New Research may Unlock Role of Enzyme's in Various Diseases

A researcher has uncovered characteristics of enzymes that regulate human biology, that it could be used to identify predisposition to conditions such as heart disease, diabetic ulcers and some types of cancer.

Brad Pierce from the University of Texas at Arlington along with his team examined an oxygen utilizing iron enzyme called cysteine dioxygenase or CDO, which is found in high levels within heart, liver, and brain tissues.

CoQ10 - How Does this Coenzyme Protect Your Body?
Vitamin-like CoQ10 helps generate energy for the cells to function at their optimum level. Secondary to its role in energy production, CoQ10 also functions as a potent antioxidant.

Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts to enable metabolic functions, but under some circumstances these oxygen-dependent enzymes can also produce highly toxic side products called reactive oxygen species or ROS.

For the first time, Pierce's team found that mutations outside the CDO active site environment or "outer coordination sphere" have a profound influence on the release of ROS. Excess ROS has been linked to numerous age-onset human disease states.

"Most research in the past has focused on the active site inner coordination sphere of these enzymes, where the metal molecule is located," Pierce said.

Winter Blues Cure on the Anvil Following Enzyme Discovery
Melatonin, the enzyme which regulates the body’s internal clock, may provide an answer to overcoming jet lag and winter blues.

"What we're finding is that it's really the second sphere that regulates the efficiency of the enzyme. In essence, these interactions hold everything together during catalysis. When this process breaks down, the enzyme ends up spitting out high levels of ROS and increasing the likelihood of disease."

The study was published in the journal Biochemistry.

In Predicting Onset of Alzheimer Disease, Enzyme BACE1 is Important
In brains with sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD), the critical enzyme beta-secretase1 (BACE1) is known to be elevated.

Source-ANI

Risk of Cardiovascular Event Is Not Lowered Upon Use of Enzyme Inhibitors Among Patients With Recent ACS
The effects of varespladib, a drug that inhibits the enzyme secretory phospholipase A2 on cardiovascular risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome was determined by Stephen J. Nicholls.