Proteins activity’ theory

It is amazing to note that complex processes such as drug binding to protein, activation of cells, and observation of syncytial cellular response should apparently so closely follow a model based on these simple concepts. This was not lost on A. J. Clark in his treatise on drug receptor theory The Mode of Action of Drugs on Cells [4] ... 

Goodman, M., and B.W. Barry. 1989. Lipid-protein-partitioning theory (LPP) theory of skin enhancer activity Finite dose technique. Int J Pharm 57 29. 

An analysis of the cosolvent concentration dependence of the osmotic second virial coefficient (OSVC) in water—protein—cosolvent mixtures is developed. The Kirkwood—Buff fluctuation theory for ternary mixtures is used as the main theoretical tool. On its basis, the OSVC is expressed in terms of the thermodynamic properties of infinitely dilute (with respect to the protein) water—protein—cosolvent mixtures. These properties can be divided into two groups (1) those of infinitely dilute protein solutions (such as the partial molar volume of a protein at infinite dilution and the derivatives of the protein activity coefficient with respect to the protein and water molar fractions) and (2) those of the protein-free water—cosolvent mixture (such as its concentrations, the isothermal compressibility, the partial molar volumes, and the derivative of the water activity coefficient with respect to the water molar fraction). Expressions are derived for the OSVC of ideal mixtures and for a mixture in which only the binary mixed solvent is ideal. The latter expression contains three contributions (1) one due to the protein—solvent interactions which is connected to the preferential binding parameter, (2) another one due to protein/protein interactions (B p ), and (3) a third one representing an ideal mixture contribution The cosolvent composition dependencies of these three contributions... 

Goodman M and Barry BW. Lipid-protein-Partitioning Theory (LPP) Theory of Skin Enhancer Activity Finite dose Technique. IntJPharm 1989 57 29-40. 

Another problem is the use of the relationship aw — 1 — Vwap. Here Vw is the degree of hydration, ap is the NMR-derived protein activity and aw the water activity. This underived expression is analogous to a stoichiometric population expression but is inappropriate for activities whose relationships are determined by the Gibbs-Duhem equation. Despite these shortcomings the Kumosinski-Pessen theory has been extensively used in the food literature.37,38,40-43... 

While in principle one would prefer to use the most accurate level of theory in all cases this is not practical at this point in time. Thus, using contemporary computers and current numerical approaches it is only particle to carry out long (e.g 100 ps or more) MD simulations using semiempirical Hamiltonians on a typical protein active site (e,g about 20-30 heavy atoms), while it is possible to carry out energy minimization studies using all QM levels except for highly correlated HF approaches. 

The primary site of action is postulated to be the Hpid matrix of cell membranes. The Hpid properties which are said to be altered vary from theory to theory and include enhancing membrane fluidity volume expansion melting of gel phases increasing membrane thickness, surface tension, and lateral surface pressure and encouraging the formation of polar dislocations (10,11). Most theories postulate that changes in the Hpids influence the activities of cmcial membrane proteins such as ion channels. The Hpid theories suffer from an important drawback at clinically used concentrations, the effects of inhalational anesthetics on Hpid bilayers are very small and essentially undetectable (6,12,13). 

The extended ternary complex model [23] was conceived after it was clear that receptors could spontaneously activate G-proteins in the absence of agonist. It is an amalgam of the ternary complex model [12] and two-state theory that allows proteins to spontaneously exist in two conformations, each having different properties with respect to other proteins and to ligands. Thus, two receptor species are described [Ra] (active state receptor able to activate G-proteins) and [RJ (inactive state receptors). These coexist according to an allosteric constant (L = [Ra]/[Ri]) ... 

Hurst (19) discusses the similarity in action of the pyrethrins and of DDT as indicated by a dispersant action on the lipids of insect cuticle and internal tissue. He has developed an elaborate theory of contact insecticidal action but provides no experimental data. Hurst believes that the susceptibility to insecticides depends partially on the cuticular permeability, but more fundamentally on the effects on internal tissue receptors which control oxidative metabolism or oxidative enzyme systems. The access of pyrethrins to insects, for example, is facilitated by adsorption and storage in the lipophilic layers of the epicuticle. The epicuticle is to be regarded as a lipoprotein mosaic consisting of alternating patches of lipid and protein receptors which are sites of oxidase activity. Such a condition exists in both the hydrophilic type of cuticle found in larvae of Calliphora and Phormia and in the waxy cuticle of Tenebrio larvae. Hurst explains pyrethrinization as a preliminary narcosis or knockdown phase in which oxidase action is blocked by adsorption of the insecticide on the lipoprotein tissue components, followed by death when further dispersant action of the insecticide results in an irreversible increase in the phenoloxidase activity as a result of the displacement of protective lipids. This increase in phenoloxidase activity is accompanied by the accumulation of toxic quinoid metabolites in the blood and tissues—for example, O-quinones which would block substrate access to normal enzyme systems. The varying degrees of susceptibility shown by different insect species to an insecticide may be explainable not only in terms of differences in cuticle make-up but also as internal factors associated with the stability of oxidase systems. 

The important criterion thus becomes the ability of the enzyme to distort and thereby reduce barrier width, and not stabilisation of the transition state with concomitant reduction in barrier height (activation energy). We now describe theoretical approaches to enzymatic catalysis that have led to the development of dynamic barrier (width) tunneUing theories for hydrogen transfer. Indeed, enzymatic hydrogen tunnelling can be treated conceptually in a similar way to the well-established quantum theories for electron transfer in proteins. 

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