Thiopurine Derivative-Induced Fpg/Nei DNA Glycosylase Inhibition: Structural, Dynamic and Functional Insights.

DNA glycosylases are emerging as relevant pharmacological targets in inflammation, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, the search for inhibitors of these enzymes has become a very active research field. As a continuation of previous work that showed that 2-thioxanthine (2TX) is an irreversible inhibitor of zinc finger (ZnF)-containing Fpg/Nei DNA glycosylases, we designed and synthesized a mini-library of 2TX-derivatives (TXn) and evaluated their ability to inhibit Fpg/Nei enzymes. Among forty compounds, four TXn were better inhibitors than 2TX for Fpg. Unexpectedly, but very interestingly, two dithiolated derivatives more selectively and efficiently inhibit the zincless finger (ZnLF)-containing enzymes (human and mimivirus Neil1 DNA glycosylases hNeil1 and MvNei1, respectively). By combining chemistry, biochemistry, mass spectrometry, blind and flexible docking and X-ray structure analysis, we localized new TXn binding sites on Fpg/Nei enzymes. This endeavor allowed us to decipher at the atomic level the mode of action for the best TXn inhibitors on the ZnF-containing enzymes. We discovered an original inhibition mechanism for the ZnLF-containing Fpg/Nei DNA glycosylases by disulfide cyclic trimeric forms of dithiopurines. This work paves the way for the design and synthesis of a new structural class of inhibitors for selective pharmacological targeting of hNeil1 in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

The nucleoid-associated protein HU enhances 8-oxoguanine base excision by the formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase.

The nucleoid-associated protein HU is involved in numerous DNA transactions and thus is essential in DNA maintenance and bacterial survival. The high affinity of HU for SSBs (single-strand breaks) has suggested its involvement in DNA protection, repair and recombination. SSB-containing DNA are major intermediates transiently generated by bifunctional DNA N-glycosylases that initiate the BER (base excision repair) pathway. Enzyme kinetics and DNA-binding experiments demonstrate that HU enhances the 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase activity of Fpg (formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase) by facilitating the release of the enzyme from its final DNA product (one nucleoside gap). We propose that the displacement of Fpg from its end-DNA product by HU is an active mechanism in which HU recognizes the product when it is still bound by Fpg. Through DNA binding, the two proteins interplay to form a transient ternary complex Fpg/DNA/HU which results in the release of Fpg and the molecular entrapment of SSBs by HU. These results support the involvement of HU in BER in vivo.

Zinc finger oxidation of Fpg/Nei DNA glycosylases by 2-thioxanthine: biochemical and X-ray structural characterization.

DNA glycosylases from the Fpg/Nei structural superfamily are base excision repair enzymes involved in the removal of a wide variety of mutagen and potentially lethal oxidized purines and pyrimidines. Although involved in genome stability, the recent discovery of synthetic lethal relationships between DNA glycosylases and other pathways highlights the potential of DNA glycosylase inhibitors for future medicinal chemistry development in cancer therapy. By combining biochemical and structural approaches, the physical target of 2-thioxanthine (2TX), an uncompetitive inhibitor of Fpg, was identified. 2TX interacts with the zinc finger (ZnF) DNA binding domain of the enzyme. This explains why the zincless hNEIL1 enzyme is resistant to 2TX. Crystal structures of the enzyme bound to DNA in the presence of 2TX demonstrate that the inhibitor chemically reacts with cysteine thiolates of ZnF and induces the loss of zinc. The molecular mechanism by which 2TX inhibits Fpg may be generalized to all prokaryote and eukaryote ZnF-containing Fpg/Nei-DNA glycosylases. Cell experiments show that 2TX can operate in cellulo on the human Fpg/Nei DNA glycosylases. The atomic elucidation of the determinants for the interaction of 2TX to Fpg provides the foundation for the future design and synthesis of new inhibitors with high efficiency and selectivity.

Uptake of functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles by human cancer cells.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were functionalised by aminofluorescein (AMF) with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid spacer molecules which provide free carboxylic groups for binding cell-specific ligands such as folate. AMF allowed the exploration of cellular uptake by HeLa cells using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The functionalized nanoparticles (MSN-AMF) penetrated efficiently into HeLa cell cytoplasm through a clathrin dependent endocytosis mechanism. The number of endocytosed MSN-AMF was enhanced when using folate as a targeting molecule. Uptake kinetics revealed that most of MSN-AMF were internalized within 4 h of incubation. Moreover, we found that MSN-AMF were capable of escaping the acidic endolysosomal vesicles of HeLa cells. Cytotoxicity studies suggested that these nanoparticles are non-toxic to HeLa cells up to a dose level of 50 microg/ml.

[Tolerability profile of varenicline in current medical practice]. / Tolérance de la varénicline en pratique courante.

INTRODUCTION: Varenicline (Champix) was approved in France in 2006 as an aid to smoking cessation treatment. Although there is a consensus on its efficacy, its tolerability is debatable. This article sought to clarify its tolerability profile in current medical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study examined tolerance of varenicline prescribed to smokers who wanted to quit smoking in 10 "Stop-Smoking" consultation centers around France. It included all patients who used varenicline during the one-year (February 12, 2007, to February 12, 2008) study period. RESULTS: At least one adverse event (AE) was reported by 45.9% of the 338 patients, with a total of 343. AE incidence was higher among women (51.5%) than men (40.5%) (OR=1.56, 95% CI: 0.99-2.47, p=0.026). There were 32 unexpected AEs, that is, not listed in the initial new drug application, reported by 23 patients, including 19 psychiatric AEs. Of the 8 serious AEs, 3 were of neurological origin. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirmed the tolerability issues for varenicline, identified during the phase II-phase III development program and confirmed afterwards. It raises the following questions: Should varenicline be prescribed as a second-line therapy? Is there a patient type for which varenicline would be more - or less - appropriate? Can the tolerability profile be improved by reducing dosage while maintaining the level of efficacy or by co-administering symptomatic treatment more systematically? These are questions that new studies evaluating varenicline tolerability should answer.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles enhance MTT formazan exocytosis in HeLa cells and astrocytes.

We report on the observation that mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), after being endocytosed, interfere with the MTT test in HeLa cells and astrocytes by accelerating the exocytosis of formazan crystals. The stimulation of MTT formazan exocytosis is probably related to perturbation of intracellular vesicle trafficking by MSN uptake as revealed by experiments in presence of chloroquine and genistein. Similar effect has been previously observed with a number of chemicals, especially with neurotoxic beta amyloid peptides, but not with nanoparticles. We showed also that MTT reduction test gives an overestimation of the cytotoxicity of mesoporous silica nanoparticles compared to other tests such as LDH activity, WST-1 test and flow cytometry. These findings show that MTT assay should not be used for the study of MSN toxicity, and that perturbation of intracellular trafficking has to be taken into account in evaluating biocompatibility of MSNs.