Molecular Pharmacology (MOL PHARMACOL)

Publications in this journal

• Article: Cellular mechanisms of Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor regulation and heterologous regulation by N/OFQ

  Courtney L Donica, Hibah O Awwad, Deepak R Thakker, and Kelly M. Standifer
  Molecular Pharmacology 08/2013;
• Article: Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors Augment the Ability of Formoterol to Enhance Glucocorticoid-Dependent Gene Transcription in Human Airway Epithelial Cells: A Novel Mechanism for the Clinical Efficacy of Roflumilast in Severe COPD.

  Moodley T, Wilson S, Joshi T, Rider C, Sharma P, Yan D, Newton R, Giembycz MA
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  ABSTRACT: Post hoc analysis of two phase III clinical studies found that the phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitor, roflumilast, reduced exacerbation frequency in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that were taking inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) concomitantly whereas patients not taking ICS derived no such benefit. In contrast, in two different trials, also performed in patients with severe COPD, roflumilast reduced exacerbation rates in the absence of ICS, indicating that PDE4 inhibition alone is sufficient for therapeutic activity to be realised. Given that roflumilast is recommended as an "add-on" medication to patients with severe disease that will inevitably be taking a LABA/ICS combination therapy, we tested the hypothesis that roflumilast augments the ability of glucocorticoids to induce genes with anti-inflammatory activity. Using a glucocorticoid response element (GRE) luciferase reporter transfected into human airway epithelial cells (both BEAS-2B cells and primary cultures), roflumilast enhanced fluticasone propionate-induced GRE-dependent transcription. Roflumilast also produced a sinistral displacement of the concentration-response curves that described the augmentation of GRE-dependent transcription by the long-acting β2-adrenoecoptor agonist (LABA), formoterol. In BEAS-2B cells and primary airway epithelia, roflumilast interacted with formoterol in a positive cooperative manner to enhance the expression of several glucocorticoid-inducible genes that have anti-inflammatory potential. We suggest that the ability of roflumilast and formoterol to interact in this way supports the concept that these drugs together may impart clinical benefit beyond that achievable by an ICS alone, a PDE4 inhibitor alone or an ICS/LABA combination therapy. Roflumilast may, therefore, be especially effective in patients with severe COPD.
  Molecular Pharmacology 02/2013;
• Article: Formation, reactivity, and anti-platelet activity of mixed disulfide conjugates of clopidogrel

  Haoming Zhang, D Adam Lauver, Benedict R Lucchesi, Paul F Hollenberg
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  ABSTRACT: In this work we investigated the formation, reactivity and anti-platelet activity of various mixed disulfide conjugates of clopidogrel. Our results showed that the production of the active metabolite (AM) from 2-oxoclopidogrel by human liver microsomes (HLMs) is greatly affected by the thiol reductants used. Among the ten thiol compounds tested, glutathione (GSH) is most efficient in producing the AM at a rate of 167 pmoles AM/min/mg HLM. Interestingly, no AM but only the mixed disulfide conjugates were formed in the presence of 6-chloropyridazine-3-thiol (CPT), 2,5-dimethylfuran-3-thiol (DFT), and 3-nitropyridine-2-thiol (NPT). The MS and MS2 spectra of the conjugates of these thiol compounds confirmed the presence of a mixed disulfide bond linkage between the AM and the thiol reductants. Kinetic studies revealed that the mixed disulfide conjugates were capable of exchanging thiols with GSH to release the AM with second order rate constants ranging from 1.2 to 28 M-1s-1. The mixed disulfide conjugates of CPT and NPT showed potent inhibition of platelet aggregation after pre-treatment with 1 mM GSH, confirming that the AM is responsible for the anti-platelet activity of clopidogrel. Collectively, our results provide strong support for a P450-mediated bioactivation mechanism involving the initial formation of a glutathionyl conjugate followed by thiol-disulfide exchange with another GSH molecule to release the AM. Furthermore, the stable mixed disulfide conjugates identified in this study provide a platform to quantitatively generate the therapeutic AM without the need for P450-mediated bioactivation. This property can be further explored in order to overcome the inter-individual variability in clopidogrel therapy.
  Molecular Pharmacology 01/2013; in press.
• Article: Effect of Ifenprodil on GluN1/GluN2B NMDA Receptor Gating

  JM Bhatt, A Prakash, PS Suryavanshi, SM Dravid
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  ABSTRACT: Ifenprodil is an allosteric inhibitor of GluN1/GluN2B N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Despite its widespread use as a prototype for drug development and a subtype-selective tool for physiologic experiments, its precise effect on GluN1/GluN2B gating is yet to be fully understood. Interestingly, recent crystallographic evidence identified that ifenprodil, unlike zinc, binds at the interface of the GluN1/GluN2B amino terminal domain dimer by an induced-fit mechanism. To delineate the effect of this unique binding on GluN1/GluN2B receptor gating, we recorded steady-state currents from cell-attached and outside-out patches. At pH 7.9 in cell-attached patches, ifenprodil increased the occupancy of the long-lived shut conformations, thereby reducing the open probability of the receptor with no change in the mean open time. In addition, ifenprodil selectively affected the area of shut time constants, but not the time constants themselves. Kinetic analyses suggested that ifenprodil prevents the transition of the receptor to an open state and increases its dwell time in an intrinsically occurring closed conformation or desensitized state. We found distinct differences in the action of ifenprodil at GluN1/GluN2B in comparison with previous studies on the effect of zinc on GluN1/GluN2A gating, which may arise due to their unique binding sites. Our data also uncover the potential pH-dependent action of ifenprodil on gating. At a low pH (pH 7.4), but not pH 7.9, ifenprodil reduces the mean open time of GluN1/GluN2B receptors, which may be responsible for its usefulness as a context-dependent inhibitor in conditions like ischemia and stroke, when the pH of the extracellular milieu becomes acidic.
  Molecular Pharmacology 01/2013; 83(1):9.
• Article: Cinnabarinic Acid, an Endogenous Metabolite of the Kynurenine Pathway, Activates Type-4 Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors

  Fazio F, Lionetto L, Molinaro G, Bertrand HO, Acher F, Ngomba RT, Notartomaso S, Curini M, Rosati O, Scarselli P, Di Marco R, Battaglia G, Bruno V, Simmaco M, Pin JP, Nicoletti F, Goudet C
  Molecular Pharmacology 01/2012;
• Article: Pharmacological Chaperoning of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Reduces the ER Stress Response

  Srinivasan R, Richards CI, Xiao C, Rhee D, Pantoja R, Dougherty DA, Miwa JM, Lester HA
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  ABSTRACT: We report the first observation that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) can decrease when a central nervous system drug acts as an intracellular pharmacological chaperone for its classical receptor. Transient expression of α4β2 nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) in Neuro-2a cells induced the nuclear translocation of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), part of the UPR. Cells were exposed for 48 hr either to the full agonist nicotine, the partial agonist cytisine, or the competitive antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine. We also tested mutant nAChRs, which readily exit the ER. Each of these four manipulations increased Sec24D-eGFP fluorescence of condensed ER exit sites and also attenuated translocation of ATF6-eGFP to the nucleus. However, we found no correlation among the manipulations for other tested parameters: changes in nAChR stoichiometry ((α4)(2)(β2)(3) vs (α4)(3)(β2)(2)), changes in ER and trans-Golgi structure, or degree of nAChR upregulation at the plasma membrane. The four manipulations activated zero to 0.4% of nAChRs, showing that activation of the nAChR channel did not underlie the reduced ER stress. Nicotine also attenuated endogenously expressed ATF6 translocation and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α in mouse cortical neurons transfected with α4β2 nAChRs. We conclude that when nicotine accelerates ER export of α4β2 nAChRs, this suppresses ER stress and the UPR. Suppression of a sustained UPR may explain the apparent neuroprotective effect that causes the inverse correlation between a person's history of tobacco use and susceptibility to developing Parkinson's disease. This suggests a novel mechanism for neuroprotection by nicotine.
  Molecular Pharmacology 01/2012;
• Article: Novel betulin derivatives as antileishmanial agents with mode of action targeting type IB DNA topoisomerase

  Chowdhury S, Mukherjee T, Sengupta S, Chowdhury SR, Mukhopadhyay S, Majumder HK
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  ABSTRACT: Toward developing antileishmanial agents with mode of action targeted to DNA topoisomerases of Leishmania donovani, we have synthesized a large number of derivatives of betulin. The compound, a natural triterpene isolated from the cork layer of Betula spp. plants exhibits several pharmacological properties. Three compounds (disuccinyl betulin, diglutaryl dihydrobetulin, and disuccinyl dihydrobetulin) inhibit growth of the parasite as well as relaxation activity of the enzyme type IB topoisomerase [Leishmania donovani topoisomerase I (LdTOP1LS)] of the parasite. Mechanistic studies suggest that these compounds interact with the enzyme in a reversible manner. The stoichiometry of these compounds binding to LdTOP1LS is 1:1 (mole/mole) with a dissociation constant on the order of ∼10(-6) M. Unlike CPT, these compounds do not stabilize the cleavage complex; rather, they abrogate the covalent complex formation. In processive mode of relaxation assay condition, these compounds slow down the strand rotation event, which ultimately affects the relaxation of supercoiled DNA. It is noteworthy that these compounds reduce the intracellular parasite burden in macrophages infected with wild-type L. donovani as well as with sodium antimony gluconate resistant parasite (GE1). Taken together, our data suggest that these betulin derivatives can be exploited as potential drug candidates against threatening drug resistant leishmaniasis.
  Molecular Pharmacology 10/2011; 80(4):694.
• Article: Gbetagamma interferes with Ca2+-dependent binding of synaptotagmin to the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex.

  Eun-Ja Yoon, Tatyana Gerachshenko, Bryan D Spiegelberg, Simon Alford, Heidi E Hamm
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  ABSTRACT: Presynaptic inhibitory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can decrease neurotransmission by inducing interaction of Gbetagamma with the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex. We have shown that this action of Gbetagamma requires the carboxyl terminus of the 25-kDa synaptosome-associated protein (SNAP25) and is downstream of the well known inhibition of Ca2+ entry through voltage-gated calcium channels. We propose a mechanism in which Gbetagamma and synaptotagmin compete for binding to the SNARE complex. Here, we characterized the Gbetagamma interaction sites on syntaxin1A and SNAP25 and demonstrated an overlap of the Gbetagamma- and synaptotagmin I -binding regions on each member of the SNARE complex. Synaptotagmin competes in a Ca2+-sensitive manner with binding of Gbetagamma to SNAP25, syntaxin1A, and the assembled SNARE complex. We predict, based on these findings, that at high intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, Ca2+-synaptotagmin I can displace Gbetagamma binding and the Gbetagamma-dependent inhibition of exocytosis can be blocked. We tested this hypothesis in giant synapses of the lamprey spinal cord, where 5-HT works via Gbetagamma to inhibit neurotransmission (Blackmer et al., 2001). We showed that increased presynaptic Ca2+ suppresses the 5-HT- and Gbetagamma-dependent inhibition of exocytosis. We suggest that this effect may be due to Ca2+-dependent competition between Gbetagamma and synaptotagmin I for SNARE binding. This type of dynamic regulation may represent a novel mechanism for modifying transmitter release in a graded manner based on the history of action potentials that increase intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and of inhibitory signals through G(i)-coupled GPCRs.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1210-9.
• Article: Ligand-directed signaling: 50 ways to find a lover.

  Martin C Michel, Astrid E Alewijnse
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  ABSTRACT: In contrast to earlier concepts, it seems that distinct ligands acting on the same receptor may elicit qualitative different response patterns, a phenomenon given many names, including "functional selectivity," "agonist-directed trafficking," "biased agonism," "protean agonism," or "ligand-directed signaling." In this issue of Molecular Pharmacology, Sato et al. (p. 1359) extend this concept to beta(3)-adrenergic receptors and report that distinct ligands can activate a single distal response via different signaling pathways. Moreover, they demonstrate that expression density can affect how distinct ligands acting on the same receptor differentially induce cellular responses. We discuss the underlying concepts for such findings and their implications for drug discovery.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1097-9.
• Article: Parawixin1: a spider toxin opening new avenues for glutamate transporter pharmacology.

  Delany Torres-Salazar, Christoph Fahlke
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  ABSTRACT: Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. After release from glutamatergic nerve terminals, glial and neuronal glutamate transporters remove glutamate from the synaptic cleft to terminate synaptic transmission and to prevent neuronal damage by excessive glutamate receptor activation. In this issue of Molecular Pharmacology, Fontana et al. (p. 1228) report on the action of a venom compound, Parawixin1, on excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs). They demonstrate that this agent selectively affects a glial glutamate transporter, EAAT2, by specifically increasing one particular step of the glutamate uptake cycle. Disturbed glutamate homeostasis seems to be a pathogenetic factor in several neurodegenerative disorders. Because EAAT2 is a key player in determining the extracellular glutamate concentration in the mammalian brain, drugs targeting this protein could prevent glutamate excitotoxicity without blocking glutamatergic transmission. Its specificity and selectivity makes Parawixin1 a perfect starting point to design small molecules for the treatment of pathological conditions caused by alterations of glutamate homeostasis.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1100-2.
• Article: Enhancing glutamate transport: mechanism of action of Parawixin1, a neuroprotective compound from Parawixia bistriata spider venom.

  Andréia Cristina Karklin Fontana, Renê de Oliveira Beleboni, Marcin Wlodzimierz Wojewodzic, Wagner Ferreira Dos Santos, Joaquim Coutinho-Netto, Nina Julie Grutle, Spencer D Watts, Niels Christian Danbolt, Susan G Amara
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  ABSTRACT: Previous studies have shown that a compound purified from the spider Parawixia bistriata venom stimulates the activity of glial glutamate transporters and can protect retinal tissue from ischemic damage. To understand the mechanism by which this compound enhances transport, we examined its effects on the functional properties of glutamate transporters after solubilization and reconstitution in liposomes and in transfected COS-7 cells. Here, we demonstrate in both systems that Parawixin1 promotes a direct and selective enhancement of glutamate influx by the EAAT2 transporter subtype through a mechanism that does not alter the apparent affinities for the cosubstrates glutamate or sodium. In liposomes, we observed maximal enhancement by Parawixin1 when extracellular sodium and intracellular potassium concentrations are within physiological ranges. Moreover, the compound does not enhance the reverse transport of glutamate under ionic conditions that favor efflux, when extracellular potassium is elevated and the sodium gradient is reduced, nor does it alter the exchange of glutamate in the absence of internal potassium. These observations suggest that Parawixin1 facilitates the reorientation of the potassium-bound transporter, the rate-limiting step in the transport cycle, a conclusion further supported by experiments showing that Parawixin1 does not stimulate uptake by an EAAT2 transport mutant (E405D) defective in the potassium-dependent reorientation step. Thus, Parawixin1 enhances transport through a novel mechanism targeting a step in the transport cycle distinct from substrate influx or efflux and provides a basis for the design of new drugs that act allosterically on transporters to increase glutamate clearance.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1228-37.
• Article: Peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-alpha protects renal tubular cells from doxorubicin-induced apoptosis.

  Heng Lin, Chun-Cheng Hou, Ching-Feng Cheng, Ted-H Chiu, Yung-Ho Hsu, Yuh-Mou Sue, Tso-Hsiao Chen, Hsin-Han Hou, Ying-Chi Chao, Tzu-Hurng Cheng, Cheng-Hsien Chen
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  ABSTRACT: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) is a transcription factor and has been reported to inhibit cisplatin-mediated proximal tubule cell death. In addition, doxorubicin (Adriamycin)-induced nephrosis in rats is a commonly used experimental model for pharmacological studies of human chronic renal diseases. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of PPAR-alpha on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis and its detailed mechanism in NRK-52E cells and animal models. The mRNA level of PPAR-alpha was found to be reduced by doxorubicin treatment in NRK-52E cells. PPAR-alpha overexpression in NRK-52E cells significantly inhibited doxorubicin-induced apoptosis and the quantity of cleaved caspase-3. Endogenous prostacyclin (PGI(2)) augmentation, which has been reported to protect NRK-52E cells from doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, induced the translocation and activation of PPAR-alpha. The transformation of PPAR-alpha short interfering RNA was applied to silence the PPAR-alpha gene, which abolished the protective effect of PGI(2) augmentation in doxorubicin-treated cells. To confirm the protective role of PPAR-alpha in vivo, PPAR-alpha activator docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was administered to doxorubicin-treated mice, and it has been shown to significantly reduce the doxorubicin-induced apoptotic cells in renal cortex. However, this protective effect of DHA did not exist in PPAR-alpha-deficient mice. In NRK-52E cells, the overexpression of PPAR-alpha elevated the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase and inhibited doxorubicin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). PPAR-alpha overexpression also inhibited the doxorubicin-induced activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), which was associated with the interaction between PPAR-alpha and NF-kappaB p65 subunit as revealed in immunoprecipitation assays. Therefore, PPAR-alpha is capable of inhibiting doxorubicin-induced ROS and NF-kappaB activity and protecting NRK-52E cells from doxorubicin-induced apoptosis.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1238-45.
• Article: Inhibition of trail gene expression by cyclopentenonic prostaglandin 15-deoxy-delta12,14-prostaglandin J2 in T lymphocytes.

  Cinzia Fionda, Filomena Nappi, Mario Piccoli, Luigi Frati, Angela Santoni, Marco Cippitelli
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  ABSTRACT: 15-Deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) is a cyclopentenonic prostaglandin endowed with powerful anti-inflammatory activities, as shown in animal models of inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, where pharmacological administration of this prostanoid can ameliorate inflammation and local tissue damage via activation of the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and/or covalent modifications of cellular proteins. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF superfamily expressed in most of the cells, including those of immune system such as T lymphocytes, in which it is up-regulated upon antigen-specific stimulation. This cytokine plays an important role in regulating various physiological and immunopathological processes, such as immunosurveillance of tumors and tissue destruction associated with different inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Here, we demonstrate that 15d-PGJ(2) inhibits trail mRNA and protein expression by down-regulating the activity of its promoter in human T lymphocytes. Our data indicate that both the chemically reactive cyclopentenone moiety of 15d-PGJ(2) and the activation of PPARgamma may be involved in this repressive mechanism. We identified nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) as a direct target of the prostanoid. 15d-PGJ(2) significantly decreases the expression and/or DNA binding of c-rel, RelA, and p50 transcription factors to the NF-kappaB1 site of trail promoter. Moreover, 15d-PGJ(2)-mediated activation of the transcription factor heat shock factor-1 may contribute to inhibit trail promoter activity in transfected Jurkat T cells. These results suggest that modulation of TRAIL gene expression by 15d-PGJ(2) in T cells may provide a novel pharmacological tool to modify the onset and the progression of specific autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1246-57.
• Article: Capacitative calcium entry contributes to the differential transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in response to thiazolidinediones.

  Brian J Dewar, Olivia S Gardner, Ching-Shih Chen, H Shelton Earp, James M Samet, Lee M Graves
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  ABSTRACT: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are synthetic ligands for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) but also elicit PPARgamma-independent effects, most notably activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Ciglitazone rapidly activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) MAPK, an event requiring c-Src kinase-dependent epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transactivation, whereas troglitazone only weakly activates Erk and does not induce EGFR transactivation; the mechanism underlying this difference remains unclear. In this study, both ciglitazone and troglitazone increased Src activation. Similar effects were observed with Delta2-derivatives of each TZD, compounds that bind PPARgamma but do not lead to its activation, further indicating a PPARgamma-independent mechanism. Neither EGFR kinase nor Pyk2 inhibition prevented Src activation; however, inhibition of Src kinase activity prevented Pyk2 activation. Intracellular calcium chelation blocks TZD-induced Pyk2 activation; here, Src activation by both TZDs and ciglitazone-induced EGFR transactivation were prevented by calcium chelation. Accordingly, both TZDs increased calcium concentrations from intracellular stores; however, only ciglitazone produced a secondary calcium influx in the presence of extracellular calcium. Removal of extracellular calcium or inhibition of capacitative calcium entry by 2-APB prevented ciglitazone-induced EGFR transactivation and Erk activation but did not affect upstream kinase signaling pathways. These results demonstrate that upstream kinases (i.e., Src and Pyk2) are required but not sufficient for EGFR transactivation by TZDs. Moreover, influx of extracellular calcium through capacitative calcium entry may be an unrecognized component that provides a mechanism for the differential induction of EGFR transactivation by these compounds.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1146-56.
• Article: CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein-dependent death receptor 5 induction and ubiquitin/proteasome-mediated cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein down-regulation contribute to enhancement of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis by dimethyl-celecoxib in human non small-cell lung cancer cells.

  Shuzhen Chen, Xiangguo Liu, Ping Yue, Axel H Schönthal, Fadlo R Khuri, Shi-Yong Sun
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  ABSTRACT: 2,5-Dimethyl-celecoxib (DMC) is a derivative of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor with anticancer activity in both preclinical studies and clinical practice, and lacks COX-2-inhibitory activity. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that DMC has better apoptosis-inducing activity than celecoxib, albeit with undefined mechanisms, and exhibits anticancer activity in animal models. In this study, we primarily investigated DMC's cooperative effect with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) on the induction of apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. We found that DMC was more potent than celecoxib in decreasing the survival and inducing apoptosis of NSCLC cells. When combined with TRAIL, DMC exerted enhanced or synergistic effects on the induction of apoptosis, indicating that DMC cooperates with TRAIL to augment the induction of apoptosis. To determine the underlying mechanism of the synergy between DMC and TRAIL, we have demonstrated that DMC induces a CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein-dependent expression of DR5, a major TRAIL receptor, and reduces the levels of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) (both the long and short forms), key inhibitors of death receptor-mediated apoptosis, by facilitating c-FLIP degradation through a ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent mechanism. It is noteworthy that enforced expression of c-FLIP or silencing of DR5 expression using DR5 small interfering RNA abrogated the enhanced effects on induction of apoptosis by the combination of DMC and TRAIL, indicating that both DR5 up-regulation and c-FLIP reduction contribute to cooperative induction of apoptosis by the combination of DMC and TRAIL. Together, we conclude that DMC sensitizes human NSCLC cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via induction of DR5 and down-regulation of c-FLIP.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1269-79.
• Article: Evidence for an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated cytochrome p450 autoregulatory pathway.

  Christopher R Chiaro, Rushang D Patel, Craig B Marcus, Gary H Perdew
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  ABSTRACT: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor responsible for mediating the cellular response to the toxic compound 2,3,7,8,-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. An essential role for the AhR in cellular biology has been established previously, but no high-affinity endogenous ligand has yet been identified. We have confirmed the presence of a putative endogenous ligand(s) in CV-1 cells through transient transfection with various cytochrome P450 isoforms. Expression of cytochromes P450 1A1, 1A2, or 1B1 reduced AhR-mediated luciferase reporter activity, whereas cytochrome P450 2E1 exhibited no significant effect. Studies with 2,4,3',5'-tetramethoxystilbene, a potent and specific inhibitor of cytochrome P450 1B1, was able to partially block cytochrome P450 1B1-mediated reduction in reporter gene activity. These results provide evidence of the existence of a possible feedback mechanism in which AhR-regulated cytochromes P450 from the CYP1A and CYP1B families are able to metabolically alter putative endogenous ligand(s). Several experiments were performed to provide initial characterization of these putative endogenous ligands, including electrophoretic mobility shift assay analyses, which demonstrated that these ligands directly activate the AhR. Soluble extracts from various C57BL/6J and Ahr-null mouse tissues were also analyzed for the presence of AhR activators. Studies revealed that Ahr-null mouse lung tissue had a 4-fold increase in AhR-mediated reporter activity in cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that lung tissue exhibits relatively high constitutive CYP1A1 mRNA levels. These results suggest that there is an autoregulatory feedback loop between the AhR and cytochrome P450 1A1 in mouse lung.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1369-79.
• Article: 2-amino-N-{4-[5-(2-phenanthrenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]-phenyl} acetamide (OSU-03012), a celecoxib derivative, directly targets p21-activated kinase.

  Leonardo M Porchia, Marcy Guerra, Yu-Chieh Wang, Yunlong Zhang, Allan V Espinosa, Motoo Shinohara, Samuel K Kulp, Lawrence S Kirschner, Motoyasu Saji, Ching-Shih Chen, Matthew D Ringel
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  ABSTRACT: p21-Activated kinases (PAKs) are regulators of cell motility and proliferation. PAK activity is regulated in part by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1). We hypothesized that reduced PAK activity was involved in the effects of 2-amino-N-{4-[5-(2-phenanthrenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]-phenyl} acetamide (OSU-03012), a previously characterized PDK1 inhibitor derived from celecoxib. In three human thyroid cancer cell lines, OSU-03012 inhibited cell proliferation with reduced AKT phosphorylation by PDK1. OSU-03012 unexpectedly inhibited PAK phosphorylation at lower concentrations than PDK1-dependent AKT phosphorylation in two of the three lines. In cell-free kinase assays, OSU-03012 was shown to inhibit PAK activity and compete with ATP binding. In addition, computer modeling predicted a docking site for OSU-03012 in the ATP binding motif of PAK1. Finally, overexpression of constitutively activated PAK1 partially rescued the ability of motile NPA thyroid cancer cells to migrate during OSU-03012 treatment, suggesting that inhibition of PAK may be involved in the cellular effects of OSU-03012 in these cells. In summary, OSU-03012 is a direct inhibitor of PAK, and inhibition of PAK, either directly or indirectly, may be involved in its biological effects in vitro.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1124-31.
• Article: 8-benzyl-4-oxo-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene-6,7-dicarboxylic acid (SD-1008), a novel janus kinase 2 inhibitor, increases chemotherapy sensitivity in human ovarian cancer cells.

  Zhenfeng Duan, James Bradner, Edward Greenberg, Ralph Mazitschek, Rosemary Foster, Jennifer Mahoney, Michael V Seiden
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  ABSTRACT: Interleukin 6 and the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 proteins have important roles in cancer cell survival and proliferation. Recent studies demonstrate that abnormal STAT3 activation promotes tumor growth and supports survival of many human cancers, and thus, this protein or the pathway responsible for its activation is a potential target for the new anticancer therapy. STAT3 is a DNA binding transcription factor, and therefore, its function depends on nuclear translocation. To discover inhibitors of the STAT3 pathway, we designed a cell-based screening assay capable of identifying small molecules that inhibit nuclear translocation. Among the 2000-compound National Cancer Institute Diversity set, we identified 8-benzyl-4-oxo-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene-6,7-dicarboxylic acid (SD-1008) as a micromolar inhibitor of interleukin-6 or oncostatin-induced STAT3 nuclear translocation. In addition, SD-1008 inhibits tyrosyl phosphorylation of STAT3, Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), and Src. SD-1008 also reduces STAT3-dependent luciferase activity. Biochemical studies with recombinant JAK2 proteins demonstrate that high concentrations of SD-1008 directly inhibit JAK2 kinase autophosphorylation. Exposure of various cell lines to SD-1008 decreases levels of the STAT3-dependent proteins, Bcl-X(L) and survivin, inducing apoptosis. SD-1008 also enhances apoptosis induced by paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells. These results demonstrate that SD-1008 directly blocks the JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway in human cancer cells that express constitutively active Stat and add to the growing literature that identifies this pathway as a viable target for drug development. Finally, SD-1008 may be a suitable prototype for further chemical modification and exploration as a therapeutic agent.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1137-45.
• Article: Regulation of glutathione synthesis via interaction between glutamate transport-associated protein 3-18 (GTRAP3-18) and excitatory amino acid carrier-1 (EAAC1) at plasma membrane.

  Masahiko Watabe, Koji Aoyama, Toshio Nakaki
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  ABSTRACT: Regulation of the cysteine transporter known as excitatory amino acid carrier-1 (EAAC1) for intracellular glutathione (GSH) content was investigated using human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells as a model system. GSH content was significantly reduced by l-aspartate-beta-hydroxamate (50-250 microM), an inhibitor of both EAAC1 and GLT1, both of which are transporters to take up cysteine, whereas dihydrokainate (1-100 microM), a specific inhibitor of GLT1, failed to do so. This indicates that EAAC1 is involved in GSH content in HEK293 cells. We examined the effect of glutamate transport-associated protein 3-18 (GTRAP3-18), which is capable of interacting with EAAC1. The GSH content decreased when the GTRAP3-18 protein level at the plasma membrane was increased by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (250 microM), rendering the cells more vulnerable to oxidative stress. Intracellular GSH increased when the GTRAP3-18 protein level at the plasma membrane was decreased by antisense oligonucleotides, rendering the cells more resistant to oxidative stress. Furthermore, we found that the increase in GSH content produced by stimulating protein kinase C, a translocator and activator of EAAC1, was inhibited by an increase in cell surface GTRAP3-18 protein. These results show GTRAP3-18 to negatively and dominantly regulate cellular GSH content via interaction with EAAC1 at the plasma membrane.
  Molecular Pharmacology 12/2007; 72(5):1103-10.