Changes in Harderian gland activity in the female golden hamster during the oestrous cycle, pregnancy and lactation.

The Harderian gland, which is situated within the bony orbit, is usually thought of as a source of lubrication for the eye. However, recent studies have suggested links with reproductive function. In the male golden hamster, both gland histology and activity are known to be under hormonal influence, and the present experiment was undertaken to examine gland weight and activity (as measured by the production of porphyrins) over the oestrous cycle and during pregnancy and early lactation in the female hamster. Gland weight, the number of solid intraluminal porphyrin accretions, and concentrations of copro- and proto-porphyrin were all maximal on day 1 of the cycle (oestrous) and at their lowest on day 2 (or jointly on days 2 and 3), rising gradually thereafter. Porphyrin concentrations are considerably higher during pregnancy and early lactation than during the cycle, and the solid porphyrin accretions, although diminished in number, are larger. Although there is no indication of either the function or the physiological basis of these changes during the cycle or pregnancy, these findings do suggest that in the female golden hamster, as in the male, there is a link between Harderian gland activity and reproductive function.     

Formation of vacuolar tannin deposits in the chlorophyllous organs of Tracheophyta: from shuttles to accretions

Most Tracheophyta synthesize-condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins), polymers of catechins, which appear in the vacuole as uniformly stained deposits—termed tannin accretions—lining the inner face of the tonoplast. A large body of evidence argues that tannins are formed in recently described thylakoid-derived organelles, the tannosomes, which are packed in membrane-bound shuttles (Brillouet et al. 2013); it has been suggested that shuttles agglomerate into tannin accretions. The aim of the study was to describe the ontogenesis of tannin accretions in members of the Tracheophyta. For this purpose, fresh specimens of young tissues from diverse Tracheophyta were cut, gently lacerated in paraformaldehyde, and examined using light, epifluorescence, confocal, and transmission electron microscopy. Fresh samples were also incubated with gelatin-Oregon Green, a fluorescent marker of condensed tannins. Our observations showed that vacuolar accretions (1?→?40 μm), that constitute the typical form of tannin storage in tannin-producing Tracheophyta, are formed by agglomeration (not fusion) of shuttles containing various proportions of chlorophylls and tannins.     

卟啉金属有机骨架材料在肿瘤治疗中的应用

目前,恶性肿瘤严重威胁人类健康和生命。临床上常用放疗法和化疗法治疗肿瘤,在一定程度上抑制肿瘤的生长和转移。但是,传统的化疗药物在给药过程中缺乏靶向性、副作用大,而且大多数化疗药物水溶性差,效果有限,高剂量的重复给药会导致耐药,单一模式的治疗策略效果不佳。因此通过构建靶向智能多功能纳米载药系统实现肿瘤精准诊断和治疗成为近年来的研究热点。卟啉金属有机骨架（MOFs）材料具有多孔性、大比表面积、表面可修饰等特性,有望成为良好的靶向刺激响应型药物载体。而且卟啉MOFs可以避免卟啉分子的自聚集以及在激发态的自猝灭,还具有卟啉分子的宽光谱响应范围,是一类具有广阔应用前景的固体光敏剂,因此卟啉MOFs近年来成为构建靶向智能多功能纳米载药系统的重要平台。本论文综述了近年来基于卟啉金属有机骨架材料的肿瘤治疗策略,特别是基于肿瘤内源性组分（pH、酶、氧化还原）和外源性物理信号（声、磁、光）刺激触发的多功能纳米平台用于肿瘤精准诊断和治疗的最新研究进展,并讨论了卟啉MOFs在未来肿瘤治疗中面临的挑战和机遇。     

Tunicamycin,puromycin and brefeldin A influence the subcellular distribution of neuropeptides in hypothalamic magnocellular neurones of rat

Summary Magnocellular neurones in the supraoptic nuclei of normal Long Evans and homozygous Brattleboro rats were examined electron-microscopically after intracisternal injections of tunicamycin, puromycin, or brefeldin A. Moderate (50 g) or high (200 g) doses of tunicamycin caused the formation of electron-dense filamentous accretions in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisterns of vasopressin neurones, but only the high dose of tunicamycin also caused accretions to form in the ER of some oxytocin neurones. Immunogold labelling of ultrathin sections from tunicamycin-treated rats revealed that, in about 5% of vasopressin neurones, the accretions could be immunogold-labelled for vasopressin and its associated neurophysin. However, in the majority of vasopressin neurones, the sections required trypsinisation before immunolabelling of the accretions could be detected. Small accretions in the ER of oxytocin neurones did not label for oxytocin or its neurophysin without prior trypsinisation, whereas larger accretions in other oxytocin cells could be labelled without prior trypsin treatment. Administration of puromycin resulted in the formation of small ER accretions in both vasopressin and oxytocin neurones. These accretions were immunolabelled with antisera, respectively, to vasopressin and oxytocin, but neurophysin-immunoreactivity was in most cases absent and was not revealed by treatment with trypsin, suggesting that neurophysin-immunoreactive epitopes were absent from truncated peptides forming the accretions. Brefeldin A caused dilatation of ER cisterns and disruption of the Golgi apparatus in both oxytocin and vasopressin neurones, but did not cause accretions to form in the ER.     

Electronic interactions and energy transfer in oligothiophene-linked bis-porphyrins.

The photophysical and spectroscopic properties of a series of bis-porphyrin compounds meso-meso-linked via oligothiophene bridges are reported. In particular the effects of the different bridges on the porphyrin properties as well as their ability to enhance energy transfer is investigated. The main findings are: a splitting of the degeneracy of the porphyrin Soret band transition with a lower energy transition aligned along the bridge, a dramatic decrease in triplet lifetime and the occurrence of "superexchange" as the main mechanism for mediating singlet-singlet energy transfer in the case where the bridge is a quaterthiophene. Our results show significant perturbations of the intrinsic porphyrin properties induced by the bridge, which are important for the function of porphyrin assemblies.     

Sexual differences and effects of castration on secretory mode and intracellular calcium ion dynamics of golden hamster Harderian gland

The aim of the present work was to study the sexual differences in secretory mechanisms and intracellular calcium ion dynamics in the Harderian gland of the golden hamster. In both sexes the Harderian gland consisted of small and large lobes. In the intact control male glands the secretory portions of both lobes showed wide lumina that contained secretory material and cytoplasmic fragments, suggestive of the occurrence of exocytosis and apocrine secretion. After perfusion with HEPES-buffered Ringer's solution containing 10 microM carbamylcholine (CCh), the glandular cells showed features of enhanced secretion and a rise in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). In the intact control female gland the lumina of most secretory portions in the large lobe contained porphyrin accretions, and exocytosis was the sole secretory mechanism. Stimulation of the large lobe with 10 microM CCh did not raise [Ca2+]i or cause enhanced secretion. The small lobe in females resembled the male gland in secretory functions, and CCh administration caused enhanced secretion and a rise in [Ca2+]i. Castration in males abolished apocrine secretion; exocytosis became the sole secretory mechanism, and stimulation of the glandular cells with CCh did not cause enhanced secretion or induce a rise in [Ca2+]i. To the contrary, in females, castration restored apocrine secretion and CCh administration caused enhanced secretion and a rise in [Ca2+]i. Castration did not affect the secretory mechanisms and the effect of CCh on the glandular cells in the small lobes of both male and female glands. The present study points to the possibility that sex hormones may control the functioning or expression of muscarinic receptors in the Harderian gland of the golden hamster.     

Reaction profile of the last step in cytochrome P-450 catalysis revealed by studies of model complexes

 A series of oxoiron(IV) porphyrin cation radical complexes was investigated as compound I analogs of cytochrome P-450. Both the spectroscopic features and the reactivities of the complexes in oxygen atom transfer to olefins were examined as a function of only one variable, the axial ligand trans to the oxoiron(IV) bond. The results disclosed two important kinetic steps – electron transfer from olefin to oxoiron(IV) and intramolecular electron transfer from metal to porphyrin radical – which are affected differently by the axial ligands. The large kinetic barrier of the latter step in the reaction of olefins with the perchlorato-bound oxoiron(IV) porphyrin cation radical complex enabled the trapping of a reaction intermediate in which the metal, but not the porphyrin radical, is reduced. The first electron transfer step is probably followed by σ-bond formation, which readily accounts for formation of isomerized organic products at low temperatures. It is finally postulated that part of the enhanced oxygenation activities of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases and chloroperoxidases is due to a lowering of the energy barrier for the second electron transfer step via participation of their redox-active cysteinate ligand. Received: 16 January 1997 / Accepted: 24 May 1997     

The tannosome is an organelle forming condensed tannins in the chlorophyllous organs of Tracheophyta

Background and Aims

Condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins) are widespread polymers of catechins and are essential for the defence mechanisms of vascular plants (Tracheophyta). A large body of evidence argues for the synthesis of monomeric epicatechin on the cytosolic face of the endoplasmic reticulum and its transport to the vacuole, although the site of its polymerization into tannins remains to be elucidated. The aim of the study was to re-examine the cellular frame of tannin polymerization in various representatives of the Tracheophyta.

Methods

Light microscopy epifluorescence, confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), chemical analysis of tannins following cell fractionation, and immunocytochemistry were used as independent methods on tannin-rich samples from various organs from Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Equisetophyta, Pteridophyta, Coniferophyta and Magnoliophyta. Tissues were fixed in a caffeine–glutaraldehyde mixture and examined by TEM. Other fresh samples were incubated with primary antibodies against proteins from both chloroplastic envelopes and a thylakoidal chlorophyll-carrying protein; they were also incubated with gelatin–Oregon Green, a fluorescent marker of condensed tannins. Coupled spectral analyses of chlorophyll and tannins were carried out by confocal microscopy on fresh tissues and tannin-rich accretions obtained through cell fractionation; chemical analyses of tannins and chlorophylls were also performed on the accretions.

Key Results and Conclusions

The presence of the three different chloroplast membranes inside vacuolar accretions that constitute the typical form of tannin storage in vascular plants was established in fresh tissues as well as in purified organelles, using several independent methods. Tannins are polymerized in a new chloroplast-derived organelle, the tannosome. These are formed by pearling of the thylakoids into 30 nm spheres, which are then encapsulated in a tannosome shuttle formed by budding from the chloroplast and bound by a membrane resulting from the fusion of both chloroplast envelopes. The shuttle conveys numerous tannosomes through the cytoplasm towards the vacuole in which it is then incorporated by invagination of the tonoplast. Finally, shuttles bound by a portion of tonoplast aggregate into tannin accretions which are stored in the vacuole. Polymerization of tannins occurs inside the tannosome regardless of the compartment being crossed. A complete sequence of events apparently valid in all studied Tracheophyta is described.     

The axial ligand effect of oxo-iron porphyrin catalysts. How does chloride compare to thiolate?

We have performed density functional theory calculations on an oxo-iron porphyrin catalyst with chloride as an axial ligand and tested its reactivity toward propene. The reactions proceed via multistate reactivity on competing doublet and quartet spin surfaces. Close-lying epoxidation and hydroxylation mechanisms are identified, whereby in the gas phase the epoxidation reaction is dominant, while in environments with a large dielectric constant the hydroxylation pathways become competitive. By contrast to reactions with thiolate as an axial ligand all low-lying pathways have small ring-closure and rebound barriers, so it is expected that side products and rearrangements will be unlikely with Fe=O(porphyrin)Cl, whereas with Fe=O(porphyrin)SH some side products were predicted. The major differences in the electronic configurations of Fe=O(porphyrin)Cl and Fe=O(porphyrin)SH are due to strong mixing of thiolate orbitals with iron 3d orbitals, a mixing which is much less with chloride as an axial ligand. Predictions of the reactivity of ethylbenzene-h ₁₂ versus ethylbenzene-d ₁₂ are made. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

I am what I eat and I eat what I am: acquisition of bacterial genes by giant viruses

Giant viruses are nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) that infect algae (phycodnaviruses) and amoebae (Mimivirus). We report an unexpected abundance in these giant viruses of islands of bacterial-type genes, including apparently intact prokaryotic mobile genetic elements, and hypothesize that NCLDV genomes undergo successive accretions of bacterial genes. The viruses could acquire bacterial genes within their bacteria-feeding eukaryotic hosts, and we suggest that such acquisition is driven by the intimate coupling of recombination and replication in NCLDVs.     

Interaction of meso-tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin in its free base and as a Zn(II) derivative with large unilamellar phospholipid vesicles

Our aim was to investigate the interaction of the cationic meso-tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin, a photosensitizer used for photodynamic therapy, in its free base form (TMPyP) and complexed with Zn(II) (ZnTMPyP), with large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), as a model for the gram-negative bacterial cell wall. Mixtures of the zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and anionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (POPG) phospholipids, at different molar percentages, were used as LUVs. A significant increase of porphyrin affinity at higher POPG molar concentrations was observed from the binding constant values, K _b, estimated by optical absorption and steady-state fluorescence. Besides, as demonstrated by time-resolved fluorescence, this affinity increase is also followed by a higher fraction of vesicle-bound porphyrin in the LUVs. Moreover, based on the K _b values, we have observed a higher affinity of the ZnTMPyP to the POPG containing LUVs as compared to the TMPyP. Steady-state fluorescence quenching and zeta potential studies revealed that both porphyrins are possibly located at the LUVs Stern layer region. Therefore, the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged porphyrin peripheral groups and the negatively charged outer surface of the LUVs plays an important role in porphyrin association and localization. Our results have improved the understanding of the successful application of cationic porphyrins on the photo-inactivation of gram-negative bacteria. Since a higher accumulation of the ZnTMPyP in the bacterial cell wall would be expected, this porphyrin could be a more efficient therapeutic drug for this treatment.     

The maize gamma-zein sequesters alpha-zein and stabilizes its accumulation in protein bodies of transgenic tobacco endosperm.

Zeins are seed storage proteins that form accretions called protein bodies in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of maize endosperm cells. Four types of zeins, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta, aggregate in a distinctive spatial pattern within the protein body. We created transgenic tobacco plants expressing alpha-zein, gamma-zein, or both to examine the interactions between these proteins leading to the formation of protein bodies in the endosperm. Whereas gamma-zein accumulated in seeds of these plants, stable accumulation of alpha-zein required simultaneous synthesis of gamma-zein. The zein proteins formed accretions in the endoplasmic reticulum similar to those in maize endosperm. Protein bodies were also found in protein storage vacuoles. The accumulation of both types of zeins peaked early in development and declined during maturation. Even in the presence of gamma-zein, there was a turnover of alpha-zein, suggesting that the interaction between the two proteins might be transitory. We suggest that gamma-zein plays an important role in protein body formation and demonstrate the utility of tobacco for studying interactions between different zeins.     

Potential and current distributions in a cylindrical bundle of cardiac tissue.

The intracellular and interstitial potentials associated with each cell or fiber in multicellular preparations carrying a uniformly propagating wave are important for characterizing the electrophysiological behavior of the preparation and in particular, for evaluating the source contributed by each fiber. The aforementioned potentials depend on a number of factors including the conductivities characterizing the intracellular, interstitial, and extracellular domains, the thickness of the tissue, and the distance (depth) of the field point from the surface of the tissue. A model study is presented describing the extracellular and interstitial potential distribution and current flow in a cylindrical bundle of cardiac muscle arising from a planar wavefront. For simplicity, the bundle is considered as a bidomain. Using typical values of conductivity, the results show that the intracellular and interstitial potential of fibers near the center of a very large bundle (greater than 10 mm) may be approximated by the potentials of a single fiber surrounded by a limited extracellular space (a fiber in oil), hence justifying a core-conductor model. For smaller bundles, the peak interstitial potential is less than that predicted by the core-conductor model but still large enough to affect the overall source strength. The magnitude of the source strength is greatest for fibers lying near the center of the bundle and diminishes sharply for fibers within 50 microns of the surface.     

Porphyrins and metalloporphyrins: versatile circular dichroic reporter groups for structural studies

During the last few years, porphyrins and metalloporphyrins have attracted widespread attention as chromophores for studies in circular dichroism (CD), an indispensable chiroptical tool for monitoring chiral interactions. This review summarizes the multifaceted properties of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins, powerful CD chromophores that are characterized by their intense and red-shifted Soret band, propensity to undergo pi-pi stacking, facile incorporation of metals, and ease in varying solubility. Such attributes make porphyrins one of the most attractive and sensitive chromophores used in CD studies. They offer possibilities for studying the stereochemistry of chiral porphyrin assemblies, large organic molecules, biopolymers, and compounds available in miniscule quantities. The tendency of porphyrins to undergo pi-pi stacking and zinc porphyrins to coordinate with amines enable the CD exciton chirality method to be extended to configurational assignments of flexible compounds containing only one stereogenic center. Various artificial porphyrin receptors have been synthesized for the recognition of biologically important chiral guests such as carbohydrates, amino acids, and their derivatives. The induced CD of the host porphyrin Soret band reflects the identity of guests and binding modes of host/guest complexation with high sensitivity.     

Circular dichroism spectroscopy of a cationic porphyrin bound to DNA

Recently, the porphyrin photosensitizer meso-tetra(4-N-methyl-pyridyl)-porphine was identified as a DNA-reactive agent demonstrating both electrostatic and intercalative binding. A series of porphyrin derivatives were synthesized and studied to see if similar compounds manifested identical behavior. One derivative, meso-tetra(p-N-trimethylanilinium) porphine did not exhibit intercalation behavior but did show avid binding and novel circular dichroic features when bound to B-form DNA. At an ionic strength of 1.02, the binding constant was found to be on the order of 10⁴ and higher at lower ionic strength. The large binding constants and induced optical activity suggest that at large porphyrin/DNA ratios the final porphyrin · DNA complex may take the form of a suprahelical helix.     

A new cationic porphyrin derivative (TMPipEOPP) with large side arm substituents: a highly selective G-quadruplex optical probe

The discovery of uncommon DNA structures and speculation about their potential functions in genes has brought attention to specific DNA structure recognition. G-quadruplexes are four-stranded nucleic acid structures formed by G-rich DNA (or RNA) sequences. G-rich sequences with a high potential to form G-quadruplexes have been found in many important genomic regions. Porphyrin derivatives with cationic side arm substituents are important G-quadruplex-binding ligands. For example, 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)-21H,23H-porphyrin (TMPyP4), interacts strongly with G-quadruplexes, but has poor selectivity for G-quadruplex versus duplex DNA. To increase the G-quadruplex recognition specificity, a new cationic porphyrin derivative, 5,10,15,20-tetra-{4-[2-(1-methyl-1-piperidinyl)ethoxy]phenyl} porphyrin (TMPipEOPP), with large side arm substituents was synthesized, and the interactions between TMPipEOPP and different DNA structures were compared. The results show that G-quadruplexes cause large changes in the UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of TMPipEOPP, but duplex and single-stranded DNAs do not, indicating that TMPipEOPP can be developed as a highly specific optical probe for discriminating G-quadruplex from duplex and single-stranded DNA. Visual discrimination is also possible. Job plot and Scatchard analysis suggest that a complicated binding interaction occurs between TMPipEOPP and G-quadruplexes. At a low [G-quadruplex]/[TMPipEOPP] ratio, one G-quadruplex binds two TMPipEOPP molecules by end-stacking and outside binding modes. At a high [G-quadruplex]/[TMPipEOPP] ratio, two G-quadruplexes bind to one TMPipEOPP molecule in a sandwich-like end-stacking mode.     

Formation of a new hybrid complex via coordination interaction between 5,10,15-tritolyl-20-(4- and 3-pyridyl)porphyrin or 5,10,15-triphenyl-20-(4-pyridyl)porphyrin and the α-[MSiW11O39] Keggin-type polyoxometalate (M = Co and Ni)

New complexes based on a coordination interaction between a pyridyl-porphyrin (namely 5,10,15-tritolyl-20-(4-pyridyl)porphyrin, 5,10,15-tritolyl-20-(3-pyridyl)porphyrin or 5,10,15-triphenyl-20-(4-pyridyl)porphyrin) and a Keggin-type polyoxometalate (α-[MSiW₁₁O₃₉]⁶⁻, M = Co²⁺ or Ni²⁺) are formed in solution. The formation of these complexes is clearly evidenced by steady-state and time-resolved luminescence measurements. A strong quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence, accompanied by an important shortening of the fluorescence lifetime, is observed upon addition of the POM and formation of the complexes. Using a variant of the Job’s method from the luminescence spectra, the association constants of the complexes have been estimated to be around 10⁶ L mol⁻¹. Paramagnetic ¹H NMR experiments confirm the formation of the complexes. Indeed, in addition to broadenings of the signals, the coordination binding of the POM to the porphyrin induces large high-frequency shifts for the protons of the pyridyl group coordinated to the paramagnetic metal, and low-frequency shifts for all the other resonances.     

Effects of human chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone administration on porphyrin biosynthesis and histology of the Harderian glands in male and female Syrian hamsters.

We investigated the influence of hCG and progesterone on the control of porphyrin biosynthesis and histology in the Syrian hamster Harderian glands. Castration of male hamsters caused a marked elevation in porphyrin biosynthesis as revealed by the concentrations of porphyrins and the mRNA levels of the porphyrin pathway rate-limiting enzyme, 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALV-S). Injection of hCG into castrated male hamsters also resulted in a significant increase in both porphyrin concentrations and levels of ALV-S mRNA compared with those in saline-injected castrated hamsters. Type II cells, which are filled with large lipid vacuoles and are characteristic of male phenotype, disappeared after castration, but administration of hCG partially prevented this change. On the other hand, neither administration of hCG nor progesterone implants could increase the very high porphyrin concentrations and ALV-S mRNA levels characteristic of female Syrian hamsters. As in the case of castrated male hamsters, injections of 20 IU hCG to female Syrian hamsters increased the relative number of Type II cells per square millimeter, whereas progesterone administration did not modify the relative number of Type II cells. These results indicate that hCG can modify Harderian gland morphology in both male and female hamsters and can exert a positive control in the expression of ALV-S gene in castrated male hamsters.     

Synthesis and characterization of a cobalt(II) tetrakis(3-fluorophenyl) porphyrin with a built-in 4-vinylphenyl surface attachment moiety

Metalloporphyrins serve important roles in biology and as components in emerging technological assemblies for energy conversion. In this report, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a novel cobalt(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (3-fluorophenyl)porphyrin bearing a 4-vinylphenyl surface attachment group at a beta position on the macrocycle. Electrochemical measurements show the 3-fluorophenyl groups at the meso positions of the porphyrin perturb the reduction potentials of the complex to more positive values as compared to non-fluorinated analogs, thus allowing access to reduced cobalt porphyrin species at significantly less negative applied bias potentials. The complex, cobalt(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-vinylphenyl)porphyrin, is abbreviated in this article as Gov-1 in honor of Govindjee for his pioneering investigations in the role of fluorine as a promoter of novel protein-substrate interactions and the inspirational role he continues to have in encouraging young investigators in the areas of natural and artificial photosynthesis.