RESUMEN
Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) form a large family of enzymes that serve as key regulatory components in signal transduction pathways. Defective or inappropriate regulation of PTPase activity leads to aberrant tyrosine phosphorylation, which contributes to the development of many human diseases including cancers and diabetes. For example, recent gene knockout studies in mice identify PTP1B as a promising target for anti-diabetes/obesity drug discovery. Thus, there is intense interest in obtaining specific and potent PTPase inhibitors for biological studies and pharmacological development. However, given the highly conserved nature of the PTPase active site, it is unclear whether selectivity in PTPase inhibition can be achieved. We describe a combinatorial approach that is designed to target both the active site and a unique peripheral site in PTP1B. Compounds that can simultaneously associate with both sites are expected to exhibit enhanced affinity and specificity. We also describe a novel affinity-based high-throughput assay procedure that can be used for PTPase inhibitor screening. The combinatorial library/high-throughput screen protocols furnished a small molecule PTP1B inhibitor that is both potent (K(i) = 2.4 nm) and selective (little or no activity against a panel of phosphatases including Yersinia PTPase, SHP1, SHP2, LAR, HePTP, PTPalpha, CD45, VHR, MKP3, Cdc25A, Stp1, and PP2C). These results demonstrate that it is possible to acquire potent, yet highly selective inhibitors for individual members of the large PTPase family of enzymes.
Asunto(s)
Dipéptidos/síntesis química , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/química , Técnicas Genéticas , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Animales , Sitios de Unión , Clonación Molecular , Diseño de Fármacos , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Glutatión Transferasa/metabolismo , Concentración 50 Inhibidora , Cinética , Ligandos , Ratones , Modelos Químicos , Biblioteca de Péptidos , Péptidos/química , Unión Proteica , Proteína Tirosina Fosfatasa no Receptora Tipo 1 , Conejos , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusión/metabolismoRESUMEN
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) displays a preference for peptides containing acidic as well as aromatic/aliphatic residues immediately NH(2)-terminal to phosphotyrosine. The structure of PTP1B bound with DADEpYL-NH(2) (EGFR(988)(-)(993)) offers a structural explanation for PTP1B's preference for acidic residues [Jia, Z., Barford, D., Flint, A. J., and Tonks, N. K. (1995) Science 268, 1754-1758]. We report here the crystal structures of PTP1B in complex with Ac-ELEFpYMDYE-NH(2) (PTP1B.Con) and Ac-DAD(Bpa)pYLIPQQG (PTP1B.Bpa) determined to 1.8 and 1.9 A resolution, respectively. A structural analysis of PTP1B.Con and PTP1B.Bpa shows how aromatic/aliphatic residues at the -1 and -3 positions of peptide substrates are accommodated by PTP1B. A comparison of the structures of PTP1B.Con and PTP1B.Bpa with that of PTP1B.EGFR(988)(-)(993) reveals the structural basis for the plasticity of PTP1B substrate recognition. PTP1B is able to bind phosphopeptides by utilizing common interactions involving the aromatic ring and phosphate moiety of phosphotyrosine itself, two conserved hydrogen bonds between the Asp48 carboxylate side chain and the main chain nitrogens of the pTyr and residue 1, and a third between the main chain nitrogen of Arg47 and the main chain carbonyl of residue -2. The ability of PTP1B to accommodate both acidic and hydrophobic residues immediately NH(2)-terminal to pTyr appears to be conferred upon PTP1B by a single residue, Arg47. Depending on the nature of the NH(2)-terminal amino acids, the side chain of Arg47 can adopt one of two different conformations, generating two sets of distinct peptide binding surfaces. When an acidic residue is positioned at position -1, a preference for a second acidic residue is also observed at position -2. However, when a large hydrophobic group occupies position -1, Arg47 adopts a new conformation so that it can participate in hydrophobic interactions with both positions -1 and -3.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Arginina/metabolismo , Cristalización , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Cinética , Modelos Moleculares , Péptidos/química , Péptidos/metabolismo , Conformación Proteica , Proteína Tirosina Fosfatasa no Receptora Tipo 1 , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Especificidad por SustratoRESUMEN
An "inverse alanine scanning" peptide library approach has been developed to assess the substrate specificity of protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). In this method each Ala moiety in the parent peptide, Ac-AAAApYAAAA-NH(2), is separately and sequentially replaced by the 19 non-Ala amino acids to generate a library of 153 well defined peptides. The relatively small number of peptides allows the acquisition of explicit kinetic data for all library members, thereby furnishing information about the contribution of individual amino acids with respect to substrate properties. The approach was applied to protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as a first example, and the highly potent peptide substrate Ac-ELEFpYMDYE-NH(2) (k(cat)/K(m) 2.2 +/- 0.05 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1)) has been identified. More importantly, several heretofore unknown features of the substrate specificity of PTP1B were revealed. This includes the ability of PTP1B to accommodate acidic, aromatic, and hydrophobic residues at the -1 position, a strong nonpreference for Lys and Arg residues in any position, and the first evidence that residues well beyond the +1 position contribute to substrate efficacy.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Alanina , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Biblioteca de Péptidos , Fosforilación , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Especificidad por SustratoRESUMEN
General acid catalysis in protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) is accomplished by a conserved Asp residue, which is brought into position for catalysis by movement of a flexible loop that occurs upon binding of substrate. With the PTPase from Yersinia, we have examined the effect on general acid catalysis caused by mutations to two conserved residues that are integral to this conformation change. Residue Trp354 is at a hinge of the loop, and Arg409 forms hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions with the phosphoryl group of substrates. Trp354 was mutated to Phe and to Ala, and residue Arg409 was mutated to Lys and to Ala. The four mutant enzymes were studied using steady state kinetics and heavy-atom isotope effects with the substrate p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The data indicate that mutation of the hinge residue Trp354 to Ala completely disables general acid catalysis. In the Phe mutant, general acid catalysis is partially effective, but the proton is only partially transferred in the transition state, in contrast to the native enzyme where proton transfer to the leaving group is virtually complete. Mutation of Arg409 to Lys has a minimal effect on the K(m), while this parameter is increased 30-fold in the Ala mutant. The k(cat) values for R409K and for R409A are about 4 orders of magnitude lower than that for the native enzyme. General acid catalysis is rendered inoperative by the Lys mutation, but partial proton transfer during catalysis still occurs in the Ala mutant. Structural explanations for the differential effects of these mutations on movement of the flexible loop that enables general acid catalysis are presented.
Asunto(s)
Arginina/genética , Mutagénesis Sitio-Dirigida , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/genética , Triptófano/genética , Yersinia/enzimología , Ácidos/química , Arginina/química , Catálisis , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Cinética , Isótopos de Nitrógeno , Nitrofenoles/química , Isótopos de Oxígeno , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Protones , Especificidad por Sustrato , Triptófano/química , Yersinia/genéticaRESUMEN
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) are involved in the control of tyrosine phosphorylation levels in the cell and are believed to be crucial for the regulation of a multitude of cellular functions. A detailed understanding of the role played by PTPases in various signaling pathways has not yet been achieved, and potent and selective PTPase inhibitors are essential in the quest to determine the functionality of individual PTPases. Using the DOCK methodology, we have carried out a structure-based, computer-assisted search of an available chemical database in order to identify low molecular weight, nonpeptidic PTP1B inhibitors. We have identified several organic molecules that not only possess inhibitory activity against PTP1B but which also display significant selectivity for PTP1B. This indicates that although structural features important for pTyr recognition are conserved among different PTPases, it is possible to generate selective inhibitors targeted primarily to the catalytic site. Kinetic analysis and molecular modeling experiments suggest that the PTP1B active site possesses significant plasticity such that substituted and extended aromatic systems can be accommodated. The newly identified molecules provide a molecular framework upon which therapeutically useful compounds can ultimately be based, and systematic optimization of these lead compounds is likely to further enhance their potency and selectivity.
Asunto(s)
Inhibidores Enzimáticos/química , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Dominio Catalítico , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/metabolismo , Cinética , Modelos Moleculares , Estructura Molecular , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Especificidad por SustratoRESUMEN
Growth factors induce intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in non-phagocytic cells and elevation of their phosphorylated protein tyrosine level. The latter can be achieved by activating protein-tyrosine kinases and/or inactivating protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). A highly abundant PTP, PTP-1B, is known to be inactivated by oxidation of its catalytic site Cys-215. We show that O-(2) is kinetically more efficient and chemically more specific oxidant than H(2)O(2) for inactivating PTP-1B. The second-order rate constant for the O-(2)- and H(2)O(2)-mediated inactivation is 334 +/- 45 M(-1) s(-1) and 42.8 +/- 3.8 M(-1) s(-1), respectively. PTP-1B oxidized by H(2)O(2) exhibits significantly more oxidized methionine residues and shows a lower degree of reversibility. The initial oxidative product, the Cys-215 sulfenic derivative, can easily be oxidized further to its irreversible sulfinic and sulfonic derivatives. This step is prevented by glutathionylation of the sulfenic derivative to form a S-glutathionylated PTP-1B, which can be reactivated by dithiothreitol or thioltransferase. Thus, a signal transduction mechanism mediated by the O-(2) and the participation of glutathione is proposed for the regulation of PTP-1B. This mechanism is supported by the in vivo demonstration that glutathionylated PTP-1B at Cys-215 is formed in A431 cells when they were treated with epidermal growth factor.
Asunto(s)
Aniones/metabolismo , Proteínas Portadoras/metabolismo , Proteínas de la Membrana/metabolismo , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas , Transducción de Señal , Superóxidos/metabolismo , Catalasa/farmacología , Cromatografía Liquida , Activación Enzimática/efectos de los fármacos , Activación Enzimática/fisiología , Humanos , Peróxido de Hidrógeno/metabolismo , Cinética , Espectrometría de Masas , Oxidación-Reducción , Proteína Tirosina Fosfatasa no Receptora Tipo 1 , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Factores de Tiempo , Células Tumorales Cultivadas , Xantina/farmacologíaRESUMEN
The hydrolysis of O-arylphosphorothioates by protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) was studied with the aim of providing a mechanistic framework for the reactions of this important class of substrate analogues. O-arylphosphorothioates are hydrolyzed 2 to 3 orders of magnitude slower than O-aryl phosphates by PTPases. This is in contrast to the solution reaction where phosphorothioates display 10-60-fold higher reactivity than the corresponding oxygen analogues. Kinetic analyses suggest that PTPases utilize the same active site and similar kinetic and chemical mechanisms for the hydrolysis of O-arylphosphorothioates and O-aryl phosphates. Thio substitution has no effect on the affinity of substrate or product for the PTPases. Bronsted analyses suggest that like the PTPase-catalyzed phosphoryl transfer reaction the transition state for the PTPase-catalyzed thiophosphoryl transfer is highly dissociative, similar to that of the corresponding solution reaction. The side chain of the active-site Arg residue forms a bidentate hydrogen bond with two of the terminal phosphate oxygens in the ground state and two of the equatorial oxygens in a transition state analog complex with vanadate [Denu et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 2493-2498; Zhang, M. et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 15-23; Pannifer et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 10454-10462]. Replacement of the active-site Arg409 in the Yersinia PTPase by a Lys reduces the thio effect by 54-fold, consistent with direct interaction and demonstrating strong energetic coupling between Arg409 and the phosphoryl oxygens in the transition state. These results suggest that the large thio effect observed in the PTPase reaction is the result of inability to achieve precise transition state complementarity in the enzyme active site with the larger sulfur substitution.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Tionucleótidos/metabolismo , Sitios de Unión/genética , Catálisis , Óxido de Deuterio/química , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Hidrólisis , Cinética , Mutagénesis Sitio-Dirigida , Nitrofenoles/química , Nitrofenoles/metabolismo , Resonancia Magnética Nuclear Biomolecular , Compuestos Organofosforados/química , Compuestos Organofosforados/metabolismo , Organotiofosfatos/química , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/genética , Solventes , Tionucleótidos/química , Yersinia/enzimología , Yersinia/genéticaRESUMEN
The reversible regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase is an important mechanism in processing signal transduction and regulating cell cycle. Recent reports have shown that the active site cysteine residue, Cys215, can be reversibly oxidized to a cysteine sulfenic derivative (Denu and Tanner, 1998; Lee et al., 1998). We propose an additional modification that has implications for the in vivo regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B, EC 3.1.3.48): the glutathionylation of Cys215 to a mixed protein disulfide. Treatment of PTP1B with diamide and reduced glutathione or with only glutathione disulfide (GSSG) results in a modification detected by mass spectrometry in which the cysteine residues are oxidized to mixed disulfides with glutathione. The activity is recovered by the addition of dithiothreitol, presumably by reducing the cysteine disulfides. In addition, inactivated PTP1B is reactivated enzymatically by the glutathione-specific dethiolase enzyme thioltransferase (glutaredoxin), indicating that the inactivated form of the phosphatase is a glutathionyl mixed disulfide. The cysteine sulfenic derivative can easily oxidize to its irreversible sulfinic and sulfonic forms and hinder the regulatory efficiency if it is not converted to a more stable and reversible end product such as a glutathionyl derivative. Glutathionylation of the cysteine sulfenic derivative will prevent the enzyme from further oxidation to its irreversible forms, and constitutes an efficient regulatory mechanism.
Asunto(s)
Cisteína/metabolismo , Glutatión/metabolismo , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Sitios de Unión , Cisteína/química , Ácido Ditionitrobenzoico/química , Electroforesis en Gel de Poliacrilamida , Activación Enzimática , Glutatión/química , Glutatión/fisiología , Disulfuro de Glutatión/química , Disulfuro de Glutatión/metabolismo , Disulfuro de Glutatión/fisiología , Humanos , Cinética , Espectrometría de Masas , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Oxidación-Reducción , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , VolumetríaRESUMEN
The involvement of the strictly conserved Trp354 residue in the catalysis of the Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) has been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic studies. Crystallographic structural data have revealed that Trp354 interacts with the active site Arg409 and is located at one of the hinge positions of the flexible surface loop (WpD loop) which also harbors the general acid/base (Asp356) essential for catalysis [Schubert, H. L., Fauman, E. B., Stuckey, J. A., Dixon, J. E. & Saper, M. A. (1995) Protein Sci. 4, 1904-1913]. Two mutants were constructed and expressed that contained the Trp354-->Phe and Trp354-->Ala substitutions. The K(m) of the W354F and W354A mutants were not significantly different from that of the wild-type. However, a major decrease in the affinity for oxyanions was observed for the mutants, which is consistent with Trp354 playing a role in aligning Arg409 for oxyanion binding. In addition replacement of Trp354 with Phe or Ala caused a decrease in kcat of 200-fold and 480-fold, respectively, and impaired the ability of the mutant enzymes to stabilize the negative charge in the leaving group at the transition state. In fact, the W354F and W354A mutants exhibited catalytic efficiency and leaving group dependency similar to those observed for the general acid-deficient PTPase D356N. These results indicate that Trp354 is an important residue that keeps the WpD loop in a catalytically competent conformation and positions the general acid/base Asp356 in the correct orientation for proton transfer.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Bacterianas/química , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Yersinia/enzimología , Arseniatos/farmacología , Sitios de Unión/genética , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Cinética , Modelos Moleculares , Conformación Molecular , Mutagénesis Sitio-Dirigida/genética , Unión Proteica/genética , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/genética , Triptófano/química , Compuestos de Tungsteno/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Several protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) have been implicated as regulatory agents in the insulin-stimulated signal transduction pathway, including PTP1B, PTPalpha, and LAR. Furthermore, since all three enzymes are suggested to serve as negative regulators of insulin signaling, one or more may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. We report herein the acquisition of highly selective PTP1B-targeted inhibitors. We recently demonstrated that PTP1B contains two proximal aromatic phosphate binding sites [Puius, Y. A., Zhao, Y., Sullivan, M., Lawrence, D. S., Almo S. C., and Zhang, Z. Y. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94, 13420-5], and we have now employed this structural feature to design and synthesize an array of bis(aryldifluorophosphonates). Not only do the lead compounds serve as potent inhibitors of PTP1B but, in addition, several exhibit selectivities for PTP1B versus PTPalpha, LAR, and VHR that are greater than 2 orders in magnitude.
Asunto(s)
Difosfonatos/farmacología , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Dominio Catalítico , Difosfonatos/síntesis química , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/síntesis química , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/química , Humanos , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Tirosina/metabolismoRESUMEN
Most transmembrane, receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) contain two cytoplasmic catalytic protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) domains, of which the membrane-proximal domain, D1, contains the majority of the activity, while the membrane-distal domain, D2, exhibits little or no activity. We have investigated the structural basis for reduced activity in RPTP-D2s, using RPTPalpha as a model system. Sequence alignment of PTP domains indicated that two motifs, the KNRY motif and the WpD motif, are highly conserved in all PTP domains, but not in RPTP-D2s. In RPTPalpha-D2, the Tyr in the KNRY motif is substituted by Val (position 555) and the Asp in the WpD motif by Glu (position 690). Mutation of Val555 and Glu690 had synergistic effects on RPTPalpha-D2 activity, in that the PTP activity of RPTPalpha-D2-V555Y/E690D was greatly enhanced to levels that were similar to or approaching those of RPTPalpha-D1. Therefore, Val555 and Glu690 are responsible in large part for reduced RPTPalpha-D2 activity. In addition, we established that the increased PTP activity is due to restoration of effective transition-state stabilization in RPTPalpha-D2-V555Y/E690D. Since the KNRY motif and the WpD motif are mutated in all RPTP-D2s, it is highly unlikely, due to lack of transition-state stabilization, that the residual RPTP-D2 catalytic activity plays a role in the function of RPTPs.
Asunto(s)
Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Proteínas Tirosina Quinasas Receptoras/metabolismo , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Arseniatos/farmacología , Catálisis , Membrana Celular/enzimología , Secuencia Conservada , Activación Enzimática , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Humanos , Cinética , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Naftalenos/farmacología , Organofosfatos/farmacología , Fragmentos de Péptidos/química , Fragmentos de Péptidos/metabolismo , Estructura Terciaria de Proteína , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/química , Proteínas Tirosina Quinasas Receptoras/química , Vanadatos/farmacologíaRESUMEN
The effect of suramin, a well known antitrypanosomal drug and a novel experimental agent for the treatment of several cancers, on protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) has been examined. Suramin is a reversible and competitive PTPase inhibitor with Kis values in the low microM range, whereas the Kis for the dual specificity phosphatase VHR is at least 10-fold higher. Although suramin can also inhibit the activity of the potato acid phosphatase at a slightly higher concentration, it is 2-3 orders of magnitude less effective against the protein Ser/Thr phosphatase 1alpha and the bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase. Suramin binds to the active site of PTPases with a binding stoichiometry of 1:1. Furthermore, when suramin is bound to the active site of PTPases, its fluorescence is enhanced approximately by 10-fold. This property has allowed the determination of the binding affinity of suramin for PTPases and several catalytically impaired mutant PTPases by fluorescence titration techniques. Thus, the active site Cys to Ser mutants bind suramin with similar affinity as the wild type, while the active site Arg to Ala mutant exhibits a 20-fold reduced affinity toward suramin. Interestingly, the general acid deficient Asp to Ala mutant PTPases display an enhanced affinity toward suramin, which is in accord with their use as improved "substrate-trapping" agents. That suramin is a high affinity PTPase inhibitor is consistent with the observation that suramin treatment of cancer cell lines leads to an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins. Given the pleiotropic effects of suramin on many enzyme systems and growth factor-receptor interactions, the exact in vivo actions of suramin require further detailed structure-activity investigation of suramin and its structural analogs.
Asunto(s)
Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/antagonistas & inhibidores , Suramina/farmacología , Sitios de Unión , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/metabolismo , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/genética , Proteínas Tirosina Fosfatasas/metabolismo , Espectrometría de Fluorescencia , Suramina/metabolismo , Yersinia/enzimologíaRESUMEN
Aspartokinase III (AK III) has been purified from a plasmid-containing strain of Escherichia coli. The enzyme shows broad specificity for the phosphoryl acceptor substrate. Structural analogs of aspartic acid with a derivatized alpha-carboxyl group are accepted as alternative substrates by the enzyme. Derivatives at the alpha-amino group are also tolerated by AK III but with diminished catalytic activity. As has been previously observed with aspartokinase I (T. S. Angeles and R. E. Viola, 1992, Biochemistry 31, 799), derivatization of the beta-carboxyl group, which serves as the phosphoryl acceptor, does not prevent catalytic activity. These beta-derivatized analogs are capable of productive binding to these enzymes through a reversal of regiospecificity, making the alpha-carboxyl group available as the phosphoryl acceptor. Chemical modification and pH profile studies have identified the functional groups of cysteine and histidine as being involved in the catalytic activity of AK III.
Asunto(s)
Aspartato Quinasa/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/enzimología , Aspartato Quinasa/química , Aspartato Quinasa/aislamiento & purificación , Sitios de Unión , Cromatografía por Intercambio Iónico , Clonación Molecular , Cisteína/análisis , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , Etilmaleimida/farmacología , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Imidazoles/farmacología , Cinética , Sustancias Macromoleculares , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/aislamiento & purificación , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Especificidad por Sustrato , Tetranitrometano/farmacologíaRESUMEN
The mutagenic activity of dichloromethane extracts of 147 air particulate samples collected from 8 stations during December 1986-June 1987 in Taipei city was consistently higher in S. typhimurium strain TA 98 than in strain TA 100 in the presence of S9 mixture. Among the 8 stations, Nan Kang Police Station, Fu Hsing Elementary School, and Chung Hsing University which were located in the industrial district, downtown area, and heavy traffic zone, respectively, had significantly higher levels of PAHs than the other stations. In contrast, the levels of PAHs were much lower in the suburban station, near Pei Tou Elementary School. However, PAH contents of the air particulate samples collected from these stations did not show good correlation with their mutagenicity. The air particulates collected at some stations on Sunday when the traffic changed from heavy to light showed lower mutagenicity and PAH contents as compared with the other weekdays at the same stations. On the contrary, the samples collected at Pei Tou station in a suburban area where the traffic changed from light to heavy on Sunday showed higher mutagenicity and PAH contents. The monthly average of PAHs of air particulate samples collected over a 7-month period from 8 stations in Taipei city was lower than the average in 1980. Moreover, when compared with other countries, such as U.S.A., the Netherlands, West Germany, Italy, Norway, and Japan, the levels of PAHs and mutagenicity of air particulate matters in Taipei city were similar or slightly lower. The mutagenicity and contents of PAHs of air particulates collected from burnt ABS were significantly higher than those of burnt PVC. One sample PT-6-3 was collected while a nearby garbage collection area was on fire. The mutagenicity of that sample increased 3 to 16 fold and contained an 11 to 33 times higher content of the six PAHs (BaP, BeP, BbF, BaA, Chr, and DbA) as compared with the other samples collected at the same location at a different time. The higher mutagenicity and PAH contents of that sample might be due to the pollution of the air from combustion of the garbage containing products made of ABS.