Sandbox Reserved 919

This Sandbox is Reserved from Jan 06, 2014, through Aug 22, 2014 for use by the Biochemistry II class at the Butler University at Indianapolis, IN USA taught by R. Jeremy Johnson. This reservation includes Sandbox Reserved 911 through Sandbox Reserved 922.

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Monoglyceride LipaseMonoglyceride Lipase

File:MGLProt.jpg

Monomer of MGL created in PYMOL (PDB:3PE6)

IntroductionIntroduction

Monoglyceride Lipase (MGL, MAGL, MGLL) is a 33 kDa protein found mostly in the cell membrane. It is a serine hydrolase enzyme that exhibits an α/β hydrolase fold. MGL plays a key role in the hydrolysis of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), an endocannabinoid produced by the the central nervous system. The α/β fold, along with a characteristic amphipathic occluded tunnel, allows 2-AG to selectively bind to the active site and be degraded into arachidonic acid and glycerol. Upon breakdown, glycerol leaves via a distinctive "exit tunnel" found perpendicular to the active site. 2-AG has been found to possess anti-nociceptive, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and tumor-reductive character when it binds to cannabinoid receptors. Due to the vast medical and therapeutic utility of 2-AG, the inhibition of MGL is a high interest target in pharmaceutical research. Furthermore, MGL has been cited as having both negative and positive effector roles in cancer pathology, making research into its mechanism a priority.

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StructureStructure

3D Structure Bertrand, et al, created the first crystal structure of MGL in its . MGL is a part of the α-β hydrolase family of enzymes. This category of proteins contains an beta sheet, specifically containing seven parallel and one antiparallel constituent strand, surrounded by alpha-helices. MGL has a characteristic lid domain comprised of two large loops that surround . This region of the enzyme is the putative membrane-interacting moiety of the protein, which is consistent with its amphipathic nature and outward-facing hydrophobic residues. It has been proposed that 2-AG and other lipids suspended in the hydrophobic section of the cell membrane associate with this region before entering the active tunnel. Interestingly, MGL’s lid domain may be more flexible than its analogs in other α-β hydrolases, due to the various conformations it assumed in crystallographic studies. Currently, there is no consensus about the quaternary arrangement of MGL. Some researchers claim that it is found as a monomer , whereas others believe it to be a physiologically active . Active Site MGL contains an active site tunnel roughly 25Å long and 8Å wide residing beneath its lid region. Like its substrates, 2-AG and other monoacylglycerols, the tunnel is largely amphipathic. Hydrophobic residues dominate the tunnel with the exception of the terminal occluded region, which houses the catalytic triad. In its apo form, the catalytic region is not solvent-exposed, unlike the wide opening of the tunnel. A unique structural motif in MGL is a 5Å solvent-exposed hole connecting the exterior to the catalytic site. It is proposed to act as an “exit hole” through which the glycerol product leaves MGL. The fatty acid product, namely arachidonic acid, presumably travels back through the active site tunnel. Catalytic Triad MGL’s serine hydrolase chemistry is executed by a (Ser132-His279-Asp249) and seems to utilize the same mechanism as the much-studied chymotrypsin. In this mechanism, an activated serine nucleophile cleaves the ester bond of the substrate. The subsequent tetrahedral intermediate is stabilized by the , formed by the main-chain nitrogens of Ala61 and Met (or Se-Met) 133.

spinqualitylabelsall models Structure Show:Asymmetric Unit Biological Assembly Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate   Export Animated Image

Biological/Medical RelevanceBiological/Medical Relevance

2-AG Metabolism2-AG Metabolism

2-AG activates the same cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) for both anandamide and the main psychoactive compound found in Cannabis sativa, Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), via retrograde signaling. It is the most abundant endocannabinoid found in the brain, and it is believed to possess analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, neuroprotective, and hypotensive effects, as well as being capable of inhibiting growth of cancer cells in prostate and breast tissue.

Studies have shown that around 85% of 2-AG in the rat brain is metabolized by MGL, while other lipases such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) process the remainder of the metabolite. This evidence indicates that MGL is the primary enzyme for the metabolism of 2-AG in humans, making it a highly desirable target molecule for the modulation of 2-AG concentration in the body. Most MGL is found in the cell membrane, although it has been discovered in the cytosol as well. Although the most-studied role of MGL is the degradation of 2-AG in the brain, MGL may also play a role in adipose tissue, completing the hydrolysis of triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerol, as well as working in the liver to mobilize triglycerides for secretion.

MGL InhibitorsMGL Inhibitors

Three general MGL inhibitor classes have been observed: noncompetitive, partially irreversible inhibitors such as URB602; irreversible serine-reactive inhibitors such as JZL184 and ; and cysteine-reactive inhibitors such as N-arachidonoylmaleimide (NAM). Despite the existence of such compounds, there is a strong demand for the creation of more highly-specific and more potent inhibitors that could be used as anti-pain drugs for their ability to keep 2-AG active in the neuronal synapses.

Cancer ResearchCancer Research

MGL is an enzyme of immense interest for cancer research, with the potential to help distinguish the role of fatty acids in malignancy, the varying efficacy of endocannabinoids as anti-cancer agents in different body tissues, and the multifarious influences on the PI-3k/Akt signaling pathway in carcinogenesis.

MGL exerts a twofold influence on cancer growth; endocannabinoids such as 2-AG have been shown to have anti-tumorigenic properties and a high fatty-acid concentration may play a role in the promotion of cancer aggressiveness and malignancy. One study showed that in aggressive breast, melanoma, ovarian, and prostate cancer cells, MGL activity was higher than in nonaggressive malignant cells. Subsequently, the creation of effective MGL inhibitors may help to treat highly aggressive cancers in addition to their proposed use as analgesics.

Contrary to this evidence, however, a recent study found that in lung, breast, ovary, stomach, and colorectal cancer, MGL expression was reduced. It was found that in addition to the previously-discussed control over the 2-AG degradation and fatty acid synthesis pathways, MGL also interacted with key phospholipids (specifically, the 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositide products of PI-3K) in the PI3K/Akt signaling and tumor growth pathway. In this role, it serves as a negative effector. Indeed, decreased concentrations of MGL were found to increase Akt phosphorylation.

Further research into MGL’s role in different body tissues is necessary to more fully elucidate its complex role in cancer pathology. A specific research topic for exploration is MGL’s effect on exogenous cannabinoid medications given to cancer patients as a palliative medication.