Cell-Effective Transition-State Analogue of Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase

Biochemistry. 2023 Aug 1;62(15):2257-2268. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00103. Epub 2023 Jul 19.

Abstract

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) catalyzes the S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent methylation of norepinephrine to form epinephrine. Epinephrine is implicated in the regulation of blood pressure, respiration, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Transition-state (TS) analogues bind their target enzymes orders of magnitude more tightly than their substrates. A synthetic strategy for first-generation TS analogues of human PNMT (hPNMT) permitted structural analysis of hPNMT and revealed potential for second-generation inhibitors [Mahmoodi, N.; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 14222-14233]. A second-generation TS analogue inhibitor of PNMT was designed, synthesized, and characterized to yield a Ki value of 1.2 nM. PNMT isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements of inhibitor 4 indicated a negative cooperative binding mechanism driven by large favorable entropic contributions and smaller enthalpic contributions. Cell-based assays with HEK293T cells expressing PNMT revealed a cell permeable, intracellular PNMT inhibitor with an IC50 value of 81 nM. Structural analysis demonstrated inhibitor 4 filling catalytic site regions to recapitulate both norepinephrine and SAM interactions. Conformation of the second-generation inhibitor in the catalytic site of PNMT improves contacts relative to those from the first-generation inhibitors. Inhibitor 4 demonstrates up to 51,000-fold specificity for PNMT relative to DNA and protein methyltransferases. Inhibitor 4 also exhibits a 12,000-fold specificity for PNMT over the α2-adrenoceptor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Catalytic Domain
  • Epinephrine
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Norepinephrine*
  • Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase* / chemistry
  • Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase* / metabolism

Substances

  • Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase
  • Norepinephrine
  • Epinephrine