Spinocerebellar ataxia 7 (SCA7)

Spinocerebellar ataxia 7 (SCA7) is a progressive autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by cerebellar ataxia associated with progressive macular dystrophy. The disease affects primarily the cerebellum and the retina, but also many other CNS structures as the disease progresses. SCA7 is caused by expansion of an unstable trinucleotide CAG repeat encoding a polyglutamine tract in the corresponding protein, ataxin-7. Normal SCA7 alleles contain 4-35 CAG repeats, whereas pathological alleles contain from 36-306 CAG repeats. SCA7 has a number of features in common with other diseases with polyglutamine expansions: (i) the appearance of clinical symptoms above a threshold number of CAG repeats (>35); (ii) a correlation between the size of the expansion and the rate of progression of the disease: the larger the repeat, the faster the progression; (iii) instability of the repeat sequence (approximately 12 CAG/transmission) that accounts for the marked anticipation of approximately 20 years/generation. The CAG repeat sequence is particularly unstable and de novo mutations can occur during paternal transmissions of intermediate size alleles (28-35 CAG repeats). This can explain the persistence of the disease in spite of the anticipation that should have resulted in its extinction.     

Hemodialysis Properties of Clindamycin (7-Chloro-7-Deoxylincomycin)

The effect of hemodialysis (Kolff-type machine) on clindamycin blood levels in anuric patients was studied. At 1 hr after oral ingestion of drug, blood levels ranged from 1.23 to 5.17 mug/ml and fell thereafter. Half-times for peripheral removal were 3.36 mug/ml +/- 0.22 when subjects were "off" dialysis and 3.14 mug/ml +/- 0.09 during dialysis. Their difference was not statistically significant, indicating that hemodialysis does not affect the blood level of clindamycin. In all studies, significant levels of the antibiotic were present at 12 hr.     

Solvent effects on model d(CG·G)7 and d(TA·T)7 DNA triple helices

Using free energy molecular mechanics, we find that the molecular effects of solvent are critical in determining relative stabilities in DNA triple helices or triplexes. The continuum solvent model is unable to differentiate the thermodynamics reflecting the basic solvation differences around the occupied major groove in triplexes. In order to avoid the local minimum problem, which is a major limitation of any modeling study, we started our computations with multiple structures rather than relying on the optimization of a single reference structure. By constructing triplex models with different initial helical twists, helical rises, and sugar-pucker permutations, we explore the potential surface and the structural preference with respect to these variations. We find that in order to accommodate a third strand in triplex formation, the backbone geometry of the B-DNA duplex target has to be adjusted into A-DNA-like form with a deep major groove. This is achieved by concerted adjustment in torsions β, ε, and ζ around the phosphate groups. However, the sugar pucker displays a more rich variation, resulting in conformations not usually associated with the canonical duplex structures. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Oxysterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity by cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A)

A 7 alpha-hydroxylation is necessary for conversion of both cholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol into bile acids. According to current theories, cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A) is responsible for the former and oxysterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7B) for the latter reaction. CYP7A is believed to have a very high substrate specificity whereas CYP7B is active toward oxysterols, dehydroepiandrosterone, and pregnenolone. In the present study, 7 alpha-hydroxylation of various oxysterols in liver and kidney was investigated. Surprisingly, human cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, CYP7A, expressed as a recombinant in Escherichia coli and COS cells, was active toward 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, and 27-hydroxycholesterol. This enzyme has previously been thought to be specific for cholesterol and cholestanol. A partially purified and reconstituted cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase enzyme fraction from pig liver showed 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity toward the same oxysterols as metabolized by expressed recombinant human and rat CYP7A. The 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity toward 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, and 27-hydroxycholesterol in rat liver was significantly increased by treatment with cholestyramine, an inducer of CYP7A. From the present results it may be concluded that CYP7A is able to function as an oxysterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, in addition to the previously known human oxysterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, CYP7B. These findings may have implications for oxysterol-mediated regulation of gene expression and for pathways of bile acid biosynthesis. A possible use of 20(S)-hydroxycholesterol as a marker substrate for CYP7A is proposed.     

人ApoE转基因小鼠与TGE_（7－2） TGE_（7－3）转基因鼠系的建立

用含小鼠金属硫蛋白（ＭＴ－１）基因启动子与突变的人ＡｐｏＥ７基因的６．０ＫｂＤＮＡ片段作为目的基因制备转基因小鼠,利用显微注射法将目的基因导入４４１枚受精卵,移植于２０只假孕鼠,其中１５只受孕,共产仔鼠８０只,经ａ－３２Ｐ斑点杂交与Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交法鉴定出两只整合有人ＡｐｏＥ基因的转基因雌鼠,其拷贝数分别为２和５。将两只首建鼠（雌性Ｆｏ代）与正常雄鼠交配,建立Ｆ１代转基因鼠系ＴＧＥ７－２和ＴＧＥ７－３,为进一步从整体上研究ＡｐｏＥ在脂质代谢中的作用以及ＡｐｏＥ与动脉粥样硬化和Ａｌｚｈｅｉｍｅｒ’ｓ病的关系创造条件。     

Identification of 7(8) and 8(9) unsaturated adrenal steroid metabolites produced by patients with 7-dehydrosterol-delta7-reductase deficiency (Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome)

Patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome have impaired ability to synthesize cholesterol due to attenuated activity of 7-dehydrosterol-delta(7)-reductase which catalyses the final step in cholesterol synthesis. Accumulation of 7- and 8-dehydrocholesterol is a result of the disorder and potentially these sterols could be used as precursors of a novel class of delta(7) and delta(8) unsaturated adrenal steroids and their metabolites. In this study, we have analyzed urine from SLOS patients in the anticipation of characterizing such metabolites. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used in the identification of two major metabolites as 7- and 8-dehydroversions of the well-known steroid pregnanetriol. Other steroids, such as 8-dehydro dehydroepiandrosterone (8-dehydro DHEA) and 7- or 8-dehydroandrostenediol were also identified, and several more steroids are present in urine but remain uncharacterized. As yet, the study provides no evidence for the production of ring-B unsaturated metabolites of complex steroids, such as cortisol. We believe that the following transformations can utilize ring-B dehydroprecursors: StAR transport of cholesterol, p450 side chain cleavage, 17-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 5beta-reductase. We have yet to prove the activity of adrenal 21-hydroxylase, 11beta-hydroxylase or 5alpha-reductase towards 7- or 8-dehydroprecursors.     

Identification of purine inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 7 (PDE7)

A series of purine based inhibitors of PDE7 has been derived from screening lead 1a. The synthesis, structure-activity relationships (SAR), and selectivity against several other PDE family members are described.     

Template-directed synthesis on the oligonucleotide d(C7-G-C7)

When the deoxynucleotide template d(C7-G-C7) is incubated with the activated nucleotides 2-MeImpG and 2-MeImpC, a series of oligomers of G up to the sevenmer and a series of copolymers of composition GnC with n = 3 to 13 are formed. Oligomers GnC with n greater than 7 are completely degraded by pancreatic ribonuclease, establishing that they contain a 3' to 5' internucleotide bond between 5'-C and 3'-G within a sequence of the form (pG)ipC(pG)j. As expected, (pG)7-Cp and (pG)6-Cp are major hydrolysis products. Detailed analysis of the product distribution shows that a substantial fraction of the oligomeric products are of the type (pG)ipC(pG)j with i less than 7. This shows that product synthesis does not necessarily begin at the 3' terminus of the template. The significance of this finding in terms of the origin of molecular replication is discussed.     

(7R)-Transtrans-nepetalactone from Nepeta elliptica

The major component of the essential oil from the aerial parts of Nepeta elliptica, gathered in the Kumaun Region of India, has been identified as (7R)-trans,trans-nepetalactone primarily by comparison of its IR spectrum with those of its four (7S)-stereoisomers and its mass spectrum and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra with those of its three diastereomers.     

X-ray study on homo-oligopeptides t-BOC-(D-Ala)7-OMe and HCl.H(D-Ala)7-OMe.

Observations of extended peptide chains, whose direction is perpendicular to the fiber axis (cross-beta-structures) have hitherto been confined to fibrous proteins and to some synthetic polydisperse polypeptides of rather low molecular weight. This structure has now been found in some monodisperse linear homo-oligopeptides with aliphatic hydrocarbon side chains. X-ray diffraction photographs of t-Boc-(D-Ala)7-OMe and HCl.H(D-Ala)7-OMe show characteristic reflections for this form. In addition, the good orientation of suitably prepared specimens has enabled a fairly complete determination of the unit cell of the heptapeptides to be made. t-Boc-(D-Ala)7-OMe and HCl.H(D-Ala)7-OMe molecules are packed in a monoclinic lattice with a = 4.80, b = 34.5, c = 5.82 A, beta = 65.6 degrees and a = 4.80, b = 29.5, c = 5.82 A, beta = 65.6 degrees, respectively. It has not been possible to establish whether the arrangement of the chains within the sheets is parallel or antiparallel.     

7-Azaindolequinuclidinones (7-AIQD): A novel class of cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid 2 (CB2) receptor ligands

A series of N-benzyl-7-azaindolequinuclidinone (7-AIQD) analogs have been synthesized and evaluated for affinity toward CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors and identified as a novel class of cannabinoid receptor ligands. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies indicate that 7-AIQD analogs are dual CB1/CB2 receptor ligands exhibiting high potency with somewhat greater selectivity towards CB2 receptors compared to the previously reported indolequinuclidinone (IQD) analogs. Initial binding assays showed that 7-AIQD analogs 8b, 8d, 8f, 8g and 9b (1 μM) produced more that 50% displacement of the CB1/CB2 non-selective agonist CP-55,940 (0.1 nM). Furthermore, Ki values determined from full competition binding curves showed that analogs 8a, 8b and 8g exhibit high affinity (110, 115 and 23.7 nM, respectively) and moderate selectivity (26.3, 6.1 and 9.2-fold, respectively) for CB2 relative to CB1 receptors. Functional studies examining modulation of G-protein activity demonstrated that 8a acts as a neutral antagonist at CB1 and CB2 receptors, while 8b exhibits inverse agonist activity at these receptors. Analogs 8f and 8g exhibit different intrinsic activities, depending on the receptor examined. Molecular docking and binding free energy calculations for the most active compounds (8a, 8b, 8f, and 8g) were performed to better understand the CB2 receptor-selective mechanism at the atomic level. Compound 8g exhibited the highest predicted binding affinity at both CB1 and CB2 receptors, and all four compounds were shown to have higher predicted binding affinities with the CB2 receptor compared to their corresponding binding affinities with the CB1 receptor. Further structural optimization of 7-AIQD analogs may lead to the identification of potential clinical agents.