Search results for "Protease"
showing 10 items of 463 documents
Apaf-1 deficient mouse fibroblasts are resistant to MNNG and MMS-induced apoptotic death without attenuation of Bcl-2 decline.
2005
Abstract Simple alkylating agents induce cell death by activating the apoptotic pathway. In rodent fibroblasts, apoptosis triggered by DNA methylation lesions is executed via the mitochondrial damage pathway. Here, we studied cell death induced by the methylating agents methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in mouse fibroblasts wild-type (wt) and deficient for Apaf-1 (apaf-1 knockout cells). Apaf-1 is an essential component of the apoptosome complex that becomes activated upon cytochrome c release from mitochondria. We show that apaf-1 knockout cells are more resistant to the cytotoxic effect (as measured by WST assay) of methylating agents. This is d…
Interfering with Host Proteases in SARS-CoV-2 Entry as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy
2020
Abstract: Due to its fast international spread and substantial mortality, the coronavirus disease COVID-19 evolved to a global threat. Since there is currently no causative drug against this viral infection available, science is striving for new drugs and other approaches to treat the new disease. Studies have shown that the cell entry of coronaviruses into host cells takes place through the binding of the viral spike (S) protein to cell receptors. Priming of the S protein occurs via hydrolysis by different host proteases. The inhibition of these proteases could impair the processing of the S protein, thereby affecting the interaction with the host-cell receptors and preventing virus cell …
A structural insight into the P1 S1 binding mode of diaminoethylphosphonic and phosphinic acids, selective inhibitors of alanine aminopeptidases
2016
Abstract N′-substituted 1,2-diaminoethylphosphonic acids and 1,2-diaminoethylphosphinic dipeptides were explored to unveil the structural context of the unexpected selectivity of these inhibitors of M1 alanine aminopeptidases (APNs) versus M17 leucine aminopeptidase (LAP). The diaminophosphonic acids were obtained via aziridines in an improved synthetic procedure that was further expanded for the phosphinic pseudodipeptide system. The inhibitory activity, measured for three M1 and one M17 metalloaminopeptidases of different sources (bacterial, human and porcine), revealed several potent compounds (e.g., K i = 65 nM of 1u for Hs APN). Two structures of an M1 representative (APN from Neisser…
Globally defining the effects of mutations in a picornavirus capsid
2021
The capsids of non-enveloped viruses are highly multimeric and multifunctional protein assemblies that play key roles in viral biology and pathogenesis. Despite their importance, a comprehensive understanding of how mutations affect viral fitness across different structural and functional attributes of the capsid is lacking. To address this limitation, we globally define the effects of mutations across the capsid of a human picornavirus. Using this resource, we identify structural and sequence determinants that accurately predict mutational fitness effects, refine evolutionary analyses, and define the sequence specificity of key capsid-encoded motifs. Furthermore, capitalizing on the derive…
µ-Calpain conversion of antiapoptotic Bfl-1 (BCL2A1) into a prodeath factor reveals two distinct alpha-helices inducing mitochondria-mediated apoptos…
2011
Anti-apoptotic Bfl-1 and pro-apoptotic Bax, two members of the Bcl-2 family sharing a similar structural fold, are classically viewed as antagonist regulators of apoptosis. However, both proteins were reported to be death inducers following cleavage by the cysteine protease µ-calpain. Here we demonstrate that calpain-mediated cleavage of full-length Bfl-1 induces the release of C-terminal membrane active α-helices that are responsible for its conversion into a pro-apoptotic factor. A careful comparison of the different membrane-active regions present in the Bfl-1 truncated fragments with homologous domains of Bax show that helix α5, but not α6, of Bfl-1 induces cell death and cytochrome c r…
Hepatitis C Virus NS3/4A Protease Inhibitors.
2008
Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is a global problem worldwide due to the lack of an effective therapy (the current standard of care treatment is effective in about 40-50% of the cases), and the difficulties in developing a protective vaccine. Chronic infection progresses to end-stage liver disease and liver failure in a considerable number of infected individuals. Once liver function is compromised, the only reliable therapeutic intervention is liver transplantation. Unfortunately, re-infection of the graft is unavoidable, and a new chronic hepatitis is early established in transplant recipients, that can result in graft loss. Thus, there is an urgent need for new, specifically targeted…
A Synthetic Route to 3-(Heteroaryl)-7-hydroxycoumarins Designed for Biosensing Applications
2014
A straightforward method to synthesize 3-(2-benzimidazolyl)-7-hydroxycoumarins, based on the condensation reaction of 7-acetoxy-3-formylcoumarin with various C- and/or N-substituted ortho-phenylenediamine derivatives is presented. This unusual approach proved particularly effective for introducing different hydrophilic groups (carboxylic or sulfonic acids or trimethylalkylammonium moieties) onto the heteroaryl scaffold, leading to cyan-green emitting coumarins that were both water-soluble and strongly fluorescent under physiological conditions. The further extension of this condensation reaction to bis(2-aminophenyl)diselenide enabled the first synthesis of 3-(2-benzoselenazolyl)-7-hydroxyc…