11β-Hydroxylation of norethisterone acetate by Curvularia lunata

Abstract: The biotransformation of norethisterone acetate by Curvularia lunata was studied. The 11β-hydroxy-norethisterone acetate produced was identified by mass spectrometry, and ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance after extractive sample preparation.     

Prolonged slow release of (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate employing polyurea microcapsules

Abstract:  The potential use of polyurea microcapsules, as 'release carriers' for insect pheromones, has been demonstrated. ( Z )-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:Ac), the major sex pheromone component of several Noctuidae species, was used as the model molecule. The coating material's ability to release the pheromone was initially studied by the solid-phase micro-extraction technique. Polyurea microcapsules released Z11-16:Ac relatively slowly, with a duration of approximately 1 month, as it was determined under both laboratory and semi-field conditions. Preliminary laboratory bioassays revealed a satisfactory attraction of Sesamia males, at doses of 50 and 500 mg of dried microcapsules containing the aforementioned pheromone. Almost all male insects tested initiated flight and among them 40.2–49.4% successfully contacted the pheromone source. The preparation of polyurea microcapsules needs further refinement as to increase release duration; nevertheless, these results demonstrate strong potential for the future use of polyurea microcapsules as part of integrated insect control programmes.     

Radioimmunoassay for medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) using the 11alpha-hydroxy succinyl conjugate

The development of a radioimmunoassay for medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) employing rabbit antibodies made against a bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate of the hemisuccinate ester of 11alpha-hydroxy MPA are described. The 11alpa-hydroxyl group was introduced into MPA by a series of chemical and microbiological transformations. The acid succinate MPA was coupled to BSA by reacting it with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole. Cross-reactivities of several MPA analogs were compared suing rabbit antisera developed against the C-11 conjugate of MPA and goat antiserum developed against a C-3 conjugate of MPA. Antibodies formed against the C-11 conjugate showed increased specificity to steroid analogs which changes in the C-21 side chain. The profiles of serum MPA levels vs time, measured with both the C-3 and C-11 antisera, after oral drug administration to the monkey were similar. After intramuscular drug administration to dogs, serum MPA levels measured with the C-3 antisera were consistently greater as compared with those with C-11 antisera. Factors affecting precipitation of the antibody-antigen complex, assay precision, and assay sensitivity were evaluated.     

A co-attractant mixture of (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate for Neocalyptis angustilineata and Homona magnanima

While monitoring for the seasonal occurrence of the tea tortrix moth, Homona magnanima Diakonoff (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a number of Neocalyptis angustilineata (Walsingham) were attracted to traps baited with H. magnanima attractant, a 9:1 blend of (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14Ac) and (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate (Z9-12Ac). We evaluated a 1:1 blend (1 mg) and a 9:1 blend (1 mg) of Z11-14Ac and Z9-12Ac for their attractiveness to the two moth species. H. magnanima was attracted only to the 9:1 blend. However, N. angustilineata was equally attracted to both blends. Thus, we report the 9:1 blend as a co-attractant for N. angustilineata and H. magnanima. This blend is the first finding for the attractant for N. angustilineata.     

Rapid C-carboxylation of nitro[(11)C]methane for the synthesis of ethyl nitro[2-(11)C]acetate

The labelling synthesis of ethyl nitro[2-(11)C]acetate, a synthetic intermediate feasible for (11)C-labelled PET tracers, by C-carboxylation of [(11)C]MeNO(2) with 1-ethoxycarbonylbenzotriazole, and its simple application are presented.     

Evaluation of hepatic 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity by cortisone acetate test in young adults with diabetes mellitus type 1

Cortisone acetate test was performed in twelve young adult patients with diabetes mellitus type 1, after dexamethasone administration to suppress endogenous cortisol production. Previous screening revealed that all of the subjects had peak cortisol responses in the range from subnormal to normal, as determined by a low-dose Synacthen test. The aim was to find out whether these patients would exhibit different conversion of cortisone to cortisol by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Using multifactorial ANOVA the following significant relationships were obtained between cortisol or cortisol/cortisone ratio measured during the test and other parameters examined a) before dexamethasone suppression and b) during the test: a) Cortisol at 120(th) minute negatively correlated with daily insulin dose and positively with basal aldosterone. Cortisol/cortisone ratio at 60(th), 120(th), 180(th), and 240(th) minute negatively correlated with basal aldosterone/plasma renin activity ratio, urinary free cortisol/24 hours and positively with basal dehydroepindrosterone sulphate. b) Cortisol at 120(th) minute negatively correlated with suppressed basal serum glycemia; cortisol/cortisone ratio during the whole test negatively correlated with supressed basal ACTH. The examination of peripheral metabolism of cortisol using cortisone acetate test in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 showed adaptive changes of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenace activity associated with altered cortisol tissue supply.     

Structural, functional and hypertensive effects of 19-oxo-11-deoxycorticosterone acetate (19-oxo-DOCA) in the rat

Mononephrectomized rats were given 1% NaCl solution to drink; half of them received 1 mg/day of 19-oxo-11 deoxycorticosterone acetate (19-oxo-DOCA) in sesame oil subcutaneously and half received only the oil for a period of four weeks. The steroid had no effect upon saline intake, systolic blood pressure, growth or the size of adrenals, hearts or kidneys, although it did produce hypernatremia and hypokalemia. The discrepancy between a demonstrable mineralocorticoid effect without blood pressure elevation awaits elucidation.     

Mechanisms of acetate formation and acetate activation in halophilic archaea

The halophilic archaea Halococcus (Hc.) saccharolyticus, Haloferax (Hf.) volcanii, and Halorubrum (Hr.) saccharovorum were found to generate acetate during growth on glucose and to utilize acetate as a growth substrate. The mechanisms of acetate formation from acetyl-CoA and of acetate activation to acetyl-CoA were studied. Hc. saccharolyticus, exponentially growing on complex medium with glucose, formed acetate and contained ADP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase (ADP-ACS) rather than acetate kinase and phosphate acetyltransferase or AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase. In the stationary phase, the excreted acetate was completely consumed, and cells contained AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase (AMP-ACS) and a significantly reduced ADP-ACS activity. Hc. saccharolyticus, grown on acetate as carbon and energy source, contained only AMP-ACS rather than ADP-ACS or acetate kinase. Cell suspensions of Hc. saccharolyticus metabolized acetate only when they contained AMP-ACS activity, i.e., when they were obtained after growth on acetate or from the stationary phase after growth on glucose. Suspensions of exponential glucose-grown cells, containing only ADP-ACS but not AMP-ACS, did not consume acetate. Similar results were obtained for the phylogenetic distantly related halophilic archaea Hf. volcanii and Hf. saccharovorum. We conclude that, in halophilic archaea, the formation of acetate from acetyl-CoA is catalyzed by ADP-ACS, whereas the activation of acetate to acetyl-CoA is mediated by an inducible AMP-ACS.Abbreviations. Hc. Halococcus - Hf. Haloferax - Hr. Halorubrum - Hb. Halobacterium An erratum to this article can be found at     

Decreasing the level of ethyl acetate in ethanolic fermentation broths of Escherichia coli KO11 by expression of Pseudomonas putida estZ esterase

During the fermentation of sugars to ethanol relatively high levels of an undesirable coproduct, ethyl acetate, are also produced. With ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain KO11 as the biocatalyst, the level of ethyl acetate in beer containing 4.8% ethanol was 192 mg liter(-1). Although the E. coli genome encodes several proteins with esterase activity, neither wild-type strains nor KO11 contained significant ethyl acetate esterase activity. A simple method was developed to rapidly screen bacterial colonies for the presence of esterases which hydrolyze ethyl acetate based on pH change. This method allowed identification of Pseudomonas putida NRRL B-18435 as a source of this activity and the cloning of a new esterase gene, estZ. Recombinant EstZ esterase was purified to near homogeneity and characterized. It belongs to family IV of lipolytic enzymes and contains the conserved catalytic triad of serine, aspartic acid, and histidine. As expected, this serine esterase was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and the histidine reagent diethylpyrocarbonate. The native and subunit molecular weights of the recombinant protein were 36,000, indicating that the enzyme exists as a monomer. By using alpha-naphthyl acetate as a model substrate, optimal activity was observed at pH 7.5 and 40 degrees C. The Km and Vmax for alpha-naphthyl acetate were 18 microM and 48.1 micromol. min(-1). mg of protein(-1), respectively. Among the aliphatic esters tested, the highest activity was obtained with propyl acetate (96 micromol. min(-1). mg of protein(-1)), followed by ethyl acetate (66 micromol. min(-1). mg of protein(-1)). Expression of estZ in E. coli KO11 reduced the concentration of ethyl acetate in fermentation broth (4.8% ethanol) to less than 20 mg liter(-1).     

Metabolism of [11-3H]retinyl acetate in liver tissues of vitamin A-sufficient, -deficient and retinoic acid-supplemented rats

A study was conducted on the incorporation of [11-3H]retinyl acetate into various retinyl esters in liver tissues of rats either vitamin A-sufficient, vitamin A-deficient or vitamin A-deficient and maintained on retinoic acid. Further, the metabolism of [11-3H]retinyl acetate to polar metabolites in liver tissues of these three groups of animals was investigated. Retinol metabolites were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. In vitamin A-sufficient rat liver, the incorporation of radioactivity into retinyl palmitate and stearate was observed at 0.25 h after the injection of the label. The label was further detected in retinyl laurate, myristate, palmitoleate, linoleate, pentadecanoate and heptadecanoate 3 h after the injection. The specific radioactivities (dpm/nmol) of all retinyl esters increased with time. However, the rate of increase in the specific radioactivity of retinyl laurate was found to be significantly higher (66-fold) than that of retinyl palmitate 24 h after the injection of the label. 7 days after the injection of the label, the specific radioactivity between different retinyl esters were found to be similar, indicating that newly dosed labelled vitamin A had now mixed uniformly with the endogenous pool of vitamin A in the liver. The esterification of labelled retinol was not detected in liver tissues of vitamin A-deficient or retinoic acid-supplemented rats at any of the time point studied. Among the polar metabolites analyzed, the formation of [3H]retinoic acid from [3H]retinyl acetate was found only in vitamin A-deficient rat liver 24 h after the injection of the label. A new polar metabolite of retinol (RM) was detected in liver of the three groups of animals. The formation of 3H-labelled metabolite RM from [3H]retinyl acetate was not detected until 7 days after the injection of the label in the vitamin A-sufficient rat liver, suggesting that metabolite RM could be derived from a more stable pool of vitamin A.     

The bioelectrosynthesis of acetate

1. Download : Download high-res image (134KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Melengestrol acetate and megestrol acetate are prostatic tumor inhibiting agents

We had previously reported that 6-methylene progesterone, an inhibitor of 5 alpha-reductase, the enzyme which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, markedly inhibited growth of the androgen-dependent Dunning R3327-H rat prostatic tumors. We now find that the progesterone derivatives melengestrol acetate (MGA) and megestrol acetate (MA) inhibit both the androgen-dependent (Dunning R3327-H) and the androgen-independent (Dunning R3327-AT3) prostatic tumors. Growth of the AT3 tumors was suppressed by approximately 53% after 9 days of daily s.c. injections with MGA at 10 mg/kg body weight. MGA also caused a 54% weight reduction of the ventral prostate and a 53% reduction of the seminal vesicles. Adrenal weights were reduced by 42%. A 24-day oral treatment with MGA (at approximately 15-17 mg/(kg.day)) inhibited AT3 tumor growth by 59% and caused a weight reduction in the following tissues: prostate (46%), seminal vesicles (19%), testes (12%), and adrenals (52%). Under the same protocol, MA inhibited AT3 tumor growth by 32% and reduced the weight of the ventral prostate by 49% and the weight of the adrenals by 18%, but had no effect on the seminal vesicles and testes. The extent of the MGA-induced prostatic regression was accompanied by cytological changes similar to those effected by 6-methylene progesterone, i.e., shrinking of the acinar epithelium. The AT3 tumors in MGA-treated rats displayed a limited degree of apoptosis. Atrophy of the adrenal cortex and lowered plasma levels of corticosterone and dihydroepiandrosterone were also observed. A therapeutic role for MGA and MA against androgen-independent prostatic neoplasms in man is forecast by these observations.