Regio- and stereoselective metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene by Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1

The degradation of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), a carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, by cultures of Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1 was studied. When M. vanbaalenii PYR-1 was grown in the presence of DMBA for 136 h, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed the presence of four ethyl acetate-extractable compounds and unutilized substrate. Characterization of the metabolites by mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry indicated initial attack at the C-5 and C-6 positions and on the methyl group attached to C-7 of DMBA. The metabolites were identified as cis-5,6-dihydro-5,6-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA cis-5,6-dihydrodiol), trans-5,6-dihydro-5,6-dihydroxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA trans-5,6-dihydrodiol), and 7-hydroxymethyl-12-methylbenz[a]anthracene, suggesting dioxygenation and monooxygenation reactions. Chiral stationary-phase HPLC analysis of the dihydrodiols showed that DMBA cis-5,6-dihydrodiol had 95% 5S,6R and 5% 5R,6S absolute stereochemistry. On the other hand, the DMBA trans-5,6-dihydrodiol was a 100% 5S,6S enantiomer. A minor photooxidation product, 7,12-epidioxy-7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, was also formed. The results demonstrate that M. vanbaalenii PYR-1 is highly regio- and stereoselective in the degradation of DMBA.     

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of metabolites of conjugated cis-9,trans-11,cis-15 18:3 fatty acid

Structural determination of polyunsaturated fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) requires currently the use of nitrogen containing derivatives such as picolinyl esters, 4,4-dimethyloxazoline or pyrrolidides derivatives. The derivatization is required in most cases to obtain low energy fragmentation that allows accurate location of the double bonds. In the present work, the following metabolites of rumelenic (cis-9,trans-11,cis-15 18:3) acid, from rat livers, were identified: cis-8,cis-11,trans-13,cis-17 20:4, cis-5,cis-8,cis-11,trans-13,cis-17 20:5, cis-7,cis-10,cis-13,trans-15,cis-19 22:5, and cis-4,cis-7,cis-10,cis-13,trans-15,cis-19 22:6 acids by GC-MS as their 4,4-dimethyloxazoline and methyl esters derivatives. Specific fragmentation of the methyl ester derivatives revealed some similarity with their corresponding DMOX derivatives. Indeed, intense ion fragments at m/z=M+-69, corresponding to a cleavage at the center of a bis-methylene interrupted double bond system were observed for all identified metabolites. Moreover, intense ion fragments at m/z=M+-136, corresponding to allylic cleavage of the n-12 double bonds were observed for the C20:5, C22:5, C22:6 acid metabolites. For the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from the rumelenic metabolism, we showed that single methyl esters derivatives might be used for both usual quantification by GC-FID and identification by GC-MS.     

Degradation of benzo[a]pyrene by Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1

Metabolism of the environmental pollutant benzo[a]pyrene in the bacterium Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1 was examined. This organism initially oxidized benzo[a]pyrene with dioxygenases and monooxygenases at C-4,5, C-9,10, and C-11,12. The metabolites were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and characterized by UV-visible, mass, nuclear magnetic resonance, and circular dichroism spectral analyses. The major intermediates of benzo[a]pyrene metabolism that had accumulated in the culture media after 96 h of incubation were cis-4,5-dihydro-4,5-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (benzo[a]pyrene cis-4,5-dihydrodiol), cis-11,12-dihydro-11,12-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (benzo[a]pyrene cis-11,12-dihydrodiol), trans-11,12-dihydro-11,12-dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (benzo[a]pyrene trans-11,12-dihydrodiol), 10-oxabenzo[def]chrysen-9-one, and hydroxymethoxy and dimethoxy derivatives of benzo[a]pyrene. The ortho-ring fission products 4-formylchrysene-5-carboxylic acid and 4,5-chrysene-dicarboxylic acid and a monocarboxylated chrysene product were formed when replacement culture experiments were conducted with benzo[a]pyrene cis-4,5-dihydrodiol. Chiral stationary-phase HPLC analysis of the dihydrodiols indicated that benzo[a]pyrene cis-4,5-dihydrodiol had 30% 4S,5R and 70% 4R,5S absolute stereochemistry. Benzo[a]pyrene cis-11,12-dihydrodiol adopted an 11S,12R conformation with 100% optical purity. The enantiomeric composition of benzo[a]pyrene trans-11,12-dihydrodiol was an equal mixture of 11S,12S and 11R,12R molecules. The results of this study, in conjunction with those of previously reported studies, extend the pathways proposed for the bacterial metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene. Our study also provides evidence of the stereo- and regioselectivity of the oxygenases that catalyze the metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene in M. vanbaalenii PYR-1.     

The PMR analysis of non-conjugated alkenoic and alkynoic acids and esters.

The 220 MHz PMR spectra of 143 non-conjugated alkenoic and alkynoic acids and esters are correlated so as to provide a method for the structural analysis of such compounds in general. The spectral data are explained in terms of long-range deshielding of the double bonds, triple bonds, acid and ester groups in the molecules, and parameters are derived to quantify the influence of these groups on the chemical shifts of methyl and methylene protons up to six carbon atoms distant along an alkyl chain. It is shown that, by the application of these parameters, 220 MHz PMR spectroscopy can be used to determine both the stereochemistry and position of double bonds, and the position of triple bonds, in the majority of fatty acids and esters. The 2- to 9- and 13- to 17-cis- and trans-isomers of octadecenoic acid may be readily idenfited in this way, whilst for the octadecynoic acids all positional isomers may be characterized. Examples are also given of the structural analysis of several polyenoic compounds, including methyl cis-5, cis-8, cis-11, cis-14, cis-5, cis-8, cis-11, trans-14, and trans-5, cis-8, cis-11, cis-14-eicosatetraenoates, and methyl trans-5, cis-9, cis-12-octadecatrienoate.     

Effects of acetylenic and olefinic pyrenes upon cytochrome P-450 dependent benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity in liver microsomes

1-Ethynylpyrene, trans-, & cis-1-(2-bromovinyl)pyrene, methyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene, and phenyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene are substrates for cytochrome P-450 dependent monooxygenases and also inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 dependent benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activities in liver microsomes from 5,6-benzoflavone or phenobarbital pretreated rats. 1-Ethynylpyrene, trans-1-(2-bromovinyl)pyrene, and methyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene cause a mechanism based inhibition (suicide inhibition) of the benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activities in microsomes from 5,6-benzoflavone or phenobarbital pretreated rats, while cis-1-(2-bromovinyl)pyrene only causes suicide inhibition of the hydroxylse activities in the 5,6-benzoflavone induced microsomes and phenyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene does not cause a detectable suicide inhibition of these activities in either type of microsome. Incubation with NADPH and 1-ethynylpyrene, trans-, or cis-1-(2-bromovinyl)pyrene causes a loss of the P-450 content in the microsomes from 5,6-benzoflavone or phenobarbital pretreated rats, but incubations with methyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene or phenyl 1-pyrenyl acetylene did not cause a loss of the P-450 content of either microsomal preparation.     

Synthesis of radiolabeled stilbene derivatives as new potential PET probes for aryl hydrocarbon receptor in cancers

New carbon-11 and fluorine-18 labeled stilbene derivatives, cis-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-[11C]methoxystilbene (4'-[11C]8a), cis-3,4',5-trimethoxy-3'-[11C]methoxystilbene (3'-[11C]8b), trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-[11C]methoxystilbene (4'-[11C]10a), trans-3,4',5-trimethoxy-3'-[11C]methoxystilbene (3'-[11C]10b), cis-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-[18F]fluorostilbene (4'-[18F]12a), and trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4'-[18F]fluorostilbene (4'-[18F]13a), were designed and synthesized as potential PET probes for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in cancers.     

Determination of monoenoic fatty acid double bond position by permanganate-periodate oxidation followed by high-performance liquid chromatography of carboxylic acid phenacyl esters

This investigation was carried out to develop methods for a reverse-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids produced by permanganate-periodate oxidation of monoenoic fatty acids. Oxidation reactions were performed using [U-14C]oleic acid and [U-14C]oleic acid methyl ester in order to measure reaction yields and product distributions. The 14C-labeled oxidation products consisted of nearly equal amounts of monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acid (or dicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester), with few side products (yield greater than 98%). Conversion of the carboxylic acids to phenacyl esters proceeded to completion. HPLC of carboxylic acid phenacyl esters was performed using a C18 column with a linear solvent gradient beginning with acetonitrile/water (1/1) and ending with 100% acetonitrile. Excellent resolution was achieved for all components of a mixture of C5 through C12 monocarboxylic acid phenacyl esters and C6 through C11 dicarboxylic acid phenacyl esters. Resolution was also achieved for all components of a mixture of C5 through C12 monocarboxylic acid phenacyl esters and C6 through C11 dicarboxylic acid monomethyl, monophenacyl esters. The resolution obtained by HPLC demonstrates that, for a wide range of monoenoic fatty acids, both products of a permanganate-periodate oxidation can be identified on a single chromatogram. Free fatty acids and fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed with equal success. Neither the oxidation nor the esterification reaction caused detectable hydrolysis of methyl ester. The method is illustrated for free acids and methyl esters of 14:1 (cis-9), 16:1 (cis-9), 18:1 (cis-6), 18:1 (cis-9), and 18:1 (cis-11).     

Solution behaviour and biological activity of bisamidine complexes of platinum(II)

A series of platinum(II) amidine complexes were previously prepared with the aim of obtaining a new class of platinum-based antitumour drugs. This series includes compounds of the type cis--[PtCl2{Z-HN=C(NHMe)Me}2] and trans-[PtCl2{Z-HN=C(NHMe)Me}2] (1, 2), cis-[PtCl2{E-HN=C(NMe2)Me}2] and trans-[PtCl2{E-HN=C(NMe2)Me}2] (3, 4), cis-[PtCl2{Z-HN=C(NHMe)Ph}2] and trans-[PtCl2{Z-HN=C(NHMe)Ph}2] (5, 6), and cis-[PtCl2{HN=C(NMe2)Ph}2] and trans-[PtCl2{HN=C(NMe2)Ph}2] (7, 8). The reactions with dimethyl sulfoxide were studied for complexes 5-8; the formation of cationic species containing coordinated dimethyl sulfoxide was demonstrated by NMR experiments and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. In this work, the amidine platinum(II) complexes were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity on a panel of various human cancer cell lines. The results indicate that the benzamidine complex 8 was the most effective derivative also circumventing acquired cisplatin resistance as demonstrated by chemosensitivity tests performed on cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cell lines. The studies concerning the cellular DNA damage on both parental chemosensitive and resistant sublines suggest for the new trans-amidine complex a different mechanism of action compared with that exhibited by cisplatin.     

Mode of binding of methyl acceptor substrates to the adrenaline-synthesizing enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase: implications for catalysis

Here we report three crystal structure complexes of human phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), one bound with a substrate that incorporates a flexible ethanolamine side chain (p-octopamine), a second bound with a semirigid analogue substrate [cis-(1R,2S)-2-amino-1-tetralol, cis-(1R,2S)-AT], and a third with trans-(1S,2S)-2-amino-1-tetralol [trans-(1S,2S)-AT] that acts as an inhibitor of PNMT rather than a substrate. A water-mediated interaction between the critical beta-hydroxyl of the flexible ethanolamine group of p-octopamine and an acidic residue, Asp267, is likely to play a key role in positioning the side chain correctly for methylation to occur at the amine. A second interaction with Glu219 may play a lesser role. Catalysis likely occurs via deprotonation of the amine through the action of Glu185; mutation of this residue significantly reduced the kcat without affecting the Km. The mode of binding of cis-(1R,2S)-AT supports the notion that this substrate is a conformationally restrained analogue of flexible PNMT substrates, in that it forms interactions with the enzyme similar to those observed for p-octopamine. By contrast, trans-(1S,2S)-AT, an inhibitor rather than a substrate, binds in an orientation that is flipped by 180 degrees compared with cis-(1R,2S)-AT. A consequence of this flipped binding mode is that the interactions between the hydroxyl and Asp267 and Glu219 are lost. However, the amines of inhibitor trans-(1S,2S)-AT and substrate cis-(1R,2S)-AT are both within methyl transfer distance of the cofactor. These results suggest that PNMT catalyzes transfer of methyl to ligand amines only when "anchor" interactions, such as those identified for the beta-hydroxyls of p-octopamine and cis-AT, are present.     

"Plasmalogen-type" cyclic acetals: formation and conformation of the 1,3-dioxanes and 1,3-dioxolanes from 1-0-cis-alk-1'-enyl-sn-glycerols

Acid-catalyzed cyclization of 1-O-cis-alk-1'-enyl-sn-glycerol produced four structurally and geometrically isomeric long-chain cyclic acetals of glycerol. The isomers were isolated by adsorption and gas-liquid chromatography and were identified as cis-2-alkyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-dioxane (Ia), trans-2-alkyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-dioxane (IIa), cis-2-alkyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolane (IIIa), and trans-2-alkyl-4-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolane (IVa). The structure of each isomer was established by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Cyclization with p-toluenesulfonic acid in boiling benzene led to a thermodynamically equilibrated mixture of isomers Ia-IVa in which the cis isomers predominated. Cyclization in acetic acid was found to be kinetically controlled, and formation of the trans isomers was relatively favored. Rearrangement of the cyclic acetal isomers did not occur in acetic acid; hence, optically active five-membered ring acetals were prepared.     

Preparation of optically pure 4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolanes and their corresponding phosphodiester ether lipid derivatives.

Semi-preparative HPLC on a chiral stationary phase (Chiracel OD) was utilized in the course of this synthesis to separate the four possible diastereomers [cis-(2R,4S)-2a, trans-(2S,4S)-2b, cis-(2S,4R)-2a', and trans-(2R,4R)-2b'] of a 2,4-disubstituted-1,3-dioxolane into optically pure forms (100% de, 100% ee). The syntheses of phosphodiester head group derivatives from each of these four conformationally constrained diastereomeric dioxolanes gave phospholipids which are monocyclic ether lipid analogs. First, the series of four [[(2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl]oxy]phosphocholines 5 were synthesized to give optically pure conformationally constrained analogues of ET-16-OCH(3). A head group variation was also demonstrated by the syntheses of the four diastereomeric [[(2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-methyl]oxy]phospho-beta-(N-methylmorpholino)ethanols 6.     

Cis and trans conformational changes of bacterial fatty acids in comparison with analogs of animal and vegetable origin

The conditions of the formations of trans isomers of fatty acids, depending on the method of processing and storage of the raw material of microbial, plant and animal origin, were investigated. In the composition of lipids, except for the main trans-isomer elaidic acid, nonsignificant amounts of trans -2-hexen-4-ynal, trans-2-formlcyclopro-panecarboxylate, methyl octadeca-9-yn-l1-trans-enoate, trans-2, 2-dimethyl-3-(2-propenyl)-ethyl ester, trans-9-octadecenoic acid, and trans-1,5-heptadiene, and mixed isomers of methyloctadeca-9-yn-11-trans-enoate,-methyl-9-cis, 11-trans-octadecadienoate, l-[trans-4-(2-iodo-ethyl) cyclohexyl]-trans-4-pentylcyclo-hexane and cis-9, and trans 11-octadecenoic acid. The major trans elaidic acid component was detected in natural objects of different origin in quantities not exceeding 0.05–0.11%. The combination of thermal processing with other parameters, especially enzymatic treatment, led to an increased proportion of trans isomers. The content of trans isomers is usually proportional to the time of storage of materials.     

Metabolic origins of urinary unsaturated dicarboxylic acids

Previously, we [Jin, S.-J., & Tserng, K.-Y. (1989) J. Lipid Res. 30, 1611-1619] reported the structures of urinary octenedioic acids occurring in patients with dicarboxylic aciduria. We proposed that these unsaturated octenedioic acids were derived from the oxidation of oleic and linoleic acids. By comparison with synthetic decenedioic acids, we have further identified the higher homologues of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids in urine as cis-5-decenedioic (c5DC10), cis-4-decenedioic (c4DC10), cis-3-decenedioic (cDC10), trans-4-decenedioic, trans-3-decenedioic, cis-5-dodecenedioic (c5DC12), cis-3-dodecenedioic (c3DC12), and trans-3-dodecenedioic acids. The presence of these isomeric decenedioic and dodecenedioic acids in urine is consistent with the proposed metabolic origins. In vitro studies using synthetic unsaturated fatty acids and rat liver homogenates support the proposed metabolic origins of these acids. The following metabolic sequences are proposed for metabolites derived from oleic acid: (route A) cis-5-tetradecenoic acid----cis-5-tetradecenedioic acid----c5DC12----c5DC10----suberic (DC8)----adipic (DC6); (route B) cis-3-dodecenoic acid----c3DC12----c3DC10----c3DC8 (cis-3-octenedioic)----DC6. A similar route is derived from linoleic acid: cis-4-decenoic acid----c4DC10----c4DC8 (cis-4-octenedioic)----DC6. The presence of a double bond at position 3, 4, or 5 of fatty acid appears to be rate limiting for further beta-oxidation; therefore, metabolic products with cis-3, cis-4, or cis-5 structure accumulate. Urinary DC8 and DC6 are derived partially from the metabolic degradation of these unsaturated dicarboxylic acids.     

Ab initio calculations for the optical rotations of conformationally flexible molecules: a case study on six-, seven-, and eight-membered fluorinated cycloalkanol esters

Based on the time-dependent density functional response theory, an approach for the prediction of optical rotations of enantiomers of conformationally flexible molecules was developed. The method was applied successfully for the determination of the absolute configuration of trans-2-fluorocycloalkanol acetates with different ring sizes. The largest deviations between experimental and theoretical [alpha](D) values are 10 deg x [dm x (g/cc)](-1) (about 20% error). These theoretical results suggest that the optical rotation in these molecules is dominated by the local (1R;2R) configuration of the two substituents and that different ring and even axial/equatorial orientations play a less important role.     

Reaction of cis- and trans-[PtCl2(NH3)2] with reduced glutathione inside human red blood cells, studied by 1H and 15N-[1H] DEPT NMR

Reactions of cis- and trans-[PtCl2(NH3)2] with glutathione (GSH) inside intact red blood cells have been studied by 1H spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Upon addition of trans-[PtCl2(NH3)2] to a suspension of red cells, there was a gradual decrease in the intensity of the resonances for free GSH, and new peaks were observed that were assignable to coordinated GSH protons in trans-[Pt(SG)Cl(NH3)2], trans-[Pt(SG)2(NH3)2], and possibly the S-bridged complex trans-[[NH3)2PtCl)2SG]+. Formation of trans-[Pt(SG)2(NH3)2] inside the cell was confirmed from the 1H NMR spectrum of hemolyzed cells, which were ultrafiltered to remove large protein molecules; the ABM multiplet of the coordinated GSH cys-beta CH2 protons was resolved using selective-decoupling experiments. Seventy percent of the total intracellular GSH was retained by the ultrafiltration membrane, suggesting that the mixed complex trans-[Pt(SG)(S-hemoglobin)(NH3)2] also is a major metabolite of trans-[PtCl2(NH3)2] inside red cells. The reaction of cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2] with intracellular GSH was slower; only 35% of the GSH had been complexed after a 4-hr incubation compared to 70% for the trans isomer. There was a gradual decrease in the intensity of the GSH 1H spin-echo NMR resonances, but no new peaks were resolved. This was interpreted as formation of high-molecular weight Pt:GSH and mixed GS-Pt-S(hemoglobin) polymers. By using a 15N-[1H] DEPT pulse sequence, we were able to study the reaction of cis-[PtCl2(15NH3)2] with red cells at concentrations as low as 1 mM. 15NH3 ligands were released, and no resonances assignable to Pt-15NH3 species were observed after a 12-hr incubation.     

Mechanistic studies of a protonolytic organomercurial cleaving enzyme: bacterial organomercurial lyase

Mechanistic studies of the protonolytic carbon-mercury bond cleavage by organomercurial lyase from Escherichia coli (R831) suggest that the reaction proceeds via an SE2 pathway. Studies with stereochemically defined substrates cis-2-butenyl-2-mercuric chloride (1) and endo-norbornyl-2-mercuric bromide (2) reveal that a high degree of configurational retention occurs during the bond cleavage, while studies with exo-3-acetoxynortricyclyl-5-mercuric bromide (3) and cis-exo-2-acetoxy-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enyl-3-mercuric bromide (4) show that the protonolysis proceeds without accompanying skeletal rearrangement. Kinetic data for the enzymatic reactions of cis-2-butenyl-2-mercuric chloride (1) and trans-1-propenyl-1-mercuric chloride (6) indicate that these substrates show enhanced reaction rates of ca. 10-200-fold over alkylvinylmercurials and unsubstituted vinylmercurials, suggesting that the olefinic methyl substituent may stabilize an intermediate bearing some positive charge. Enzymatic reaction of 2-butenyl-1-mercuric bromide (5) yields a 72/23/5 mixture of 1-butene/trans-2-butene/cis-2-butene, indicative of intervening SE2' cleavage. The observation of significant solvent deuterium isotope effects at pH 7.4 of Vmax (H2O)/Vmax(D2O) = 2.1 for cis-2-butenyl-2-mercuric chloride (1) turnover and Vmax(H2O)/Vmax(D2O) = 4.9 for ethylmercuric chloride turnover provides additional support for a kinetically important proton delivery. Finally, the stoichiometric formation of butene and Hg(II) from 1 and methane and Hg(II) from methylmercuric chloride eliminates the possibility of an SN1 solvolytic mechanism. As the first well-characterized enzymatic reaction of an organometallic substrate and the first example of an enzyme-mediated SE2 reaction the organomercurial lyase catalyzed carbon-mercury bond cleavage provides an arena for investigating novel enzyme structure-function relationships.     

Synthesis of affinity ligands and radioactive probes for isolation and study of myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins

To synthesize an affinity matrix for isolation of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins, racemic 3-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde was oxidized and converted to a mixture of trans-3,4-di-hydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid methyl ester isomers, which was phosphorylated and separated into (+-)-(1R,3R,4R)- and (+-)-(1R,3S,4S)-trans-3,4-bis[(diphenoxyphosphoryl)oxy]cyclohex an e-1- carboxylic acid methyl esters. Each of these racemic compounds was hydrogenolyzed and reacted with ethylenediamine to give a monoamide, N-(2-aminoethyl)-bis(phosphonyloxy)cyclohexane-1-carboxamide, that was coupled to cyanogen bromide activated Sepharose 4B to provide the desired affinity matrices. The intermediate trans-3,4-bis[(diphenoxyphosphoryl)oxy]cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid methyl ester was also reduced with lithium borotritide to give the (hydroxy[3H]methyl)cyclohexane derivative, which was phosphorylated and hydrogenolyzed to yield trans-3,4-bis(phosphonyloxy)-1-[(phosphonyloxy)[3H]methyl]cy clohexane, a radiolabeled analogue of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The carboxamide was also coupled to 4-azidosalicylic acid, and the product was iodinated to provide a 125I-radiolabeled photoactivatable cross-linking derivative of cyclohexanediol bisphosphate.     

A study of interactions of platinum (II) compounds with DNA by means of CD spectra of solutions and liquid crystalline microphases of DNA

The optical properties of the DNA complexes with divalent platinum compounds of the cis-diamine type differing both in the nature of anionic and neutral ligands and in the spatial arrangement about the platinum atom were studied. The platinum compounds cis-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2], [Pt(en)Cl2], [Pt(tetrameen)Cl2], cis-[Pt(NH3)2NO2Cl], and cis-[PtNH3(Bz)Cl2] at small values of r (r is the molar ratio of a platinum compound to DNA nucleotides in the reaction mixture) were found to induce an increase in the amplitude of the positive band in the circular dichroic (CD) spectrum of linear DNA. All the compounds listed except cis-[Pt(NH3)2NO2Cl] caused a sharp decrease of the amplitude of the negative band in the CD spectrum of a liquid crystalline microphase of DNA formed in solution in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). All these platinum compounds (except [Pt(tetrameen)Cl2]) exhibit biological (antimitotic, antitumour, etc.) activity. The platinum compounds trans-[Pt(NH3)Cl2], trans-[Pt(NH3)2NO2Cl], cis-[PtNH3PyCl2], cis-[Pt(NH3)2(NO2)2], and [Pt(NH3)3Cl]Cl exhibiting a low (if any) biological activity, either induced a decrease of the amplitude of the positive band in the CD spectrum of linear DNA, or did not affect the CD spectrum at all. The effect of these platinum compounds on the CD spectrum of the liquid crystalline microphase of DNA was either weak or absent. It is assumed that the specific biological action of platinum compounds of the cis-diamine type is determined by the polydentate binding to DNA: in addition to the cis-bidentate covalent binding of platinum to DNA nitrogen bases, a hydrogen bond formation between the DNA and cis-amino ligands occurs by means of protons at nitrogen atoms.     

The absolute configuration of precocene I dihydrodiols produced by metabolism of precocene I by corpora allata of Locusta migratoria, in vitro

The corpora allata from adult female Locusta migratoria metabolize precocene I (7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-benzo [b]pyran to cis- & trans-precocene I dihydrodiols (3,4-dihydro-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-benzo [b]pyran-3,4-diol). Derivatization of the dihydrodiols with (-)menthoxy acetyl chloride allowed complete resolution of all four optical isomers. When [4-3H]-precocene I was incubated in vitro with Locusta migratoria corpora allata, it was metabolized stereospecifically to (-)trans-(3R,4S) and (+)cis-(3R,4R) dihydrodiols. Approximately half the precosyl residues bound to cellular macromolecules were discharged by heating to 95 degrees C at neutral pH, as dihydrodiols of the same stereochemistry.