Metabolism of [17-2H]pregnenolone into 5-[17 beta-2H, 17 alpha-18O]androstene-3 beta, 17 alpha-diol and other products by incubation with the microsomal fraction of boar testis under 18O2 atmosphere.

[17-2H]Pregnenolone was incubated with the microsomal fraction of boar testis under an 18O2 atmosphere. The metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the following six metabolites labeled with 2H or 18O (or both) were identified: 17 alpha-[17-18O]hydroxypregnenolone, [17-18O]dehydroepiandrosterone, 5-[17-18O]androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol, 16 alpha-[16-18O]hydroxy[17-2H]pregnenolone, 5-[17 beta-2H, 17-18O]androstene-3 beta,17 alpha-diol, and 5,16-[17-2H]androstadien-3 beta-ol. The time course of the formation of these metabolites from pregnenolone was also studied using 14C-labeled substrate. The results obtained from these experiments suggest that the first three metabolites were synthesized by a well-documented pathway--pregnenolone yields 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone yields dehydroepiandrosterone yields 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol--, and that 16 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone, 5-androstene-3 beta,17 alpha-diol and 5,16-androstadien-3 beta-ol were synthesized from [17-2H]pregnenolone with retention of 17-2H.     

Synthesis of C-2 and C-4 deuterium-labeled estradiol-17 beta

Estradiol-17 beta labeled with deuterium in the positions 2 or 4 can be prepared from 2-chloromercurio-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,17 beta-diol 3-methyl ether 17-acetate or 4-chloromercurio-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,17 beta-diol, respectively, in refluxing CH3COO(2)H/(2)H2O. The same reaction performed on 4-acetoxymercurio-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,17 beta-diol afforded 2,4-dideuterio-estradiol-17 beta in good yields.     

17beta-Estradiol nitration by peroxidase/H2O2/NO2-: a chemical assessment

Nitration of 17beta-estradiol by H(2)O(2) and nitrite in the presence of various peroxidases, viz. horseradish peroxidase, lactoperoxidase, and peroxidase-containing homogenates from bovine uteri, was systematically investigated to assess on a chemical basis its potential relevance to the mechanisms of impairment of estrogen functions under oxidative/nitrosative stress conditions. In the presence of excess nitrite 17beta-estradiol reacted smoothly to give 2-nitroestradiol (1), 4-nitroestradiol (2), and 2,4-dinitroestradiol (3). With 10-300 microM estradiol, formation yields of 1-3 were 12-55%, but dropped to 1% or less at lower estrogen concentration, for example, 1 microM, or in plasma as the reaction medium. Time course analysis showed that 2 is the prevalent nitration product under conditions of slow generation of nitrating species, suggesting some regioselectivity for estradiol nitration at C-4, whereas 1 prevails with bolus addition of reagents, due to faster degradation of 2. Competition experiments carried out with (15)NO(2)- showed that 2 is about twice more susceptible to nitration than 1 as determined by (15)N NMR analysis of the resulting 3. The biological effects of 1 and 2 were preliminarily tested on in vitro bovine embryo cultures. When 1 and 2 were substituted to the standard 17beta-estradiol in the oocyte maturation, a significant decrease in both cleavage and blastocyst efficiency was observed in the case of 1 but not 2. Overall, these results suggest that estradiol nitration is a potential pathway of hormonal dysfunction and toxicity but would require elevated estrogen levels of questionable physiological relevance.     

Novel interactions of a microbial superantigen with TLR2 and TLR4 differentially regulate IL-17 and Th17-associated cytokines

Mycoplasma arthritidis, an inflammatory murine pathogen, secretes a potent superantigen, Mycoplasma arthritidis mitogen (MAM) that contributes to toxic shock, arthritis and skin necrosis. Previously we showed that MAM induced type 2 T-cell cytokines in mice that express functional TLR2 and TLR4, but type 1 cytokines in mice that lack TLR4 function. We show here that IL-17, pSTAT3 and retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptorγt are rapidly expressed in wild-type C3H/HeSnJ (TLR2+/4+) mice but are significantly delayed in mutant C3H/HeJ (TLR2+/4-) mice. This marked kinetic difference was associated with a high level of IL-6 in TLR2+/4+ mice versus high levels of IL-1β and TNFα in TLR2+/4- mice. Also antibodies to IL-6 and IL-23, suppressed IL-17 responses to MAM in TLR2+/4+ mice whereas anti-IL-1β, but not anti-TNFα, enhanced IL-17 in TLR2+/4- mice. Antibody blocking of TLR4 in TLR2+/4+ mice decreased IL-17 and IL-6 but not IL-23. In addition both IL-17 and IL-6 but not IL-23 were elevated in TLR2 KO mice versus wild-type TLR2+/4+ mice given MAM. We conclude that the MAM interaction with TLR2 versus TLR4 leads to distinct cytokine pathways mediated primarily by IL-1β or IL-6/IL-17 signalling respectively. Our findings suggest that the differential interaction of MAM with different TLRs might play an important role in disease outcomes by M. arthritidis.     

4-Hydroxyestrone: a new metabolite of estradiol-17 beta from humans

4-Hydroxyestrone has been identified, by reverse isotope dilution, as a urinary metabolite after injection of a mixture of 4-³H- and 4-¹⁴C-estradiol-17β into a 23 year old woman and a 39 year old man. This new metabolite accounted for 1.1% of the -¹⁴C dose administered to the woman and 0.51% of the -¹⁴C dose administered to the man. 7.3% Of the ³H dose was liberated into the body water pool of the woman and 6.1% into that of the man. The yields of radioactive estrone, estradiol-17β, estriol, 2-hydroxyestrone, 2-methoxyestrone and 2-hydroxyestrone 3-methyl ether were also measured in both the Ketodase and Glusulase hydrolyzed urinary fractions from both subjects.     

A versatile synthesis of 17-heteroaryl androstenes via palladium-mediated Suzuki cross-coupling with heteroaryl boronic acids

Suzuki coupling of 17-iodoandrosta-5,16-dien-3beta-ol (1) and 17-iodoandrosta-4,16-dien-3-one (2) with nine heteroaryl boronic acids (mainly 2- or 3-furanyl, thienyl, benzofuranyl and benzothienyl boronic acid derivatives) were carried out under normal Suzuki condition (Pd(PPh(3))(4), 2M Na(2)CO(3) and MeOH), generally yielded C(17)-heteroaryl steroids in moderate (10-60%) yields, but furanyl-2- and 5-chlorothienyl-2-boronic acid did not give any coupling product.     

Novel P450(17alpha) inhibitors: 17-(2'-oxazolyl)- and 17-(2'-thiazolyl)-androstene derivatives

Twelve 17-(2'-oxazolyl)- and 17-(2'-thiazolyl)-androsta-5,16-diene derivatives were designed and synthesized from 3 beta-acetoxy-pregna-5,16-dien-20-one (1b) as inhibitors of 17 alpha-hydroxylase-C(17,20)-lyase (P450(17 alpha)). Potent inhibitors of this enzyme could be of value as treatment of prostate cancer. Two substituents (methyl and phenyl) were introduced either at their 4'- or 5'-position in order to investigate their structure-activity relationship. Due to the 16,17-double bond, 17-thiazoles were generally obtained in low yield. The pharmacological results showed that the compounds containing 17-(2'-oxazolyl) (14c) and 17-(2'-thiazolyl) (8c) (41.5%) demonstrated reasonable inhibition against P450(17 alpha). Their 3-acetate (13c and 7c) were less potent than their 3-OH counterparts. The introduction of a phenyl or methyl group generally decreased inhibitory activity. Surprisingly, 17-(5'-methyl-2'-thiazolyl) (12a) was the most potent compound in this series and was almost as potent as L-39, which has good antitumor activity.     

Pd(PPh3)4/AgOAc-catalyzed coupling of 17-steroidal triflates and alkynes: Highly efficient synthesis of D-ring unsaturated 17-alkynylsteroids

A novel and practical procedure was developed for the preparation of D-ring unsaturated 17-alkynyl steroids by Pd(PPh₃)₄/AgOAc-catalyzed coupling of steroidal 17-triflates and alkynes. Firstly treatment of the steroid-17-ones with PhN(Tf)₂ and KHMDS in dried THF at −78 °C for 2 h gives the corresponding steroidal 17-triflates products in high yields (97-98%), following the coupling of steroidal 17-triflates and various 1-alkynes by Pd(PPh₃)₄/AgOAc-catalyzed in the presence of DIPEA for 24 h to yield the desired D-ring unsaturated 17-alkynyl steroids (86-97%). Moreover, it was found that the coupling reaction catalyzed by Pd[(C₆H₅)₃P]₄/AgOAc system is selective for aryl triflates or vinyl triflates. By optimizing the reaction conditions, the sole C17-coupling products from steroidal bistriflates were obtained in satisfactory yields. Since D-ring unsaturated 17-alkynyl steroids with conjugated double and triplet bond can be subsequently converted into pentacyclic steroids and 17-oxosteroid derivatives at the side chain of D-ring, this general method provides a highly efficient route to these biologically important compounds.     

Water orientation and motion in phospholipid bilayers: a comparison between 17O- and 2H-NMR.

17O- and 2H-NMR spectra were obtained of a lamellar phase of dipalmitoyl-3sn-phosphatidylcholine (DPL) and D2 17O with water content of 3--15 moles water/mole DPL, in the temperature range 20 to 80 degrees C. In every case, the quadrupole splittings observed for 17O were 6.6 times larger than those for 2H. Therefore the two methods contain in principle the same information, but with less details from 17O. On the other hand, dynamic information is easily obtained from 17O linewidth data and complements the deuterium results.     

Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG sensitizes Bcl-2 inhibitor (-)-gossypol by suppressing ERK-mediated protective autophagy and Mcl-1 accumulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Natural BH3-memitic (-)-gossypol shows promising antitumor efficacy in several kinds of cancer. However, our previous studies have demonstrated that protective autophagy decreases the drug sensitivities of Bcl-2 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. In the present study, we are the first to report that Hsp90 inhibitor 17-AAG enhanced (-)-gossypol-induced apoptosis via suppressing (-)-gossypol-triggered protective autophagy and Mcl-1 accumulation. The suppression effect of 17-AAG on autophagy was mediated by inhibiting ERK-mediated Bcl-2 phosphorylation while was not related to Beclin1 or LC3 protein instability. Meanwhile, 17-AAG downregulated (-)-gossypol-triggered Mcl-1 accumulation by suppressing Mcl-1^Thr163 phosphorylation and promoting protein degradation. Collectively, our study indicates that Hsp90 plays an important role in tumor maintenance and inhibition of Hsp90 may become a new strategy for sensitizing Bcl-2-targeted chemotherapies in HCC cells.     

Role of microtubules in estradiol-17beta-D-glucuronide-induced alteration of canalicular Mrp2 localization and activity

Estradiol-17beta-D-glucuronide (E2-17G) induces a marked but reversible inhibition of bile flow in the rat together with endocytic retrieval of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) from the canalicular membrane to intracellular structures. We analyzed the effect of pretreatment (100 min) with the microtubule inhibitor colchicine or lumicholchicine, its inactive isomer (1 micromol/kg iv), on changes in bile flow and localization and function of Mrp2 induced by E2-17G (15 micromol/kg iv). Bile flow and biliary excretion of bilirubin, an endogenous Mrp2 substrate, were measured throughout, whereas Mrp2 localization was examined at 20 and 120 min after E2-17G by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and Western analysis. Colchicine pretreatment alone did not affect bile flow or Mrp2 localization and activity over the short time scale examined (3-4 h). Administration of E2-17G to colchicine-pretreated rats induced a marked decrease (85%) in bile flow and biliary excretion of bilirubin as well as internalization of Mrp2 at 20 min. These alterations were of a similar magnitude as in rats pretreated with lumicolchicine followed by E2-17G. Bile flow and Mrp2 localization and activity were restored to control levels within 120 min of E2-17G in animals pretreated with lumicolchicine. In contrast, in colchicine-pretreated rats followed by E2-17G, bile flow and Mrp2 activity remained significantly inhibited by 60%, and confocal and Western studies revealed sustained internalization of Mrp2 120 min after E2-17G. We conclude that recovery from E2-17G cholestasis, associated with exocytic insertion of Mrp2 in the canalicular membrane, but not its initial E2-17G-induced endocytosis, is a microtubule-dependent process.     

Some observations on the measurement of estradiol-17β in human plasma by radioimmunoassay

The use of specific and non-specific antisera for estradiol-17β (E₂17β) were compared in the radioimmunoassay of the steroid. The effects of various “blank” mateirials on the standard curve and on the accuracy of recovery of E₂17β added to plasma before and after chromatography on LH-20 Sephadex were examined. It was concluded that the use of the specific antiserum (anti-6-oxoE₂17β -6-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-bovine serum albumin(antiE₂17β-6-BSA) was an improvement on the non-specific serum anti-E₂17β-17-hemisuccinyl-bovine serum albumin (antiE₂ 17β-17-BSA) following chromatography of extracts. However, although a precise result could be obtained with the anti-E₂17β-6-BSA without the Chromatographic step, recovery of E₂17β added to plasma was only possible if the step was included.

The cross-reactivity of estrone (E₁)with E₂17β using anti-E₂17β-17-BSA as defined by Abraham (J. Clin. Endocr. , 866 (1969) was examined under conditions of constant and of changing E₁:E₂17β ratio.     

Synthesis of (5alpha)-17-azaandrostan-3-ols and (5alpha)-17-aza-D-homoandrostan-3-ols and their N-acylated derivatives.

Two groups of N-acylated D-azasteroids (4 and 5) were synthesized to explore structure-activity relationships for steroid modulation of GABA(A) receptor function. The target compounds were prepared conveniently from (5alpha)-3-hydroxyandrostan-17-ones (6 and 7) via the intermediate (5alpha)-17-aza-D-homoandrostan-3-ols (14 and 15) or (5alpha)-17-azaandrostan-3-ols (18 and 19) precursors in high overall yields. A Beckmann rearrangement and a Hofmann rearrangement were employed as two key steps in the synthetic sequences.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-amino-9-(3-acyloxymethyl-4-alkoxycarbonyloxybut-1-yl)purines and 2-amino-9-(3-alkoxycarbonyloxymethyl-4-alkoxycarbonyloxybut-1- yl)purines as potential prodrugs of penciclovir.

A series of 2-amino-9-(3-acyloxymethyl-4-alkoxycarbonyloxybut-1-yl)purin es (1-8) and 2-amino-9-(3-alkoxycarbonyl-oxymethyl-4-alkoxycarbonyloxybut -1-yl)purines (9-12) were synthesized as potential prodrugs of penciclovir. Treatment of 6-deoxypenciclovir with trimethyl orthoacetate or triethyl orthopropionate (1.2 equiv) in DMF in the presence of p-TsOH.H2O (0.1 equiv) followed by quenching with excess H2O gave the corresponding mono-O-acetyl or mono-O-propionyl compound, 17 or 18, in excellent yields of 95 and 92%, respectively. Reactions of 17 or 18 with an appropriate alkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr, and i-Pr) 4-nitrophenyl carbonate (1.2 equiv) in pyridine in the presence of a catalytic amount of DMAP (0.1 equiv) at 80 degrees C afforded the monoacyl, monocarbonate derivatives of 6-deoxypenciclovir, 1-8, in 86 94% yields. Similar reactions of 6-deoxypenciclovir with 2.1 equiv of alkyl 4-nitrophenyl carbonate produced the dicarbonate derivatives 9 12 in 81-83% yields. Of the prodrugs tested in rats, 2-amino-9-(3-acetoxymethyl-4-isopropoxycarbonyloxybut-1-yl)purine (4) achieved the highest mean urinary recovery of penciclovir (36%), followed in order by compounds 2 (35%), 6 (35%), 7 (34%), 10 (34%), 8 (32%), 3 (32%), and famciclovir (31%). The mean urinary recovery of penciclovir and concentrations of penciclovir in the blood from 4 in mice were also slightly higher than those from famciclovir. The in vivo antiviral efficacy of 4 in HSV-1-infected normal BALB/c mice was higher than those of famciclovir and valaciclovir in terms of mortality (100, 80, and 40%) and mean survival time ( > 21, 13+/-5.0 (SEM), and 13+/-1.6 days). Compound 4 demonstrated an effective anti-hepadnaviral response with intrahepatic viral load being reduced by 90%, the viral supercoiled DNA levels reduced by 70% and Pre-S expression inhibited by 30% against duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) in vivo, and did not cause any significant hepatotoxicity after 4 weeks of treatment.     

Structures important in mammalian 11β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases

We have used the X-ray crystallographic structures of rat and human dihydropteridine reductase and Streptomyces hydrogenans 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase to model parts of the 3-dimensional structure of human 11β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases. We use this information along with previous results from studies of Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase mutants to analyze the structures in binding sites for NAD(H) and NADP(H) in 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-types 1 and 2. We also examine the structure of an -helix at catalytic site of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-types 1, 2, 3, and 4. This -helix contains a highly conserved tyrosine and lysine. Adjacent to the carboxyl side of this lysine is a site proposed to be important in subunit association. We find that 11β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases-type 1 have the same residues at the “anchor site” and conserve other stabilizing features, despite only 20% sequence identity between their entire sequences. Similar conservation of stabilizing structures is found in the 11β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases-type 2. We suggest that interactions of the dimerization surface of -helix F with proteins or membranes may be important in regulating activity of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.     

Comparison of the methylation of estradiol-17 beta and of estradiol-17 alpha by dimethyl sulfate

E₂-17β and E₂-17α give substantially similar yields of 3-methyl ether and dimethyl ether when methylated by Brown's procedure.     

Parallel solid-phase synthesis of 3beta-peptido-3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-17-one derivatives for inhibition of type 3 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Type 3 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD), a key steroidogenic enzyme, transforms 4-androstene-3,17-dione (Delta(4)-dione) into testosterone. In order to produce potential inhibitors, we performed solid-phase synthesis of model libraries of 3beta-peptido-3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-17-ones with 1, 2, or 3 levels of molecular diversity, obtaining good overall yields (23-58%) and a high average purity (86%, without any purification steps) using the Leznoff's acetal linker. The libraries were rapidly synthesized in a parallel format and the generated compounds were tested as inhibitors of type 3 17beta-HSD. Potent inhibitors were identified from these model libraries, especially six members of the level 3 library having at least one phenyl group. One of them, the 3beta-(N-heptanoyl-L-phenylalanine-L-leucine-aminomethyl)-3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-17-one (42) inhibited the enzyme with an IC(50) value of 227nM, which is twice as potent as the natural substrate Delta(4)-dione when used itself as an inhibitor. Using the proliferation of androgen-sensitive (AR(+)) Shionogi cells as model of androgenicity, the compound 42 induced only a slight proliferation at 1 microM (less than previously reported type 3 17beta-HSD inhibitors) and, interestingly, no proliferation at 0.1 microM.     

Antiestrogenic and antifertility actions of anordrin (2α,17ga-diethynyl-A-nor-5α-androstane-2β,17β-diol 2,17-dipropionate)

Anordrin, administered in a single s.c. dose of 62.5 μg in sesame oil, stimulated sustained uterine growth (wet weight) when measured at 24 and 72 hr, but total soluble protein and total DNA per uterus was not increased. By comparison, 3 μg of estradiol-17β under the same conditions significantly increased all three parameters of uterine growth. Both of the above steroid treatments significantly increased nuclear estrogen receptor content of the uterus, but only the estradi-ol-17β treatment resulted in significantly elevated cytosol receptor content per uterus. Anordrin binds to the 8S estrogen receptor with an affinity of about 2 × 10⁵ M^-1 as determined by competition with [³H]estradiol-17β. The abortifacient activity of Anordrin when given orally (8 mg/kg b.w.) to mice on the 7th day of pregnancy was almost completely blocked by simultaneous oral administration of estradiol-17β (0.8 mg/kg b.w.). It is concluded that the actions of Anordrin on the uterus can be attributed to its antiestrogenic activities.     

Synthesis of the allylic gonadal steroids, 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one and 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-androsten-17-one, and of 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one

A method for the convenient synthesis of the recently isolated allylic gonadal steroids, 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha-dihydroprogesterone; 3 alpha-DHP) and 3 alpha-hydroxy-4-androsten-17-one (3 alpha-HA), was developed using 4-pregnene-3,20-dione (progesterone) and 4-androstene-3,17-dione as substrates and potassium trisiamylborohydride (KS-Selectride) as reducing agent. Similar reactions were also used for the reduction of 5 alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione to 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one (3 alpha-HP). The yields were about 15%, 50%, and greater than 90% for 3 alpha-DHP, 3 alpha-HA and 3 alpha-HP, respectively. Structures of the products, including the 3 beta-isomers and the 17 alpha-epimer, formed in these reactions were determined by NMR and mass spectroscopic methods.     

Highly efficient synthesis of steroid-17-spiro-5'-oxazolidine-2',4'-diones from 17-keto steroids

Spiro[androst-4-en-17 alpha,5'-oxazolidine]-2',3,4'-trione 8a and spiro[androst-4-en-17 alpha,5'-oxazolidine]-2',3,4',11-tetraone 8b, two potentially bioactive spiranes, were prepared from the parent 17-ketones in four steps (64% and 49.5% yield, respectively). The key intermediates were the hydroxyimidates 5a and 5b, which easily underwent cyclization to the corresponding spirooxazolinone 4'-enol ethers when treated with alkylchlorocarbonates. The respective N-amyl derivatives of the spiranes 8a and 8b were obtained with n-pentyl bromide in the presence of KF. A new method for the synthesis of steroid 17 alpha-hydroxy-17-carboxyesters and 17 alpha-hydroxy-17-carboxamides is described. Attempts to synthesize the title compounds from these products were unsuccessful.