Enantioselective synthesis and absolute configuration of (-)-1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2-propylaminopentane, ((-)-BPAP), a highly potent and selective catecholaminergic activity enhancer

Enantioselective synthesis and absolute configuration of (-)-1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2-propylaminopentane ((-)-BPAP), which is a highly potent and selective catecholaminergic activity enhancer (CAE) substance, are described. The synthetic approach consists of the coupling reaction of benzofuran with (R)-N-tosyl-2-propylazirizine or (R)-N-methoxy-N-methylnorvaliamide, followed by appropriate modifications of the resulting coupling products. As the results, (-)-BPAP turned out to have the R configuration, which was finally confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Diaryldimethylpiperazine ligands with mu- and delta-opioid receptor affinity: Synthesis of (+)-4-[(alphaR)-alpha-(4-allyl-(2S,5S)-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-N-ethyl-N-phenylbenzamide and (-)-4-[(alphaR)-alpha-(2S,5S)-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-N-ethyl-N-phenylbenzamide

We have explored the synthesis of compounds that have good affinity for both mu- and delta-opioid receptors from the (alphaR,2S,5S) class of diaryldimethylpiperazines. These non-selective compounds were related to opioids that have been found to interact selectively with mu- or delta-opioid receptors as agonists or antagonists. In our initial survey, we found two compounds, (+)-4-[(alphaR)-alpha-(4-allyl-(2S,5S)-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-N-ethyl-N-phenylbenzamide (14) and its N-H relative, (-)-4-[(alphaR)-alpha-(2S,5S)-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl)-(3-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-N-ethyl-N-phenylbenzamide (15), that interacted with delta-receptors with good affinity, and, as we hoped, with much higher affinity at mu-receptors than SNC80. The relative configuration of the benzylic position in (+)-4-[(alphaR)-alpha-(4-allyl-(2S,5S)-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-(3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-benzyl alcohol (10) was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a crystal that was an unresolved twin. The absolute stereochemistry of that benzylic stereogenic center was unequivocally derived by the X-ray crystallographic analysis from the two other centers of asymmetry in the molecule that were known. Those were established from the synthesis via a dipeptide cyclo-L-Ala-L-Ala in which the absolute stereochemistry was established.     

Synthesis and Fungicidal Activity of 5-Aryl-1-(aryloxyacetyl)-3-(tert-butyl or phenyl)-4-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-4,5-Dihydropyrazole

A series of novel 5-aryl-1-(aryloxyacetyl)-3-(tert-butyl or phenyl)-4-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-4,5-dihydropyrazole 3a-3n were synthesized by the annulation of 2-aryloxyacetohydrazides with 3-aryl-1-t-butyl(or phenyl)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-ones(1)in the presence of a catalytic amount of acetic acid.Compounds 2 were obtained by the Knoevenagel reactions of 1-t-butyl(or phenyl)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)ethanone(2)with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of piperidine.Their structures were confirmed by IR,1H-NMR,ESIMS,and elemental analyses.The preliminary bioassay indicated that some compounds displayed moderate to excellent fungicidal activity.For example,compounds 31,3m,and 3n possessed100%inhibition against Cercospora arachidicola Hori at the concentration of 50 mg/L.     

Metabolism of the carbocyclic analogue of (E)-5-(2-iodovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine in herpes simplex virus-infected cells. Incorporation of C-IVDU into DNA

The carbocyclic analogues of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BVDU) and (E)-5-(2-iodovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (IVDU), in which the sugar moiety is replaced by a cyclopentane ring and which have been designated as C-BVDU and C-IVDU, respectively, are, like their parent compounds BVDU and IVDU, potent and selective inhibitors of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and, to a lesser extent, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) replication. We have now synthesized the radiolabeled C-IVDU analogue, C-[125I]IVDU, and determined its metabolism by HSV-infected and mock-infected Vero cells. C-[125I]IVDU was effectively phosphorylated by HSV-1-infected cells and, to a lesser extent, HSV-2-infected cells. C-[125I]IVDU was not phosphorylated to an appreciable extent by either mock-infected cells or cells that had been infected with a thymidine kinase-deficient mutant of HSV-1. Furthermore, C-[125I]IVDU was incorporated into both viral and cellular DNA of HSV-1-infected Vero cells. This finding represents the first demonstration of the incorporation of a cyclopentylpyrimidine into DNA.     

Partial Purification and Characterization of Messenger RNA Coding 14-3-2 Protein from Rat Brain

14-3-2 Protein (neuron-specific enolase) is a neuron-specific protein. Using a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system for translation of 14-3-2 protein mRNA, we have partially purified this mRNA by several procedures, including formamide sucrose density centrifugation, formamide polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and polyuridylic acid (poly(U))-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Using mRNA obtained by these procedures, we could increase the translation ratio of 14-3-2 protein synthesized/total soluble protein synthesized to 7.31%. The overall purification was 37.8-fold. The size of 14-3-2 protein mRNA appears to be about 19-20S, because translation activity of mRNA obtained by sucrose density gradient centrifugation or formamide PAGE was the most active in this RNA size.     

Solution conformation of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides: alpha(1-2)-, alpha(1-3)-, beta(1-2)-, and beta(1-4)-linked units

The solution conformation is presented for representatives of each of the major classes of asparaginyl oligosaccharides. In this report the conformation of alpha(1-3)-, alpha(1-2)-, beta(1-2)-, and beta(1-4)-linked units is described. The conformational properties of these glycopeptides were determined by high-resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance in conjunction with potential energy calculations. The NMR parameters that were used in this analysis were chemical shifts and nuclear Overhauser enhancements. Potential energy calculations were used to evaluate the preferred conformers available for the different linkages in glycopeptides and to draw conclusions about the behavior in solution of these molecules. It was found that the linkage conformation of the Man alpha 1-3 residues was not affected by substitution either at the 2-position by alpha Man or beta GlcNAc or at the 4-position by beta GlcNAc or by the presence of a bisecting GlcNAc on the adjacent beta Man residue.     

The susceptibility to experimental myasthenia gravis of STAT6-/- and STAT4-/- BALB/c mice suggests a pathogenic role of Th1 cells

Autoantibodies to the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) cause the symptoms of human and experimental myasthenia gravis (EMG). AChR-specific CD4+ T cells permit development of these diseases, but the role(s) of the Th1 and Th2 subsets is unclear. The STAT4 and STAT6 proteins, which mediate intracellular cytokine signaling, are important for differentiation of Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. Wild-type (WT) BALB/c mice, which are prone to develop Th2 rather than Th1 responses to Ag, are resistant to EMG. We have examined the role of Th1 and Th2 cells in EMG using STAT4 (STAT4-/-)- or STAT6 (STAT6-/-)-deficient BALB/c mice. After AChR immunization, STAT6-/- mice were susceptible to EMG: they developed more serum anti-AChR Ab, and had more complement-fixing anti-AChR IgG2a and 2b and less IgG1 than WT or STAT4-/- mice. The susceptibility to EMG of STAT6-/- mice is most likely related to the Th1 cell-induced synthesis of anti-AChR Ab, which trigger complement-mediated destruction of the neuromuscular junction. CD4+ T cells of the STAT6-/- mice had proliferative responses to the AChR comparable to those of WT and STAT4-/- mice, and recognized similar AChR epitopes. STAT6-/- mice had abundant AChR-specific Th1 cells, which were nearly absent in WT and STAT4-/- mice. Spleen and lymph nodes from STAT6-/- mice contained cells that secreted IL-4 when cultured with AChR: these are most likely STAT6-independent cells, stimulated in a non-Ag-specific manner by the cytokines secreted by AChR-specific Th1 cells.     

Synthesis and antifungal activities of 5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-sulfonyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-sulfonyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives

Starting from the key intermediate 5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (4) or the oxadiazole analogue (5), the title compounds 9 and 10 are synthesized by a two-step process. Thioetherification reaction of 4 or 5 with an organic halide catalyzed by indium or indium tribromide first affords appropriate sulfide 7 or 8, which is then converted into title compounds 9 or 10 by hydrogen peroxide oxidation catalyzed by ammonium molybdate in ionic liquid [bmim]PF6. The structures are unequivocally confirmed by spectroscopic (IR, 1H and 13C NMR) data and elemental analyses. The structures of 8d and 10q are further established by X-ray crystallographic diffraction analysis. The compounds have been shown to be fungicidally active. Title compounds 10i and 10j can inhibit mycelia growth by approximately 50% (EC50) at 2.9-93.3 microg/mL in vitro against 10 kinds of fungi.     

Constitutive association of Mcm2-3-5 proteins with chromatin in Entamoeba histolytica

Eukaryotic cells duplicate their genome once and only once per cell cycle. Our earlier studies with the protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, have shown that genome reduplication may occur several times without nuclear or cellular division. The Mcm2-7 protein complex is required for licensing of DNA replication. In an effort to understand whether genome reduplication occurs due to absence or failure of the DNA replication licensing system, we analysed the function of Mcm2-3-5 proteins in E. histolytica. In this study, we have cloned E. histolytica (Eh) MCM2 and Eh MCM5 genes, while Eh MCM3 was cloned earlier. The sequence of Eh MCM2-3-5 genes is well conserved with other eukaryotic homologues. We have shown that Eh Mcm2,3 proteins are functional in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our studies in E. histolytica showed that Eh Mcm2-3-5 proteins are associated with chromatin constitutively in cycling cells and during arrest of DNA synthesis induced by serum starvation. Alternation of genome duplication with mitosis is regulated by association-dissociation of Mcm2-7 proteins with chromatin in other eukaryotes. Our results suggest that constitutive association of Mcm proteins with chromatin could be one of the reasons why genome reduplication occurs in E. histolytica.     

Abnormal sympathoadrenal development and systemic hypotension in PHD3-/- mice

Cell culture studies have implicated the oxygen-sensitive hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) prolyl hydroxylase PHD3 in the regulation of neuronal apoptosis. To better understand this function in vivo, we have created PHD3(-/-) mice and analyzed the neuronal phenotype. Reduced apoptosis in superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons cultured from PHD3(-/-) mice is associated with an increase in the number of cells in the SCG, as well as in the adrenal medulla and carotid body. Genetic analysis by intercrossing PHD3(-/-) mice with HIF-1a(+/-) and HIF-2a(+/-) mice demonstrated an interaction with HIF-2alpha but not HIF-1alpha, supporting the nonredundant involvement of a PHD3-HIF-2alpha pathway in the regulation of sympathoadrenal development. Despite the increased number of cells, the sympathoadrenal system appeared hypofunctional in PHD3(-/-) mice, with reduced target tissue innervation, adrenal medullary secretory capacity, sympathoadrenal responses, and systemic blood pressure. These observations suggest that the role of PHD3 in sympathoadrenal development extends beyond simple control of cell survival and organ mass, with functional PHD3 being required for proper anatomical and physiological integrity of the system. Perturbation of this interface between developmental and adaptive signaling by hypoxic, metabolic, or other stresses could have important effects on key sympathoadrenal functions, such as blood pressure regulation.     

Synthesis, biological activity, and SAR of antimycobacterial 2- and 8-substituted 6-(2-furyl)-9-(p-methoxybenzyl)purines

A number of 6-(2-furyl)-9-(p-methoxybenzyl)purines carrying a variety of substituents in the 2- or 8-position have been synthesized and their ability to inhibit growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro has been determined. It is demonstrated that sterical hindrance in the purine 8-position reduces activity and that C-8 should be unsubstituted. In the purine 2-position small, hydrophobic substituents are beneficial. The electronic properties of the 2-substituents appear to have only a minor influence on bioactivity. The compounds studied exhibit low toxicity toward mammalian cells (VERO cells) and are essentially inactive toward Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The most active and selective antimycobacterial in the series detected to date is the novel 2-methyl-6-furyl-9-(p-methoxybenzyl)purine with MIC=0.20 microg/mL against M. tuberculosis and IC(50) against VERO cells >62.5 microg/mL. Also the novel 2-fluoro analog and the previously known 2-chloro compound, both with MIC=0.39 microg/mL, are highly interesting drug candidates.     

Phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of Arabidopsis 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (fru-2,6-P2) is a signalling metabolite that regulates photosynthetic carbon partitioning in plants. The content of fru-2,6-P2 in Arabidopsis leaves varied in response to photosynthetic activity with an abrupt decrease at the start of the photoperiod, gradual increase through the day, and modest decrease at the start of the dark period. In Arabidopsis suspension cells, fru-2,6-P2 content increased in response to an unknown signal upon transfer to fresh culture medium. This increase was blocked by either 2-deoxyglucose or the protein phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A, and the effects of calyculin A were counteracted by the general protein kinase inhibitor K252a. The changes in fru-2,6-P2 at the start of dark period in leaves and in the cell experiments generally paralleled changes in nitrate reductase (NR) activity. NR is inhibited by protein phosphorylation and binding to 14-3-3 proteins, raising the question of whether fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase protein from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtF2KP), which both generates and hydrolyses fru-2,6-P2, is also regulated by phosphorylation and 14-3-3s. Consistent with this hypothesis, AtF2KP and NR from Arabidopsis cell extracts bound to a 14-3-3 column, and were eluted specifically by a synthetic 14-3-3-binding phosphopeptide (ARAApSAPA). 14-3-3s co-precipitated with recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-AtF2KP that had been incubated with Arabidopsis cell extracts in the presence of Mg-ATP. 14-3-3s bound directly to GST-AtF2KP that had been phosphorylated on Ser220 (SLSASGpSFR) and Ser303 (RLVKSLpSASSF) by recombinant Arabidopsis calcium-dependent protein kinase isoform 3 (CPK3), or on Ser303 by rat liver mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK; homologue of plant SNF-1 related protein kinases (SnRKs)) or an Arabidopsis cell extract. We have failed to find any direct effect of 14-3-3s on the F2KP activity in vitro to date. Nevertheless, our findings indicate the possibility that 14-3-3 binding to SnRK1-phosphorylated sites on NR and F2KP may regulate both nitrate assimilation and sucrose/starch partitioning in leaves.     

Analysis of the cruciform binding activity of recombinant 14-3-3zeta-MBP fusion protein,its heterodimerization profile with endogenous 14-3-3 isoforms,and effect on mammalian DNA replication in vitro

The human cruciform binding protein (CBP), a member of the 14-3-3 protein family, has been recently identified as an origin of DNA replication binding protein and involved in DNA replication. Here, pure recombinant 14-3-3zeta tagged with maltose binding protein (r14-3-3zeta-MBP) at its N-terminus was tested for binding to cruciform DNA either in the absence or presence of F(TH), a CBP-enriched fraction, by electromobility shift assay (EMSA), followed by Western blot analysis of the electroeluted CBP-cruciform DNA complex. The r14-3-3zeta-MBP was found to have cruciform binding activity only after preincubation with F(TH). Anti-MBP antibody immunoprecipitation of F(TH) preincubated with r14-3-3zeta-MBP, followed by Western blot analysis with antibodies specific to the beta, gamma, epsilon, zeta, and sigma 14-3-3 isoforms showed that r14-3-3zeta-MBP heterodimerized with the endogenous beta, epsilon, and zeta isoforms present in the F(TH) but not with the gamma or sigma isoforms. Immunoprecipitation of endogenous 14-3-3zeta from nuclear extracts (NE) of HeLa cells that were either serum-starved (s-s) or blocked at the G(1)/S or G(2)/M phases of the cell cycle revealed that at G(1)/S and G(2)/M, the zeta isoform heterodimerized only with the beta and epsilon isoforms, while in s-s extracts, the 14-3-3zeta/epsilon heterodimer was never detected, and the 14-3-3zeta/beta heterodimer was seldom detected. Furthermore, addition of r14-3-3zeta-MBP to HeLa cell extracts used in a mammalian in vitro replication system increased the replication level of p186, a plasmid bearing the minimal 186-bp origin of the monkey origin of DNA replication ors8, by approximately 3.5-fold. The data suggest that specific dimeric combinations of the 14-3-3 isoforms have CBP activity and that upregulation of this activity leads to an increase in DNA replication.     

Synthesis, cytostatic, and antiviral activity of novel 6-[2-(dialkylamino)ethyl]-, 6-(2-alkoxyethyl)-, 6-[2-(alkylsulfanyl)ethyl]-, and 6-[2-(dialkylamino)vinyl]purine nucleosides

An efficient and facile synthesis of a large series of diverse 6-[2-(dialkylamino)vinyl]-, 6-[2-(dialkylamino)ethyl]-, 6-(2-alkoxyethyl)-, and 6-[2-(alkylsulfanyl)ethyl]purine nucleosides (35 examples of both ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides) was developed. The key transformations involved conjugate nucleophilic additions of amines, alcoholates, or thiolates to Tol-protected 6-alkylylpurine or 6-vinylpurine nucleosides. 6-[(2-Dialkylamino)vinyl]- and some 6-[(2-dialkylamino)ethyl]purine ribonucleosides exerted significant cytostatic effects and some anti-HCV activity with low selectivity.     

AMPA receptor agonists: Resolution,configurational assignment,and pharmacology of (+)-(S)- and (-)-(R)-2-amino-3-[3-hydroxy-5-(2-pyridyl)-isoxazol-4-yl]-propionic acid (2-Py-AMPA)

We have previously shown that whereas (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-phenylisoxazol-4-yl)propionic acid (APPA) shows the characteristics of a partial agonist at (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, (S)-APPA is a full AMPA receptor agonist and (R)-APPA a weak competitive AMPA receptor antagonist. This observation led us to introduce the new pharmacological concept, functional partial agonism. Recently we have shown that the 2-pyridyl analogue of APPA, (RS)-2-amino-3-[3-hydroxy-5-(2-pyridyl)isoxazol-4-yl]propionic acid (2-Py-AMPA), is a potent and apparently full AMPA receptor agonist, and this compound has now been resolved into (+)- and (-)-2-Py-AMPA (ee ≥ 99.0%) by chiral HPLC using a Chirobiotic T column. The absolute stereochemistry of the enantiomers of APPA has previously been established by X-ray analysis, and on the basis of comparative studies of the circular dichroism spectra of the enantiomers of APPA and 2-Py-AMPA, (+)- and (-)-2-Py-AMPA were assigned the (S)- and (R)-configuration, respectively. In a series of receptor binding studies, neither enantiomer of 2-Py-AMPA showed detectable affinity for kainic acid receptor sites or different sites at the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor complex. (+)-(S)-2-Py-AMPA was an effective inhibitor of [³H]AMPA binding (IC⁵⁰ = 0.19 ± 0.06 μM) and a potent AMPA receptor agonist in the rat cortical wedge preparation (EC₅₀ = 4.5 ± 0.3 μM) comparable with AMPA (IC₅₀ = 0.040 ± 0.01 μM; EC₅₀ = 3.5 ± 0.2 μM), but much more potent than (+)-(S)-APPA (IC₅₀ = 5.5 ± 2.2 μM; EC₅₀ = 230 ± 12 μM). Like (-)-(R)-APPA (IC₅₀ > 100 μM), (-)-(R)-2-Py-AMPA (IC₅₀ > 100 μM) did not significantly affect [³H]AMPA binding, and both compounds were week AMPA receptor antagonists (K_i = 270 ± 50 and 290 ± 20 μM, respectively). Chirality 9:274–280, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Partial resolution of racemic trans-4-[5-(4-alkoxyphenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl-2-yl]benzoic acids by the diastereomer method with (R)- or (S)-1-phenylethylamine

The partial resolution is described of a series of racemic trans-4-[5-(4-alkoxyphenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl-2-yl]benzoic acids (1), which are the key intermediates for the synthesis of chiral organic radical liquid crystalline compounds and are crystallized to give racemic compounds. Racemic acid 1 [(+/-)-1] with a long alkyl chain (C7 to C13) could be resolved by the conventional diastereomeric salt formation using (R)- or (S)-1-phenylethylamine (2) as the resolving agent, whereas resolution of (+/-)-1 with a short alkyl chain (C4 to C6) was unsuccessful. Use of six equiv of (R)- or (S)-2 for the initial diastereomeric salt formation of (+/-)-1 with a C7-C13 alkyl chain, followed by recrystallization of the resulting salts once or twice, gave 2S,5S- or 2R,5R-enriched 1, respectively, in an ee range of 75-92% and with an overall recovery of 11-27%, based on the original quantity of (+/-)-1.     

Phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of Arabidopsis trehalose-phosphate synthase 5 in response to 2-deoxyglucose

Trehalose-6-phosphate is a 'sugar signal' that regulates plant metabolism and development. The Arabidopsis genome encodes trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphatase (TPP) enzymes. It also encodes class II proteins (TPS isoforms 5-11) that contain both TPS-like and TPP-like domains, although whether these have enzymatic activity is unknown. In this paper, we show that TPS5, 6 and 7 are phosphoproteins that bind to 14-3-3 proteins, by using 14-3-3 affinity chromatography, 14-3-3 overlay assays, and by co-immunoprecipitating TPS5 and 14-3-3 isoforms from cell extracts. GST-TPS5 bound to 14-3-3s after in vitro phosphorylation at Ser22 and Thr49 by either mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or partially purified plant Snf1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1s). Dephosphorylation of TPS5, or mutation of either Ser22 or Thr49, abolished binding to 14-3-3s. Ser22 and Thr49 are both conserved in TPS5, 7, 9 and 10. When GST-TPS5 was expressed in human HEK293 cells, Thr49 was phosphorylated in response to 2-deoxyglucose or phenformin, stimuli that activate the AMPK via the upstream kinase LKB1. 2-deoxyglucose stimulated Thr49 phosphorylation of endogenous TPS5 in Arabidopsis cells, whereas phenformin did not. Moreover, extractable SnRK1 activity was increased in Arabidopsis cells in response to 2-deoxyglucose. The plant kinase was inactivated by dephosphorylation and reactivated by phosphorylation with human LKB1, indicating that elements of the SnRK1/AMPK pathway are conserved in Arabidopsis and human cells. We hypothesize that coordinated phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of nitrate reductase (NR), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (F2KP) and class II TPS isoforms mediate responses to signals that activate SnRK1.     

Synthesis, cytostatic and anti-HCV activity of 6-(N-substituted aminomethyl)-, 6-(O-substituted hydroxymethyl)- and 6-(S-substituted sulfanylmethyl)purine nucleosides

An efficient and facile synthesis of a large series of diverse 6-(N-substituted aminomethyl)-, 6-(O-substituted hydroxymethyl)- and 6-(S-substituted sulfanylmethyl)purine nucleosides (55 examples of both ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides), aimed at identifying novel homologues of natural nucleosides, was developed. The key transformation involved nucleophilic substitutions of Tol-protected 6-(mesyloxymethyl)purine nucleosides by primary or secondary amines, alcoholates or thiolates. While the 2'-deoxyribonucleosides were inactive, the ribonucleosides exerted considerable cytostatic effects and some anti-HCV activity with low selectivity.     

Direct interaction between protein kinase C theta (PKC theta) and 14-3-3 tau in T cells: 14-3-3 overexpression results in inhibition of PKC theta translocation and function.

Recent studies have documented direct interactions between 14-3-3 proteins and several oncogene and proto-oncogene products involved in signal transduction pathways. Studies on the effects of 14-3-3 proteins on protein kinase C (PKC) activity in vitro have reported conflicting results, and previous attempts to demonstrate a direct association between PKC and 14-3-3 were unsuccessful. Here, we examined potential physical and functional interactions between PKC theta, a Ca(2+)-independent PKC enzyme which is expressed selectively in T lymphocytes, and the 14-3-3 tau isoform in vitro and in intact T cells. PKC theta and 14-3-3 tau coimmunoprecipitated from Jurkat T cells, and recombinant 14-3-3 tau interacted directly with purified PKC theta in vitro. Transient overexpression of 14-3-3 tau suppressed stimulation of the interleukin 2 (IL-2) promoter mediated by cotransfected wild-type or constitutively active PKC theta, as well as by endogenous PKC in ionomycin- and/or phorbol ester-stimulated cells. This did not represent a general inhibition of activation events, since PKC-independent (but Ca(2+)-dependent) activation of an IL-4 promoter element was not inhibited by 14-3-3 tau under similar conditions. Overexpression of wild-type 14-3-3 tau also inhibited phorbol ester-induced PKC theta translocation from the cytosol to the membrane in Jurkat cells, while a membrane-targeted form of 14-3-3 tau caused increased localization of PKC theta in the particulate fraction in unstimulated cells. Membrane-targeted 14-3-3 tau was more effective than wild-type 14-3-3 tau in suppressing PKC theta-dependent IL-2 promoter activity, suggesting that 14-3-3 tau inhibits the function of PKC theta not only by preventing its translocation to the membrane but also by associating with it. The interaction between 14-3-3 and PKC theta may represent an important general mechanism for regulating PKC-dependent signals and, more specifically, PKC theta-mediated functions during T-cell activation.     

Structural and functional organization of ACTH: synthesis and properties of analogs of ACTH-(11-24)-tetradeca- and ACTH-(1-24)-tetracosapeptides containing hexa-amino acids instead of a natural sequence of ACTH 19-24 amino acids

To assess the role of amino acid sequence ACTH 19-24 in the corticotropin structure and steroidogenic activity, the analogues of ACTH-(11-24)-tetradeca- and ACTH-(1-24)-tetracosapeptides containing hexaglycine, hexaphenylalanine, hexaglutamic acid or hexalysine instead of the natural 19-24 sequence have been synthesized by conventional methods. All these compounds in water have the CD curves characteristic of random coil, CD spectra of analogue ACTH-(1-24)-tetracosapeptide and hexalysine-containing analogue ACTH-(11-24)-tetradecapeptide in trifluoroethanol indicate the presence of alpha-helices. The latter compound manifested higher steroidogenic activity than ACTH-(11-24)-tetradecapeptide. All the other analogues were either less active than ACTH-(1-24)-tetracosapeptide or inactive over the concentration range 10(-5)-10(2) mg/ml, thereby testifying to functional importance of the 19-24 sequence for manifesting full steroidogenic activity.