Latent inactivators

The efficiency of inactivation by covalent bond formation vs release of the reactive species into solution has been described by its partition ratio. The most efficient inactivators have catalytic partition ratios of 0, in which case each inhibitor molecule leads to inactivation of the enzyme. To this date, many of these inhibitors have been designed, and alternative names like suicide substrate, Trojan Horse inactivator, enzyme induced inactivator, inhibitor, and latent inactivator have been used for this class of inhibitors. A number of comprehensive reviews are available (26—32). 

Coumarincarboxylate derivatives are versatile, efficient, low molecular weight, nonpeptidic protease inhibitors. Both esters and amides behave as time-dependent inhibitors of a-chymotrypsin but the esters are clearly more efficient than the corresponding amides. The criteria for a suicide mechanism are met. The presence of a latent alkylating function at the 6-position (chloromethyl group) is required to produce to inactivation by a suicide mechanism (Scheme 11.3, pathway a). Aryl esters, in particular the meta-substituted phenyl esters are the best inhibitors. Thus, m-chlorophenyl 6-(chloromethyl)-2-oxo-27/-l-benzopyran-3-carboxylate is one of the well-known inactivator of a-chymotrypsin (kJK, = 76(),000M s 1 at pH 7.5 and 25 °C, Table 11.1). 

The neutral azetidin-2-one 23 (Fig. 11.13), which has neither the latent leaving group northecarboxy substituent of the previous acidic azetidinone21, is a substrate of both HLE and PPE. Its functionalized analogue 24a inactivates these proteases by an... 

The temperate virus does not exist in its mature, infectious state inside the cell, but rather in a latent form, called the provirus or prophage state. In considering virulent viruses we learned that the DNA of the virulent virus contains information for the synthesis of a number of enzymes and other proteins essential to virus reproduction. The prophage of the temperate virus carries similar information, but in the lysogenic cell this information remains dormant because the expression of the virus genes is blocked through the action of a specific repressor coded for by the virus. As a result of a genetic switch, the repressor is inactivated, virus reproduction occurs, the cell lyses, and virus particles are released. 

Suicide substrates and quiescent affinity labels, unlike the other types of inhibitors discussed in this chapter, form covalent bonds with active site nucleophiles and thereby irreversibly inactivate their target enzymes. A suicide substrate,191 also described by Silverman in a comprehensive review1101 as a mechanism-based inactivator, is a molecule that resembles its target enzyme s true substrate but contains a latent (relatively unreactive) electrophile. When the target enzyme attempts to turn over the... 

Myeloperoxidase is an extremely potent, antimicrobial protein that is present in neutrophils at up to 5% of the total cell protein. Its role in the killing of a wide range of bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa and mammalian cells (e.g. tumour cells) is well established from in vitro studies. It also plays an important role in the inactivation of toxins and the activation of latent proteases, as well as in other functions described in section 5.4.1. In view of this apparent central role in neutrophil function during host defence, one would think that any deficiencies in this enzyme would have disastrous consequences on the ability of the host to combat infections. Until the early 1980s, this key role for myeloperoxidase in host protection seemed substantiated by the extremely low incidence of reports of patients with deficiencies of this enzyme. Indeed, up to this time, only 15 cases from 12 families had been reported worldwide. Sometimes these patients were asymptomatic but often suffered Candida infections, particularly if their myeloperoxidase deficiency was also associated with diabetes mellitus. 

Other enzymes may also be similarly inactivated by such cyclopropanone adducts generated in situ by catalytic unravelling of some latent precursors. NAD+ as coenzyme favours the electrophilic attack of AGP 17 on the enzymic thiol group, and considerably increases the rate of inhibition [17]. ALDH in brain was also inhibited in rats pretreated with coprine, and aldehyde reductase was slightly inhibited by AGP 17, in vitro [22]. 

The elimination or inactivation of enzymes used to treat proteins is a critical problem once the desired modification in functionality is achieved. In many instances, product inhibition or self destruction does not occur as noted above for fish protein concentrate. As stated by Puski (20), if heat inactivation is used, the proteins may be denatureT"and revert to insoluble forms. Washing out the enzyme at its isoelectric point would also remove a portion of the protein which is solubilized by the enzyme. Inactivation of enzymes by chemical means may also cause significant changes in the protein. Thus, while desired functional modifications of food ingredients may be obtained through enzyme treatment, the problem of latent enzyme activity in food formulations must be addressed. 

Acyclovir (ACV) is not a true nucleoside, because the guanine residue is attached to an open-chain structure, but it mimics deoxyribose well enough for the compound to be accepted as a substrate by a thymidine kinase specified by certain herpes-type viruses. The normal thymidine kinase in mammalian cells does not recognize ACV as a substrate, however, so only virus-infected cells convert ACV to its monophosphate. Once the first phosphate has been added, the second phosphate is added by cellular guanylate kinase several other cellular kinases can add the third phosphate. The triphosphate is a more potent inhibitor of the viral DNA polymerases than of cellular DNA polymerases and also inactivates the former but not the latter. The net result is that ACV has been an effective treatment of, and prophylaxis for, genital herpes. Also it can result in dramatic relief of pain associated with shingles caused by reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus, and has been successful in many patients with herpes encephalitis. 

Adverse effects Its adverse effects include severe nausea and vomiting (centrally mediated). [Note These effects can be diminished by pretreatment with cannabinoids (see p. 243) or pheno-thiazine (see p. 242).] Severe bone marrow depression limits extensive use. Latent viral infections (for example, Herpes zoster] may appear because of immunosuppression. Extravasation is a serious problem. If it occurs, the area should be infiltrated with isotonic sodium thiosulfite to inactivate the drug. 

As with all complex biological systems we should not forget the close interplay between oxidative and proteolytic systems (see Fig. 2). For example, it has been shown that at a localised inflammatory site, oxidative inactivation of protease inhibitors may lead to a proteolytic cascade resulting in down-stream MMP activation through the localised action of serine proteinases activating previously latent MMPs (see Fig. 2). Equally, the generation of active MMPs (post-oxidant exposure) may be involved in the site-specific catalytic inactivation of serine-protease inhibitors [59] at an inflammatory site with the consequent generation of an elevated serine protease load and connective tissue proteolysis (see Fig. 2). 

Inactivation of serpins and activation of latent metalloproteinases in pulmonary emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis... 

A new and elegant approach to specific irreversible enzyme inactivation is the use of inhibitors possessing latent reactive functionalities which are unmasked at the enzyme s active site as a result of the normal catalytic turnover. Such an inhibitory process is described by the following equation ... 

In the preceding sections we have noted the biosynthesis and/or catabolism of cyclopropyl moieties by carbocation, by carbanion and by radical processes in specific contexts. At least two naturally occurring cyclopropyl metabolites and several synthetic ones have been observed to induce inactivation of specific target enzymes. The inactivation is presumptively related to chemical reactivity of loci at or adjacent to the cyclopropane equivalent. In the case of hypoglycine A (7) the methylene cyclopropane group is the problematic moiety, while in coprine (29) the hemiaminal is a latent cyclopropanone equivalent we shall analyze the proposed enzyme killing routes for each. Then we will turn to cyclopropyl... 

Reactivity is not limited to direct addition to the phenoxyl ring structure, and reactions with thiols, amines and olefmic compounds have been reported. Both HOBr and HOCl can elicit oxidation of cysteine residues, where oxidation of the thiol moiety to a sulphinic acid is associated with activation of the latent form of matrix metalloproteinase-7 [111]. Higher doses of HOCl cause inactivation of the enzyme through site-specific modification of tryptophan and the adjacent glycine to yield an unknown product that lacks four mass units [112]. 

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