Inhibition of a Neutral Form of Sphingomyelinase by Alkylthioureido-l,3-propandiols, KY353X Series

Alkylthioureido-1,3-propandiols (KY353X series) were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors for neutral sphingomyelinase (N-SMase). To examine whether KY353X series inhibit N-SMase, we purified the N-SMase from bovine brain. The N-SMase was partially purified by sequential chromatographies of DEAE-Cellulose anionic exchange and phenyl-5PW hydrophobic HPLC. These seqeuntial procedures for N-SMase resulted in a 67-fold purification and excluded other isoforms of SMase. Based on in vitro assay, KY353X series inhibited N-SMase activity in time, concentration-dependent manners and completely inactivated N-SMase at 50 $\mu$M. In particular, KY3535 and KY3536 inhibited more effectively than the others. To further determine the .inhibitory pattern, a Dixon plot was constructed, to showing that the inhibition by KY3535 and KY3536 were competitive. The inhibition constant (Ki) of KY3535 and KY3536 was 1.7 $\mu$M and 2.5$\mu$M in 100 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.0, respectively.