Enzyme from the Northern Leopard Frog
Ranpirnase is a ribonuclease enzyme found in the oocytes of the Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens ). Ranpirnase is a member of the pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) protein superfamily and degrades RNA substrates with a sequence preference for uracil and guanine nucleotides . Along with amphinase , another leopard frog ribonuclease, Ranpirnase has been studied as a potential cancer and antiviral treatment due to its unusual mechanism of cytotoxicity tested against transformed cells and antiviral activity.[ 2]
Ranpirnase was originally discovered by scientists at TamirBio,[ 3] a biotechnology company (formerly Alfacell Corporation), where it was tested in preclinical assays[ 4] and in clinical trials under the name Pannon or Onconase , and TMR004 . The mechanism of action of ranpirnase has been attributed to the RNA interference pathway, potentially through cleaving siRNA molecules;[ 5] to cleavage of transfer RNA ;[ 2] and to interference with the NF-κB pathway.[ 6] Currently (as of March 2020) Ranpirnase is in clinical trials as a potential antiviral.[ 7]
^ Lee JE, Bae E, Bingman CA, Phillips GN, Raines RT (January 2008). "Structural basis for catalysis by onconase" . Journal of Molecular Biology . 375 (1): 165– 177. doi :10.1016/j.jmb.2007.09.089 . PMC 2151974 . PMID 18001769 .
^ a b Ardelt W, Shogen K, Darzynkiewicz Z (June 2008). "Onconase and amphinase, the antitumor ribonucleases from Rana pipiens oocytes" . Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology . 9 (3): 215– 225. doi :10.2174/138920108784567245 . PMC 2586917 . PMID 18673287 .
^ "Tamir Reports Positive Effect Against SARS Virus" .
^ Darzynkiewicz Z, Carter SP, Mikulski SM, Ardelt WJ, Shogen K (May 1988). "Cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of Pannon (P-30 Protein), a novel anticancer agent". Cell and Tissue Kinetics . 21 (3): 169– 182. doi :10.1111/j.1365-2184.1988.tb00855.x . PMID 3224365 . S2CID 29722939 .
^ Zhao H, Ardelt B, Ardelt W, Shogen K, Darzynkiewicz Z (October 2008). "The cytotoxic ribonuclease onconase targets RNA interference (siRNA)" . Cell Cycle . 7 (20): 3258– 3261. doi :10.4161/cc.7.20.6855 . PMC 2586937 . PMID 18927512 .
^ Nasu M, Carbone M, Gaudino G, Ly BH, Bertino P, Shimizu D, et al. (May 2011). "Ranpirnase Interferes with NF-κB Pathway and MMP9 Activity, Inhibiting Malignant Mesothelioma Cell Invasiveness and Xenograft Growth" . Genes & Cancer . 2 (5): 576– 584. doi :10.1177/1947601911412375 . PMC 3161417 . PMID 21901170 .
^ Clinical trial number NCT03856645 for "OKG-0301 for the Treatment of Acute Adenoviral Conjunctivitis (RUBY)" at ClinicalTrials.gov