The Antidiabetic Drug Liraglutide Minimizes the Non-Cholinergic Neurotoxicity of the Pesticide Mipafox in SH-SY5Y Cells.

Organophosphorus (OPs) compounds have been widely used in agriculture, industry, and household, and the neurotoxicity induced by them is still a cause of concern. The main toxic mechanism of OPs is the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE); however, the delayed neuropathy induced by OPs (OPIDN) is mediated by other mechanisms such as the irreversible inhibition of 70% of NTE activity (neuropathy target esterase) that leads to axonal degeneration. Liraglutide is a long-lasting GLP-1 analog clinically used as antidiabetic. Its neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects have been demonstrated in vitro and in experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases. As in OPIDN, axonal degeneration also plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this study investigated the protective potential of liraglutide against the neurotoxicity of OPs by using mipafox as a neuropathic agent (at a concentration able to inhibit and age 70% of NTE activity) and a neuronal model with SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, which express both esterases. Liraglutide protected cells against the neurotoxicity of mipafox by increasing neuritogenesis, the uptake of glucose, the levels of cytoskeleton proteins, and synaptic-plasticity modulators, besides decreasing the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1ß and caspase-3 activity. This is the first study to suggest that liraglutide might induce beneficial effects against the delayed, non-cholinergic neurotoxicity of OPs.

Hydrolyzing activities of phenyl valerate sensitive to organophosphorus compounds paraoxon and mipafox in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

The molecular targets of best known neurotoxic effects associated to acute exposure to organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are serine esterases located in the nervous system, although there are other less known neurotoxic adverse effects associated with chronic exposure to OPs whose toxicity targets are still not identified. In this work we studied sensitivity to the non-neuropathic OP paraoxon and to the neuropathic OP mipafox of phenyl valerate esterases (PVases) in intact and lysed human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. The main objective was to discriminate different unknown pools of esterases that might be potential targets of chronic effects from those esterases already known and recognized as targets to these acute neurotoxicity effects. Two components of PVases of different sensitivities were discriminated for paraoxon in both intact and lysed cells; while the two components inhibitable by mipafox were found only for intact cells. A completely resistant component to paraoxon of around 30% was found in both intact and lysed cells; while a component of slightly lower amplitude (around 20%) completely resistant to mipafox was also found for both preparations (intact and lysed cells). The comparison of the results between the intact cells and the lysed cells suggests that the plasma membrane could act as a barrier that reduced the bioavailability of mipafox to PVases. This would imply that the discrimination of the different esterases should be made in lysed cells. However, those studies which aim to determine the physiological role of these esterases should be necessarily conducted in intact cultured cells.

L- and T-type calcium channel blockers protect against the inhibitory effects of mipafox on neurite outgrowth and plasticity-related proteins in SH-SY5Y cells.

Some organophosphorus compounds (OP), including the pesticide mipafox, produce late onset distal axonal degeneration, known as organophosphorus-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). The underlying mechanism involves irreversible inhibition of neuropathy target esterase (NTE) activity, elevated intracellular calcium levels, increased activity of calcium-activated proteases and impaired neuritogenesis. Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) appear to play a role in several neurologic disorders, including OPIDN. Therefore, this study aimed to examine and compare the neuroprotective effects of T-type (amiloride) and L-type (nimodipine) VGCC blockers induced by the inhibitory actions of mipafox on neurite outgrowth and axonal proteins of retinoic-acid-stimulated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, a neuronal model widely employed to determine the neurotoxicity attributed to OP. Both nimodipine and amiloride significantly blocked augmentation of intracellular calcium levels and activity of calpains, as well as decreased neurite length, number of differentiated cells, and lowered concentrations of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) and synapsin induced by mipafox. Only nimodipine inhibited reduction of synaptophysin levels produced by mipafox. These findings demonstrate a role for calcium and VGCC in the impairment of neuronal plasticity mediated by mipafox. Data also demonstrated the neuroprotective potential of T-type and L-type VGCC blockers to inhibit OP-mediated actions, which may be beneficial to counteract cases of pesticide poisoning.

Phenyl valerate esterase activity of human butyrylcholinesterase.

Phenyl valerate is used for detecting and measuring neuropathy target esterase (NTE) and has been used for discriminating esterases as potential target in hen model of organophosphorus delayed neuropathy. In previous studies we observed that phenyl valerate esterase (PVase) activity of an enzymatic fraction in chicken brain might be due to a butyrylcholinesterase protein (BuChE), and it was suggested that this enzymatic fraction could be related to the potentiation/promotion phenomenon of the organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). In this work, PVase activity of purified human butyrylcholinesterase (hBuChE) is demonstrated and confirms the novel observation that a relationship of BuChE with PVase activities is also relevant for humans, as is, therefore the potential role in toxicity for humans. The KM and catalytic constant (kcat) were estimated as 0.52/0.72 µM and 45,900/49,200 min-1 respectively. Furthermore, this work studies the inhibition by preincubation of PVase and cholinesterase activities of hBuChE with irreversible inhibitors (mipafox, iso-OMPA or PMSF), showing that these inhibitors interact similarly in both activities with similar second-order inhibition constants. Acethylthiocholine and phenyl valerate partly inhibit PVase and cholinesterase activities, respectively. All these observations suggest that both activities occur in the same active center. The interaction with a reversible inhibitor (ethopropazine) showed that the cholinesterase activity was more sensitive than the PVase activity, showing that the sensitivity for this reversible inhibitor is affected by the nature of the substrate. The present work definitively establishes the capacity of BuChE to hydrolyze the carboxylester phenyl valerate using a purified enzyme (hBuChE). Therefore, BuChE should be considered in the research of organophosphorus targets of toxicity related with PVase proteins.

Butyrylcholinesterase identification in a phenylvalerate esterase-enriched fraction sensitive to low mipafox concentrations in chicken brain.

Multiple epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated that exposure to organophosphorus compounds (OPs) is associated with a variety of neurological disorders. Some of these exposure symptoms cannot be precisely correlated with known molecular targets and mechanisms of toxicity. Most of the known molecular targets of OPs fall in the protein family of serine esterases. We have shown that three esterase components in the soluble fraction of chicken brain (an animal model frequently used in OP neurotoxicity assays) can be kinetically distinguished using paraoxon, mipafox and phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride as inhibitors, and phenyl valerate as a substrate; we termed them Eα, Eß and Eγ. The Eα-component, which is highly sensitive to paraoxon and mipafox and resistant to PMSF, has shown sensitivity to the substrate acetylthiocholine, and to ethopropazine and iso-OMPA (specific inhibitors of butyrylcholinesterase; BChE) but not to BW 284C51 (a specific inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase; AChE). In this work, we employed a large-scale proteomic analysis B with a LC/MS/MS TripleTOF system; 259 proteins were identified in a chromatographic fractionated sample enriched in Eα activity of the chicken brain soluble fraction. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that BChE is the only candidate protein identified to be responsible for almost all the Eα activity. This study demonstrates the potential information to be gained from combining kinetic dissection with large-scale proteomics and bioinformatics analyses for identification of proteins that are targets of OP toxicity and may be involved in detoxification of phosphoryl and carbonyl esters.

High concentration of trichlorfon (1mM) disrupts axonal cytoskeleton and decreases the expression of plasticity-related proteins in SH-SY5Y cells.

Some organophosphorus compounds (OPs) induce a neurodegenerative disorder known as organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), which is related to irreversible inhibition of neuropathy target esterase (NTE) and impairment of neurite outgrowth. The present study addresses the effects of trichlorfon, mipafox (neuropathic model) and paraoxon (non-neuropathic model) on neurite outgrowth and neuroplasticity-related proteins in retinoic-acid-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells, a cellular model widely used to study the neurotoxicity of OPs. Mipafox (20µM) decreased cellular differentiation and the expression of neurofilament 200 (NF-200), growth associated- (GAP-43) and synaptic proteins (synapsin I and synaptophysin); whereas paraoxon (300µM) induced no effect on cellular differentiation, but significant decrease of NF-200, GAP-43, synapsin I and synaptophysin as compared to controls. However, the effects of paraoxon on these proteins were significantly lower than the effects of mipafox. In conclusion, axonal cytoskeletal proteins, as well as axonal plasticity-related proteins are more effectively affected by neuropathic (mipafox) than by non-neuropathic (paraoxon) OPs, suggesting that they might play a role in the mechanism of OPIDN. At high concentration (1mM), trichlorfon induced effects similar to those of the neuropathic OP, mipafox (20µM), but also caused high inhibition of AChE. Therefore, these effects are unlikely to occur in humans at non-lethal doses of trichlorfon.

Effects of mipafox, paraoxon, chlorpyrifos and its metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon on the expression of biomarker genes of differentiation in D3 mouse embryonic stem cells.

Chlorpyrifos (CPS) is an organophosphorus compound (OP) capable of causing well-known cholinergic and delayed syndromes through the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE), respectively. CPS is also able to induce neurodevelopmental toxicity in animals. NTE is codified by the Pnpla6 gene and plays a central role in differentiation and neurodifferentiation. We tested, in D3 mouse embryonic stem cells under differentiation, the effects of the NTE inhibition by the OPs mipafox, CPS and its main active metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon (CPO) on the expression of genes Vegfa, Bcl2, Amot, Nes and Jun, previously reported to be under- or overexpressed after Pnpla6 silencing in this same cellular model. Mipafox did not significantly alter the expression of such genes at concentrations that significantly inhibited NTE. However, CPS and CPO at concentrations that caused NTE inhibition at similar levels to mipafox statistically and significantly altered the expression of most of these genes. Paraoxon (another OP with capability to inhibit esterases but not NTE) caused similar effects to CPS and CPO. These findings suggest that the molecular mechanism for the neurodevelopmental toxicity induced by CPS is not based on NTE inhibition, and that other unknown esterases might be potential targets of neurodevelopmental toxicity.

Resolving pathways of interaction of mipafox and a sarin analog with human acetylcholinesterase by kinetics, mass spectrometry and molecular modeling approaches.

The hydroxyl oxygen of the catalytic triad serine in the active center of serine hydrolase acetylcholinesterase (AChE) attacks organophosphorus compounds (OPs) at the phosphorus atom to displace the primary leaving group and to form a covalent bond. Inhibited AChE can be reactivated by cleavage of the Ser-phosphorus bond either spontaneously or through a reaction with nucleophilic agents, such as oximes. At the same time, the inhibited AChE adduct can lose part of the molecule by progressive dealkylation over time in a process called aging. Reactivation of the aged enzyme has not yet been demonstrated. Here, our goal was to study oxime reactivation and aging reactions of human AChE inhibited by mipafox or a sarin analog (Flu-MPs, fluorescent methylphosphonate). Progressive reactivation was observed after Flu-MPs inhibition using oxime 2-PAM. However, no reactivation was observed after mipafox inhibition with 2-PAM or the more potent oximes used. A peptide fingerprinted mass spectrometry (MS) method, which clearly distinguished the peptide with the active serine (active center peptide, ACP) of the human AChE adducted with OPs, was developed by MALDI-TOF and MALDI-TOF/TOF. The ACP was detected with a diethyl-phosphorylated adduct after paraoxon inhibition, and with an isopropylmethyl-phosphonylated and a methyl-phosphonylated adduct after Flu-MPs inhibition and subsequent aging. Nevertheless, nonaged nonreactivated complexes were seen after mipafox inhibition and incubation with oximes, where MS data showed an ACP with an NN diisopropyl phosphoryl adduct. The kinetic experiments showed no reactivation of activity. The computational molecular model analysis of the mipafox-inhibited hAChE plots of energy versus distance between the atoms separated by dealkylation showed a high energy demand, thus little aging probability. However, with Flu-MPs and DFP, where aging was observed in our MS data and in previously published crystal structures, the energy demand calculated in modeling was lower and, consequently, aging appeared as a more likely reaction. We document here direct evidence for a phosphorylated hAChE refractory to oxime reactivation, although we observed no aging.

In vivo protection of diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) poisoning by three bis-quaternary 2 -(hydroxyimino) -N -(pyridin-3-yl) acetamide derivatives in Swiss mice.

This study reports efficacy of three bis pyridinium derivatives of 2-(hydroxyimino)- N-(pyridine-3-yl) acetamide in terms of survival, reactivation of brain and serum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) intoxicated Swiss albino male mice. LD50 of DFP (3.9 mg/kg, s.c.) and new oximes, HNK-102, HNK-106, HNK-111, (282.8, 35.0 and 35.0 mg/kg respectively, i.m.) was determined. Various doses of DFP and oximes as treatment doses with atropine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were used to determine protection index (PI). For time dependent maximum AChE inhibition, two doses of DFP (0.20 and 2.0 LD50) were chosen. At optimized time i.e. Sixty minutes, IC50 value was calculated as 0.249 and 0.017 LD50 of brain and serum AChE, respectively. Shift of DFP induced brain AChE IC50 curves to right was observed at 0.20 LD50 treatment dose of oximes with respect to 2-PAM. These findings propose that new HNK series of oximes are effective antidote, compared to that of 2-PAM in vivo.

Interaction between substrates suggests a relationship between organophosphorus-sensitive phenylvalerate- and acetylcholine-hydrolyzing activities in chicken brain.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) induce neurotoxic disorders through interactions with well-known target esterases, such as acetylcholinesterase and neuropathy target esterase (NTE). However, OPs interact with other esterases of unknown biological function. In soluble chicken brain fractions, three components of enzymatic phenylvalerate esterase activity (PVase) called Eα, Eß and Eγ, have been kinetically discriminated. These components are studied in this work for the relationship with acetylcholine-hydrolyzing activity. When Eα PVase activity (resistant PVase activity to 1500 µM PMSF for 30 min) was tested with different acetylthiocholine concentrations, inhibition was observed. The best-fitting model to the data was the non-competitive inhibition model (Km=0.12, 0.22 mM, Ki=6.6, 7.6 mM). Resistant acetylthiocholine-hydrolyzing activity to 1500 µM PMSF was inhibited by phenylvalerate showing competitive inhibition (Km=0.09, 0.11 mM; Ki=1.7, 2.2 mM). Eß PVase activity (resistant PVase activity to 25 µM mipafox for 30 min) was not affected by the presence of acetylthiocholine, while resistant acetylthiocholine-hydrolyzing activity to 25 µM mipafox showed competitive inhibition in the presence of phenylvalerate (Km=0.05, 0.06 mM; Ki=0.44, 0.58 mM). The interactions observed between the substrates of AChE and PVase suggest that part of PVase activity might be a protein with acetylthiocholine-hydrolyzing activity.

Genomic and phenotypic alterations of the neuronal-like cells derived from human embryonal carcinoma stem cells (NT2) caused by exposure to organophosphorus compounds paraoxon and mipafox.

Historically, only few chemicals have been identified as neurodevelopmental toxicants, however, concern remains, and has recently increased, based upon the association between chemical exposures and increased developmental disorders. Diminution in motor speed and latency has been reported in preschool children from agricultural communities. Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are pesticides due to their acute insecticidal effects mediated by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, although other esterases as neuropathy target esterase (NTE) can also be inhibited. Other neurological and neurodevelopmental toxic effects with unknown targets have been reported after chronic exposure to OPs in vivo. We studied the initial stages of retinoic acid acid-triggered differentiation of pluripotent cells towards neural progenitors derived from human embryonal carcinoma stem cells to determine if neuropathic OP, mipafox, and non-neuropathic OP, paraoxon, are able to alter differentiation of neural precursor cells in vitro. Exposure to 1 µM paraoxon (non-cytotoxic concentrations) altered the expression of different genes involved in signaling pathways related to chromatin assembly and nucleosome integrity. Conversely, exposure to 5 µM mipafox, a known inhibitor of NTE activity, showed no significant changes on gene expression. We conclude that 1 µM paraoxon could affect the initial stage of in vitro neurodifferentiation possibly due to a teratogenic effect, while the absence of transcriptional alterations by mipafox exposure did not allow us to conclude a possible effect on neurodifferentiation pathways at the tested concentration.

Kinetic interactions of a neuropathy potentiator (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride) with the neuropathy target esterase and other membrane bound esterases.

Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) is a protease and esterase inhibitor that causes protection, or potentiation/"promotion," of organophosphorus delayed neuropathy (OPIDN), depending on whether it is dosed before or after an inducer of delayed neuropathy, such as mipafox. The molecular target of the potentiation/promotion of OPIDN has not yet been identified. The kinetic data of phenyl valerate esterase inhibition by PMSF were obtained with membrane chicken brain fractions, the animal model and tissue in which neuropathy target esterase (NTE) was first described. Data were analyzed using a kinetic model with a multienzymatic system in which inhibition, simultaneous chemical hydrolysis of the inhibitor and "ongoing inhibition" (inhibition during the substrate reaction) were considered. Three main esterase components were discriminated: two sensitive enzymatic entities representing 44 and 41 %, with I 50 (20 min) of 35 and 198 µM at 37 °C, respectively, and a resistant fraction of 15 % of activity. The estimated constant of the chemical hydrolysis of PMSF was also calculated (kh = 0.28 min(-1)). Four esterase components were globally identified considering also previously data with paraoxon and mipafox: EPα (4-8 %), highly sensitive to paraoxon and mipafox, spontaneously reactivates after inhibition with paraoxon, and resistant to PMSF; EPß (38-41 %), sensitive to paraoxon and PMSF, but practically resistant to mipafox, this esterase component has the kinetic characteristics expected for the PMSF potentiator target, even though paraoxon cannot be a potentiator in vivo due to high AChE inhibition; EPγ (NTE) (39-48 %), paraoxon-resistant and sensitive to the micromolar concentration of mipafox and PMSF; and EPδ (10 %), resistant to all the inhibitors assayed. This kinetic characterization study is needed for further isolation and molecular characterization studies, and these PMSF phenyl valerate esterase components will have to be considered in further studies of OPIDN promotion. A simple test for monitoring the four esterase components is proposed.

Separating esterase targets of organophosphorus compounds in the brain by preparative chromatography.

Low level exposure to organophosphorus esters (OPs) may cause long-term neurological effects and affect specific cognition domains in experimental animals and humans. Action on known targets cannot explain most of these effects by. Soluble carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1.1) of chicken brain have been kinetically discriminated using paraoxon, mipafox and phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride as inhibitors and phenyl valerate as a substrate. Three different enzymatic components were discriminated and called Eα, Eß and Eγ. In this work, a fractionation procedure with various steps was developed using protein native separation methods by preparative HPLC. Gel permeation chromatography followed by ion exchange chromatography allowed enriched fractions with different kinetic behaviors. The soluble chicken brain fraction was fractionated, while total esterase activity, proteins and enzymatic components Eα, Eß and Eγ were monitored in each subfraction. After the analysis, 13 fractions were pooled and conserved. Preincubation of the soluble chicken brain fraction of with the organophosphorus mipafox gave rise to a major change in the ion exchange chromatography profile, but not in the molecular exchanged chromatography profile, which suggest that mipafox permanently modifies the ionic properties of numerous proteins.

Interactions of neuropathy inducers and potentiators/promoters with soluble esterases.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) cause neurotoxic disorders through interactions with well-known target esterases, such as acetylcholinesterase and neuropathy target esterase (NTE). However, the OPs can potentially interact with other esterases of unknown significance. Therefore, identifying, characterizing and elucidating the nature and functional significance of the OP-sensitive pool of esterases in the central and peripheral nervous systems need to be investigated. Kinetic models have been developed and applied by considering multi-enzymatic systems, inhibition, spontaneous reactivation, the chemical hydrolysis of the inhibitor and "ongoing inhibition" (inhibition during the substrate reaction time). These models have been applied to discriminate enzymatic components among the esterases in nerve tissues of adult chicken, this being the experimental model for delayed neuropathy and to identify different modes of interactions between OPs and soluble brain esterases. The covalent interaction with the substrate catalytic site has been demonstrated by time-progressive inhibition during ongoing inhibition. The interaction of sequential exposure to an esterase inhibitor has been tested in brain soluble fraction where exposure to one inhibitor at a non inhibitory concentration has been seen to modify sensitivity to further exposure to others. The effect has been suggested to be caused by interaction with sites other than the inhibition site at the substrate catalytic site. This kind of interaction among esterase inhibitors should be considered to study the potentiation/promotion phenomenon, which is observed when some esterase inhibitors enhance the severity of the OP induced neuropathy if they are dosed after a non neuropathic low dose of a neuropathy inducer.

Kinetics of the inhibitory interaction of organophosphorus neuropathy inducers and non-inducers in soluble esterases in the avian nervous system.

Some published studies suggest that low level exposure to organophosphorus esters (OPs) may cause neurological and neurobehavioral effects at long term exposure. These effects cannot be explained by action on known targets. In this work, the interactions (inhibition, spontaneous reactivation and "ongoing inhibition") of two model OPs (paraoxon, non neuropathy-inducer, and mipafox, neuropathy-inducer) with the chicken brain soluble esterases were evaluated. The best-fitting kinetic model with both inhibitors was compatible with three enzymatic components. The amplitudes (proportions) of the components detected with mipafox were similar to those obtained with paraoxon. These observations confirm the consistency of the results and the model applied and may be considered an external validation. The most sensitive component (Eα) for paraoxon (11-23% of activity, I(50) (30 min)=9-11 nM) is also the most sensitive for mipafox (I(50) (30 min)=4 nM). This component is spontaneously reactivated after inhibition with paraoxon. The second sensitive component to paraoxon (Eß, 71-84% of activity; I(50) (30 min)=1216 nM) is practically resistant to mipafox. The third component (Eγ, 5-8% of activity) is paraoxon resistant and has I(50) (30 min) of 3.4 µM with mipafox, similar to NTE (neuropathy target esterase). The role of these esterases remains unknown. Their high sensitivity suggests that they may either play a role in toxicity in low-level long-term exposure of organophosphate compounds or have a protective effect related with the spontaneous reactivation. They will have to be considered in further metabolic and toxicological studies.

Constructs of human neuropathy target esterase catalytic domain containing mutations related to motor neuron disease have altered enzymatic properties.

Neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is a phospholipase/lysophospholipase associated with organophosphorus (OP) compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Distal degeneration of motor axons occurs in both OPIDN and the hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs). Recently, mutations within the esterase domain of NTE were identified in patients with a novel type of HSP (SPG39) designated NTE-related motor neuron disease (NTE-MND). Two of these mutations, arginine 890 to histidine (R890H) and methionine 1012 to valine (M1012V), were created in human recombinant NTE catalytic domain (NEST) to measure possible changes in catalytic properties. These mutated enzymes had decreased specific activities for hydrolysis of the artificial substrate, phenyl valerate. In addition, the M1012V mutant exhibited a reduced bimolecular rate constant of inhibition (k(i)) for all three inhibitors tested: mipafox, diisopropylphosphorofluoridate, and chlorpyrifos oxon. Finally, while both mutated enzymes inhibited by OP compounds exhibited altered time-dependent loss of their ability to be reactivated by nucleophiles (aging), more pronounced effects were seen with the M1012V mutant. Taken together, the results from specific activity, inhibition, and aging experiments suggest that the mutations found in association with NTE-MND have functional correlates in altered enzymological properties of NTE.

Molecular cloning and expression of chicken neuropathy target esterase activity domain.

Neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is recognized as the initial target during the process of organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). Adult hens are usually used as the animal model for experimental studies of OPIDN. However, the molecular cloning and characteristics of chicken NTE is unknown. On the basis of the predicted chicken NTE gene middle sequence and its 3'-end cDNA sequence, we cloned the gene sequence of chicken NTE activity domain (cNEST). The cloned cNEST gene is 1740 base pairs and encodes 579 amino acids, showing high identity with human and mouse NEST at amino acid level. The serine hydrolase signature motif GXSXG and the patatin domain were found in the cNEST sequence. Over-expression of cNEST tagged with enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) in monkey kidney COS7 cells increased NTE activity significantly. The increased extent is similar to that in over-expression of hNEST cells. Moreover, over-expression of cNEST led to an accumulation of partial cNEST on the cytoplasmic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum. Partial cNEST located in the cytoplasm by comparing the distribution of cNEST and hNEST. After inhibition with different concentrations of mipafox for 60min, the calculated I(50) value was 4.95microM for COS7 cells over-expressing cNEST. These results firstly confirmed that the protein sequence, enzymatic activity, and cellular location of cNEST are very similar to that of hNEST at molecular level. The inhibition curve of mipafox on NTE activity of cNEST in mammalian cells was also reported here.

Molecular cloning and expression of the C-terminal domain of mouse NTE-related esterase.

NTE-related esterase (NRE), conserved in mouse, rat and human, was a member of patatin-like phospholipases (PLPLA) with high homology to neuropathy target esterase (NTE). Little has been known about the characteristics of NRE and NRE functional esterase activity has yet not been defined. The C-terminal gene sequence of mouse NRE (mNREC) encoding 923-1,326 amino acid containing the patatin domain was first cloned and then expressed tagged with enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) in mammalian cells. The results showed that mNREC had NTE esterase activity in mammalian cells. Overexpression of mNREC did not affect the esterase activity sensitive to paraoxon or resistant to both paraoxon and mipafox. mNREC was distributed in the cytoplasm in contrast to the distribution of human NTE esterase domain. The expression analysis of NRE gene in adult mouse tissues by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that there were higher levels of NRE mRNA in the brain and testis than in the liver and kidney, which was about 50% and 35% of that in the brain. These results firstly showed the tissue distribution of NRE gene in adult mouse and defined that NRE had functional esterase activity.

Biosensor assay of neuropathy target esterase in whole blood as a new approach to OPIDN risk assessment: review of progress.

Organophosphates (OPs) that inhibit neuropathy target esterase (NTE) with subsequent ageing can produce OP-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN). NTE inhibition in lymphocytes can be used as a biomarker of exposure to neuropathic OPs. An electrochemical method was developed to assay NTE in whole blood. The high sensitivity of the tyrosinase carbon-paste biosensors for the phenol produced by hydrolysis of the substrate, phenyl valerate, allowed NTE activity to be measured in diluted samples of whole blood, which cannot be done using the standard colorimetric assay. The biosensor was used to establish correlations of NTE inhibitions in blood with that in lymphocytes and brain after dosing hens with a neuropathic OP. The results of further studies demonstrated that whole blood NTE is a reliable biomarker of neuropathic OPs for up to 96 hours after exposure. These validation results suggest that the biosensor NTE assay for whole blood could be developed to measure human exposure to neuropathic OPs as a predictor of OPIDN. The small blood volume required (100 microL), simplicity of sample preparation and rapid analysis times indicate that the biosensor should be useful in biomonitoring and epidemiological studies. The present paper is an overview of our previous and ongoing work in this area.

Mechanism of aging of mipafox-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase.

Elucidating mechanisms of aging of esterases inhibited by organophosphorus (OP) compounds is important for understanding toxicity and developing biomarkers of exposure to these agents. Aging has classically been thought to involve net loss of a single side group from the OP moiety of phosphylated esterases, rendering the enzyme refractory to reactivation. However, recent evidence has shown that acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the catalytic domain of human neuropathy target esterase (NEST) undergo aging by alternative mechanisms following their inhibition with N,N'-diisopropylphosphorodiamidofluoridate (mipafox, MIP). This study was performed to determine whether MIP-inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) ages conventionally, by net loss of a single side group, or by an alternate route, e.g., reversible deprotonation or displacement of both isopropylamine groups, as recently observed for MIP-inhibited NEST and AChE, respectively. Diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP), the phosphate analogue of the phosphoroamidate MIP, was used for comparison. Kinetic values for MIP against BChE were as follows: ki = (1.28 +/- 0.053) x 10(6) M-1 min-1; k3 = 0.004,15 +/- 0.000,27 min-1; k4 = 0.008,49 +/- 0.000,99 min-1. Kinetic values for DFP against BChE were as follows: ki = (1.83 +/- 0.18) x 10(6) M-1 min-1; k3 = 0.004,88 +/- 0.000,24 min-1; k4 = 0.0121 +/- 0.0028 min-1. Mass spectrometric studies revealed a mass shift of 123.4 +/- 0.7 Da for the active-site peptide peak of aged DFP-inhibited BChE, corresponding to a monoisopropylphosphate adduct. Similarly, the analogous mass shift for aged MIP-inhibited BChE was 122.4 +/- 0.7 Da, corresponding to a monoisopropylphosphoroamido adduct. Therefore, we conclude that the MIP-BChE conjugate ages by loss of a single isopropylamine group, in contrast to MIP-inhibited AChE or NEST.