Mechanism and stereospecificity of alpha-hydroxylation of lignoceric acid in rat brain.

Cerebronic acid (2-hydroxytetracosanoic acid) is the major fatty acid component of cerebrosides and sulfatides in mammalian brain. Our previous communication demonstrated the synthesis of cerebronic acid from lignoceric acid (tetracosanoic acid) by a rat brain preparation in the presence of molecular oxygen and a reduced pyridine nucleotide (Hoshi, M., and Kishimoto, Y. (1973) J. Biol. Chem., 248, 4123–4130). The present'studies on the conversion of (RS)-[2-³H]-, (RS)-[3-³H]-, (R)-[2-³H]-, and (S)-[2-³H]lignoceric acids to cerebronic acid by rat brain preparations establish that the pro-R hydrogen at the α-carbon of lignoceric acid is replaced by a hydroxyl group with overall retention of configuration.     

Biosynthesis of vitamin E and of the plastoquinones in chloroplasts: Steric course of the decarboxylation

Samples of (3R)- and (3S)-4′hydroxyphenyl[3-²H₁, 3-³H]pyruvate were prepared by taking advantage of the known stereospecificity of phenylpyruvate keto-enol isomerase (tautomerase). 4′-Hydroxyphenyl[3-¹⁴C]pyruvate was obtained by the action of l-amino acid oxidase on dl-[3-¹⁴C]tyrosine, whereas a simple base-catalyzed exchange procedure yielded samples of 4′-hydroxyphenyl[3-³H]- and 4′-hydroxyphenyl[3-²H₂]pyruvate. All labeled samples were converted in situ into the corresponding homogentisic acids on 4′-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvate dioxygenase that is known to catalyze the migration of the acetate side chain with retention of configuration. The isolated doubly labeled homogentisic acids were incubated with chloroplasts from Raphanus sativus cv. saxa Treib, and from the lipophilic products a fraction containing inter alia tocopherol, tocoquinone, and plastoquinone was obtained by chromatographic procedures. The incorporation of radioactivity was between 0.5 and 11% based on homogentisate. Reductive acetylation of the quinones yielded crystalline diacetylhydroquinones, which were submitted to Kuhn-Roth degradation. The radioactive acetate samples thus obtained were analyzed for chirality by an enzymatic procedure previously published. (2R)-[2-²H₁, 2-³H]Homogentisate gave mainly (S)-acetate, whereas (2S)-[2-²H₁, 2-³H]homogentisate was converted mainly into (R)-acetate. It is concluded that the decarboxylation of the side chain occurred with stereochemical retention during the biosynthetic process.     

Substrate stereochemistry of isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase elimination of the 2-pro-R hydrogen in biotin-deficient rats

(2R)-[³H]Isovaleric acid and (2S)-[³H]isovaleric acid (ammonium salts) have been synthesized. These substances, mixed with [1-¹⁴C]isovalerate, have been administered to biotin-deficient rats, which accumulate β-hydroxyisovaleric acid in their urine, the metabolite being formed via isovaleryl-CoA and β-methylcrotonyl-CoA. The results show that most of the tritium from (2R)-[³H]isovalerate was lost, and most of the tritium from (2S)-[³H]isovalerate retained in the conversion to β-hydroxyisovalerate. The stereochemistry of the isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase reaction is compared with the stereochemistry of other short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase reactions.     

Formation of (-⊃-1′,2′-epi-2-cis-xanthoxin acid from a precursor of abscisic acid

Tomato shoots and avocado mesocarp supplied with (±)-[2-¹⁴C]-5-(1,2-epoxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3-methylpenta-cis-2-trans-4-dienoic acid metabolize it into (+)-abscisic acid and a more polar material that was isolated and identified as (?)-epi-1′(R),2′(R)-4′(S)-2-cis-xanthoxin acid. The (+)-1′(S),2′(S)-4′(S)-2-cis-xanthoxin acid recently synthesized from natural violaxanthin, has the 1′,2′-epoxy group on the opposite side of the ring to that of the 4′(S)-hydroxyl group and the compound is rapidly converted into (+)-abscisic acid. The 1′,2′-epoxy group of (?)-1′,2′-epi-2-cis-xanthoxin acid is on the same side of the ring as the 4′(S) hydroxyl group: the compound is not metabolized into abscisic acid. The configuration of the 1′,2′-epoxy group probably controls whether or not the 4′(S) hydroxyl group can be oxidized. (+)-2-cis-Xanthoxin acid is probably not a naturally occurring intermediate because a ‘cold trap’, added to avocado fruit forming [¹⁴C]-labelled abscisic acid from [2-¹⁴C]mevalonate, failed to retain [¹⁴C] label.     

Biosynthesis of sitosterol in barley seedlings

A method is described for the chemical synthesis of stigmasta-5,24-dien-3β-ol-[26-¹⁴C] and (24S)-24-ethylcholesta-5,25-dien-3β-ol-[26-¹⁴C] (clerosterol). 28-Isofucosterol-[7-³H₂] fed to developing barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare) was incorporated into sitosterol and stigmasterol confirming the utilisation of a 24-ethylidene sterol intermediate in 24α-ethyl sterol production in this plant. Also, the use of mevalonic acid-[2-¹⁴C(4R)-4-³H₁] verified the loss of the C-25 hydrogen of 28-isofucosterol during its conversion into sitosterol and stigmasterol in agreement with the previously postulated isomerisation of the 24-ethylidene sterol to a Δ²⁴⁽²⁵⁾-sterol prior to reduction. However, feeding stigmasta-5,24-dien-3β-ol [26-¹⁴C] to barley seedlings gave very low incorporation into sitosterol. Attempts to trap radioactivity from mevalonic-[2-¹⁴C(4R)-4-³H₁] in stigmasta-5,24-dien-3β-ol when this unlabelled sterol was administered to barley seedlings gave only a very small incorporation although both 28-isofucosterol and sitosterol were labelled.     

Dilignol glycosides from needles of Picea abies

(2R,3R)-2 3-Dihydro-2-(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-7-methoxy-5-benzofuranpropanol 4′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside [dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol glucoside], (2R,3R)-2 3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2-(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-5-benzofuranpropanol 4′-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and 4′-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside, 1-(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-2- [2″-hydroxy-4″-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenoxy]-1, 3-propanediol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and 4′-O-β-d-xylopyranoside, 2,3-bis[(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-methyl]-1,4-butanediol 1-O-β-d-glucopyranoside [(?)-seco-isolariciresinol glucoside] and (1R,2S,3S)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-hydroxy-1-(4′-hydroxy-3′-methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxy-2 3-naphthalenedimethanol α²-O-β-d-xylopyranoside [(?)-isolariciresinol xyloside] have been isolated from needles of Picea abies and identified.     

Side chain functionalization of cholesterol in the biosynthesis of solasodine in Solanum laciniatum

(25R)-26-Amino-cholesterol-[7α-³H], (25R)-26-amino-5-cholestene-3β,16β-diol-[7α-³H] and (25R)-26-acetylamino-5-cholestene-3β,16β-diol-[7α-³H] administered to Solanum laciniatum were converted into solasodine. The results indicate that in the biosynthesis of solasodine the introduction of nitrogen occurs immediately after the hydroxylation at C-26 and before a further oxidation of the side chain of cholesterol. The next step after the amination at C-26 is not hydroxylation at the 16β-position but probably the functionalization of C-22.     

Development of selective inhibitors for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: (R)-3-(3-(Methyl(7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)pyrrolidin-1-yl)-3-oxopropanenitrile as a JAK1-selective inhibitor

A series of 3(R)-aminopyrrolidine derivatives were designed and synthesized for JAK1-selective inhibitors through the modification of tofacitinib’s core structure, (3R,4R)-3-amino-4-methylpiperidine. From the new core structures, we selected (R)-N-methyl-N-(pyrrolidin-3-yl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amine as a scaffold for further SAR studies. From biochemical enzyme assays and liver microsomal stability tests, (R)-3-(3-(methyl(7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)amino)pyrrolidin-1-yl)-3-oxopropanenitrile (6) was chosen for further in vivo test through oral administration. Compound 6 showed improved selectivity for JAK1 compared to that of tofacitinib (IC₅₀ 11, 2.4?×?10², 2.8?×?10³, and 1.1?×?10²?nM for JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, and TYK2, respectively). In CIA and AIA model tests, compound 6 exhibited similar efficacy to tofacitinib citrate.     

Trichodiene biosynthesis and the stereochemistry of the enzymatic cyclization of farnesyl pyrophosphate

Cyclization of trans,trans-[1-³H₂,12,13-¹⁴C]farnesyl pyrophosphate (2a) by a preparation of trichodiene synthetase isolated from the fungus, Trichothecium roseum, gave trichodiene (5a), which was shown by chemical degradation to retain both tritium atoms of the precursor at C-11. Incubation of 1S-[1-³H,12,13-¹⁴C]farnesyl pyrophosphate (2b) and 1R-[1-³H,12,13-¹⁴C]farnesyl pyrophosphate (2c) with trichodiene synthetase and degradation of the resulting labeled trichodienes, 5b and 5c, established that the displacement of the pyrophosphate moiety from C-1 of the precursor and formation of the new C-C bond in the formation of trichodiene takes place with net retention of configuration. These results are accounted for by an isomerization-cyclization mechanism involving the intermediacy of nerolidyl pyrophosphate (4).     

The mononuclear–dinuclear dance: Twisting the backbone in metalloligands operates a coordination switch

The copper(II) complex [Cu{(R,R)-1}] in which (R)-H₂1 is 1,6-bis(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxyphenyl)-(3R,4R)-(?)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl-2,5-diazahexa-1,5-diene possesses an O₄-donor cavity that can bind Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Eu³⁺. The single crystal structures of [Cu(OH₂){(R,R)-1}Pb(ONO₂)₂], {[Cu{(R,R)-1}Cd(ONO₂)(OH₂)₂][NO₃]^.MeOH}^.[Cu{(R,R)-1}] and [Cu{(R,R)-1}Eu(O₂NO)₃] are presented. The co-crystallization of [Cu{(R,R)-1}Cd(ONO₂)(OH₂)₂][NO₃] and [Cu{(R,R)-1}] appears to be driven by hydrogen-bonded host–guest interactions between each axial water ligand in [Cu{(R,R)-1}Cd(ONO₂)(OH₂)₂]⁺ with the O₄-domain of [Cu{(R,R)-1}]. When the ligand scaffold is changed from cyclohexane-1,2-diyl to 1,1′-binaphthyl to give (R)-H₂2, the N₂O₂-cavity is unable to bind copper(II) in its preferred square planar environment. The single crystal structure of [Zn{(R)-2}] confirms the presence of tetrahedral zinc(II). As a result, the spatial properties of the ethoxy arms in [Zn{(R)-2}] and [Cu{(R)-2}] are not suited to the facile formation of dimetallic complexes.     

Synthesis of (R,S)-[4-11C]baclofen via Michael addition of nitromethane labeled with short-lived 11C

The synthesis of (R,S)-[4-¹¹C]baclofen, the first ¹¹C-labeled GABA_B agonist, was demonstrated via Michael addition of nitro[¹¹C]methane as a key step. A tetrabutylammonium fluoride promoted Michael addition of nitro[¹¹C]methane to methyl p-chlorocinnamate, followed by the nitro-group reduction in the presence of NiCl₂ and NaBH₄ in aqueous MeOH and alkaline hydrolysis yielded (R,S)-[4-¹¹C]baclofen in 36.4 ± 1.8% radiochemical conversion in three steps within 20 min.     

Biosynthesis of flavan-3-ols and other secondary plant products from (2S)phenylalanine

(2S)-Phenyl[2-¹⁴C,3R-³H₁]alanine and (2S)-phenyl[2-¹⁴C,3S-³H₁]alanine have been employed as substrates to study procyanidin and flavan-3-ol biosynthesis. Parallel studies with the cyanogenic glucosides prunasin and sambunigrin, Winterstein's acid [(3R)-3-dimethylaminophenylpropionic acid] and tropic acid show these to be derived by stereospecific processes from (2S)-phenylalanine. New proposals for procyanidin biosynthesis are briefly commented upon.     

Biosynthesis of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid,tetrandrine

The incorporation of (±)-coclaurine, (±)-norcoclaurine, (±)-N-methylcoclaurine and didehydro-N-methyleoclaurinium iodide into tetrandrine in Cocculus laurifolius has been studied and specific utilization of (±)-N-ethylcoclaurine demonstrated. The evidence indicates that tetrandrine is formed in the plants by oxidative dimerization of N-methylcoclaurine. Double labelling experiment with (±)-N- [¹⁴C]-methyl- [1-³H]-coclaurine demonstrated that the hydrogen atom at the asymmetric centre in the 1-benzylisoquinoline precursor is retained in the bioconversion into tetrandrine. Parallel feedings of (+)-(S)- and (?)-(R)-N-methylcoclaurines showed that the stereospecificity is maintained in the biosynthesis of tetrandrine from the 1-benzylisoquinoline precursor.     

Melongosides n,o and p: steroidal saponins from seeds of solanum melongena

Three new saponins, melongosides N, O and P, have been isolated from the methanolic extract of seeds of Solanum melongena and their structures elucidated. Melongoside N is 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosy l-(1 → 2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-26-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(25R)-5α-furostan-3β,22 α,26-triol, whereas melongoside O is 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)β-D-glucopyranosyl]- 26-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(25R)-furost-5-en-3β,22α,26-triol and melongoside P is 3-O- [β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)]-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-26-O- (β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(25 R)-5α-furostan-3β,22α,26-triol.     

Compartmentation of cytosolic dehydrogenases studied by transfer of tritium from labelled substrates into lactate in rat hepatocytes

This paper describes the transfer of tritium from [2-³H]xylitol or (1R)-[1-³H]ethanol into lactate in cells from fed rats either untreated or triiodothyronine-treated. The labelling pattern of lactate during the metabolism of [2-³H]xylitol or (1R)-[1-³H]ethanol follows the equation $\text{L = K(1?e}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>?</mtext><mtext>t</mtext><mtext>\tau </mtext>}}\text{)}$ (μmol tritium/μmol lactate). The yield in lactate together with the minimum value of the total flux of reducing equivalents are used to estimate the specific radioactivity of NADH. We have calculated the lactate dehydrogenase-catalysed oxidation rate of NADH from the experimental values of lactate labelling and the specific radioactivity of NADH. We found the calculated flux of reducing equivalents from NADH to pyruvate to be of the same order of magnitude whether labelled ethanol or labelled xylitol was metabolized. We found the flux to be only a few percent of the maximal activity of lactate dehydrogenase. The results obtained suggest that the cytoplasm can be regarded as one compartment, containing a single pool of NAD(H).     

Alkaloid biosynthesis in Croton flavens

The biosynthesis of the morphinandienone alkaloids norsinoacutine, sinoacutine and flavinantine has been studied using 1-³ H-sinoacutine, 1-³H-norsinoacutine, 1-³H-norsinoacutinols, l-[S-methyl-¹⁴C]-methionine, glycine-2-¹⁴C, 1-³H-8,14-dihydronorsalutaridine, 1-³ H-8,14-dihydrosalutaridine, 1-³H-sinomenine, 1-³H-isosinomenine, (±)-[2-¹⁴C]phenylalanine, (±)-[N-methyl-¹⁴C]orientaline and (±)-[N-methyl-¹⁴C]reticuline.     

Cycloartane glycosides from Astragalus gombo

Six new cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides named 3-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-3β,16β,23(R),24(R),25-pentahydroxycycloartane (1), 3-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-3β,16β,23(R),24(R)-tetrahydroxy-25-dehydrocycloartane (2), 3-O-[β-d-xylopyranosyl]-6α-acetoxy-23α-methoxy-16β,23(R)-epoxy-24,25,26,27-tetranorcycloartane (3), 3-O-[β-d-xylopyranosyl]-6α-acetoxy-23α-butoxy-16β,23(R)-epoxy-24,25,26,27-tetranorcycloartane (4), 3-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl(1 → 2)]-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-6α-acetoxy-23α-methoxy-16β,23(R)-epoxy-24,25,26,27-tetranorcycloartane (5), 3-O-[β-d-glucopyranosyl(1 → 2)]-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-23α-methoxy-16β,23(R)-epoxy-4,25,26,27-tetranorcycloartane (6), in addition to three known secondary metabolites consisting of another cycloartane triterpene glycoside and two flavonol glycosides, were isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus gombo Coss. & Dur. (Fabaceae). The structures of the isolated compounds were established by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D-NMR, mass spectrometry and comparison with literature data.     

Cycloartane glycosides from Astragalus campylosema Boiss. ssp. campylosema

Four cycloartane glycosides, 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-3β,6α,16β,23α,25-pentahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane (1), 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-16-O-hydroxyacetoxy-23-O-acetoxy-3β,6α,25-trihydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane (2), 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-3β,6α,23α,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(R)-16β,24;20,24-diepoxycycloartane (3), 3-O-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-25-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane (4), along with three known cycloartane glycosides were isolated from the MeOH extract of the roots of Astragalus campylosema ssp. campylosema. Their structures were established by the extensive use of 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESIMS and HRMS analysis. The occurrence of the hydroxyl function at position 23 (1-2) and of the ketalic function at C-24 (3) are very unusual findings in the cycloartane class.     

Synthesis of (R,S)-isoproterenol,an inhibitor of tau aggregation,as an 11C-labeled PET tracer via reductive alkylation of (R,S)-norepinephrine with [2-11C]acetone

(R,S)-Isoproterenol inhibits the formation of toxic granular tau oligomers associated with neuronal loss and development of cognitive disorders, and is an attractive drug candidate for Alzheimer’s disease. To elucidate its behavior in the brain by positron emission tomography, we synthesize (R,S)-[¹¹C]isoproterenol by reductive alkylation of (R,S)-norepinephrine with [2-¹¹C]acetone, which was in turn synthesized in situ under improved conditions afforded a decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 54%. The reductive alkylation using NaBH(OAc)₃ as reducing agent in the presence of benzoic acid in DMSO/DMF (60:40 v/v) at 100 °C for 10 min gave (R,S)-[¹¹C]isoproterenol in an 87% radio-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analytical yield. HPLC separation using a strong cation exchange column, followed by pharmaceutical formulation in the presence of d/l-tartaric acid, afforded (R,S)-[¹¹C]isoproterenol with a total radioactivity of 2.0 ± 0.2 GBq, a decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 19 ± 2%, chemical and radiochemical purities of 71% and >99%, respectively, and a molar activity of 100 ± 13 GBq/μmol (n = 3). The overall synthesis time from the end of the bombardment to pharmaceutical formulation was 48 min. A preliminary preclinical PET study in a rat demonstrated the potential of the radioligand for the evaluation of the penetration of (R,S)-isoproterenol in human brain.     

Concerning the biosynthesis of prostaglandin I2

Two diastereoisomers, 5R,6R-5-hydroxy-6(9α)-oxido-11α,15S-dihydroxyprost-13-enoic acid (7) and 5S,6S-5-hydroxy-6(9α)-oxido-11α,15S-dihydroxyprost-13-enoic acid (10) were synthesized for evaluation as possible biosynthetic intermediates in the enzymatic transformation of PGH₂ or PGG₂ into PGI₂. The synthetic sequence entails the stereospecific reduction of the 9-keto function in PGE₂ methyl ester after protecting the C-11 and C-15 hydroxyls as tbutyldimethylsilyl ethers. The resulting PGF_2α derivative was epoxidized exclusively at the C-5 (6) double bond to yield a mixture of epoxides, which underwent facile rearrangement with SiO₂ to yield the 5S,6S and 5R,6R-5-hydroxy-6(9α)-oxido cyclic ethers. It was found that dog aortic microsomes were unable to transform radioactive 9β-5S,6S[³H] or 9β-5R,6R[³H]-5-hydroxy-6(9α)-oxido cyclic ethers into PGI₂. Also, when either diastereoisomer was included in the incubation mixture, neither isomer diluted the conversion of [1-¹⁴C]arachidonic acid into [1-¹⁴C]PGI₂.