Distinct effects of atypical 1,4-dihydropyridines on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced toxicity

Our previous data obtained from in vivo experiments demonstrated high neuroprotective effects of three novel atypical neuronal non-calcium antagonistic 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) derivatives cerebrocrast, glutapyrone and tauropyrone. The present studies were carried out in vitro to clarify, at least in part, their mechanism of action in primary culture of cerebellar granule cells by use of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) as a neurotoxic agent which causes dramatic oxidative stress. Cerebrocrast (highly lipophilic, with a classical two-ring structure) dose-dependently (0.01-10.0 microM, EC50 = 13 nM) reduced MPP+-induced cell death. At the same time, the calcium antagonist nimodipine (reference drug) protected cell death at much higher concentrations (EC50 = 12.4 microM). Cerebrocrast decreased also the generation of reactive oxygen species and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. In contrast, low lipophilic amino acid-containing DHPs glutapyrone and tauropyrone (glutamate- and taurine-containing, correspondingly) were without significant effects indicating their distinct mode of action in comparison to cerebrocrast. We have demonstrated for the first time an ability of atypical non-calcium antagonistic DHP cerebrocrast (which has classical DHP structure elements and high lipophilicity) to protect MPP+-induced deterioration of mitochondrial bioenergetics. One may suggest mitochondria as an essential intracellular target for the neuroprotective action of cerebrocrast and indicate its usefulness in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.     

Characterization of the conformational and orientational dynamics of ganglioside GM1 in a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer by molecular dynamics simulations

The structure and dynamics of a single GM1 (Gal5-β1,3-GalNAc4-β1,4-(NeuAc3-α2,3)-Gal2-β1,4-Glc1-β1,1-Cer) embedded in a DPPC bilayer have been studied by MD simulations. Eleven simulations, each of 10 ns productive run, were performed with different initial conformations of GM1. Simulations of GM1-Os in water and of a DPPC bilayer were also performed to delineate the effects of the bilayer and GM1 on the conformational and orientational dynamics of each other. The conformation of the GM1 headgroup observed in the simulations is in agreement with those reported in literature; but the headgroup is restricted when embedded in the bilayer. NeuAc3 is the outermost saccharide towards the water phase. Glc1 and Gal2 prefer a parallel, and NeuAc3, GalNac4 and Gal5 prefer a perpendicular, orientation with respect to the bilayer normal. The overall characteristics of the bilayer are not affected by the presence of GM1; however, GM1 does influence the DPPC molecules in its immediate vicinity. The implications of these observations on the specific recognition and binding of GM1 embedded in a lipid bilayer by exogenous proteins as well as proteins embedded in lipids have been discussed.     

玉米苗中DIMBOA与几种酚酸类物质抑菌活性比较

本文从室内培养的7日龄玉米幼苗中提取、分离、鉴定了抗性次生化合物丁布(2,4-d ihydroxy-7-m ethoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one,D IMBOA),并就该物质对玉米纹枯病病原菌立枯丝核菌(Rhizoctonia solani)的活性与三种酚酸类物质(阿魏酸、对羟基肉桂酸和咖啡酸)进行了离体比较研究。结果表明,丁布(D IMBOA),对立枯丝核菌有很强的生物活性,在浓度为50μg/mL时即可抑制立枯丝核菌菌丝的生长,抑制率为18.52%。阿魏酸、对羟基肉桂酸和咖啡酸,这三种酚酸在浓度250μg/mL时对立枯丝核菌菌丝的生长有抑制作用,抑制率分别为26.30%、8.50%和6.30%。不仅如此,丁布与对羟基肉桂酸之间、以及三种酚酸两两组合之间还存在一定的协同作用。在浓度相等的情况下,丁布与对羟基肉桂酸的等量混合液的抑菌率显著高于这两种物质单独存在时的抑菌率之和;同样,对羟基肉桂酸与阿魏酸的等量混合液的抑菌率比单一的对羟基肉桂酸溶液的抑菌率高18.89%,比单一的阿魏酸溶液的抑菌率高13.33%;对羟基肉桂酸与咖啡酸的等量混合液,抑菌率比两者单独试验时分别高9.63%和14.83%;阿魏酸与咖啡酸的混合液,抑菌率比两酸单独试验时分别高11.48%和22.23%。这一结果提示植物体内产生适当比例不同次生化合物的组合对植物抗病性的提高是至关重要的。     

Studies directed towards a mechanistic evaluation of inactivation of aromatase by the suicide substrates androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-diones and its 6-ene derivatives aromatase inactivation by the 19-substituted derivatives and their enzymic aromatization

To gain insight into the mechanistic features for aromatase inactivation by the typical suicide substrates, androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD, 1) and its 6-ene derivative 2, we synthesized 19-substituted (methyl and halogeno) ADD and 1,4,6-triene derivatives 8 and 10 along with 4,6-diene derivatives 9 and tested for their ability to inhibit aromatase in human placental microsomes as well as their ability to serve as a substrate for the enzyme. 19-Methyl-substituted steroids were the most powerful competitive inhibitors of aromatase (K_i: 8.2–40 nM) in each series. Among the 19-substituted inhibitors examined, 19-chloro-ADD and its 6-ene derivatives (7b and 9b) inactivated aromatase in a time-dependent manner in the presence of NADPH in air while the other ones did not. The time-dependent inactivation was blocked by the substrate AD and required NADPH. Only the time-dependent inactivators 7b and 9b in series of 1,4-diene and 1,4,6-triene steroids as well as all of 4,6-diene steroids 9, except for the methyl compound 9a, served as a substrate for aromatase to yield estradiol and/or its 6-ene estradiol with lower conversion rates compared to the corresponding parent steroids 1,4-diene, 1,4,6-triene and 4,6-diene derivatives. The present findings strongly suggest that the aromatase reaction, 19-oxygenation, at least in part, would be involved in the time-dependent inactivation of aromatase by the suicide substrates 1 and 2, where the 19-substitutent would play a critical role in the aromatase reaction probably though steric and electronic reasons.     

枸杞L-半乳糖酸内酯脱氢酶基因的克隆及表达分析

以青海枸杞(Lycium barbarum L.)为模板,采用RT-PCR和RACE技术,克隆枸杞L-半乳糖酸-1,4-内酯脱氢酶(GLDH)基因序列,命名为LbGLDH。LbGLDH基因全长为2 114bp,包含一个开放读码框1 767bp(编码588个氨基酸)、5′末端序列57bp、3′末端序列290bp。LbGLDH基因核苷酸序列与番茄、马铃薯、烟草GLDH基因具有88%~90%的一致性。LbGLDH编码氨基酸序列包含GLDH蛋白酶具备的FAD-binding-4和ALO结构域。qRT-PCR分析结果显示,在枸杞不同组织中LbGLDH基因的表达、抗坏血酸含量和GLDH活性变化趋势相同,表现为在枸杞的花和果实中表达量最高,成熟叶中表达量最少。推测LbGLDH基因表达促进枸杞果实中抗环血酸含量的积累。     

A thermotolerant and cold-active mannan endo-1,4-β-mannosidase from Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88: Constitutive overexpression and high-density fermentation in Pichia pastoris

The mannan endo-1,4-β-mannosidase gene man26A from Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88 was optimized according to the codon usage bias in Pichia pastoris and synthesized by splicing overlap extension PCR. It was successfully expressed in P. pastoris using constitutive expression vector pGAPzαA. The recombinant endo-beta-1,4-mannanase could work in an extremely board temperature range and over 30% relative activity were retained in the temperature range of 5-60 °C. The optimal pH value and temperature for activity were 5.0 and 45 °C, respectively. It was highly thermotolerant with a half-life time of 15 min at 90 °C. A novel fed-batch strategy was developed successfully for high cell-density fermentation and mannanase activity reached 5069 U/mL after cultivation for 56 h in 50 L fermenter. The broad working temperature range, high thermotolerance and efficient expression made this enzyme possible to be applied in food, animal feed and the production of biofuels.     

Iodine-catalyzed conjugate addition of indoles onto en-1,4-dione: a novel synthesis of 3-(1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)indolin-2-ones as antibacterial and antifungal agents

Indole and its derivatives undergo smooth conjugate addition onto en-1,4-dione derived from isatin and acetophenone, in the presence of a catalytic amount of molecular iodine in acetonitrile under mild conditions to afford a novel class of 3-(1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)indolin-2-one derivatives in good yields with high degree of 1,4-selectivity. Some of these compounds are found to exhibit modest antibacterial and antifungal properties.     

Synthesis and evaluation of cytotoxic effects of hanultarin and its derivatives

One of the known cytotoxic lignans is (-)-1-O-feruloyl-secoisolariciresinol designated as hanultarin, which was isolated from the seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii. In this Letter, we described the first synthesis of 1-O-feruloyl-secoisolariciresinol, 1,4-O-diferuloyl-secoisolariceresinol and their analogues. The cytotoxicities of these compounds were evaluated against several cancer cell lines. Interestingly, we found that the feruloyl diester derivative of secoisolariciresinol was the most active cytotoxic compound against all the cancer cells tested in this experiment. The IC(50) values of the1,4-O-diferuloyl-secoisolariceresinol were in the range of 7.1-9.8μM except one cell line. In considering that both ferulic acid and secoisolariciresinol are commonly found in many plants and have no cytotoxicity, this finding is remarkable in that simple covalent bonds between the ferulic acid and secoisolariciresinol cause a cytotoxic effect.     

A novel transition state analog inhibitor of guanase based on azepinomycin ring structure: Synthesis and biochemical assessment of enzyme inhibition

Synthesis and biochemical inhibition studies of a novel transition state analog inhibitor of guanase bearing the ring structure of azepinomycin have been reported. The compound was synthesized in five-steps from a known compound and biochemically screened against the rabbit liver guanase. The compound exhibited competitive inhibition profile with a K_i of 16.7 ± 0.5 μM.     

Production of 3-hydroxypropionate homopolymer and poly(3-hydroxypropionate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer by recombinant Escherichia coli

Conversion of 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) from 1,3-propanediol (PDO) was improved by expressing dehydratase gene (dhaT) and aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (aldD) of Pseudomonas putida KT2442 under the promoter of phaCAB operon from Ralstonia eutropha H16. Expression of these genes in Aeromonas hydrophila 4AK4 produced up to 21 g/L 3HP in a fermentation process. To synthesize homopolymer poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (P3HP), and copolymer poly(3-hydroxypropionate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HP4HB), dhaT and aldD were expressed in E. coli together with the phaC1 gene encoding polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase gene of Ralstonia eutropha, and pcs' gene encoding the ACS domain of the tri-functional propionyl-CoA ligase (PCS) of Chloroflexus aurantiacus. Up to 92 wt% P3HP and 42 wt% P3HP4HB were produced by the recombinant Escherichia coli grown on PDO and a mixture of PDO+1,4-butanediol (BD), respectively.