Urinary 18,19-dihydroxycorticosterone and 18-hydroxy-19-norcorticosterone excretion in patients with primary and secondary aldosteronism.

18,19-Dihydroxycorticosterone (18,19(OH)2-B) and 18-hydroxy-19-norcorticosterone (18-OH-19-nor-B) measurements were carried out on the urine of patients with primary aldosteronism (PA), essential hypertension (EHT), and liver cirrhosis with (LC, SA (+)) and without (LC, SA (-)) aldosteronism. The separation of these steroids was performed by extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography followed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) with specific antibodies prepared in our laboratory. 18,19(OH)2-B excretion was elevated in patients with PA (24 +/- 5.9 [+/- SE] micrograms/24 hr; n = 15) and LC, SA (+) (83 +/- 9.4 micrograms/24 hr; n = 8). Values in LC, SA (-) (3.1 +/- 1.2 micrograms/24 hr; n = 8) and in EHT (3.7 +/- 0.4 micrograms/24 hr; n = 42) were found to be similar to those in normal subjects (5.5 +/- 0.9 micrograms/24 hr; n = 30). The values of urinary 18-OH-19-nor-B in PA and LC, SA (+) were higher than in LC, SA (-) EHT and normal subjects (P less than 0.05). Values in the latter three groups, as compared with each other, did not show significant alterations. Nothing is known about the biologic relevance of 18,19(OH)2-B and very little about that of 18-OH-19-nor-B, but the latter steroid seems to potentiate experimental renal hypertension. One can speculate about possible roles of both steroids as precursors of other steroids, e.g., the biologically potent mineralocorticoid 19-noraldosterone. The data obtained suggest that it is not relevant to measure the urinary levels of either steroid in these clinical syndromes.     

Synthesis of 19-hydroxy-[7-2H2]androstenedione for human metabolism studies

19-Hydroxyandrostenedione (19-OHA), highly labeled with deuterium at position 7, was synthesized from unlabeled androstenediol diacetate. The deuterium labels were introduced into the 7-keto compound with dichloroaluminum deuteride to obtain [7-2H2]androstenediol. The labeled androstenediol diacetate was converted to the labeled 19-OHA by a five-step sequence without appreciable loss of deuterium. The labeled 19-OHA is useful as an internal standard for gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of the endogenous levels and as a tracer for in vivo metabolic studies.     

Synthesis of 19-nor-aldosterone, 18-hydroxy-19-nor-corticosterone and 18,19-dihydroxycorticosterone in the human aldosterone-producing adenoma

The recently synthesized 18-C-steroid derivative, 19-nor-aldosterone(19-nor- aldo) and 18-hydroxy-19-nor-corticosterone(18-OH-19-nor-corticosterone) possess mineralocoroticoid and hypertensinogenic activity. They and an additional newly synthesized steriod, 18,19-dihydroxycorticosterone[18,19(OH)2-corticosterone], may play a role in the etiology and pathogenesis of disorders thought to be caused by steroids with mineralocorticoid and hypertensionogenic properties. In this study we provide evidence that 19-nor-aldo, 18-OH-19-nor-corticosterone and 18,19(OH)2-corticosterone are produced in vitro by aldosterone-producing adrenal adenomas and adenomas and adenoma of Cushing's syndrome. "silent" adrenal adenomas and the adjacent adrenal tissue. Measurable amounts of these steroids were found in the incubation fluids of adrenal tissues using specific RIAs performed after a sequence of HPLC systems. The rates of production of the three steroids were high in the aldosterone-producing adrenal adenomas and in adrenal hyperplasia compared with in either Cushing's adenoma or "silent" adenoma.     

Halo lipids. 7. Synthesis of rac 1-chloro-1-deoxy-2-O-hexadecylglycero-3-phosphocholine

In order to obtain detailed data on the structure-activity relationship of cytostatically active alkylglycerophosphocholine analogues, rac 1-chloro-1-deoxy-2-O-hexadecylglycero-3-phosphocholine was synthesised via 2-O-alkyl-1-chloro-1-deoxyglycerol and (2-O-alkyl-1-chloro-1-deoxyglycero-3)-2-bromoethyl hydrogen phosphate.     

Synthesis of 18-substituted steroids Part II (1). Improvements in the preparation of 18-hydroxyprogesterone.

18-Hydroxyprogesterone is conveniently prepared from 3beta-acetoxypregn-5-en-20beta-ol by a modified route. 3beta-Acetoxy-18-iodopregn-5-en-20-one, obtained by the hypoiodite-photolysis procedure and oxidation, is treated with methanolic silver acetate to give the 18, 20-epoxy-20-methoxy derivative, which crystallises directly without need for chromatography. Hydrolysis of the 3-acetate, and a modified Oppenauer oxidation, gave 18-hydroxy-progesterone in 24% over-all yield.     

Metabolism of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]glucose and 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]mannose in yeast and chick-embryo cells.

2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]glucose and 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]mannose have been prepared by tritiation of the corresponding unlabeled 2-fluoro sugars. The tritiated 2-fluoro sugars are phosphorylated and activated by UTP and by GTP to yield UDP-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]glucose, UDP-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]mannose, GDP-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]glucose and GDP-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]mannose in both cell types. The nucleotide derivatives could also be labeled in the nucleotide moiety by feeding the cells with [14C]uridine or [14C]guanosine in the presence of unlabeled 2-fluoro sugar. No evidence was obtained for metabolic steps in which the six-carbon chain of 2-fluoro sugars was not preserved. No epimerisation of the label to 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]galactose could be observed by radioactive gas-liquid chromatography of the enzymatic cleavage products of the different 2-fluoro sugar metabolites isolated from either cell type. Yeast and chick embryo cells both incorporate 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]glucose and 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-[3H]mannose specifically into glycoproteins, although this incorporation is very low when compared to the incorporation of 2-deoxy-D-[3H]glucose.     

Polynucleotides. LVI. Synthesis and properties of poly(2-deoxy-2''-fluoroinosinic acid).

Poly (2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroinosinic acid) [ poly(If)] was synthesized by polymerization of 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroinosine 5'-diphosphate catalyzed by Escherichia coli polynucleotide phosphorylase. Although the UV absorption properties of poly(If) closely resembled those of poly(I), thermal melting curves at Na+ concentrations of 0.15M and 0.75M suggested two ordered structures for poly(If) neutral form. CD psectra taken at 0.15M Na+ concentration showed rather larger amplitudes in both a peak at 273 nm and a trough at 246 nm, suggesting rather strong vertical stacking of bases. When complexed with poly(C), poly(If) forms a double-stranded complex, poly(If).poly(C) which has Tm's higher by 10-20 degrees than those of poly(If).poly(C) measured under the same conditions. The CD spectrum of this complex resembled that of poly(I).poly(C). The effect of the fluorine atom at the 2'-position on thermal stability of polynucleotides is discussed.     

Microwave-assisted preparation of the quorum-sensing molecule 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone and structurally related analogs

An optimized procedure for the efficient preparation of 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone (Pseudomonas quinolone signal or PQS) and a diverse range of structurally related 2-alkyl-4-quinolones with biological activity is presented. The two-step synthesis begins with the formation of α-chloro ketones by the coupling of a Weinreb amide (2-chloro-N-methoxy-N-methylacetamide) and an appropriate Grignard reagent. The resulting α-chloro ketones can be reacted with commercially available anthranilic acids under microwave irradiation conditions to furnish the desired 2-alkyl-4-quinolone products. As a typical example, the synthesis of PQS, a molecule involved in quorum sensing in the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is described in detail. The first step of this process (α-chloro ketone formation) takes ～10 h in total to complete from commercially available bromoheptane and 2-chloro-N-methoxy-N-methylacetamide. The second step (microwave-assisted reaction with anthranilic acid) takes ～14 h in total to complete (the reaction typically proceeds in ～30 min, with work-up and purification requiring ～13 h).     

Inhibition of retinoic acid metabolising enzymes by 2-(4-aminophenylmethyl)-6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one and related compounds

In a search for inhibitors of all-trans retinoic acid (RA)-metabolising enzymes as potential agents for the treatment of skin conditions and cancer we have examined 2-(4-aminophenylmethyl)-6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one (5). Compound (5) is a moderate inhibitor of RA-metabolising enzymes in mammalian cadaverous tissue microsomes and homogenates as well as RA-induced enzymes in cultured human genital fibroblasts and HaCat cells. Overall (5) was more potent than or equipotent with ketoconazole, a standard inhibitor, in the cadaverous systems but less active towards the RA-induced cell culture systems. Examination of the data suggests that RA-induction generates metabolising enzymes not present in the cadaverous systems, which are more susceptible to inhibition by ketoconazole than (5).     

Synthesis and antifungal evaluation of 6-hydroxy-1H-carbazole-1,4(9H)-diones

6-Hydroxy-1H-carbazole-1,4(9H)-diones were synthesized and tested for in vitro antifungal activity against two pathogenic strains of fungi. Among them tested, many compounds showed good antifungal activity. The results suggest that 6-hydroxy-1H-carbazole-1,4(9H)-diones would be potent antifungal agents.     

Phosphono-platelet activating factor. II. Synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-O-octadecylglycerol-3-(2-trimethylammoniumethyl) and (2-aminoethyl)phosphonates

The chemical synthesis of the amide analogs of 1-O-alkyl-2-O-glyceryl-3-O-phosphoryl choline as its phosphono analog (phosphono-AGEPC) and 1-O-alkyl-2-O-acetyl-glyceryl-3-O-phosphoryl ethanolamine as its phosphono analog (phosphono-AGEPE) is reported.The intermediate acetamides for the subsequent phosphonylations were obtained (i) by classical organic reactions and (ii) by the method of Chandrakumar and Hadju (Tetrahedron Lett., 23 (1982) 1043–1046). Phosphonylation for the choline analog was accomplished with 2-bromoethyl phosphonic acid monochloride in anhydrous and ethanol-free chloroform in the presence of triethylamine. This was followed by reaction with anhydrous trimethylamine in dimethylformamide in a sealed tube at 50–55°C for 3 days.Phosphonylation for the ethanolamine analog was accomplished with 2-pinthalimidoethyl-phosphonic acid monochloride in anhydrous and ethanol-free chloroform in the presence of anhydrous triethylamine, followed by hydrazinolysis in 90% ethanol under reflux for 4 h. The products were identified by elemental analysis, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and IR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis and antibacterial activities of 5-hydroxy-4-amino-2(5H)-furanones

Starting from the mucohalogen acids 1a and b 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanones 2a-h have been prepared and tested. These novel 4-amino-5-hydroxy 2(5H)-furananones have shown a broad antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 in the micromolar range. A one step synthesis from mucohalogen acids towards the antibacterials 2a-h was developed, in which the target was obtained from 1a and b under reflux in toluene in presence of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. The derivatives 2b and c displayed a MIC and MBC of 4/8mug/ml, against Staphylococcus aureus with a selectivity towards the resistant strains.     

Synthesis of 25-hydroxy-[6,19,19'-2H3]vitamin D3 and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-[6,19,19'-2H3]vitamin D3.

Synthesis of polydeuterated analogs of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 are described. These analogs, containing stable isotope atoms at metabolically stable positions, are potentially useful in studies involving catabolism of hydroxylated metabolites of vitamin D3.     

Accumulation of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-galactose in the liver by phosphate and uridylate trapping

To investigate the highest accumulation of 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-d-galactose ([¹⁸F]FdGal) in the liver, metabolic studies with [¹⁸F]FdGal were carried out in Wistar rats for 120 min after i.v. injection. As main metabolites 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-d-galactose 1-phosphate ([¹⁸F]FdGal-1-P) and UDP-2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]-fluoro-d-galactose (UDP-[¹⁸F]FdGal) were identified in the liver and other tissues. The [¹⁸F]FdGal was phosphorylated by galactokinase. The phosphorylation rate was very rapid in the liver, in which at 5 min after injection 81% of ¹⁸F was detected as [¹⁸F]FdGal-1-P. After this time the phosphate form decreased with time, which was explained by conversion of [¹⁸F]FdGal-1-P to UDP-[¹⁸F]FdGal by UDP-glucose: galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase. At 120 min after injection 77% of the ¹⁸F was measured in the UDP-[¹⁸F]FdGal. In the brain both reaction rates were slower than in the liver. Both phosphate and uridylate derivates were also observed as main metabolites in the heart, lung, spleen and small intestine. On the other hand, a small amount of [¹⁸F]FdGal-1-P was detected in the plasma, in which the percentage of phosphate increased gradually and was 6% at 120 min.These results show that the [¹⁸F]FdGal metabolism in tissue results in phosphate and uridylate trapping and that the [¹⁸F]FdGal has potential for measuring in vivo galactose metabolism with positron emission tomography.     

Two-step regio- and stereoselective syntheses of [19F]- and [18F]-2-deoxy-2-(R)-fluoro-beta-D-allose

Replacement of specific hydroxyl groups by fluorine in carbohydrates is an ongoing challenge from chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical points of view. A rapid and efficient two-step, regio- and stereoselective synthesis of 2-deoxy-2-(R)-fluoro-beta-d-allose (2-(R)-fluoro-2-deoxy-beta-d-allose; 2-FDbetaA), a fluorinated analogue of the rare sugar, d-allose, is described. TAG (3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-1,5-anhydro-2-deoxy-d-arabino-hex-1-enitol or 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-d-glucal), was fluorinated in anhydrous HF with dilute F(2) in a Ne/He mixture or with CH(3)COOF at -60 degrees C. The fluorinated intermediate was hydrolyzed in 1N HCl and the hydrolysis product was purified by liquid chromatography and characterized by 1D (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR spectroscopy as well as 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In addition, (18)F-labeled 2-deoxy-2-(R)-fluoro-beta-d-allose (2-[(18)F]FDbetaA) was synthesized for the first time, with an overall decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 33+/-3% with respect to [(18)F]F(2), the highest radiochemical yield achieved to date for electrophilic fluorination of TAG. The rapid and high radiochemical yield synthesis of 2-[(18)F]FDbetaA has potential as a probe for the bioactivity of d-allose.     

Development of H1e histone linker-specific antibodies by means of synthetic peptides.

A large body of data suggests that the linker histones family (H1) affects gene expression. Investigation of the linker histones role is then of a major interest in cell cycle studies with implications in gene therapy. Indeed, it has been shown that in most tissues a switch of histone subtypes occurs when the cells cease to divide. To investigate linker histone role in gene or transgene expression, an antibody against subtypes of H1 would be useful for immunoprecipitation experiments and further assays measuring H1subtypes-DNA interactions in living cells. In order to produce an antibody against the H1e subtype of linker histones, two synthetic peptides derived from two regions of the H1e mouse histone protein were examined for their potential, [as keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugates] to elicit polyclonal anti-H1e antibodies in New Zealand white rabbits. Selection of the peptide sequences was based on amino acid differences within the different classes of histones and between mice and rabbit histones as well. The evaluation of their potential immunogenic properties was based on examination of peptide hydropathy using predicting algorithms. Immunoglobulins (IgG) obtained from immunized and nonimmunized rabbits were tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedures, Western immunoblot, and immunofluorescence experiments. Results showed that the selected synthetic peptides gave rise to a high-titer polyclonal antibody able to recognize the H1e histone under various conditions. This polyclonal antibody did not cross-react with other histones. To our knowledge, this is the first antibody produced against the mouse H1e linker histone.