No abstract

Substrate specificities, as reflected in kc/Km, were determined for the peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase activities of cyclophilin and the FK-506 binding protein (FKBP). The substrates investigated were peptides of the general structure Suc-Ala-Xaa-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, where Xaa = Gly, Ala, Val, Leu, Phe, His, Lys, on Glu. While kc/Km for cyclophilin-catalyzed isomerization shows little dependence on Xaa, kc/Km values for FKBP-catalyzed isomerization display a marked dependence on Xaa and vary over 3 orders of magnitude. An important outcome of this work is the discovery that Suc-Ala-Leu-Pro-Phe-pNA is a reactive substrate for FKBP (kc/Km = 640,000 M-1 s-1). This substrate can be used with FKBP concentrations that are low enough to allow, for the first time, accurate determinations of Ki values for tight-binding inhibitors of FKBP. Using this new assay, we found that FK-506 inhibits FKBP with Ki = 1.7 +/- 0.6 nM. The results of this work support the hypothesis that cyclophilin and FKBP are members of a family of peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerases and that the members of this family possess distinct substrate specificities that allow them to play diverse physiologic roles.

Cyclophilin, the cytosolic binding protein for the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A, has recently been shown to be identical with peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase [Fischer, G., Wittmann-Liebold, B., Lang, K., Kiefhaber, T., & Schmid, F.X. (1989) Nature 337, 476; Takahashi, N., Hayano, T., & Suzuki, M. (1989) Nature 337, 473]. To provide a mechanistic framework for studies of the interaction of cyclophilin with cyclosporin, we investigated the mechanism of the PPI-catalyzed cis to trans isomerization of Suc-Ala-Xaa-cis-Pro-Phe-pNA (Xaa = Ala, Gly). Our mechanistic studies of peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase include the determination of steady-state kinetic parameters, pH and temperature dependencies, and solvent and secondary deuterium isotope effects. The results of these experiments support a mechanism involving catalysis by distortion in which the enzyme uses free energy released from favorable, noncovalent interactions with the substrate to stabilize a transition state that is characterized by partial rotation about the C-N amide bond.

(Me-Ile-4)cyclosporin (SDZ NIM 811) is a 4-substituted cyclosporin which is devoid of immunosuppressive activity but retains full capacity for binding to cyclophilin and exhibits potent anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activity. SDZ NIM 811 selectively inhibits HIV-1 replication in T4 lymphocyte cell lines, in a monocytic cell line, and in HeLa T4 cells. Furthermore, its antiviral activity against laboratory strains and against clinical isolates from geographically distinct regions in primary T4 lymphocytes and in primary monocytes (50%o inhibitory concentration = 0.011 to 0.057 ,g/ml) was demonstrated. SDZ NIM 811 does not inhibit proviral gene expression or virus-specific enzyme functions, either free or bound to cyclophilin. The compound does not influence CD4 expression or inhibit fusion between virus-infected and uninfected cells. SDZ NIM 811 was, however, found to block formation of infectious particles from chronically infected cells. Oral administration to mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys resulted in levels in blood considerably exceeding the drug concentration, which completely blocked virus replication in primary cells. SDZ NIM 811 caused changes of toxicity parameters in rats to a smaller degree than cyclosporine (formerly cyclosporin A). Thus, the potent and selective anti-HIV-1 activity of SDZ NIM 811 and its favorable pharmacokinetic behavior together with its lower nephrotoxicity than that of cyclosporine make this compound a promising candidate for development as an anti-HIV drug.

SummaryFK-506 inhibits Ca2+-dependent transcription of lymphokine genes in T cells, and thereby acts as a powerful immunosuppressant. However, its potential therapeutic applications may be seriously limited by several side effects, including nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. At present, it is unclear whether these immunosuppressive and toxic effects result from interference with rehted biochemical processes. FK-506 is known to interact with FK-binding protein-12 (FKBP-12), an abundant cytosolic protein with cis.trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity (PPlase) activity. Because rapamycin (RAP) similarly binds to FKBP-12, although it acts in a manner different from FK-506, by inhibiting T cell responses to lymphokines, such an interaction with FKBP-12 is not suf~cient to mediate immunosuppression. Recently, it was found that the complex of FKBP-12 with FK-506, but not with RAP, inhibits the phosphatase activity of calcineurin. Here, we used b685,818, the C18-hydroxy, C21-ethyl derivative of FK-506, to explore further the role of FKBP-12 in the immunosuppressive and toxic actions of FK-506. Although b685,818 bound with high af~nity to FKBP-12 and inhibited its PPlase activity, it did not suppress T cell activation, and, when complexed with FKBP-12, did not affect calcineurin phosphatase activity. However, b685,818 was a potent antagonist of the immunosuppressive activity of both FK-506 and RAP. Moreover, L-685,818 did not induce any toxicity in dogs and rats or in a mouse model of acute FK-506 nephrotoxicity, but it blocked the effect of FK-506 in this model. Therefore, FK-506 toxicity involves the disruption of biochemical mechanisms related to those implicated in T cell activation. Like immunosuppression, this toxicity is not due to the inhibition of the PPlase activity of FKBP-12, but may be linked to the inhibition of the phosphatase activity of calcineurin by the drug FKBP-12 complex.