Ayaka Suenaga

Kumamoto University, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

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Publications (38)127.59 Total impact

  • Article: Elucidation of the therapeutic enhancer mechanism of poly-S-nitrosated human serum albumin against multidrug-resistant tumor in animal models.
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    ABSTRACT: Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant circulating protein and its S-nitrosated form serves as a reservoir of nitric oxide (NO). Previously, we prepared poly-S-nitrosated HSA (Poly-SNO-HSA) by incubation with Traut's Reagent and isopentyl nitrite and evaluated its potential as a novel anticancer agent through apoptosis involving the caspase-3 pathway. Recently, NO donors such as nitroglycerin were reported to revert the resistance to anticancer agents. Therefore, now we have evaluated the effect of the above type of Poly-SNO-HSA on the resistance to doxorubicin (dx) in human myelogenous leukemic cells (K562 cells). P-gp expression and dx accumulation in K562 and dx-resistant K562 cells (K562/dx cells) were quantified using Western blot and FACS analysis, respectively. Compared with parent K562 cells, higher expression of P-gp and lower accumulation of dx were shown in K562/dx cells. Poly-SNO-HSA caused increased dx accumulation in K562/dx cells by decreasing the expressions of P-gp and HIF-1α. Other experiments with the guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ and 8-Br-cGMP revealed that also a cGMP signaling pathway is involved in the Poly-SNO-HSA induced increase in dx accumulation. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that co-treatment with Poly-SNO-HSA enhanced the anticancer effect of dx in K562/dx cells-bearing mice. Thus, in addition to its proapoptotic effect Poly-SNO-HSA can in an efficient manner revert drug resistance both in vitro and in vivo, and two pathways for this effect have been identified.
    Journal of Controlled Release 10/2012; · 5.73 Impact Factor
  • Article: S-nitrosated α-1-acid glycoprotein kills drug-resistant bacteria and aids survival in sepsis.
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    ABSTRACT: Treating infections with exogenous NO, which shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, appears to be effective. Similar to NO biosynthesis, biosynthesis of α-1-acid glycoprotein variant A (AGPa), with a reduced cysteine (Cys149), increases markedly during inflammation and infection. We hypothesized that AGPa is an S-nitrosation target in acute-phase proteins. This study aimed to determine whether S-nitrosated AGPa (SNO-AGPa) may be the first compound of this novel antibacterial class against multidrug-resistant bacteria. AGPa was incubated with RAW264.7 cells activated by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ. The antimicrobial effects of SNO-AGPa were determined by measuring the turbidity of the bacterial suspensions in vitro and survival in a murine sepsis model in vivo, respectively. Results indicated that endogenous NO generated by activated RAW264.7 cells caused S-nitrosation of AGPa at Cys149. SNO-AGPa strongly inhibited growth of gram-positive, gram-negative, and multidrug-resistant bacteria and was an extremely potent bacteriostatic compound (IC(50): 10(-9) to 10(-6) M). The antibacterial mechanism of SNO-AGPa involves S-transnitrosation from SNO-AGPa to bacterial cells. Treatment with SNO-AGPa, but not with AGPa, markedly reduced bacterial counts in blood and liver in a mouse sepsis model. The sialyl residues of AGPa seem to suppress the antibacterial activity, since SNO-asialo AGPa was more potent than SNO-AGPa.-Watanabe, K., Ishima, Y., Akaike, T., Sawa, T., Kuroda, T., Ogawa, W., Watanabe, H., Suenaga, A., Kai, T., Otagiri, M., Maruyama, T. S-nitrosated α-1-acid glycoprotein kills drug-resistant bacteria and aids survival in sepsis.
    The FASEB Journal 10/2012; · 5.71 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of hepatic cellular uptake of α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), part 2: involvement of hemoglobin β-chain on plasma membranes in the uptake of human AGP by liver parenchymal cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Human α(1) -acid glycoprotein (AGP), a lipocalin family member, serves as a carrier for basic drugs and endogenous hormones. It is mainly distributed in the liver and also has anti-inflammatory effects. We previously discovered a protein in liver parenchymal cells that interacts with AGP and it was identified as hemoglobin β-chain (HBB). The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of HBB in the hepatic cellular uptake of AGP. Ligand blotting experiments showed that the interaction of (125) I-AGP with hemoglobin was saturable and was significantly suppressed in the presence of excess unlabeled AGP. In addition, the cellular uptake of fluorescein isothiocianate-AGP by HepG2 cells was saturable and temperature dependent. This uptake was inhibited by fillipin and methyl-β-cyclodextrin, but not chlorpromazine, suggesting that AGP is taken up via caveolae/lipid rafts endocytic pathway. Immunostaining showed that HBB and caveolin-1, exclusively expressed in caveolae, were partially colocalized on the plasma membranes of HepG2 cells. HBB knockdown with siRNA decreased the uptake of AGP by HepG2 cells by 40%, and exogenous hemoglobin inhibited the uptake by 40%-50%. These findings indicate that HBB is located on the liver plasma membrane and that it contributes to the intracellular uptake of AGP.
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 04/2012; 101(4):1607-15. · 3.06 Impact Factor
  • Article: Quantitative evaluation of the role of cysteine and methionine residues in the antioxidant activity of human serum albumin using recombinant mutants.
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    ABSTRACT: The importance of cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met) residues for the antioxidant activity of human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated using recombinant HSA mutants, in which Cys34 and/or the six Met residues had been mutated to Ala. The scavenging activities of the mutants against five reactive oxygen and nitrogen species were evaluated by a chemiluminescence assay, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, or a HPLC-flow reactor assay. Our results showed that the contributions of Cys34 and the Met residues to the antioxidant activity of HSA were 61% and 29% against O(2)(•-), 68% and 61% against H(2)O(2), 38% and 6% against HO(•), 36% and 13% against HOCl, and 51% and 1% against (•)NO, respectively. Thus, the findings propose in a direct way that Cys34 plays a more important role than the Met residues in the antioxidant activity of HSA.
    International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Life 02/2012; 64(5):450-4. · 3.51 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of the hepatic cellular uptake of α(1) -acid glycoprotein (AGP), part 1: a peptide moiety of human AGP is recognized by the hemoglobin β-chain on mouse liver parenchymal cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Human α(1) -acid glycoprotein (AGP), a serum glycoprotein, is known to have anti-inflammatory activity. We recently reported that AGP was mainly incorporated into the liver in mice via a receptor-mediated pathway, although the mechanism for this was largely unknown. The objective of this study was to identify the specific cellular surface protein that recognizes the peptide moiety of AGP. Pharmacokinetic studies of (111) In-AGP and (111) In -recombinant glycan-deficient AGP (rAGP) in mice demonstrated that both AGPs are mainly distributed to the liver and kidney, but hepatic and renal uptake clearance of rAGP was higher than that for AGP. Hepatic uptake of rAGP was inhibited in the presence of 100-fold excess of unlabeled AGP, indicating that the hepatic uptake of rAGP shared a common route with that of AGP and that it recognized the peptide moiety of AGPs. In ligand blotting analyses using crude cellular membrane fraction of mice liver, a band corresponding to a 16 kDa protein was observed to bind to both AGPs. Interestingly, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry MALDI-TOF-MS and western blotting analyses indicated that this 16 kDa protein is the hemoglobin β-chain (HBB). It, therefore, appears that HBB is associated with the hepatic uptake of AGP via a direct interaction with its peptide moiety.
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 11/2011; 101(4):1599-606. · 3.06 Impact Factor
  • Article: Structural Insights into Differences in Drug-binding Selectivity between Two Forms of Human α1-Acid Glycoprotein Genetic Variants, the A and F1*S Forms
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    ABSTRACT: Human α1-acid glycoprotein (hAGP) in serum functions as a carrier of basic drugs. In most individuals, hAGP exists as a mixture of two genetic variants, the F1*S and A variants, which bind drugs with different selectivities. We prepared a mutant of the A variant, C149R, and showed that its drug-binding properties were indistinguishable from those of the wild type. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of this mutant hAGP alone and complexed with disopyramide (DSP), amitriptyline (AMT), and the nonspecific drug chlorpromazine (CPZ). The crystal structures revealed that the drug-binding pocket on the A variant is located within an eight-stranded β-barrel, similar to that found in the F1*S variant and other lipocalin family proteins. However, the binding region of the A variant is narrower than that of the F1*S variant. In the crystal structures of complexes with DSP and AMT, the two aromatic rings of each drug interact with Phe-49 and Phe-112 at the bottom of the binding pocket. Although the structure of CPZ is similar to those of DSP and AMT, its fused aromatic ring system, which is extended in length by the addition of a chlorine atom, appears to dictate an alternative mode of binding, which explains its nonselective binding to the F1*S and A variant hAGPs. Modeling experiments based on the co-crystal structures suggest that, in complexes of DSP, AMT, or CPZ with the F1*S variant, Phe-114 sterically hinders interactions with DSP and AMT, but not CPZ.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 04/2011; 286(16):14427-14434. · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: Quantitative analysis of cysteine-34 on the anitioxidative properties of human serum albumin in hemodialysis patients.
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    ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the extent of contribution of cysteine-34 ((34) Cys) on the antioxidant effect of human serum albumin (HSA) and to elucidate the physiological implication in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The ratio of oxidized albumin correlated directly with the thiol content in plasma of the HD patients who received intravenous iron. Moreover, the degree of oxidation of (34) Cys in HSA purified from the HD patients' plasma correlated with the thiol content in plasma. The radical scavenging activity of purified HSA was dependent on the degree of (34) Cys oxidation. A recombinant mutant, C34S, was produced to confirm the role of (34) Cys. The activity of C34S was about half of that of wild-type HSA (WT-HSA). Consistent with this observation, the protective effects of C34S were significantly lower than those of WT-HSA in suppressing cytotoxicity and vascular endothelial growth factor production induced by fenton reaction in a human vascular endothelial cell model. These results indicate that the (34) Cys residue of HSA may account for more than 40% of the antioxidant effect of HSA in vivo, and thus may exert a protective effect on vascular endothelium function via an antioxidative mechanism in chronic renal disease.
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 04/2011; 100(9):3968-76. · 3.06 Impact Factor
  • Article: Structural insights into differences in drug-binding selectivity between two forms of human alpha1-acid glycoprotein genetic variants, the A and F1*S forms.
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    ABSTRACT: Human α(1)-acid glycoprotein (hAGP) in serum functions as a carrier of basic drugs. In most individuals, hAGP exists as a mixture of two genetic variants, the F1*S and A variants, which bind drugs with different selectivities. We prepared a mutant of the A variant, C149R, and showed that its drug-binding properties were indistinguishable from those of the wild type. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of this mutant hAGP alone and complexed with disopyramide (DSP), amitriptyline (AMT), and the nonspecific drug chlorpromazine (CPZ). The crystal structures revealed that the drug-binding pocket on the A variant is located within an eight-stranded β-barrel, similar to that found in the F1*S variant and other lipocalin family proteins. However, the binding region of the A variant is narrower than that of the F1*S variant. In the crystal structures of complexes with DSP and AMT, the two aromatic rings of each drug interact with Phe-49 and Phe-112 at the bottom of the binding pocket. Although the structure of CPZ is similar to those of DSP and AMT, its fused aromatic ring system, which is extended in length by the addition of a chlorine atom, appears to dictate an alternative mode of binding, which explains its nonselective binding to the F1*S and A variant hAGPs. Modeling experiments based on the co-crystal structures suggest that, in complexes of DSP, AMT, or CPZ with the F1*S variant, Phe-114 sterically hinders interactions with DSP and AMT, but not CPZ.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 02/2011; 286(16):14427-34. · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: Spectroscopic studies of interactions of chondroitin sulfates with cisplatin.
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    ABSTRACT: Complexation of cisplatin (CDDP) and chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) or C (CSC) has been reported to reduce the nephrotoxicity of CDDP. However the mechanism of interaction between CDDP and CSA or CSC was not known. In this study, spectroscopic analyses including NMR were carried out to examine the complexation interactions of CSA and CSC with CDDP. The time-dependent changes in the UV spectra indicate that CSA and CSC effectively complexes with CDDP in aqueous solution and that the reaction occurs subsequent to the hydrolysis of CDDP. The time-dependent change results measured by capillary electrophoresis showed that complexation of chondroitin sulfate (CS) followed first-order reaction kinetics and that the rate of CDDP hydrolysis in the complexation for both CSA and CSC was the same. These results suggested that the mechanism of complexation was a two-step process with monoaqua formation proved to be the first step, which was also the reaction rate controlling step. Moreover, NMR data suggested that the carboxylic and sulfate groups of CS played an important role in its interaction with CDDP.
    Carbohydrate research 01/2011; 346(5):631-7. · 2.03 Impact Factor
  • Article: Toxicodynamic evaluation of a cisplatin-chondroitin sulfate complex using a perfused kidney and human proximal tubular cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Cisplatin (CDDP) is an anticancer drug. The clinical limitations associated with CDDP have stimulated the development of macromolecular drug-carrier systems, in attempts to decrease its toxicity. A complex (CDDP-CSA-23) between CDDP and chondroitin sulfate (CSA), a natural polysaccharide with a mean molecular weight of 23 kDa, proved to have the same anticancer activity as CDDP. A toxicodynamic study was performed on perfused kidneys to determine the effect of CDDP-CSA-23 on renal functions and the extent of platinum accumulation. The results showed that CDDP-CSA-23 attenuates the reduction in urine flow and creatinine clearance induced by CDDP. Moreover, significantly lower amounts of platinum were excreted into the urine in the case of CDDP-CSA-23, compared with CDDP alone. Meanwhile, CDDP-CSA-23 effectively retarded the rapid perfusion of platinum into kidney tissues, as occurs when CDDP is being perfused alone. The cytoprotective effects of CDDP-CSA on human proximal tubular (HK-2) cells were examined by measuring the growth of HK-2 cells in the presence of CDDP or CDDP-CSA-23. Interestingly, CDDP-CSA-23 was found to have a significantly reduced cytotoxicity, compared to CDDP. These results suggest that CDDP-CSA-23 greatly decreased the negative effects of CDDP on glomerular filtration and tubular transport in kidneys at early stages of its administration.
    Renal Failure 01/2011; 33(6):609-14. · 0.82 Impact Factor
  • Article: Receptor-mediated uptake of human alpha1-acid glycoprotein into liver parenchymal cells in mice.
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    ABSTRACT: Human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), a serum glycoprotein, is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects by a mechanism that is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of AGP in mice using enzymatically modified AGP (AGP with the sialic acids removed, asialo-AGP, and with both sialic acids and galactose removed, agalacto-AGP). It was observed that AGP was eliminated from the circulation slowly, and was mainly taken up by the liver. The elimination of labeled AGP, asialo-AGP and agalacto-AGP from the circulation was suppressed in the presence of excess unlabeled AGP, asialo-AGP and agalacto-AGP, respectively, suggesting the receptor-mediated uptake of these AGPs. Interestingly, the uptake of AGP by the liver competed with agalacto-AGP, but not with asialo-AGP, while agalacto-AGP competed with asialo-AGP. These results suggest that agalacto-AGP binds to at least two types of receptors, namely asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) and an as yet unidentified receptor that is shared with AGP, and that AGP is directly taken up by the liver through such a receptor and not via ASGPR. These findings help improve our understanding of the clearance mechanism of AGP.
    Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics 01/2010; 25(1):101-7. · 2.32 Impact Factor
  • Article: Construction of an expression system for human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein in E. coli: The roles of oligosaccharide moieties in structural and functional properties.
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    ABSTRACT: Unglycosylated recombinant human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (hAGP) variants (rF1(*)S and rA) were prepared in an E. coli expression system using the Origami B strain and pET-3c vector. Thioredoxin was co-expressed to promote the appropriate folding of hAGP. SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions showed that rF1(*)S and rA migrate as single bands after purification. However, several bands derived from rA were observed under non-reducing conditions because of the high reactivity of a free cystein residue (C149). We therefore prepared a mutant of A variant (C149R-A), and confirmed that this mutant maintained homogeneity. Circular dichroism and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopic analyses indicated that rF1(*)S and C149R-A have almost the same conformational structures as F1(*)S and A purified from serum. Ligand binding experiments using propranolol as a F1(*)S ligand and disopyramide as an A specific ligand indicated that the capacity of rF1(*)S and C149R-A is equivalent to those ligands as well as F1(*)S and A from serum. These results suggest that the oligosaccharide moieties of hAGP have negligible effects on the structural and ligand binding properties of hAGP. Thus, rF1(*)S and C149R-A promise to be useful in studies on the drug binding sites of hAGP.
    Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics 01/2010; 25(2):200-7. · 2.32 Impact Factor
  • Article: Nitrosylated human serum albumin (SNO-HSA) induces apoptosis in tumor cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Recently, nitric oxide has been investigated as a potential anti-cancer therapy because of its cytotoxic activity. Previously, we found that S-nitrosylated human serum albumin (SNO-HSA) induced apoptosis in C26 cells, demonstrating for the first time that SNO-HSA has potential as an anti-cancer drug. In the present study, the anti-tumor activity of SNO-HSA in another tumor type of cancer cell was investigated using murine tumor LY-80 cells. Mitochondrial depolarization, activation of caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation were induced in LY-80 cells by SNO-HSA treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of caspase activity resulted in complete inhibition of DNA fragmentation induced by SNO-HSA. The cytotoxic effects of SNO-HSA on LY-80 were concentration-dependent. Tumor growth in LY-80-tumor-bearing rats was significantly inhibited by administration of SNO-HSA compared with saline- and HSA-treatment. These results suggest that SNO-HSA has potential as a chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent because it induces apoptosis in tumor cells.
    Nitric Oxide 10/2009; 22(4):259-65. · 3.55 Impact Factor
  • Article: A site-directed mutagenesis study of drug-binding selectivity in genetic variants of human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein.
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    ABSTRACT: Human alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), a major carrier of many basic drugs in circulation, consists of at least two genetic variants, namely A and F1*S variant. Interestingly, the variants of AGP have different drug-binding properties. The purpose of this study was to identify the amino acid residues that are responsible for the selectivity of drug binding to genetic variants of AGP using site-directed mutagenesis. First, we screened amino acid residues in the region proximal to position 100 that are involved in binding of warfarin and dipyridamole, which are F1*S-specific ligands, and of propafenone, which is an A-specific ligand, using ultrafiltration. In the F1*S variant, His97, His100, and Trp122 were involved in either warfarin- or dipyridamole-binding, while Glu92, His100, and Trp122 participated in the binding of propafenone in the A variant. Exchange of the residue at position 92 between AGP variants reversed the relative strength of propafenone binding to the two variants, but had a markedly different effect on binding of warfarin and dipyridamole. These findings indicate that the amino acid residue at position 92 plays a significant role in drug-binding selectivity in AGP variants, especially for drugs that preferentially bind to the A variant.
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 03/2009; 98(11):4316-26. · 3.06 Impact Factor
  • Article: S-nitrosylated human serum albumin-mediated cytoprotective activity is enhanced by fatty acid binding.
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    ABSTRACT: Binding of oleate to S-nitrosylated human serum albumin (SNO-HSA) enhances its cytoprotective effect on liver cells in a rat ischemia/reperfusion model. It enhances the antiapoptotic effect of SNO-HSA on HepG2 cells exposed to anti-Fas antibody. To identify some of the reasons for the increased cytoprotective effects, additional experiments were performed with glutathione and HepG2 cells. As indicated by 5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid binding, the addition of oleate increased the accessibility of the single thiol group of albumin. Binding of increasing amounts of oleate resulted in increasing and more rapid S-transnitrosation of glutathione. Likewise, binding of oleate, or of a mixture of endogenous fatty acids, improved S-denitrosation of SNO-HSA by HepG2 cells. Oleate also enhanced S-transnitrosation by HepG2 cells, as detected by intracellular fluorescence of diaminofluorescein-FM. All of the S-transnitrosation caused by oleate binding was blocked by filipin III. Oleate also increased, in a dose-dependent manner, the binding of SNO-HSA labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate to the surface of the hepatocytes. A model in two parts was worked out for S-transnitrosation, which does not involve low molecular weight thiols. Fatty acid binding facilitates S-denitrosation of SNO-HSA, increases its binding to HepG2 cells and greatly increases S-transnitrosation by hepatocytes in a way that is sensitive to filipin III. A small nitric oxide transfer takes place in a slow system, which is unaffected by fatty acid binding to SNO-HSA and not influenced by filipin III. Thus, fatty acids could be a novel type of mediator for S-transnitrosation.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 11/2008; 283(50):34966-75. · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: Subdomain IIIA of dog albumin contains a binding site similar to site II of human albumin.
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    ABSTRACT: Dog albumin contains a specific drug-binding site that binds most of the site II ligands of human albumin. This study was undertaken to elucidate the structural configuration of this binding site using a photoaffinity labeling technique. Dog albumin and albumins of other animal species were photolabeled with [(14)C]ketoprofen. The photolabeled albumins were cleaved with cyanogen bromide (CNBr) and analyzed autoradiographically after electrophoretic separation. A 11.6-kDa CNBr fragment of the photolabeled dog albumin was found to have incorporated most of the radioactivity. Site II ligands of human albumin inhibited photoincorporation of radioactivity to this fragment. The binding constants of human and dog albumins ranged from 10 to 12 x 10(5) M(-1), at least twice as high as those of rat, rabbit, and bovine albumins. Edman degradation was performed to elucidate the amino acid sequence of the photolabeled peptide derived from further digestion of the dog 11.6-kDa CNBr fragment with lysyl endopeptidase. The sequence was XXSESLVXRX, which corresponds to Cys(476)-Arg(485) of dog albumin. Dog albumin contains a binding site that may have a binding microenvironment similar to that of site II on human albumin. Therefore, dog may be a better experimental animal for data extrapolation from animal to human with regard to site II drug-drug interactions.
    Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 02/2008; 36(1):81-6. · 3.74 Impact Factor
  • Article: Structural and ligand-binding properties of serum albumin species interacting with a biomembrane interface.
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    ABSTRACT: In the process of drug development, preclinical testing using experimental animals is an important aspect, for verification of the efficacy and safety of a drug. Serum albumin is a major binding protein for endogenous and exogenous ligands and regulates their distribution in various tissues. In this study, the structural and drug-binding properties of albumins on a biomembrane surface were investigated using reverse micelles as a model membrane. In reverse micelles, the secondary structures of all albumins were found, to varying degrees, to be intermediate between the native and denatured states. The tertiary structures of human and bovine albumin were similar to those of the native and intermediate states, respectively, whereas those of the dog, rabbit, and rat were in a denatured state. Thus, bovine albumin is an appropriate model for studying structural changes in human albumin in a membrane-water phase. Binding studies also showed the presence of species difference in the change in binding capacity of albumins during their interaction with reverse micelles. Among the albumins, rat albumin appears to be a good model for the protein-mediated drug uptake of human albumin in a biomembrane environment. These findings are significant in terms of the appropriate extrapolation of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data in various animals to humans.
    Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 12/2007; 96(11):3117-24. · 3.06 Impact Factor
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    Article: Alpha1-acid glycoprotein suppresses rat acute inflammatory paw edema through the inhibition of neutrophils activation and prostaglandin E2 generation.
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    ABSTRACT: Alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) is an acute phase protein. Whereas the expression of AGP in an inflammatory state is enhanced by inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1, 6 (IL-1 and IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), the biological significance of AGP remains unclear. In the current study, the anti-inflammatory effect of AGP on the acute inflammatory state was examined in vivo and in vitro. AGP suppressed carrageenan-, dextran- and kaolin-induced paw edema and vascular permeability in rat. These results suggest that both initial inflammatory mediators (serotonin and histamine) and later inflammatory mediators (prostaglandin and bradykinin) are involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of AGP. In fact, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) generation in plasma was significantly inhibited by AGP. Moreover, AGP inhibited the migration of neutrophils treated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) through membrane filter. In addition, AGP significantly suppressed superoxide generation from neutrophils that has been treated with fMLP or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. These results imply that the anti-inflammatory effect of AGP may involve the inhibition of neutrophils migration. The data obtained in this study support a scenario in which an increase in AGP concentration in pathological conditions suppresses inflammation reactions induced by autacoids and neutrophils activities and that AGP plays an important role in the maintenance in the body.
    Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 08/2007; 30(7):1226-30. · 1.66 Impact Factor
  • Article: Recombinant Human Serum Albumin Dimer has High Blood Circulation Activity and Low Vascular Permeability in Comparison with Native Human Serum Albumin.
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    ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: Human serum albumin (HSA) is used clinically as an important plasma expander. Albumin infusion is not recommended for critically ill patients with hypovolemia, burns, or hypoalbuminemia because of the increased leakage of albumin into the extravascular spaces, thereby worsening edema. In the present study, we attempted to overcome this problem by producing a recombinant HSA (rHSA) dimer with decreased vascular permeability and an increased half-life. METHODS: Two molecules of rHSA were genetically fused to produce a recombinant albumin dimer molecule. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the recombinant proteins were evaluated in normal rats and carrageenin-induced paw edema mouse model. RESULTS: The conformational properties of this rHSA dimer were similar to those for the native HSA (the HSA monomer), as evidenced by the Western blot and spectroscopic studies. The biological half-life and area under the plasma concentration-time curve of the rHSA dimer were approximately 1.5 times greater than those of the monomer. Dimerization has also caused a significant decrease in the total body clearance and distribution volume at the steady state of the native HSA. rHSA dimer accumulated to a lesser extent in the liver, skin, muscle, and fat, as compared with the native HSA. Up to 96 h, the vascular permeability of the rHSA dimer was less than that of the native HSA in paw edema mouse models. A prolonged plasma half-life of the rHSA dimer was also observed in the edema model rats. CONCLUSIONS: rHSA dimer has a high retention rate in circulating blood and a lower vascular permeability than that of the native HSA.
    Pharmaceutical Research 06/2006; · 4.09 Impact Factor
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    Article: Recombinant human serum albumin dimer has high blood circulation activity and low vascular permeability in comparison with native human serum albumin.
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    ABSTRACT: Human serum albumin (HSA) is used clinically as an important plasma expander. Albumin infusion is not recommended for critically ill patients with hypovolemia, burns, or hypoalbuminemia because of the increased leakage of albumin into the extravascular spaces, thereby worsening edema. In the present study, we attempted to overcome this problem by producing a recombinant HSA (rHSA) dimer with decreased vascular permeability and an increased half-life. Two molecules of rHSA were genetically fused to produce a recombinant albumin dimer molecule. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the recombinant proteins were evaluated in normal rats and carrageenin-induced paw edema mouse model. The conformational properties of this rHSA dimer were similar to those for the native HSA (the HSA monomer), as evidenced by the Western blot and spectroscopic studies. The biological half-life and area under the plasma concentration-time curve of the rHSA dimer were approximately 1.5 times greater than those of the monomer. Dimerization has also caused a significant decrease in the total body clearance and distribution volume at the steady state of the native HSA. rHSA dimer accumulated to a lesser extent in the liver, skin, muscle, and fat, as compared with the native HSA. Up to 96 h, the vascular permeability of the rHSA dimer was less than that of the native HSA in paw edema mouse models. A prolonged plasma half-life of the rHSA dimer was also observed in the edema model rats. rHSA dimer has a high retention rate in circulating blood and a lower vascular permeability than that of the native HSA.
    Pharmaceutical Research 06/2006; 23(5):882-91. · 4.09 Impact Factor