4-(Anilino)pyrrole-2-carboxamides: Novel non-steroidal/non-anilide type androgen antagonists effective upon human prostate tumor LNCaP cells with mutated nuclear androgen receptor

Various 4-(anilino)pyrrole-2-carboxamides were designed and synthesized as novel androgen receptor (AR) antagonists without steroidal or anilide structure, based on our strategy for developing full antagonists of nuclear receptors. Introduction of a bulky N-alkyl group, such as a cyclohexylmethyl or benzyl group, increased the binding affinity for wild-type AR and the potency for growth inhibition of androgen-dependent SC-3 cells. Among the compounds obtained, N-[4-[(benzyl)(4-nitrophenyl)amino]-1-methylpyrrole-2-carbonyl]pyrrolidine (22) is as potent an AR antagonist as the typical anilide-type AR antagonists hydroxyflutamide and bicalutamide. Further, compound 22 had potent binding affinity for T877A mutated AR, and dose-dependently inhibited the testosterone-induced production of prostate-specific antigen in LNCaP cells bearing T877A AR.     

Analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus structural proteins in virus‐like particle assembly

SARS‐CoV has four major structural proteins: the N, S, M, and E proteins. To investigate the mechanism of SARS‐CoV assembly, we cloned the genes encoding these four proteins into the eukaryotic expression vector pCAGGS and transfected them into 293T cells. When all four expression vectors were co‐transfected VLP formed, as confirmed using electron microscopy. Using a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific to the N protein, N‐protein‐containing particles similar in size to the VLP were also observed by immunoelectron microscopy, indicating that the VLP contained the N protein. Co‐immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated an interaction between the N and M proteins, suggesting that N protein binds directly to M protein to be incorporated into VLP.     

Importance of autophosphorylation at Ser186 in the A-loop of salt inducible kinase 1 for its sustained kinase activity

Autophosphorylation is an important mechanism by which protein kinases regulate their own biological activities. Salt inducible kinase 1 (SIK1) is a regulator in the feedback cascades of cAMP-mediated gene expression, while its kinase domain also features autophosphorylation activity. We provide evidence that Ser186 in the activation loop is the site of autophosphorylation and essential for the kinase activity. Ser186 is located at the +4 position of the critical Thr residue Thr182, which is phosphorylated by upstream kinases such as LKB1. The relationship between phosphorylation at Ser186 and at Thr182 in COS-7 cells indicates that the former is a prerequisite for the latter. Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) phosphorylates Ser/Thr residues located at the fourth position ahead of the pre-phosphorylated Ser/Thr residues, and inhibitors of GSK-3beta reduce the phosphorylation at Thr182. The results of an in vitro reconstitution assay also indicate that GSK-3beta could be the SIK1 kinase. However, overexpression and knockdown of GSK-3beta in LKB1-defective HeLa cells suggests that GSK-3beta alone may not be able to phosphorylate or activate SIK1, indicating that LKB1 may play a crucial role by phosphorylating SIK1 at Thr182, possibly as an initiator of the autophosphorylation cascade, and GSK-3beta may phosphorylate SIK1 at Thr182 by recognizing the priming-autophosphorylation at Ser186 in cultured cells. This may also be the case for the other isoform SIK2, but not for SIK3.     

A formation mechanism for 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine mediated by peroxidized 2'-deoxythymidine

The oxidative formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA is closely associated with the induction of degenerative diseases, including cancer. However, the oxidant species participating in the formation of 8-OHdG has yet to be fully clarified. On the basis that peroxyl radicals are a strong candidate for this species, we employed 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) (AAPH) as a peroxyl radical generator. Exposure of calf thymus DNA to AAPH formed 8-OHdG, but the exposure of 2'-deoxyguanosine (dG) alone did not. From the exposure of various combinations of nucleotides, 8-OHdG was formed only in the presence of dG and thymidine (dT). A mix of dG with an oxidation product of dT, 5-(hydroperoxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine, produced 8-OHdG, but the amount formed was small. In contrast, 8-OHdG was produced abundantly by the addition of dG to peroxidized dT with AAPH. Thus, the formation of 8-OHdG was mediated by the peroxidized dT. Instead of artificial AAPH, endogenous peroxyl radicals are known to be lipid peroxides, which are probably the oxidant species for 8-OHdG formation mediated by thymidine in vivo.     

Establishment and characterization of a nerve cell line (NC-HIMT) from HIMT cells derived from a human ovarian immature teratoma with special reference to the induction of neuron differentiation by retinoic acid

A nerve cell line designated NC-HIMT was established from a HIMT cell line derived from a benign ovarian, three germ layer immature teratoma removed from a 21-year-old Japanese female. The HIMT cells were elongated, ellipsoid or spherical in shape, whose karyotype was on the high side of normal diploidy. Small amounts of retinoic acid enhanced differentiation and maturation of the HIMT cells into nervous tissue, and the NC-HIMT cell line was established by the colony isolating technique when the HIMT cell line was cultured in the presence of retinoic acid-supplemented medium. After establishment, the NC-HIMT cell line was cultured and maintained in retinoic acid-free growth medium. Even though these cells were cultured without retinoic acid, the phenotype of nerve cells remained and the cells were also maintained in a state of high normal diploidy. The nerve cells contacted each other with their long cell projections and formed networks. Immunocytochemical observations using anti-bovine NSE, α-internexin, neurofilament 200kD, peripherin and GFAP confirmed that the cells were either nerve cells or glia cells. These results assume that HIMT cells, which were derived from an immature teratoma. have progenitor and/or stem cells which can differentiate into nerve and/or glial cells.     

New method for forming large embryoid bodies using the wall of the culture dish along with an analysis of their structural characteristics

Early embryonic stem (EES) cells, which were established from 2 cell stage embryos obtained from ddY mice, had similar characteristics as embryonic stem (ES) cells. These cells were maintained in an undifferentiated stage in growth media supplemented with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and were capable of differentiating into triploblastic tissues under various growth factors. It has been known that normal sized embryoid bodies (EBs) are formed by removing LIF. In this study, large EBs gradually formed along the side wall of a culture dish, particularly at the boundary between the air and the growth medium when cells were cultured for a considerable period of time and without subculturing. We call this method the “wall adhesion culture” procedure. The method itself is simple and do not need any instruments except plastic dishes because only the side walls of the dishes were utilized. The mean thickness of the large EBs was about 1.5 mm 3 months after establishing the static culture. Their surface was covered with a monolayer of cells and they contained an eosinophilic cell matrix. By electron microscopy, some characteristic structures was observed, such as intracisternal A particles which were present inside the swelling of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Since many tissues derived from ES cells are obtained through EBs, it is expected that efficient acquisition of sufficient quantities of these structures using the wall adhesion culture procedure will be a shortcut for using ES cells in regenerative medicine.     

Up-regulation of genes related to the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the brown adipose tissue of 24-h-fasted rats

The functional balance between brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) is important for metabolic homeostasis. We compared the effects of fasting on the gene expression profiles in BAT, WAT and liver by using a DNA microarray analysis. Tissues were obtained from rats that had been fed or fasted for 24 h. Taking the false discovery rate into account, we extracted the top 1,000 genes that had been differentially expressed between the fed and fasted rats. In all three tissues, a Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the lipid and protein biosynthesis-related genes had been markedly down-regulated. The whole-body fuel shift from glucose to triacylglycerol and the induction of autophagy were also observed. There was marked up-regulation of genes in the 'protein ubiquitination' category particularly in BAT of the fasted rats, suggesting that the ubiquitin-proteasome system was involved in saving energy as an adaptation to food shortage.     

Identification of new amine acceptor protein substrate candidates of transglutaminase in rat liver extract: use of 5-(biotinamido) pentylamine as a probe

Transglutaminases (TGs) are a family of enzymes that catalyze Ca(2+)-dependent post-translational modification of proteins by introducing protein-protein crosslinks (between specific glutamine and lysine residues), amine incorporation, and site-specific deamidation. In this study, new amine acceptor protein substrates of TG were isolated from rat liver extract and identified using 5-(biotinamido) pentylamine, a biotinylated primary amine substrate, as a probe. TG protein substrate candidates labeled with biotin by endogenous TG activity were isolated and recovered by avidin column chromatography. Proteins with molecular masses of 40, 42, and 45 kDa were the main components of the labeled proteins. Determination of their partial amino acid sequences and immunoblotting analyses were done to identify them. The 45-kDa protein was identical with betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (EC 2.2.2.5), which was identified in our previous study. The 40- and 42-kDa proteins were identified as arginase-I (EC 3.5.3.1) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) respectively. TG catalyzed incorporation of 5-(biotinamido) pentylamine into both arginase-I and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase purified from rat liver was confirmed in vitro. These results suggest that these two enzymes are the new protein substrate candidates of TG and that they can be modified post-translationally by cellular TG.     

Arginine increases the solubility of coumarin: comparison with salting-in and salting-out additives

Poor aqueous solubility of low molecular weight drug substances hampers their development as pharmacological agents. Here, we have examined the effects of arginine on the solubility of organic compounds, coumarin, caffeine and benzyl alcohol, in aqueous solution. Arginine increased the solubility of aromatic coumarin, but not non-aromatic caffeine, concentration dependently, suggesting the favourable interaction of arginine with the aromatic structure. Consistent with this, arginine also increased the solubility of aromatic benzyl alcohol. Guanidine hydrochloride, urea and salting-in salts increased both coumarin and caffeine solubilities, while salting-out salts decreased them. These results suggest the specific interaction of arginine with aromatic groups, leading to increased solubility of coumarin. However, the effect of 1 M arginine on coumarin solubility was at most approximately 2-fold, which may limit its applications as a solubility enhancing agent.