High-performance liquid chromatography and micellar electrokinetic chromatography of taxol and related taxanes from bark and needle extracts of Taxus species

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) were applied for the separation of taxol, cephalomannine, and baccatin III in crude extracts from the needle and bark of Taxus species. The chromatogram of the bark extract was cleaner than that of the needle allowing a more reliable detection of taxol and cephalomannine in the bark extract. However, HPLC quantitation of taxol in the needle extract would be difficult due to coeluting taxinines. Nevertheless, this was not a problem in the MEKC experiment. In comparison to HPLC, MEKC offered baseline resolution of taxol from taxinines in the needle extract, less solvent waste, a smaller sample requirement, and the simultaneous detection of taxol, cephalomannine and baccatin III in a relatively simpler electrophoretic run.     

南方红豆杉枝叶中药用抗癌活性物质含量

通过高效液相色谱（HPLC）,测定了人工栽培南方红豆杉枝叶中药用抗癌活性物质紫杉醇（taxol）、三尖杉宁碱（cephalomannine）和人工半合成紫杉醇的主要原料巴卡亭Ⅲ（baccatin Ⅲ）、10 去乙酰基巴卡亭Ⅲ（10-deacetylbaccatin Ⅲ,10-DAB）在一个生长季的含量变化.研究表明：从4月新枝叶萌发至11月枝叶基本停止生长,南方红豆杉枝叶中紫杉醇等药用活性物质含量季节性变化明显.其中紫杉醇和三尖杉宁碱含量的最高值都出现在5月;巴卡亭Ⅲ和10-去乙酰基巴卡亭Ⅲ含量的最高峰值分别出现在9月和4月.相关分析发现,南方红豆杉枝叶中4种药用活性物质之间有很好的相关性,其中紫杉醇与三尖杉宁碱含量呈显著正相关(P<0.05),三尖杉宁碱含量与10-去乙酰巴卡亭Ⅲ含量呈显著负相关(P<0.05).     

Taxol derivatives are selective inhibitors of DNA polymerase alpha

During screening for mammalian DNA polymerase inhibitors, we found and succeeded in isolating a potent inhibitor from a higher plant, Taxus cuspidate. The compound was unexpectedly determined to be taxinine, an intermediate of paclitaxel (taxol) metabolism. Taxinine was found to selectively inhibit DNA polymerase alpha (pol.alpha) and beta (pol.beta). We therefore, tested taxol and other derivatives and found that taxol itself had no such inhibitory effect, and only taxinine could inhibit both pol.alpha and beta. The other compounds used, one derivative, cephalomannine, and five intermediates synthesized chemically inhibited only the pol.alpha activity in vitro. None of the compounds, including taxinine, influenced the activities of the other DNA polymerases, which are reportedly targeted by many pol.beta inhibitors. With both pol.alpha and beta, all of the compounds tested noncompetitively inhibited with respect to both the DNA template-primer and the dNTP substrate.     

Improved HPLC method for taxol determination with A12O3 solid-phase extraction

The closely eluting compounds of taxol, cephalomannine and N-debenzoyl-N-phenylacetyl taxol, were successfully removed from a sample of Taxus yunnanis by -Al2 O3 solid-phase extraction. A sensitive, selective, rapid and accurate C18 HPLC method for taxol determination was established. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

产紫杉醇内生真菌MHZ-32的鉴定

从曼地亚红豆杉树皮内表皮分离获得一株内生真菌MHZ-32,通过高效液相色谱法检测发现,内生真菌MHZ-32的紫杉醇提取物中含有与紫杉醇标品 (15.02 min）、巴卡亭Ⅲ标品 (7.07 min)保留时间相近的色谱特征峰. 进一步通过质谱法检测发现,MHZ-32的紫杉醇提取物中具有与紫杉醇标品((M+Na)+=876)、巴卡亭Ⅲ标品((M+Na)+=609)相同的质谱特征峰,表明内生真菌MHZ-32可以产紫杉醇和巴卡亭Ⅲ. 其紫杉醇和巴卡亭III的产量分别约为0.6 μg/g和0.2 μg/g（紫杉醇或巴卡亭Ⅲ/菌丝干重）.并通过18S rRNA序列分析和形态学鉴定,将内生真菌MHZ-32初步鉴定为拟茎点霉属（Phomopsis sp.）真菌.     

Factors affecting the in vitro rapid germination of Taxus embryos and the evaluation of taxol content in the plantlets

A simple and efficient in vitro method for breaking the dormancy of Taxus baccata L. cv. Stricta seeds was investigated. The highest rate of germination (100%) of embryos isolated from seeds, which had been washed with running tap water for 7 days, was obtained after 7 days of culture on modified Murashige and Skoog or Heller media. The taxol equivalent content in 2-month-old Taxus plantlets was investigated using anti-taxol polyclonal antibodies. The results showed that the taxol equivalent content varied, depending on Taxus species and on the individuals in the same taxon.     

Analysis of taxol and related diterpenoids from cell cultures by liquid chromatography—electrospray mass spectrometry

Authentic taxanes (taxol, 10-deacetyltaxol, cephalomannine, 10-deacetylcephalomannine, baccatin III) and extracts from cell cultures derived from various yew tree species have been analyzed by microbore high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)—electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). All gave excellent positive-ion ES spectra with dominant protonated molecules at low nozzle-to-skimmer bias value (45 V). By increasing the voltage value to 85 V, fragmentation increased and structurally informative spectra were obtained. The fragments found were both of the C-13 side-chain and of the taxane ring, so their analysis gave important information about the taxane structure and any chemical modifications at different positions of the molecule. When tandem MS was used (argon gas, 25 eV collision energy), fragments similar to those obtained from collision-induced dissociation in the source were detected. The cell culture extracts were analyzed by microbore HPLC—ESMS and excellent spectra were obtained on 5–10 ng of separated compounds; even greater selectivity and sensitivity were obtained through use of selected-ion monitoring (SIM). With SIM, 100 pg of all taxanes could readily be detected. In the HPLC—ESMS mode, only 10% of the eluent was mass-analyzed, so 90% would be available for recovery through fraction collecting.     

南方红豆杉枝叶中6种紫杉烷类化合物含量季节变化

紫杉醇(taxol)是主要来源于红豆杉属植物的一种天然抗肿瘤药物,紫杉烷(taxane)是紫杉醇的代谢前体或支路代谢产物,同样具有开发成为抗肿瘤新药的潜质。本文采用高效液相色谱法研究了紫杉醇(Taxol)、10-去乙酰巴卡亭Ⅲ(10-DAB)、7-木-10-去乙酰紫杉醇(7-xyl-10-DAT)、10-去乙酰紫杉醇(10-DAT)、三尖杉宁碱(CE)和7-表-10-去乙酰紫杉醇(7-epi-10-DAT)6种紫杉烷类化合物在南方红豆杉枝叶中含量的季节变化,结果显示Taxol和10-DAT在8、9月份含量最低,10-DAB和7-xyl-10-DAT在8、9月份含量相对最高,Taxol含量季节变化和10-DAB呈负相关,与CE呈显著正相关。7-xyl-10-DAT含量季节变化和10-DAB、10-DAT分别呈正相关。本文为研究南方红豆杉中紫杉醇及相关紫杉烷的代谢、积累规律提供了依据,不但有助于阐明紫杉醇的生物合成的关键步骤及调控的生理机制,而且对红豆杉资源的深度开发具有指导意义。     

细菌肥料Agr、PfPt和Mic对曼地亚红豆杉幼苗生长和次生代谢物含量的影响

运用单因素随机区组设计,在田间栽培条件下,对曼地亚红豆杉(Taxus media Rehder)1年生幼苗施用3种细菌肥料﹝放射性土壤杆菌肥料(Agr)、荧光假单胞菌肥料(PfPt)和微球菌肥料(Mic),浓度为2×107 CFU·mL-1,施肥2次﹞,对翌年生长期幼苗株高和冠幅的增长量变化以及枝叶中4种次生代谢物﹝紫杉醇、三尖杉宁碱、10-去乙酰紫杉醇和10-去乙酰基巴卡亭Ⅲ(10-DAB Ⅲ)﹞含量进行比较分析。结果表明：施用Agr、Mic和PfPt后的翌年11月份,曼地亚红豆杉幼苗株高和冠幅的增长量均大于CK(不施肥,对照)组,其中,施用PfPt后幼苗株高增长量最大,且显著高于CK组(P<0.05);施用Mic后幼苗的冠幅增长量最大,但与CK组间无显著差异(P>0.05)。施用Agr、Mic和PfPt后枝叶中紫杉醇、三尖杉宁碱和10-DABⅢ含量均显著高于CK组,其中,施用Mic后紫杉醇含量最高,施用PfPt后三尖杉宁碱和10-DAB Ⅲ含量最高,且总体上显著高于其他处理组;施用Mic后10-去乙酰紫杉醇含量最高,且显著高于CK组及其他处理组,而施用Agr和PfPt后10-去乙酰紫杉醇含量与CK组无显著差异。研究结果显示：施用Agr、Mic和PfPt均对曼地亚红豆杉幼苗生长以及枝叶中次生代谢物积累有一定的促进作用,但不同细菌肥料的促进效应存在差异,因此,在曼地亚红豆杉的栽培过程中应根据不同需求选择适宜的细菌肥料。     

一株产紫杉醇罗汉松内生真菌的分离和鉴定

[目的]紫杉醇是重要的抗癌药物,主要从罗汉松等植物中提取,为了保护罗汉松等种质资源,本文从罗汉松植株中分离产紫杉醇内生真菌,并对内生真菌所产紫杉醇的抗肿瘤活性进行了分析.[方法]采用组织块法自罗汉松的根、茎、叶等组织中分离内生真菌;通过四唑蓝(Methyl ThiazolylTetrazolium,MTT)比色法筛选有抗肿瘤活性的内生真菌菌株,通过薄层层析(Thin Layer Chro-matography,TLC)和高效液相色谱(High Performance Liquid Chromatography,HPLC)对内生真菌所产活性物质进行鉴定;采用抽提法抽提内生真菌所产紫杉醇,应用Vero细胞对抽提的紫杉醇的活性进行了分析.[结果]从罗汉松属(Podocrapus)植物中分离到155株内生真菌,其中28株内生真菌具有较高的抑癌活性.将其中一株菌株A2命名为EPTP-1,经形态学和分子分类学分析鉴定为烟曲霉(Aspergillus fumigatus).菌株EPTP-1中抽提的紫杉醇5.553μg/L～555.3 μg/L作用24h表现出明显的致细胞凋亡作用.菌株EPTP-1发酵5天时紫杉醇的产率为0.5578±0.0294 mg/L.[结论]从罗汉松中分离到了一株产紫杉醇内生真菌EPTP-1,可作为紫杉醇类药物工业化生产的候选菌株.     

产紫杉醇内生真菌Z58的分离和鉴定

本研究从曼地亚红豆杉（Taxus x media）树皮内表皮分离得到一株产紫杉醇的内生真菌Z58,通过高效液相色谱法、质谱法和核磁共振波谱法对其紫杉醇提取物进行了分析. 结果表明,内生真菌Z58的紫杉醇提取物具有和紫杉醇标准品相近的色谱特征峰,其保留时间为10.2 min;也与紫杉醇标准品具有相同的质谱特征峰（（M+Na）+=876）和1H-NMR谱带.并通过形态学特征分析和18S rDNA序列分析,将内生真菌Z58初步鉴定为肉座菌属（Hypocrea sp.）真菌.肉座菌Z58的紫杉醇产量约为2.5～3.0 μg/g（紫杉醇/菌丝干重）,是一株具有潜在应用价值的产紫杉醇内生真菌.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for phytochrome

A double-antibody sandwich, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed for phytochrome in Avena sativa L. cv. Saladin. An immunoglobulin fraction of rabbit antiserum raised to 118 kdalton phytochrome was used with alkaline phosphatase as the enzyme label. The assay detected as little as 0.2 ng phytochrome in extracts of dark-grown plant material. No evidence for specific or non-specific measurement of proteins other than phytochrome was found. The assay detected phytochrome in extracts of Avena grown in the light. Dilution curves for light-grown phytochrome extracts had a reduced slope and saturated at a lower level of enzyme activity than those for dark extracts. These differences were not caused by an inhibitor in extracts from light-grown plants. Phytochromes from dark- and light-grown plants may be immunologically different.     

植物生长调节剂对南方红豆杉愈伤组织培养和紫杉醇合成的影响

通过不同种类和水平植物生长调节剂对南方红豆杉(Taxus chinensisvar.mairei)愈伤组织诱导、生长和紫杉醇合成能力影响的研究发现:诱导培养初期,以无植物生长调节剂的MS为基本培养基,在附加不同植物生长调节剂组合作用下愈伤组织产生的时间和生长、在相同植物生长调节剂组合作用下不同外植体愈伤组织的产生时间和生长均表现出较显著差异,2,4-D/NAA高于0.4时,不利于南方红豆杉愈伤组织的诱导。转换到附加不同植物生长调节剂组合的B5培养基上后,随培养继代次数的增加,生长差异逐渐缩小,直至不显著,表明参考不同文献报道最优配方所设计的各植物生长调节剂组合对南方红豆杉愈伤组织的生长均较适宜,有利南方红豆杉愈伤组织生长的植物生长调节剂优化组合没有唯一性。但不同调节剂组合作用下的同源愈伤组织中、相同调节剂作用下不同源愈伤组织中紫杉醇含量均存在着极显著差异,适当水平(2 mg/L)的2,4-D单用,或与适当水平的KT、6-BA、KT GA配合使用,对南方红豆杉愈伤组织紫杉醇的合成较有利,NAA则不太有利,幼茎和叶愈伤组织产紫杉醇的水平较其它愈伤组织为高。     

Cloning of Thermomonospora fusca genes coding for beta 1-4 endoglucanases E1, E2 and E5

Thermomonospora fusca chromosomal DNA was partially digested with EcoRI and fragments in the size range from 4 to 15 kb were isolated, ligated into lambda gtWES.lambda B arms, packaged, and the recombinant phages plated on Escherichia coli. The plaques were screened for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity by a gel overlay procedure, and 25 plaques were positive among the 15,000 plaques that were screened. Positive phages were amplified and used to prepare infected E. coli extracts which were assayed for CMCase activity before and after treatment with antisera prepared against five purified T. fusca beta 1-4 endoglucanases (E1-E5). One phage produced an enzyme that was inhibited by E1 antiserum, nine of the phages produced enzymes that were inhibited by E2 antiserum, 14 produced enzymes that were inhibited by E5 antiserum and the enzyme produced by the other phages was not inhibited by any of the five antisera. The DNA insert present in the phage coding for E1 was cut into a number of different fragments which were subcloned into E. coli first using lambda gtWES.lambda B and then plasmid pBR322. The smallest active subclone, pTE12, contained a 3.1-kb insert. The insert present in one of the phages coding for E2 was also subcloned and the smallest active subclone pTE23 contained a 2-kb insert. E. coli HB101 containing plasmid pTE12 or pTE23 produced enzymes that were identical to E1 and E2, respectively, in all the properties tested.     

Specific recognition of the neuronal cell surface by an antiserum raised plasma membrane preparations of immature rat cerebellum

A brain specific antiserum was prepared by immunizing rabbits with a crude membrane fraction from 8-day old rat cerebella. In immunofluorescence studies the antiserum labeled the perikarya and processes of cultured cerebellar neurones. In contrast, other cell types, encountered in cerebellar cultures including astrocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts, were consistently unstained. The antiserum when used in crossed immunoelectrophoresis with Triton X-100 solubilized brain extracts reacted predominantly with one antigen that could be identified as the D2 protein.This paper is dedicated to Dr. Derek Richter on his seventy-fifth birthday.     

Sulphated CCK-8-like peptides in the neural ganglion of the protochordate Ciona intestinalis

Immunochemical studies were carried out on extracts of the neural ganglion from the ascidian Ciona intestinalis in order to the characterize the peptide(s), which react with antibodies against the C-terminal sequence common for the mammalian hormones, cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin. Radioimmunoassays specific for the sulphotyrosyl-containing N-terminus of CCK-8, for the common alpha-carboxyamidated C-terminus and for gastrin were used to monitor gel chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC of the extracts. Only neutral extracts contained immunoreactive material (634 (524-785) pmol eqv.CCK-8/g) (mean and range, n = 4)). HPLC revealed a small peak eluting almost like CCK-8 and a larger peak eluting earlier. By subsequent gel chromatography the larger peak eluted in the same position as sulphated CCK-8. The material was recognized almost equally by the N- and C-terminal CCK radioimmunoassays, whereas the specific C-terminal gastrin radioimmunoassay did not measure the peptides. Treatment with arylsulphatase removed the binding to the antiserum specific for the sulphotyrosyl-containing sequence of CCK. The results indicate that the ganglion of Ciona intestinalis contains a tyrosyl-sulphated peptide resembling mammalian CCK-8.     

Detection of N-Terminally Extended Substance P but Not of Substance P in Human Cerebrospinal Fluid: Quantitation with HPLC-Radioimmunoassay

A reversed-phase HPLC system was used to concentrate and separate components of substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) from human CSF. When CSF was injected and fractions collected, no SP-LI could be detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA) at the retention time of SP or SP-sulfoxide. Instead, SP-LI was detected in later eluting fractions. This SP-LI reacted with two different antisera raised against the C-terminal part of SP, but not with an antiserum against the N-terminal part. A compound with similar properties was also found to be present in neutral extracts of rat dorsal spinal cord. When the late-eluting compound from human CSF was treated with trypsin and rechromatographed on HPLC, an immunoreactive component eluting at the position of SP could be detected with both the C- and N-terminally directed SP antisera. These results suggest that an N-terminally extended form of SP is present in human CSF. Trypsinization also gave two other compounds with affinity for the N- but not the C-terminally directed antisera. This may indicate that N-terminal fragments of SP extended at the N-terminus or SP molecules extended at both the N- and the C-terminus (i.e., preprotachykinins) also are present in human CSF. In 32 CSF samples from depressed patients, SP-LI was determined with a C-terminally directed antiserum with and without prior HPLC separation. SP itself could not be detected, but the late-eluting form of SP-LI could be quantitated in all samples by combined HPLC-RIA. In most samples, there was a relatively good agreement between the SP-LI levels measured with and without HPLC.     

Validation of the antiproliferative effects of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphorbia tirucalli</Emphasis> extracts in breast cancer cell lines

Medicinal plant extracts have recently attracted attention of modern medical science research due to their non-lethal activity. Currently, up to 50% of the world drugs including chemotherapeutic drugs such as taxol and camptothecin are derived from natural products. Euphorbia tirucalli has a long history of usage as traditional medicine in Africa and has been widely used in the treatment of different cancers. In this study, we explore the medical properties of E. tirucalli extracts in breast cancer development. To achieve this, stems of E. tirucalli were dried, crushed and extracted with butanol, hexane or methanol (based on 1 g of dry substance in 10 mL of a solvent). The dried extracts were re-dissolved in DMSO and investigated. Composition of each extract was analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Extracts were found to contain different types of secondary metabolites mainly terpenes and flavonoids. Breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231) were treated with various concentrations of the extracts for up to 48 h. Cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis and gene expression were analysed. In cells, extracts were found to inhibit cell proliferation in a concentration and cell type dependent manner. Analysis of the cause of antiproliferation revealed that most cells were arrested at the G0/G1 phase by p21 overexpression. In general, most pro-apoptotic genes like Bax and caspase-8 were significantly up-regulated in cells treated with plant extracts. These results suggest that the extracts might induce cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 with p21 attributing to this molecular mechanism.     

Rapid detection and identification of Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica by a conjugated Staphylococcus aureus slide agglutination test

A. MCLEOD AND M.C.M. PEROMBELON. 1992. A conjugated Staphylococcus aureus slide agglutination test was used to detect and identify the potato blackleg pathogen, Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica. Agglutination was obtained with > 10⁸ cfu/ml of the homologous strain with a polyclonal antiserum (171) against E.c. atroseptica serogroup I which is the predominant E.c. atroseptica serogroup on potatoes in Scotland. The titre of antiserum 171 against live cells of E.c. atroseptica groups I and XXII was 2000 whereas that of other serogroups was considerably less; only 1 and 4 out of 22 serogroups of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora reacted at 1:1500 and 1:1000 antiserum dilutions, respectively and one of the three less common other E.c. atroseptica serogroups reacted at 1:1000. When tested against 24 different bacterial species including E. chrysanthemi and saprophytic bacteria present in potato tuber rots, negative results were obtained with 1:1000 antiserum dilution. The titre against heat-treated (1 h, 70°C) cells of E.c. atroseptica serogroups I and XXII was1700–2000 whereas it was < 10 against other bacteria including E.c. carotovora. Detection of E.c. atroseptica serogroups I and XXII in diseased potato tissues was achieved directly by the slide agglutination test, but lower antiserum dilutions (1:700–1000) were needed. Still lower antiserum dilutions were needed with heat-treated test material for E.c. atroseptica identification.     

Characterization and localization of atriopeptin in rat atrium

An antiserum specific for atriopeptin was used to characterize and localize atriopeptin-like immunoreactive material in rat atrium by radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemical techniques. The antiserum recognizes atriopeptin I, atriopeptin III, and -human atrial natriuretic polypeptide, but does not recognize met-enkephalin, cholecystokinin, dynorphin A (1–13), bradykinin, substance P, or β-endorphin. A high content of atriopeptin was found in crude extracts of rat atria, as compared to ventricles, and the atriopeptin-like immunoreactive material was found to be located exclusively in granules within atrial cardiocytes. Fractionation of the immunoreactive material by gel filtration and reverse-phase HPLC revealed the presence of multiple atriopeptins.