Activation of alpha-, beta-, gamma- delta-, zeta- and eta- class of carbonic anhydrases with amines and amino acids: a review

Eight genetically distinct carbonic anhydrase (EC 4.2.1.1) enzyme families (alpha-, beta-, gamma- delta-, zeta-, eta-, theta- and iota-CAs) were described to date. On the other hand, 16 mammalian alpha-CA isoforms are known to be involved in many diseases such as glaucoma, edema, epilepsy, obesity, hypoxic tumors, neuropathic pain, arthritis, neurodegeneration, etc. Although CA inhibitors were investigated for the management of a variety of such disorders, the activators just started to be investigated in detail for their in vivo effects. This review summarizes the activation profiles of alpha-, beta, gamma-, delta-, zeta- and eta- CAs from various organisms (animals, fungi, protozoan, bacteria and archaea) with the most investigated classes of activators, the amines and the amino acids.