naphthoquinones and monobromobimane

1,4-Napththoquinones (NQs) are clinically relevant therapeutics that affect cell function through production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and formation of adducts with regulatory protein thiols. Reactive sulfur species (RSS) are chemically and biologically similar to ROS and here we examine RSS production by NQ oxidation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) using RSS-specific fluorophores, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, UV-Vis absorption spectrometry, oxygen-sensitive optodes, thiosulfate-specific nanoparticles, HPLC-monobromobimane derivatization, and ion chromatographic assays. We show that NQs, catalytically oxidize H2S to per- and polysulfides (H2Sn, n = 2−6), thiosulfate, sulfite and sulfate in reactions that consume oxygen and are accelerated by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and inhibited by catalase. The approximate efficacy of NQs (in decreasing order) is, 1,4-NQ ≈ juglone ≈ plumbagin > 2-methoxy-1,4-NQ ≈ menadione >> phylloquinone ≈ anthraquinone ≈ menaquinone ≈ lawsone. We propose that the most probable reactions are an initial two-electron oxidation of H2S to S0 and reduction of NQ to NQH2. S0 may react with H2S or elongate H2Sn in variety of reactions. Reoxidation of NQH2 likely involves a semiquinone radical (NQ·−) intermediate via several mechanisms involving oxygen and comproportionation to produce NQ and superoxide. Dismutation of the latter forms hydrogen peroxide which then further oxidizes RSS to sulfoxides. These findings provide the chemical background for novel sulfur-based approaches to naphthoquinone-directed therapies.

Topics: Hydrogen Sulfide; Naphthoquinones; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sulfur; Thiosulfates

An extract of the solid cultures of Sporormiella minimoides (Sporormiaceae) isolated as an endophytic fungus from Hintonia latiflora (Rubiaceae), yielded three polyketides, 3,6-dimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,6H-benzo[de]isochromene-1,9-dione, 3-hydroxy-1,6,10-trimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,3H-benzo[de]isochromen-9-one, and 5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethoxy-8-methylnaphthoquinone, along with three known compounds, corymbiferone, ziganein, and brocaenol B. Their structures were characterized by spectrometric and spectroscopic methods. So as to be consistent the literature reports, 3,6-dimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,6H-benzo[de]isochromene-1,9-dione and 3-hydroxy-1,6,10-trimethoxy-8-methyl-1H,3H-benzo[de]isochromen-9-one were given the trivial names of corymbiferone C and corymbiferan lactone E, respectively. All isolates were tested as potential human calmodulin (hCaM) inhibitors using the fluorescent biosensor hCaM V91C-mBBr, but only 5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethoxy-8-methylnaphthoquinone quenched significantly the extrinsic fluorescence of this biosensor, with a dissociation constant (Kd) value of 1.55 μM. Refined docking analysis predicted that 5-hydroxy-2,7-dimethoxy-8-methylnaphthoquinone could also be bound to hCaM at site I displaying hydrophobic interactions with Phe19 and 68, Met51, 71, and 72, and Ile52 and 63 residues.

Topics: Ascomycota; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; Calmodulin; Humans; Models, Chemical; Molecular Structure; Naphthoquinones; Polyketides; Rubiaceae

Mycothiol (MSH), a functional analogue of glutathione (GSH) that is found exclusively in actinomycetes, reacts with electrophiles and toxins to form MSH-toxin conjugates. Mycothiol S-conjugate amidase (Mca) then catalyzes the hydrolysis of an amide bond in the S conjugates, producing a mercapturic acid of the toxin, which is excreted from the bacterium, and glucosaminyl inositol, which is recycled back to MSH. In this study, we have generated and characterized an allelic exchange mutant of the mca gene of Mycobacterium smegmatis. The mca mutant accumulates the S conjugates of the thiol-specific alkylating agent monobromobimane and the antibiotic rifamycin S. Introduction of M. tuberculosis mca epichromosomally or introduction of M. smegmatis mca integratively resulted in complementation of Mca activity and reduced levels of S conjugates. The mutation in mca renders the mutant strain more susceptible to electrophilic toxins, such as N-ethylmalemide, iodoacetamide, and chlorodinitrobenzene, and to several oxidants, such as menadione and plumbagin. Additionally we have shown that the mca mutant is also more susceptible to the antituberculous antibiotic streptomycin. Mutants disrupted in genes belonging to MSH biosynthesis are also more susceptible to streptomycin, providing further evidence that Mca detoxifies streptomycin in the mycobacterial cell in an MSH-dependent manner.

Topics: Amidohydrolases; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; Cysteine; Dinitrochlorobenzene; Disaccharides; Enzyme Inhibitors; Ethylmaleimide; Gene Deletion; Genes, Bacterial; Genetic Complementation Test; Glycopeptides; Inositol; Iodoacetamide; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Mycobacterium smegmatis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Naphthoquinones; Oxidants; Pyrazoles; Rifamycins; Streptomycin; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Vitamin K 3