• 약학회지
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• 제46권6호
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• pp.416-425
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• 2002

A comparative study to validate the reliability of a fully automated docking program, FlexiDock, was carried out to predict the binding modes of DHFR-inhibitor complex. The inhibitors were extracted from the crystallographically determined DHFR-NADP$^{+}$(H)-inhibitor ternary complexes of human, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans and then docked back into the remaining DHFR-NADP$^{+}$(H) binary complexes using FlexiDock. The resulting conformations and orientations were compared to the original crystal complex structures for reproducibility. Then, folate, the substrate, and known inhibitors such as methotrexate, piritrexim and trimethoprim were docked into the wild-type human DHFR and their binding modes were compared with X-ray crystallographic or other modeling data. The root mean square deviations (RMSDs) for ligands ranged from 1.14 to 1.57$\AA$, and the protein backbone RMSDs from 0.94 to 1.26$\AA$. FlexiDock reproduced the orientations and binding modes of all seven ligands in good agreement with the crystal structures. It proved to be a reliable and efficient program in studying binding modes of DHFR-inhibitor complexes of different species, and the information obtained from this work may provide additional insight into the design of new agents with improved activity.ity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권7호
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• pp.2433-2442
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• 2011

The three dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D QSAR) models were developed using Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA), comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) and docking studies. The fit of Quinazolinone antifolates inside the active site of modeled bovine dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) was assessed. Both ligand based (LB) and receptor based (RB) QSAR models were generated, these models showed good internal and external statistical reliability that is evident from the $q^2_{loo}$, $r^2_{ncv}$ and $r^2_{pred}$. The identified key features enabled us to design new Quinazolinone analogues as DHFR inhibitors. This study is a building bridge between docking studies of homology modeled bovine DHFR protein as well as ligand and target based 3D QSAR techniques of CoMFA and CoMSIA approaches.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.79-84
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• 1990

Pyrimidine salvage과정 및 de novo 합성과정에 작용하는 억제제들이 Toxeplasma gondii의 특이한 uracil 도입 과정에 미치는 영향을 방사능을 표지한 uracil과 thymidine을 사용하여 검토하였다. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)에 작용하는 억제제인 methotreBate, pyrimethamine 그리고 thymidylate synthase(75)의 경쟁적 억제제인 fluoro-uridine, fluoro-dUMP, fluoro-uracil을 각각 처리한 경우, 그 농도에 비례적으로 uracil 표지가 감소 하였다. OMP decarboxylase에 작용하는 억제제인 azauridine에 대해서는 100$\mu$M 농도 이상에서도 uracil 표지량에 변화가 거의 없었다. 본 결과로부터 Toxoplasma가 uracil을 DNA로 도입할 때 dihydrofolate reductase와 thymidylate synthase가 관여하는 TMP biosynthesis 과정이 중요함을 알 수 있었고, uracil salvage 과정이 있는 다른 기생성 원충의 경우와 비교했을 때 Toxoplasmn에 있어서도 효율적인 다기능의 DHFR-75 system의 존재를 예상할 수 있었다. Thymidine 도입의 양상은 모든 경우에 있어 HL-60세포만의 경우와 Toxoplasma가 함께 배양된 HL-60세포에서 차이가 없었다. 이로부터 thymidine은 Toxoplasmn 성장을 반영하지 않음을 알 수 있었다. Toxoplasma의 특이한 uracil 표지와 Toxoplasma에 배타적인 thymidine 표지는 기생원충과 숙주세포의 성장, DNA합성 정도 및 이들 과정에 미치는 제제들의 영향을 쉽고 간단하게 연구할 수 있는 방법이 된다.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.243-250
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• 2008

A calmodulin-dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) sandwich fusion protein was generated by insertion of calmodulin into the $\beta$-bulge region of DHFR to observe the effects of structurally constraining the calmodulin structure. The calcium binding properties of the sandwich protein were almost identical to calmodulin. Similar to calmodulin ($10.7 {\mu}M$), the sandwich protein bound four equivalents of calcium, with half saturation ($K_{0.5}$) observed at a [$Ca^{2+}$] of $8{\mu}M$. However, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) kinase activation property of the sandwich protein was lower than that of calmodulin. The sandwich protein activated NAD kinase, but to only half of the level obtained with calmodulin. The K 0.5 for both calmodulin and the sandwich protein were approximately the same (1-2 nM). Methylation analyses of the sandwich protein show that insertion of calmodulin into DHFR results in a large decrease in methylation. The $V_{max}$ observed with the sandwich protein (95 nmole/min/ml) was only 22% of the value observed with calmodulin (436 nmol/min/ml) in the presence of calcium. Addition of trimethoprim to the reaction significantly inhibited the observed methylation rate. Overall, the data suggest that the insertion of calmodulin into the DHFR structure has little effect on calcium binding by the individual lobes of calmodulin, but may constrain the lobes in a manner that results in altered interaction with the calmodulin-dependent proteins, and severely perturbed the methyltransferase recognition site.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3461-3464
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• 2012

Methotrexate (MTX) is an important drug for the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, related toxicity occurs in many organs which may cause interruption of treatment, morbidity, and mortality. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and gamma glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) are known to alter their enzymatic activity and thus affect the metabolism of MTX and influence the effectiveness. Therefore, we hypothesized that genetic variations of DHFR and GGH genes may influence the risk of toxicity after high dose MTX. The study population comprised of 105 children with ALL who were treated according to the modified St Jude Total XV protocol. The patients received 2.5 or $5g/m^2$ of MTX for 5 doses during the consolidation phase. Genotyping of DHFR 829C>T and GGH-401C>T was performed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The GGH-401CT and TT genotypes were associated with increased risk of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia after high dose MTX (OR 2.97, 95%CI; 1.24-7.13 and OR 4.02, 95%CI; 1.58-10.26). DHFR 829C>T was not associated with toxicity. In conclusion, the GGH-401CT and TT genotypes were found to increase the risk of severe leukopenia and thrombocytopenia after exposure to high dose MTX for childhood ALL therapy.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.807-816
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• 2002

Dihydrofolate reductases (DHFR) of human, Candida albicans and E. coli were docked with their original ligands of X-ray crystal complex using QXP (Quick eXPlore), a docking program. Conditions to reproduce the crystal structures within the root mean square deviation (rmsd) of 2.00 $\AA$ were established. Applying these conditions, binding modes and species-specificities of a novel antibacterial compound, $N^4-(2-acetoxyethoxymethyl)-2-acetylpyridine$ thiosemicarbazone (MTSC), were studied. As the results, the docking program reproduced the crystal structures with average rmsd of six ligands as 0.91 $\AA$ ranging from 0.49 to 1.45 $\AA$. The interactions including the numbers of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions were the same as the crystal structures and superposition of the crystal and docked structures almost coincided with each other. For AATSC, the results demonstrated that it could bind to either the substrate or coenzyme sites of DHFR in all three species with different degrees of affinity. It confirms the experimentally determined kinetic behavior of uncompetitive inhibition against either the inhibitor or the coenzyme. The docked MTSC overlapped well with the original ligands and major interactions were consistent with the ones in the crystal complexes. The information generated from this work should be useful for future development of antibacterial and antifungal agents.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.994-1004
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• 2005

Dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) promoter에는 전사 인자 Spl과 E2F가 결합하는 cis-acting 배열을 가지고 있다. dhfr 유전자의 전사는 세포 주기 Gl/S기 동안 최대의 발현을 나타낸다. 또한 Spl 전사 인자는 dhfr 유전자 발현의 활성화 및 불활성화를 조절하는 다양한 역할에 대한 연구가보고 되고 있으며, 최근 Spl-Rb과 E2F4-pl30 복합체가 CHOC400 세포에서 dhfr 유전자 발현에 안정한 형태를 형성하여 dhfr 발현을 억제한다는 연구 결과가 보고되었다. 본 연구에서는 Rb-양성 골육종 세포인 U2OS 및 Rb음성인 자궁경부암 C33A 세포에서 histon deacetylase (HDAC)에 대한 특이적인 저해제인 trichostatn A (TSA)를 처리한 후 세포주기 조절에 중심적 인자들인 dhfr cyclin E 및 cyclin A의 전사활성에 대한 HDACl의 기능을 조사하였다. U2OS 및 C33A 세포에서 TSA를 처리한 후, dhfr, cyclin E, cyclin A에 대한 mRNA 및 단백질 발현을 조사한 결과 U2OS 세포 특이적으로 dhfr cyclin E의 mRNA 발현과 단백질 발현이 크게 증가하였지만, cyclin A의 발현은 감소하였다. U2OS 세포에서 dhfr promoter construct에 대한 전사활성을 검사한 결과, TSA 처리는 dhfr promoter 영역으로부터 E2F 결합부위를 제거시킨 DHFR-Spl-luc를 통하여 dhfr promoter활성이 약 14배 증가되었다, 그러나 dhfr promoter 영역으로부터 Spl 결합부위를 제거시킨 DHFR-E2F-luc 영역을 포함하고 있는 promoter 활성은 TSA 처리에 의해 크게 증가되지 않았다. 본 연구에서 이러한 결과는 HDACI이 Spl을 통하여 dhfr promoter활성을 제어한다는 사실을 입증하였다. 한편 TSA는 U2OS 세포에서 HDAC의 활성을 통해서 세포주기 관련 인자들 가운데서 Gl 후기부터 활성화되는 대표적인 인자들인 dhfr과 cyclin E의 발현을 증가시키지만 G2 기에서 활성화되는 대표적인 인자인 cyclin A의 발현을 억제하는 상반된 기능을 가지고 있다는 사실을 확인하였다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.125-131
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• 2011

The use of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine (SP) for treatment of vivax malaria is uncommon in most malarious areas, but Plasmodium vivax isolates are exposed to SP because of mixed infections with other Plasmodium species. As P. vivax is the most prevalent species of human malaria parasites in Iran, monitoring of resistance of the parasite against the drug is necessary. In the present study, 50 blood samples of symptomatic patients were collected from 4 separated geographical regions of south-east Iran. Point mutations at residues 57, 58, 61, and 117 were detected by the PCR-RFLP method. Polymorphism at positions 58R, 117N, and 117T of P. vivax dihydrofolate reductase (Pvdhfr) gene has been found in 12%, 34%, and 2% of isolates, respectively. Mutation at residues F57 and T61 was not detected. Five distinct haplotypes of the Pvdhfr gene were demonstrated. The 2 most prevalent haplotypes were F57S58T61S117 (62%) and F57S58T61N117 (24%). Haplotypes with 3 and 4 point mutations were not found. The present study suggested that P. vivax in Iran is under the pressure of SP and the sensitivity level of the parasite to SP is diminishing and this fact must be considered in development of malaria control programs.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.57-63
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• 1996

Dihydrofolate reductase(DHFR) 억제제는 혈중활성엽산유도체의 농도저하를 초래하는데 이에 대한 기전을 밝히고자 DHFR 억제제의 대표적 약물로서 항암치료에 널리 사용되고 있는 methotrexate를 0.3 및 10mg/kg의 용량으로 랫드에 정맥주사한 후 활성엽산유도체의 담즙배설동태를 검토하였다. 임상적용 용량을 상회하는 용량임에도 불구하고 methotrexate에 의한 환원형엽산유도체의 담즙배설은 유의적 감소를 나타내지 않았다. 이러한 결과는 methotrexate에 의한 엽산유도체의 혈중농도저하가 활성엽산유도체의 담즙배설저하에 직접 관련되지 않는 것을 나타낸다. 따라서 장간순환계가 체내 엽산대사 및 항상성 유지에 중심기구임을 고려해 볼 때 DHFR 억제제에 의한 활성엽산유도체의 혈중농도저하는 담즙배설의 변화에 의한 것 보다는 소화관에 배설된 후 재흡수의 저하에 의해 초래될 가능성이 높은 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제49권2호
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• pp.72-79
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• 2016

Purpose: The initiation of mandatory folic acid fortification using pteroylmonoglutamic acid (PteGlu) has reduced the rate of congenital malformations. However, it also appears to be responsible for several adverse effects, including increased cancer incidence. This may be related to physicho-chemical characteristics of PteGlu. This study examines the potential effect of high concentrations of PteGlu on a population subjected to mandatory folic acid fortification using an in vitro model. Methods: Caco-2 (colorectal cancer) and MCF7 (breast cancer) cell lines were cultured at 6 different PteGlu concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 50, 250, and $500{\mu}g/ml$) for 6 days. Cell growth was determined using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. The genotype of dihydrofolate reductase 19bp deletion/insertion (DHFR 19-del) was also scored in cell lines using a restriction fragment length polymorphism technique to examine whether genetic variations may factor in cell proliferation. Results: PteGlu exhibited differential growth promoting properties between cell lines. Caco-2 cells did not show a significant growth difference at low concentrations compared to control, however, at higher concentrations, the growth showed a contrasting trend in the early experimental period, while MCF7 showed enhanced cell growth at all concentrations. The DHFR 19-del genotype differed in the two cell lines. Conclusions: Altered response to PteGlu by Caco-2 and MCF7 may reflect a tissue specific disease aetiology or genotype specific differential enzyme activity, for example by DHFR, to critical levels of PteGlu. As folic acid fortification is a blanket intervention, and DHFR and other enzyme activities vary between individuals, PteGlu intake may have an as yet undefined effect on health. These findings may be relevant when considering mandatory folic acid fortification for disease prevention.