Nucleotide excision repair by dual incisions in plants.

Plants use light for photosynthesis and for various signaling purposes. The UV wavelengths in sunlight also introduce DNA damage in the form of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts [(6-4)PPs] that must be repaired for the survival of the plant. Genome sequencing has revealed the presence of genes for both CPD and (6-4)PP photolyases, as well as genes for nucleotide excision repair in plants, such as Arabidopsis and rice. Plant photolyases have been purified, characterized, and have been shown to play an important role in plant survival. In contrast, even though nucleotide excision repair gene homologs have been found in plants, the mechanism of nucleotide excision repair has not been investigated. Here we used the in vivo excision repair assay developed in our laboratory to demonstrate that Arabidopsis removes CPDs and (6-4)PPs by a dual-incision mechanism that is essentially identical to the mechanism of dual incisions in humans and other eukaryotes, in which oligonucleotides with a mean length of 26-27 nucleotides are removed by incising ∼20 phosphodiester bonds 5' and 5 phosphodiester bonds 3' to the photoproduct.

Fluoxetine-induced toxicity results in human placental glutathione S-transferase-π (GST-π) dysfunction.

CONTEXT: The antidepressant drug fluoxetine (FLU) is considered in the group of selective serotonine re-uptake inhibitors. Its distribution in brain and binding to human brain glutathione S-transferase-π (GST-π) have been shown. FLU can cross blood brain barrier and placenta, accumulate in fetus and may cause congenital malformations. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the interaction of placental GST-π with FLU. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, concentration-dependent inhibition of human placental GST-π was evaluated by using different FLU concentrations and then 0.3125, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mM FLU concentrations were chosen and tested while keeping GSH concentration constant and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) concentration varied and vice versa. The data were evaluated with different kinetic models and Statistica 9.00 for Windows. RESULTS: The Vm, at variable [CDNB] (142 ± 16 U/mg protein) was 3 times higher than the Vm obtained at variable [GSH] (49 ± 4 U/mg protein). On the other hand, the Km for CDNB was ∼10 times higher than the Km for GSH (1.99 ± 0.36 mM versus 0.21 ± 0.06 mM). The IC50 value for FLU was 8.6 mM. Both at constant [CDNB] and variable [GSH] and at constant [GSH] and variable [CDNB] the inhibition types were competitive with the Ki values of 5.62 ± 4.37 and 8.09 ± 1.27 mM, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the Ki values obtained for FLU in vitro are high, due to their uneven distribution, long elimination time and inhibitory behavior on detoxification systems, it may cause defects in adults but these effects may be much more severe in fetus and result in congenital malformations.

Purification of Glutathione S-Transferase pi from Erythrocytes and Evaluation of the Inhibitory Effect of Hypericin.

Hypericin is a photosensitizer compound used in the photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is an alternative cancer treatment strategy whose function is dependent on the photosensitizers accumulating selectively in tumor cells and following visible or infra-red light induced activation lead to the apoptosis/necrosis of the tumor cells via the formation of reactive oxygen species. Thus, the cellular redox balance is essential for the efficacy of PDT. Among the protective enzyme systems glutathione S-transferases (GST, E.C.2.5.1.18) function in detoxification, protection against oxidative stress and intracellular transport of molecules. It is known that isoenzymes of GST and especially GST-pi is increased in cancer cells and it plays very important functions in the development of resistance to anticancer drugs. Since photosensitizers are used intravenously, it is important to elucidate the effects of photosensitizers on the erythrocyte enzymes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of hypericin on human erythrocyte GST-pi (heGST-pi). Purification yield of 71% and purification fold of 2550 were achieved by using conventional chromatographic methods. The specific activity of the enzyme is found as 51 U/mg protein. Hypericin inhibited heGST-pi in a dose dependent manner and inhibition was biphasic. Noncompetitive type of inhibition was observed with both substrates, GSH and CDNB. The inhibitory constant (K i ) values obtained from Lineweaver-Burk, Dixon, secondary plots; slope and y-intercept versus 1/S (substrate) and from non-linear regression analysis were in good correlation: K i (GSH) was calculated as 0.19 ± 0.01 µM and K i (CDNB) as 0.26 ± 0.03 µM.

Amitriptyline may have a supportive role in cancer treatment by inhibiting glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-π) and alpha (GST-α).

A tricyclic anti-depressant, amitriptyline, is a highly prescribed drug for cancer patients for mood elevation but there are limited studies about the interaction of amitriptyline with glutathione S-transferases pi (GST-π) and glutathione S-transferases alpha (GST-α). GST isozymes have been implicated in chemotherapeutic drug resistance. We demonstrated that the concentration dependent inhibition of GST-π and GST-α by amitriptyline followed inverse hyperbolic inhibition curves with IC(50) values of 5.54 and 8.32 mM, respectively. When the varied substrate was GSH, amitriptyline inhibited both isozymes competitively and similar K(i) values were found for GST-π (K(i) = 1.61 ± 0.17 mM) and GST-α (K(i) = 1.45 ± 0.20 mM). On the other hand, when the varied substrate was CDNB, the inhibition types were non-competitive for GST-π (K(i) = 1.98 ± 0.31 mM) and competitive for GST-α (K(i) = 1.57 ± 0.16 mM). Amitriptyline, in addition to its antidepressant effect, might also have a minor supportive role on the effectiveness of the anticancer drugs by decreasing their elimination through inhibiting GST-π and GST-α.

Evaluation of the in vitro inhibitory impact of hypericin on placental glutathione S-transferase pi.

St John's Wort (SJW) extracts are herbal products which are available without prescription in most countries and widely used in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. Since it is a herbal product and available without prescription, use of SJW is common among pregnant and/or lactating woman. The principal of the study was to clarify the effects of hypericin, one of the components of SJW, on glutathione S-transferase-pi (GST-pi) purified from human placenta. The K (m) values of GST-pi were 0.21 ± 0.03 mM for glutathione (GSH) and 2.29 ± 0.54 mM for 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). At fixed [GSH], the V (m) value calculated was about 3 times higher than the conditions in which [CDNB] was fixed; 201 ± 30 U/mg protein versus 74 ± 3 U/mg protein. At constant substrate concentrations (1 mM), an average IC (50) value of 0.70 ± 0.02 µM was obtained. Hypericin inhibited GST-pi competitively with respect to both substrates. When GSH was the varied substrate a K (i) value of 0.31 ± 0.05 µM was found; when CDNB was the varied substrate, a K (i) value of 0.85 ± 0.02 µM was obtained. On the basis of these data considering transplacental transfer of hypericin and immature hepatic clearance of the baby, using this herbal product may cause abnormalites due to the inhibition of one of the most important placental detoxification enzymes, GST-pi.

The inhibition characteristics of human placental glutathione S-transferase-π by tricyclic antidepressants: amitriptyline and clomipramine.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are the non-selective amine re-uptake inhibitors, well absorbed from small intestine, cross the blood-brain barrier, distributed in the brain, and are bound to glutathione S-transferase-π (GST-π). TCAs can pass through placenta, accumulate in utero baby, and cause congenital malformations. Thus, the study of the interaction of GST-π with antidepressants is crucial. In this study, the interaction of GST-π with amitriptyline and clomipramine was investigated. The K (m) values for glutathione (GSH) and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) were found to be 0.16 ± 0.04 and 3.60 ± 1.67 mM, respectively. The V (m) values were varying according to the fixed substrate; [CDNB] fixed, 53 ± 3 and [GSH] fixed 182 ± 63 U/mg protein. At variable [GSH] and variable [CDNB], the k (cat) values of 7.0 × 10(6) and 1.42 × 10(7) s(-1) and the k (cat)/K (m) values of 4.38 × 10(10) and 3.94 × 10(9 )M(-1 )s(-1) were obtained, respectively. At fixed [CDNB] and variable [GSH], amitriptyline (K (s) = 0.16 ± 0.03 mM; α = 2.08; and K (i) = 1.75 ± 0.37 mM) and clomipramine (K (s) = 0.24 ± 0.05 mM; α = 1.57; and K (i) = 3.90 ± 2.26 mM) showed linear mixed-type inhibition whereas when the varied substrate is CDNB, amitriptyline (K (i) = 4.90 ± 0.68 mM) and clomipramine (K (i) = 3.37 ± 0.39 mM) inhibition were noncompetitive. The inhibition of GST-π by TCAs means the destruction of its protective role against toxic electrophiles. The effect of antidepressants on fetus will be much severe, thus, the antidepressant therapy of pregnant women should be done with caution.

Inhibition characteristics of hypericin on rat small intestine glutathione-S-transferases.

Glutathione-S-transferases constitute a family of enzymes involving in the detoxification of xenobiotics, signalling cascades and serving as ligandins or/and catalyzing the conjugation of various chemicals and drugs. The widely expressed cytosolic GST-pi is a marker protein in various cancers and its increased concentration is linked to drug resistance. GST-pi is autoregulated by S-glutathionylation and it catalyzes the S-glutathionylation of other proteins in response to oxidative or nitrosative stress. S-glutathionylation of GST-pi results in multimer formation and the breakage of ligand binding interactions with c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). Another widely expressed GST enzyme, GST-alpha is assumed as a marker in hepatocellular damage, is implicated in cancer, asthma, cardiovascular disease and response to chemotherapy. Although, it was shown that hypericin binds and inhibits GST-alpha and GST-pi, the inhibition characteristics have not been investigated in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hypericin on major GSTs; GST-alpha and GST-pi purified from rat small intestine. When GSH used as varied substrate the inhibition pattern with hypericin was uncompetitive for GST-alpha (K(i)=0.16 + or - 0.02 microM) and noncompetitive for GST-pi (K(i) = 2.46 + or - 0.43 microM). While using CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) as the varied substrate, the inhibition patterns were noncompetitive for GST-alpha and competitive for GST-pi; K(i) values for GST-alpha and GST-pi were 1.91 + or - 0.21 and 0.55 + or - 0.07 microM, respectively. Since hypericin accumulated in cancer cells and important in photodynamic therapy (PDT), inhibition of GST-alpha and GST-pi by hypericin might increase the effectivity of the treatment. Considering that GST-pi is responsible for the drug resistance its inhibition might increase the benefit obtained from chemotherapy.

Purification and characterisation of rat kidney glutathione reductase.

Glutathione reductase [GR, E.C.1.8.1.7] catalyses NADPH dependent reduction of glutathione disulfide (GSSG) to reduced glutathione (GSH). Thus, it is the crucial enzyme to maintain high [GSH]/[GSSG] ratio and physiological redox status in cells. Kidney and liver tissues were considered as a rich source of GR. In this study, rat kidney GR was purified and some of its properties were investigated. The enzyme was purified 2,356 fold with a yield of 16% by using heat-denaturation and Sephadex G25 gel filtration, 2',5'-ADP Agarose 4B, PBE94 column chromatographies. The purified enzyme had a specific activity (Vm) of 250 U/mg protein and the ratio of absorbances at wavelengths of A (273)/A (463,) A (280)/A (460), A (365)/A (460), and A (379)/A (463), were 7.1, 6.8, 1.2 and 1.0, respectively. Each mol of GR subunit bound 0.97 mol of FAD. NADH was used as a coenzyme by rat kidney GR but with a lower efficiency (32.7%) than NADPH. Its subunit molecular weight was estimated as 53 kDa. An optimum pH of 6.5 and optimum temperature of 65 degrees C were found for rat kidney GR. Its activation energy (Ea) and temperature coefficient (Q(10)) were calculated as 7.02 kcal/mol and 1.42, respectively. The Km((NADPH)) and kcat/Km ((NADPH)) values were found to be 15.3 +/- 1.4 microM and 1.68 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) for the concentration range of 10-200 microM NADPH and when GSSG is the variable substrate, the Km((GSSG)) and the kcat/Km((GSSG)) values of 53.1 +/- 3.4 microM and 4.85 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1) were calculated for the concentration range of 20-1,200 microM GSSG.