Semisynthetic des-(B27-B30)-insulins with modified B26-tyrosine

Semisynthetic des-(B27-B30)-insulins containing modified B26-tyrosine residues were prepared to refine the understanding of the importance of position B26 with regard to biological and structural properties of the hormone. The following shortened insulin analogues were synthesized by trypsin-catalysed peptide-bond formation between the C-terminal amino acid ArgB22 of des-(B23-B30)-insulin and synthetic tetrapeptides as amino components: des-(B27-B30)-insulin, des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-methyl ester, -B26-carboxamide with varying C-terminal hydrophobicity of the B-chain, and [Tyr(NH2)B26]-, [Tyr(NO2)B26]-, [Tyr(I2)B26]-, [D-TyrB26]des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-carboxamide containing non-proteinogenic amino acids in position B26. Starting from insulin and an excess of synthetic Gly-Phe-Phe-Tyr-OMe as nucleophile, des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-methyl ester--the formal transpeptidation product at ArgB22--was formed in one step. Biological in vitro properties (binding to cultured human IM-9 lymphocytes, relative lipogenic potency in isolated rat adipocytes) of all semisynthetic analogues are reported, ranging from slightly decreased to two-fold receptor affinity and nearly three-fold biopotency relative to insulin. If the C-terminal tetrapeptide B27-B30 is removed, full relative insulin activity is still preserved, while the shortening results in the loss of ability to associate in solution. Only after carboxamidation or methyl esterification of TyrB26 the self-association typical of native insulin can be observed, and the CD-spectral effects in the near UV spectrum related to association and hexamerization of the native hormone are qualitatively reestablished. The results of this investigation underline the importance of position B26 to the modulation of hormonal properties and solution structure of the shortened insulins.     

Fermentation and purification of lacZ-fused single chain insulin precursor for (B30-homoserine) human insulin

In order to produce the single chain precursor of a novel human insulin analogue, (B³⁰-homoserine) insulin, the fermentative behaviors ofEscherichia coli JM103 were studied, which harbors pKBA plasmid carrying a hybrid gene in which the gene for a single chain precursor was fused withlacZ gene undertac promoter. The maximal induction of gene expression was achieved when more than 0.05 mM of isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) was supplemented to fermentation medium after 4 h cultivation ofE. coli, and followed by longer than 2-h fermentation. The hybrid protein of the single chain insulin precursor was isolated from cytoplasmic inclusion bodies by dissolving in 8M urea solution, and purified through DEAE-Sephacel and Sephadex G-200 column chromatographies with a recovery of 35%. The finally purified hybrid protein showed a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel.     

Preparation of [B23-D-alanine]des-(B25-B30)-hexapeptide-insulin by a combination of enzymic and non-enzymic synthesis.

Des-(B25-B30)-hexapeptide-insulin with B23-glycine replaced by D-alanine was prepared by a combination of enzymic and non-enzymic syntheses. The purified product was homogeneous in polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and could be crystallized. The biological activity in vivo of crystalline [B23-D-Ala]des-(B25-B30)-hexapeptide-insulin was determined as 58% of that of standard pig insulin (27 i.u./mg).     

A new procedure for enzymatic semisynthesis of human insulin by hydrolysis of single-chain des-(b-30)-lnsulin precursor with lysyl endopeptidase

It has been shown that the single-chain des-(B-30)-insulin precursor (SCI) can be converted into human insulin ester by transpeptidation using trypsin in the presence of a threonine derivative. The present study demonstrates that Achromobacter lyticus protease 1 (lysyl endopeptidase) can catalyze the transpeptidation reaction more efficiently than can trypsin. It is also shown that des-(B-30)-insulin (DAI) can be produced by hydrolysis of SCI with the lysyl endopeptidase. Since it is well known that SCI can be produced by gene technology, the following method is recommended for industrial production of human insulin ester: hydrolysis of SCI with lysyl endopeptidase followed by coupling of the resulting DAI with a threonine derivative using trypsin or lysyl endopeptidase.     

Enzymatic semisynthesis of porcine despentapeptide (B26-30) insulin using unprotected desoctapeptide (B23-30) insulin as a substrate. Model studies

Unprotected porcine desoctapeptide(B23-30) insulin (DOPI) and the synthetic Gly-Phe-Phe were used as substrates for the trypsin-catalyzed synthesis of despentapeptide(B26-30) insulin (DPPI). The DPPI synthesis was accompanied by a moderate oligomerization and by the formation of a side produce which was identified as a DOPI derivative having an extra peptide bond between the Gly(A1) and Arg(B22) and which was named des(23-63) proinsulin (1). Despite side reactions, the conditions were found where the overall DPPI yields were comparable to those obtained via di-Boc DOPI, and these procedures were faster and simpler since the Boc protection and deprotection steps were omitted. The reaction progress was directly monitored by HPLC.     

Self-association of des-(B26-B30)-insulin. The effect of Ca2+ and some other divalent cations

It has been confirmed by sedimentation equilibrium and sedimentation velocity experiments that des-(B26-B30)-insulin does not self-associate at neutral pH. Sedimentation equilibrium experiments at pH 7, 25 degrees C were conducted to investigate the effects of the structurally and physiologically important divalent cations Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+ and Ca2+ on the aggregation state of des-(B26-B30)-insulin (pig) in solution. It was found that all of these ions bring about association of this insulin analogue; Zn2+ and Cd2+ to a more marked degree than Pb2+ and Ca2+. The predominant species in solutions containing Zn2+ appear to be hexamers and hexameric aggregates, in those containing Cd2+, species up to and including tetramers, and in those containing Pb2+ and Ca2+, monomers and dimers of des-(B26-B30)-insulin appear to be the only species present. The possible significance of these findings, especially in relation to a role for Ca2+ in the action of insulin, is discussed.     

Structural analysis of desheptapeptide(B24-B30) insulin by molecular replacement

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The solution structure of a monomeric insulin. A two-dimensional 1H-NMR study of des-(B26-B30)-insulin in combination with distance geometry and restrained molecular dynamics.

The solution conformation of des-(B26-B30)-insulin (DPI) has been investigated by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. A set of 250 approximate interproton distance restraints, derived from two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectra, were used as the basis of a structure determination using distance geometry (DG) and distance-bound driven dynamics (DDD). Sixteen DG structures were optimized using energy minimization (EM) and submitted to short 5-ps restrained molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations. A further refinement of the DDD structure with the lowest distance errors was done by energy minimization, a prolonged RMD simulation in vacuo and a time-averaged RMD simulation. An average structure was obtained from a trajectory generated during 20-ps RMD. The final structure was compared with the des-(B26-B30)-insulin crystal structure refined by molecular dynamics and the 2-Zn crystal structure of porcine insulin. This comparison shows that the overall structure of des-(B26-B30)-insulin is retained in solution with respect to the crystal structures with a high flexibility at the N-terminal part of the A chain and at the N-terminal and C-terminal parts of the B chain. In the RMD run a high mobility of Gly A1, Asn A21 and of the side chain of Phe B25 is noticed. One of the conformations adopted by des-(B26-B30)-insulin in solution is similar to that of molecule 1 (Chinese nomenclature) in the crystal structure of porcine insulin.     

Degradation of oxidized insulin B chain by the multiproteinase complex macropain (proteasome)

The peptides generated from the degradation of the oxidized B chain of bovine insulin by the multiproteinase complex macropain (proteasome) have been analyzed by reverse-phase peptide mapping and identified by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and composition analysis. Six of the 29 peptide bonds in the insulin B chain were found to be rapidly cleaved by macropain. The catalytic center that cleaves the Gln4-His5 bond could be distinguished from the center or centers that cleave the other preferred bonds by its specific susceptibility to inhibition by leupeptin, antipain, chymostatin, and pentamidine, suggesting that macropain utilizes at least two distinct catalytic centers for the degradation of this model polypeptide. The same effectors simultaneously enhance the rate of cleavage at the other susceptible sites in insulin B. The quantitative characteristics of this effect indicate that different catalytic centers of the complex may be functionally coupled, possibly by an allosteric mechanism or possibly by a mechanism in which binding to the catalytic centers is preceded by a rate-limiting binding of the substrate to a site or sites on the enzyme distinct from the catalytic centers. The kinetics of insulin B chain degradation indicate that macropain can catalyze sequential hydrolysis of peptide bonds in a single substrate molecule via a reaction pathway that involves channeling of peptide intermediates between different catalytic centers within the multienzyme complex. This capacity for channeling may confer potential physiological advantages of increasing the efficiency of amino acid recycling and reducing the pool sizes of peptide intermediates that are generated during the degradation of polypeptides in the intracellular milieu.     

Action of urokinase and trypsin on angiotensin, ACTH and the oxidized B chain of insulin

N-terminal analysis of the products of hydrolysis of angiotensin, ACTH and the oxidized B chain of insulin after 4 h incubation with trypsin and urokinase reveals a great qualitative similarity in the action of the two enzymes. As expected, the rates of hydrolysis differ significantly and are much higher in the case of trypsin catalysis than in the case of urokinase catalysis. Unexpectedly, however, a decrease in the difference between the catalytic activity of the two enzymes, by increasing the number of Arg and Lys residues present in the substrate, has been observed.

Trypsin Urokinase specificity HPLC enzyme kinetics Angiotensin ACTH Oxidized insulin B chain     

Intramolecular cross-linking of insulin. Preparation and properties of oxalyl- and malonyl-bis(methionyl) insulin

The bifunctional reagents, oxalyl-(Met-ONp)2 and malonyl-(Met-ONp)2 have been prepared and investigated as reversible cross-linking reagents for insulin and model compounds. The removal of the cross-linking residues was demonstrated by the cyanogen bromide cleavage of oxalyl-(Met-Phe-OMe)2 and malonyl-(Met-Phe-OMe)2. Zinc-insulin reacted with a molar equivalent of oxalyl-(Met-ONp)2 or malonyl-(Met-ONp)2 in presence of excess triethylamine to yield oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin, respectively. In these derivatives the N-terminal phenylalanine (B1 residue) was free. Thus the cross-link was between A1 and B29 residues in insulin. All three disulfide bonds of these insulin derivatives undergo reduction with tributylphosphine to give six sulfhydryls. Air-oxidation of reduced oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin in 0.05 M disodium phosphate, pH 9.5, yielded products which were indistinguishable from oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin respectively, as measured by physicochemical and biological methods. Cyanogen bromide cleavage of reduced and reoxidized malonyl-(Met)2-insulin in 70% formic acid regenerated insulin quantitatively, but only 40% of insulin was determined from similar treatment of oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin. The regenerated insulins exhibited the biological activity of native insulin. These studies strongly suggest that disulfide bonds formed during oxidation of reduced oxalyl-(Met)2-insulin and malonyl-(Met)2-insulin are identical to those found in insulin.     

Crystal structure of destripeptide (B28-B30) insulin: implications for insulin dissociation

Destripeptide (B28-B30) insulin (DTRI) is an insulin analogue that has much weaker association ability than native insulin but keeps most of its biological activity. It can be crystallized from a solution containing zinc ions at near-neutral pH. Its crystal structure has been determined by molecular replacement and refined at 1.9 A resolution. DTRI in the crystal exists as a loose hexamer compared with 2Zn insulin. The hexamer only contains one zinc ion that coordinates to the B10 His residues of three monomers. Although residues B28-B30 are located in the monomer-monomer interface within a dimer, the removal of them can simultaneously weaken both the interactions between monomers within the dimer and the interactions between dimers. Because the B-chain C-terminus of insulin is very flexible, we take the DTRI hexamer as a transition state in the native insulin dissociation process and suggest a possible dissociation process of the insulin hexamer based on the DTRI structure.     

Antagonism of insulin action on muscle by the albumin-bound B chain of insulin

1. The presence of a substance associated with human albumin that exerts anti-insulin activity on the isolated rat diaphragm has been confirmed. This factor has been removed from albumin, thereby providing a source of non-antagonistic carrier protein. 2. Derivatives of the polypeptide B chain of insulin obtained by chemical scission of the interchain disulphide bonds have been separated by conventional techniques. In the presence of non-antagonistic albumin, the reduced and sulpho-B chain preparations inhibited insulin action on muscle. 3. The B chain resulting from reductive cleavage of insulin by bovine-liver extracts, in association with human albumin, exhibited a comparable anti-insulin effect. 4. It is postulated that the B chain interacts with albumin to enable solubilization of the chain and that inhibition of insulin action on muscle may occur as a result of competition for cellular receptor sites by the B chain. 5. The implication of these findings in relation to a circulating insulin antagonist is discussed.