The rapid development of fluorescent probes for monitoring target enzymes is still a great challenge owing to the lack of efficient ways to optimize a specific fluorophore. Herein, a practical ...two‐dimensional strategy was designed for the development of an isoform‐specific probe for CYP3A4, a key cytochrome P450 isoform responsible for the oxidation of most clinical drugs. In first dimension of the design strategy, a potential two‐photon fluorescent substrate (NN) for CYP3A4 was effectively selected using ensemble‐based virtual screening. In the second dimension, various substituent groups were introduced into NN to optimize the isoform‐selectivity and reactivity. Finally, with ideal selectivity and sensitivity, NEN was successfully applied to the real‐time detection of CYP3A4 in living cells and zebrafish. These findings suggested that our strategy is practical for developing an isoform‐specific probe for a target enzyme.
Selective two‐photon CYP3A4 probe: A highly sensitive two‐photon fluorescent probe specific for CYP3A4 was designed based on a two‐dimensional design strategy that combines ensemble‐based virtual screening with rational structure modification. The probe allows the detection of CYP3A4 activity in living cells, tissue, and zebrafish, facilitating the evaluation of risks from CYP3A4‐mediated drug–drug interactions in the clinic.
Cytochromes P450 (P450s or CYPs), especially the CYP2C family, are important drug-metabolizing enzymes that play major roles in drug metabolism. Tree shrews, a non-rodent primate-like species, are ...used in various fields of biomedical research, notably hepatitis virus infection; however, its drug-metabolizing enzymes have not been fully investigated. In this study, tree shrew CYP2C18, CYP2C76a, CYP2C76b, and CYP2C76c cDNAs were identified and contained open reading frames of 489 or 490 amino acids with high sequence identities (70-78 %) to human CYP2Cs. Tree shrew CYP2C76a, CYP2C76b, and CYP2C76c showed higher sequence identities (79-80 %) to cynomolgus CYP2C76 and were not orthologous to any human CYP2C. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that tree shrew CYP2C18 and CYP2C76s were closely related to rat CYP2Cs and cynomolgus CYP2C76, respectively. Tree shrew CYP2C genes formed a gene cluster similar to human CYP2C genes. All four tree shrew CYP2C mRNAs showed predominant expressions in liver, among the tissue types examined; expression of CYP2C18 mRNA was also detected in small intestine. In liver, CYP2C18 mRNA was the most abundant among the tree shrew CYP2C mRNAs. In metabolic assays using human CYP2C substrates, all tree shrew CYP2Cs showed metabolic activities toward diclofenac, R,S-omeprazole, paclitaxel, and R,S-warfarin, with the activity of CYP2C18 exceeding that of the other CYP2Cs. Moreover, tree shrew CYP2C76 enzymes metabolized progesterone more efficiently than human, cynomolgus, or marmoset CYP2Cs. Therefore, these novel tree shrew CYP2Cs are expressed abundantly in liver, encode functional enzymes that metabolize human CYP2C substrates, and are likely responsible for drug clearances.
In teleost fish, sex steroids are involved in sex determination, sex differentiation, and fertility. Cyp17a1 (Cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1) is thought to play essential roles in ...fish steroidogenesis. Therefore, to further understand its roles in steroidogenesis, sex determination, and fertility in fish, we constructed a cyp17a1 gene mutant in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). In XX fish, mutation of the cyp17a1 gene led to a female-to-male sex reversal with a significant decline in 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) production, and ectopic expression of male-biased markers (Dmrt1 and Gsdf) in gonads from the critical window of sex determination. Sex reversal was successfully rescued via T or E2 administration, and ovarian characteristics were maintained after termination of E2 supplementation in the absence of endogenous estrogen production in cyp17a1-/- XX fish. Likewise, deficiencies in T and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) production in both cyp17a1-/- XX sex-reversed males and cyp17a1-/- XY mutants resulted in meiotic initiation delays, vas deferens obstruction and sterility due to excessive apoptosis and abnormal mitochondrial morphology. However, 11-KT treatment successfully rescued the dysspermia to produce normal sperm in cyp17a1-/- male fish. Significant increases in gonadotropic hormone (gth) and gth receptors in cyp17a1-/- mutants may excessively upregulate steroidogenic gene expression in Leydig cells through a feedback loop. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that Cyp17a1 is indispensable for E2 production, which is fundamental for female sex determination and differentiation in XX tilapia. Additionally, Cyp17a1 is essential for T and 11-KT production, which further promotes spermatogenesis and fertility in XY males.
Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) play a key role in generating the structural diversity of terpenoids, the largest group of plant natural products. However, functional characterization of CYPs has been ...challenging because of the expansive families found in plant genomes, diverse reactivity and inaccessibility of their substrates and products.
Here we present the characterization of two CYPs, CYP76AH3 and CYP76AK1, which act sequentially to form a bifurcating pathway for the biosynthesis of tanshinones, the oxygenated diterpenoids from the Chinese medicinal plant Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza).
These CYPs had similar transcription profiles to that of the known gene responsible for tanshinone production in elicited Danshen hairy roots. Biochemical and RNA interference studies demonstrated that both CYPs are promiscuous. CYP76AH3 oxidizes ferruginol at two different carbon centers, and CYP76AK1 hydroxylates C-20 of two of the resulting intermediates. Together, these convert ferruginol into 11,20-dihydroxy ferruginol and 11,20-dihydroxy sugiol en route to tanshinones. Moreover, we demonstrated the utility of these CYPs by engineering yeast for heterologous production of six oxygenated diterpenoids, which in turn enabled structural characterization of three novel compounds produced by CYP-mediated oxidation.
Our results highlight the incorporation of multiple CYPs into diterpenoid metabolic engineering, and a continuing trend of CYP promiscuity generating complex networks in terpenoid biosynthesis.
Cihunamides A–D (1–4), novel antibacterial RiPPs, were isolated from volcanic‐island‐derived Streptomyces sp. The structures of 1–4 were elucidated by 1H, 13C, and 15N NMR, MS, and chemical ...derivatization; they contain a tetrapeptide core composed of WNIW, cyclized by a unique C−N linkage between two Trp units. Genome mining of the producer strain revealed two biosynthetic genes encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme and a precursor peptide. Heterologous co‐expression of the core genes demonstrated the biosynthesis of cihunamides through P450‐mediated oxidative Trp‐Trp cross‐linking. Further bioinformatic analysis uncovered 252 homologous gene clusters, including that of tryptorubins, which possess a distinct Trp‐Trp linkage. Cihunamides do not display the non‐canonical atropisomerism shown in tryptorubins, which are the founding members of the “atropitide” family. Therefore, we propose to use a new RiPP family name, “bitryptides”, for cihunamides, tryptorubins, and their congeners, wherein the Trp‐Trp linkages define the structural class rather than non‐canonical atropisomerism.
Chemical analysis of volcanic‐island‐derived Streptomyces uncovered cihunamides, unique ribosomally synthesized and post‐translationally modified peptides with antibacterial activity. Genome mining, comparative bioinformatics, and heterologous co‐expression revealed that the key step for cihunamide biosynthesis is the cytochrome P450 mediated oxidative coupling of two tryptophan residues to form an endocyclic C−N bond.
Ferroptosis is widely involved in degenerative diseases in various tissues including kidney, liver and brain, and is a targetable vulnerability in multiple primary and therapy-resistant cancers. ...Accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides in cellular membranes is the hallmark and rate-limiting step of ferroptosis; however, the enzymes contributing to lipid peroxidation remain poorly characterized. Using genome-wide, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated suppressor screens, we identify cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) as necessary for ferroptotic cell death in cancer cells exhibiting inherent and induced susceptibility to ferroptosis. By genetic depletion of POR in cancer cells, we reveal that POR contributes to ferroptosis across a wide range of lineages and cell states, and in response to distinct mechanisms of ferroptosis induction. Using systematic lipidomic profiling, we further map POR's activity to the lipid peroxidation step in ferroptosis. Hence, our work suggests that POR is a key mediator of ferroptosis and potential druggable target for developing antiferroptosis therapeutics.
Animals and humans are exposed each day to a multitude of chemicals in the air, water and food. They have developed a battery of enzymes and transporters that facilitate the biotransformation and ...elimination of these compounds. Moreover, a majority of these enzymes and transporters are inducible due to the activation of xenobiotic receptors which act as transcription factors for the regulation of their target genes (such as xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, see below §4 for the AhR). These receptors include several members of the nuclear/steroid receptor family (CAR for Constitutive Androstane Receptor, PXR for Pregnane X Receptor) but also the Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor or AhR, a member of the bHLH-PAS family (basic Helix-Loop-Helix - Period/ARNT/Single minded). In addition to the regulation of xenobiotic metabolism, numerous alternative functions have been characterized for the AhR since its discovery. These alternative functions will be described in this review along with its endogenous functions as revealed by experiments performed on knock-out animals.
•The firstly discovered AhR function is its role in xenobiotic metabolism via the genomic pathway.•Endogenous functions are described, involving alternative pathways such as the non-genomic pathway.•A strong involvement in cell physiology (proliferation, adhesion and migration) was related.•AhR also have physiological roles identified by KO-models, the most common of which is vascular.•But these results in KO-models are species-specific and have to be considered with precaution.
α‐Tocopherol (α‐TOH) is a potent antioxidant. The concentrations of α‐TOH in plasma are closely related to human health. α‐TOH can be regulated by the metabolism of cytochrome P450 4F2 (CYP4F2). ...However, the atomic‐level basis for this regulation process remains elusive. Here, we successfully constructed the structure of CYP4F2 by homology modeling and obtained the α‐TOH–CYP4F2 complex models using molecular docking. Three parallel 500 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed on each complex model to investigate the details of the interaction between α‐TOH and CYP4F2. MM–GBSA method combined with principal component analysis shows that 8 key residues establish a hydrophobic cavity stabilizing α‐TOH in the pocket of CYP4F2 and S423 forms an important hydrogen bond with α‐TOH anchoring α‐TOH in the favorable position for ω‐hydroxylation. Based on our simulation results and the experimental facts, we designed mutation simulation experiments to clarify the important role of two key residues (S423 and V433) in the binding of α‐TOH with CYP4F2. The results show that the mutations directly or indirectly change the binding mode of α‐TOH and decrease its binding affinity with CYP4F2, which is unfavorable for ω‐hydroxylation. Our results could enrich the information on structure‐function relationships of CYP4F2 and provide valuable insights into the regulatory mechanism of CYP4F2 on the metabolism of α‐TOH.
Human cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, as membrane-bound hemoproteins, play important roles in the detoxification of drugs, cellular metabolism, and homeostasis. In humans, almost 80% of oxidative ...metabolism and approximately 50% of the overall elimination of common clinical drugs can be attributed to one or more of the various CYPs, from the CYP families 1-3. In addition to the basic metabolic effects for elimination, CYPs are also capable of affecting drug responses by influencing drug action, safety, bioavailability, and drug resistance through metabolism, in both metabolic organs and local sites of action. Structures of CYPs have recently provided new insights into both understanding the mechanisms of drug metabolism and exploiting CYPs as drug targets. Genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic changes in CYP genes and environmental factors may be responsible for interethnic and interindividual variations in the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. In this review, we summarize and highlight the structural knowledge about CYPs and the major CYPs in drug metabolism. Additionally, genetic and epigenetic factors, as well as several intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to interindividual variation in drug response are also reviewed, to reveal the multifarious and important roles of CYP-mediated metabolism and elimination in drug therapy.
NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is the unique redox partner of microsomal cytochrome P450s (CYPs). CPR exists in a conformational equilibrium between open and closed conformations throughout ...its electron transfer (ET) function. Previously, we have shown that electrostatic and flexibility properties of the hinge segment of CPR are critical for ET. Three mutants of human CPR were studied (S243P, I245P and R246A) and combined with representative human drug-metabolizing CYPs (isoforms 1A2, 2A6 and 3A4). To probe the effect of these hinge mutations different experimental approaches were employed: CYP bioactivation capacity of pre-carcinogens, enzyme kinetic analysis, and effect of the ionic strength and cytochrome
₅ (CYB5) on CYP activity. The hinge mutations influenced the bioactivation of pre-carcinogens, which seemed CYP isoform and substrate dependent. The deviations of Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters uncovered tend to confirm this discrepancy, which was confirmed by CYP and hinge mutant specific salt/activity profiles. CPR/CYB5 competition experiments indicated a less important role of affinity in CPR/CYP interaction. Overall, our data suggest that the highly flexible hinge of CPR is responsible for the existence of a conformational aggregate of different open CPR conformers enabling ET-interaction with structural varied redox partners.
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