Overexpression, Purification, and Biochemical Characterization of the Esterase Est0796 from Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1

Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium that is encountered in an extensive range of foods such as fermented dairy products, meat, vegetables, and bakery products. Given the little molecular information available on the lipolytic activity of L. plantarum, the aim of this study was to clone, purify, and biochemically characterize the esterase coded by gene lp_0796 (Est0796). The esterase was cloned in pET28a and purified in two steps, using solid ammonium sulfate and His tag affinity chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified Est0796 was 28.7 kDa (by SDS-PAGE) and 26.6 kDa (by gel filtration chromatography), pointing to a monomeric structure. Est0796 showed maximum activity at pH 8.0 and 35 °C and toward shorter acyl chain lengths (C₂–C₄). The activity was resistant to organic solvents and cations, suggesting that this esterase may play a role in the fermentation of food products.     

Insulin degradation by human skeletal muscle

Although previous studies from this and other laboratories have extensively characterized insulin degrading activity in animal tissues, little information has been available on insulin responsive human tissues. The present study describes the insulin degrading activity in skeletal muscle from normal human subjects. Fractionation of a sucrose homogenate of skeletal muscle demonstrated that 97% of the total neutral insulin degrading activity was in the 100 000 × g supernatant with no detectable glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activity. The 100 000×g pellet contained 85% of the total acid protease activity and all the glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activity. The soluble insulin degrading activity was purified 1400-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, molecular exclusion, ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. Enzymatic activity was determined by measuring an increase in trichloroacetic acid-soluble products of the ¹²⁵I-labeled hormone substrates. The purified enzyme showed marked proteolytic specificity for insulin with a K_m of 1.63·10^?7 M (±0.32) and was competitively inhibited by proinsulin and glucagon with K_i values of 2.1 · 10?⁶ M and 4.0 · 10^?6 M, respectively. This insulin protease exhibited a pH optimum between 7 and 8, a molecular weight of 120 000 and was capable of degrading glucagon. Inhibition studies demonstrated that a sulfhydryl group is essential for activity. Molecular exclusion chromatography of [¹²⁵I]insulin degraded products revealed a time-dependent increase in degradation products with molecular weights intermediate between intact insulin and iodotyrosine. These studies demonstrate that the major enzymatic system responsible for insulin degrading activity is a soluble cysteine protease capable of rapidly metabolizing insulin under physiologic conditions.     

Dual Substrate Specificity of an N-Acetylglucosamine Phosphotransferase System in Clostridium beijerinckii

The solventogenic clostridia have a considerable capacity to ferment carbohydrate substrates with the production of acetone and butanol, making them attractive organisms for the conversion of waste materials to valuable products. In common with other anaerobes, the clostridia show a marked dependence on the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) to accumulate sugars and sugar derivatives. In this study, we demonstrate that extracts of Clostridium beijerinckii grown on N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) exhibit PTS activity for the amino sugar. The PTS encoded by the divergent genes cbe4532 (encoding the IIC and IIB domains) and cbe4533 (encoding a IIA domain) was shown to transport and phosphorylate GlcNAc and also glucose. When the genes were recombined in series under the control of the lac promoter in pUC18 and transformed into a phosphotransferase mutant (nagE) of Escherichia coli lacking GlcNAc PTS activity, the ability to take up and ferment GlcNAc was restored, and extracts of the transformant showed PEP-dependent phosphorylation of GlcNAc. The gene products also complemented an E. coli mutant lacking glucose PTS activity but were unable to complement the same strain for PTS-dependent mannose utilization. Both GlcNAc and glucose induced the expression of cbe4532 and cbe4533 in C. beijerinckii, and consistent with this observation, extracts of cells grown on glucose exhibited PTS activity for GlcNAc, and glucose did not strongly repress utilization of GlcNAc by growing cells. On the basis of the phylogeny and function of the encoded PTS, we propose that the genes cbe4532 and cbe4533 should be designated nagE and nagF, respectively.     

Effect of simulated gastrointestinal conditions and epithelial transport on extracts of green tea and sage

Few in vitro screening studies on the biological activities of plant extracts that are intended for oral administration consider the effect of the gastrointestinal system. This study investigated this aspect on extracts of Camellia sinensis (green tea) and Salvia officinalis (sage) using antimicrobial activity as a model for demonstration. Both the crude extracts and their products after exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) as well as simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) were screened for antimicrobial activity. The chromatographic profiles of the crude plant extracts and their SGF as well as SIF products were recorded and compared qualitatively by means of high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The effect of epithelial transport on the crude plant extracts was determined by applying them to an in vitro intestinal epithelial model (Caco-2). The crude extracts for both plants exhibited reduced antimicrobial activity after exposure to SGF, while no antimicrobial activity was detected after exposure to SIF. These results suggested chemical modification or degradation of the antimicrobial compounds when exposed to gastrointestinal conditions. This was confirmed by a reduction of the peak areas on the LC–UV–MS chromatograms. From the chromatographic profiles obtained during the transport study, it is evident that some compounds in the crude plant extracts were either not transported across the cell monolayer or they were metabolised during passage through the cells. It can be deduced that the gastrointestinal environment and epithelial transport process can dramatically affect the chromatographic profiles and biological activity of orally ingested natural products.     

rnr gene from the antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W, encoding a psychrophilic RNase R

RNase R is a highly processive, hydrolytic 3′-5′ exoribonuclease belonging to the RNB/RNR superfamily which plays significant roles in RNA metabolism in bacteria. The enzyme was observed to be essential for growth of the psychrophilic Antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W at a low temperature. We present results here pertaining to the biochemical properties of RNase R and the RNase R-encoding gene (rnr) locus from this bacterium. By cloning and expressing a His₆-tagged form of the P. syringae RNase R (RNase R^Ps), we show that the enzyme is active at 0 to 4°C but exhibits optimum activity at ∼25°C. The enzyme is heat labile in nature, losing activity upon incubation at 37°C and above, a hallmark of many psychrophilic enzymes. The enzyme requires divalent cations (Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺) for activity, and the activity is higher in 50 to 150 mM KCl when it largely remains as a monomer. On synthetic substrates, RNase R^Ps exhibited maximum activity on poly(A) and poly(U) in preference over poly(G) and poly(C). The enzyme also degraded structured malE-malF RNA substrates. Analysis of the cleavage products shows that the enzyme, apart from releasing 5′-nucleotide monophosphates by the processive exoribonuclease activity, produces four-nucleotide end products, as opposed to two-nucleotide products, of RNA chain by Escherichia coli RNase R. Interestingly, three ribonucleotides (ATP, GTP, and CTP) inhibited the activity of RNase R^Ps in vitro. The ability of the nonhydrolyzable ATP-γS to inhibit RNase R^Ps activity suggests that nucleotide hydrolysis is not required for inhibition. This is the first report on the biochemical property of a psychrophilic RNase R from any bacterium.     

Characterization of a Functional DnaG-Type Primase in Archaea: Implications for a Dual-Primase System

We have biochemically characterized the bacterial-like DnaG primase contained within the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso) and compared in vitro priming kinetics with those of the eukaryotic-type primase (PriSL) also found in Sso. SsoDnaG exhibited metal- and temperature-dependent profiles consistent with priming at high temperatures. The distribution of primer products was discrete but highly similar to the distribution of primer products produced by the homologous Escherichia coli DnaG. The predominate primer length was 13 bases, although less abundant products are present. SsoDnaG was found to bind DNA cooperatively as a dimer with a moderate dissociation constant. Mutation of the conserved glutamate in the active site severely inhibited priming activity, suggesting a functional homology with E. coli DnaG. SsoDnaG was also found to have a greater than fourfold faster rate of DNA priming over that of SsoPriSL under optimal in vitro conditions. The presence of both enzymatically functional primase families in archaea suggests that the DNA priming role may be shared on leading or lagging strands during DNA replication.     

Fibrinogen and fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products in experimental African trypanosomiasis

Fibrinogen and fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products in experimental African trypanosomiasis. International Journal for Parasitology4: 143–151. Studies have been carried out on some components of the fibrinolytic system of rabbits infected with two strains of Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) brucei. Significant increases in fibrinogen/ fibrin degradation products (FDP) occur with a peak of activity 14–21 days after infection. Plasma fibrinogen concentrations increase during the infection. Measurement of plasminogen concentrations and experimental inhibition of plasmin by drugs suggests that plasminogen is being activated during the infection giving rise to FDP production. Administration of the trypanocidal drug Mel B to infected rabbits did not cause a rapid change in FDP levels. The results suggest an increased synthesis of fibrinogen. This, together with the increased amount of FDP, may be indicative of an increased fibrinolytic activity suggesting the formation of microthrombi in the circulation.     

Cloning of the Thermomonospora fusca Endoglucanase E2 Gene in Streptomyces lividans: Affinity Purification and Functional Domains of the Cloned Gene Product

Thermomonospora fusca YX grown in the presence of cellulose produces a number of β-1-4-endoglucanases, some of which bind to microcrystalline cellulose. By using a multicopy plasmid, pIJ702, a gene coding for one of these enzymes (E2) was cloned into Streptomyces lividans and then mobilized into both Escherichia coli and Streptomyces albus. The gene was localized to a 1.6-kilobase PvuII-ClaI segment of the originally cloned 3.0-kilobase SstI fragment of Thermomonospora DNA. The culture supernatants of Streptomyces transformants contain a major endoglucanase that cross-reacts with antibody against Thermomonospora cellulase E2 and has the same molecular weight (43,000) as T. fusca E2. This protein binds quickly and tightly to Avicel, from which it can be eluted with guanidine hydrochloride but not with water. It also binds to filter paper but at a slower rate than to Avicel. Several large proteolytic degradation products of this enzyme generated in vivo lose the ability to bind to Avicel and have higher activity on carboxymethyl cellulose than the native enzyme. Other smaller products bind to Avicel but lack activity. A weak cellobiose-binding site not observed in the native enzyme was present in one of the degradation products. In E. coli, the cloned gene produced a cellulase that also binds tightly to Avicel but appeared to be slightly larger than T. fusca E2. The activity of intact E2 from all organisms can be inactivated by Hg²⁺ ions. Dithiothreitol protected against Hg²⁺ inactivation and reactivated both unbound and Avicel-bound Hg²⁺-inhibited E2, but at different rates.     

Purification and Characterization of Two Endoxylanases from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824

Two endoxylanases produced by C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 were purified to homogeneity by column chromatography. Xylanase A, which has a molecular weight of 65,000, hydrolyzed larchwood xylan randomly, yielding xylohexaose, xylopentaose, xylotetraose, xylotriose, and xylobiose as end products. Xylanase B, which has a molecular weight of 29,000, also hydrolyzed xylan randomly, giving xylotriose and xylobiose as end products. Xylanase A hydrolyzed carboxymethyl cellulose with a higher specific activity than xylan. It also exhibited high activity on acid-swollen cellulose. Xylanase B showed practically no activity against either cellulose or carboxymethyl cellulose but was able to hydrolyze lichenan with a specific activity similar to that for xylan. Both xylanases had no aryl-β-xylosidase activity. The smallest oligosaccharides degraded by xylanases A and B were xylohexaose and xylotetraose, respectively. The two xylanases demonstrated similar K_m and V_max values but had different pH optima and isoelectric points. Ouchterlony immunodiffusion tests showed that xylanases A and B lacked antigenic similarity.     

Chemical profiling of the deacetylase activity of acetyl xylan esterase A (AxeA) variants on chitooligosaccharides using hydrophilic interaction chromatography-mass spectrometry

Chitosan oligosaccharides (oligomers of (GlcNAc)_x(GlcN)_y) are used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries and are reported to have therapeutic benefits. However, it is unknown whether their biological activity depends on the degree of deacetylation or the sequence of residues within the oligomer. We report here the development of a random mutagenesis method for directed evolution of Streptomyces lividans acetyl xylan esterase (AxeA), which we previously showed is able to deacetylate chitinous substrate, in order to obtain chitooligosaccharides with well-defined structural properties. A colorimetric assay was used to pre-screen libraries for p-nitrophenol acetate hydrolysis activity and an HPLC-UV absorbance assay was optimized to subsequently screen for deacetylase activity toward hexa-N-acetyl-glucosamine substrate (GlcNAc)₆. Native AxeA and two variants displaying > 50% deacetylation of the oligohexamer substrate after reaction at 50 °C for 24 h in diluted culture supernatant were then selected for detailed analysis of the enzymatic products. A HILIC (hydrophilic interaction chromatography)-mode LC method was developed for profiling the deacetylated chitooligosaccharide products and HILIC-MS/MS sequencing revealed that ca. 30 different deacetylation products ranging from (GlcNAc)₅(GlcN)₁ to (GlcNAc)₁(GlcN)₅ and isomers thereof were produced. The AxeA variants produced, on average, 26% more unique products than the native enzyme; however, none were able to fully deacetylate the substrate to make (GlcN)₆. The long term goal of this multidisciplinary approach is to improve the activity of chitosan oligosaccharides to an industrially applicable level.     

Metabolic activation of dimethylnitrosamine and diethyl-nitrosamine to mutagens

Dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and diethylnitrosamine (DEN) are not mutagenic by themselves, but they can be converted by mammalian enzymes to highly mutagenic products. As indicators for mutagenic activity, Neurospora crassa and Salmonella typhimurium were used. The ad-3 forward-mutation system was used to detect specific locus mutations; mutants in this system can range from multi-locus deletions to leaky mutations. The induction of mutations in S. typhimurium is detected as induction of histidine revertants of the histidine-requiring strain G₄6. The activation of DMN is microsomal, inhibited by SKF 525-A, and requires co-factors. The activating enzyme is induced in mice by pretreatment with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene and butylated hydroxytoluene. The mutagenic activity of the reaction products is directly correlated with the metabolic formation of formaldehyde with and without induction by 3-methylcholanthrene and across strains of mine. Formaldehyde does not contribute to the mutagenic activity of the reaction products. It is clear from the data that the reversion sites in G₄6 are more sensitive than the ad-3 loci of Neurospora crassa to the mutagenic action of DMN metabolites formed by mammalian liver. The microsomal assay is a few orders of magnitude more sensitive than the intraperitoneal host-mediated assay, and the intrahepatic host-mediated assay is a few orders of magnitude more sensitive than the in vitro microsomal system.     

Detection and characterization of the in vitro e3 ligase activity of the human MID1 protein

Human MID1 (midline-1) is a microtubule-associated protein that is postulated to target the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A for degradation. It binds alpha4 that then recruits the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A. As a member of the TRIM (tripartite motif) family, MID1 has three consecutive zinc-binding domains—RING (really interesting new gene), Bbox1, and Bbox2—that have similar ββα-folds. Here, we describe the in vitro characterization of these domains individually and in tandem. We observed that the RING domain exhibited greater ubiquitin (Ub) E3 ligase activity compared to the Bbox domains. The amount of autopolyubiquitinated products with RING-Bbox1 and RING-Bbox1-Bbox2 domains in tandem was significantly greater than those of the individual domains. However, no polyubiquitinated products were observed for the Bbox1-Bbox domains in tandem. Using mutants of Ub, we observed that these MID1 domain constructs facilitate Ub chain elongation via Lys63 of Ub. In addition, we observed that the high-molecular-weight protein products were primarily due to polyubiquitination at one site (Lys154) on the Bbox1 domain of the RING-Bbox1 and RING-Bbox1-Bbox2 constructs. We observed that MID1 E3 domains could interact with multiple E2-conjugating enzymes. Lastly, a 45-amino-acid peptide derived from the C-terminus of alpha4 that binds tightly to Bbox1 was observed to be monoubiquitinated in the assay and appears to down-regulate the amount of polyubiquitinated products formed. These studies shed light on MID1 E3 ligase activity and show how its three zinc-binding domains can contribute to MID1's overall function.     

Purification and some properties of the isomaltodextranase of Actinomadura strain r10 and comparison with that of Arthrobacter globiformis t6

A newly isolated soil-actinomycete, Actinomadura strain R10 (NRRL B-11411), produces an extracellular isomaltodextranase (optinal pH, 5.0) that was purified to homogeneity. It exolytically releases isomaltose and a minor trisaccharide product,α-d-Glcp-(1→3)-α-d-Glcp, from dextran B-512 and, in addition, forms transient transisomaltosylation products. This pattern of products is qualitatively similar to that previously reported for the isomaltodextranase (EC 3.2.1.94, optimal pH, 4-0) of Arthrobacter globiformis T6 (NRRL B-4425). The Arthrobacter isomaltodextranase is most active on the (1→6)-α-d-glucopyranosidic linkage, but the relative activity increases with the degrees of polymerization of isomalto-oligosaccharide substrates. In contrast, the relative activity of Actinomadura isomaltodextranase is almost constant throughout the same series of substrates, and is much higher on 3 O- and 4-O-α-isomaltosyl-oligosaccharides than that exhibited by the Arthrobacter enzyme; the activity of Actinomadura isomaltodextranase on the α-(1→4) linkage is 3-4 times greater than on the α-(1→6). These results indicate that, generically, the bacterial isomaltodextranase is a glycanase, whereas the actinomycetal enzyme is a glycosidase. This difference is reflected in the hydrolysis of dextrans, especially of dextran B-1355 (fraction S), which has a high content of unbranched α-(1→3) linked residues. In the digest of this dextran with Arthrobacter isomaltodextranse, short-chain fragments accumulated that were absent when the Actinomadura enzyme was employed.     

Transglycosylation by Chitinase D from Serratia proteamaculans Improved through Altered Substrate Interactions

We describe the improvement of transglycosylation (TG) by chitinase D from Serratia proteamaculans (SpChiD). The SpChiD produced a smaller quantity of TG products for up to 90 min with 2 mm chitotetraose as the substrate and subsequently produced only hydrolytic products. Of the five residues targeted at the catalytic center, E159D resulted in substantial loss of both hydrolytic and TG activities. Y160A resulted in a product profile similar to SpChiD and a rapid turnover of substrate with slightly increased TG activity. The rest of the three mutants, M226A, Y228A, and R284A, displayed improved TG and decreased hydrolytic ability. Four of the five amino acid substitutions, F64W, F125A, G119S, and S116G, at the catalytic groove increased TG activity, whereas W120A completely lost the TG activity with a concomitant increase in hydrolysis. Mutation of Trp-247 at the solvent-accessible region significantly reduced the hydrolytic activity with increased TG activity. The mutants M226A, Y228A, F125A, S116G, F64W, G119S, R284A, and W247A accumulated approximately double the concentration of TG products like chitopentaose and chitohexaose, compared with SpChiD. The double mutant E159D/F64W regained the activity with accumulation of 6.0% chitopentaose at 6 h, similar to SpChiD at 30 min. Loss of chitobiase activity was unique to Y228A. Substitution of amino acids at the catalytic center and/or groove substantially improved the TG activity of SpChiD, both in terms of the quantity of TG products produced and the extended duration of TG activity.     

Activity of Herbal Medicines on Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytes: Implications for Malaria Transmission in Ghana

Background

Malaria still remains a major health issue in Ghana despite the introduction of Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) coupled with other preventative measures such as the use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs). The global quest for eradication of malaria has heightened the interest of identifying drugs that target the sexual stage of the parasite, referred to as transmission-blocking drugs. This study aimed at assessing the efficacy and gametocydal effects of some commonly used herbal malaria products in Ghana.

Methodology/Principal Findings

After identifying herbal anti-malarial products frequently purchased on the Ghanaian market, ten of them were selected and lyophilized. In vitro drug sensitivity testing of different concentrations of the herbal products was carried out on asexual and in vitro generated gametocytes of the 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. The efficacies of the products were assessed by microscopy. Cultures containing low dose of RT also produced the least number of late stage gametocytes. Two of the herbal products CM and RT inhibited the growth of late stage gametocytes by > 80% at 100 μg/ml whilst KG was the most inhibitory to early stage gametocytes at that same concentration. However at 1 μg/ml, only YF significantly inhibited the survival of late stage gametocytes although at that same concentration YF barely inhibited the survival of early stage gametocytes.

Conclusions/Significance

Herbal product RT (Aloe schweinfurthii, Khaya senegalensis, Piliostigma thonningii and Cassia siamea) demonstrated properties of a highly efficacious gametocydal product. Low dose of herbal product RT exhibited the highest gametocydal activity and at 100 μg/ml, RT exhibited >80% inhibition of late stage gametocytes. However inhibition of asexual stage parasite by RT was not optimal. Improving the asexual inhibition of RT could convert RT into an ideal antimalarial herbal product. We also found that generally C. sanguinolenta containing herbal products exhibited gametocydal activity in addition to high asexual efficacy. Herbal products with high gametocydal activity can help in the fight to reduce malaria transmission.     

crm-1 facilitates BMP signaling to control body size in Caenorhabditis elegans

We have identified in Caenorhabditis elegans a homologue of the vertebrate Crim1, crm-1, which encodes a putative transmembrane protein with multiple cysteine-rich (CR) domains known to have bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) binding activity. Using the body morphology of C. elegans as an indicator, we showed that attenuation of crm-1 activity leads to a small body phenotype reminiscent of that of BMP pathway mutants. We showed that the crm-1 loss-of-function phenotype can be rescued by constitutive supply of sma-4 activity. crm-1 can enhance BMP signaling and this activity is dependent on the presence of the DBL-1 ligand and its receptors. crm-1 is expressed in neurons at the ventral nerve cord, where the DBL-1 ligand is produced. However, ectopic expression experiments reveal that crm-1 gene products act outside the DBL-1 producing cells and function non-autonomously to facilitate dbl/sma pathway signaling to control body size.     

A novel molecular marker for the polyphenol oxidase gene located on chromosome 2B in common wheat

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is a major cause of time-dependent darkening and discoloration in Asian noodles and other wheat-based products. One of the best ways to reduce this undesirable darkening is to breed new wheat cultivars with low PPO activity using efficient and reliable markers. Based on the sequence of a PPO gene SSPPO-B1 (GenBank accession no. AB254804) located on chromosome 2B of common wheat, 26 pairs of primers were designed to detect polymorphisms between wheat cultivars with low and high PPO activity. F-8, one of these primer pairs, amplified double fragments (band ??a?? of approximately 400?bp and band ??b?? of approximately 600?bp) in the cultivars with low PPO activity, and a single fragment (only band a) in the cultivars with high PPO activity. The differences between the fragments a and b include five indels and several single nucleotide polymorphisms, which occurred in intron II of the PPO gene. F-8 can be used as a sequence-tagged site marker to discriminate between two alleles Ppo-B1a (GQ303713) and Ppo-B1b (AB254804). The screening of 284 accessions of the core collection of Chinese wheat germplasms using the marker F-8 showed that the double fragments were present in 188 accessions, and the single fragments were present in the remaining 96 accessions. Statistical analysis revealed that the cultivars with the double fragments had significantly lower mean PPO activity than those with the single fragments. We also screened the 284 accessions using two additional markers, PPO18 for Ppo-A1 on chromosome 2A and STS01 for Ppo-D1 on chromosome 2D. Results showed that the combination of markers F-8, PPO18, and STS01 could reliably predict PPO activity. These markers can be used in wheat breeding programs for low PPO activity selection to improve the quality of wheat-based products.     

Bioassay-directed fractionation of mutagenic PAH atmospheric photooxidation products and ambient particulate extracts

Simulated atmospheric gas-phase reactions of naphthalene, fluorene and phenanthrene have been carried out in an environmental chamber with bioassay-directed chemical analysis of the reaction products. Nitro-PAH were found to be the most significant mutagens formed from the reactions of naphthalene and fluorene. The mutagram (bar graph of mutagenic activity versus HPLC fraction) of the phenanthrene reaction products closely resembled that of an ambient air particulate extract with the most mutagenic activity being in a fraction more polar than that in which the nitro-PAH elute. Nitrophenanthrene lactones (nitro-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-ones) were found to account for the observed activity of this polar fraction of the phenanthrene reaction products. It has been shown that the utilization of an environmental chamber with a known PAH-starting material and the ability to produce sufficient product for isomer-specific identifications of mutagens is a promising complement to bioassaydirected fractionation of ambient air particulate extracts.     

Identification of a Novel Dehydroergosterol Enhancing Microglial Anti-Inflammatory Activity in a Dairy Product Fermented with Penicillium candidum

Despite the ever-increasing number of dementia patients worldwide, fundamental therapeutic approaches to treat this disease remain to be established. Preventive approaches such as diet, exercise and learning attract attention. Several epidemiological studies suggest that ingestion of fermented dairy products prevents cognitive decline in the elderly. These reports indicate that specific ingredients in the fermented dairy products elicit an anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidative activity that facilitates neuroprotection. The responsible components remain to be investigated. A number of studies have shown that inflammation caused by microglia is closely related to exaggeration of the pathology and cognitive decline seen in the elderly. Many researchers have proposed that controlling microglial activities could be effective in preventing and possibly curing dementia. In the present study, to elucidate specific compounds that regulate microglial activity from dairy products, repeated purification by HPLC, combined with evaluation using primary microglia, facilitated the identification of dehydroergosterol (DHE) as a novel component of the extract that enhances microglial anti-inflammatory activity. DHE contains three conjugated double bonds in a steroid ring system and is an analogue of ergosterol. Despite their related chemical structures, the anti-inflammatory activity of DHE is markedly stronger than that of ergosterol. P. candidum for camembert cheese produces DHE, but P. Roqueforti for blue cheese and Aspergillus do not. DHE also induces CD11b-positive microglia cells into CD206-positive M2 type microglia. Neurotoxicity and neuronal cell death induced by excessively activated microglia is suppressed by treatment with DHE. Thus, this is the first report to demonstrate that DHE, identified as a responsible compound in dairy products, can induce microglia into a preferable phenotype for our brain environment and can be safely introduced into the body by consumption of dairy products. We believe the uptake of DHE might help to prevent the onset of dementia.