion complexes. The results showed that the non-sulfated amphiphilic cyclodextrins exhibit a 1:2 stoichiometry with acyclovir, while sulfated amphiphilic cyclodextrins, except gamma-cyclodextrin, exhibit a 1:1 stoichiometry indicating the loss of one interaction site. Non-covalent interactions between acyclovir and non-sulfated amphiphilic cyclodextrins appear to take place both in the cavity of the cyclodextrin and inside the hydrophobic zone generated by alkanoyl chains. In contrast, in the case of sulfated amphiphilic cyclodextrins, the interactions appear to involve only the hydrophobic region of the alkanoyl chains.     

Amphiphilic N-glycosyl-thiocarbamoyl cyclodextrins: synthesis, self-assembly, and fluorimetry of recognition by Lens culinaris lectin

Amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins have been synthesized bearing hexylthio, dodecylthio, and hexadecylthio chains at the 6-positions and glycosylthiocarbamoyl-oligo(ethylene glycol) units at the 2-positions. The glycosyl residues (alpha-D-mannosyl and beta-L-fucosyl) are intended for cell-targeting. Self-assembly of these new amphiphilic glycosylated cyclodextrins in water to form vesicles was investigated by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Selective binding of the hexylthio assemblies to a protein receptor (Lens culinaris lectin) was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Self-assemblies of amphiphilic cyclodextrins

Cyclodextrins are natural cyclic oligosaccharides widely used as “molecular cages” in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, food and cosmetical industries. The optimization of their pharmacological properties has led to the synthesis of numerous analogues. Amphiphilic derivatives were designed to improve the cell targeting of the drug-containing cyclodextrin cavities through their transportation in the organism, within self-assembling systems. Amphiphilic cyclodextrins can self-assemble into water-soluble aggregates such as mono or polydisperse micelles, or insert in lipid membranes and liposomes. Polysubstituted amphiphilic cyclodextrins are briefly reviewed, and monosubstituted derivatives of native and methylated β-cyclodextrins are presented in more details, with an emphasis on their self-organization within lipid membranes. Presented at the joint biannual meeting of the SFB-GEIMM-GRIP, Anglet France, 14–19 October, 2006.     

Physicochemical characterization of α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins bioesterified with decanoate chains used as building blocks of colloidal nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of amphiphilic α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins were obtained by formulation of cyclodextrins enzymatically transesterified with vinyl decanoate. The product of this synthesis is a mixture of bioesterified cyclodextrins with various degrees of substitution (DS) presenting for a same DS different regio-isomers. In a first step, the efficiency of a MALDI-TOF procedure to characterize the average molecular weight of the derivative bulk mixture was demonstrated by comparing the results with those obtained from complementary NMR and HPLC techniques. In a second step, the ultrastructure of nanoparticles prepared from three different batches of synthesis was investigated and correlated with the average molecular weight and DS of the parent derivative.     

Unusual starch degradation pathway via cyclodextrins in the hyperthermophilic sulfate-reducing archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus strain 7324

The hyperthermophilic archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus strain 7324 has been shown to grow on starch and sulfate and thus represents the first sulfate reducer able to degrade polymeric sugars. The enzymes involved in starch degradation to glucose 6-phosphate were studied. In extracts of starch-grown cells the activities of the classical starch degradation enzymes, alpha-amylase and amylopullulanase, could not be detected. Instead, evidence is presented here that A. fulgidus utilizes an unusual pathway of starch degradation involving cyclodextrins as intermediates. The pathway comprises the combined action of an extracellular cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) converting starch to cyclodextrins and the intracellular conversion of cyclodextrins to glucose 6-phosphate via cyclodextrinase (CDase), maltodextrin phosphorylase (Mal-P), and phosphoglucomutase (PGM). These enzymes, which are all induced after growth on starch, were characterized. CGTase catalyzed the conversion of starch to mainly beta-cyclodextrin. The gene encoding CGTase was cloned and sequenced and showed highest similarity to a glucanotransferase from Thermococcus litoralis. After transport of the cyclodextrins into the cell by a transport system to be defined, these molecules are linearized via a CDase, catalyzing exclusively the ring opening of the cyclodextrins to the respective maltooligodextrins. These are degraded by a Mal-P to glucose 1-phosphate. Finally, PGM catalyzes the conversion of glucose 1-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate, which is further degraded to pyruvate via the modified Embden-Meyerhof pathway.     

Structural background of cyclodextrin-protein interactions

Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides with the shape of a hollow truncated cone. Their exterior is hydrophilic and their cavity is hydrophobic, which gives cyclodextrins the ability to accommodate hydrophobic molecules/moieties in the cavity. This special molecular arrangement accounts for the variety of beneficial effects cyclodextrins have on proteins, which is widely used in pharmacological applications. We have studied the interaction between beta-cyclodextrin and four non-carbohydrate-binding model proteins: ubiquitin, chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2), S6 and insulin SerB9Asp by NMR spectroscopy at varying structural detail. We demonstrate that the interaction of beta-cyclodextrin and our model proteins takes place at specific sites on the protein surface, and that solvent accessibility of those sites is a necessary but not compelling condition for the occurrence of an interaction. If this behaviour can be generalized, it might explain the wide range of different effects of cyclodextrins on different proteins: aggregation suppression (if residues responsible for aggregation are highly solvent accessible), protection against degradation (if point of attack of a protease is sterically 'masked' by cyclodextrin), alteration of function (if residues involved in function are 'masked' by cyclodextrin). The exact effect of cyclodextrins on a given protein will always be related to the particular structure of this protein.     

Interactions of some modified mono- and bis-beta-cyclodextrins with bovine serum albumin

Two mono-substituted beta-cyclodextrins and two bridged bis-beta-cyclodextrins, that is, mono(6-(2-aminoethylamino)-6-deoxy)-beta-cyclodextrin (1), mono(6-(2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino)-6-deoxy)-beta-cyclodextrin (2), ethylene-1,2-diamino bis-6-(6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin) (3), and iminodiethylene-2,2'-diamino bis-6-(6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin) (4), were prepared from beta-cyclodextrin. Their binding ability with bovine serum albumin as a model protein was investigated through proton magnetic resonance (1H NMR), ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy. In the 1H NMR spectra of the modified cyclodextrins, the resolution of proton signals decreases after the addition of BSA. From the UV and CD spectra, it is found that both the UV absorption and the alpha-helix content of BSA increase with the concentration of the modified cyclodextrins. The protein-ligand interactions cause a fluorescence quenching. The quenching constants are determined using the Stern-Volmer equation to provide an observation of the binding affinity between modified cyclodextrins and BSA. All these results indicate that the modified cyclodextrins can interact with BSA and the bridged bis(beta-cyclodextrin)s (3 and 4) have much stronger interactions than the mono-substituted beta-cyclodextrins (1 and 2). The strong binding stability of bis-cyclodextrins should be attributed to the cooperative effect of two adjacent cyclodextrin moieties. Job's plot shows that the complex stoichiometries of BSA to the modified cyclodextrins were 1:4 for 1 and 2, as well as 1:3 for 3 and 4, respectively.     

Review: cyclodextrins and their interaction with amylolytic enzymes

This review is concerned with inhibition of amylases by cyclodextrins (cyclic maltooligosaccharides), the interaction that occurs between amylases and cyclodextrins and the application of cyclodextrin affinity chromatography in the purification of amylases. In many cases, amylases that are competitively inhibited by cyclodextrins can be purified by cyclodextrin affinity chromatography with the cyclodextrins interacting with the active site on such enzymes. Interestingly amylases that are not competitively inhibited by cyclodextrins may also be purified by cyclodextrin affinity chromatography. Therefore, cyclodextrin affinity chromatography can function in the purification of such amylolytic enzymes with the interaction occurring at a site removed from the active site. In such cases it appears that the cyclodextrin is interacting with an affinity site or binding site that is present on some amylolytic enzymes. It seems that certain similarities occur among the binding sites of such enzymes. Literature concerning amylases, and their subsequent purification using cyclodextrin affinity chromatography is reviewed and the fundamental basis of the interaction of the cyclodextrin with amylolytic enzymes is discussed here.     

Stereoselective phosphorylation of branched cyclodextrins with inorganic cyclo-triphosphate

The phosphorylation by inorganic sodium cyclo-triphosphate (P(3m)) having a six-membered ring was examined for cyclomaltohexaose (alpha-cyclodextrin) and branched cyclodextrins (mono-6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosylcyclomaltohexaose, mono-6-O-alpha-D-maltosylcyclomaltohexaose, mono-6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosylcyclomaltoheptaose, and mono-6-O-alpha-D-maltosylcyclomaltoheptaose) in aqueous solution. For all cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins) studied, the 2-OH group was stereoselectively phosphorylated. In the reaction of branched cyclodextrins and P(3m), only the 2-OH on the alpha-D-glucopyranosyl group of the cyclodextrin rings was phosphorylated with maximum yields of more than 27%. The phosphorylation mechanism of branched cyclodextrins with P(3m) is also discussed.     

Structural Base for Enzymatic Cyclodextrin Hydrolysis

Cyclodextrins resist hydrolysis by burying all bridge oxygens at their interior. Still, the rings can be opened by a small group of specialized enzymes, the cyclomaltodextrinases. Among them, the enzyme from Flavobacterium sp. no. 92 was mutated, crystallized and soaked with cyclodextrins, giving rise to four complex structures. One of them showed an α-cyclodextrin at the outer rim of the active center pocket. In the other complexes, α-, β-and γ-cyclodextrins were bound in a competent mode in the active center. The structures suggest that Arg464 functions as a chaperone guiding the substrates from the solvent into the active center. Over the last part of this pathway, the cyclodextrins bump on Phe274, which rotates the glucosyl group at subsite (+1) by about 120° and fixes it in the new conformation. This induced fit was observed with all three major cyclodextrins. It makes the bridging oxygen between subsites (+1) and (−1) available for protonation by Glu340, which starts the hydrolysis. The mechanism resembles a spring-lock. The structural data were supplemented by activity measurements, quantifying the initial ring opening reaction for the major cyclodextrins and the transglucosylation activity for maltotetraose. Further activity data were collected for mutants splitting the tetrameric enzyme into dimers and for active center mutants.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Fatty Acid Esters Useful in the Food Industry

Enzyme reactions are very attractive in food technology because they can be carried out under mild conditions and without toxic solvents and other catalysts. Lipases can esterify various alcohols with fatty acids. There are opportunities to synthesize useful compounds with special functions as food materials by using the catalytic function of lipase. Reverse micellar systems are discussed as reaction systems for lipases in organic solvents, especially in triacylglycerol synthesis using phosphatidylcholine as the surfactant. Syntheses of some amphiphilic substances including O-acyl-L-homoserine are also discussed.     

Cyclodextrins promote protein aggregation posing risks for therapeutic applications

The presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) is a hallmark feature of various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s (AD) and Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) diseases. NFTs have been correlated with elevated cholesterol levels and a cholesterol-scavenging compound, cyclodextrin, effectively modulates and traffics cholesterol from cell bodies in NPC disease models. Cyclodextrins are also used as drug carriers to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and other tissues. While cyclodextrins have potential value in treating brain diseases, it is important to determine how cyclodextrins affect natively unfolded proteins such as beta-amyloid (Aβ) whose aggregation has been correlated with AD. We show that cyclodextrins drastically alter Aβ aggregation kinetics and induce morphological changes to Aβ that can enhance toxicity towards SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest that care must be taken when using cyclodextrins for BBB delivery or for treatment of brain disease because cyclodextrins can promote toxic aggregation of Aβ.     

Improvement of the sensitivity of EPR spin trapping in biological systems by cyclodextrins: A model study with thylakoids and photosystem II particles

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping spectroscopy is an important method used in free radical research; however, its application in biological systems is hindered by EPR silencing of spin adducts. Previous studies in superoxide-generating chemical systems have shown that spin adducts can be partially stabilized by cyclodextrins. In this work, for the first time, this proposed protective effect of cyclodextrins is investigated in a real biological sample—in isolated thylakoid membranes and photosystem II (PSII) particles with EMPO as a spin trap. It is shown that (i) randomly methylated β-cyclodextrin and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin form inclusion complexes with EMPO–superoxide adducts (EMPO-OOH), (ii) both cyclodextrins increase the intensity of the EMPO-OOH EPR signal in PSII particles up to five times, (iii) higher EMPO-OOH EPR signal intensity is a result of increased stability of EMPO-OOH, and (iv) the extent of the protection of EMPO-OOH adduct provided by cyclodextrins is different in thylakoids and PSII particles. Along with the spin trapping data, the toxicity of cyclodextrins is also discussed with particular focus on photosynthetic preparations. The presented data show that both tested cyclodextrins can be used as valuable tools to improve the sensitivity of spin trapping in biological samples.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Fatty Acid Esters Useful in the Food Industry

Enzyme reactions are very attractive in food technology because they can be carried out under mild conditions and without toxic solvents and other catalysts. Lipases can esterify various alcohols with fatty acids. There are opportunities to synthesize useful compounds with special functions as food materials by using the catalytic function of lipase. Reverse micellar systems are discussed as reaction systems for lipases in organic solvents, especially in triacylglycerol synthesis using phosphatidylcholine as the surfactant. Syntheses of some amphiphilic substances including O-acyl-L-homoserine are also discussed.     

Use of cyclodextrins to manipulate plasma membrane cholesterol content: Evidence, misconceptions and control strategies

The physiological importance of cholesterol in the cell plasma membrane has attracted increased attention in recent years. Consequently, the use of methods of controlled manipulation of membrane cholesterol content has also increased sharply, especially as a method of studying putative cholesterol-enriched cell membrane domains (rafts). The most common means of modifying the cholesterol content of cell membranes is the incubation of cells or model membranes with cyclodextrins, a family of compounds, which, due to the presence of relatively hydrophobic cavity, can be used to extract cholesterol from cell membranes. However, the mechanism of this activity of cyclodextrins is not completely established. Moreover, under conditions commonly used for cholesterol extraction, cyclodextrins may remove cholesterol from both raft and non-raft domains of the membrane as well as alter the distribution of cholesterol between plasma and intracellular membranes. In addition, other hydrophobic molecules such as phospholipids may also be extracted from the membranes by cyclodextrins. We review the evidence for the specific and non-specific effects of cyclodextrins and what is known about the mechanisms for cyclodextrin-induced cholesterol and phospholipid extraction. Finally, we discuss useful control strategies that may help to verify that the observed effects are due specifically to cyclodextrin-induced changes in cellular cholesterol.     

Use of cyclodextrins to manipulate plasma membrane cholesterol content: evidence, misconceptions and control strategies

The physiological importance of cholesterol in the cell plasma membrane has attracted increased attention in recent years. Consequently, the use of methods of controlled manipulation of membrane cholesterol content has also increased sharply, especially as a method of studying putative cholesterol-enriched cell membrane domains (rafts). The most common means of modifying the cholesterol content of cell membranes is the incubation of cells or model membranes with cyclodextrins, a family of compounds, which, due to the presence of relatively hydrophobic cavity, can be used to extract cholesterol from cell membranes. However, the mechanism of this activity of cyclodextrins is not completely established. Moreover, under conditions commonly used for cholesterol extraction, cyclodextrins may remove cholesterol from both raft and non-raft domains of the membrane as well as alter the distribution of cholesterol between plasma and intracellular membranes. In addition, other hydrophobic molecules such as phospholipids may also be extracted from the membranes by cyclodextrins. We review the evidence for the specific and non-specific effects of cyclodextrins and what is known about the mechanisms for cyclodextrin-induced cholesterol and phospholipid extraction. Finally, we discuss useful control strategies that may help to verify that the observed effects are due specifically to cyclodextrin-induced changes in cellular cholesterol.     

Host-guest complex formation in cyclotrikis-(1-->6)

The possibility that cyclotrikis-(1-->6)-[alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl] (CGM6) forms inclusion complexes, like cycloamyloses (cyclodextrins), was investigated by means of electrospray mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The complexing ability of both 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) and 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS), which were already used with cyclodextrins, was investigated. The former showed very little or no tendency to be complexed by CGM6, while the latter produced detectable adducts with CGM6. Fixed 90 degree angle light scattering experiments supported the findings obtained by molecular modelling calculations, which indicated a polar character for the CGM6 internal cavity. CGM6-TNS complexes were probably formed throughout interaction of the polar regions of the two molecules.     

Modulation of binding properties of amphiphilic DNA containing multiple dodecyl phosphotriester linkages to lipid bilayer membrane

DNA is a promising functional molecule to modify and design lipid membrane functions. In order to use DNA in a hydrophilic–hydrophobic interface including lipid membrane, we have developed an amphiphilic DNA having dodecyl phosphotriester linkages (dod-DNA). Herein, we report the binding of a series of amphiphilic dod-DNAs to the lipid bilayer membrane. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay and fluorescent microscopy showed that dod-DNA having three dodecyl groups at each end strongly bound to lipid membrane due to the slow dissociation rate and the dod-DNA can be used as a linear template for molecular arrangement on the membrane surface.     

Influence of cyclodextrin ring substituents on folding-related aggregation of bovine carbonic anhydrase.

A common obstacle to proper renaturation of an unfolded protein is aggregation, an intermolecular side reaction of immense importance in biotechnology and in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Cyclic sugars known as cyclodextrins have been used as protein-folding aids. The effect of cyclodextrin chemistry on aggregation and refolding of carbonic anhydrase was evaluated in this study. Size-exclusion HPLC showed that cyclodextrins inhibit aggregate formation without interfering with the correct renaturation of carbonic anhydrase. PAGE of refolded enzyme provides further evidence of inhibition of folding-related aggregation by natural and chemically modified cyclodextrins. Although the amount of aggregate formed and recovery of active enzyme was dependent on cavity size, the nature of the chemical substituents found on the rims of the sugar molecule seems to play a more important role in cyclodextrin-assisted refolding of carbonic anhydrase. In general, neutral or cationic cyclodextrins with small cavities were found to be better folding aids than anionic cyclodextrins with larger holes. Although the exact prediction of the effect of a cyclodextrin substitution on protein refolding is not possible at present, these results clearly show that modified cyclodextrins can be designed that effectively inhibit protein aggregation.     

Properties of yeast debranching enzyme and its specificity toward branched cyclodextrins.

Debranching enzyme was purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by DEAE-cellulose, omega-aminobutyl agarose and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The activity of the eluent was monitored by the iodine-staining method which detects both the direct and indirect debranching enzymes. The elution profiles at every step showed a single peak with no shoulder. The crude and the purified enzyme preparations gave a single activity band with the same mobility on PAGE. The crude product produced 80% glucose compared to reducing sugar from glycogen-phosphorylase-limited dextrin while the partially purified and purified preparations produced 100% glucose. The activity of the purified enzyme was characterized and compared with that of the rabbit muscle enzyme by using various branched cyclodextrins as substrates. Both enzymes hydrolyzed 6-O-alpha-D-glucosyl cyclodextrins to glucose and cyclodextrins, but did not act on 6-O-alpha-maltosyl cyclomaltoheptaose. The yeast enzyme gave rise to glucose as a sole reducing sugar from 6-O-alpha-maltotriosyl cyclomaltoheptaose and 6-O-alpha-maltotetraosyl cyclomaltoheptaose, indicating that maltosyl and maltotriosyl transfers, respectively, had occurred, prior to the action of amylo-1,6-glucosidase. 6-O-alpha-D-Glucosyl cyclomaltoheptaose and 6-O-alpha-D-glucosyl cyclomalto-octaose, respectively, were better substrates than glycogen-phosphorylase-limited dextrin for the yeast and muscle enzymes. The yeast enzyme released glucose at a similar rate from 6-O-alpha-maltotriosyl cyclomaltoheptaose as from 6-O-alpha-maltotetraosyl cyclomaltoheptaose, but considerably lower rates than that from limit dextrin. The yeast debranching enzyme appears to be exclusively oligo-1,4----1,4-glucantransferase-amylo-1,6-glucosidase and does not have isoamylase.