Human cystatin C. role of the N-terminal segment in the inhibition of human cysteine proteinases and in its inactivation by leucocyte elastase.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Abrahamson M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1149809 | biostudies-other | 1991 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:Cystatin B is unique among cysteine proteinase inhibitors of the cystatin superfamily in having a free Cys in the N-terminal segment of the proteinase binding region. The importance of this residue for inhibition of target proteinases was assessed by studies of the affinity and kinetics of interaction of human and bovine wild-type cystatin B and the Cys 3-to-Ser mutants of the inhibitors with papain and cathepsins L, H, and B. The wild-type forms from the two species had about the same affinity for each proteinase, binding tightly to papain and cathepsin L and more weakly to cathepsins H and B. In general, these affinities were appreciably higher than those reported earlier, perhaps because of irreversible oxidation of Cys 3 in previous work. The Cys-to-Ser mutation resulted in weaker binding of cystatin B to all four proteinases examined, the effect varying with both the proteinase and the species variant of the inhibitor. The affinities of the human inhibitor for papain and cathepsin H were decreased by threefold to fourfold and that for cathepsin B by approximately 20-fold, whereas the reductions in the affinities of the bovine inhibitor for papain and cathepsins H and B were approximately 14-fold, approximately 10-fold and approximately 300-fold, respectively. The decreases in affinity for cathepsin L could not be properly quantified but were greater than threefold. Increased dissociation rate constants were responsible for the weaker binding of both mutants to papain. By contrast, the reduced affinities for cathepsins H and B were due to decreased association rate constants. Cys 3 of both human and bovine cystatin B is thus of appreciable importance for inhibition of cysteine proteinases, in particular cathepsin B.
| S-EPMC2253190 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We used site-directed mutagenesis to alter the specificity of human cystatin C, an inhibitor with a broad reactivity against cysteine proteinases. Nine cystatin C variants containing amino acid substitutions in the N-terminal (L9W, V10W, V10F and V10R) and/or the C-terminal (W106G) enzyme-binding regions were designed and produced in Escherichia coli. It was discovered that the inhibition profile of the cystatin could be altered by changing residues 9 and 10, which are proposed to bind in the S3 and S2 substrate-binding pockets respectively of the enzymes. All of the variants with substitutions in the N-terminal segment displayed decreased binding to cathepsins B and H, indicating that the S3 and S2 pockets of these enzymes cannot easily accommodate large aromatic residues. The introduction of a charged residue into S2 (variant V10R) created a more specific inhibitor to distinguish cathepsin B from cathepsin H. Cathepsin L showed a preference for larger aromatic residues in S2. In contrast, cathepsin S preferred phenylalanine to valine in S2, but bound less tightly to the V10W cystatin variant. The latter variant proved to be valuable for discriminating between cathepsin L and cathepsin S (Ki 2.4 and 190 pM respectively). The equilibrium dissociation constant of the complex between cathepsin L and variant L9W/W106G showed little difference in affinity from that of the cathepsin L complex with the singly substituted W106G variant. In contrast, the L9W/W106G variant displayed increased specificity for cathepsin S with a Ki of 10 pM. Our results clearly indicate differences in the specificity of interaction between the N-terminal region of cystatin C and cathepsins B, H, L and S, and that, although cystatin C has evolved to be a good inhibitor of all of the mammalian cysteine proteinases, more specific inhibitors of the individual enzymes can be engineered.
| S-EPMC1219213 | biostudies-other
Project description:The interactions between egg-white cystatin and the cysteine proteinases papain, human cathepsin B and bovine dipeptidyl peptidase I were studied. Cystatin was shown to be a competitive reversible inhibitor of cathepsin B (Ki 1.7 nM, k-1 about 2.3 X 10(-3) s-1). The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase I was shown to be reversible (Ki(app.) 0.22 nM, k-1 about 2.2 X 10(-3) s-1). Cystatin bound papain too tightly for Ki to be determined, but an upper limit of 5 pM was estimated. The association was a second-order process, with k+1 1.0 X 10(7) M-1 X s-1. Papain was shown to form equimolar complexes with cystatin. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of complexes formed between papain or cathepsin B and an excess of cystatin showed no peptide bond cleavage after incubation for 72 h. The reaction of the active-site thiol group of papain with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) at pH 8 and 2,2'-dithiobispyridine at pH 4 was blocked by complex-formation. Dipeptidyl peptidase I and papain were found to compete for binding to cystatin, contrary to a previous report. The two major isoelectric forms of cystatin were found to have similar specific inhibitory activities for papain, and similar affinities for papain, cathepsin B and dipeptidyl peptidase I. This, together with specific oxidation of the N-terminal serine residue with periodate, showed the N-terminal amino group of cystatin 1 to be unimportant for inhibition. General citraconylation of amino groups resulted in a large decrease in the affinity of cystatin for dipeptidyl peptidase I. It is concluded that the interaction of cystatin with cysteine proteinases has many characteristics similar to those of an inhibitor such as aprotinin with serine proteinases.
| S-EPMC1144286 | biostudies-other
Project description:The interaction between recombinant human cystatin C and the cysteine proteinases papain and actinidin was studied by spectroscopic, kinetic and equilibrium methods. The absorption, near-u.v.c.d. and fluorescence-emission difference spectra for the cystatin C-proteinase interactions were all found to be similar to the corresponding spectra for chicken cystatin. The kinetics of binding of cystatin C to the two enzymes were best described by a simple reversible one-step bimolecular mechanism, like the kinetics of the reaction of chicken cystatin with several cysteine proteinases. Moreover, the second-order association rate constants at 25 degrees C, pH 7.4 and I0.15, of 1.1 x 10(7) and 2.4 x 10(6) M-1.s-1 for the reactions of cystatin C with papain and actinidin respectively, were similar to the corresponding rate constants for the chicken inhibitor and close to the value expected for a diffusion-controlled rate. The dissociation equilibrium constants, approx. 11 fM and approx. 19 nM for the binding of cystatin C to papain and actinidin respectively, were also comparable with the dissociation constants for chicken cystatin. The affinity between cystatin C and several inactivated papains or actinidins decreased with increasing size of the inactivating group in a manner similar to that in earlier studies with the chicken inhibitor. Together, these results strongly indicate that the mechanisms of the reactions of cystatin C and chicken cystatin with cysteine proteinases are identical or highly similar, but differ from that of reactions between serine-proteinase inhibitors and their target enzymes. The model for the proteinase-inhibitor interaction, based on the X-ray structure of chicken cystatin, therefore should be largely applicable also to human cystatin C.
| S-EPMC1130639 | biostudies-other
Project description:Leucocyte proteinases, e.g. leucocyte elastase and cathepsin G, are inhibited by heparin. The activities of pig pancreatic and Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastases are unaffected by this polysaccharide. Heparin derivatives of known Mr and degree of sulphation were isolated. The inhibition of leucocyte elastase by these oligosaccharides can be classified as tight-binding hyperbolic non-competitive. Ki values ranged from 40 nM to 100 microM and were found to be inversely correlated with the chain length of the oligosaccharides. Desulphated compounds lacked inhibitory potential towards leucocyte elastase. Over-O-sulphated di- and tetra-saccharides are more potent inhibitors than their over-N-sulphated counterparts. It is proposed that the therapeutic use of heparin and its derivatives could be extended to disease states such as emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis, where the role of leucocyte elastase has been clearly established.
| S-EPMC1149174 | biostudies-other
Project description:The rate constants for the inhibition of human leucocyte elastase by eglin from the leech Hirudo medicinalis were determined by using a pre-steady-state kinetic approach. kon and koff for complex-formation and dissociation were 1 X 10(6)M-1 X S-1 and 8 X 10(-4)S-1 respectively. Ki was calculated as the ratio koff/kon = 8 X 10(-10)M, the binding of eglin to elastase was reversible and the inhibition mechanism was of the fully competitive type. The mechanistic properties of the system and the biological significance of the rate constants are discussed.
| S-EPMC1153411 | biostudies-other
Project description:Bronchial leucocyte proteinase inhibitor (BLPI) is an 11 000 Mr protein found in human mucous secretions. This inhibitor apparently controls the serine proteinases elastase and cathepsin G, released from extravascular polymorphonuclear leucocytes. A simple, single-step chromatographic procedure for the isolation of BLPI based on its affinity for chymotrypsin was developed. The purified inhibitor was homogeneous by electrophoresis and gel filtration. Amino acid analyses were in close agreement with previous reports, and showed BLPI to be rich in proline and cystine, but lacking histidine. We have further characterized the role of BLPI with respect to human leucocyte elastase and cathepsin G by close examination of the kinetic parameters. Additionally, we have determined the kinetics of association (kon) and dissociation (koff) for BLPI with bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin. Equilibrium dissociation constants (Ki) of 1.87 X 10(-10) M, 4.18 X 10(-9) M, 8.28 X 10(-9) M and 2.63 X 10(-8) M were obtained for human leucocyte elastase, cathepsin G, bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. These results are discussed with respect to BLPI's possible function in vivo and its role relative to other inhibitors in bronchial secretions.
| S-EPMC1144612 | biostudies-other
Project description:Intestinal helminth infections of livestock and humans are predominantly controlled by treatment with three classes of synthetic drugs, but some livestock nematodes have now developed resistance to all three classes and there are signs that human hookworms are becoming less responsive to the two classes (benzimidazoles and the nicotinic acetylcholine agonists) that are licensed for treatment of humans. New anthelmintics are urgently needed, and whilst development of new synthetic drugs is ongoing, it is slow and there are no signs yet that novel compounds operating through different modes of action, will be available on the market in the current decade. The development of naturally-occurring compounds as medicines for human use and for treatment of animals is fraught with problems. In this paper we review the current status of cysteine proteinases from fruits and protective plant latices as novel anthelmintics, we consider some of the problems inherent in taking laboratory findings and those derived from folk-medicine to the market and we suggest that there is a wealth of new compounds still to be discovered that could be harvested to benefit humans and livestock.
| S-EPMC2559997 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Several pentacyclic triterpenoid metabolites of plant origin are inhibitors of hydrolysis of both synthetic peptide substrates and elastin by human leucocyte elastase (HLE). Ursolic acid, the most potent of these compounds, has an inhibition constant of 4-6 microM for hydrolysis of peptide substrates in phosphate-buffered saline. With tripeptide and tetrapeptide substrates, the inhibition is purely competitive, whereas with a shorter dipeptide substrate the inhibition is non-competitive, suggesting that ursolic acid interacts with subsite S3 of the extended substrate-binding domain in HLE, but not with subsites S1 and S2. The carboxy group at position 28 in the pentacyclic-ring system of the triterpenes contributes to binding to HLE, since replacement of this group with a hydroxy group, as in uvaol, the alcohol analogue of ursolic acid, reduces the potency of inhibition. The inhibitory potency of ursolic acid is also reduced by addition of 1 M-NaCl, further supporting a postulated electrostatic interaction between the negative charge on the triterpene and a positively charged residue on the enzyme, which we assign to the side chain of Arg-217, located in the vicinity of subsites S4 and S5 in HLE. These observations are consistent with a binding site for ursolic acid which extends from S3 towards S4 and S5 on the enzyme. Other triterpenes, including oleanolic acid, erythrodiol, hederagenin and 18 beta-glycyrrhetic acid, can also interact with this binding site. On the basis of these results we conclude that the extended substrate-binding domain of HLE can accommodate a variety of hydrophobic ligands, including not only such molecules as fatty acids [Ashe & Zimmerman (1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 75, 194-199; Cook & Ternai (1988) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 369, 629-637], but also polycyclic molecules such as the pentacyclic triterpenoids.
| S-EPMC1151264 | biostudies-other
Project description:Human cystatin C variants in which the evolutionarily conserved Gly-11 residue has been replaced by residues with positively charged (Arg), negatively charged (Glu), bulky hydrophobic (Trp), or small (Ser or Ala) side-chains have been produced by site-directed mutagenesis and expression in Escherichia coli. The five variants were isolated and structurally verified. Their inhibitory properties were compared with those of wild-type recombinant cystatin C by determination of the equilibrium constants for dissociation (Ki) of their complexes with the cysteine endopeptidases papain and human cathepsin B and with the cysteine exopeptidase dipeptidyl peptidase I. The Ser-11 and Ala-11 cystatin C variants displayed Ki values for the two endopeptidases that were approx. 20-fold higher than those of wild-type cystatin C, while the corresponding values for the Trp-11. Arg-11 and Glu-11 variants were increased by a factor of about 2000. In contrast, the Ki values for the interactions of all five variants with the exopeptidase differed from that of wild-type cystatin C by a factor of less than 10. Wild-type cystatin C and the Ser-11, Ala-11 and Glu-11 variants were incubated with neutrophil elastase, which in all cases resulted in the rapid hydrolysis of a single peptide bond, between amino acid residues 10 and 11. The Ki values for the interactions with papain of these three N-terminal-decapeptide-lacking cystatin C variants were 20-50 nM, just one order of magnitude higher than the value for N-terminally truncated wild-type cystatin C, which in turn was similar to the corresponding values for the full-length Glu-11, Arg-11 and Trp-11 variants. These data indicate that the crucial feature of the conserved Gly residue in position 11 of wild-type cystatin C is that this residue, devoid of a side-chain, will allow the N-terminal segment of cystatin C to adopt a conformation suitable for interaction with the substrate-binding pockets of cysteine endopeptidases, resulting in high-affinity binding and efficient inhibition. The functional properties of the remaining part of the proteinase contact area, which is built from more C-terminal inhibitor segments, are not significantly affected even when amino acids with bulky or charged side-chains replace the Gly-11 residue of the N-terminal segment.
| S-EPMC1132490 | biostudies-other