Search results for "enzyme inhibitors"
showing 10 items of 559 documents
Protective effect of paraoxonase-2 against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis is lost upon disturbance of calcium homoeostasis
2008
PON2 (paraoxonase-2) is a ubiquitously expressed antioxidative protein which is largely found in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). Addressing the cytoprotective functions of PON2, we observed that PON2 overexpression provided significant resistance to ER-stress-induced caspase 3 activation when the ER stress was induced by interference with protein modification (by tunicamycin or dithiothreitol), but not when ER stress was induced by disturbance of Ca2+ homoeostasis (by thapsigargin or A23187). When analysing the underlying molecular events, we found an activation of the PON2 promoter in response to all tested ER-stress-inducing stimuli. However, only tunicamycin and dithiothreitol resulted i…
Regulation of Human Mitochondrial Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) Activity by Electrophiles in Vitro
2011
Recently, mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-2) was reported to reduce ischemic damage in an experimental myocardial infarction model. ALDH-2 activity is redox-sensitive. Therefore, we here compared effects of various electrophiles (organic nitrates, reactive fatty acid metabolites, or oxidants) on the activity of ALDH-2 with special emphasis on organic nitrate-induced inactivation of the enzyme, the biochemical correlate of nitrate tolerance. Recombinant human ALDH-2 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli; activity was determined with an HPLC-based assay, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species formation was determined by chemiluminescence, fluorescence, protein tyrosine nitration,…
Taspase1: a 'misunderstood' protease with translational cancer relevance
2015
Proteolysis is not only a critical requirement for life, but the executing enzymes also play important roles in numerous pathological conditions, including cancer. Therefore, targeting proteases is clearly relevant for improving cancer patient care. However, to effectively control proteases, a profound knowledge of their mechanistic function as well as their regulation and downstream signalling in health and disease is required. The highly conserved protease Threonine Aspartase1 (Taspase1) is overexpressed in numerous liquid and solid malignancies and was characterized as a 'non-oncogene addiction' protease. Although Taspase1 was shown to cleave various regulatory proteins in humans as well…
Trichinella spiralisThymidylate Synthase: Developmental Pattern, Isolation, Molecular Properties, and Inhibition by Substrate and Cofactor Analogues
1996
Abstract Thymidylate synthase specific activity was found to remain at a constant level in crude extracts from muscle larvae, isolated (1-15 months after infection) by pepsin-HCl digestion, as well as from adult worms ofTrichinella spiralis.The enzyme was purified and its molecular (monomer mol. wt 35 kD) and kinetic (sequential mechanism with the Kmvalues 3.1 and 19 μM for dUMP and N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, respectively) properties determined. 5-Fluoro-dUMP was a competitive, slow-binding inhibitor of the parasite enzyme. N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate analogues 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (CB3717), ZD1694, BW1843U89, and AG337 were weaker inhibitors of the parasite than regener…
Aβ Oligomers and Fibrillar Aggregates Induce Different Apoptotic Pathways in LAN5 Neuroblastoma Cell Cultures
2009
Fibril deposit formation of amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Increasing evidence suggests that toxicity is linked to diffusible Abeta oligomers, which have been found in soluble brain extracts of AD patients, rather than to insoluble fibers. Here we report a study of the toxicity of two distinct forms of recombinant Abeta small oligomers and fibrillar aggregates to simulate the action of diffusible Abeta oligomers and amyloid plaques on neuronal cells. Different techniques, including dynamic light scattering, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy, have been used to characterize the two forms of Abeta. Under similar conditions and …
Triclosan induces Fas receptor-dependent apoptosis in mouse neocortical neurons in vitro
2014
Triclosan (TCS) is a commonly used antimicrobial agent in personal care and sanitizing products, as well as in household items. Numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of TCS in various human tissues. Several studies have reported the accumulation of TCS in fish and human brain tissue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of TCS on apoptosis in mouse neocortical neurons after 7 days of culture in vitro following 3, 6 and 24 h of exposure. To explore the mechanism underlying the effects of TCS in neurons, we studied the activation and protein expression of the Fas receptor (FasR) and caspase- 8, caspase-9 and caspase-3, as well as DNA fragmentation in TCS-treate…
Inhibitory influence of chromogranin A N-terminal fragment (vasostatin-1) on the spontaneous contractions of rat proximal colon
2005
Very little is known about the role played by CGA and its fragments in the gastrointestinal physiology. We have studied the role of CGA N-terminal fragments in the regulation of intestinal smooth muscle contractility by measuring the influence of recombinant CGA 1-78 (VS-1) and synthetic CGA 7-57 peptides on the spontaneous mechanical activity of rat proximal colon in vitro. The mechanical activity was recorded as changes in the intraluminal pressure. VS-1 (0.1-30 nM) and CGA 7-57 (10-300 nM) produced concentration-dependent inhibitory effects, characterized by a progressive decrease in the mean amplitude of circular muscle spontaneous contractions, without affecting the resting tone. The r…
Dual effect of ceramide on human endothelial cells: induction of oxidative stress and transcriptional upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide syntha…
2002
Background— Generation of the second-messenger molecule ceramide by stimulated sphingomyelinase activity has been implicated in the inflammatory processes contributing to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, reports of stimulatory effects of ceramide on endothelial NO production in animal models suggest antiatherosclerotic effects of the molecule. Therefore, we investigated long-term effects of ceramide on NO generation in human endothelial cells. Methods and Results— In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in HUVEC-derived EA.hy 926 endothelial cells, C6-ceramide ( N -hexanoyl- d -erythro-sphingosine) reduced the generation of bioactive NO (RFL-6 reporter-cell assa…
Role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 3γ in the expression of human CYP2C genes
2004
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 gamma (HNF-3 gamma) is an important transcription factor for the maintenance of specific liver functions. However, its relevance in the expression of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes has not yet been explored. Several HNF3 putative binding sites can be identified in human CYP2C 5'-flanking regions. Gene reporter experiments with proximal promoters revealed that HNF-3 gamma transactivated CYP2C8, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 (25-, 4-, and 4-fold, respectively), but it did not transactivate CYP2C18. However, overexpression of HNF-3 gamma in hepatoma cells by means of a recombinant adenovirus induced CYP2C9, CYP2C18, and CYP2C19 mRNA (4.5-, 20-, and 50-fold, respectively) b…
Transcriptional Regulation of Human CYP3A4 Basal Expression by CCAAT Enhancer-Binding Protein α and Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor-3γ
2003
Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is involved in the metabolism of more than 50% of currently used therapeutic drugs, yet the mechanisms that control CYP3A4 basal expression in liver are poorly understood. Several putative binding sites for CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) and hepatic nuclear factor 3 (HNF-3) were found by computer analysis in CYP3A4 promoter. The use of reporter gene assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that one proximal and two distal C/EBP alpha binding sites are essential sites for the trans-activation of CYP3A4 promoter. No trans-activation was found in similar reporter gene experiments with a HNF-3 gamma expression vec…