Fatty acids as trophic tracers in an experimental estuarine food chain: Tracer transfer

The transfer of fatty acid (FA) biomarkers was assessed by an experimental food chain comprising three trophic levels: leaves of the mangrove Avicennia marina, the grapsid crab Parasesarma erythodactyla, and the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus. FA compositions for each trophic level were investigated through a feeding/starving regime designed to reveal the transfer of FAs along the food chain. Comparison of the FA profiles of the mangrove leaves, the tissues and faecal material of P. erythodactyla suggests that the crab, contrary to previous studies, lacks the necessary enzymes to incorporate some FAs in its diet. Long chain FAs were egested while polyunsaturated acids seemed to be efficiently assimilated. The polyunsaturated FAs 18:2ω6 and 18:3ω3 were identified as useful biomarkers of the mangrove leaves for tracing their transfer to the higher trophic levels. The contribution of these markers to the FA profiles of the crabs was investigated and it was found that both 18:2ω6 and 18:3ω3 could be successfully traced across the first trophic transfer. However, only 18:3ω3 demonstrated a clear second transfer into the tissues of P. pelagicus. Multivariate analysis of the FA profiles of the study organisms was found to be a potentially useful tool for demonstrating differences in diet within a species and also what FAs, and therefore dietary items, are responsible for those differences. MDS analysis of the FA profiles of faecal material from P. erythodactyla showed that this species provides an important ecological link in estuarine systems by providing a substrate for the colonisation of bacteria.     

A procedure combining molecular docking and semiempirical method PM7 for identification of selective Shp2 inhibitors

Shp2 and Shp1 make up a small family of protein tyrosine phosphatases. Finding selective inhibitors for Shp2 is useful because although its inhibition is advantageous for the treatment of some types of cancer, inhibition of Shp1 may have the opposite effect, since it acts as a suppressor of tumors. We combined molecular docking and semiempirical molecular orbital-based calculations to produce data that were effective for the identification of selective inhibitors for Shp2. After definition of the interaction modes of the inhibitors with Shp2 and Shp1 by molecular docking, the resulting interaction enthalpy values were calculated following refinement of the enzyme/inhibitor complexes' geometries with the PM7 semiempirical molecular orbital method. Despite the complexity of the thermodynamics involved in the enzyme/inhibitor interaction, the selectivity for Shp2 of a series of 76 inhibitors, divided in two groups, could be effectively correlated with the difference in their interaction enthalpy values with both enzymes. For the first group, composed by 52 Shp2-selective indoline inhibitors for which only Shp2 inhibition activity data are available, we demonstrated that the interaction enthalpy can be used as a criterion for identification of selective Shp2 inhibitors, as it is significantly more favorable for Shp2 than Shp1 at a 99% confidence level. For the second group, composed by 24 oxindole derivatives with available Shp2 and Shp1 inhibition activity data, a satisfactory correlation (R = 0.70) could be obtained between the selectivity, based on the IC₅₀ data, and the relative percentage difference of the calculated interaction enthalpies with the two enzymes.     

Functions of Shp2 in cancer

Diagnostics and therapies have shown evident advances. Tumour surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the main techniques in treat cancers. Targeted therapy and drug resistance are the main focus in cancer research, but many molecular intracellular mechanisms remain unknown. Src homology region 2‐containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (Shp2) is associated with breast cancer, leukaemia, lung cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, laryngeal cancer, oral cancer and other cancer types. Signalling pathways involving Shp2 have also been discovered. Shp2 is related to many diseases. Mutations in the ptpn11 gene cause Noonan syndrome, LEOPARD syndrome and childhood leukaemia. Shp2 is also involved in several cancer‐related processes, including cancer cell invasion and metastasis, apoptosis, DNA damage, cell proliferation, cell cycle and drug resistance. Based on the structure and function of Shp2, scientists have investigated specific mechanisms involved in cancer. Shp2 may be a potential therapeutic target because this phosphatase is implicated in many aspects. Furthermore, Shp2 inhibitors have been used in experiments to develop treatment strategies. However, conflicting results related to Shp2 functions have been presented in the literature, and such results should be resolved in future studies.     

Racemic and optically active 2-methoxy-4-oxatetradecanoic acids: novel synthetic fatty acids with selective antifungal properties

The unprecedented (+/-)-2-methoxy-4-oxatetradecanoic acid and the optically pure (S)-2-methoxy-4-oxatetradecanoic acid were synthesized in six steps and in 11-14% overall yields starting with either 1,2-O-isopropylidene-rac-glycerol or 1,2-O-isopropylidene-(S)-glycerol. The key step in the synthesis was the selective monosilylation of a dibutylstannylene intermediate. The title compounds displayed selective fungitoxicity in the range of 0.08-0.22 mM against Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 66031 and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, but no significant activity against C. albicans ATCC 14053 and ATCC 60193 (>2.6 mM). Albeit being good substrates for N-myristoyltransferases (NMTs), the racemic and the S-enantiomer of the oxygenated 2-methoxylated compounds showed no significant difference in antifungal activity. This finding suggests an alternative mechanism of fungitoxicity other than NMT inhibition.     

Shp2 signaling suppresses senescence in PyMT-induced mammary gland cancer in mice

In this study, we have used techniques from cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics to investigate the role of the tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 in tumor cells of MMTV-PyMT mouse mammary glands. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of Shp2 induces senescence, as determined by the activation of senescence-associated β-gal (SA-β-gal), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (p27), p53, and histone 3 trimethylated lysine 9 (H3K9me3). Senescence induction leads to the inhibition of self-renewal of tumor cells and blockage of tumor formation and growth. A signaling cascade was identified that acts downstream of Shp2 to counter senescence: Src, focal adhesion kinase, and Map kinase inhibit senescence by activating the expression of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), Aurora kinase A (Aurka), and the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1), which block p27 and p53. Remarkably, the expression of Shp2 and of selected target genes predicts human breast cancer outcome. We conclude that therapies, which rely on senescence induction by inhibiting Shp2 or controlling its target gene products, may be useful in blocking breast cancer.     

A novel screening model for the molecular drug for diabetes and obesity based on tyrosine phosphatase Shp2

Tyrosine phosphatase Src-homology phosphotyrosyl phosphatase 2 (Shp2) was identified as a potential molecular target for therapeutic treatment of diabetes and obesity. However, there is still no systematic research on the enhancers for the Shp2 enzyme. The present study established a novel powerful model for the high-throughput screening of Shp2 enhancers and successfully identified a new specific Shp2 enhancer, oleanolic acid, from Chinese herbs.     

Fatty acid desaturase-6 (Fad6) is required for salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Fatty acid desaturases play important role in plant responses to abiotic stresses including cold, high temperature, drought, and osmotic stress. In this work, we provide the evidence that Fad6, a chloroplast desaturase, is required for salt tolerance during the early seedling development of Arabidopsis. Expression of Fad6 was responsive to salt and osmotic stress. Compared with the wild-type plants, the fad6 mutant showed reduced tolerance to salt stress, and accumulated more Na⁺ and less K⁺ under high NaCl stress condition. Furthermore, cellular oxidative damage was more severe in fad6 when treated with high concentrations of NaCl, as indicated by increased electrolyte leakage rate and malondialdehyde production, as well as by decreased activities of anti-oxidative enzymes. All these results suggest that Fad6 is required for salt resistance in Arabidopsis.     

Nrg1 functions as a global transcriptional repressor of glucose-repressed genes through its direct binding to the specific promoter regions

Nrg1 is a zinc finger protein involved in the glucose repression of several glucose-repressed genes such as STA1, SUC2, and GAL1. Although the molecular details of the Nrg1-mediated repression of STA1 have been partly characterized, it still remains largely unknown how Nrg1 regulates these multiple target genes. In this study, we show that Nrg1 mediates the glucose repression of SUC2 and HXT2 through its direct binding to the specific promoter regions; it binds to the −404 to −360 region of the SUC2 promoter and the −957 to −810 region of the HXT2 promoter. Nrg1 also interacts with the −380 to −250 region of the PCK1 promoter, suggesting that it might also contribute to the PCK1 repression. In addition, ChIP assays confirmed that Nrg1 associated with specific promoter regions of these glucose-repressed genes in vivo. Analysis of the DNA fragments to which it binds indicates that Nrg1 may recognize T/ACCCC sequence within the promoters of these glucose-repressed genes as well as in its own promoter. Collectively, our findings indicate that Nrg1 mediates the glucose repression of multiple genes through its direct binding to the specific promoter regions.     

Shp2 protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor activity of estramustine phosphate and its triterpenoid analogs

Shp2 protein tyrosine phosphate (PTP) is a novel target for anticancer drug discovery. We identified estramustine phosphate as a Shp2 PTP inhibitor from the National Cancer Institute Approved Oncology Drug set. A focused structure-activity relationship study indicated that the 17-phosphate group is required for the Shp2 PTP inhibitor activity of estramustine phosphate. A search for estramustine phosphate analogs led to identification of two triterpenoids, enoxolone, and celastrol, having Shp2 PTP inhibitor activity. With the previously reported PTP1B inhibitor trodusquemine, our study reveals steroids and triterpenoids with negatively charged phosphate, carboxylate, or sulfonate groups as novel pharmacophores of selective PTP inhibitors.     

pha-2 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of the homeodomain protein HEX and is required for the formation of the pharyngeal isthmus

The pha-2 mutant was isolated in 1993 by Leon Avery in a screen for worms with visible defects in pharyngeal feeding behavior. In pha-2 mutant worms, the pharyngeal isthmus is abnormally thick and short and, in contrast to wild-type worms, harbors several cell nuclei. We show here that pha-2 encodes a homeodomain protein and is homologous to the vertebrate homeobox gene, Hex (also known as Prh). Consistent with a function in pharyngeal development, the pha-2 gene is expressed in the pharyngeal primordium of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, particularly in pm5 cells that form the bulk of the isthmus. We show that in the pha-2 mutant there is a failure of the pm5 cells to elongate anteriorly while keeping their nuclei within the nascent posterior bulb to form the isthmus during the 3-fold embryonic stage. We also present evidence that pha-2 regulates itself positively in pm5 cells, that it is a downstream target of the forkhead gene pha-4, and that it may also act in the isthmus as an inhibitor of the ceh-22 gene, an Nkx2.5 homolog. Finally, we have begun characterizing the regulation of the pha-2 gene and find that intronic sequences are essential for the complete pha-2 expression profile. The present report is the first to examine the expression and function of an invertebrate Hex homolog, that is, the C. elegans pha-2 gene.     

Aromatic hydroxamic acids and hydrazides as inhibitors of the peroxidase activity of prostaglandin H2 synthase-2

The cyclooxygenase activity of the bifunctional enzyme prostaglandin H(2) synthase-2 (PGHS-2) is the target of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Inhibition of the peroxidase activity of PGHS has been less studied. Using Soret absorption changes, the binding of aromatic hydroxamic acids to the peroxidase site of PGHS-2 was examined to investigate the structural determinants of inhibition. Typical of mammalian peroxidases, the K(d) for benzhydroxamic acid (42mM) is much greater than that for salicylhydroxamic acid (475microM). Binding of the hydroxamic acid tepoxalin (25microM) resulted in only minor Soret changes. However, tepoxalin is an efficient reducing cosubstrate, indicating that it is an alternative electron donor rather than an inhibitor of the peroxidase activity. Aromatic hydrazides are metabolically activated inhibitors of peroxidases. 2-Naphthoichydrazide (2-NZH) caused the time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of both PGHS-2 peroxidase and cyclooxygenase activities. H(2)O(2) was required for the inactivation of both PGHS-2 activities and indomethacin (which binds at the cyclooxygenase site) did not affect the peroxidase inhibitory potency of 2-NZH. A series of aromatic hydrazides were found to be potent inhibitors of PGHS-2 peroxidase activity with IC(50) values in the 6-100microM range for 13 of the 18 hydrazides examined. Selective inhibition of PGHS-2 over myeloperoxidase and horseradish peroxidase isozyme C was increased by certain ring substitutions. In particular, a chloro group para to the hydrazide moiety increased the PGHS-2 selectivity relative to both myeloperoxidase and horseradish peroxidase isozyme C.     

Fatty acid composition of individual polar lipid classes from marine macrophytes

Major glycolipids [monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG)) and phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG)] as well as betaine lipid 1,2-diacylglycero-O-4'-(N,N,N-tri-methyl)-homoserine (DGTS) were isolated from Anfeltia tobuchiensis (Rhodophyta), Laminaria japonica, Sargassum pallidum (Phaeophyta), Ulva fenestrata (Chlorophyta) and Zostera marina (Embriophyta), harvested in the Sea of Japan. GC analysis of their fatty acid (FA) composition revealed that the n-6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) shared the most part of the sum of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs in PC and PE compared with glycolipids and PG. In algae, it was related to the prevalence of 20:4n-6 over 20:5n-3 in non-photosynthetic lipids. Percentage of n-6 PUFAs as well as the sum of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs decreased in the following sequence: PC-->PE-->PG. The saturation increased in the lines of MGDG-->DGDG-->SQDG and PC-->PE-->PG. PG was close to SQDG by the level of saturation. Distribution of C(18) and C(20) PUFAs in polar lipids depended on taxonomic position of macrophytes. Balance between C(18) and C(20) PUFAs was preferably shifted to the side of C(20) PUFAs in PC and PE that was observed in contrast to glycolipids and PG from L. japonica containing both series of FAs. The set of major FAs of polar lipid classes can essentially differ from each other and from total lipids of macrophytes. For example, MGDG was found to accumulate characteristic fatty acids 16:4n-3, 16:3n-3, 18:3n-6 and 18:4n-3, 20:3n-6 in U. fenestrata, Z. marina, L. japonica and S. pallidum, respectively.     

Evaluation of dihydropyrimidin-(2H)-one analogues and rhodanine derivatives as tyrosinase inhibitors

A series of dihydropyrimidin-(2H)-one analogues and rhodanine derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory effects on the diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were evaluated. The results showed that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activities. Especially, compound 15 bearing a hydroxyethoxyl group at position-4 of phenyl ring exhibited most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value of 0.56 mM. The inhibition mechanism analysis of compound 15 demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of the compound on the tyrosinase was irreversible. These results suggested that such compounds might be served as lead compounds for further designing new potential tyrosinase inhibitors.     

Fatty acids of membrane phospholipids in Drosophila melanogaster lines showing rapid and slow recovery from chill coma

We investigated the fatty acid compositions of phospholipids in Drosophila melanogaster lines showing rapid (CR), intermediate (CTL), or slow (CS) recovery from chill coma, which were established by artificial selection or by free recombination without selection. Compared to CTL, CS showed a low composition of dienoic acids and a small number of double bonds in the fatty acids. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids (UFAs/SFAs) was significantly lower in CS than in CTL. CR had higher monoenoic acid composition and lower dienoic acid composition than CTL. In addition, the amount of SFAs was lower and therefore the UFAs/SFAs ratio considerably higher in CR than in CTL. These changes in phospholipid fatty acids probably contributed to losing and maintaining the homeoviscosity of the cellular membranes in CS and CR, respectively, at low temperature and therefore produced their distinct phenotypes in recovery from chill coma.     

Biotransformation of betulinic and betulonic acids by fungi

Betulinic acid (1), a triterpenoid found in many plant species, has attracted attention due to its important pharmacological properties, such as anti-cancer and anti-HIV activities. The closely related, betulonic acid (2) also has similar properties. In order to obtain derivatives potentially useful for detailed pharmacological studies, both compounds were submitted to incubations with selected microorganisms. In this work, both were individually metabolized by the fungi Arthrobotrys, Chaetophoma and Dematium, isolated from the bark of Platanus orientalis as well as with Colletotrichum, obtained from corn leaves; such fungal transformations are quite rare in the scientific literature. Biotransformations with Arthrobotrys converted betulonic acid (2) into 3-oxo-7beta-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid (3), 3-oxo-7beta,15alpha-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid (4) and 3-oxo-7beta,30-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid (5); Colletotrichum converted betulinic acid (1) into 3-oxo-15alpha-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic (6) acid whereas betulonic acid (2) was converted into the same product and 3-oxo-7beta,15alpha-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid (4); Chaetophoma converted betulonic acid (2) into 3-oxo-25-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid (7) and both Chaetophoma and Dematium converted betulinic acid (1) into betulonic acid (2). Those fungi, therefore, are useful for mild, selective oxidations of lupane substrates at positions C-3, C-7, C-15, C-25 and C-30.     

Gallic acid as a natural inhibitor of flowering in Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Gallic acid (I) has been isolated as a specific flowering-inhibitory substance from leaves of vegetative Kalanchoe blossfeldiana. It is also present in leaves of flowering Kalanchoe, apparently in an inactive, non-dialysable form. Gallic acid acts as a flowering inhibitor when applied to Kalanchoe, a short-day plant. Its detection and isolation was facilitated by use of a bioassay based on tissue culture of partially induced apices of the long-day plant Viscaria candida.     

Regulation of ACh receptor clustering by the tyrosine phosphatase Shp2

At the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ), postsynaptic aggregation of muscle acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) depends on the activation of MuSK, a muscle-specific tyrosine kinase that is stimulated by neural agrin and regulated by muscle-intrinsic tyrosine kinases and phosphatases. We recently reported that Shp2, a tyrosine phosphatase containing src homology two domains, suppressed MuSK-dependent AChR clustering in cultured myotubes, but how this effect of Shp2 is controlled has remained unclear. In this study, biochemical assays showed that agrin-treatment of C2 mouse myotubes enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of signal regulatory protein alpha1 (SIRPalpha1), a known activator of Shp2, and promoted SIRPalpha1's interaction with Shp2. Moreover, in situ experiments revealed that treatment of myotubes with the Shp2-selective inhibitor NSC-87877 increased spontaneous and agrin-induced AChR clustering, and that AChR clustering was also enhanced in myotubes ectopically expressing inactive (dominant-negative) Shp2; in contrast, AChR clustering was reduced in myotubes expressing constitutively active Shp2. Significantly, expression of truncated (nonShp2-binding) and full-length (Shp2-binding) forms of SIRPalpha1 in myotubes also increased and decreased AChR clustering, respectively, and coexpression of truncated SIRPalpha1 with active Shp2 and full-length SIRPalpha1 with inactive Shp2 reversed the actions of the exogenous Shp2 proteins on AChR clustering. These results suggest that SIRPalpha1 is a novel downstream target of MuSK that activates Shp2, which, in turn, suppresses AChR clustering. We propose that an inhibitory loop involving both tyrosine kinases and phosphatases sets the level of agrin/MuSK signaling and constrains it spatially to help generate high-density AChR clusters selectively at NMJs.     

Temperature dependence of the Langmuir monolayer packing of mycolic acids from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Phase diagrams of the Langmuir monolayer of dicyclopropyl alpha mycolic acid (α-MA), cyclopropyl methoxy mycolic acid (MeO-MA), and cyclopropyl ketomycolic acids (Keto-MA) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis were obtained by thermodynamic analysis of the surface pressure (π) vs. average molecular area (A) isotherms at temperatures in the range of 10-46 °C. The Langmuir monolayers of MAs were shown to exhibit various phases depending on the temperature (T) and the π values. In the Langmuir monolayer of Keto-MA, the carbonyl group in the meromycolate chain apparently touches the water surface to give the molecule a W-shape in all the temperatures and surface pressures studied. Keto-MA formed a rigid solid condensed film, with four hydrocarbon chains packing together, not observed in the others. In contrast, the monolayer films of α-and MeO-MAs having no such highly hydrophilic intra-chain groups in the meromycolate chain were mostly in liquid condensed phase. This novel insight into the packing of mycolic acids opens up new avenues for the study of the role of mycolic acids in the mycobacterial cell envelopes and pathogenic processes.