Glutathione turnover in human cell lines in the presence of agents with glutathione influencing potential with and without acivicin inhibition of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase

BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that there were great discrepancies between different agents regarding their glutathione stimulating potential and that agents with mainly oxidative effects did not increase concentrations of glutathione in human cell cultures, in contrast to other thiol reactive agents. In order to evaluate whether increased glutathione degradation might be one reason for these discrepancies, we have investigated the effect of different agents with potential influence on glutathione metabolism in human cell cultures with or without acivicin inhibition of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GT), since GT is responsible for the initial degradation of glutathione. METHODS: Intra- and extracellular concentrations of glutathione were investigated in HeLa and hepatoma cell cultures, with and without acivicin inhibition of GT, in the presence of oxidative and electrophilic agents (copper ions, hydrogen peroxide and N-ethylmaleimide), hydroquinone, reducing agents (lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine), and a thiol reactive metal (mercury ions). RESULTS: There were great discrepancies between the different agents regarding their maximal glutathione response (the sum of the intracellular and the extracellular amount of glutathione) in cell cultures. There was only a small increase in total glutathione in the presence of hydrogen peroxide or N-ethylmaleimide before the cell protein decreased compared to findings with mercury ions, lipoic acid or hydroquinone. In both HeLa and hepatoma cell cultures, there were correlations between the original glutathione amount and the total glutathione amount observed after acivicin inhibition. CONCLUSION: The relatively small increase of glutathione amount in the presence of oxidative and electrophilic agents compared to other thiol reactive agents is not due to increased GT degradation of glutathione.     

An efficient strategy for high-throughput expression screening of recombinant integral membrane proteins

The recombinant expression of integral membrane proteins is considered a major challenge, and together with the crystallization step, the major hurdle toward routine structure determination of membrane proteins. Basic methodologies for high-throughput (HTP) expression optimization of soluble proteins have recently emerged, providing statistically significant success rates for producing such proteins. Experimental procedures for handling integral membrane proteins are generally more challenging, and there have been no previous comprehensive reports of HTP technology for membrane protein production. Here, we present a generic and integrated parallel HTP strategy for cloning and expression screening of membrane proteins in their detergent solubilized form. Based on this strategy, we provide overall success rates for membrane protein production in Escherichia coli, as well as initial benchmarking statistics of parameters such as expression vectors, strains, and solubilizing detergents. The technologies were applied to 49 E. coli integral membrane proteins with human homologs and revealed that 71% of these proteins could be produced at sufficient levels to allow milligram amounts of protein to be relatively easily purified, which is a significantly higher success rate than anticipated. We attribute the high success rate to the quality and robustness of the methodology used, and to introducing multiple parameters such as different vectors, strains, and detergents. The presented strategy demonstrates the usefulness of HTP technologies for membrane protein production, and the feasibility of large-scale programs for elucidation of structure and function of bacterial integral membrane proteins.     

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Represses Integrin- and Vitronectin-Mediated Cell Migration Independently of Its Function as an Inhibitor of Plasminogen Activation

Cell migration involves the integrins, their extracellular matrix ligands, and pericellular proteolytic enzyme systems. We have studied the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in cell migration, using human amnion WISH cells and human epidermoid carcinoma HEp-2 cells in an assay measuring migration from microcarrier beads and a modified Boyden-chamber assay. Active, but not latent or reactive center-cleaved, PAI-1 inhibited migration. A PAI-1 mutant without ability to inhibit plasminogen activation was as active as wild-type PAI-1 as a migration inhibitor, showing that inhibition of plasminogen activation was not involved. PAI-1 specifically interfered with integrin- and vitronectin-mediated migration: Migration onto vitronectin-coated but not onto fibronectin-coated surfaces was inhibited by PAI-1, a cyclic RGD peptide inhibited migration, and both cell lines expressed vitronectin-binding α_v-integrins. In addition, active PAI-1, but not latent or reactive center-cleaved PAI-1, inhibited vitronectin binding to integrins in anin vitrobinding assay, without affecting binding of fibronectin. Monoclonal antibodies against the urokinase receptor, another vitronectin binding protein, did not affect cell migration in the beads assay, while some inhibitory effect was observed in the Boyden-chamber assay. We conclude that PAI-1, independently of its role as a proteinase inhibitor, inhibits cell migration by competing for vitronectin binding to integrins, while the interference of PAI-1 with binding of vitronectin to the urokinase receptor may play a secondary role. These data define a novel function for the serpin PAI-1, enabling it to regulate cell migration over vitronectin-rich extracellular matrix in the body.     

dnaA suppressor (dasF) mutants of Escherichia coli are stable DNA replication (sdrA/rnh) mutants

Summary The possible allelic relationship between dasF (dnaA suppressor) and sdrA/rnh (stable DNA replication/RNase H) mutations was examined. dasF mutations could not only suppress various dnaA(ts) mutations, but also the insertional inactivation of the dnaA gene or deletion of the oriC sequence, as could sdrA mutations. dasF mutants were found to exhibit the stable DNA replication phenotype, and the sensitivity to rich media, of sdrA mutants. The dasF and sdrA mutations were mapped very closely between metD and proA on the E. coli genetic map. The mutations were recessive to the wild-type allele for all the above phenotypes. It was concluded that dasF is allelic to sdrA/mh.     

Discovery and optimization of potent broad-spectrum arenavirus inhibitors derived from benzimidazole

A chemically diverse library of about 400,000 small molecules was screened for antiviral activity against lentiviral pseudotypes with the Lassa virus envelope glycoprotein (LASV GP) gene incorporated. High-throughput screening resulted in discovery of a hit compound (ST-37) possessing a benzimidazole core which led to a potent compound series. Herein, we report SAR studies which involved structural modifications to the phenyl rings and methylamino linker portion attached to the benzimidazole core. Many analogs in this study possessed single digit nanomolar potency against LASV pseudotypes. Compounds in this benzimidazole series also exhibited nanomolar antiviral activity against pseudotypes generated from other arenavirus envelopes indicating the potential for development of a broad-spectrum inhibitor. Ultimately, lead compound ST-193 was identified and later found to be efficacious in a lethal LASV guinea pig model showing superior protection compared to ribavirin treatment.