EFFECTIVENESS OF BETA-CYPERMETHRIN ON GLUTAMIC- PYRUVIC TRANSAMINASE (GPT) AND GLUTAMIC-OXALOACETIC TRANSAMINASE (GOT) ACTIVITIES FROM CRUCIAN CARP (CARASSIUS AURATUS) SERUM

Synthetic pyrethroids are considered as possible sub-stitutesfor some organophosphate carbamates or organochlo-rine insecticides,and have been used extensivelyfor morethantwo decades[1].Pyrethroids are preferred over otherinsecticides because of their easy degradation into non-toxic or less toxic metabolites under natural conditions.Consequently,there has recently beena dramatic increaseinthe use of pyrethroid pesticides to control insect pests.However,synthetic pyrethroids were also reported …     

Solving chemical problems through the application of evolutionary principles

Molecular evolution has been widely applied in the laboratory to generate novel biological macromolecules. The principles underlying evolution have more recently been used to address problems in the chemical sciences, including the discovery of functional synthetic small molecules, catalysts, materials and new chemical reactions. The application of these principles in dynamic combinatorial chemistry and in efforts involving small molecule-nucleic acid conjugates has facilitated the evaluation of large numbers of candidate structures or reactions for desired characteristics. These early efforts suggest the promise of pairing evolutionary approaches with synthetic chemistry.     

Synthetic peptides derived from human antimicrobial peptide ubiquicidin accumulate at sites of infections and eradicate (multi-drug resistant) Staphylococcus aureus in mice

The presence and antimicrobial activity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been widely recognized as an evolutionary preserved part of the innate immune system. Based on evidence in animal models and humans, AMPs are now positioned as novel anti-infective agents. The current study aimed to evaluate the potential antimicrobial activity of ubiquicidin and small synthetic fragments thereof towards methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as a high priority target for novel antibiotics. In vitro killing of MRSA by synthetic peptides derived from the alpha-helix or beta-sheet domains of the human cationic peptide ubiquicidin (UBI 1-59), allowed selection of AMPs for possible treatment of MRSA infections. The strongest antibacterial activity was observed for the entire peptide UBI 1-59 and for synthetic fragments comprising amino acids 31-38. The availability, chemical synthesis opportunities, and size of these small peptides, combined with their strong antimicrobial activity towards MRSA make these compounds promising candidates for antimicrobial therapy and detection of infections in man.     

Synthesis of Zeolites Using the ADOR (Assembly-Disassembly-Organization-Reassembly) Route

Zeolites are an important class of materials that have wide ranging applications such as heterogeneous catalysts and adsorbents which are dependent on their framework topology. For new applications or improvements to existing ones, new zeolites with novel pore systems are desirable. We demonstrate a method for the synthesis of novel zeolites using the ADOR route. ADOR is an acronym for Assembly, Disassembly, Organization and Reassembly. This synthetic route takes advantage of the assembly of a relatively poorly stable that which can be selectively disassembled into a layered material. The resulting layered intermediate can then be organized in different manners by careful chemical manipulation and then reassembled into zeolites with new topologies. By carefully controlling the organization step of the synthetic pathway, new zeolites with never before seen topologies are capable of being synthesized. The structures of these new zeolites are confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction and further characterized by nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. This new synthetic pathway for zeolites demonstrates its capability to produce novel frameworks that have never been prepared by traditional zeolite synthesis techniques.     

Melanin accelerates the tyrosinase-catalyzed oxygenation of p-hydroxyanisole (MMEH)

Although pigment melanin has long been though of as "inert," recent work has attested to its chemical reactivity. In this communication, we report that either commercial synthetic melanin prepared by persulfate oxidation of tyrosine ("Sigma melanin") or sepia melanin extracted from cuttlefish markedly accelerates the in vitro oxygenation of p-hydroxyanisole (MMEH), catalyzed by mushroom or B-16 melanoma tyrosinase. Kinetics of 4-methoxy-1,2-benzoquinone formation (lambda max = 413 nm) or of molecular O2 uptake were biphasic, with an initial slow rate ("lag time") followed by a fast linear increase. The biphasic response reflects an initial slow hydroxylation followed by a fast dehydrogenation. Added melanin markedly decreased the lag time but had little effect on subsequent dehydrogenation. Similar effects were observed for tyrosine itself. A complex between MMEH and melanin appears to be the "active" species in these reactions. The results indicate that melanin acts as an electron conduit, which accepts electrons from the substrate and transfers them to tyrosinase. The magnitude of the effect depends on the type of melanin as well as on its oxidation state. Kinetic analysis indicates that both melanins are very efficient at transferring electron to tyrosinase, and that Sigma melanin is roughly threefold more efficient than sepia melanin. The qualitative similarity of reaction between the synthetic and "natural" melanins suggests that the former may serve as a first approximation to the in vivo situation. On the other hand, the observed quantitative differences and the sensitivity of these results to the chemical state of melanin suggests that this methodology might eventually be adapted as a non-destructive probe of melanin in situ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Novel epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) analogs activate AMP-activated protein kinase pathway and target cancer stem cells

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a critical monitor of cellular energy status and also controls processes related to tumor development, including cell cycle progression, protein synthesis, cell growth and survival. Therefore AMPK as an anti-cancer target has received intensive attention recently. It has been reported that the anti-diabetic drug metformin and some natural compounds, such as quercetin, genistein, capsaicin and green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), can activate AMPK and inhibit cancer cell growth. Indeed, natural products have been the most productive source of leads for the development of anti-cancer drugs but perceived disadvantages, such as low bioavailability and week potency, have limited their development and use in the clinic. In this study we demonstrated that synthetic EGCG analogs 4 and 6 were more potent AMPK activators than metformin and EGCG. Activation of AMPK by these EGCG analogs resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation, up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, down-regulation of mTOR pathway, and suppression of stem cell population in human breast cancer cells. Our findings suggest that novel potent and specific AMPK activators can be discovered from natural and synthetic sources that have potential to be used for anti-cancer therapy in the clinic.     

A single mutation in the 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4-R D100(3.32)A) generates a Gs-coupled receptor activated exclusively by synthetic ligands (RASSL)

To better understand G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCRs) signaling, cellular and animal physiology, as well as gene therapy, a new tool has recently been proposed. It consists of GPCR mutants that are insensitive to endogenous ligands but sensitive to synthetic ligands. These GPCRs are called receptor activated solely by synthetic ligands (RASSL). Only two examples of such engineered receptors have been described so far: one G(i)-coupled (opioid receptors) and one G(s)-coupled (beta(2)-adrenergic receptors). Here, we describe the first RASSL related to serotonin receptors (D100(3.32)A G(s)-coupled 5-HT(4) receptor or 5-HT(4)-RASSL). 5-HT(4)-RASSL is generated by a single mutation, is totally insensitive to serotonin (5-HT), and still responds to synthetic ligands. These ligands have affinities in the range of nanomolar concentrations for the mutant receptor and exhibit full efficacy. More interestingly, two synthetic ligands behave as antagonists on the wild type but as agonists on the 5-HT(4)-RASSL.     

Towards large-scale synthetic applications of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases

Biocatalysis is coming of age, with an increasing number of reactions being scaled-up and developed. The diversity of reactions is also increasing and oxidation reactions have recently been considered for scale-up to commercial processes. One important chemical conversion, which is difficult to achieve enantio- or enantiotopo- selectively, is the Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation of ketones. Using cyclohexanone monooxygenase to catalyse the reaction produces optically pure esters and lactones with exquisite enantiomeric excess values. Recently, these enzymes and their many applications in synthetic chemistry have been explored. The scale-up of these conversions has been examined with the idea of implementing the first commercial Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase-based process. Here, we review the state-of-the-art situation for the scale-up and exploitation of these enzymes.     

Presence and coding properties of 2'-O-methyl-5-carbamoylmethyluridine (ncm5Um) in the wobble position of the anticodon of tRNA(Leu) (U*AA) from brewer's yeast.

The unknown modified nucleoside U* has been isolated by enzymatic and HPLC protocols from tRNA(Leu) (U*AA) recently discovered in brewer's yeast. The pure U* nucleoside has been characterized by electron impact mass spectroscopy, and comparison of its chromatographic and UV-absorption properties with those of appropriate synthetic compounds. The structure of U* was established as 2'-O-methyl-5-carbamoylmethyluridine (ncm5Um). The yeast tRNA(Leu) (U*AA) is the only tRNA so far sequenced which has been shown to contain ncm5Um. The location of such a modified uridine at the first position of the anticodon restricts the decoding property to A of the leucine UUA codon.     

The enzymatic synthesis of antiviral agents.

The majority of potential antiviral agents which are currently undergoing clinical trials are inhibitors of the replication of nucleic acids. The most common class of these inhibitors are nucleoside analogues and the elucidation of synthetic routes to these compounds has been of interest for many years as many are anticancer agents. One synthetic development has been the application of bio-transformations to nucleoside syntheses. This topic has been reviewed recently (Shirae et al., 1991) but this review is not widely available. In the present review, the application of biotechnology to the synthesis of antiviral agents including those which are not nucleoside analogues will be discussed. Enzymatic syntheses of nucleosides can be simpler and quicker than syntheses carried out by chemical methods. The most useful enzymes are those found in catabolic pathways. Nucleoside phosphorylases and N-deoxyribosyltransferases have both been widely used for nucleoside synthesis catalysing the transfer of sugar residues from a donor nucleoside to a heterocyclic base. Enzymatic methods have also been applied to the resolution of racemic mixtures and adenosine deaminase is a convenient catalyst for the hydrolysis of amino groups on purines and purine analogues. Regioselective deprotection of nucleoside esters has been achieved with lipases and these enzymes have also been applied to the synthesis of esters of sugar-like alkaloids. The latter have potential as inhibitors of the replication of HIV. Esterases have also been used in combined chemical and enzymatic syntheses of organophosphorus antiviral agents.     

Synthetic probes and chemical tools in sphingolipid research

Sphingolipids (SLs) are a unique class of nitrogen-linked lipids that are involved in membrane structure, cell signaling, and other important cellular processes. Abnormal sphingolipid metabolism is observed in several diseases including cancer, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. However, the direct study of SLs has been hampered by their ubiquitous presence in cells and their complex metabolism. In the past few decades, efforts have been focused on creating synthetic probes and chemical tools to study SLs and decipher their roles in cellular biology. In this brief perspective, we seek to provide a concise snapshot of recently developed state-of-the-art chemical tools in SL research and the challenges that can be addressed through further development of SL probes.     

A Standardized Test for the Identification and Characterization of Melanins Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy

Melanins are complex, incompletely understood polymeric pigments that historically have been difficult to investigate with common chemical, histochemical, and physicochemical techniques. Because these pigments uniquely contain a stable population of organic free radicals, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a particularly effective method for studying them, and a set of qualitative EPR criteria has been established for their identification. However, a number of practical problems have arisen in applying these criteria to identify and characterize unknown pigments in relatively scarce pathological specimens, indicating that a standardized approach is needed. As reported here, a standardized EPR test for melanin based on the EPR criteria has been developed, guided by the requirements that it be sensitive, accurate, simple, and easy to interpret. It has been evaluated using the well-characterized synthetic melanin prepared by alkaline autooxidation of 5,6-dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) and initially applied to the identification and characterization of an unknown pigment purified from an unusual malignant lung tumor.     

Improved synthesis of unique estradiol-linked platinum(II) complexes showing potent cytocidal activity and affinity for the estrogen receptor alpha and beta

We have recently reported the synthesis of a platinum(II) complex, made of estradiol, the female sex hormone, and a cisplatin analog, an anticancer drug, linked together by an eleven carbon atoms chain. The novel estradiol-Pt(II) hybrid molecule was synthesized in nine chemical steps with 10% overall yield. This new compound has been tested in vitro on estrogen-dependent (MCF-7) and -independent (MDA-MD-231) (ER(+) and ER(-)) cell lines. Interestingly, the biological activity was quite significant, more potent than that of cisplatin, the compound currently used in chemotherapy. The estrogen receptor binding affinity (ERBA) of this compound was very similar to that of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on both estrogen receptors (ERs), alpha and beta. In order to further study this type of molecule, we have decided to synthesize several analogs with the same estrogenic scaffold but with various chain lengths separating the estradiol from the toxic part of the molecule. This was planned in order to study the effect of the length of the linking chain on the biological activity of the hybrids. Four E(2)-Pt(II) hybrid molecules having 6-14 carbon atoms linking chain have been synthesized using a new synthetic methodology. They are synthesized in only eight chemical steps with 21% overall yield. The 17beta-estradiol-linked platinum(II) complexes have been tested for their receptor binding affinity as well as for their cytocidal activity on several breast cancer cell lines. The synthesis and biological results are reported herein.     

Enzymatic production of lactulose and 1-lactulose: current state and perspectives

Lactulose, a synthetic ketose disaccharide, has been widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries as prebiotic food additives and drugs against constipation and hepatic encephalopathy. Lactulose has, so far, been produced chemically using lactose on a commercial scale. The key problems associated with such chemical process are the cost of removal of the catalyst and colored by-products and the product safety. Enzymatic production of lactulose is safe, environment-friendly, and simpler in comparison to the chemical method. As a promising alternative to the chemical method, enzymatic conversion of lactose into lactulose by β-galactosidase or cellobiose 2-epimerase has recently gained a great deal of attention. This could be considered as a possible route for whey surplus because lactose is the major component of cheese whey. Herein, we summarize recent advances on the enzymatic synthesis of lactulose with emphasis on the selectivity of biocatalysts and their catalytic efficiency in free and immobilized forms. The production of 1-lactulose by enzymatic bioconversion of lactose has also been discussed. Furthermore, future research needs of β-galactosidase and cellobiose 2-epimerase for the enzymatic synthesis of lactulose and 1-lactulose are reviewed.     

Non-human primate immune libraries combined with germline humanization: An (almost) new,and powerful approach for the isolation of therapeutic antibodies

Panning of libraries constructed from immunised non-human primates (NHP) has not been widely used, even though this has proven to be a successful approach for the isolation of human-like antibody fragments with affinities in the nanomolar to the picomolar range. As recently demonstrated, after initial isolation of antibodies with such high affinities, germline humanization may be applied to these Fabs or scFvs to increase the similarity of their framework regions with those encoded by human germline genes. ‘Germlinized’ antibody fragments may be converted to full size IgGs; indications are given that these IgGs could be better tolerated in clinical use than human antibodies. The use of the combination of NHP immune libraries and germline humanization thus may compete with use of libraries of human origin, whether naïve or immune, and with synthetic libraries. In this report, the various approaches will be compared, and advantages of the two-step NHP-based method, as well as corresponding intellectual property aspects, will be discussed.Key words: non-human primate, antibody, naïve library, synthetic library, immune library, affinity, epitope, tolerance, patent     

Discovery and development of heat shock protein 90 inhibitors

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an important target in cancer because of its role in maintaining transformation and has recently become the focus of several drug discovery and development efforts. While compounds with different modes of action are known, the focus of this review is on those classes of compounds which inhibit Hsp90 by binding to the N-terminal ATP pocket. These include natural product inhibitors such as geldanamycin and radicicol and synthetic inhibitors comprised of purines, pyrazoles, isoxazoles and other scaffolds. The synthetic inhibitors have been discovered either by structure-based design, high throughput screening and more recently using fragment-based design and virtual screening techniques. This review will discuss the discovery of these different classes, as well as their development as potential clinical agents.     

Lipoamidase (lipoyl-X hydrolase) from pig brain.

Although the optimum substrate for lipoamidase (lipoyl-X hydrolase) has not yet been determined, it is known that lipoamidase activity, as determined by hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate lipoyl 4-aminobenzoate (LPAB), is widely distributed in pig brain tissues, i.e. in the cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla. Over 95% of the enzyme activity is present in the membrane subfractions, indicating that brain lipoamidase is an integral membrane protein enzyme. To elucidate the chemical nature and the optimum substrate of the abundant lipoamidase in the brain, we isolated it from the membrane subfractions. After an 8-step purification procedure, brain lipoamidase was purified 601-fold and identified as a 140 kDa glycoprotein by SDS/PAGE. A mechanistic study to determine Km and Vmax, values was carried out using various synthetic compounds. Lipoyl-lysine, which is generally believed to be a naturally occurring substrate of lipoamidase, was first compared with biotinyl-lysine, because these two vitamins have reactive sulphur atoms and are similar in molecular mass and structure. The Km for lipoyl-lysine was 333 microM, whereas biotinyl-lysine was not hydrolysed. Stringent specificity for the lipoyl moiety is demonstrated, as expected. Dipeptides of amino acid-lysine structures were studied, and dipeptides of aspartyl- and glutamyl-lysine hydrolysis occurred at high Km (3 mM) values. Thus lysine in the moiety is not very effective as an optimum substrate. The chemical bond structures of the amide bond (lipoyl-lysine) and peptide bond (aspartyl-lysine) were hydrolysed. Next, the ester bond compound was tested, and it was observed that lipolylmethyl ester was hydrolysed at high specificity. These findings indicate that this enzyme has broad specificities with respect to bond structure; it therefore is a unique hydrolase having stringent specificity for lipoic acid and relatively broad specificity for the chemical bond and the X moiety. Various inhibitors were tested; a few reagents, such as organic mercurials, di-isopropylfluorophosphate, 1,10-phenanthroline, sodium azide and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor exhibited some inhibition (not more than 60%). Thus the active centre of this enzyme is a complex type. Although ATP is not hydrolysed and the lowest Km value is exhibited by the synthetic substrate reduced from LPAB (12 microM), some other compounds may still be expected to be hydrolysed by this unique and abundant brain lipoamidase.     

Synthesis of DNA oligodeoxynucleotides containing structurally defined N6-(2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-adenine adducts of 3,4-epoxy-1-butene

3,4-Epoxy-1-butene (EB) is generated by cytochrome P450-mediated epoxidation of 1,3-butadiene (BD), an important environmental and industrial chemical classified as a probable human carcinogen. The ability of EB to induce point mutations at GC and AT base pairs has been attributed to its reactions with DNA to form covalent nucleobase adducts. Guanine alkylation is preferred at the endocyclic N7 nitrogen, while adenine can be modified at the N1-, N3-, N7-, and the N6 positions. For each of these sites, a pair of regioisomeric 2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl and 1-hydroxy-3-buten-2-yl adducts is produced as a result of epoxide ring opening at the terminal C-4 or the internal C-3 carbon position of EB, respectively. The N6-EB-adenine adducts are of particular interest because of their stability in DNA, potentially leading to their accumulation in vivo. In the present work, synthetic DNA oligomers containing structurally defined N6-(2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-dA (N6-HB-dA) adducts were prepared for the first time by a postoligomerization approach that involved coupling 6-chloropurine-containing DNA with synthetic 1-amino-3-buten-2-ol. N6-HB-dA-containing DNA oligomers were isolated by reversed phase HPLC, and the presence of N6-HB-dA in their structure was confirmed by molecular weight determination from HPLC-ESI- -MS of the intact strands and by HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS and MS/MS/MS analyses of the enzymatic digests using synthetic N6-HB-dA as an authentic standard. N6-HB-dA-containing oligomers generated in this study will be used for structural and biological studies.     

Synthesis and biological properties of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)

The 41-residue sequence of recently identified ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) was assembled on a benzhydrylamine resin support. Deprotection and cleavage from the resin were accomplished by HF treatment. The crude peptide was purified by gel filtration and reverse-phase, medium pressure, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition to the usual criteria, the homogeneity of the final material, obtained in 7% yield, was assessed by the isolation and examination of cyanogen bromide cleavage and tryptic digestion fragments by HPLC and amino acid analysis. The synthetic 41 amino acid CRF stimulated the release of corticotropin (ACTH) in three in vitro systems: isolated rat pituitary quarters, monolayer cultures of dispersed pituitary cells, and superfused pituitary cells on a column, the responses being related to the log-dose of CRF in the range of 0.05-125 ng/ml. The synthetic peptide also augmented in vivo release of ACTH in rats pretreated with chlorpromazine, morphine, and Nembutal, as assessed by the measurement of serum corticosterone. The data indicates chemical purity and high biological activity of synthetic material.     

Biotransformations in synthetic fibres

Recent studies clearly indicate that the modification of synthetic polymers with enzymes is an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical methods requiring harsh conditions. Some work already performed on polyamide 6.6 (nylon 6.6), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) revealed that surface functionalization of these materials is a key requirement for an extensive range of applications, such as textiles, electronics, biomedical field and others. Research performed on PET with lipases, cutinases and other esterases has previously been reported, whilst enzymatic treatment of PAN with nitrilases and cutinase has also been the subject of study. However, at present, few studies have been done on nylon fabrics, mainly with esterases and proteases. This work is intended as a brief review of research in the area of biocatalytic functionalization of synthetic fibres, with a special focus on work recently performed by our research group with cutinase from Fusarium solani pisi.