1. A new method to evaluate the enzyme-suppressing activity of a leucine aminopeptidase 3 inhibitor
Hanlin Yang, Lihua Wang, Wenyan Jiang, Xuejian Wang, Chunyan Fang, Baijian Li, Xin Zhao, Gong Dai, Huina Wu, Hongan Zhang, Sensen Wang, Lili Peng Drug Discov Ther . 2019;13(1):17-21. doi: 10.5582/ddt.2019.01005.
The expression of leucine aminopeptidase 3 (LAP3) is associated with the prognosis for and malignant transformation of many types of tumors. Therefore, a LAP3 inhibitor may represent a new strategy for cancer therapy. Evaluating the suppression of enzyme activity by an LAP3 inhibitor is essential. Right now, leucine aminopeptidases (LAPs) purified from the porcine kidneys are the only enzymes that can be used to evaluate the suppression of enzyme activity by an LAP3 inhibitor. This approach cannot accurately reflect the suppression of human LAP3 by an inhibitor. The current study developed a new method with which to evaluate the suppression of enzyme activity by an LAP3 inhibitor. Total protein from K562 cells seldom catalyzed the LAP3 substrate. A lentivirus was used to induce K562 cells to overexpress LAP3 (K562-LAP3). After puromycin screening, flow cytometry data indicated that 98.8% of cells expressed green fluorescent protein. The expression of LAP3 in K562-LAP3 cells was also assessed using Western blotting. K562-LAP3 cells were lysed with ultrasonication. Total protein was used as an enzyme source and L-leucine p-nitroaniline hydrochloride was used as a substrate to measure enzyme activity. Total protein from K562-LAP3 cells catalyzed the substrate more than that from K562 cells did. The LAP3 inhibitor ubenimex was used as a positive control to evaluate the suppression of LAP3 enzyme activity. Results indicated that ubenimex significantly inhibited the enzyme activity of LAP3. This approach provides a convenient and accurate way to evaluate the suppression of enzyme activity by an LAP3 inhibitor.
2. Asymmetric nitroaldol reaction. Synthesis of taxotere side chain and (-)-bestatin using (1R)-8-phenylmenthyl glyoxylate
Janusz Jurczak, Iwona Kudyba, Jerzy Raczko J Org Chem . 2004 Apr 16;69(8):2844-50. doi: 10.1021/jo0358269.
The nitroaldol reaction of (1R)-8-phenylmenthyl glyoxylate (3b) with 1-nitro-1-phenylmethane (4) or with 1-nitro-2-phenylethane (13) led stereoselectively to adducts syn-2b and syn-12b, which were then transformed into the Taxotere side chain and (-)-bestatin hydrochloride in overall yields of 52% and 31%, respectively.
3. Exploration of Sitagliptin as a potential inhibitor for the M1 Alanine aminopeptidase enzyme in Plasmodium falciparum using computational docking
Anant Achary, Mohana Krishnamoorthy Bioinformation . 2013;9(6):293-8. doi: 10.6026/97320630009293.
Plasmodium falciparum has limited capacity for de novo amino acid synthesis and rely on degradation of host hemoglobin to maintain protein metabolism and synthesis of proteins. M1 alanine aminopeptidase enzyme of the parasite involved in the terminal degradation of host hemoglobin was subjected to in silico screening with low molecular weight protease inhibitors. The km (avg) of the enzyme M1 alanine aminopeptidase for the substrate DL - Alanine β Napthylamide Hydrochloride was estimated as 322.05µM. The molecular interactions between the enzyme and the substrate and the mechanism of enzyme action were analyzed which paved way for inhibition strategies. Among all the inhibitors screened, Sitagliptin was found to be most potent inhibitor with ki of 0.152 µM in its best orientation whereas the ki(avg) was 2.0055 µM. The ki of Sitagliptin is lower than the km of M1 alanine aminopeptidase for the substrate DL - Alanine β Napthylamide Hydrochloride (322.05 µM) and Ki of the known inhibitor Bestatin. Therefore Sitagliptin may serve as a potent competitive inhibitor of the enzyme M1 alanine aminopeptidase of Plasmodium falciparum.
