Urinary Modified Nucleosides as Tumor Markers

Abstract

Extracts of urinary nucleosides have been sequentially purified and examined by mass spectrometric analysis. Seventeen modified nucleosides have been unequivocally identified and a further five provisionally identified. While several nucleosides were found only in a small number of extracts, the occurrence and levels of others were found to correlate with the tumour type and stage.     

Chemical reclosure of opened imidazole ring of guanine

Imidazole ring opened adenine and guanine residues similar to those generated by gamma-irradiation of nucleosides of DNA, were chemically synthesised. Reaction conditions that promote the chemical reclosure of opened imidazole rings of guanine have been identified. The optimal conditions for the reclosure of such rings was found to be 0.2 M HCl at 37 degrees C. These conditions did not promote a reclosure of opened imidazole rings of adenine. The reclosure of opened imidazole rings of guanine was found to follow first order kinetics. The very low pH for this chemical ring reclosure precludes the likelihood that this reaction occurs intracellularly.     

8-Substituted Adenine β-D-Xylofuranosides and α-L-Arabinofuranosides

Abstract

9-(β-D-Xylofuranosyl) adenine and 9-(α-L-arabinofuranosyl)-adenine have been modified to give a series of 8-amino-substituted nucleosides. Convenient methods of halogenation of these nucleosides and reactions of 8-halogenated nucleosides with various amines are described. No significant cytotoxic or antiviral activity was found.     

Trans-zeatin in culture filtrates of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Cytokinin-active bases and nucleosides have been isolated from the culture filtrates of Agrobacterium tumefaciens by trace enrichment onto octadecyl-silica and have been identified by GLC-MS of their permethyl and trimethylsilyl derivatives. Besides the expected 6-(3-methylbut-2-enylamino) purine, the filtrate contained zeatin (85% trans, 15% cis), 2-methylthio-ribosylzeatin and smaller quantities of ribosylzeatin and other cytokinin-active nucleosides.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Cyclopropyl Carbocyclic Nucleosides

Abstract

A number of nucleosides have been synthesized as potential antiviral and antitumor agents.¹ More recently, various dideoxynucleosides have been synthesized and found to be potent anti-HIV agents.² As a part of our drug discovery program for the treatment of HIV and HBV, we have initiated to synthesize cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides as potential antiviral agents. Several papers regarding the synthesis of cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides have appeared in the literature.^3–5 However, they are all reported as racemic mixtures. In this abstract, we wish to report the asymmetric synthesis of cylopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides from optically active common intermediates, 6 and 11.     

Affinity chromatography using enzymatically synthesized nucleotide-containing DNA binding polymers

A series of nucleotide-containing polyphenols has been synthesized by a simple, two-step enzymatic method. The binding properties of these synthetic polymers to complementary oligonucleotides have been evaluated using a commercially available oligo(dT)cellulose column. Complementary synthetic nucleosides were retained on this column to a greater extent than non-complementary synthetic nucleosides. These results suggest that the synthetic nucleosides prepared via this two-step enzymatic approach may have application as affinity matrices.     

SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 2′-DEOXY-4′-THIO-PYRAZOLO[3,4-d]PYRIMIDINE NUCLEOSIDES

The coupling of 4-aminopyrazolo [3, 4-d]pyrimidine with the appropriate thio sugar gave a 3:1 ratio of α,β blocked 4-amino-1-(2-deoxy-4-thio-D-erythropentofuranosyl)- 1H pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine nucleosides. The mixture was deblocked, both the anomers were separated, and the β-anomer was readily deaminated by adenosine deaminase. The nucleosides have been characterized, and their anomeric configurations have been determined by proton NMR. All three nucleosides were evaluated against a panel of human tumor cell lines for cytotoxicity in vitro. The details of a convenient and high yielding synthesis of these nucleosides are described.     

Synthesis and biological activity of 2'-deoxy-4'-thio-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine nucleosides

The coupling of 4-aminopyrazolo [3, 4-d]pyrimidine with the appropriate thio sugar gave a 3:1 ratio of alpha,beta blocked 4-amino-1-(2-deoxy-4-thio-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-1H pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine nucleosides. The mixture was deblocked, both the anomers were separated, and the beta-anomer was readily deaminated by adenosine deaminase. The nucleosides have been characterized, and their anomeric configurations have been determined by proton NMR. All three nucleosides were evaluated against a panel of human tumor cell lines for cytotoxicity in vitro. The details of a convenient and high yielding synthesis of these nucleosides are described.     

Solubilization of murine melanoma xylosyltransferase and galactosyltransferase activities and their inactivation by dialdehyde nucleosides

The enzymes involved in the initial steps in the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans were examined in the murine B16 melanoma. Approximately 60% of the melanoma xylosyltransferase activity and nearly all of the galactosyltransferase activity were membrane-bound; these enzymatic activities were solubilized by treatment with Nonidet P-40 and potassium chloride, and the Michaelis constants for the substrates and acceptor molecules were determined and found to be comparable to those reported for these enzymes from the chick embryo and a rat chondrosarcoma. Dialdehyde nucleosides, which have been reported to alter the activity of several enzymes involved in nucleic acid synthesis, inhibited both xylosyltransferase and galactosyltransferase activities, with galactosyltransferase being considerably less sensitive than xylosyltransferase. The inhibition of xylosyltransferase by dialdehyde nucleosides was irreversible, with no apparent specificity for the base moiety of the dialdehyde nucleosides.     

Occurrence of Flavonoids and Nucleosides in Agricultural Soils

An ecologically relevant soil extraction procedure separated two types of molecules important for bacteria: flavonoids and small hydrophilic organic compounds. Two flavonoids, identified previously as inducers of nodulation genes in Rhizobium meliloti, were detected in rhizosphere soil from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). In addition, biologically significant quantities (micromoles per kilogram) of ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides were found in all soils tested. Long-term wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plots that had received manure contained elevated amounts of nucleosides, and in a separate experiment, the presence of legumes in a wheat-cropping sequence increased soil nucleosides. Intact bacterial cells accounted for less than 1% of the free nucleosides detected. These results suggest new testable hypotheses for molecular ecologists and differ from those obtained with older, harsher techniques.     

Utilization of tetrabutylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT) in the synthesis of 6-fluoropurine nucleosides

Tetrabutylammonium triphenydifluorosilicate (TBAT) has been found to be a useful reagent for the conversion of 6-chloropurine nucleosides to 6-fluoropurine derivatives. The 6-chloropurine nucleosides were reacted with trimethylamine to form quaternary trimethylammonium salts which were treated in situ with TBAT in DMF to effect conversion to the 6-fluoro derivatives in yields of 59-72%.     

Arabidopsis nucleoside hydrolases involved in intracellular and extracellular degradation of purines

Recently, the first plant nucleoside hydrolase, NSH1 (former designation URH1), was identified at the molecular level. This enzyme's highest hydrolysis capacity is for uridine, thereby balancing pyrimidine salvage and catabolism. NSH1 was found to be less efficient in the hydrolysis of further nucleosides. However, it remained unclear whether purine nucleosides are processed by NSH1. Moreover, the biochemical and physiological functions of further NSH isoforms in Arabidopsis has not been analyzed. Here we show that NSH1 is also able to hydrolyze xanthosine with high efficiency, and thus represents the leading activity in purine and pyrimidine breakdown in a cell. A knockout mutant for NSH1 showed symptoms of accelerated senescence, accompanied by marked accumulation of uridine and xanthosine under conditions of prolonged darkness. The closest, so far uncharacterized, homolog of NSH1, NSH2, was found to act during the late phase of senescence and may support inosine breakdown. NSH3, another NSH isoform, surprisingly functions as an extracellular, purine-specific hydrolase that is involved in degradation of extracellular nucleosides and may participate in wound and pathogen responses.     

Synthesis and Anti-HIV Properties of 1,2,4,6-Thiatriazin-3-one 1,1-Dioxtoe Nucleosides

Abstract

Synthesis of 1,2,4,6-thiatriazine 1,1-dioxide nucleosides is now reported for the first time. In order to know the conformation of the nucleosides, a NMR study has been carried out. Anti-HIV-1 and HIV-2 properties of the nucleosides have been tested. These compounds have not shown activity at subtoxic concentrations.     

Trypanosoma brucei: a survey of pyrimidine transport activities

Purine uptake has been studied in many protozoan parasites in the last few years, and several of the purine transporters have been cloned. In contrast, very little is known about the salvage of preformed pyrimidines by protozoa, and no pyrimidine transporters have been cloned, yet chemotherapy based on pyrimidine nucleobases and nucleosides has been as effective as purine antimetabolites in the treatment of infectious and neoplastic disease. Here, we surveyed the presence of pyrimidine transporters in Trypanosoma brucei brucei. We could not detect any mediated uptake of thymine, thymidine or cytidine, but identified a very high-affinity transporter for cytosine, designated C1, with a K(m) value of 0.048+/-0.009 microM. We also confirmed the presence of the previously reported U1 uracil transporter and found it capable of mediating uridine uptake as well, with a K(m) of 33+/-5 microM. A higher-affinity U2 uridine transporter (K(m)=4.1+/-2.1 microM) was also identified, but efficiency of the C1 and U2-mediated transport was low. Pyrimidine antimetabolites were tested as potential trypanocidal agents and only 5-fluorouracil was found to be effective. This drug was efficiently taken up by bloodstream forms of T. b. brucei.     

Purine metabolism in microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum.

The uptake and utilization of purine nucleosides and purines in microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum were investigated. The results revealed a unique pattern, namely that exogenous purine nucleosides are readily taken up and metabolised, while free purine bases are hardly taken up. The pathways of incorporation have been elucidated in studies with whole cells and with cell-free extracts. The ribonucleosides (adenosine, inosine and guanosine) can be converted into ribonucleotides in two ways; either directly catalysed by a kinase or by a phosphorolytic cleavage to the free base (adenine, hypoxanthine and guanine respectively) which can then be activated by a purine phosphoribosyltransferase. Apparently the purine phosphoribosyltransferases do not react with exogenous purine bases. The deoxyribonucleosides (deoxyadenosine, deoxyinosine and deoxyguanosine) are also phosphorolysed by purine nucleoside phosphorylase to adenine, hypoxanthine and guanine respectively. A portion of deoxyadenosine is directly phosphorylated to dAMP. It appears that only a minor part of the soluble nucleotide pool can be synthesised from exogenous supplied nucleosides and that none of the deoxyribonucleosides specifically label DNA. There is no catabolism of the purine moiety. In agreement with the above findings, we have found that analoguees of purine nucleosides are more toxic than their corresponding purine base analogues.     

Taxonomic distribution and quantitative analysis of free purine and pyrimidine nucleosides in snake venoms

The nucleoside content of 32 elapid and viperid venoms was examined. Free purines, principally adenosine (ADO), inosine (INO), and guanosine (GUA), comprised as much as 8.7% of the solid components of some venoms. Thus, purines are far more abundant in some venoms than many proteinaceous toxins. Hypoxanthine (HYP) was found in about half of elapid and viperine venoms, in which it is a relatively minor constituent (<60 microg/g). Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was tentatively identified in only three elapid and two viperid venoms. The pyrimidines, uridine (URI) and cytidine (CYT), were also found in most elapid and viperine venoms. In most of these, the amount of uridine was substantially greater than that of cytidine. Thymidine (THY) was not found in any venom, indicating that DNA from disintegration of glandular cells is not the source of venom nucleosides. In contrast to elapid and viperine venoms, most crotaline venoms are devoid of free nucleosides. Elapid and viperine venoms also contained other minor, low molecular weight constituents that could not be positively identified. Some had spectra identical to those of adenosine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), inosine, xanthosine (XAN), and guanosine, while others had unique spectra. There is no apparent correlation between quantities of venom nucleosides and literature values for the three dominant venom enzymes that release endogenous nucleosides, 5'-nucleotidase (5NUC), phosphodiesterase (PDE), and alkaline phosphomonoesterase (PME).     

Utilization Of Tetrabutylammonium Triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT) In The Synthesis of 6-Fluoropurine Nucleosides

Abstract

Tetrabutylammonium triphenydifluorosilicate (TBAT) has been found to be a useful reagent for the conversion of 6-chloropurine nucleosides to 6-fluoropurine derivatives. The 6-chloropurine nucleosides were reacted with trimethylamine to form quaternary trimethylammonium salts which were treated in situ with TBAT in DMF to effect conversion to the 6-fluoro derivatives in yields of 59–72%.     

Synthesis of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase inhibitors and their biological activities.

Several nucleosides have been prepared as a possible inhibitor of human S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) hydrolase for the development of anti-viral agents. Recently, SAH hydrolase has been considered as an attractive target for parasite chemotherapy for malaria. We report synthesis of several nucleosides including carbocyclic nucleosides and their inhibitory activities against recombinant malaria and human SAH hydrolases.