Lucas C. Webbera,
Lindsey N. Andersona,
Ines L. Paraisob,
Thomas O. Metza,
Ryan Bradleycd,
Jan F. Stevensb and
Aaron T. Wright*aef
aBiological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA. E-mail: a_wright@baylor.edu
bDepartment of Chemistry, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
cHelfgott Research Institute, National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA
dHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
eDepartment of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76708, USA
fDepartment of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76708, USA
First published on 11th October 2023
Xanthohumol, the principle prenylflavonoid found in hops (Humulus lupulus) and a reported anti-inflammatory agent, has great potential for pharmaceutical interventions related to inflammatory disorders in the gut. A suite of probes was prepared from xanthohumol and its structural isomer isoxanthohumol to enable profiling of both protein affinity binding and catalytic enzyme reactivity. The regiochemistry of the reactive group on the probes was altered to reveal how probe structure dictates protein labeling, and which probes best emulate the natural flavonoids. Affinity- and activity-based probes were applied to Escherichia coli, and protein labeling was measured by chemoproteomics. Structurally dependent activity-based probe protein labeling demonstrates how subtle alterations in flavonoid structure and probe reactive groups can result in considerably different protein interactions. This work lays the groundwork to expand upon unexplored cellular activities related to xanthohumol interactions, metabolism, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
XN has shown promise in mediating the treatment of inflammation, a common characteristic of many chronic gut-related diseases, and a key feature of a group of gastrointestinal diseases falling under the umbrella of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.15 In vitro studies12 suggest XN is able to upregulate several detoxification metabolic proteins to protect against oxidative stress and increased inflammation (e.g. glutathione-S-transferase, heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1), and downregulate pro-inflammatory factors of NF-κB (e.g. inducible nitric oxide synthase, cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2). These related findings coupled with the dietary ubiquity of XN, and a recent clinical trial revealing higher doses of XN is safe and well-tolerated in adult humans,16 suggest that it has significant potential as an oral therapeutic for alleviation of IBD symptoms. Considering its role as a prevalent natural product, as well as interest in potential XN-based therapeutics for treating inflammation in the human gut17–19 in relation to inflammation-induced pathologies, it is crucial to further investigate the interactions related to XN and IXN catabolism resulting in gut-permeable metabolites involved in host-gut microbiome resiliency.
Host microbiome gut bacteria are capable of multiple biochemical transformations altering the activity or toxicity of xenobiotics.20,21 As a result, the gut microbiome community taxonomy and function may fluctuate heavily under extended xenobiotic exposure. Chemical drug transformations can be altered by the microbiome, and in turn the microbiome can be altered by the drug.22,23 Gut microbes such as Eubacterium ramulus and Eubacterium limosum are capable of metabolizing XN into compounds of variable biological activity. Such activity includes decreased biological activity of the reduced chalcone (DXN), increased biological activity of a potent phytoestrogen (8-PN), and unknown biological activity of the demethylated XN (DMX).14 As such, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the microbial mechanisms of the proteins, pathways, and catalytic enzymes involved in the direct and/or indirect metabolic conversions of XN in the human host gut microbiome prior to engineering pharmaceutical interventions for XN-based therapeutics in diseases such as IBD.23,24
Herein, to determine the scope and range of XN covalent and non-covalent protein interactions, we developed a suite of affinity- and activity-based probes (ABPs) based on the core chemical structures of XN and IXN (Fig. 2). These probes were designed to capture the diverse structural potential of XN conversions, and to improve and expand upon a prior XN-based probe alkylated only on the B ring,25 which was used only for labeling mammalian proteins through Michael-type addition. This suite of ABPs aims to profile the range of non-covalent and covalent xanthohumol–protein interactions (Scheme 1).
Ultimately, to fully understand the role XN has with the human microbiome in IBD, both covalent and non-covalent protein target specificity must be determined. To reach beyond the protein interactions occurring at the Michael-acceptor of XN, we aimed to develop photoaffinity-enabled ABPs through insertion of the minimalist, UV-activatable diazirine moiety, allowing for labeling of non-covalent protein–substrate interactions.26 ABPs based on both the XN and IXN chemical scaffolds allowed us to examine the impact of alkylation site and the binding modes of protein recognition for labeling. We expected the protein labeling affinity for each of the ABPs to vary depending on where the core structure is alkylated through the alteration of hydrogen bond interactions within the binding site of a given protein. From our results, we gained insight into which elements are important for substrate recognition through comparisons of probe protein labeling.
We used purified XN (Hopsteiner, Yakima, WA, GAZ:22223928 (https://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GAZ_22223928)) extracts from spent hops in lieu of total synthesis. Of the three hydroxyls on XN, only the 4 and 4′ are reactive towards alkylation, with little to no substitution observed on the 2′ hydroxyl (Fig. 1). Alkyne linker 3 was readily synthesized in one step from 5-hexynol using a modified Finkelstein reaction. Diazirine-alkyne linker 4 was sourced commercially (Ambeed, Arlington Heights, IL). Using the linkers 3 and 4, XN probes substituted on the 4′-hydroxyl could be synthesized via Williamson ether synthesis to generate ABPs XN-ABP-1 and XN-ABP-2 (Scheme 2). Complete chromatographic separation of the other products alkylated on the 4-OH phenol was not possible. Instead, selective protection of the A ring phenol of XN with methoxymethyl chloride (MOMCl) in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) afforded 5, of which the B ring phenol was then selectively alkylated with 3 or 4 using K2CO3 and DMF to afford 6 and 7. Careful acidic deprotection with HCl in MeOH and water gave ABPs XN-ABP-3 and XN-ABP-4.
Scheme 2 Synthesis of xanthohumol (XN) and isoxanthohumol (IXN) affinity- and activity-based probes. |
The general synthetic approach for the corresponding IXN ABPs was like those derived from XN (Scheme 2). Conversion of XN to IXN was achieved using a base-catalyzed Michael-type intramolecular cyclization of the inner ring in aqueous NaOH, followed by precipitation of IXN with concentrated sulfuric acid. IXN was then alkylated on the A ring phenol with 3 or 4, again by way of Williamson ether synthesis conditions, to generate ABPs IXN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-2. Similarly, complete chromatographic separation of the other alkylation products was not possible. Instead, IXN was selectively protected using MOMCl in DMF to afford 8. Subsequent alkylation of the protected IXN using similar Williamson ether synthesis conditions afforded compounds 9 and 10. Treatment of 9 and 10 with HCl in MeOH and water generated ABPs IXN-ABP-3 and IXN-ABP-4, respectively.
Fig. 3 Validation of XN ABP labeling chalcone isomerase overexpressed in E. coli BL21. Samples were labeled, irradiated, then visualized with picolyl rhodamine azide using click-chemistry. Both photoaffinity probes (XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1) showed specific and robust labeling of CHI and required irradiation to achieve complete labeling. A no probe (NP) sample was included. A general protein stain (SYPRO) was used. Full gel available in ESI Fig. S1.† |
To further demonstrate strong probe labeling of CHI, overexpressed CHI in E. coli BL21-AI was diluted into the same, but uninduced, strain. After labeling each sample with XN-ABP-1 or IXN-ABP-1, the samples were irradiated, then visualized with picolyl rhodamine azide using click-chemistry. Separation of proteins by SDS-PAGE followed by fluorescence visualization revealed labeled proteins (Fig. 4). Both XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1 showed strong labeling (Fig. 4) even as CHI was increasingly diluted into the background lysate of E. coli. Decreased fluorescence was observed concomitant with increased enzyme dilution. Indiscriminate labeling is observed in the heat shock (“HS”, Fig. 4) samples, showing probe selectivity is lost when proteins are denatured demonstrating that enzyme function and/or structure is required for selectivity. Considering the promiscuity of typical diazirine probes, and the polyphenolic structure of XN/IXN, these probes demonstrate strong selectivity for chalcone isomerase when labeling at 5 μM.
Fig. 4 Concentration-dependent photoactivated labelling of CHI overexpressed in E. coli BL21-AI by XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1. Bacterial lysates containing increasing dilutions of CHI overexpressed in E. coli into uninduced E. coli lysates were co-incubated with XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1. A probe positive heat shock (HS) sample, and a no probe (NP) sample were included. A general protein stain (SYPRO) was used. ESI Fig. S2a and b† show full gels. |
The photoaffinity probes XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1 effectively labeled CHI when compared to no probe control samples. Interestingly, none of the other six probes passed statistical filters. Thus, only modification of the A-ring of XN and IXN as ABPs is tolerated by CHI. The probes employing only an alkyne linker (XN-ABP-2, XN-ABP-4, IXN-ABP-2, and IXN-ABP-4) do not show any significant enrichment of CHI. This is predictable, as the only conceivable covalent labeling mechanism of the alkyne-only probes would be a through a Michael-type addition by a free nucleophilic residue near the active site of CHI, of which none are known. Further molecular docking analysis supports that XN and IXN will only bind well to CHI if the B-ring phenol is unmodified.27,28
Despite not all probes effectively labeling CHI, we believed it important to still analyze all ABP protein targets. It is not expected that all proteins that interact with xanthohumols bind through the same mechanism and/or configuration. Looking beyond CHI, a wide variety of protein targets were significantly enriched by the suite of ABPs. Relative quantification of protein targets labeled by the probe suite was calculated by iBAQ using MaxQuant quantification analysis software (v.1.6.17.0).29 732 proteins were identified as having a p value of <0.05 with a 1.5 fold-change versus no probe control samples, and having ≥2 replicate observations across all datasets within each ABP group. Notably, only a single protein was identified as labeled by all eight ABPs, NAD(P)H nitroreductase. More proteins were identified among the photoaffinity ABP subset.
Of the proteins identified by the suite of ABPs, there is a broad range of biological and molecular functions targeted. A significant number of proteins with NAD activity and oxidoreductase activity (32 and 23, respectively) were labeled. Considering the well-established antioxidant activity of xanthohumol, it is unsurprising that numerous oxidoreductases were identified. For instance, prenylated phenols can weakly scavenge reactive oxygen species and may also function as antioxidants through anti-oxidative enzymes.12
Additionally, xanthohumols are known to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, partially due to their relatively small structure, allowing versatility as a potential substrate. Additionally, the Michael acceptor moiety provides an intrinsic protein cross-linking mechanism. As such, chemoproteomics revealed a wide range of targets in E. coli BL21-AI, including at least 39 proteins associated with transport mechanisms, 66 transferases, 44 lyases and ligases, and 11 hydrolases. In addition, some proteins were identified belonging to lipopolysaccharide synthesis, nucleotide sugar metabolism, and N-glycan biosynthesis (Fig. 5).
To further examine how structural diversity of the probe suite, comparisons were made between probe pairs with one variable isolated (i.e. core scaffold, alkylation site, or labeling mechanism). By calculating the differential iBAQ scores for each protein shared between each pair of ABPs, a relative measure of labeling performance could be determined. Across the board, XN-ABP-1 performs the best in terms of number of proteins identified, unique proteins, CHI labeling efficiency, and iBAQ score and peptide sequence coverage above similar probes. Conversely, XN-ABP-3 had the fewest number of proteins identified compared to the full set of photoaffinity probes, as well as the fewest uniquely identified proteins, suggesting that XN-ABP-3 could be conformationally distinct from the other 3 photoaffinity probes with regards to biological activity. Thus, this may lead to greater selectivity in identified proteins, and decreased labeling efficiency. When the same analysis is conducted using the peptide coverages, the results are similar (Fig. 6). Comparing probes with the same A-ring alkylation sites but differing scaffolds (XN-ABP-1 and IXN-ABP-1) we see similar performance with regards to peptide coverage as with protein affinity. For the IXN probes, similarly, alkylation on the A ring is strongly preferred, with most shared proteins having greater iBAQ scores and peptide coverage with IXN-ABP-1 than IXN-ABP-3. When comparing probes with the same core structure (chalcone or flavanone), it is evident that probes alkylated on the A ring tend to have greater biological activity, identifying a greater range of proteins, and have greater peptide coverage. All these factors point to a necessity for an unfunctionalized B ring hydroxyl for effective recognition by protein targets. This hypothesis is further substantiated by the fact that flavones and chalcones are most often observed as the 7-O-glycoside, with conjugation of a sugar to the 7-OH of the A ring, leaving the B ring unfunctionalized.30
Furthermore, it is believed that chalcones are typically the end product of plant biosynthesis pathways, and are more chemically reactive, and therefore, likely more biologically active.12 As such, it is unsurprising that the XN based probes would display stronger enrichment and a wider range of protein targets, both shared and unique.
A similar analysis was applied to the set of proteins identified by the alkyne-only ABPs (Fig. 7). However, for each probe-pair comparison, the number of shared proteins was lower, likely because only a few proteins have a nucleophile within the binding site capable of performing the Michael addition. Minimal evidence in support of ubiquitous Michael-type labeling of reactive thiols was observed. iBAQ scores and peptide coverage did not strongly favor either scaffold, suggesting that perhaps most of the labeling in this set comes from only the strongest hydrophobic interactions. As such, those interactions likely will not be affected by the structural nuances between these probe pairs. In this bacterial model, it's apparent that only a portion of the biological significance might come from the alkene moiety of XN, yet the potential for other biology activities is high and should be investigated further.
Footnote |
† Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthetic procedures, preparation of experimental samples for SDS-PAGE fluorescent analysis, chemoproteomics mass spectrometry-based preparations, and proteomics data analysis. See DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ra05296f |
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