E-64

A new class of compounds that show promise of acting as class-specific inhibitors for the cysteine proteinases are the L-trans-epoxysuccinylpeptides related to the compound E-64 [L-trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butanel , isolated from cultures of Aspergillus. E-64 was shown to inhibit papain, ficin and the fruit and stem bromelains, with disappearance of the thiol group of papain¹.

 E-64 has been reported to inhibit two other mammalian cysteine proteinases: cathepsin L³ and a proteinase from human breast-tumour tissue⁴ and the calcium-dependent proteinase, calpain, from chicken muscle⁵. All of these characteristics suggested that E-64 might be a valuable inhibitor for the study of cysteine proteinases.

Lineweaver-Burk plots of inhibition data show that the action of E-64 was not competitive with substrate¹ . Moreover, the optical isomerism of the epoxysuccinyl moiety seemed to have no effect on the activity of E-64 as an inhibitor of papain^{6, 7} .If E-64 were indeed acting by covalent reaction at the active site, its rate of reaction would be decreased by the presence of leupeptin, a tight-binding reversible inhibitor⁸.

E-64 inhibits only cysteine proteinases. Papain showed a particularly high reactivity with E-64, and good rates were also obtained with the other plant enzymes and the lysosomal cysteine proteinases. There is structural evidence that these enzymes form a homologous group⁹, and they resemble each other in having M_r about 25 000, no (detected) zymogens and no distinct requirement for calcium. Chicken skeletal-muscle calpain is reported to be inhibited by E-64, but the rate constant has not been determined⁵.

The most obvious practical application of E-64 is in the active-site titration of the papain-related cysteine proteinases. Active-site titration as a method of determining enzyme concentration has the advantage over rate assays of being insensitive to reaction conditions, and giving a result in active-site molarity¹⁰ (Bender et al., 1966).

References:
1. A. J. BARRETT, A. A. KEMBHAVI, L-trans-Epoxysuccinyl-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butane (E-64) and its analogues as inhibitors of cysteine proteinases including cathepsins B, H and L. Biochem. J. (1982) 201, 189-198
2. Hanada, K., Tamai, M., Yamagishi, M., Ohmura, S., Sawada, J. & Tanaka, I. (1978c) Agric. Biol. Chem. 42, 523-528
3. Towatari, T., Tanaka, K., Yoshikawa, D. & Katunuma, N. (1978).J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 84, 659-671.
4. Mort, J. S., Recklies, A. D. & Poole, A. R. (1980) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 614, 134-143.
5. Sugita, H., Ishiura, S., Suzuki, K. & Imahori, K. (1980) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 87, 339-341
6. Hanada, K., Tamai, M., Morimoto, S., Adachi, T.,Ohmura, S., Sawada, J. & Tanaka, I. (1978a) Agric. Biol. Chem. 42, 537-541.
7. Hanada, K., Tamai, M., Ohmura, S., Sawada, J., Seki, T.& Tanaka, I. (1978b)Agric. Biol. Chem. 42, 529-536
8. Knight, C. G. (1980) Biochem. J. 189,447-453
9. Takio, K., Towatari, T., Katunuma, N. & Titani, K.(1980) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 97, 340-346
10. Bender, M. L., Begue-Canton, M. L., Blakeley, R. L.,Brubacher, L. J., Feder, J., Gunter, C. R., Kezdy, F. J.,Killheffer, J. V., Marshall, T. H., Miller, C. G., Roeske,R. W. & Stoops, J. K. (1966) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 88,5890-5913

Chronic cathepsin inhibition by E-64 in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.[Pubmed:27597769]

Physiol Rep. 2016 Sep;4(17). pii: 4/17/e12950.

Cysteine cathepsins are lysosomal enzymes expressed in the kidneys and other tissues, and are involved in the maturation and breakdown of cellular proteins. They have been shown to be integrally involved in the progression of many cardiovascular and renal diseases. The goal of this study was to determine the involvement of cysteine cathepsins in the development of salt-sensitive hypertension and associated kidney damage. In our experiments, Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats were fed an 8% high salt NaCl diet and intravenously infused with the irreversible cysteine cathepsin inhibitor E-64 (1 mg/day) or the vehicle (control). Both the control and E-64 infused groups developed significant hypertension and kidney damage, and no difference of the mean arterial pressure and the hypertension-associated albuminuria was observed between the groups. We next tested basal calcium levels in the podocytes of both control and infused groups using confocal calcium imaging. Basal calcium did not differ between the groups, indicative of the lack of a protective or aggravating influence by the cathepsin inhibition. The efficacy of E-64 was tested in Western blotting. Our findings corresponded to the previously reported, E-64 induced increase in cathepsin B and L abundance. We conclude that the inhibition of cysteine cathepsins by E-64 does not have any effects on the blood pressure development and kidney damage, at least under the studied conditions of this model of SS hypertension.

Differential cathepsin responses to inhibitor-induced feedback: E-64 and cystatin C elevate active cathepsin S and suppress active cathepsin L in breast cancer cells.[Pubmed:27592448]

Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2016 Oct;79:199-208.

Cathepsins are powerful proteases, once referred to as the lysosomal cysteine proteases, that have been implicated in breast cancer invasion and metastasis, but pharmaceutical inhibitors have suffered failures in clinical trials due to adverse side effects. Scientific advancement from lysosomotropic to cell impermeable cathepsin inhibitors have improved efficacy in treating disease, but off-target effects have still been problematic, motivating a need to better understand cellular feedback and responses to treatment with cathepsin inhibitors. To address this need, we investigated effects of E-64 and cystatin C, two broad spectrum cathepsin inhibitors, on cathepsin levels intra- and extracellularly in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Cathepsins S and L had opposing responses to both E-64 and cystatin C inhibitor treatments with paradoxically elevated amounts of active cathepsin S, but decreased amounts of active cathepsin L, as determined by multiplex cathepsin zymography. This indicated cellular feedback to selectively sustain the amounts of active cathepsin S even in the presence of inhibitors with subnanomolar inhibitory constant values. These differences were identified in cellular locations of cathepsins L and S, trafficking for secretion, co-localization with endocytosed inhibitors, and longer protein turnover time for cathepsin S compared to cathepsin L. Together, this work demonstrates that previously underappreciated cellular compensation and compartmentalization mechanisms may sustain elevated amounts of some active cathepsins while diminishing others after inhibitor treatment. This can confound predictions based solely on inhibitor kinetics, and must be better understood to effectively deploy therapies and dosing strategies that target cathepsins to prevent cancer progression.

Therapeutic Efficacy of E-64-d, a Selective Calpain Inhibitor, in Experimental Acute Spinal Cord Injury.[Pubmed:26240815]

Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:134242.

This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of calpain inhibitor E-64-d on SCI and to find a new approach to treat SCI. When an SCI rat model was established, it was immediately administered with E-64-d. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to determine the protein and mRNA levels of calpain 1 and 68-kD NFP. TUNEL staining and NeuN labeling were performed to analyze neuronal apoptosis in the lesion. Immunohistochemistry assay was carried out to observe the expressions of calpain 1 and GFAP. Cyclooxygenase-2 activity was measured to show the immune response status. Locomotor function was evaluated by inclined plane test and Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale. The results showed that calpain 1 was activated after SCI occurred. Treatment with E-64-d decreased expressions of calpain 1 and GFAP, alleviated neuronal apoptosis, inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 activity, and resulted in the promoted locomotor function. Furthermore, combination of E-64-d and MP had better efficacy than did E-64-d or MP alone. E-64-d is expected to be applied to treat SCI, and its alliance with MP may provide a valid strategy for SCI therapy.

Papain and its inhibitor E-64 reduce camelid semen viscosity without impairing sperm function and improve post-thaw motility rates.[Pubmed:27156102]

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2017 Jun;29(6):1107-1114.

In camelids, the development of assisted reproductive technologies is impaired by the viscous nature of the semen. The protease papain has shown promise in reducing viscosity, although its effect on sperm integrity is unknown. The present study determined the optimal papain concentration and exposure time to reduce seminal plasma viscosity and investigated the effect of papain and its inhibitor E-64 on sperm function and cryopreservation in alpacas. Papain (0.1mg mL(-1), 20min, 37 degrees C) eliminated alpaca semen viscosity while maintaining sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity and DNA integrity. Furthermore E-64 (10 microM at 37 degrees C for 5min after 20min papain) inhibited the papain without impairing sperm function. Cryopreserved, papain-treated alpaca spermatozoa exhibited higher total motility rates after chilling and 0 and 1h after thawing compared with control (untreated) samples. Papain treatment, followed by inhibition of papain with E-64, is effective in reducing alpaca seminal plasma viscosity without impairing sperm integrity and improves post-thaw motility rates of cryopreserved alpaca spermatozoa. The use of the combination of papain and E-64 to eliminate the viscous component of camelid semen may aid the development of assisted reproductive technologies in camelids.

Cathepsin K is present in invasive oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma in vivo and in vitro.[Pubmed:23951042]

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 7;8(8):e70925.

OBJECTIVES: Cathepsin K, a lysosomal cysteine protease, is expressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of skin carcinoma, but nothing is known about cathepsin K in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Our aim was to describe the expression of cathepsin K in invasive OTSCC in vitro and in a series of clinical cancer specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OTSCC invasion in vitro was studied using invasive HSC-3 tongue carcinoma cells in 3D organotypic models. In total, 121 mobile tongue OTSCCs and 10 lymph node metastases were analyzed for cathepsin K expression. The association between cathepsin K expression and clinicopathological factors was evaluated. RESULTS: Cysteine protease inhibitor E64 and cathepsin K silencing significantly (p<0.0001) reduced HSC-3 cell invasion in the 3D models. Cathepsin K was expressed in a majority of carcinoma and metastatic cells, but the expression pattern in carcinoma cells did not correlate with clinical parameters. Instead, the weak expression of cathepsin K in the invasive TME front correlated with increased overall recurrence (p<0.05), and in early-stage tumors this pattern predicted both cancer recurrence and cancer-specific mortality (p<0.05 and p<0.005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Cathepsin K is expressed in OTSCC tissue in both carcinoma and TME cells. Although the diminished activity and expression in aggressive tongue HSC-3 cells reduced 3D invasion in vitro, the amount of cathepsin K in carcinoma cells was not associated with the outcome of cancer patients. Instead, cathepsin K in the invasive TME front seems to have a protective role in the complex progression of tongue cancer.

Cytosolic FoxO1 is essential for the induction of autophagy and tumour suppressor activity.[Pubmed:20543840]

Nat Cell Biol. 2010 Jul;12(7):665-75.

Autophagy is characterized by the sequestration of bulk cytoplasm, including damaged proteins and organelles, and delivery of the cargo to lysosomes for degradation. Although the autophagic pathway is also linked to tumour suppression activity, the mechanism is not yet clear. Here we report that cytosolic FoxO1, a forkhead O family protein, is a mediator of autophagy. Endogenous FoxO1 was required for autophagy in human cancer cell lines in response to oxidative stress or serum starvation, but this process was independent of the transcriptional activity of FoxO1. In response to stress, FoxO1 was acetylated by dissociation from sirtuin-2 (SIRT2), a NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase, and the acetylated FoxO1 bound to Atg7, an E1-like protein, to influence the autophagic process leading to cell death. This FoxO1-modulated cell death is associated with tumour suppressor activity in human colon tumours and a xenograft mouse model. Our finding links the anti-neoplastic activity of FoxO1 and the process of autophagy.

Human primary osteoclasts: in vitro generation and applications as pharmacological and clinical assay.[Pubmed:15025786]

J Transl Med. 2004 Mar 16;2(1):6.

Osteoclasts are cells of hematopoietic origin with a unique property of dissolving bone; their inhibition is a principle for treatment of diseases of bone loss. Protocols for generation of human osteoclasts in vitro have been described, but they often result in cells of low activity, raising questions on cell phenotype and suitability of such assays for screening of bone resorption inhibitors. Here we describe an optimized protocol for the production of stable amounts of highly active human osteoclasts. Mononuclear cells were isolated from human peripheral blood by density centrifugation, seeded at 600,000 cells per 96-well and cultured for 17 days in alpha-MEM medium, supplemented with 10% of selected fetal calf serum, 1 microM dexamethasone and a mix of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF, 25 ng/ml), receptor activator of NFkappaB ligand (RANKL, 50 ng/ml), and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1, 5 ng/ml). Thus, in addition to widely recognized osteoclast-generating factors M-CSF and RANKL, other medium supplements and lengthy culture times were necessary. This assay reliably detected inhibition of osteoclast formation (multinucleated cells positive for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) and activity (resorbed area and collagen fragments released from bone slices) in dose response curves with several classes of bone resorption inhibitors. Therefore, this assay can be applied for monitoring bone-resorbing activity of novel drugs and as an clinical test for determining the capacity of blood cells to generate bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Isolation of large quantities of active human osteoclast mRNA and protein is also made possible by this assay.