Binding of azobenzene and p-diaminoazobenzene to the human voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.4.

The activity of voltage-gated ion channels can be controlled by the binding of photoswitches inside their internal cavity and subsequent light irradiation. We investigated the binding of azobenzene and p-diaminoazobenzene to the human Nav1.4 channel in the inactivated state by means of Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and free-energy computations. Three stable binding pockets were identified for each of the two photoswitches. In all the cases, the binding is controlled by the balance between the favorable hydrophobic interactions of the ligands with the nonpolar residues of the protein and the unfavorable polar solvation energy. In addition, electrostatic interactions between the ligand and the polar aminoacids are also relevant for p-diaminoazobenzene due to the presence of the amino groups on the benzene moieties. These groups participate in hydrogen bonding in the most favorable binding pocket and in long-range electrostatic interactions in the other pockets. The thermodinamically preferred binding sites found for both photoswitches are close to the selectivity filter of the channel. Therefore, it is very likely that the binding of these ligands will induce alterations in the ion conduction through the channel.

Interactions of 4,4'-diaminoazobenzene derivatives with telomeric G-quadruplex DNA.

The development of small molecules to stabilize the G-quadruplex structure has garnered significant attention for anticancer drug discovery. Herein, we report the synthesis of several 4,4'-diaminoazobenzene derivatives containing different substituent groups and their ability to bind and stabilize telomeric G-quadruplex DNA. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was performed to characterize the quadruplex topologies, measure stabilization effects, and evaluate their capabilities for conformational photoregulation. 4,4'-Diaminoazobenzene derivatives were found to moderately stabilize quadruplex structures but not affect conformational photoregulation. This work further develops the design and general understanding of the stabilization effects of small molecules with telomeric G-quadruplex DNA.

N,N-diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB) as a substrate and mechanism-based inhibitor for human ALDH isoenzymes.

N,N-diethylaminobenzaldehyde (DEAB) is a commonly used "selective" inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes in cancer stem cell biology due to its inclusion as a negative control compound in the widely utilized Aldefluor assay. Recent evidence has accumulated that DEAB is not a selective inhibitory agent when assayed in vitro versus ALDH1, ALDH2 and ALDH3 family members. We sought to determine the selectivity of DEAB toward ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2, ALDH1A3, ALDH1B1, ALDH1L1, ALDH2, ALDH3A1, ALDH4A1 and ALDH5A1 isoenzymes and determine the mechanism by which DEAB exerts its inhibitory action. We found that DEAB is an excellent substrate for ALDH3A1, exhibiting a Vmax/KM that exceeds that of its commonly used substrate, benzaldehyde. DEAB is also a substrate for ALDH1A1, albeit an exceptionally slow one (turnover rate ∼0.03 min(-1)). In contrast, little if any turnover of DEAB was observed when incubated with ALDH1A2, ALDH1A3, ALDH1B1, ALDH2 or ALDH5A1. DEAB was neither a substrate nor an inhibitor for ALDH1L1 or ALDH4A1. Analysis by enzyme kinetics and QTOF mass spectrometry demonstrates that DEAB is an irreversible inhibitor of ALDH1A2 and ALDH2 with apparent bimolecular rate constants of 2900 and 86,000 M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The mechanism of inactivation is consistent with the formation of quinoid-like resonance state following hydride transfer that is stabilized by local structural features that exist in several of the ALDH isoenzymes.

Characterization of the binding of chrysoidine, an illegal food additive to bovine serum albumin.

Chrysoidine is an industrial azo dye and the presence of chrysoidine in water and food has become an environmental concern due to its negative effects on human beings. Binding of dyes to serum albumins significantly influence their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion properties. In this work, the interactions of chrysoidine with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were explored. Isothermal titration calorimetry results reveal the binding stoichiometry of chrysoidine to BSA is 1:15.5, and van der Waals and hydrogen bonding interactions are the major driving force in the binding of chrysoidine to BSA. Molecular docking simulations show that chrysoidine binds to BSA at a cavity close to Sudlow site I in domain IIA. However, no detectable conformational change of BSA occurs in the presence of chrysoidine as revealed by UV-vis absorption, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy studies.

Binding of chrysoidine to catalase: spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular docking studies.

Chrysoidine is an industrial azo dye and the presence of chrysoidine in water and food has become an environmental concern due to its negative effects on human beings. In this work, the interactions between chrysoidine and bovine liver catalase (BLC) were explored. Obvious loss in catalytic activity was observed after incubation of BLC with chrysoidine, and the inhibition effect of BLC was found to be of the non-competitive type. No profound conformational change of BLC occurs in the presence of chrysoidine as revealed by UV-vis absorption, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy studies. Isothermal titration calorimetry results indicate that catalase has two sets of binding sites for chrysoidine. Further, molecular docking simulations show that chrysoidine is located within the bottleneck in the main channel of the substrate to the active site of BLC, which explain the activity inhibition of BLC by chrysoidine.

Fluorescence study on the interaction of bovine serum albumin with p-aminoazobenzene.

In this paper, the interaction between p-aminoazobenzene (PAAB) and BSA was investigated mainly by fluorescence quenching spectra, circular dichroism (CD) and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra under simulative physiological conditions. It was proved that the fluorescence quenching of BSA by PAAB was mainly a result of the formation of a PAAB-BSA complex. The modified Stern-Volmer quenching constant K(a) and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters DeltaH, DeltaG and DeltaS at different temperatures were calculated. The results indicated that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds were the predominant intermolecular forces in stabilizing the complex. The distance r=4.33 nm between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (PAAB) was obtained according to Förster's non-radioactive energy transfer theory. The synchronous fluorescence, CD and three-dimensional fluorescence spectral results showed that the hydrophobicity of amino acid residues increased and the losing of alpha-helix content (from 63.57 to 51.83%) in the presence of PAAB. These revealed that the microenvironment and conformation of BSA were changed in the binding reaction.

Partial degradation of p-aminoazobenzene by a defined mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

A defined mixed culture of Bacillus subtilis and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was used to accomplish the partial biodegradation of the azo-dye p-aminoazobenzene (pAAB). Kinetic experiments were conducted, under aerobic conditions, to study the mineralization of p-aminoazobenzene by the above-defined mixed culture, under aerobic conditions. The combination of two previously developed models, (Zissi et al., 1997), which describes pAAB biodegradation by Bacillus subtilis into aniline and p-phenylenediamine, and (Zissi and Lyberatos, 1999), which describes aniline biodegradation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, is shown to predict well the anticipated mixed culture growth and partial biodegradation of pAAB. In previous work (Zissi et al., 1997) it was observed that pphenylenediamine was unstable during the experiments therefore the fate of p-phenylenediamine was not studied. The overall kinetic model of the defined mixed culture was then used to study the behavior of the mixed culture system in a range of operating conditions in the chemostat. The partial degradation of pAAB (regarding one of the two products, aniline) was described by an interaction between the two bacteria with competitive and commensalistic elements. The two bacteria are shown to coexist in a CSTR for some ranges of the operating variables.

Mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene by mouse renal cytochrome P450 CYP4B1: cloning and characterization of mouse CYP4B1.

A new P450 responsible for mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) which is a potent procarcinogen was purified from renal microsomes of male mice using an index of umu gene expression. The purified P450 had high bioactivation toward 3-MeO-AAB and also 2-aminofluorene and 2-aminoanthracene. The antibody against this P450 completely inhibited mutagenic activation of 3-MeO-AAB of mouse renal microsomes. With immunoblotting, this form was present abundantly in renal microsomes of male mice but not in those of female mice. This P450 was also present in pulmonary microsomes of male and female mice but not in hepatic microsomes. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis indicated that this form belonged to the CYP4B subfamily. Thus, mouse kidney cDNA library was screened with rat CYP4B1 probe. The cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence of isolated cDNA consisted of 511 amino acids and bore 90, 86, and 84% similarities to rat, rabbit, and human CYP4B1, respectively. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified renal P450 and amino acid sequence of BrCN-digested peptides from the purified P450 agreed with the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence. These results suggest that CYP4B1 is a major form in renal microsomes of male mice and plays a major role in mutagenic activation of 3-MeO-AAB. In extrahepatic tissue, CYP4B1 may contribute to chemical carcinogenesis.

DNA adduct formation of hepatocarcinogenic aromatic amines in rat liver: effect of cytochrome P450 inducers.

F344 rats were treated with an i.p. injection of 2-amino-6- methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu P-1) or 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) and examined for the formation of the DNA adduct in the liver. To examine the effect of pretreatment with a cytochrome P450 (CYP) inducer on the formation of DNA adduct, these rats were pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC; CYP1A1/1A2 inducer) or phenobarbital (PB; CYP2B inducer). Administration of Glu P-1 and 3-MeO-AAB gave 2 and 5 adducts, respectively, as determined by 32P-postlabeling assay. By Glu P-1 administration, pretreatment of rats with MC, but not with PB, increased the total amount of DNA adducts including 3 new adducts as minor products. In contrast, pretreatment of rats with PB increased the total amount of DNA adducts derived by 3-MeO-AAB. The increase of aromatic amine DNA adducts by pretreatment with a CYP inducer was proportional to the activity of induced CYP isozyme(s) responsible for the mutagenic activation of each aromatic amine.

Immunological detection and quantitation of DNA adducts formed by 4-aminoazobenzene species in vivo.

Antibodies to 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) and 2-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (2-MeO-AAB) DNA adducts were raised in rabbits against in vitro-adducted DNA samples. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of these antibodies. They proved highly specific for the modified DNA used as the immunogen, but cross-reacted with each other. Moreover, they showed cross reactivity with DNA modified by 4-(o-tolylazo)-o-toluidine, but not by other carcinogens, such as 4-aminobiphenyl or 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide. The 50% inhibition level of antibody binding in the competitive ELISA was at 10-20 fmol of modified base per assay (equivalent to 1-2 adducts per 10(6) bases). Immunohistochemical staining indicated that these antibodies bind specifically to nuclear components of the liver in rats given either 3-MeO-AAB or 2-MeO-AAB at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight.

Renal and hepatic microsomal enzymes responsible for bioactivation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene in the rodent.

Activities of the renal and hepatic microsomal enzymes responsible for the N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) were examined in male mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs. In all these rodent species, hepatic microsomes showed definite N-hydroxylation of 3-MeO-AAB, whereas the renal activity was detected only in mice. The hepatic enzyme responsible for N-hydroxylation of 3-MeO-AAB (3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase) was induced in all species except mice by phenobarbital and selectively in mice and hamsters by 3-methylcholanthrene, whereas these cytochrome P450 inducers did not affect the renal enzyme in mice, rats or hamsters. In individual microsome samples, activities for N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of 3-MeO-AAB correlated well. These results indicate that the renal and hepatic enzymes responsible for the metabolic activation of 3-MeO-AAB differed among different species of rodent animals in terms of their activity and inducibility with cytochrome P450 inducers.

Lack of release from hepatocytes in vitro or excretion in vivo of mutagenic chrysoidine metabolites.

Rat liver postmitochondrial supernatant (S9) converted the azo dyes chrysoidine Y and R to products that were mutagenic towards Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100. No such release of mutagens was demonstrated using intact rat hepatocytes as an activation system despite the fact that chrysoidine dyes cause unscheduled DNA synthesis in these cells. It appears that genotoxic products produced within hepatocytes either react within the cell or are detoxified prior to release. Following intraperitoneal administration of chrysoidine Y to rats (100 mg/kg i.p.) there was also no evidence of mutagenic or por-mutagenic products excreted in bile or urine. The S9-derived mutagens appear to be largely independent of bacterial acetylation since they were active in the acetylation-deficient strain TA98/1,8-DNP6 in addition to strain TA98. The ultimate mutagenic form(s) are therefore unlikely to be acetoxyarylamines.

Roles of different cytochrome P450 enzymes in bioactivation of the potent hepatocarcinogen 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene by rat and human liver microsomes.

The potent hepatocarcinogen 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) has been reported to be bioactivated to mutagenic intermediates by rat liver microsomal cytochrome P450 (P450) and to be a selective inducer of rat P450IA2. In this study we have further investigated the roles of individual rat and human P450 enzymes in the bioactivation of this hepatocarcinogen in a Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 system where umu response is indicative of DNA damage. 3-MeO-AAB was found to be bioactivated by liver microsomal enzymes from rats and humans in this assay system. The liver microsomal activities are increased by pretreatment of rats with various P450 inducers such as phenobarbital (PB), beta-naphthoflavone (BNF), dexamethasone (DEX), acetone, ethanol, isoniazid (INH), diphenylhydantoin and valproic acid, and can be inhibited considerably by SKF-525A and metyrapone. alpha-Naphthoflavone (ANF) is also an inhibitor for the reaction catalyzed in BNF-treated rats, but stimulated the microsomal activity in DEX-treated rats. Evidence has also been obtained that specific antibodies raised against P450IIB1, P450IA1 or IA2, P450IIE1, and P450IIIA2 inhibited the activation in liver microsomes from rats pretreated with PB, BNF, INH and DEX respectively, suggesting the possible roles of several P450 enzymes in the bioactivation of 3-MeO-AAB. The results obtained with reconstituted monooxygenase systems containing various rat P450 enzymes are highly supportive of this conclusion. Human liver microsomal activation of 3-MeO-AAB was also inhibited to various extents by antibodies raised against P450IA2, P450MP, P450IIE1 and P450IIIA4. In a reconstituted system containing purified forms of human P450, P450IA2 was the most active in catalyzing 3-MeO-AAB, followed by P450IIIA4 and P450MP. ANF, a known activator of P450IIIA-catalyzed reactions, caused an increase in activation of 3-MeO-AAB in human liver microsomal and P450IIIA4- and P450MP-containing reconstituted systems. From these results it is concluded that multiple P450 enzymes in rat and human liver microsomes are involved in the bioactivation of 3-MeO-AAB, regardless of its selective induction of the rat P450IA2 gene.

Monomorphic and polymorphic isozymes of arylamine N-acetyltransferases in hamster liver: purification of the isozymes and genetic basis of N-acetylation polymorphism.

Two forms of cytosolic acetyltransferases, AT-I and AT-II, have been purified from hamster livers, and a comparison made of their chemical and catalytic properties and genetically expressed difference. Homogeneous AT-I and AT-II were 31 and 30 kd respectively on SDS-PAGE and catalyzed efficiently various N- and O-acetylations in their reconstitution systems. AT-I used both acetyl CoA and arylhydroxamic acids as acetyl donors, while AT-II did not utilize arylhydroxamic acids as acetyl donors. In the reconstitution system, purified AT-I, but not AT-II, catalyzed acetyl CoA-dependent O-acetylation of 2-N-hydroxyamino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-alpha:3', 2'-d]imidazole (N-OH-Glu-P-1) and arylhydroxamic acid-dependent N-acetylation of 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB). On the other hand purified AT-II showed high activities of acetyl CoA-dependent N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene (AF) and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). Polyclonal antibodies raised against AT-I inhibited cytosolic acetylations of N-OH-Glu-P-1 and AAB, and to a lesser extent of AF, while PABA N-acetylation was only marginally inhibited. Using Western blots, both AT-I and AT-II were recognized by the antibodies. AT-I was detectable in all the livers examined, and the content did not differ among the individuals (monomorphic distribution). In contrast, AT-II was distributed polymorphically, and the trimodal distribution of AT-II (high, intermediate and low) was correlated with the phenotype identified by cytosolic N-acetylations of AF and PABA (rapid, intermediate and slow). In addition, cross-mating experiments with intra- and inter-phenotype animals confirmed that hepatic AT-II isozyme is inherited by a Mendelian co-dominant trait. These results indicate that the polymorphic appearance of an acetyltransferase, AT-II, is responsible for the N-acetylation polymorphism in individual hamsters.

Analogues of N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl as substrates and inactivators of hamster hepatic acetyltransferases.

1. A series of analogues of N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (1, N-OH-AAB) has been synthesized and evaluated in vitro as substrates and inactivators of hamster hepatic N,N-acetyltransferase (N,N-AT) activity. The analogues of 1 are N-arylhydroxamic acids in which an atom or small functional group has been incorporated between the phenyl rings of 1. 2. The structural and molecular properties of the atoms between the two phenyl rings had little influence on the ability of the compounds to serve as acetyl donors in the N-arylhydroxamic acid-dependent transacetylation of 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB) catalysed by N,N-AT. An exception was the SO2 analogue (6) which was inactive. 3. All of the compounds except 6 were mechanism-based inactivators (suicide inhibitors) of hamster hepatic N,N-AT. The inhibition of N,N-AT by the hydroxamic acids was irreversible. The properties of the atom or functional group between the phenyl rings had a substantial influence on the relative effectiveness of the compounds as inactivators of N,N-AT. trans-N-Hydroxy-4-acetylaminostilbene (N-OH-AAS, 7) was the most potent and effective mechanism-based inactivator among the compounds studied. The ketone analogue (2) was the least effective among the compounds that exhibited inactivating activity. 4. The presence of the nucleophile cysteine in the incubation mixtures reduced the extent of inactivation of N,N-AT by 1 and by the ether (4) analogue but had little effect on the inactivation caused by 7. The inactivation of N,N-AT by N-OH-AAS (7) does not appear to involve electrophiles that are released from the active site and subsequently become covalently bound to the enzyme.

Androgen-dependent renal microsomal cytochrome P-450 responsible for N-hydroxylation and mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene in the BALB/c mouse.

A murine renal microsomal enzyme responsible for the mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) was characterized by its catalytic activity for the mutagenic and metabolic conversion of 3-MeO-AAB. Incubation of 3-MeO-AAB with a renal or hepatic microsome fraction from male BALB/c mice in the presence of NADPH and NADH yielded N-hydroxy and 4'-hydroxy metabolites of 3-MeO-AAB as determined by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography, and the enzyme responsible for the N-hydroxylation was named 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase. A mutagenicity test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 bacteria as a tester strain has revealed that N-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB is a potent direct mutagen but that 4'-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB is not mutagenic. Although 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase activity in liver microsomes showed no sex difference, the enzyme activity in the kidney was detected from male mice but not from females. However, administration of testosterone to female mice induced the enzyme in the kidney. Castration of male mice depressed the activity of 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase in renal microsomes but it little affected the hepatic activity, and on administration of testosterone to the castrated mice the depressed renal microsomal activity recovered to a normal level. The activity of 3-MeO-AAB hydroxylase and the amount of cytochrome P-450 in renal microsomes showed a close correlation. Both renal and hepatic microsomes required NADPH as a main cofactor to mutagenize 3-MeO-AAB and to yield N-hydroxy-3-MeO-AAB from 3-MeO-AAB, and the enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by 7,8-benzoflavone. When the activities of renal and hepatic 3-MeO-AAB N-hydroxylase were compared on the basis of the amount of cytochrome P-450, the renal type enzyme showed about 8 times greater activity than hepatic type enzyme. These results indicate that the kidney contains an androgen-dependent microsomal 3-MeO-AAB hydroxylase which is different from an isozyme present in the liver and which is a new type of cytochrome P-450 isozyme.

Bacterial mutagenesis and hepatocyte unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by chrysoidine azo-dye components.

5 azo dye components of Gurr chrysoidine 'Y' have been separated, synthesised and identified. Dyes with a methyl substitution (particularly between the two amino groups) were more mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100 with control rat liver S9 than the non-methylated counterpart (range 66-1992 revertants at 50 micrograms/plate). Mutagenicity was also catalysed by human-liver S9 and pre-treatment of rats with either phenobarbitone or beta-naphthoflavone enhanced the activation ability of S9 by greater than 4-fold. Using the most potent promutagenic component (2,4-diamino-3-methylazobenzene), the use of inhibitors of cytochrome P450 (metyrapone: 1.0 mM; alpha-naphthoflavone: 0.075 mM; DPEA: 0.125 mM) and of the flavin monooxygenase (methimazole: 0.75 mM) suggested a major role for cytochrome P448 in the activation of chrysoidine to mutagens. The ability of chrysoidine components to induce unscheduled DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes in vitro was demonstrated and ranged between 11.92 and 23.5 net nuclear grains at a dose level of 2.5 micrograms/incubation. Since each dye was equi-potent, methyl substitution had little influence on genetic toxicity in hepatocytes.

A male-specific renal cytochrome P-450 isozyme(s) responsible for mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene in mice.

Renal microsomes from male mice (BALB/c, DBA/2 and BALB/c x DBA/2 F1) showed about 10-fold greater activity for mediating mutagenic activation of 3-methoxy-4-aminoazobenzene (3-MeO-AAB) toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98 than did the corresponding hepatic microsomes, as compared on the basis of nmol of microsomal cytochrome P-450. On the other hand, female renal microsomes and other extrahepatic microsomes (lung, small intestine and colon) in both sexes of mice showed little or no activity for converting 3-MeO-AAB to mutagen(s). The mutagenic activation of 3-MeO-AAB with the male renal enzyme(s) was definitely inhibited by cytochrome P-450 inhibitors, 7,8-benzoflavone and SKF 525A. All these findings suggest that in mice, there is a male-specific renal 3-MeO-AAB activation enzyme(s), a cytochrome P-450 isozyme(s), which is different, at least in proportion and/or in nature, from hepatic cytochrome P-450 isozymes.