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BackgroundIsoniazid (INH) metabolism depends on the N-acetyl transferase 2 (NAT2) enzyme, whose maturation process remains unknown in low birth weight (LBW) and preterm infants. We aimed to assess INH exposure and safety in infants receiving oral tuberculosis prevention.MethodsThis population pharmacokinetics (PK) analysis used INH and N-acetyl-isoniazid (ACL) concentrations in infants (BW ≤ 4 kg), including preterm, with follow-up for 6 months. PK parameters were described using nonlinear mixed effects modeling. Simulations were performed to assess INH exposure and optimal dosing regimens, using 2 targets: Cmax at 3-6 mg/L and area under the curve (AUC) ≥ 10.52 mg h/L.ResultsWe included 57 infants (79% preterm, 84% LBW) in the PK analysis, with a median (range) gestational age of 34 (28.7-39.4) weeks. At the time of sampling, postnatal age was 2.3 (0.2-7.3) months and weight (WT) was 3.7 (0.9-9.3) kg. NAT2 genotype was available in 43 (75.4%) patients (10 slow, 26 intermediate, and 7 fast metabolizers). Ninety percent of NAT2 maturation was attained by 4.4 post-natal months. WT, postmenstrual age, and NAT2 genotype significantly influenced INH exposure, with a 5-fold difference in AUC between slow and fast metabolizers for the same dose. INH appeared safe across the broad range of exposure for 61 infants included in the safety analysis.ConclusionsIn LBW/preterm infants, INH dosing needs frequent adjustment to account for growth and maturation. Pharmacogenetics-based dosing regimens is the most powerful approach to deliver safe and equalized exposures for all infants, because NAT2 genotype highly impacts INH pharmacokinetic variability.

Previous studies have suggested that the loss of the translation initiation factor eIF4G1 homolog NAT1 induces excessive self-renewability of naive pluripotent stem cells (PSCs); yet the role of NAT1 in the self-renewal and differentiation of primed PSCs is still unclear. Here, we generate a conditional knockout of NAT1 in primed PSCs and use the cells for the functional analyses of NAT1. Our results show that NAT1 is required for the self-renewal and neural differentiation of primed PSCs. In contrast, NAT1 deficiency in naive pluripotency attenuates the differentiation to all cell types. We also find that NAT1 is involved in efficient protein expression of an RNA uridyltransferase, TUT7. TUT7 is involved in the neural differentiation of primed PSCs via the regulation of human endogenous retrovirus accumulation. These data demonstrate the essential roles of NAT1 and TUT7 in the precise transition of stem cell fate.

Purpose: Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1), a phase II metabolic enzyme, is frequently upregulated in breast cancer. Inhibition or depletion of NAT1 leads to growth retardation in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A previous metabolomics study of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells suggests that NAT1 deletion leads to a defect in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. In the present study, we observed that NAT1 deletion results in upregulation of cytidine deaminase (CDA), which is involved in the pyrimidine salvage pathway, in multiple breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and ZR-75-1). We hypothesized that NAT1 KO MDA-MB-231 cells show differential sensitivity to drugs that either inhibit cellular pyrimidine homeostasis or are metabolized by CDA. Methods: The cells were treated with (1) inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase or CDA (e.g., teriflunomide and tetrahydrouridine); (2) pyrimidine/nucleoside analogs (e.g., gemcitabine and 5-azacytidine); and (3) naturally occurring, modified cytidines (e.g., 5-formyl-2′-deoxycytidine; 5fdC). Results: Although NAT1 KO cells failed to show differential sensitivity to nucleoside analogs that are metabolized by CDA, they were markedly more sensitive to 5fdC which induces DNA damage in the presence of high CDA activity. Co-treatment with 5fdC and a CDA inhibitor, tetrahydrouridine, abrogated the increase in 5fdC cytotoxicity in NAT1 KO cells, suggesting that the increased sensitivity of NAT1 KO cells to 5fdC is dependent on their increased CDA activity. Conclusions: The present findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy to treat breast cancer with elevated NAT1 expression. For instance, NAT1 inhibition may be combined with cytotoxic nucleosides (e.g., 5fdC) for breast cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the many genes involved in the metabolism of therapeutic drugs, human arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) genes have been extensively studied, due to their medical importance both in pharmacogenetics and disease epidemiology. One member of this small gene family, NAT2, is established as the locus of the classic human acetylation polymorphism in drug metabolism. Current hypotheses hold that selective processes favoring haplotypes conferring lower NAT2 activity have been operating in modern humans' recent history as an adaptation to local chemical and dietary environments. To shed new light on such hypotheses, we investigated the genetic diversity of the three members of the NAT gene family in seven hominid species, including modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans. Little polymorphism sharing was found among hominids, yet all species displayed high NAT diversity, but distributed in an opposite fashion in chimpanzees and bonobos (Pan genus) compared to modern humans, with higher diversity in Pan species at NAT1 and lower at NAT2, while the reverse is observed in humans. This pattern was also reflected in the results returned by selective neutrality tests, which suggest, in agreement with the predicted functional impact of mutations detected in non-human primates, stronger directional selection, presumably purifying selection, at NAT1 in modern humans, and at NAT2 in chimpanzees. Overall, the results point to the evolution of divergent functions of these highly homologous genes in the different primate species, possibly related to their specific chemical/dietary environment (exposome) and we hypothesize that this is likely linked to the emergence of controlled fire use in the human lineage.

Background/Aim: Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 and 2 (NAT1 and NAT2) are drug-metabolizing enzymes that play a key role in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Materials and Methods: This study evaluated NAT1 and NAT2 mRNA and protein expression and their enzymatic activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with ALL (n=20) and healthy children (n=19) and explored the mechanisms that regulate these enzymes in ALL such as microRNAs (miR-1290, miR-26b) and SNPs. Results: PBMC from patients with ALL showed a decrease in NAT1 mRNA and protein expression. In addition, NAT1 enzymatic activity was decreased in patients with ALL. There was no influence of SNP 559 C>T or 560 G>A on low NAT1 activity. The lower expression of NAT1 might be related to the loss of acetylated histone H3K14 in the NAT1 gene promoter in patients with ALL and the higher relative expression of miR-1290 in the plasma of patients with relapsed ALL compared with healthy controls. There were significantly fewer CD3+/NAT1+ double-positive cells in patients who relapsed compared with control subjects. Based on a t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding algorithm, CD19+ cells that reappeared in patients with relapse showed low NAT1 expression. In contrast, for NAT2, there were no significant results. Conclusion: The expression and function of NAT1 and miR-1290 levels could be involved in modulating immune cells altered in ALL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase 1 (GNPNAT1) is an enzyme involved in the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, which is critical for glycosylation processes. In the context of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), GNPNAT1 plays a significant role in modulating immune responses. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of GNPNAT1 in regulating the efficacy of radiotherapy and resistance to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity in patients with NSCLC., Methods: To assess GNPNAT1's impact on radiotherapy efficacy, 122 lung cancer patients were categorized into radiosensitive and radioresistant groups. GNPNAT1 expression levels in cancerous tissues from both groups were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. This analysis was extended to various lung cancer cell lines (BEAS-2B, A549, LTEP-2, SPCA1, and H157) using the same molecular techniques. To investigate GNPNAT1's functional role in radioresistance, radioresistant A549 cells (A549R26-1) were established, and GNPNAT1 expression was genetically manipulated. Experimental groups included control, si-NC, si-GNPNAT1, Oe-NC, and Oe-GNPNAT1. Post-treatment, GNPNAT1 levels were measured via qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Cells were exposed to varying doses of radiation, and subsequent assessments included cell proliferation (Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay), radiosensitivity (plate cloning assays), and apoptosis rates (flow cytometry). Isolated and purified primary NK cells were co-cultured with lung cancer cells from each experimental group. The cytotoxicity of NK cells against lung cancer cells was assessed through lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and colony formation assays., Results: Compared to the radiosensitive group, the radioresistant group exhibited significantly elevated GNPNAT1 expression levels ( p < 0.05). The radioresistant cell line A549R26-1 demonstrated higher proliferation ability and lower apoptosis levels compared to its parental cell line, A549P. Subsequently, down-regulation of GNPNAT1 expression in A549R26-1 cells resulted in reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, and weakened resistance to NK cell cytotoxicity. Conversely, up-regulation of GNPNAT1 expression in A549R26-1 cells following co-culture with NK cells led to increased proliferation and survival rates, and enhanced resistance to NK cell cytotoxicity. Notably, GNPNAT1 knockdown effectively attenuated the radioresistance of A549R26-1 cells., Conclusion: Down-regulation of GNPNAT1 expression reduces the immune resistance of non-small cell lung cancer to radiotherapy and enhances susceptibility to NK cell cytotoxicity.

Lambert-Eaton myasthenia (LEM) is a rare autoimmune disorder associated with debilitating muscle weakness. There are limited treatment options and 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP) free base is an investigational orphan drug used to treat LEM-related weakness. We performed a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis using 3,4-DAP and metabolite concentrations collected from a phase II study in patients with LEM. The Triple Timed Up & Go (3TUG) assessment, which measures lower extremity weakness, was the primary outcome measure. A total of 1,270 PK samples (49 patients) and 1,091 3TUG data points (32 randomized patients) were included in the PK/PD analysis. A two-compartment and one-compartment model for parent and metabolite, respectively, described the PK data well. Body weight and serum creatinine partially explained the variability in clearance for the final PK model. A fractional inhibitory maximum effect (Emax ) model characterized the exposure-response relationship well. The PK/PD model was applied to identify a suggested dosing approach for 3,4-DAP free base.

Abstract Background 2-Acetamidophenol (AAP) is an aromatic compound with the potential for antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-platelet, and anti-arthritic activities. Due to the biosynthesis of AAP is not yet fully understood, AAP is mainly produced by chemical synthesis. Currently, metabolic engineering of natural microbial pathway to produce valuable aromatic compound has remarkable advantages and exhibits attractive potential. Thus, it is of paramount importance to develop a dominant strain to produce AAP by elucidating the AAP biosynthesis pathway. Result In this study, the active aromatic compound AAP was first purified and identified in gene phzB disruption strain HT66ΔphzB, which was derived from Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66. The titer of AAP in the strain HT66ΔphzB was 236.89 mg/L. Then, the genes involved in AAP biosynthesis were determined. Through the deletion of genes phzF, Nat and trpE, AAP was confirmed to have the same biosynthesis route as phenazine-1-carboxylic (PCA). Moreover, a new arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) was identified and proved to be the key enzyme required for generating AAP by in vitro assay. P. chlororaphis P3, a chemical mutagenesis mutant strain of HT66, has been demonstrated to have a robust ability to produce antimicrobial phenazines. Therefore, genetic engineering, precursor addition, and culture optimization strategies were used to enhance AAP production in P. chlororaphis P3. The inactivation of phzB in P3 increased AAP production by 92.4%. Disrupting the phenazine negative regulatory genes lon and rsmE and blocking the competitive pathway gene pykA in P3 increased AAP production 2.08-fold, which also confirmed that AAP has the same biosynthesis route as PCA. Furthermore, adding 2-amidophenol to the KB medium increased AAP production by 64.6%, which suggested that 2-amidophenol is the precursor of AAP. Finally, by adding 5 mM 2-amidophenol and 2 mM Fe3+ to the KB medium, the production of AAP reached 1209.58 mg/L in the engineered strain P3ΔphzBΔlonΔpykAΔrsmE using a shaking-flask culture. This is the highest microbial-based AAP production achieved to date. Conclusion In conclusion, this study clarified the biosynthesis process of AAP in Pseudomonas and provided a promising host for industrial-scale biosynthesis of AAP from renewable resources.

Introduction and objective: Hepatotoxicity during tuberculosis (TB) treatment is frequent and may be related to the Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase (NAT2) acetylator profile, in which allele frequencies differ according to the population. The aim of this study was to investigate functional polymorphisms in NAT2 associated with the development of hepatotoxicity after initiating treatment for TB in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. Material and methods: This was a prospective cohort study that investigated seven single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the NAT2 coding region in 173 PLWHA undergoing TB treatment. Hepatotoxicity was defined as elevated aminotransferase levels and identified as being three times higher than it was before initiating TB treatment, with associated symptoms of hepatitis. A further 80 healthy subjects, without HIV infection or TB were used as a control group. All individuals were genotyped by direct sequencing. Results: The NAT2*13A and NAT2*6B variant alleles were significantly associated with the development of hepatotoxicity during TB treatment in PLWHA (p

BackgroundLow penetrance genetic variants, primarily single nucleotide polymorphisms, have substantial influence on colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility. Most CRCs develop from colorectal adenomas (CRA). Here we report the first comprehensive field synopsis that catalogues all genetic association studies on CRA, with a parallel online database [http://www.chs.med.ed.ac.uk/CRAgene/].MethodsWe performed a systematic review, reviewing 9750 titles, and then extracted data from 130 publications reporting on 181 polymorphisms in 74 genes. We conducted meta-analyses to derive summary effect estimates for 37 polymorphisms in 26 genes. We applied the Venice criteria and Bayesian False Discovery Probability (BFDP) to assess the levels of the credibility of associations.ResultsWe considered the association with the rs6983267 variant at 8q24 as 'highly credible', reaching genome-wide statistical significance in at least one meta-analysis model. We identified 'less credible' associations (higher heterogeneity, lower statistical power, BFDP > 0.02) with a further four variants of four independent genes: MTHFR c.677C>T p.A222V (rs1801133), TP53 c.215C>G p.R72P (rs1042522), NQO1 c.559C>T p.P187S (rs1800566), and NAT1 alleles imputed as fast acetylator genotypes. For the remaining 32 variants of 22 genes for which positive associations with CRA risk have been previously reported, the meta-analyses revealed no credible evidence to support these as true associations.ConclusionsThe limited number of credible associations between low penetrance genetic variants and CRA reflects the lower volume of evidence and associated lack of statistical power to detect associations of the magnitude typically observed for genetic variants and chronic diseases. The CRA gene database provides context for CRA genetic association data and will help inform future research directions.

Decreased insulin sensitivity, also referred to as insulin resistance (IR), is a fundamental abnormality in patients with type 2 diabetes and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While IR predisposition is heritable, the genetic basis remains largely unknown. The GENEticS of Insulin Sensitivity consortium conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for direct measures of insulin sensitivity, such as euglycemic clamp or insulin suppression test, in 2,764 European individuals, with replication in an additional 2,860 individuals. The presence of a nonsynonymous variant of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) [rs1208 (803A>G, K268R)] was strongly associated with decreased insulin sensitivity that was independent of BMI. The rs1208 "A" allele was nominally associated with IR-related traits, including increased fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C, total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and coronary artery disease. NAT2 acetylates arylamine and hydrazine drugs and carcinogens, but predicted acetylator NAT2 phenotypes were not associated with insulin sensitivity. In a murine adipocyte cell line, silencing of NAT2 ortholog Nat1 decreased insulin-mediated glucose uptake, increased basal and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis, and decreased adipocyte differentiation, while Nat1 overexpression produced opposite effects. Nat1-deficient mice had elevations in fasting blood glucose, insulin, and triglycerides and decreased insulin sensitivity, as measured by glucose and insulin tolerance tests, with intermediate effects in Nat1 heterozygote mice. Our results support a role for NAT2 in insulin sensitivity.

In STRIDE, slow metabolizer CYP2B6 and NAT2 genotypes were each associated with increased plasma efavirenz concentrations during antituberculosis therapy. Concentrations were greater on therapy than off therapy in 58% with CYP2B6 and 93% with NAT2 slow metabolizer genotypes. Individuals with slow metabolizer genotypes in both genes had markedly elevated concentrations.

Decreased insulin sensitivity, also referred to as insulin resistance (IR), is a fundamental abnormality in patients with type 2 diabetes and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While IR predisposition is heritable, the genetic basis remains largely unknown. The GENEticS of Insulin Sensitivity consortium conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for direct measures of insulin sensitivity, such as euglycemic clamp or insulin suppression test, in 2,764 European individuals, with replication in an additional 2,860 individuals. The presence of a nonsynonymous variant of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) [rs1208 (803A>G, K268R)] was strongly associated with decreased insulin sensitivity that was independent of BMI. The rs1208 "A" allele was nominally associated with IR-related traits, including increased fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C, total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and coronary artery disease. NAT2 acetylates arylamine and hydrazine drugs and carcinogens, but predicted acetylator NAT2 phenotypes were not associated with insulin sensitivity. In a murine adipocyte cell line, silencing of NAT2 ortholog Nat1 decreased insulin-mediated glucose uptake, increased basal and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis, and decreased adipocyte differentiation, while Nat1 overexpression produced opposite effects. Nat1-deficient mice had elevations in fasting blood glucose, insulin, and triglycerides and decreased insulin sensitivity, as measured by glucose and insulin tolerance tests, with intermediate effects in Nat1 heterozygote mice. Our results support a role for NAT2 in insulin sensitivity.

Recent reports suggest that arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NAT1 and/or NAT2) serve important roles in regulation of energy utility and insulin sensitivity. We investigated the interaction between diet (control vs. high-fat diet) and acetylator phenotype (rapid vs. slow) using previously established congenic rat lines (in F344 background) that exhibit rapid or slow Nat2 (orthologous to human NAT1) acetylator genotypes. Male and female rats of each genotype were fed control or high-fat (Western-style) diet for 26 weeks. We then examined diet- and acetylator genotype-dependent changes in body and liver weights, systemic glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and plasma lipid profile. Male and female rats on the high fat diet weighed approximately 10% more than rats on the control diet and the percentage liver to body weight was consistently higher in rapid than slow acetylator rats. Rapid acetylator rats were more prone to develop dyslipidemia overall (i.e., higher triglyceride; higher LDL; and lower HDL), compared to slow acetylator rats. Total cholesterol (TC)-to-HDL ratios were significantly higher and HDL-to-LDL ratios were significantly lower in rapid acetylator rats. Our data suggest that rats with rapid systemic Nat2 (NAT1 in humans) genotype exhibited higher dyslipidemia conferring risk for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular dysfunction.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is one proposed risk factor for gastroschisis, but reported associations have been modest, suggesting that differences in genetic susceptibility might play a role. We included 108 non-Hispanic white and 62 Hispanic families who had infants with gastroschisis, and 1,147 non-Hispanic white and 337 Hispanic families who had liveborn infants with no major structural birth defects (controls) in these analyses. DNA was extracted from buccal cells collected from infants and mothers, and information on periconceptional smoking history was obtained from maternal interviews, as part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. We analyzed five polymorphisms in three genes that code for enzymes involved in metabolism of some cigarette smoke constituents (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and NAT2). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) independently for maternal smoking and maternal and infant gene variants, and to assess joint associations of maternal smoking and maternal or infant gene variants with gastroschisis. In analyses adjusted for maternal age at delivery and stratified by maternal race-ethnicity, we identified three suggestive associations among 30 potential associations with sufficient numbers to calculate ORs: CYP1A1*2A for non-Hispanic white mothers who smoked periconceptionally (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.15-0.98), and NAT2*6 for Hispanic non-smoking mothers (aOR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.12-4.19) and their infants (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.00-4.48). This analysis does not support the occurrence of effect modification between periconceptional maternal smoking and most of the xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme gene variants assessed.

IntroductionFunctional polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) may be determinants of survival in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOSCC).MethodsOOSCC cases (N=159) with a history of either tobacco or alcohol use were genotyped for polymorphisms in eight DMEs. Overall and disease-specific survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots and the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in exploratory analyses of patient subgroups.ResultsKaplan-Meier analyses showed N-acteyltransferase-2 (NAT2) fast acetylators experienced a 19.7% higher 5-year survival rate than slow acetylators (P=0.03) and this association was similar in oropharyngeal and oral cancer. After multiple adjustment, including tumor site and stage, the NAT2 fast acetylator phenotype was associated with improved overall survival (vs. slow acetylators) provided chemotherapy or radiation were not used (HR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.10-0.66). However, NAT2 phenotype was unrelated to survival in patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.54-2.73) or radiotherapy (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.31-1.59) (P-for-NAT2/treatment-interaction=0.04). Normal activity GSTP1 was associated with a 19.2% reduction in 5-year disease-specific survival relative to reduced activity GSTP1 (P=0.04) but this association was not modified by treatment.ConclusionsOur results suggest that functional polymorphisms in NAT2 and GSTP1 are associated with OOSCC survival. Confirmation of these results in larger studies is required.

Abstract Background Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is a drug metabolizing enzyme that has been associated with cancer cell proliferation in vitro and with survival in vivo. NAT1 expression has been associated with the estrogen receptor and it has been proposed as a prognostic marker for estrogen receptor positive cancers. However, little is known about the distribution of NAT1 mRNA across an entire patient population or its effects on outcomes. To address this, gene expression data from breast cancer patient cohorts were investigated to identify sub-populations based on the level of NAT1 expression. Patient survival and drug response was examined to determine whether NAT1 mRNA levels influenced any of these parameters. Results NAT1 expression showed a trimodal distribution in breast cancer samples (n = 1980) but not in tumor tissue from ovarian, prostate, cervical or colorectal cancers. In breast cancer, NAT1 mRNA in each sub-population correlated with a separate set of genes suggesting different mechanisms of NAT1 gene regulation. Kaplan-Meier plots showed significantly better survival in patients with highest NAT1 mRNA compared to those with intermediate or low expression. While NAT1 expression was elevated in estrogen receptor-positive patients, it did not appear to be dependent on estrogen receptor expression. Overall survival was analyzed in patients receiving no treatment, hormone therapy or chemotherapy. NAT1 expression correlated strongly with survival in the first 5 years in those patients receiving chemotherapy but did not influence survival in the other two groups. This suggests that low NAT1 expression is associated with chemo-resistance. The sensitivity of NAT1 mRNA levels as a single parameter to identify non-responders to chemotherapy was 0.58 at a log(2)

Drug metabolizing enzymes catalyze the biotransformation of many of drugs and chemicals. The drug metabolizing enzymes are distributed among several evolutionary families and catalyze a range of detoxication reactions, including oxidation/reduction, conjugative, and hydrolytic reactions that serve to detoxify potentially toxic compounds. This detoxication function requires that drug metabolizing enzymes exhibit substrate promiscuity. In addition to their catalytic functions, many drug metabolizing enzymes possess functions unrelated to or in addition to catalysis. Such proteins are termed 'moonlighting proteins' and are defined as proteins with multiple biochemical or biophysical functions that reside in a single protein. This review discusses the diverse moonlighting functions of drug metabolizing enzymes and the roles they play in physiological functions relating to reproduction, vision, cell signaling, cancer, and transport. Further research will likely reveal new examples of moonlighting functions of drug metabolizing enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1), present in all tissues, is classically described as a phase-II xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme but can also catalyze the hydrolysis of acetyl-Coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) in the absence of an arylamine substrate using folate as a cofactor. NAT1 activity varies inter-individually and has been shown to be overexpressed in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers. NAT1 has also been implicated in breast cancer progression however the exact role of NAT1 remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of varying levels of NAT1 N-acetylation activity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells on global cellular metabolism and to probe for unknown endogenous NAT1 substrates. Global, untargeted metabolomics was conducted via ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines constructed with siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies to vary only in NAT1 N-acetylation activity. Many metabolites were differentially abundant in NAT1-modified cell lines compared to the Scrambled parental cell line. N-acetylasparagine and N-acetylputrescine abundances were strongly positively correlated (r = 0.986 and r = 0.944, respectively) with NAT1 N-acetylation activity whereas saccharopine abundance was strongly inversely correlated (r = −0.876). Two of the most striking observations were a reduction in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and defective β-oxidation of fatty acids in the absence of NAT1. We have shown that NAT1 expression differentially affects cellular metabolism dependent on the level of expression. Our results support the hypothesis that NAT1 is not just a xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme and may have a role in endogenous cellular metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 2-Acetamidophenol (AAP) is an aromatic compound with the potential for antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-platelet, and anti-arthritic activities. Due to the biosynthesis of AAP is not yet fully understood, AAP is mainly produced by chemical synthesis. Currently, metabolic engineering of natural microbial pathway to produce valuable aromatic compound has remarkable advantages and exhibits attractive potential. Thus, it is of paramount importance to develop a dominant strain to produce AAP by elucidating the AAP biosynthesis pathway. Result: In this study, the active aromatic compound AAP was first purified and identified in gene phzB disruption strain HT66ΔphzB, which was derived from Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66. The titer of AAP in the strain HT66ΔphzB was 236.89 mg/L. Then, the genes involved in AAP biosynthesis were determined. Through the deletion of genes phzF, Nat and trpE, AAP was confirmed to have the same biosynthesis route as phenazine-1-carboxylic (PCA). Moreover, a new arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) was identified and proved to be the key enzyme required for generating AAP by in vitro assay. P. chlororaphis P3, a chemical mutagenesis mutant strain of HT66, has been demonstrated to have a robust ability to produce antimicrobial phenazines. Therefore, genetic engineering, precursor addition, and culture optimization strategies were used to enhance AAP production in P. chlororaphis P3. The inactivation of phzB in P3 increased AAP production by 92.4%. Disrupting the phenazine negative regulatory genes lon and rsmE and blocking the competitive pathway gene pykA in P3 increased AAP production 2.08-fold, which also confirmed that AAP has the same biosynthesis route as PCA. Furthermore, adding 2-amidophenol to the KB medium increased AAP production by 64.6%, which suggested that 2-amidophenol is the precursor of AAP. Finally, by adding 5 mM 2-amidophenol and 2 mM Fe3+ to the KB medium, the production of AAP reached 1209.58 mg/L in the engineered strain P3ΔphzBΔlonΔpykAΔrsmE using a shaking-flask culture. This is the highest microbial-based AAP production achieved to date. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study clarified the biosynthesis process of AAP in Pseudomonas and provided a promising host for industrial-scale biosynthesis of AAP from renewable resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human N-acetyltransferases (NAT; EC 2.3.1.5) catalyze the N-acetylation of arylamine and hydrazine drugs and the O-acetylation of N-hydroxylated metabolites of aromatic and heterocyclic amines. Two different isoforms of this protein, N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), are expressed in human hepatocytes. Both are encoded by a single 870-bp open reading frame that exhibits genetic polymorphisms in human populations. NAT1 and NAT2 share more than 85% gene and protein sequence, making it challenging to produce antibodies with high specificity for NAT1 or NAT2. In the present study, we compared methods for the quantification of immunoreactive NAT1 and NAT2 with seven different antibodies and investigated the relationship of NAT2 genotype to NAT2 mRNA and protein expression in cryopreserved human hepatocytes. Sulfamethazine (NAT2-selective substrate) and NAT2 protein expression differed significantly with NAT2 acetylator genotype (p < 0.0001). NAT2 protein expression and sulfamethazine NAT2 catalytic activity correlated highly across the cryopreserved human hepatocytes of rapid, intermediate, and slow acetylator NAT2 genotypes. In conclusion, our data describe a specific analytical method for the quantification of NAT1 and NAT2 protein expression. We showed that the NAT2 activity in human hepatocytes is directly correlated to expression levels of NAT2 protein but not mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective: Hepatotoxicity during tuberculosis (TB) treatment is frequent and may be related to the Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase (NAT2) acetylator profile, in which allele frequencies differ according to the population. The aim of this study was to investigate functional polymorphisms in NAT2 associated with the development of hepatotoxicity after initiating treatment for TB in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. Material and methods: This was a prospective cohort study that investigated seven single nucleotide polymorphisms located in the NAT2 coding region in 173 PLWHA undergoing TB treatment. Hepatotoxicity was defined as elevated aminotransferase levels and identified as being three times higher than it was before initiating TB treatment, with associated symptoms of hepatitis. A further 80 healthy subjects, without HIV infection or TB were used as a control group. All individuals were genotyped by direct sequencing. Results: The NAT2*13A and NAT2*6B variant alleles were significantly associated with the development of hepatotoxicity during TB treatment in PLWHA (p < 0.05). Individual comparisons between the wild type and each variant genotype revealed that PLWHA with signatures NAT2*13A/NAT2*13A (OR 4.4; CI95% 1.1-18.8; p 0.037) and NAT2*13A/NAT2*6B (OR 4.4; CI95% 1.5-12.7; p 0.005) significantly increased the risk of hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: This study suggests that NAT2*13A and NAT2*6B variant alleles are risk factors for developing hepatotoxicity, and PLWHA with genotypes NAT2*13A/NAT2*13A and NAT2*13A/NAT2*6B should be targeted for specific care to reduce the risk of hepatotoxicity during treatment for tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are sporadic, and increasing incidence rates suggest that such environmental risk factors as smoking play a role in the etiology of the disease. Cases with RCC were selected from the population-based cancer registry of Orange County, California, between 1994 and 1997; controls were recruited by telephone using random digit dialing. A total of 115 case and 259 control subjects were genotyped for N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), which codes for a polymorphic enzyme involved in tobacco-carcinogen metabolism. Subjects with slow acetylator genotypes were found to be at twofold increased risk (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8; 95 percent confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 2.9) of RCC. Although cancer risk doubled among smokers (OR = 2.2; 95 percent CI: 1.3, 3.7), stratified analysis revealed gene-environment interaction among slow acetylators that smoked (OR = 3.2; 95 percent CI: 1.7, 6.1) compared with rapid acetylators that smoked (OR = 1.4; 95 percent CI: 0.7, 2.9). A dose response was found for pack-years among slow acetylators (p < 0.01) but not among rapid acetylators (p = 0.06). Although smoking is a well-established risk factor of RCC, our data suggest that the risk is pronounced among slow rather than rapid acetylators.

Breast cancer risk has been hypothesized to increase with exposure to heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) formed from cooking meat at high temperature. HAAs require enzymatic activation to bind to DNA and initiate carcinogenesis. N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) enzyme activity may play a role, its rate determined by a polymorphic gene. We examined the effect of NAT2 genetic polymorphisms on breast cancer risk from exposure to meat by cooking method, doneness and estimated HAA [2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazole[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx)] intake. Women were recruited with suspicious breast masses and questionnaire data were collected prior to biopsy to blind subjects and interviewers to diagnoses. For 114 cases with breast cancer and 280 controls with benign breast disease, NAT2 genotype was determined using allele-specific PCR amplification to detect slow acetylator mutations. HAAs were estimated from interview data on meat type, cooking method and doneness, combined with a quantitative HAA database. Logistic regression models controlled for known risk factors, first including all controls, then 108 with no or low risk (normal breast or no hyperplasia) and finally 149 with high risk (hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia, complex fibroadenomas). Meat effects were examined within NAT2 strata to assess interactions. We found no association between NAT2 and breast cancer. These Californian women ate more white than red meat (control median 46 versus 8 g/day). There were no significant associations of breast cancer with red meat for any doneness. White meat was significantly protective (>67 versus

Human arylamine N -acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) has been widely reported to affect cancer cell growth and survival and recent studies suggest it may alter cell metabolism. In this study, the effects of NAT1 deletion on mitochondrial function was examined in 2 human cell lines, breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 and colon carcinoma HT-29 cells. Using a Seahorse XFe96 Flux Analyzer, NAT1 deletion was shown to decrease oxidative phosphorylation with a significant loss in respiratory reserve capacity in both cell lines. There also was a decrease in glycolysis without a change in glucose uptake. The changes in mitochondrial function was due to a decrease in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, which could be reversed with the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor dichloroacetate. In the MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cells, pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was attenuated either by an increase in phosphorylation or a decrease in total protein expression. These results may help explain some of the cellular events that have been reported recently in cell and animal models of NAT1 deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have revealed a possible link between the activities of polymorphic arylamine N‐acetyltransferases (NATs) and energy metabolism. We used a Nat1/Nat2 double knockout (KO) mouse model to demonstrate that ablation of the two Nat genes is associated with modest, intermittent alterations in respiratory exchange rate. Pyruvate tolerance tests show that double KO mice have attenuated hepatic gluconeogenesis when maintained on a high‐fat/high‐sucrose diet. Absence of the two Nat genes also leads to an increase in the hepatic concentration of coenzyme A in mice fed a high‐fat/high‐sucrose diet. Our results suggest a modest involvement of NAT in energy metabolism in mice, which is consistent with the absence of major phenotypic deregulation of energy metabolism in slow human acetylators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms involved in the biogenesis of N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and N-palmitoylethanolamine is important in view of the possible role of these lipids as endogenous cannabinoid substances. Anandamide (which activates cannabinoid CB1 receptors) and N-palmitoylethanolamine (which activates a CB2-like receptor subtype in mast cells) may both derive from cleavage of precursor phospholipid, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), catalyzed by Ca(2+)-activated D-type phosphodiesterase activity. We report here that the de novo biosynthesis of NAPE is enhanced in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner when rat cortical neurons are stimulated with the Ca(2+)-ionophore ionomycin or with membrane-depolarizing agents such as veratridine and kainate. This reaction is likely to be mediated by a neuronal N-acyltransferase activity, which catalyzes the transfer of an acyl group from phosphatidylcholine to the ethanolamine moiety of phosphatidylethanolamine. In addition, we show that Ca2+-dependent NAPE biosynthesis is potentiated by agents that increase cAMP levels, including forskolin and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Our results thus indicate that NAPE levels in cortical neurons are controlled by Ca2+ ions and cAMP. Such regulatory effect may participate in maintaining a supply of cannabimimetic N-acylethanolamines during synaptic activity, and prime target neurons for release of these bioactive lipids.

In this study, the inhibitory potential of 3-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one derivatives was evaluated against a panel of bacteria, as well as mammalian cell lines to determine their therapeutic index. In addition, we investigated the mechanism of antibiotic action of the derivatives to identify their therapeutic target. We discovered compound 2 to be an extremely potent inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv growth (MIC: 0.031 mg/L) in vitro, performing better than the currently used first-line antituberculosis drugs such as isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pretomanid in vitro. Furthermore, compound 3 was equipotent to pretomanid against a multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolate. The derivatives were selective and bactericidal towards slow-growing mycobacteria. They showed low cytotoxicity towards murine RAW 264.7 and human THP-1 cell lines, with high selectivity indices. Compound 1 effectively eliminated the intracellular mycobacteria in a mycobacteria-infected macrophage model. The derivatives were assessed for their potential to inhibit mycobacterial arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and were identified as good inhibitors of recombinant mycobacterial NAT, a novel target essential for the intracellular survival of M. tuberculosis. This study provided hits for designing new potent and selective antituberculosis leads, having mycobacterial NAT inhibition as their possible endogenous mechanisms of action.

BACKGROUND Reye syndrome is a rare, yet potentially life-threatening disease characterized by acute encephalopathy and hepatic failure. This report presents the case of an 8-year-old girl with Reye syndrome and seizures after the use of naproxen. CASE REPORT An 8-year-old girl experienced a 3-day episode of fever and abdominal pain. After receiving naproxen (375 mg twice daily) starting from day -3, she exhibited hypotension, tonic seizure, and loss of consciousness (day 1). Physical examination and laboratory test results revealed acute kidney injury, metabolic acidosis, and elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), liver enzymes, and ferritin. On day 2, the maximum values of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, LDH, creatinine, and ferritin were 955 U/L, 132 U/L, 8040 U/L, 2 mg/dL, and >40000 ug/L, respectively. She was given supportive care and recovered after 11 days (day 12), with normalization of kidney function and metabolic abnormalities. To identify possible genetic polymorphisms associated with the patient's symptoms, genotypes were tested using a drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMET) gene chip. Among genes involved in the metabolism of naproxen, UGT1A6 (*1/*2) and UGT2B7 (*1/*2) resulted in possibly decreased function. Other results which may have had clinical significance included homozygote results for NAT2*6/*6 (rs1799930). CONCLUSIONS A rare case of Reye syndrome after administration of naproxen was presented in this case. A DMET gene chip was used to screen for possible genetic polymorphisms associated with Reye syndrome, but the result was inconclusive.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been increasing in recent years. With the development of various detection technologies, machine learning is an effective method to screen disease characteristic genes. In this study, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning are combined to find potential biomarkers of liver cancer, which provides a new idea for future prediction, prevention, and personalized treatment. In this study, the "limma" software package was used. P < .05 and log2 |fold-change| > 1 is the standard screening differential genes, and then the module genes obtained by WGCNA analysis are crossed to obtain the key module genes. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia analysis was performed on key module genes, and 3 machine learning methods including lasso, support vector machine-recursive feature elimination, and RandomForest were used to screen feature genes. Finally, the validation set was used to verify the feature genes, the GeneMANIA (http://www.genemania.org) database was used to perform protein-protein interaction networks analysis on the feature genes, and the SPIED3 database was used to find potential small molecule drugs. In this study, 187 genes associated with HCC were screened by using the "limma" software package and WGCNA. After that, 6 feature genes (AADAT, APOF, GPC3, LPA, MASP1, and NAT2) were selected by RandomForest, Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator, and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination machine learning algorithms. These genes are also significantly different on the external dataset and follow the same trend as the training set. Finally, our findings may provide new insights into targets for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of HCC. AADAT, APOF, GPC3, LPA, MASP1, and NAT2 may be potential genes for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of liver cancer in the future., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Metabolic reprogramming provides a new perspective for understanding cancer. The targeting of dysregulated metabolic pathways may help to reprogram the immune status of the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby increasing the effectiveness of immune checkpoint therapy. Colorectal cancer (CRC), especially colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), is associated with poor patient survival. The aim of the present study was to identify novel pathways involved in the development and prognosis of COAD, and to explore whether these pathways could be used as targets to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy., Methods: Metabolism-related differentially expressed genes (MRDEGs) between tumor and normal tissues were identified using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, together with metabolism-related prognostic genes (MRPGs). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed separately for the MRDEGs and MRPGs. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) was also performed to explore the role of purine metabolism in COAD tumorigenesis. Consensus clustering of purine metabolism genes with the overall survival (OS) of patients and with anti-tumor immunity was also performed. Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify potential targets that correlated strongly with the expression of immune checkpoints., Results: A 6-gene signature that had independent prognostic significance for COAD was identified, together with a predictive model for risk stratification and prognosis. The most significantly enriched pathway amongst MRDEGs and MRPGs was purine metabolism. Differentially expressed purine metabolism genes could divide patients into two clusters with distinct prognosis and anti-tumor immunity. Further analysis suggested that purine metabolism was involved in anti-tumor immunity., Conclusions: This study confirmed the importance of metabolism-related pathways and in particular purine metabolism in the tumorigenesis, prognosis and anti-tumor immunity of COAD. We identified a 6-gene prognostic signature comprised of EPHX2 , GPX3 , PTGDS , NAT2 , ACOX1 and CPT2 . In addition, four potential immune-metabolic checkpoints ( GUCY1A1 , GUCY1B1 , PDE1A and PDE5A ) were identified, which could be used to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in COAD., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Graphical abstract Abstract In the present study, a screen of adenosine analogs as potential modulators of arylamine- N -acetyltransferase 1 activity identified ATP as an inhibitor within its range of physiological concentrations. Kinetically, ATP was a non-competitive inhibitor with respect to the acetyl acceptor but a competitive inhibitor with respect to the acetyl donor (acetyl-coenzyme A). In silico modelling predicted that ATP bound within the active site cleft arranged with the triphosphate group in close proximity to arginine 127. Since lysine 100 has previously been implicated in the binding of acetyl-coenzyme A to the enzyme, this amino acid was mutated to either an arginine or a glutamine. Both substitutions significantly changed the affinity of ATP for the enzyme, as well as the nature of the interaction to one with a large Hill coefficient (>3). Under these conditions, ATP was a strong allosteric modulator of arylamine- N -acetyltransferase 1 activity. Western blot analysis identified lysine 100 as a site of post-translational modification by acetylation. The results suggest that acetylation of lysine 100 converts arylamine- N -acetyltransferase 1 into a switch modulated by ATP. This observation provides important understanding of the molecular regulation of NAT1 activity and may reveal possible insight into the endogenous role of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleome rutidosperma DC, commonly known in Jamaica as ‘consumption-weed’ is a plant traditionally used in folklore for treating tuberculosis and other infectious and chronic ailments. We evaluate for the first time the chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil components of the complete aerial parts of this plant. The essential oil obtained by steam distillation (0.02%) was analyzed by a combination of gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) and retention index (RI). The volatile oil of C. rutidosperma was dominated by oxygenated diterpenes (67.6%); with ( Z )-phytol (65.1%) being the single most abundant constituent. C. rutidosperma aerial essential oil exhibited moderate inhibition against the activity of recombinant arylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) from Mycobacterium marinum (IC 50 22.20 ± 1.80 μg/μL), while, racemic phytol had an inhibition with an IC 50 of 22.33 μg/μL ± 0.50 μg/μL, thus accounting for the NAT inhibition imparted by the crude oil. Inhibition of NAT, a key enzyme in mycobacterial growth may be the pathway in which phytol, shown in this study to interact with the active site using in-silico methods, renders its previously demonstrated anti-tubercular properties. The phytol rich essential oil also demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all nine human pathogenic bacteria and the fungus strain assayed, with the most significant inhibitory activity against Bacillus cereus and justifies the need for further evaluation and development of the essential oils from this plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the main causes of death in children and is associated with both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Genes encoding the arylamine N-acetyltransferases 1 and 2 (NAT1 and NAT2) isoenzymes are highly polymorphic among populations. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction from the genomic DNA of 225 healthy subjects and 57 children with ALL diagnoses. Significant associations were found between the development of ALL and the presence of the haplotypes NAT1*3 (Odds ratio [OR], 2.1), NAT1*4 (OR, 1.92), NAT2*6B (OR, 3.30), NAT2*6J (OR, 3.25) and NAT2*7A (OR, 2.45) and the NAT1 rapid (OR, 6.69) and NAT2 slow phenotypes (OR, 2.95). Our results indicate that haplotypes that provide rapid NAT1 and slow NAT2 acetylating phenotypes may influence the development of ALL in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is a drug metabolizing enzyme that has been associated with cancer cell proliferation in vitro and with survival in vivo. NAT1 expression has been associated with the estrogen receptor and it has been proposed as a prognostic marker for estrogen receptor positive cancers. However, little is known about the distribution of NAT1 mRNA across an entire patient population or its effects on outcomes. To address this, gene expression data from breast cancer patient cohorts were investigated to identify sub-populations based on the level of NAT1 expression. Patient survival and drug response was examined to determine whether NAT1 mRNA levels influenced any of these parameters. Results: NAT1 expression showed a trimodal distribution in breast cancer samples (n = 1980) but not in tumor tissue from ovarian, prostate, cervical or colorectal cancers. In breast cancer, NAT1 mRNA in each sub-population correlated with a separate set of genes suggesting different mechanisms of NAT1 gene regulation. Kaplan-Meier plots showed significantly better survival in patients with highest NAT1 mRNA compared to those with intermediate or low expression. While NAT1 expression was elevated in estrogen receptor-positive patients, it did not appear to be dependent on estrogen receptor expression. Overall survival was analyzed in patients receiving no treatment, hormone therapy or chemotherapy. NAT1 expression correlated strongly with survival in the first 5 years in those patients receiving chemotherapy but did not influence survival in the other two groups. This suggests that low NAT1 expression is associated with chemo-resistance. The sensitivity of NAT1 mRNA levels as a single parameter to identify non-responders to chemotherapy was 0.58 at a log(2) < 6.5. Conclusions: NAT1 mRNA can be used to segregate breast cancer patients into sub-populations that demonstrate different overall survival. Moreover, low NAT1 expression shows a distinct poor response to chemotherapy. Analysis of NAT1 expression may be useful for identifying specific individuals who would benefit from alternative therapy or drug combinations. However, additional information is required to increase the sensitivity of identifying non-responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) has been associated with cancer cell growth and invasion, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. NAT1 is located on the short arm of chromosome 8 (8p21), a region that is commonly deleted in colon cancer. Previously, it was reported that HT-29 colon cancer cells, which have a large deletion at 8p21-22, show marked morphological changes, increased E-cadherin expression and altered cell-cell contact inhibition following down-regulation of NAT1 with shRNA. By contrast, no effects on growth were observed in HeLa cells. In the present study, cellular changes following knockout of NAT1 with CRISPR/Cas9 in HT-29 and HeLa cells were compared in the presence and absence of glucose. Cell growth decreased in both cell-lines during glucose starvation, but it was enhanced in HT-29 cells following NAT1 deletion. This was due to an increase in ROS production that induced cell apoptosis. Both ROS production and cell death were prevented by the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine. NAT1 knockout also resulted in a loss of the gain-of-function p53 protein in HT-29 cells. When p53 expression was inhibited with siRNA in parental HT-29 cells, ROS production and apoptosis increased to levels seen in the NAT1 knockout cells. The loss of p53 may explain the decreased colony formation and increased contact inhibition previously reported following NAT1 down-regulation in these cells. In conclusion, NAT1 is important in maintaining intracellular ROS, especially during glucose starvation, by stabilizing gain-of-function p53 in HT-29 cells. These results suggest that NAT1 may be a novel target to decrease intracellular gain-of -function p53. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arylamine N -acetyltransferase (NAT; E.C. 2.3.1.5) enzymes are responsible for the biotransformation of several arylamine and hydrazine drugs by acetylation. In this process, the acetyl group transferred to the acceptor substrate produces NAT deacetylation and, in consequence, it is susceptible of degradation. Sirtuins are protein deacetylases, dependent on nicotine adenine dinucleotide, which perform post-translational modifications on cytosolic proteins. To explore possible sirtuin participation in the enzymatic activity of arylamine NATs, the expression levels of NAT1, NAT2, SIRT1 and SIRT6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy subjects were examined by flow cytometry and Western blot. The in situ activity of the sirtuins on NAT enzymatic activity was analyzed by HPLC, in the presence or absence of an agonist (resveratrol) and inhibitor (nicotinamide) of sirtuins. We detected a higher percentage of positive cells for NAT2 in comparison with NAT1, and higher numbers of SIRT1+ cells compared to SIRT6 in lymphocytes. In situ NAT2 activity in the presence of NAM inhibitors was higher than in the presence of its substrate, but not in the presence of resveratrol. In contrast, the activity of NAT1 was not affected by sirtuins. These results showed that NAT2 activity might be modified by sirtuins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]