Engineering a stable and selective peptide blocker of the Kv1.3 channel in T lymphocytes.

Kv1.3 potassium channels maintain the membrane potential of effector memory (T(EM)) T cells that are important mediators of multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. The polypeptide ShK-170 (ShK-L5), containing an N-terminal phosphotyrosine extension of the Stichodactyla helianthus ShK toxin, is a potent and selective blocker of these channels. However, a stability study of ShK-170 showed minor pH-related hydrolysis and oxidation byproducts that were exacerbated by increasing temperatures. We therefore engineered a series of analogs to minimize the formation of these byproducts. The analog with the greatest stability, ShK-192, contains a nonhydrolyzable phosphotyrosine surrogate, a methionine isostere, and a C-terminal amide. ShK-192 shows the same overall fold as ShK, and there is no evidence of any interaction between the N-terminal adduct and the rest of the peptide. The docking configuration of ShK-192 in Kv1.3 shows the N-terminal para-phosphonophenylalanine group lying at the junction of two channel monomers to form a salt bridge with Lys(411) of the channel. ShK-192 blocks Kv1.3 with an IC(50) of 140 pM and exhibits greater than 100-fold selectivity over closely related channels. After a single subcutaneous injection of 100 microg/kg, approximately 100 to 200 pM concentrations of active peptide is detectable in the blood of Lewis rats 24, 48, and 72 h after the injection. ShK-192 effectively inhibits the proliferation of T(EM) cells and suppresses delayed type hypersensitivity when administered at 10 or 100 microg/kg by subcutaneous injection once daily. ShK-192 has potential as a therapeutic for autoimmune diseases mediated by T(EM) cells.

Oxidation of active center cysteine of bovine 1-Cys peroxiredoxin to the cysteine sulfenic acid form by peroxide and peroxynitrite.

Peroxiredoxins are antioxidant enzymes whose peroxidase activity depends on a redox-sensitive cysteine residue at the active center. In this study we investigated properties of the active center cysteine of bovine 1-Cys peroxiredoxin using a recombinant protein (BRPrx). The only cysteine residue of the BRPrx molecule was oxidized rapidly by an equimolar peroxide or peroxynitrite to the cysteine sulfenic acid. Approximate rates of oxidation of BRPrx by different peroxides were estimated using selenium glutathione peroxidase as a competitor. Oxidation of the active center cysteine of BRPrx by H2O2 proceeded only several times slowly than that of the selenocysteine of glutathione peroxidase. The rate of oxidation varied depending on peroxides tested, with H2O2 being about 7 and 80 times faster than tert-butyl hydroperoxide and cumene hydroperoxide, respectively. Peroxynitrite oxidized BRPrx slower than H2O2 but faster than tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Further oxidation of the cysteine sulfenic acid of BRPrx to higher oxidation states proceeded slowly. Oxidized BRPrx was reduced by dithiothreitol, dihydrolipoic acid, and hydrogen sulfide, and demonstrated peroxidase activity (about 30 nmol/mg/min) with these reductants as electron donors. beta-Mercaptoethanol formed a mixed disulfide and did not support peroxidase activity. Oxidized BRPrx did not react with glutathione, cysteine, homocysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, and mercaptosuccinic acid.

Bovine eye 1-Cys peroxiredoxin: expression in E. coli and antioxidant properties.

Peroxiredoxins constitute a molecular family of novel antioxidant proteins and are distributed broadly in non-mammalian and mammalian tissues, including the eye. In this study, a recombinant bovine eye 1-Cys peroxiredoxin (BRPrx) was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The recombinant protein protected glutamine synthetase from oxidative damage caused by a metal ion-catalyzed oxidation system (ascorbate/Fe3+/O2) in the presence of dithiothreitol as an electron donor. The protector activity of BRPrx is attributed to its peroxidase activity exhibited in the presence of dithiothreitol. Both hydrogen peroxide and short chain hydroperoxides are substrates for the protein. Glutathione could not support antioxidant properties of the recombinant protein. The antioxidant activity of BRPrx in the glutamine synthetase protection assay was as high as the activity of catalase and about one order of magnitude lower than that of selenium glutathione peroxidase. These results support the premise that Prx is an important component of the antioxidant defense system in eye tissues.

[Protective activity of 28-kDa 1-Cys peroxiredoxin determines its peroxidase activity]. / Protektornaia aktivnost' 28 1-cys peroksiredoksina opredeliaetsia ego peroksidaznoi aktivnost'iu.

The 28 kDa peroxiredoxin from rat exhibited peroxidase activity only in the presence of dithiothreitol. Both organic and nonorganic peroxidases were found to be substrates for the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin activity. Analysis of the protective antioxidant activity of the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin revealed that it is accounted for by its peroxidase activity.

A novel 45 kDa secretory protein from rat olfactory epithelium: primary structure and localisation.

cDNA clones encoding the 45 kDa protein were isolated from a rat olfactory epithelium cDNA library and their inserts were sequenced. The reconstructed protein sequence comprises 400 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 46,026 Da. A homology was revealed between the amino acid sequence of the 45 kDa protein and the proteins involved in the transfer of hydrophobic ligands. Using in situ hybridisation, the 45 kDa protein mRNA expression was detected in the layer of supportive cells of olfactory epithelium, apical region of trachea, surface layer of the ciliated bronchial epithelium in lung and in skin epidermis.

Localization of 28-kDa peroxiredoxin in rat epithelial tissues and its antioxidant properties.

Peroxiredoxins are a novel family of antioxidant proteins that specifically prevent enzymes from metal-catalyzed oxidation. The localization of a member of the mono-cystein subfamily of peroxiredoxins, the 28-kDa protein, in different rat tissues and its antioxidant properties were investigated. By immunoblotting, the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin was found to be most highly concentrated in olfactory epithelium and present in all tissues tested (skin, lung, trachea, kidney, womb, and brain). Immunostaining with rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin revealed the particularly high level of the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin immunoreactivity in air-contacting areas (apical regions and mucus of the olfactory and respiratory epithelium and skin epidermis), which are continually exposed to numerous air-borne reactive oxygen species. In the apical regions of the olfactory and respiratory epithelium, the 28-kDa-peroxiredoxin immunogold labeling outlined microvilli and cilia and was mainly located in sustentacular cells and in respiratory and goblet cells, as electron-microscopic analysis revealed. In skin epidermis, the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin immunoreactivity was confined to the granular layer and specifically concentrated in sebaceous glands of hair follicle. In situ hybridization with 33P-labeled antisense RNA probe revealed the expression of the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin mRNA in tissues with a high level of the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin immunoreactivity. Immunodepletion of the 28-kDa peroxiredoxin profoundly decreased the antioxidant activity of the olfactory tissue extract.

Identification of a 28 kDa secretory protein from rat olfactory epithelium as a thiol-specific antioxidant.

The 28 kDa secretory protein is one of the abundant water-soluble proteins in olfactory epithelium of mammals. Analysis of partial amino acid sequence of the 28 kDa protein strongly suggested that it belongs to a new family of highly conserved antioxidant proteins requiring thiol for their antioxidant activity (TSA/AhpC family). In the present study, we found the 28 kDa protein to have thiol-dependent antioxidant activity, thereby protecting radical-sensitive proteins such as glutamine synthetase and hemoglobin from oxidative modification caused by thiol-dependent metal ion-catalyzed oxidation system. The purified 28 kDa protein did not possess catalase or glutathione peroxidase activities, and required thiols to exhibit its antioxidant activity. The 28 kDa protein is the first member of the family of thiol-specific antioxidants identified in olfactory epithelium and the first secretory protein shown to be thiol-specific antioxidant.

[Properties of the catalytic center of a secretory 28kDa protein (1-cys peroxiredoxin) from rat olfactory epithelium]. / Svoistva kataliticheskogo tsentra sekretornogo 28 kDa belka (1-cys peroksiredoksina) iz oboniatel'nogo épiteliia krysy.

The secretory 28 kD protein, an abundant water-soluble protein from rat olfactory epithelium, belongs to the 1-Cys subfamily of thiol-specific antioxidants (peroxiredoxins). The 28 kD protein contains a single cysteine residue at the position 46 which accounts for the antioxidant activity. Here we studied the effects of N-ethyilmaleimide and t-butyl hydroperoxide on the antioxidant activity of the 28 kD protein and that of the 23 kD protein from rat erythrocyte which is a member of 2-Cys subfamily of peroxiredoxines. N-ethylmaleimide, modifier for cysteine residues, had no effect on antioxidant activity of the dithiothreitol-treated 28 kD protein but irreversibly inhibited activity of the 23 kD protein under reducing conditions. The 28 kD protein was sensitive to treatment with peroxides: t-butyl hydroperoxide at micromolar concentrations was shown to irreversibly inactivate 28 kD protein. In the presence of dithiothreitol, the lower level of peroxide concentrations was required to inhibit 28 kD protein activity. The mechanism of this effect may be mediated through conversion of sulfhydryl group of 46Cys to oxidized states (46Cys-SO2H and 46Cys-SO3H). Antioxidant property of 23 kD protein was impaired by t-butyl hydroperoxide only in the presence of dithiothreitol. The concentrations of t-butyl hydroperoxide needed to affect the 23 kD protein were at least one order of magnitude higher than were required for the 28 kD protein inhibition. The given results suggest the essential differences between catalytic site of 28 kD protein and that of 2-Cys peroxiredoxins.

[Study of structure of secretory 28 kDa protein from the rat olfactory epithelium]. / Strukturnye issledovaniia sekretornogo 28-kDa belka iz oboniatel'nogo épiteliia krysy.

Clone lambda a26.1 isolated from rat olfactory epithelium contains a full-length 28-kDa protein cDNA (1414 b.p.). The reconstructed protein sequence comprises 223 aa with a calculated molecular mass of 24,630 Da. A substantial homology was revealed between the amino acid sequence of the 28-kDa protein and those of thiol-specific antioxidants (peroxiredoxines). The 28-kDa protein belongs to the 1 Cys-subfamily of peroxiredoxines and is the first member of peroxiredoxines identified in the olfactory epithelium.

45-kDa GTP-binding protein from rat olfactory epithelium: purification, characterization and localization.

The rat olfactory epithelium contains a specific water-soluble 45-kDa protein. This protein is recognized by anti-peptide antibodies which react with alpha-subunits of the known G-proteins. The 45-kDa protein has been isolated using DEAE-chromatography and gel-exclusion chromatography. The content of 45-kDa protein is about 2% of the total soluble proteins of the olfactory mucosa and it is located at the mucociliary surface. According to photo-affinity labeling, the 45-kDa protein possesses a high affinity to GTP and exhibits low GTP hydrolytic activity. The functions of the 45-kDa protein are discussed.

Novel 28-kDa secretory protein from rat olfactory epithelium.

We have isolated a novel secretory 28-kDa protein which is an abundant component of the rat olfactory mucosa. The partial sequence of the 28-kDa protein has been determined. The amino acid sequence of the 28-kDa protein is similar to that of non-selenium glutathione peroxidase from bovine ciliary body. The 28-kDa protein catalyzed decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide as well as organic hydroperoxides by reduced glutathione and seems to be a member of the glutathion peroxidase family.

[Fragments 183-198 and 125-145 of the alpha-subunits of the Torpedo californica nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptor binds alpha-bungarotoxin and neurotoxin II from Naja naja oxiana]. / Fragmenty 183-198 i 125-145 alpha-sub''edinitsy nikotinovogo atsetilkholinovogo retseptora Torpedo californica sviazyvaiut alph-bungarotoksin i neirotoksin II Naja naja oxiana.

Interaction of the mono[125I]iodinated alpha-bungarotoxin and neurotoxin II Naja naja oxiana with the synthetic peptides corresponding to the fragments of the alpha-subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica was studied. It was found that both toxins bind to the fragments alpha 186-198, alpha 183-198 and alpha 125-145 adsorbed to the 96-well P.E.T.G. assay plates (COSTAR). Acm-groups on Cys residues did not prevent toxin binding by the peptides studied. Determination of the binding parameters showed that alpha-bungarotoxin interacts with fragment alpha 125-145 less effectively than neurotoxin II. The data obtained demonstrate the presence of different toxin-binding sites on alpha-subunit and confirm the model of multipoint neurotoxin-receptor interaction.

Water-soluble GTP-binding protein from rat olfactory epithelium.

Rat olfactory epithelium and ciliar cytosol of olfactory cells contained the water-soluble 45 kDa protein which was revealed by antibodies against a peptide fragment of the alpha-subunits common to the G-proteins. No analogous proteins were found in other rat tissues. According to the photo-affinity labeling, the 45 kDa protein possessed a high affinity to GTP; it also exhibited a low GTP hydrolytic activity.