High affinity of sigma 1-binding sites for sterol isomerization inhibitors: evidence for a pharmacological relationship with the yeast sterol C8-C7 isomerase

Br J Pharmacol. 1997 May;121(1):1-6. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0701079.

Abstract

1. The sigma-drug binding site of guinea-pig liver is carried by a protein which shares significant amino acid sequence similarities with the yeast sterol C8-C7 isomerase (ERG2 protein). Pharmacologically-but not structurally-the sigma 1-site is also related to the emopamil binding protein, the mammalian sterol C8-C7 isomerase. We therefore investigated if sterol C8-C7 isomerase inhibitors are high affinity ligands for the (+)-[3H]-pentazocine labelled sigma 1-binding site. 2. Among the compounds which bound with high affinity to native hepatic and cerebral as well as to yeast expressed sigma 1-binding sites were the agricultural fungicide fenpropimorph (Ki 0.005 nM), the antihypocholesterinaemic drugs triparanol (Ki 7.0 nM), AY-9944 (Ki, 0.46 nM) and MDL28,815 (Ki 0.16 nM), the enantiomers of the ovulation inducer clomiphene (Ki 5.5 and 12 nM, respectively) and the antioestrogene tamoxifen (Ki 26 nM). 3. Except for tamoxifen these affinities are essentially identical with those for the [3H]-ifenprodil labelled sterol C8-C7 isomerase of S. cerevisiae. This demonstrates that sigma 1-binding protein and yeast isomerase are not only structurally but also pharmacologically related. Because of its affiliations with yeast and mammalian sterol isomerases we propose that the sigma 1-binding site is localized on a sterol isomerase related protein, involved in postsqualene sterol biosynthesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / metabolism
  • Clomiphene / metabolism
  • Clomiphene / pharmacology
  • Estrogen Antagonists / metabolism
  • Estrogen Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / metabolism
  • Fertility Agents, Female / metabolism
  • Fertility Agents, Female / pharmacology
  • Fungicides, Industrial / metabolism
  • Fungicides, Industrial / toxicity
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / metabolism
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / pharmacology
  • Isoquinolines / metabolism
  • Isoquinolines / pharmacology
  • Isotope Labeling
  • Microsomes / metabolism
  • Microsomes, Liver / drug effects
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism*
  • Morpholines / metabolism
  • Morpholines / toxicity
  • Pentazocine / metabolism
  • Piperidines / metabolism
  • Receptors, sigma / drug effects
  • Receptors, sigma / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Steroid Isomerases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Steroid Isomerases / metabolism*
  • Tamoxifen / metabolism
  • Tamoxifen / pharmacology
  • Triparanol / metabolism
  • Triparanol / pharmacology
  • Verapamil / analogs & derivatives
  • Verapamil / metabolism
  • trans-1,4-Bis(2-chlorobenzaminomethyl)cyclohexane Dihydrochloride / metabolism
  • trans-1,4-Bis(2-chlorobenzaminomethyl)cyclohexane Dihydrochloride / pharmacology

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Estrogen Antagonists
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Fertility Agents, Female
  • Fungicides, Industrial
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Isoquinolines
  • Morpholines
  • Piperidines
  • Receptors, sigma
  • Tamoxifen
  • MDL 28815
  • Clomiphene
  • trans-1,4-Bis(2-chlorobenzaminomethyl)cyclohexane Dihydrochloride
  • fenpropimorph
  • Triparanol
  • Verapamil
  • Steroid Isomerases
  • delta(8)-delta(7)-sterol isomerase
  • emopamil
  • ifenprodil
  • Pentazocine