The kinetic mechanism of Human Thymidine Phosphorylase - a molecular target for cancer drug development

Mol Biosyst. 2014 Mar 4;10(3):592-604. doi: 10.1039/c3mb70453j. Epub 2014 Jan 10.

Abstract

Human Thymidine Phosphorylase (HTP), also known as the platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) or gliostatin, catalyzes the reversible phosphorolysis of thymidine (dThd) to thymine and 2-deoxy-α-d-ribose-1-phosphate (2dR1P). HTP is a key enzyme in the pyrimidine salvage pathway involved in dThd homeostasis in cells. HTP is a target for anticancer drug development as its enzymatic activity promotes angiogenesis. Here, we describe cloning, expression, and purification to homogeneity of recombinant TYMP-encoded HTP. Peptide fingerprinting and the molecular mass value of the homogenous protein confirmed its identity as HTP assessed by mass spectrometry. Size exclusion chromatography showed that HTP is a dimer in solution. Kinetic studies revealed that HTP displayed substrate inhibition for dThd. Initial velocity and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies suggest that HTP catalysis follows a rapid-equilibrium random bi-bi kinetic mechanism. ITC measurements also showed that dThd and Pi binding are favorable processes. The pH-rate profiles indicated that maximal enzyme activity was achieved at low pH values. Functional groups with apparent pK values of 5.2 and 9.0 are involved in dThd binding and groups with pK values of 6.1 and 7.8 are involved in phosphate binding.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • Ligands
  • Molecular Weight
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Thermodynamics
  • Thymidine Phosphorylase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Thymidine Phosphorylase / chemistry
  • Thymidine Phosphorylase / genetics
  • Thymidine Phosphorylase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ligands
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Thymidine Phosphorylase