title: Farnesyl-L-cysteine analogs can inhibit or initiate superoxide release by human neutrophils.
abstract: A series of farnesylcysteine analogs was studied with respect to their abilities to interfere with fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP)-stimulated superoxide (O2-.) release by human neutrophils. Simple acyl derivatives of farnesyl-L-cysteine, such as the N-acetyl (L-AFC) and N-isobutyryl derivatives (L-iBFC), which are substrates for the isoprenylated protein methyltransferase, can block O2-. release. The N-butyryl analog (L-BFC), which is an isomer of L-iBFC and also a substrate for the methyltransferase, does not inhibit O2-. release but actually stimulates it in the absence of fMLP. Other analogs, including the N-pivaloyl derivative, which has been found to be neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of methyltransferase, also stimulate very large quantities of O2-. production. The stimulatory effects of these derivatives are saturable and exquisitively sensitive to small structural changes in the analogs. The signal transduction pathway(s) utilized by pivaloyl derivatives for triggering O2-. generation is very similar to that employed by fMLP. These data make it clear that farnesyl-L-cysteine analogs do not produce their pharmacological effects in neutrophils via methyltransferase blockade. This could be further demonstrated by showing that sinefungin and S-adenosylhomocysteine, both powerful and general methyltransferase inhibitors which bind at the S-adenosylmethionine site, had no effect in preventing the increased oxygen consumption associated with O2-. production in permeabilized neutrophils. These studies reveal that farnesyl-L-cysteine analogs interact with a hitherto undefined target in neutrophils that may be exploited for inhibiting or stimulating the inflammatory or antimicrobial responses of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Massachusetts 02114.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérez-Sala
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Maddox
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Badwey
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Rando
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007700:Kinetics; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000097:blood; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000097:blood*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D013481:Superoxides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; C057785:S-farnesylcysteine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D003545:Cysteine; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate