Enzymatic synthesis of a bicyclobutane fatty acid by a hemoprotein lipoxygenase fusion protein from the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120.

Biological transformations of polyunsaturated fatty acids often lead to chemically unstable products, such as the prostaglandin endoperoxides and leukotriene A(4) epoxide of mammalian biology and the allene epoxides of plants. Here, we report on the enzymatic production of a fatty acid containing a highly strained bicyclic four-carbon ring, a moiety known previously only as a model compound for mechanistic studies in chemistry. Starting from linolenic acid (C18.3omega3), a dual function protein from the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120 forms 9R-hydroperoxy-C18.3omega3 in a lipoxygenase domain, then a catalase-related domain converts the 9R-hydroperoxide to two unstable allylic epoxides. We isolated and identified the major product as 9R,10R-epoxy-11trans-C18.1 containing a bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl ring on carbons 13-16, and the minor product as 9R,10R-epoxy-11trans,13trans,15cis-C18.omega3, an epoxide of the leukotriene A type. Synthesis of both epoxides can be understood by initial transformation of the hydroperoxide to an epoxy allylic carbocation. Rearrangement to an intermediate bicyclobutonium ion followed by deprotonation gives the bicyclobutane fatty acid. This enzymatic reaction has no parallel in aqueous or organic solvent, where ring-opened cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes, and homoallyl products are formed. Given the capability shown here for enzymatic formation of the highly strained and unstable bicyclobutane, our findings suggest that other transformations involving carbocation rearrangement, in both chemistry and biology, should be examined for the production of the high energy bicyclobutanes.

Synthesis of 19-[(2-azido-5-iodo)-benzoyloxy]-LTA4 and enzymatic conversion to the LTC4 analogue.

New photoaffinity probes based on C-19 position of leukotriene A4 has been synthesized from 19-hydroxy-LTA4 methyl ester. Enzymatic conversion into the LTC4 analogue yielded a potential tool for the study of cys-LT2 receptors.

Structural characterization of the covalent attachment of leukotriene A3 to leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

Leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase catalyzes the conversion of the unstable epoxide LTA4 [5(S)-trans-5,6-oxido-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid] into proinflammatory LTB4. During the process of catalyzing this reaction, the enzyme is suicide inactivated by its substrate. In addition, LTA3, and analogue of LTA4 that lacks the C14-C15 double bond, is a potent suicide inhibitor of LTA4 hydrolase. We have synthesized [3H]LTA3 and used this ligand to demonstrate that LTA3 can covalently label LTA4 hydrolase and that this labeling is specifically competed for by bestatin and LTA4. Incubation of recombinant human LTA4 hydrolase with LTA3 followed by proteolysis (endoproteinase Lys-C) resulted in a peptide map with a single modified peptide defining the location of the LTA3 covalent attachment region. This modified 21-amino-acid peptide had a UV absorption spectrum corresponding to a conjugated triene chromophore which established conservation of this structural unit after covalent interaction of LTA3 with LTA4 hydrolase. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis of the 21-amino-acid peptide adduct revealed an abundant MH+ at m/z 2658, consistent with the predicted nominal mass of the sequenced peptide with the addition of a single LTA3 moiety. Proteolysis of LTA4 hydrolase modified with LTA3 was performed sequentially with endo-Asp-N and endo-Lys-C. The resulting peptide isolated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was analyzed by mass spectroscopy revealing two related peptides, D371-K385 (m/z 2018.0) and D375-K385 (m/z 1577.8), both of which retained the elements of LTA3. Postsource decay of m/z 1577.8 resulted in an abundant ion at m/z 536 and an ion of lesser abundance at m/z 856 consistent with cleavage between V381 and P382 that supported assignment of the modified tyrosine residue at Y383. These results suggest nucleophilic attack of a tyrosine residue (Y383) at the conjugated triene epoxide of LTA3 resulting in a triene ether carbinol covalent adduct.

14,15-Dehydroleukotriene A4: a specific substrate for leukotriene C4 synthase.

We studied the metabolism of 14,15-dehydro-leukotriene A4 (14, 15-dehydro-LTA4) by human platelet leukotriene C4 (LTC4) synthase and polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase. Metabolites were separated and identified using reversed-phase HPLC coupled to diode-array UV detection. Human platelets metabolize 14,15-dehydro-LTA4 to 14,15-dehydro-LTC4 with apparent kinetics identical with authentic LTA4. Metabolism to 14, 15-dehydro-LTC4 is inhibited by MK-886, a reported LTC4 synthase inhibitor in human platelets, with a potency comparable with that shown by LTA4. In contrast, neither human red-blood-cell lysates nor human PMNL enzymically convert 14,15-dehydro-LTA4 into 14, 15-dehydro-leukotriene B4. Minor amounts of 14,15-dehydro-LTC4, observed in some PMNL preparations, result from variable eosinophil contamination, as confirmed using highly purified neutrophil and eosinophil-enriched preparations. In addition, 14,15-dehydro-LTA4 irreversibly inhibits PMNL LTA4 hydrolase with an IC50 of 0.73 microM. The geometry of the methyl terminus of LTA4 does not influence the metabolism by human platelet LTC4 synthase. The double bond at C-14,15 is essential for the catalytic activity of LTA4 hydrolase but not for binding to this enzyme.

Irreversible inactivation of 5-lipoxygenase by leukotriene A4. Characterization of product inactivation with purified enzyme and intact leukocytes.

We report that leukotriene A4, the electrophilic product of 5-lipoxygenase catalysis, irreversibly inactivates the enzyme. Leukotriene A4 inhibits 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid formation by human neutrophils and differentiated granulocytic HL-60 cells in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 values = 22.4 +/- 2.5 and 29.0 +/- 8.0 microM, respectively. Recovery of cellular enzymatic activity is negligible (< 6%) following inactivation. Leukotriene A4 inactivates cellular 5-lipoxygenase without inhibiting its translocation from the cytosol to the membrane, suggesting that it impairs catalysis without impairing formation of the complex between 5-lipoxygenase and its membrane-associated activating protein. Consistent with this, leukotriene A4 inactivates purified 5-lipoxygenase from human neutrophils, via saturable, pseudo first-order kinetics with a rate constant, ki = 0.14 min-1 and a dissociation constant, Ki = 2.1 +/- 0.7 microM. Purified 5-lipoxygenase incubated with [3H]arachidonic acid incorporated a radiolabeled species that was not removed by electrophoresis under reduced denaturing conditions. Preincubation with leukotriene A4 diminished the incorporation of radiolabeled material, consistent with irreversible modification of 5-lipoxygenase by its metastable product, leukotriene A4. This unusual product inactivation mechanism may contribute to the decline in 5-lipoxygenase activity observed during catalysis.

Glutathione S-transferase-dependent conjugation of leukotriene A4-methyl ester to leukotriene C4-methyl ester in mammalian skin.

The glutathione S-transferase (GST)-dependent conjugation of reduced glutathione (GSH) with leukotriene A4 (LTA4)-methyl ester in rodent and human skin was investigated. Incubation of [3H]LTA4-methyl ester (1 nmole, approximately 200,000 dpm) with cytosol prepared from rat, mouse and human skin or with affinity purified GST from rat skin cytosol in the presence of GSH resulted in the formation of LTC4-methyl ester. Maximum enzyme activity was observed in rat skin followed by mouse and human skin. With heat-denatured cytosol or in the absence of GSH, the product formation was negligible. GST purified from rat skin cytosol by GSH-agarose affinity chromatography exhibited a several-fold increase in the specific activity of enzyme with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (55-fold), ethacrynic acid (67-fold) and LTA4-methyl ester (12-fold) as substrates. Western blot analysis of the affinity purified GST indicated a predominant expression of the Pi class of GST isozyme followed by Mu and Alpha classes of isozymes. The formation of LTC4-methyl ester was established by its radioactivity profile on high pressure liquid chromatography and absorption spectroscopy. These results suggest that, in addition to xenobiotic metabolism, cutaneous GSTs may also be capable of metabolizing physiological substrates such as LTA4.

Enzymic conversion of 11,12-leukotriene A4 to 11,12-dihydroxy-5,14-cis-7,9-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid. Purification of an epoxide hydrolase from the guinea pig liver cytosol.

(11S,12S)-Epoxy-5,14-cis-7,9-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (11,12-leukotriene A4) was nonenzymically converted to seven compounds: two diastereomers of (12S)-hydroxyeicosatetraeno-delta-lactones (major products), two diastereomers of (5,12S)-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and three stereoisomers of (11,12S)-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. Among these compounds, (11R,12S)-dihydroxy-5,14-cis-7,9-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid proved to be the only enzymic product. This hydrolysis activity was present in the cytosol fractions of various tissues of guinea pig such as liver, adrenal gland, small intestine, and brain. We purified the epoxide hydrolase to an apparent homogeneity from the guinea pig liver. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 60,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 7.3. The partial amino acid sequence was different from that of the microsomal enzyme. Km and Vmax values for 11,12-leukotriene A4 were 18 microM and 2.4 mumol/min/mg protein, respectively. These results indicate that 11,12-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid is enzymically synthesized from 11,12-leukotriene A4 by the action of the cytosolic epoxide hydrolase in vitro.

Preparation of omega trideuterated sulfidopeptide leukotrienes: analysis by FAB/MS.

C-20 Trideuterated leukotriene A4 methyl ester was prepared by Wittig condensation of a deuterated C9-phosphonium salt with a C11-epoxydienal. It was then treated separately with glutathione, cysteinylglycine and cysteine. The resulting esters were saponified to give C-20 trideuterated leukotrienes C4, D4 and E4 respectively. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry showed that the synthetic compounds contained from 0.5 to 1.0% protium impurity. Introduction of deuterium at C-20 ensures that it is stable to a wide variety of reagents and reaction conditions. The deuterated leukotrienes will serve as internal standards for the quantitative analysis by mass spectrometry of endogenous sulfidopeptide leukotrienes present in biological fluids.

Synthesis and structural identification of four dihydroxy acids and 11,12-leukotriene C4 derived from 11,12-leukotriene A4.

Using a partially purified 12-lipoxygenase from porcine leukocytes, (5Z,8Z,10E,14Z)-12-hydroperoxy-5,8,10,14-icosate traenoic acid was synthesized from arachidonic acid with a yield of over 35%. The absolute configuration of C-12 was determined as S by chiral-phase column chromatography. It was chemically converted to at least three epoxides with the conjugated triene structure. Two were identified by proton NMR and mass spectrometry to be (5Z,7E,9E,14Z)-(11S,12S)-11,12-oxido-5,7,9,14-ic osatetraenoic acid (11,12-leukotriene A4) and (5Z,7Z,9E,14Z)-(11S,12S)-11,12-oxido-5,7,9,14-ic osatetraenoic acid (7-cis-11,12-leukotriene A4). 11,12-Leukotriene A4 underwent acid hydrolysis to yield two diastereomers of (6E,8E,10E,14Z)-(12S)-5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14-i cosatetraenoic acid and two isomers of (14Z)-(12S)-11,12-dihydroxy-5,7,9,14-icosatetraenoic acid. Upon incubation with rat liver glutathione S-transferase, 11,12-leukotriene A4 was converted to 11,12-leukotriene C4, a spasmogenic compound.

14,15-Dihydroxy-5,8,10,12-eicosatetraenoic acid. Enzymatic formation from 14,15-leukotriene A4.

When 14C-labeled (14S, 15S)-14,15-trans-oxido-5,8-cis-10,12-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (14,15-leukotriene A4) was incubated with cytosolic epoxide hydrolase purified from mouse liver, one major radiolabeled product appeared. The structure was assigned as (14R, 15S)-14,15-dihydroxy-5,8-cis-10,12-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid (14,15-DHETE), based on analytical data as well as enzyme mechanistic considerations. The formation of this compound was dependent on time and enzyme concentration and was abolished after heat treatment of the enzyme. The apparent Km and Vmax values at 37 degrees C were 11 microM and 900 nmol X mg-1 X min-1 respectively. This enzymatic hydrolysis of 14,15-leukotriene A4 represents an additional mode of formation for 14,15-DHETE, a compound previously found to modulate functions of human leukocytes.

Leukotriene C synthase in mouse mastocytoma cells. An enzyme distinct from cytosolic and microsomal glutathione transferases.

Leukotriene C4 synthesis was studied in preparations from mouse mastocytoma cells. Enzymic conjugation of leukotriene A4 with glutathione was catalysed by both the cytosol and the microsomal fraction. The specific activity of the microsomal fraction (7.8 nmol/min per mg of protein) was 17 times that of the cytosol fraction. The cytosol fraction of the mastocytoma cells contained two glutathione transferases, which were purified to homogeneity and characterized. A microsomal glutathione transferase was purified from mouse liver; this enzyme was shown by immunoblot analysis to be present in the mastocytoma microsomal fraction at a concentration one-tenth or less of that in the liver microsomal fraction. Both the cytosolic and the microsomal glutathione transferases in the mastocytoma cells were identified with enzymes previously characterized, by determining specific activities with various substrates, sensitivities to inhibitors, reactions with antibodies, and physical properties. The purified microsomal glutathione transferase from liver was inactive with leukotriene A4 or its methyl ester as substrate. The cytosolic enzymes displayed activity with leukotriene A4, but their specific activities and intracellular concentrations were too low to account for the leukotriene C4 formation in the mastocytoma cells. The microsomal fraction of the cells contained an enzyme distinguishable by various criteria from the previously studied glutathione transferases. This membrane-bound enzyme, leukotriene C synthase (leukotriene A4:glutathione S-leukotrienyltransferase), appears to carry the main responsibility for the biosynthesis of leukotriene C4.

Racemic LTA4 methyl ester bioconversion into LTC4 methyl ester by various glutathione S-transferases.

It has been shown that various glutathione transferases can synthesize leukotriene C4, or its methyl ester, from glutathione and leukotriene A4. We questioned whether the same enzymes could be used to resolve racemic leukotriene A4 methyl ester (more easily prepared than the optically active enantiomer) and to produce leukotriene C4 methyl ester selectively. We present in this paper a study of the enantioselectivity of some rat liver glutathione transferase isozymes and of the glutathione transferase of human placenta for the leukotriene A4 methyl ester isomers. The rat liver 3-4 glutathione transferase exhibited the highest conversion rate but preferentially converted the (5R, 6R) leukotriene A4 methyl ester. The placental enzyme was fairly selective for the natural (5S, 6S) enantiomer but the rate of conversion was low.

Synthesis of 11,12-leukotriene A4, 11S,12S-oxido-5Z,7E,9E,14Z-eicosatetraenoic acid, a novel leukotriene of the 12-lipoxygenase pathway.

A simple and efficient method for preparing 11,12-leukotriene A4 has been established by the stereospecific biomimetic route from arachidonic acid. 12S-Hydroperoxy-5Z,8Z,10E,14Z-eicosatetraenoic acid was synthesized using a partially purified 12-lipoxygenase of porcine leukocytes. The methyl ester of the compound was then chemically converted to two labile epoxides with a conjugated triene structure. These compounds were identified by proton NMR and mass spectrometry to be 11S,12S-oxido-5Z,7E,9E,14Z-eicosatetraenoic acid (11,12-leukotriene A4) and its geometric isomer.

Transformation of leukotriene A4 methyl ester to leukotriene C4 monomethyl ester by cytosolic rat glutathione transferases.

Six major basic cytosolic glutathione transferases from rat liver catalyzed the conversion of leukotriene A4 methyl ester to the corresponding leukotriene C4 monomethyl ester. Glutathione transferase 4-4, the most active among these enzymes, had a Vmax of 615 nmol X min-1 X mg protein-1 at 30 degrees C in the presence of 5 mM glutathione. It was followed in efficiency by transferase 3-4 which had a Vmax of 160 nmol X min-1 X mg-1 under the same conditions. Transferases 1-1, 1-2, 2-2 and 3-3 had at least 30 times lower Vmax values than transferase 4-4.