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Biomedical subjects

Igor Ivanov

Publications and source records attributed to Igor Ivanov.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Antivenomic and Proteomic Assessment of Inter- and Intrapopulation Venom Variations in Nikolsky's Adder Vipera nikolskii: Comparison to Common Adder Vipera berus.

Snake venom variation has important clinical implications, yet individual-level venomics remains limited. We investigated inter- and intrapopulation variability in forest-steppe adder Vipera nikolskii and its recognition by commercial V. berus antivenom using proteomic and immunological approaches. Venoms from 12 individual V. nikolskii specimens representing two geographically distinct populations (BG and KM), together with three pooled V. nikolskii and one pooled V. berus samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, ELISA, Western blot, and pull-down assays. Multivariate analysis revealed relative homogeneity in BG and pronounced heterogeneity in KM venoms. Area-based proteomics revealed V. berus venom enrichment in PLA2 (34.6%), SVMP (14.6%), and CRiSP (15.6%), whereas V. nikolskii venoms were more variable. Pooled V. nikolskii venoms showed SVMP abundance (35.2-41.1%), contrasting with lower levels in individual samples. Antivenom binding was stronger for V. berus but weaker and more variable across individual and pooled V. nikolskii samples. Antivenom targeted PLA2/VEGF, CRiSP (only in V. berus), and Kunitz-type proteins. In vivo neutralization assay demonstrated strong protection against V. berus but not V. nikolskii venom. These findings reveal substantial compositional and antigenic variability in V. nikolskii venoms, highlight discrepancies between pooled and individual ones, and underscore the need for region-specific and functionally validated antivenom evaluation.

Animals↗

Affinity labeling of the rabbit 12/15-lipoxygenase using azido derivatives of arachidonic acid.

Lipoxygenases are lipid-peroxidizing enzymes, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of important diseases. They consist of a single polypeptide chain, which is folded into a two-domain structure. The large catalytic domain contains the putative substrate-binding pocket and the catalytic non-heme iron. To identify structural elements of the rabbit 12/15-lipoxygenase that are involved in enzyme/substrate and/or enzyme/product interaction, we synthesized a set of radioactively labeled lipoxygenase substrates carrying a photoreactive azido group (17-azido-ETE, 18-azido-ETE, 19-azido-ETE) and used these compounds as affinity probes. After photoaffinity labeling, the enzyme was digested proteolytically and modified tryptic cleavage peptides were identified by a combination of radio-HPLC and mass spectral analysis. Following this strategy, we observed covalent linkage of a cleavage peptide that contained Ile593, which has previously been identified as the sequence determinant for the positional specificity. These data are consistent with the previous suggestion that this peptide lines the substrate-binding pocket. Surprisingly, we also observed strong labeling of cleavage peptides originating from the N-terminal beta-barrel domain, and our mass spectral data suggested covalent linkage of oxidized affinity probes. Taken together, these results confirm the previous conclusion that Ile593 and surrounding amino acids are constituents of the active site, but they also implicate the N-terminal beta-barrel in enzyme/substrate and/or enzyme/product interaction.

Affinity Labels↗

Photoactivation of an inhibitor of the 12/15-lipoxygenase pathway.

Lipoxygenases are lipid-peroxidizing enzymes that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and lipoxygenase inhibitors may be developed as anti-inflammatory drugs. Structure comparison with known lipoxygenase inhibitors has suggested that (2Z)-2-(3-benzylidene)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene-7-carboxylic acid methyl ester might inhibit the lipoxygenase pathway but we found that it exhibited only a low inhibitory potency for the pure 12/15-lipoxygenase (IC(50) = 0.7 mM). However, photoactivation, which induces a Z-to-E isomerization of the double bond, strongly augmented the inhibitory potency and an IC(50) value of 0.021 mM was determined for the pure E isomer. Similar isomer-specific differences were observed with the recombinant enzyme and its 12-lipoxygenating Ile418Ala mutant, as well as in intracellular lipoxygenase activity. Structure modeling of the enzyme/inhibitor complex suggested the molecular reasons for this isomer specificity. Since light-induced isomerization may proceed in the skin, such photoreactive compounds might be developed as potential drugs for inflammatory skin diseases.

Animals↗

Structural biology of mammalian lipoxygenases: enzymatic consequences of targeted alterations of the protein structure.

Lipoxygenases form a heterogeneous family of lipid peroxidizing enzymes, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases with major health political relevance (bronchial asthma, atherosclerosis, cancer, and osteoporosis). The crystal structures of one mammalian lipoxygenase and of two plant isoenzymes have been solved and the structural bases of important enzyme properties (reaction specificity, membrane binding, and suicidal inactivation) have been investigated in the past. This review will briefly summarize our current understanding on the structural biology of the most important mammalian lipoxygenase isoforms and will also address selected mechanistic features of the lipoxygenase reaction.

Animals↗

Sequence determinants for the reaction specificity of murine (12R)-lipoxygenase: targeted substrate modification and site-directed mutagenesis.

Mammalian lipoxygenases (LOXs) are categorized with respect to their positional specificity of arachidonic acid oxygenation. Site-directed mutagenesis identified sequence determinants for the positional specificity of these enzymes, and a critical amino acid for the stereoselectivity was recently discovered. To search for sequence determinants of murine (12R)-LOX, we carried out multiple amino acid sequence alignments and found that Phe(390), Gly(441), Ala(455), and Val(631) align with previously identified positional determinants of S-LOX isoforms. Multiple site-directed mutagenesis studies on Phe(390) and Ala(455) did not induce specific alterations in the reaction specificity, but yielded enzyme species with reduced specific activities and stereo random product patterns. Mutation of Gly(441) to Ala, which caused drastic alterations in the reaction specificity of other LOX isoforms, failed to induce major alterations in the positional specificity of mouse (12R)-LOX, but markedly modified the enantioselectivity of the enzyme. When Val(631), which aligns with the positional determinant Ile(593) of rabbit 15-LOX, was mutated to a less space-filling residue (Ala or Gly), we obtained an enzyme species with augmented catalytic activity and specifically altered reaction characteristics (major formation of chiral (11R)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid methyl ester). The importance of Val(631) for the stereo control of murine (12R)-LOX was confirmed with other substrates such as methyl linoleate and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid methyl ester. These data identify Val(631) as the major sequence determinant for the specificity of murine (12R)-LOX. Furthermore, we conclude that substrate fatty acids may adopt different catalytically productive arrangements at the active site of murine (12R)-LOX and that each of these arrangements may lead to the formation of chiral oxygenation products.

12-Hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic Acid↗

Dual role of oxygen during lipoxygenase reactions.

Studying the oxygenation kinetics of (19R/S,5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-19-hydroxyeicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenoic acid (19-OH-AA) by rabbit 15-lipoxygenase-1 we observed a pronounced oxygen dependence of the reaction rate, which was not apparent with arachidonic acid as substrate. Moreover, we found that peroxide-dependent activation of the lipoxygenase depended strongly on the oxygen concentration. These data can be described with a kinetic model that extends previous schemes of the lipoxygenase reaction in three essential aspects: (a) the product of 19-OH-AA oxygenation is a less effective lipoxygenase activator than (13S,9Z,11E)-13-hydroperoxyoctadeca-9,11-dienoic acid; (b) molecular dioxygen serves not only as a lipoxygenase substrate, but also impacts peroxide-dependent enzyme activation; (c) there is a leakage of radical intermediates from the catalytic cycle, which leads to the formation of inactive ferrous lipoxygenase. This enzyme inactivation can be reversed by another round of peroxide-dependent activation. Taken together our data indicate that both peroxide activation and the oxygen affinity of lipoxygenases depend strongly on the chemistry of the lipid substrate. These findings are of biological relevance as variations of the reaction conditions may turn the lipoxygenase reaction into an efficient source of free radicals.

Animals↗

Enantioselective substrate specificity of 15-lipoxygenase 1.

15-Lipoxygenases are lipid-peroxidizing enzymes which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases, such as inflammation, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis. Although the crystal structures for several lipoxygenase isoforms have been solved, there is little information on the substrate alignment at the active site and its impact on the catalytic mechanism. Investigating the oxygenation of specifically designed hydroxy fatty acids, we observed a pronounced enantioselectivity of 15-lipoxygenases for substrates carrying the oxygen moiety in close proximity to the site of hydrogen abstraction [16(R/S)-HETE, 17(R/S)-HETE]. To investigate the mechanistic basis for this unexpected behavior, we applied a strategy involving targeted substrate modification, site-directed mutagenesis, and structural modeling of the enzyme-substrate complex. Taken together, our data suggest that an (S)-hydroxy group in 16-HETE may form a hydrogen bridge between the substrate molecule and Gln548, which contributes to proper alignment of the fatty acid derivative at the active site of the enzyme. This interaction, which was not observed with 16(R)-HETE, 18(R)-HETE, or 18(S)-HETE, appears to be a major reason for the high degree of enantioselectivity during lipoxygenation of 16-HETE.

Animals↗

Prediction of mechanisms of action of antibacterial compounds by gene expression profiling.

We have generated a database of expression profiles carrying the transcriptional responses of the model organism Bacillus subtilis following treatment with 37 well-characterized antibacterial compounds of different classes. The database was used to build a predictor for the assignment of the mechanisms of action (MoAs) of antibacterial compounds by the use of support vector machines. This predictor was able to correctly classify the MoA class for most compounds tested. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the in vivo MoA of hexachlorophene does not match the MoA predicted from in vitro data, a situation frequently faced in drug discovery. A database of this kind may facilitate the prioritization of novel antibacterial entities in drug discovery programs. Potential applications and limitations are discussed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Genomics and proteomics tools for compound mode-of-action studies in drug discovery.

A broad range of genomics and proteomics technologies are increasingly being integrated into emerging research fields such as pharmacogenomics, pharmacoproteomics, chemogenomics, chemical genetics, and chemical biology. Here we review applications of genomic and proteomic technologies to drug mechanism-of-action studies and how these are beginning to impact the drug discovery process.

Animals↗

Improving DNA array data quality by minimising 'neighbourhood' effects.

Gene expression studies using cDNA arrays require robust and sensitive detection methods. Being extremely sensitive, radioactive detection suffers from the influence of signals positioned in each other's vicinity, the 'neighbourhood' effect. This limits the gene density of arrays and the quality of the results obtained. We have investigated the quantitative influence of different parameters on the 'neighbourhood' effect. By using a model experimental system, we could show that the effect is linear and depends only on the intensity of the hybridisation signal. We identified a common factor that can describe the influence of the neighbour spots based on their intensities. This factor is <1%, but it has to be taken into account if a high dynamic range of gene expression is to be detected. We could also derive the factor, although with less precision, from comparison of duplicate spots on arrays of 4565 different clones and replication of the hybridisation experiments. The calculated coefficient applied to our actual experimental results not only revealed previously undetected tissue or cell-specific expression differences, but also increased the dynamic range of detection. It thus provides a relatively simple way of improving DNA array data quality with few experimental modifications.

Gene Expression Profiling↗

Identification by RNA profiling and mutational analysis of the novel copper resistance determinants CrdA (HP1326), CrdB (HP1327), and CzcB (HP1328) in Helicobacter pylori.

Mechanisms involved in maintaining cytoplasmic metal ion homeostasis play a central role in the adaptation of Helicobacter pylori to the changing gastric environment. An investigation of the global regulatory responses to copper ions by using RNA profiling with a threshold factor of 4.0 revealed that copper induces transcription of 19 H. pylori genes and that only the ferritin gene pfr is repressed. The 57-fold copper induction identified the HP1326 gene encoding an H. pylori-specific protein as a candidate for a novel copper resistance determinant. The HP1326 gene is expressed as a monocistronic unit, and two small HP1326 mRNAs are copper induced. The HP1326 protein is secreted and is required for copper resistance maintained by cytoplasmic copper homeostasis, as H. pylori HP1326 mutants were copper sensitive and displayed increased copper induction of HP1326 transcription as well as elevated copper repression of ferritin synthesis. The clear copper-sensitive phenotype displayed by H. pylori HP1327 and HP1328 mutants provides strong evidence that the HP1326 protein, together with the signal peptide site of the H. pylori-specific protein HP1327, whose gene is located downstream from that encoding HP1326, and the CzcB and CzcA metal efflux system component homologs HP1328 and HP1329, constitutes a novel type of copper efflux pump, as discussed below. The HP1329 gene could not be inactivated, but the 14-fold transcriptional copper induction determined by RNA profiling points towards a function of the encoded CzcA homolog in copper resistance. In summary, results from RNA profiling identified the novel H. pylori-specific copper resistance determinants CrdA (HP1326) and CrdB (HP1327), which are required for adaptation to copper-rich environmental conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Mitral valve prolapse].

INTRODUCTION: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common finding in everyday clinical practice. However, despite simple diagnostics, clinicians remain interested in it due to its undetermined prevalence, various etiology, clinical features and echocardiographic findings. ETIOLOGY AND PREVALENCE: MVP exists as a primary condition and is commonly associated with tissue diseases of familial origin. It is more common in people with asthenic constitution and congenital thoracic abnormalities. Secondary etiology occurs in rheumatic processes on mitral valve, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and ischemic heart disease. The prevalence varies between 0.33-17%. DIAGNOSIS AND COMPLICATIONS: Clinical manifestations are different and in most patients asymptomatic. The diagnosis is established by anamnesis, physical examination, M-mode and 2-dimen-sional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, left ventriculography and direct histopathologic investigation of mitral apparatus. Although MVP is a benign condition, there are certain complications such as infective endocarditis, severe mitral regurgitation, heart failure, cerebral and coronary embolism events, arrhythmias and sudden death. Complications mostly occur in patients with heart murmurs and mitral insufficiency in contrast to patients with cusps.

Humans↗