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Journal of Nanobiotechnology Mar 2024Endocrine therapy is standard for hormone receptor-positive (HR) breast cancer treatment. However, current strategies targeting estrogen signaling pay little attention...
Endocrine therapy is standard for hormone receptor-positive (HR) breast cancer treatment. However, current strategies targeting estrogen signaling pay little attention to estradiol metabolism in the liver and is usually challenged by treatment failure. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the natural compound naringenin (NAR) inhibited HR breast cancer growth by activating estrogen sulfotransferase (EST) expression in the liver. Nevertheless, the poor water solubility, low bio-barrier permeability, and non-specific distribution limited its clinical application, particularly for oral administration. Here, a novel nano endocrine drug NAR-cell penetrating peptide-galactose nanoparticles (NCG) is reported. We demonstrated that NCG presented specific liver targeting and increased intestinal barrier permeability in both cell and zebrafish xenotransplantation models. Furthermore, NCG showed liver targeting and enterohepatic circulation in mouse breast cancer xenografts following oral administration. Notably, the cancer inhibition efficacy of NCG was superior to that of both NAR and the positive control tamoxifen, and was accompanied by increased hepatic EST expression and reduced estradiol levels in the liver, blood, and tumor tissue. Moreover, few side effects were observed after NCG treatment. Our findings reveal NCG as a promising candidate for endocrine therapy and highlight hepatic EST targeting as a novel therapeutic strategy for HR breast cancer.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Zebrafish; Receptors, Estrogen; Estrogens; Tamoxifen; Estradiol; Liver; Nanoparticles; Flavanones
PubMed: 38504208
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02356-0 -
Clinical and Translational Science Mar 2024Aminobenzotriazole (ABT) is commonly used as a non-selective inhibitor of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes to assign contributions of CYP versus non-CYP pathways to the...
Aminobenzotriazole (ABT) is commonly used as a non-selective inhibitor of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes to assign contributions of CYP versus non-CYP pathways to the metabolism of new chemical entities. Despite widespread use, a systematic review of the drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential for ABT has not been published nor have the implications for using it in plated hepatocyte models for low clearance reaction phenotyping. The goal being to investigate the utility of ABT as a pan-CYP inhibitor for reaction phenotyping of low clearance compounds by evaluating stability over the incubation period, inhibition potential against UGT and sulfotransferase enzymes, and interaction with nuclear receptors involved in the regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters. Induction potential for additional inhibitors used to ascribe fraction metabolism (f ), pathway including erythromycin, ketoconazole, azamulin, atipamezole, ZY12201, and quinidine was also investigated. ABT significantly inhibited the clearance of a non-selective UGT substrate 4-methylumbelliferone, with several UGTs shown to be inhibited using selective probe substrates in human hepatocytes and rUGTs. The inhibitors screened in the induction assay were shown to induce enzymes regulated through Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, Constitutive Androstane Receptor, and Pregnane X Receptor. Lastly, a case study identifying the mechanisms of a clinical DDI between Palbociclib and ARV-471 is provided as an example of the potential consequences of using ABT to derive f . This work demonstrates that ABT is not an ideal pan-CYP inhibitor for reaction phenotyping of low clearance compounds and establishes a workflow that can be used to enable robust characterization of other prospective inhibitors.
Topics: Humans; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Hepatocytes; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
PubMed: 38501263
DOI: 10.1111/cts.13746 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Apr 2024Keratan sulfate (KS) is a proteoglycan that is widely expressed in the extracellular matrix of various tissue types, where it performs multiple biological functions. KS...
Keratan sulfate (KS) is a proteoglycan that is widely expressed in the extracellular matrix of various tissue types, where it performs multiple biological functions. KS is the least understood proteoglycan, which in part is due to a lack of panels of well-defined KS oligosaccharides that are needed for structure-binding studies, as analytical standards, to examine substrate specificities of keratinases, and for drug development. Here, we report a biomimetic approach that makes it possible to install, in a regioselective manner, sulfates and fucosides on oligo--acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) chains to provide any structural element of KS by using specific enzyme modules. It is based on the observation that α1,3-fucosides, α2,6-sialosides and C-6 sulfation of galactose (Gal6S) are mutually exclusive and cannot occur on the same LacNAc moiety. As a result, the pattern of sulfation on galactosides can be controlled by installing α1,3-fucosides or α2,6-sialosides to temporarily block certain LacNAc moieties from sulfation by keratan sulfate galactose 6-sulfotransferase (CHST1). The patterns of α1,3-fucosylation and α2,6-sialylation can be controlled by exploiting the mutual exclusivity of these modifications, which in turn controls the sites of sulfation by CHST1. Late-stage treatment with a fucosidase or sialidase to remove blocking fucosides or sialosides provides selectively sulfated KS oligosaccharides. These treatments also unmasked specific galactosides for further modification by CHST1. To showcase the potential of the enzymatic strategy, we have prepared a range of poly-LacNAc derivatives having different patterns of fucosylation and sulfation and several -glycans decorated by specific arrangements of sulfates.
Topics: Keratan Sulfate; Galactose; Biomimetics; Oligosaccharides; Carbohydrate Sulfotransferases; Proteoglycans; Galactosides; Sulfates
PubMed: 38494637
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00363 -
PNAS Nexus Mar 2024Cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) are cytosolic enzymes that catalyze the transfer of sulfonate group to key endogenous compounds, altering the physiological functions...
Cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) are cytosolic enzymes that catalyze the transfer of sulfonate group to key endogenous compounds, altering the physiological functions of their substrates. SULT enzymes catalyze the -sulfonation of hydroxy groups or -sulfonation of amino groups of substrate compounds. In this study, we report the discovery of -sulfonation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl groups mediated by a new SULT enzyme, SULT7A1, and human SULT1C4. Enzymatic assays revealed that SULT7A1 is capable of transferring the sulfonate group from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate to the α-carbon of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl-containing compounds, including cyclopentenone prostaglandins as representative endogenous substrates. Structural analyses of SULT7A1 suggest that the -sulfonation reaction is catalyzed by a novel mechanism mediated by His and Cys residues in the active site. Ligand-activity assays demonstrated that sulfonated 15-deoxy prostaglandin J exhibits antagonist activity against the prostaglandin receptor EP2 and the prostacyclin receptor IP. Modification of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl groups via the new prostaglandin-sulfonating enzyme, SULT7A1, may regulate the physiological function of prostaglandins in the gut. Discovery of -sulfonation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl groups will broaden the spectrum of potential substrates and physiological functions of SULTs.
PubMed: 38487162
DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae097 -
Drug Metabolism and Disposition: the... Apr 2024Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a frequent cause of clinical trial failures during drug development. While inhibiting bile salt export pump (BSEP) is a...
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a frequent cause of clinical trial failures during drug development. While inhibiting bile salt export pump (BSEP) is a well-documented DILI mechanism, interference with genes related to bile acid (BA) metabolism and transport can further complicate DILI development. Here, the effects of twenty-eight compounds on genes associated with BA metabolism and transport were evaluated, including those with discontinued development or use, boxed warnings, and clean labels for DILI. The study also included rifampicin and omeprazole, pregnane X receptor and aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands, and four mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK1/2) inhibitors. BSEP inhibitors with more severe DILI, notably pazopanib and CP-724714, significantly upregulated the expression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), independent of small heterodimer partner (SHP) expression. CYP7A1 expression was marginally induced by omeprazole. In contrast, its expression was suppressed by mometasone (10-fold), vinblastine (18-fold), hexachlorophene (2-fold), bosentan (2.1-fold), and rifampin (2-fold). All four MEK1/2 inhibitors that show clinical DILI were not potent BSEP inhibitors but significantly induced CYP7A1 expression, accompanied by a significant SHP gene suppression. Sulfotransferase 2A1 and BSEP were marginally upregulated, but no other genes were altered by the drugs tested. Protein levels of CYP7A1 were increased with the treatment of CYP7A1 inducers and decreased with obeticholic acid, an farnesoid X receptor ligand. CYP7A1 inducers significantly increased bile acid (BA) production in hepatocytes, indicating the overall regulatory effects of BA metabolism. This study demonstrates that CYP7A1 induction via various mechanisms can pose a risk for DILI, independently or in synergy with BSEP inhibition, and it should be evaluated early in drug discovery. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Kinase inhibitors, pazopanib and CP-724714, inhibit BSEP and induce CYP7A1 expression independent of small heterodimer partner (SHP) expression, leading to increased bile acid (BA) production and demonstrating clinically elevated drug-induced liver toxicity. MEK1/2 inhibitors that show BSEP-independent drug-induced liver injury (DILI) induced the CYP7A1 gene accompanied by SHP suppression. CYP7A1 induction via SHP-dependent or independent mechanisms can pose a risk for DILI, independently or in synergy with BSEP inhibition. Monitoring BA production in hepatocytes can reliably detect the total effects of BA-related gene regulation for de-risking.
Topics: Humans; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 11; Indazoles; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Omeprazole; Bile Acids and Salts; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase; Pyrimidines; Sulfonamides
PubMed: 38485279
DOI: 10.1124/dmd.124.001675 -
Nutrients Feb 2024The causes of vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes, are not fully understood, may be related to molecular factors, and have a polygenic architecture. Nutrients and... (Review)
Review
The causes of vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes, are not fully understood, may be related to molecular factors, and have a polygenic architecture. Nutrients and bioactive molecules supplied to the body with food are metabolized using various enzymatic pathways. They can induce molecular cell signaling pathways and, consequently, activate effector proteins that modulate processes related to hot flashes in menopausal women. In this review, we analyzed the literature data from the last 5 years, especially regarding genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis, and selected molecular factors and cell signaling pathways that may potentially be related to hot flashes in women. These are the kisspeptin-GnRH pathway, adipocyte-derived hormones, aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling, catechol estrogens and estrogen sulfotransferase, inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, and glucose availability. Then, single compounds or groups of food ingredients were selected that, according to experimental data, influence the course of the discussed molecular pathways and thus can be considered as potential natural therapeutic agents to effectively reduce the troublesome symptoms of menopause in women.
Topics: Female; Humans; Hot Flashes; Genome-Wide Association Study; Menopause; Hormones; Nutrients
PubMed: 38474783
DOI: 10.3390/nu16050655 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2024Sulfonation, primarily facilitated by sulfotransferases, plays a crucial role in the detoxification pathways of endogenous substances and xenobiotics, promoting...
Bioinformatic Analysis of Sulfotransferases from an Unexplored Gut Microbe, 3_1_45B: Possible Roles towards Detoxification via Sulfonation by Members of the Human Gut Microbiome.
Sulfonation, primarily facilitated by sulfotransferases, plays a crucial role in the detoxification pathways of endogenous substances and xenobiotics, promoting metabolism and elimination. Traditionally, this bioconversion has been attributed to a family of human cytosolic sulfotransferases (hSULTs) known for their high sequence similarity and dependence on 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) as a sulfo donor. However, recent studies have revealed the presence of PAPS-dependent sulfotransferases within gut commensals, indicating that the gut microbiome may harbor a diverse array of sulfotransferase enzymes and contribute to detoxification processes via sulfation. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of sulfotransferases in members of the human gut microbiome. Interestingly, we stumbled upon PAPS-independent sulfotransferases, known as aryl-sulfate sulfotransferases (ASSTs). Our bioinformatics analyses revealed that members of the gut microbial genus harbor multiple genes, possibly encoding multiple ASST enzymes within its members. Fluctuations in the microbes of the genus have been associated with various health conditions. For this reason, we characterized 17 different ASSTs from 3_1_45B. Our findings reveal that ASSTs share similarities with ASST but also exhibit significant structural variations and sequence diversity. These differences might drive potential functional diversification and likely reflect an evolutionary divergence from their PAPS-dependent counterparts.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Escherichia coli; Sulfotransferases; Burkholderiales
PubMed: 38474230
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052983 -
ACS Omega Mar 2024Cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST) is emerging as an important therapeutic target to develop substrate reduction therapy (SRT) for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a...
In Silico Structural Modeling and Binding Site Analysis of Cerebroside Sulfotransferase (CST): A Therapeutic Target for Developing Substrate Reduction Therapy for Metachromatic Leukodystrophy.
Cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST) is emerging as an important therapeutic target to develop substrate reduction therapy (SRT) for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder. MLD develops with progressive impairment and destruction of the myelin sheath as a result of accumulation of sulfatide around the nerve cells in the absence of its recycling mechanism with deficiency of arylsulfatase A (ARSA). Sulfatide is the product of the catalytic action of cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST), which needs to be regulated under pathophysiological conditions by inhibitor development. To carry out in silico-based preliminary drug screening or for designing new drug candidates, a high-quality three-dimensional (3D) structure is needed in the absence of an experimentally derived three-dimensional crystal structure. In this study, a 3D model of the protein was developed using a primary sequence with the SWISS-MODEL server by applying the top four GMEQ score-based templates belonging to the sulfotransferase family as a reference. The 3D model of CST highlights the features of the protein responsible for its catalytic action. The CST model comprises five β-strands, which are flanked by ten α-helices from both sides as well as form the upside cover of the catalytic pocket of CST. CST has two catalytic regions: PAPS (-sulfo donor) binding and galactosylceramide (-sulfo acceptor) binding. The catalytic action of CST was proposed via molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation with PAPS, galactosylceramide (GC), PAPS-galactosylceramide, and PAP. The stability of the model and its catalytic action were confirmed using molecular dynamic simulation-based trajectory analysis. CST response against the inhibition potential of the experimentally reported competitive inhibitor of CST was confirmed via molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation, which suggested the suitability of the CST model for future drug discovery to strengthen substrate reduction therapy for MLD.
PubMed: 38463293
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09462 -
The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology Jun 2024The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of neuropeptide W (NPW) on ovarian ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative injury and ovarian steroid...
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of neuropeptide W (NPW) on ovarian ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative injury and ovarian steroid metabolism.
METHODS
Rats were randomly divided into control and ischemia groups that received either saline or NPW (0.1 or 5 μg/kg/day). Bilateral ovarian ischemia was performed for 3 h followed by a 72-h reperfusion. Blood, ovary, and uterus samples were collected for biochemical and histological assessments.
KEY FINDINGS
Treatment with either dose of NPW alleviated oxidative injury of the ovaries with a significant suppression in free radical formation and decreased histopathological injury in both the ovarian and uterine tissues, along with reduced lipid peroxidation and neutrophil accumulation in the uterus. Moreover, NPW treatment reversed the decrease in aromatase expression with a concomitant reduction in the expression of the inactivity enzyme estrogen sulfotransferase. Also, downregulation of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) expression in the injured ovarian tissue was abolished by NPW treatment, which implicates that the protective effect of NPW on the female reproductive system may involve the upregulation of the ERα-mediated signaling pathway.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrated for the first time that NPW protects against ovarian oxidative injury and reinforces ovarian steroidogenic activity, which is accompanied by the upregulation of ERα expression in the ovaries.
Topics: Animals; Female; Ovary; Reperfusion Injury; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Oxidative Stress; Up-Regulation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Lipid Peroxidation; Uterus; Neuropeptides; Aromatase; Signal Transduction; Protective Agents
PubMed: 38457354
DOI: 10.1093/jpp/rgad098 -
Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Apr 2024Drug-metabolizing enzymes are important in drug development and therapy, but have not been fully identified and characterized in many species, lines, and breeds. Liver...
Drug-metabolizing enzymes are important in drug development and therapy, but have not been fully identified and characterized in many species, lines, and breeds. Liver transcriptomic data were analyzed for phase I cytochromes P450, flavin-containing monooxygenases, and carboxylesterases and phase II UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, sulfotransferases, and glutathione S-transferases. Comparisons with a variety of species (humans, rhesus macaques, African green monkeys, baboons, common marmosets, cattle, sheep, pigs, cats, dogs, rabbits, tree shrews, rats, mice, and chickens) revealed both general similarities and differences in the transcript abundances of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Similarly, Beagle and Shiba dogs were examined by next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq). Consequently, no substantial differences in transcript abundance were noted in different breeds of pigs and dogs and in different lines of mice and rats. Therefore, the expression profiles of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme transcripts appear to be similar in Shiba and Beagle dogs and pig breeds and the rat and mouse lines analyzed, although some differences were found in other species.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Dogs; Rats; Swine; Rabbits; Cattle; Sheep; Chlorocebus aethiops; Macaca mulatta; Chickens; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Liver; Microsomes, Liver; Species Specificity
PubMed: 38452615
DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2024.101002