Efficacy of aldose reductase inhibitors is affected by oxidative stress induced under X-ray irradiation.

Human aldose reductase (hAR, AKR1B1) has been explored as drug target since the 1980s for its implication in diabetic complications. An activated form of hAR was found in cells from diabetic patients, showing a reduced sensitivity to inhibitors in clinical trials, which may prevent its pharmacological use. Here we report the conversion of native hAR to its activated form by X-ray irradiation simulating oxidative stress conditions. Upon irradiation, the enzyme activity increases moderately and the potency of several hAR inhibitors decay before global protein radiation damage appears. The catalytic behavior of activated hAR is also reproduced as the KM increases dramatically while the kcat is not much affected. Consistently, the catalytic tetrad is not showing any modification. The only catalytically-relevant structural difference observed is the conversion of residue Cys298 to serine and alanine. A mechanism involving electron capture is suggested for the hAR activation. We propose that hAR inhibitors should not be designed against the native protein but against the activated form as obtained from X-ray irradiation. Furthermore, since the reactive species produced under irradiation conditions are the same as those produced under oxidative stress, the described irradiation method can be applied to other relevant proteins under oxidative stress environments.

Radiation damage reveals promising interaction position.

High-resolution structural data of protein inhibitor complexes are the key to rational drug design. Synchrotron radiation allows for atomic resolutions but is frequently accompanied by radiation damage to protein complexes. In this study a human aldose reductase mutant complexed with a bromine-substituted inhibitor was determined to atomic resolution [Protein Data Bank (PDB) code 3onc]. Though the radiation dose was moderate, a selective disruption of a bromine-inhibitor bond during the experiment was observed while the protein appears unaffected. A covalent bond to bromine is cleaved and the displaced atom is not scattered throughout the crystal but can most likely be assigned as a bromide to an additional difference electron density peak observed in the structure. The bromide relocates to an adjacent unoccupied site where promising interactions to protein residues stabilize its position. These findings were verified by a second similar structure determined with considerably higher radiation dose (PDB code 3onb).

X-ray-radiation-induced cooperative atomic movements in protein.

X-rays interact with biological matter and cause damage. Proteins and other macromolecules are damaged primarily by ionizing X-ray photons and secondarily by reactive radiolytic chemical species. In particular, protein molecules are damaged during X-ray diffraction experiments with protein crystals, which is, in many cases, a serious hindrance to structure solution. The local X-ray-induced structural changes of the protein molecule have been studied using a number of model systems. However, it is still not well understood whether these local chemical changes lead to global structural changes in protein and what the mechanism is. We present experimental evidence at atomic resolution indicating the movement of large parts of the protein globule together with bound water molecules in the early stages of radiation damage to the protein crystal. The data were obtained from a crystal cryocooled to approximately 100 K and diffracting to 1 A. The movement of the protein structural elements occurs simultaneously with the decarboxylation of several glutamate and aspartate residues that mediate contacts between moving protein structural elements and with the rearrangement of the water network. The analysis of the anisotropy of atomic displacement parameters reveals that the observed atomic movements occur at different rates in different unit cells of the crystal. Thus, the examination of the cooperative atomic movement enables us to better understand how radiation-induced local chemical and structural changes of the protein molecule eventually lead to disorder in protein crystals.

Investigations on the influence of whole body X-irradiation on the activity of rat lens aldose reductase (E.C. 1.1.1.21).

The influence of whole body X-irradiation on the activity of the enzyme aldose reductase (E.C. 1.1.1.21) in the lenses of young rats was investigated. Immediately after irradiation there was no difference between the activity of the enzyme in irradiated and nonirradiated animals. Within 10 days after irradiation, significant differences developed. There was a constant increase of the activity in the control lenses, while the activity in the irradiated lenses remained nearly constant. There was no remarkable difference between the two groups 10 days after irradiation with respect to the kinetics of the enzyme. This meant that irradiation does not affect the enzyme present at the moment of application, but the influence of 440 rad X-irradiation effects an obvious decrease in the synthesis of the enzyme.