Chemical synthesis of all-trans retinoyl beta-glucuronide

All-trans retinoyl fluoride reacts with the 3,6-lactone of glucuronic acid in slightly alkaline solution to give the lactone of retinoyl beta-glucuronide, along with other retinoyl glucurono-lactones, in about 60% yield. Hydrolysis of the lactone with very dilute alkali gives the free acid, retinoyl beta-glucuronide, in about 80% yield. Pure all-trans retinoyl beta-glucuronide (overall yield: 20-25%) was obtained free from other isomeric and anomeric forms by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography. Retinoyl beta-glucuronide was characterized by UV-visible, infrared, and 1H-NMR spectra, by elementary analysis, by mass spectra, and by its susceptibility to hydrolysis by bacterial beta-glucuronidase.     

Dephosphorylation of cell-surface phosphoproteins of goat spermatozoa

Multiple ecto-phosphoproteins of the goat cauda-epididymal intact spermatozoa have been shown to undergo dephosphorylationin vitro by endogenous phosphoprotein phosphatase(s) located on the sperm outer surface. The major ecto-phosphoproteins that are dephosphorylated have molecular masses of 27, 40, 70, 116 and 205 kDa. The cell surface dephosphorylation reaction is not dependent on bivalent metal ions. Mg²⁺ (5 mM), Mn²⁺ (5 mM), orthovanadate (200ΜM) and cAMP (5 ΜM) have no effect on this surface reaction whereas it is inhibited nearly 50% by Co²⁺ or Zn²⁺ (1 mM). Spermidine (5 mM), or Ca²⁺ (1mM) inhibited to a small extent (approx. 25%) the cell surface dephosphorylation of proteins.     

CNS anti-depressant,anxiolytic and analgesic effects of Ganoderma applanatum (mushroom) along with ligand-receptor binding screening provide new insights: Multi-disciplinary approaches

This research was designed to evaluate the CNS depressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic action of aqueous and ethanol extract of Ganoderma applanatum, a valuable medicinal fungus used in multiple disorders belongs to Ganodermataceae family. Two extracts of G. applanatum were prepared using distilled water and ethanol as solvents and named AEGA and EEGA. Open field method, rotarod method, tail suspension method, and hole cross method were utilized for the CNS depressant action. In contrast, elevated plus-maze test and hole board method were utilized for the anxiolytic action. For determining the analgesic potential, acetic acid-induced writhing test, hot plate method, and tail immersion test were used. Besides, molecular docking has been implemented by using Discovery studio 2020, UCSF Chimera and PyRx autodock vina. At both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) of AEGA and EEGA showed significant CNS depressant effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001) against all four tests used for CNS depressant activity. Both doses of AEGA and EEGA exhibited important anxiolytic activity effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001)against the EPM and hole board test. Both doses of AEGA and EEGA also exhibited a potential analgesic effect (p < 0.05 to 0.001) against all three tests used for analgesic action. In addition, in the molecular docking the compounds obtained the scores of ?5.2 to ?12.8 kcal/mol. Ganoapplanin, sphaeropsidin D and cytosporone C showed the best binding affinity to the selected recptors. It can be concluded that AEGA and EEGA have potential CNS depressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic action, which can be used as a natural antidepressant, anxiolytic, and analgesic source.     

Occurrence of an ecto-phosphoprotein phosphatase in goat epididymal spermatozoa

Intact spermatozoa from goat cauda epididymis possess phosphoprotein phosphatase activity that causes dephosphorylation of externally added [32p]histones. The enzymic reaction was linear with time for at least 15 min and there was little uptake of [32p]histones by these cells. The activity of the enzyme of the whole spermatozoa was not due to contamination of the broken cells or epididymal plasma and leakage of the intracellular enzymic activity during incubation. The activity of the phosphoprotein phosphatase was strongly inhibited by the thiol reagent: p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid, which is believed not to enter the cells. There was no appreciable loss of the enzymic activity from the cells when washed with EDTA (2.0 mM) or a hyperosmotic medium. These data are consistent with the view that the observed activity of the enzyme is located on the spermatozoal external surface. Studies with unlabelled p-nitrophenyl phosphate and beta-glycerophosphate indicate that the sperm ecto-enzyme is not a non-specific phosphatase.