Synthesis and secondary structure of oligo(alpha-isobutyl beta,L-aspartate)s

The oligo(beta-peptide)s, hexa(alpha-isobutyl beta,L-aspartate) (Hex-AIBLA) and octa(alpha-isobutyl beta,L-aspartate) (Oct-AIBLA), were synthesized in solution by using standard coupling methods. Powder x-ray diffraction showed that the octamer crystallized in the two helical crystal forms known to exist in the homologous poly(beta-peptide), whereas the hexamer seemed to adopt an extended conformation. Both CD and 1H-NMR spectra of Oct-AIBLA in MeOH revealed the presence of a regularly folded conformation in this solvent, presumably the 3(14) helix. The helix-to-coil transition of Oct-AIBLA was observed to take place upon heating in both MeOH and CHCl3, in the second case associated with a not-well-defined aggregation-disaggregation process. The spectroscopic evidence obtained on the presence of folded structures in Hex-AIBLA were much weaker than for the octamer.     

Analysis of interactive packing of secondary structural elements in alpha/beta units in proteins

An alpha-helix and a beta-strand are said to be interactively packed if at least one residue in each of the secondary structural elements loses 10% of its solvent accessible contact area on association with the other secondary structural element. An analysis of all such 5,975 nonidentical alpha/beta units in protein structures, defined at < or = 2.5 A resolution, shows that the interaxial distance between the alpha-helix and the beta-strand is linearly correlated with the residue-dependent function, log[(V/nda)/n-int], where V is the volume of amino acid residues in the packing interface, nda is the normalized difference in solvent accessible contact area of the residues in packed and unpacked secondary structural elements, and n-int is the number of residues in the packing interface. The beta-sheet unit (beta u), defined as a pair of adjacent parallel or antiparallel hydrogen-bonded beta-strands, packing with an alpha-helix shows a better correlation between the interaxial distance and log(V/nda) for the residues in the packing interface. This packing relationship is shown to be useful in the prediction of interaxial distances in alpha/beta units using the interacting residue information of equivalent alpha/beta units of homologous proteins. It is, therefore, of value in comparative modeling of protein structures.     

Incorporation of the antibacterial agent, miconazole nitrate into a cellulosic fabric grafted with β-cyclodextrin

The aim of the study was to investigate the incorporation of the antibacterial agent, miconazole nitrate into cyclodextrin cavities covalently bonded onto cloth fibers. The cellulosic fabric was grafted with β-cyclodextrin molecules through reaction with monochlorotriaziny β-cyclodextrin (MCT-β-CD). The suitable bonded reaction conditions were found to be MCT-β-CD 60–100 g/L, catalyst Na₂CO₃ 50–60 g/L, the reaction temperature 150–160 °C and the reaction time 5–8 min.

The modified and unmodified fabrics were characterized by UV spectrophotometry. The level of miconazole nitrate entrapped in the fabrics were determined by HPLC and was founded to be much higher (0.458% w/w) for the textile functionalized with MCT-β-CD compared to the unmodified fabric (0.056% w/w). The antibacterial abilities measured by shaker flask method showed that the antibacterial property was markedly enhanced by impregnation with miconazole nitrate of the MCT-β-CD grafted textile. The finished fabric kept the antibacterial abilities more than 70% even after washing 10 times, while the antibacterial activity of the unmodified textile was almost lost.     

Effects of detergents on the secondary structures of prion protein peptides as studied by CD spectroscopy.

Pathogenic prion proteins (PrP(Sc)) are thought to be produced by alpha-helical to beta-sheet conformational changes in the normal cellular prion proteins (PrP(C)) located solely in the caveolar compartments. In order to inquire into the possible conformational changes due to the influences of hydrophobic environments within caveolae, the secondary structures of prion protein peptides were studied in various kinds of detergents by CD spectra. The peptides studied were PrP(129-154) and PrP(192-213); the former is supposed to assume beta-sheets and the latter alpha-helices, in PrP(Sc). The secondary structure analyses for the CD spectra revealed that in buffer solutions, both PrP(129-154) and PrP(192-213) mainly adopted random-coils (approximately 60%), followed by beta-sheets (30%-40%). PrP(129-154) showed no changes in the secondary structures even in various kinds of detergents such as octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (OG), octy-beta-D-maltopyranoside (OM). sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Zwittergent 3-14 (ZW) and dodecylphosphocholine (DPC). In contrast, PrP(192-213) changed its secondary structure depending on the concentration of the detergents. SDS, ZW, OG and OM increased the alpha-helical content, and decreased the beta-sheet and random-coil contents. DPC also increased the alpha-helical content, but to a lesser extent than did SDS, ZW, OG or OM. These results indicate that PrP(129-154) has a propensity to adopt predominantly beta-sheets. On the other hand, PrP(192-213) has a rather fickle propensity and varies its secondary structure depending on the environmental conditions. It is considered that the hydrophobic environments provided by these detergents may mimic those provided by gangliosides in caveolae, the head groups of which consist of oligosaccharide chains containing sialic acids. It is concluded that PrP(C) could be converted into a nascent PrP(Sc) having a transient PrP(Sc) like structureunder the hydrophobic environments produced by gangliosides.     

The binding of beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins to glycogen phosphorylase b: kinetic and crystallographic studies

A number of regulatory binding sites of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), such as the catalytic, the inhibitor, and the new allosteric sites are currently under investigation as targets for inhibition of hepatic glycogenolysis under high glucose concentrations; in some cases specific inhibitors are under evaluation in human clinical trials for therapeutic intervention in type 2 diabetes. In an attempt to investigate whether the storage site can be exploited as target for modulating hepatic glucose production, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins were identified as moderate mixed-type competitive inhibitors of GPb (with respect to glycogen) with K(i) values of 47.1, 14.1, and 7.4 mM, respectively. To elucidate the structural basis of inhibition, we determined the structure of GPb complexed with beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins at 1.94 A and 2.3 A resolution, respectively. The structures of the two complexes reveal that the inhibitors can be accommodated in the glycogen storage site of T-state GPb with very little change of the tertiary structure and provide a basis for understanding their potency and subsite specificity. Structural comparisons of the two complexes with GPb in complex with either maltopentaose (G5) or maltoheptaose (G7) show that beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins bind in a mode analogous to the G5 and G7 binding with only some differences imposed by their cyclic conformations. It appears that the binding energy for stabilization of enzyme complexes derives from hydrogen bonding and van der Waals contacts to protein residues. The binding of alpha-cyclodextrin and octakis (2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-gamma-cyclodextrin was also investigated, but none of them was bound in the crystal; moreover, the latter did not inhibit the phosphorylase reaction.     

Per-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-beta-cyclodextrin: a cyclodextrin derivative bearing only primary hydroxyl groups

Natural beta-cyclodextrin (cyclomaltoheptaose) was treated with sodium hydride and allyl bromide to form the per-O-allyl-beta-cyclodextrin. 9-BBN, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide were then added to form, after adequate treatments, the desired per-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-beta-cyclodextrin in yields close to 65%. This modified cyclodextrin, which bears only primary hydroxyl groups, can be used as a macro-initiator of the anionic polymerisation of ethylene oxide to form star-shaped polymers. The presence of only primary hydroxyl groups allows us to expect identical initiation kinetics for all the hydroxyl groups of the modified glucopyranosyl units.     

Regioselective monoacylation of cyclomaltoheptaose at the C-2 secondary hydroxyl groups by the alkaline protease from Bacillus subtilis in nonaqueous media

Transesterification of cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-CD) with divinyl butanedioate, divinyl hexanedioate, and divinyl decanedioate, catalyzed by the alkaline protease from Bacillus subtilis in anhydrous DMF for 5 days, furnished the corresponding vinyl-beta-CD derivatives. The products were characterized by ESI-MS, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, IR, and DSC. The results indicated the products to be monosubstituted esters, with monoacylation occurring at the C-2 secondary hydroxyl groups of beta-CD. The regioselectivity of the monoacylation as catalyzed by alkaline protease was not affected by the chain length of the acyl donor.     

Biotransformation of β-amino nitriles: the role of the N-protecting group

N-Tolylsulfonyl- and N-butyloxycarbonyl-protected β-amino nitriles were prepared to study the effect of the N-protecting group on the biotransformation of the β-amino nitriles to the corresponding β-amino amides and acids. The bioconversions were carried out by using whole cells of Rhodococcus sp. R312 and Rhodococcus erythropolis NCIMB 11540. The bioconversion products of five-membered carbocyclic nitriles were mainly the respective acids whereas the carbocyclic six-membered nitriles were accumulated at the stage of the amide. Benefits of the enzymatic compared with the chemical hydrolysis of β-amino nitriles are the mild reaction conditions for the transformation of the nitrile group in the presence of acid or base labile N-protecting groups. In the present work we concentrated on this chemoselectivity of the biotransformation rather than its potential enantioselectivity, which will be subject of future investigations. Thus, some new compounds were prepared: (±)-(2-cyano-cyclohexyl) carbamic acid tert-butyl ester (4a), (±)-(2-carbamoyl-cyclopentyl) carbamic acid tert-butyl ester (3b) and (±)-(2-carbamoyl-cyclohexyl) carbamic acid tert-butyl ester (4b).     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-amino-2-deoxy- and 6-amino-6-deoxy-cyclomaltoheptaose polysulfates as synergists for angiogenesis inhibition

2-Amino-2-deoxy-cyclomaltoheptaose was prepared from β-cyclodextrin perbenzoate [heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl)cyclomaltoheptaose] by a series of reactions including selective de-O-benzoylation at C-2 of one of the perbenzoylated -glucopyranosyl moieties, oxidation to the 2-ulose derivative, oxime formation, and reduction to the 2-amino-2-deoxy- -glucose moiety. This compound and 6-amino-6-deoxycyclomaltoheptaose accessible from β-cyclodextrin through the known procedure were sulfated to give polysulfated aminocyclomaltoheptaose derivatives (3, 5). Employing β-cyclodextrin polysulfate as a reference compound, the synergistic effects of 3 and 5 for cortexolone on angiogenesis inhibitory activity were examined by rabbit-corneal micropocket assay system. In contrast to the significant anti-angiogenesis activity of the β-cyclodextrin polysulfate-cortexolone pair, neither 3 nor 5 showed any cooperative activity with cortexolone in the inhibition of basic FGF-induced angiogenesis.     

Mitogenic activity of particulate yeast β-(1 → 3)-d-glucan and its water-soluble derivatives

Particulate β-d-glucan was isolated from baker's yeast using autolysis and delipidization of the cells, followed by alkaline and acid treatment. The residual water-insoluble glucan termed cerevan has a β-(1→ 3)-linked backbone with β-(1 → 6)-linked short side chains. In order to achieve water solubility of the glucan, various derivatives were prepared (car☐ymethyl-, car☐yethyl-, hydroxyethyl-, sulfoethyl-), and the β-glucan was oxidized to glucuronoglucan. Their solubility, degree of substitution (DS), and molecular weight distribution (M_w) were compared. The immunomodulatory activity of these preparations was investigated in mitogenic and co-mitogenic tests on rat thymocytes. Cerevan showed higher stimulation indices compared with the known immunomodulator zymosan. Of the water-soluble derivatives, sulfoethylglucan was found to be the most active. Of the car☐ymethyl derivatives of various DS, the preparation with DS=0.75 exhibited the highest activity. Water-soluble car☐ymethyl preparations with DS > 1.0 and low-molecular-weight glucuronoglucan were inactive.     

Studies on intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the pyridine nitrogen and the amide hydrogen of the peptide: synthesis and conformational analysis of tripeptides containing novel amino acids with a pyridine ring.

For the first time tripeptides, Z-AA(1)-Xaa-AA(3)-OMe (AA(1) and AA(3) = Gly or Aib, Xaa = 2Pmg and 2Pyg) were prepared containing alpha-methyl-alpha-(2-pyridyl)glycine (2Pmg) and alpha-(2-pyridyl)glycine (2Pyg) by solid-phase Ugi reaction. These results clearly indicate that for the preparation of tripeptides containing an amino acid with a pyridine ring, the solid-phase Ugi reaction is very useful.NMR analysis clarified that 2Pmg-containing tripeptides adopt a unique conformation with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between 2Pmg-NH and the pyridine nitrogen. However, in the case of Z-Gly-2Pyg-Gly-OMe, the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between 2Pyg-NH and the pyridine nitrogen was not observed, whereas Z-Aib-2Pyg-Aib-OMe adopts a unique conformation with an intramolecular hydrogen bond between 2Pyg-NH and a pyridine nitrogen. Conformational analysis of the tripeptides, Z-AA(1)-Xaa-AA(3)-OMe (AA(1), AA(3) = Gly or Aib, Xaa = alpha,alpha-di(2-pyridyl)glycine (2Dpy), alpha-phenyl-alpha-(2-pyridyl)glycine (2Ppg), 2Pmg and 2Pyg), clarified that when an alpha,alpha-disubstituted glycine with a 2-pyridyl group at an alpha-carbon atom is introduced into any peptide, an intramolecular hydrogen bond between a pyridine nitrogen and an amide proton is formed and conformational mobility of the peptide backbone is restricted.     

Chiral separation of 2,3-allenoic acid by capillary zone electrophoresis using cyclodextrin derivatives

In this paper, five of six samples of 2,3-allenoic acid enantiomers were separated by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) and hydroxypropyl-gamma-cyclodextrin (HP-gamma-CD) as chiral selectors. Using HP-beta-CD for chiral separation, three of the six enantiomers were separated. Five experimental conditions including HP-beta-CD concentration, pH, buffer concentration, temperature, and running voltage were investigated for their influence on separation and migration using enantiomers of 2-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3-butadienoic acid (A) and 2-(n-propyl)-4-phenyl-2,3-butadienoic acid (B) as samples. Good separation results were observed when [HP-beta-CD] = 3-12 mmol/L and pH = 7-9 for samples A and B. The temperature range of 15-25 degrees C can be selected for convenience. According to the chiral separation results, HP-beta-CD and HP-gamma-CD should be valuable selectors to separate 2,3-allenoic acids and HP-gamma-CD was suggested to separate the 2,3-allenoic acid samples with a group at 4-position bulkier than phenyl.     

Synthesis of (+)-(S)-ibuproxam and preparation of some new complexes of racemic and (+)-(S)-ibuproxam with β-cyclodextrin and its derivatives

(+)-(S)-Ibuproxam, a prodrug of (+)-(S)-ibuprofen, the pharmacologically active component of ibuprofen, was synthesized in order to minimize side effects (especially gastric irritation) and reduce effective dose. The low water solubility of (+)-(S)-ibuproxam, which prevents rapid dissolution and absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, was overcome by complexation with β-cyclodextrin and its derivatives. The inclusion complex formation was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffractometry. The physicochemical characteristics of ibuproxam were significantly improved by the complexation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Purification and determination of the action pattern of Haliotis tuberculata laminarinase

The major laminarinase activity (EC 3.2.1.39) from the gastropodean marine mollusc Haliotis tuberculata was purified to homogeneity by cation exchange chromatography and its action pattern was investigated by HPAEC-PAD analysis of the degradation of various laminarin samples. It consists of a 60 kDa protein capable of depolymerizing the unbranched portions of the β-(1→3), β-(1→6)-glucan, down to laminaritriose. The enzyme operates via a molecular mechanism retaining the anomeric configuration. As the purified protein does not cleave the β-(1→6) linkages, it can be used for the structural analysis of laminarins.     

Intracellular degradation of insulin and crinophagy are maintained by nitric oxide and cyclo-oxygenase 2 activity in isolated pancreatic islets

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Pancreatic beta-cells require an optimal insulin content to allow instantaneous secretion of insulin. This is maintained by insulin biosynthesis and intracellular degradation of insulin. Degradation may be effected by crinophagy, i.e. the fusion of secretory granules with lysosomes. IL-1beta (interleukin 1beta) induces distinct changes of beta-cell lysosomes. To study the mechanisms for intracellular insulin degradation and crinophagy, isolated mouse pancreatic islets were exposed to IL-1beta and known pathways for IL-1beta actions were blocked. Intracellular insulin degradation was determined by following the fate of radioactively labelled insulin. Crinophagy was studied by ultrastructural analysis. The effects of blocking pathways for IL-1beta were monitored by measurements of nitrite and PGE(2) (prostaglandin E(2)). RESULTS: IL-1beta caused an enhancement of islet intracellular insulin degradation and an increase in the lysosomal incorporation of beta-cell secretory granules. The effects of IL-1beta were abolished by aminoguanidine, a selective inhibitor of inducible NOS (nitric oxide synthase), or by rofecoxib, a specific inhibitor of COX-2 (cyclo-oxygenase 2). In the absence of IL-1beta, nitroarginine, which is a selective inhibitor of constitutive NOS, caused a decrease in intracellular degradation of insulin in parallel with a decreased production of NO and PGE(2) by the islets. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between the enhanced intracellular insulin degradation and lysosomal changes caused by IL-1beta suggests that insulin degradation may be effected by crinophagy. Under physiological conditions, significant beta-cell degradation of insulin may depend on the activity of COX-2, possibly stimulated by endogenous NO.     

Fed-batch production of (S)-flurbiprofen in lipase-catalyzed dispersed aqueous phase reaction system induced by succinyl β-cyclodextrin and its extractive purification

Optically active (S)-flurbiprofen was produced fed-batch-wisely in a lipase-catalyzed dispersed aqueous phase reaction system induced by succinyl β-cyclodextrin (suβ-CD). A highly concentrated 480 mM (S)-flurbiprofen, corresponding to 117.0 g/l, with an enantiomeric excess of 0.98 and conversion yield of 0.48 was obtained. (S)-Flurbiprofen produced in an inclusion complex form with suβ-CD was extractively purified using three-step procedures: decomplexation of (S)-flurbiprofen and residual (R)-flurbiprofen ethyl ester ((R)-FEE) using the ethyl acetate, dissolution of (S)-flurbiprofen from (R)-FEE using a sodium bicarbonate solution, and selective precipitation of (S)-flurbiprofen using 2-propanol. Consequently, an extremely high concentration of 420 mM (S)-flurbiprofen with an optical purity higher than 98% was recovered after purification.