title: Benzo(a)pyrene induced structural and functional modifications in lung cystatin.
abstract: Cystatins are thiol proteinase inhibitors ubiquitously present in the mammalian body. They serve a protective function to regulate the activities of endogenous proteinases, which may cause uncontrolled proteolysis and damage. In the present study, the effect of benzo(a)pyrene [BaP] on lung cystatin was studied to explore the hazardous effects of environmental pollutant on structural and functional integrity of the protein. The basic binding interaction was studied by UV-absorption, FT-IR, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The enhancement of total protein fluorescence with a red shift of 5 nm suggests structural scratch of lung cystatin by benzo(a)pyrene. Further, ANS binding studies reaffirm the unfolding of the thiol protease inhibitor (GLC-I) after treating with benzo(a)pyrene. The results of FT-IR spectroscopy reflect perturbation of the secondary conformation (alpha-helix to β-sheet) in goat lung cystatin on interaction with BaP. Finally, functional inactivation of cystatin on association with BaP was checked by its papain inhibitory activity. Benzo(a)pyrene (10 μM) caused complete inactivation of goat lung cystatin. Benzo(a)pyrene-induced loss of structure and function in the thiol protease inhibitor could provide a caution for lung injury caused by the pollutants and smokers.
authors.affiliation: Protein Research Chair, Department of Biochemistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohd Shahnawaz
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Medha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Priyadarshini
authors.forename: Aaliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Shams
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabrez
authors.forename: Haseeb
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jagirdar
authors.forename: Abdulrahman M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alsenaidy
authors.forename: Bilqees
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000633:toxicity*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D015891:Cystatins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D006041:Goats / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D015891:Cystatins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene