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Histidine decarboxylase is a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate enzyme catalyzing the conversion of histidine to histamine, a bioactive molecule exerting its role in many modulatory processes. The human enzyme is involved in many physiological functions, such as neurotransmission, gastrointestinal track function, cell growth, and differentiation. Here, we studied the functional properties of the human enzyme and, in particular, the effects exerted at the protein level by two cysteine residues: Cys-180 and Cys-418. Surprisingly, the enzyme exists in an equilibrium between a reduced and an oxidized form whose extent depends on the redox state of Cys-180. Moreover, we determined that (i) the two enzymatic redox species exhibit modest structural changes in the coenzyme microenvironment and (ii) the oxidized form is slightly more active and stable than the reduced one. These data are consistent with the model proposed by bioinformatics analyses and molecular dynamics simulations in which the Cys-180 redox state could be responsible for a structural transition affecting the C-terminal domain reorientation leading to active site alterations. Furthermore, the biochemical properties of the purified C180S and C418S variants reveal that C180S behaves like the reduced form of the wild-type enzyme, while C418S is sensitive to reductants like the wild-type enzyme, thus allowing the identification of Cys-180 as the redox sensitive switch. On the other hand, Cys-418 appears to be a residue involved in aggregation propensity. A possible role for Cys-180 as a regulatory switch in response to different cellular redox conditions could be suggested.

β thalassemia (β thal) is a worldwide red blood cell (RBC) genetic disorder with limited therapeutic tools. Standard of care includes chronic RBC transfusions and iron chelation. In β thal, pathophysiologic studies have shown that oxidation plays a key role in both ineffective erythropoiesis and reduced survival of mature red cells in the peripheral circulation (Matte et al ARS 28: 1-14, 2018; Matte A et al. ARS 23: 1284, 2015). Recently, in a mouse model of β thal, we showed that the investigational pyruvate kinase (PK) activator mitapivat significantly improved anemia by targeting both ineffective erythropoiesis and hemolysis (Matte et al. JCI 131: e144206, 2021). We also found that mitapivat ameliorated the erythroid cell maturation index for in vitroCD34+ derived erythroblasts from β thal (cod b039) patients (Matte et al. JCI 131: e144206, 2021). The results of phase 2 proof-of-concept study (NCT03692052) in non-transfusion-dependent thalassemic patients support the beneficial effects of mitapivat on β thal (Kuo KHM et al Lancet 400: 493-501, 2022).

Aromatic amino acid, cysteine sulfinic acid, glutamate and histidine decarboxylases, belonging to group II of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes, catalyze the synthesis of dopamine/serotonin, hypotaurine, γ-aminobutyric acid and histamine, respectively. Considering that these reaction products are all essential bioactive molecules, group II decarboxylases have been long studied from an evolutionary, biochemical and pharmacological standpoint. Despite the fact that they all belong to a common fold-type, during evolution each decarboxylase has evolved unique structural elements responsible for its substrate specificity. Combining a literature update with bioinformatic analyses, this review focuses on some structural determinants shared by these enzymes revealing their intrinsic substrate specificity and highlighting the importance of some residues/regions for catalytic competence. In particular, two key structural features emerge: 1) a mobile catalytic loop, and 2) an open-to-close conformation accompanying the apo-holo transition. Drawing attention on these elements is crucial in correlating subtle structural modifications to functional properties for the understanding, at a molecular level of a pathological condition. This is corroborated by the increasingly important role played by these decarboxylases in several different pathological states (autoimmune diseases, type I diabetes, Parkinson's disease, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency, Tourette's syndrome and cholangiocarcinoma).

Chorea-acanthocytosis is one of the hereditary neurodegenerative disorders known as the neuroacanthocytoses. Chorea-acanthocytosis is characterized by circulating acanthocytes deficient in chorein, a protein of unknown function. We report here for the first time that chorea-acanthocytosis red cells are characterized by impaired autophagy, with cytoplasmic accumulation of active Lyn and of autophagy-related proteins Ulk1 and Atg7. In chorea-acanthocytosis erythrocytes, active Lyn is sequestered by HSP90-70 to form high-molecular-weight complexes that stabilize and protect Lyn from its proteasomal degradation, contributing to toxic Lyn accumulation. An interplay between accumulation of active Lyn and autophagy was found in chorea-acanthocytosis based on Lyn coimmunoprecipitation with Ulk1 and Atg7 and on the presence of Ulk1 in Lyn-containing high-molecular-weight complexes. In addition, chorein associated with Atg7 in healthy but not in chorea-acanthocytosis erythrocytes. Electron microscopy detected multivesicular bodies and membrane remnants only in circulating chorea-acanthocytosis red cells. In addition, reticulocyte-enriched chorea-acanthocytosis red cell fractions exhibited delayed clearance of mitochondria and lysosomes, further supporting the impairment of authophagic flux. Because autophagy is also important in erythropoiesis, we studied in vitro CD34+-derived erythroid precursors. In chorea-acanthocytosis, we found (1) dyserythropoiesis; (2) increased active Lyn; (3) accumulation of a marker of autophagic flux and autolysososme degradation; (4) accumlation of Lamp1, a lysosmal membrane protein, and LAMP1-positive aggregates; and (5) reduced clearance of lysosomes and mitochondria. Our results uncover in chorea-acanthocytosis erythroid cells an association between accumulation of active Lyn and impaired autophagy, suggesting a link between chorein and autophagic vesicle trafficking in erythroid maturation.

Chorea-acanthocytosis is one of the hereditary neurodegenerative disorders known as the neuroacanthocytoses. Chorea-acanthocytosis is characterized by circulating acanthocytes deficient in chorein, a protein of unknown function. We report here for the first time that chorea-acanthocytosis red cells are characterized by impaired autophagy, with cytoplasmic accumulation of active Lyn and of autophagy-related proteins Ulk1 and Atg7. In chorea-acanthocytosis erythrocytes, active Lyn is sequestered by HSP90-70 to form high-molecular-weight complexes that stabilize and protect Lyn from its proteasomal degradation, contributing to toxic Lyn accumulation. An interplay between accumulation of active Lyn and autophagy was found in chorea-acanthocytosis based on Lyn coimmunoprecipitation with Ulk1 and Atg7 and on the presence of Ulk1 in Lyn-containing high-molecular-weight complexes. In addition, chorein associated with Atg7 in healthy but not in chorea-acanthocytosis erythrocytes. Electron microscopy detected multivesicular bodies and membrane remnants only in circulating chorea-acanthocytosis red cells. In addition, reticulocyte-enriched chorea-acanthocytosis red cell fractions exhibited delayed clearance of mitochondria and lysosomes, further supporting the impairment of authophagic flux. Because autophagy is also important in erythropoiesis, we studied in vitro CD34+-derived erythroid precursors. In chorea-acanthocytosis, we found (1) dyserythropoiesis; (2) increased active Lyn; (3) accumulation of a marker of autophagic flux and autolysososme degradation; (4) accumlation of Lamp1, a lysosmal membrane protein, and LAMP1-positive aggregates; and (5) reduced clearance of lysosomes and mitochondria. Our results uncover in chorea-acanthocytosis erythroid cells an association between accumulation of active Lyn and impaired autophagy, suggesting a link between chorein and autophagic vesicle trafficking in erythroid maturation.

Backround: Parkinson’s disease is a pathology involving the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. L-DOPA combined with an inhibitor of DOPA decarboxylase, a pyridoxal 5’-phosphate-dependent enzyme, is still the most effective treatment for symptoms of Parkinson's disease. LDOPA increases synaptic dopamine, while the inhibitor of peripheral DOPA decarboxylase reduces the conversion of L-DOPA to dopamine in the systemic circulation, allowing for greater L-DOPA distribution into the central nervous system. CarbiDOPA and benserazide are the inhibitors currently used in Parkinson's disease treatment. However, carbiDOPA and trihydroxybenzylhydrazine, the active metabolite of benserazide, are substrate analogues both endowed with a hydrazine function, which irreversibly bind not only to DDC but also to free pyridoxal 5’-phosphate and pyridoxal 5’-phosphate-dependent enzymes. Therefore, the lack of DOPA decarboxylase specificity, responsible for various side effects and adverse reactions, is a negative factor in such treatment of the disease. Results and Conclusion: Aim of this review is to report on the most recent investigations regarding new DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors that could represent the starting point for possible Parkinson's disease drugs development. We focused on the common chemical features among all the identified inhibitors in order to seek shared structural motifs that could be involved in inhibition. Then, we highlighted the extent of inhibition, measured by means of in vitro and/or cell-based assays. Finally, we pointed out the state of the art in the metabolism of such classes of compounds, and discussed the possible advances in Parkinson's disease pharmacological treatment.

Since their discovery in the mid-nineties, peroxiredoxins have drawn much attention and the number of papers publications on different Prxs has been multiplied. The rise in interest in this topic is probably due, at least in part, to the large and further increasing functions attributed to the members of this family of ubiquitous proteins, including many redox and non-redox physiological functions. This review presents a Since their discovery in the mid-nineties, peroxiredoxins have drawn much attention and the number of publications on different Prxs has been multiplied. The rise in interest in this topic is probably due, at least in part, to the large and further increasing functions attributed to the members of this family of ubiquitous proteins, including many redox and non-redox physiological functions. This review presents a literature survey of the protein partners of the human Peroxiredoxin-1 and Peroxiredoxin- 2 of the Peroxiredoxin 1 subfamily, the most abundant class. Three sequence motifs, or combinations thereof, were found in the protein partners, namely, CXXC, PXXP, and LXXLL. These findings are discussed in light of i) protein partner localization, function and biological pathways and ii) the peroxiredoxins regions important for partner interaction, as revealed by the Peroxiredoxin-1-Sulfiredoxin-1 complex structure. The outcome of these analyses is expected to unravel some common molecular bases underlying peroxiredoxins propensity to bind a partner, as well as to propose a functional role for this interaction that could help to widen the biological role of this important class of enzymes.

Acanthocytic RBCs are a peculiar diagnostic feature of chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc), a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder. Although recent years have witnessed some progress in the molecular characterization of ChAc, the mechanism(s) responsible for generation of acanthocytes in ChAc is largely unknown. As the membrane protein composition of ChAc RBCs is similar to that of normal RBCs, we evaluated the tyrosine (Tyr)–phosphorylation profile of RBCs using comparative proteomics. Increased Tyr phosphorylation state of several membrane proteins, including band 3, β-spectrin, and adducin, was noted in ChAc RBCs. In particular, band 3 was highly phosphorylated on the Tyr-904 residue, a functional target of Lyn, but not on Tyr-8, a functional target of Syk. In ChAc RBCs, band 3 Tyr phosphorylation by Lyn was independent of the canonical Syk-mediated pathway. The ChAc-associated alterations in RBC membrane protein organization appear to be the result of increased Tyr phosphorylation leading to altered linkage of band 3 to the junctional complexes involved in anchoring the membrane to the cytoskeleton as supported by coimmunoprecipitation of β-adducin with band 3 only in ChAc RBC-membrane treated with the Lyn-inhibitor PP2. We propose this altered association between membrane skeleton and membrane proteins as novel mechanism in the generation of acanthocytes in ChAc.

The vitamin B6-derived pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) is the cofactor of enzymes catalyzing a large variety of chemical reactions mainly involved in amino acid metabolism. These enzymes have been divided in five families and fold types on the basis of evolutionary relationships and protein structural organization. Almost 1.5 of all genes in prokaryotes code for PLP-dependent enzymes, whereas the percentage is substantially lower in eukaryotes. Although about 4 of enzyme-catalyzed reactions catalogued by the Enzyme Commission are PLP-dependent, only a few enzymes are targets of approved drugs and about twenty are recognised as potential targets for drugs or herbicides. PLP-dependent enzymes for which there are already commercially available drugs are DOPA decarboxylase (involved in the Parkinson disease), GABA aminotransferase (epilepsy), serine hydroxymethyltransferase (tumors and malaria), ornithine decarboxylase (African sleeping sickness and, potentially, tumors), alanine racemase (antibacterial agents), and human cytosolic branched-chain aminotransferase (pathological states associated to the GABA/glutamate equilibrium concentrations). Within each family or metabolic pathway, the enzymes for which drugs have been already approved for clinical use are discussed first, reporting the enzyme structure, the catalytic mechanism, the mechanism of enzyme inactivation or modulation by substrate-like or transition state-like drugs, and on-going research for increasing specificity and decreasing side-effects. Then, PLP-dependent enzymes that have been recently characterized and proposed as drug targets are reported. Finally, the relevance of recent genomic analysis of PLP-dependent enzymes for the selection of drug targets is discussed.

The vitamin B6-derived pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) is the cofactor of enzymes catalyzing a large variety of chemical reactions mainly involved in amino acid metabolism. These enzymes have been divided in five families and fold types on the basis of evolutionary relationships and protein structural organization. Almost 1.5% of all genes in prokaryotes code for PLP-dependent enzymes, whereas the percentage is substantially lower in eukaryotes. Although about 4% of enzyme-catalyzed reactions catalogued by the Enzyme Commission are PLP-dependent, only a few enzymes are targets of approved drugs and about twenty are recognised as potential targets for drugs or herbicides. PLP-dependent enzymes for which there are already commercially available drugs are DOPA decarboxylase (involved in the Parkinson disease), GABA aminotransferase (epilepsy), serine hydroxymethyltransferase (tumors and malaria), ornithine decarboxylase (African sleeping sickness and, potentially, tumors), alanine racemase (antibacterial agents), and human cytosolic branched-chain aminotransferase (pathological states associated to the GABA/glutamate equilibrium concentrations). Within each family or metabolic pathway, the enzymes for which drugs have been already approved for clinical use are discussed first, reporting the enzyme structure, the catalytic mechanism, the mechanism of enzyme inactivation or modulation by substrate-like or transition state-like drugs, and on-going research for increasing specificity and decreasing side-effects. Then, PLP-dependent enzymes that have been recently characterized and proposed as drug targets are reported. Finally, the relevance of recent genomic analysis of PLP-dependent enzymes for the selection of drug targets is discussed.

MalY from Escherichia coli is a bifunctional dimeric PLP (pyridoxal 5′-phosphate) enzyme acting as a β-cystathionase and as a repressor of the maltose system. The spectroscopic and molecular properties of the holoenzyme, in the untreated and NaBH4-treated forms, and of the apoenzyme have been elucidated. A systematic study of the urea-induced unfolding of MalY has been monitored by gel filtration, cross-linking, ANS (8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulphonic acid) binding and by visible, near- and far-UV CD, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopies under equilibrium conditions. Unfolding proceeds in at least three stages. The first transition, occurring between 0 and 1 M urea, gives rise to a partially active dimeric species that binds PLP. The second equilibrium transition involving dimer dissociation, release of PLP and loss of lyase activity leads to the formation of a monomeric equilibrium intermediate. It is a partially unfolded molecule that retains most of the native-state secondary structure, binds significant amounts of ANS (a probe for exposed hydrophobic surfaces) and tends to self-associate. The self-associated aggregates predominate at urea concentrations of 2–4 M for holoMalY. The third step represents the complete unfolding of the enzyme. These results when compared with the urea-induced unfolding profiles of apoMalY and NaBH4-reduced holoenzyme suggest that the coenzyme group attached to the active-site lysine residue increases the stability of the dimeric enzyme. Both holo- and apo-MalY could be successfully refolded into the active enzyme with an 85% yield. Further refolding studies suggest that large misfolded soluble aggregates that cannot be refolded could be responsible for the incomplete re-activation.

To obtain information on the reaction specificity of cystalysin from the spirochaete bacterium Treponema denticola, the interaction with l- and d-alanine has been investigated. Binding of both alanine enantiomers leads to the appearance of an external aldimine absorbing at 429nm and of a band absorbing at 498nm, indicative of a quinonoid species. Racemization and transamination reactions were observed to occur with both alanine isomers as substrates. The steady-state kinetic parameters for racemization, kcat and Km, for l-alanine are 1.05±0.03s−1 and 10±1mM respectively, whereas those for d-alanine are 1.4±0.1s−1 and 10±1mM. During the reaction of cystalysin with l- or d-alanine, a time-dependent loss of β-elimination activity occurs concomitantly with the conversion of the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) coenzyme into pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate (PMP). The catalytic efficiency of the half-transamination of l-alanine is found to be 5.3×10−5 mM−1·s−1, 5-fold higher when compared with that of d-alanine. The partition ratio between racemization and half-transamination reactions is 2.3×103 for l-alanine and 1.4×104 for d-alanine. The pH dependence of the kinetic parameters for both the reactions shows that the enzyme possesses a single ionizing residue with pK values of 6.5–6.6, which must be unprotonated for catalysis. Addition of pyruvate converts the PMP form of the enzyme back into the PLP form and causes the concomitant recovery of β-elimination activity. In contrast with other PLP enzymes studied so far, but similar to alanine racemases, the apoform of the enzyme abstracted tritium from C4′ of both (4′S)- and (4′R)-[4′-3H]PMP in the presence of pyruvate. Together with molecular modelling of the putative binding sites of l- and d-alanine at the active site of the enzyme, the implications of these studies for the mechanisms of the side reactions catalysed by cystalysin are discussed.

A flexible loop (residues 328–339), presumably covering the active site upon substrate binding, has been revealed in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine decarboxylase by means of kinetic and structural studies. The function of tyrosine 332 has been investigated by substituting it with phenylalanine. Y332F displays coenzyme content and spectroscopic features identical to those of the wild type. Unlike wild type, during reactions withl-aromatic amino acids under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, Y332F does not catalyze the formation of aromatic amines. However, analysis of the products shows that in aerobiosis,l-aromatic amino acids are converted into the corresponding aromatic aldehydes, ammonia, and CO2with concomitant O2consumption. Therefore, substitution of Tyr-332 with phenylalanine results in the suppression of the original activity and in the generation of a decarboxylation-dependent oxidative deaminase activity. In anaerobiosis, Y332F catalyzes exclusively a decarboxylation-dependent transamination ofl-aromatic amino acids. A role of Tyr-332 in the Cα protonation step that catalyzes the formation of physiological products has been proposed. Furthermore, Y332F catalyzes oxidative deamination of aromatic amines and half-transamination of d-aromatic amino acids with kcatvalues comparable with those of the wild type. However, for all the mutant-catalyzed reactions, an increase in Kmvalues is observed, suggesting that Y → F replacement also affects substrate binding.

The green tea gallocatechins, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), and (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC) were found to be inhibitors of Dopa decarboxylase (DDC). EGCG and EGC inactivate the enzyme in both a time- and concentration-dependent manner and exhibit saturation of the rate of inactivation at high concentrations, with efficiency of inactivation values (kinact/Ki) of 868 and 1511 M−1 min−1, respectively. In contrast, gallic acid behaves as a weak inhibitor of DDC. Protection against inactivation by EGCG and EGC was observed in the presence of the active site-directed inhibitor D-Dopa. Either EGCG or EGC induce changes in the absorbance and CD bands of the visible spectrum of enzyme-bound PLP. Taken together, these findings indicate the active site nature of the interaction of DDC with both polyphenols. On the basis of the properties of the EGCG-inactivated enzyme, it can be suggested that inactivation could be ascribed to a covalent modification of not yet identified residue(s) of the active site of DDC.

Analysis of the reaction of dopa decarboxylase (DDC) with L-dopa reveals that loss of decarboxylase activity with time is observed at enzyme concentrations approximately equal to the binding constant, Kd, of the enzyme for pyridoxal 5ƀ-phosphate (PLP). Instead, at enzyme concentrations higher than Kd the course of product formation proceeds linearly until complete consumption of the substrate. Evidence is provided that under both experimental conditions no pyridoxamine 5ƀ-phosphate (PMP) is formed during the reaction and that dissociation of coenzyme occurs at low enzyme concentration, leading to the formation of a PLP-L-dopa Pictet–Spengler cyclic adduct. Taken together, these results indicate that decarboxylation-dependent transamination does not accompany the decarboxylation of L-dopa proposed previously [O'Leary and Baughn (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 7168–7173]. Nevertheless, when the reaction of DDC with L-dopa is studied under anaerobic conditions at an enzyme concentration higher than Kd, we observe that (1) the enzyme is gradually inactivated and inactivation is associated with PMP formation and (2) the initial velocity of decarboxylation is approximately half of that in the presence of O2. Similar behaviour is observed by comparing the reaction with L-5-hydroxytryptophan occurring in aerobiosis or in anaerobiosis. Therefore the reaction of DDC with L-aromatic amino acids seems to be under O2 control. In contrast, the reactivity of the enzyme with D-aromatic amino acids does not change in the presence or absence of O2. These and other results, together with previous results on the effect exerted by O2 on reaction specificity of DDC towards aromatic amines [Bertoldi, Frigeri, Paci and Borri Voltattorni (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 5514–5521], suggest a productive effect of O2 on an intermediate complex of the reaction of the enzyme with L-aromatic amino acids or aromatic amines.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) from Lactobacillus 30a catalyses the cleavage of α-methylornithine into ammonia and 2-methyl-1-pyrroline; glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) from Escherichia coli catalyses the cleavage of α-methylglutamate into ammonia and laevulinic acid. In our analyses, 2-methyl-1-pyrroline and laevulinic acid were identified by HPLC and mass spectroscopic analysis, and ammonia was identified by means of glutamate dehydrogenase. Molecular oxygen was consumed during these reactions in a 1:2 molar ratio with respect to the products. The catalytic efficiencies (kcat/Km) of the reactions catalysed by ODC and GAD were determined as 12500 and 9163 M-1˙min-1 respectively. When the reactions were performed under anaerobic conditions, no ammonia, 2-methyl-1-pyrroline or laevulinic acid was produced to a significant extent. The formation of ammonia and O2 consumption (in a 1:2 molar ratio with respect to ammonia) were also detected during the reaction of ODC and GAD with putrescine and γ-aminobutyrate respectively. Taken together, these findings clearly indicate that ODC and GAD catalyse an oxidative deamination of their decarboxylation products, a reaction similar to that catalysed by dopa decarboxylase (DDC) with α-methyldopa [Bertoldi, Dominici, Moore, Maras and Borri Voltattorni (1998) Biochemistry 37, 6552-6561]. Furthermore, this reaction was accompanied by a decarboxylation-dependent transamination occurring for GAD, DDC and ODC with a frequency of approx. 0.24%, 1% and 9% respectively compared with that of oxidative deamination.

This study reports for the first time that binding of aromatic methyl ester analogs to Dopa decarboxylase in the native and inactive nicked forms causes the appearance of a dead‐end quinonoidal species absorbing at 500 nm, in addition to an external aldimine absorbing at 398 nm. The equilibrium mixture of these species varies depending on both the analog structure and the enzyme form. The above mentioned intermediates are also characterized with respect to their CD properties and the equilibria for their formation are determined as a function of pH. The results have provided evidence that the establishment of proper contacts between the active site and hydroxyl groups of the ligand are indispensable in order to limit unwanted side reactions.

Stable bovine RNase A aggregates larger than dimers (identified as trimers, tetramers, pentamers and hexamers) were obtained by lyophilization of RNase A from 40–50% acetic acid solutions. The RNase activity of these aggregates was compared with that of monomeric RNase A on single- and double-stranded polyribonucleotides. Their activity toward poly(U) and yeast RNA slightly decreases as a function of the size of the aggregates. In contrast, their action on poly(A).poly(U) as substrate progressively increases from a relative activity of 1 for the RNase monomer to 10 for the hexamer. These results are discussed in the light of an already advanced hypothesis about a possible mechanism of RNase attack on double-stranded RNA.

Cappellini: Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Abstract 3191

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Abstract 852

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Abstract 4266

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Abstract 2009