Androstenediol analogs as ER-beta-selective SERMs

A series of 19-substituted androstenediol derivatives was prepared. Some of the novel analogs were surprisingly potent and selective ligands for ER-beta.     

The cover of living and dead corals from airborne remote sensing

Trends in coral cover are widely used to indicate the health of coral reefs but are costly to obtain from field survey over large areas. In situ studies of reflected spectra at the coral surface show that living and recently dead colonies can be distinguished. Here, we investigate whether such spectral differences can be detected using an airborne remote sensing instrument. The Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (Itres Research Ltd, Canada) was flown in two configurations: 10 spectral bands with 1-m² pixels and 6 spectral bands with 0.25-m² pixels. First, we show that an instrument with 10 spectral bands possesses adequate spectral resolution to distinguish living Porites, living Pocillopora spp., partially dead Porites, recently dead Porites (total colony mortality within 6 months), old dead (>6 months) Porites, Halimeda spp., and coralline red algae when there is no water column to confuse spectra. All substrata were distinguished using fourth-order spectral derivatives around 538 nm and 562 nm. Then, at a shallow site (Tivaru) at Rangiroa Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago (French Polynesia), we show that live and dead coral can be distinguished from the air to a depth of at least 4 m using first- and fourth-order spectral derivatives between 562–580 nm. However, partially dead and recently dead Porites colonies could not be distinguished from an airborne platform. Spectral differences among substrata are then exploited to predict the cover of reef substrata in ten 25-m² plots at nearby Motu Nuhi (max depth 8 m). The actual cover in these plots was determined in situ using quadrats with a 0.01-m² grid. Considerable disparity occurred between field and image-based measures of substrate cover within individual 25-m² quadrats. At this small scale, disparity, measured as the absolute difference in cover between field and remote-sensing methods, reached 25% in some substrata but was always less than 10% for living coral (99% of which consisted of Porites spp.). At the scale of the reef (all ten 25-m² quadrats), however, disparities in percent cover between imagery and field data were less than 10% for all substrata and extremely low for some classes (e.g. <3% for living Porites, recently dead Porites and Halimeda). The least accurately estimated substrata were sand and coralline red algae, which were overestimated by absolute values 7.9% and 6.6%, respectively. The precision of sampling was similar for field and remote-sensing methods: field methods required 19 plots to detect a 10% difference in coral cover among three reefs with a statistical power of 95%. Remote-sensing methods required 21 plots. However, it took 1 h to acquire imagery over 92,500 m² of reef, which represents 3,700 plots of 25 m² each, compared with 3 days to survey 10 such plots underwater. There were no significant differences in accuracy between 1-m² and 0.25-m² image resolutions, suggesting that the advantage of using smaller pixels is offset by reduced spectral information and an increase in noise (noise was observed to be 1.6–1.8 times greater in 0.25-m² pixels). We show that airborne remote sensing can be used to monitor coral and algal cover over large areas, providing that water is shallow and clear, and that brown fleshy macroalgae are scarce, that depth is known independently (e.g. from sonar survey).     

Mechanical loading: biphasic osteocyte survival and targeting of osteoclasts for bone destruction in rat cortical bone

Bone isremoved or replaced in defined locations by targeting osteoclasts andosteoblasts in response to its local history of mechanical loading.There is increasing evidence that osteocytes modulate this targeting bytheir apoptosis, which is associated with locally increasedbone resorption. To investigate the role of osteocytes in the controlof loading-related modeling or remodeling, we studied the effects onosteocyte viability of short periods of mechanical loading applied tothe ulnae of rats. Loading, which produced peak compressive strains of0.003 or 0.004, was associated with a 78% reduction in theresorption surface at the midshaft. The same loading regimen resultedin a 40% relative reduction in osteocyte apoptosis at the samesite 3 days after loading compared with the contralateral side(P = 0.01). The proportion of osteocytes that wereapoptotic was inversely related to the estimated local strain(P < 0.02). In contrast, a single short period ofloading resulting in strains of 0.008 engendered both tissuemicrodamage and subsequent bone remodeling and was associated with aneightfold increase in the proportion of apoptotic osteocytes(P = 0.02) at 7 days. This increase in osteocyteapoptosis was transient and preceded both intracorticalremodeling and death of half of the osteocytes (P < 0.01). The data suggest that osteocytes might use their U-shapedsurvival response to strain as a mechanism to influence boneremodeling. We hypothesize that this relationship reflects a causalmechanism by which osteocyte apoptosis regulates bone'sstructural architecture.

     

Allopregnanolone Reinstates Tyrosine Hydroxylase Immunoreactive Neurons and Motor Performance in an MPTP-Lesioned Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease

Restorative/protective therapies to restore dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) are greatly needed to effectively change the debilitating course of Parkinson''s disease. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of a neurogenic neurosteroid, allopregnanolone, in the restoration of the components of the nigrostriatal pathway in MPTP-lesioned mice by measuring striatal dopamine levels, total and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neuron numbers and BrdU-positive cells in the SNpc. An acute treatment (once/week for two weeks) with allopregnanolone restored the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive and total cell numbers in the SNpc of MPTP-lesioned mice, even though this did not increase striatal dopamine. It was also noted that MPTP treated mice to which allopregnanolone was administered had an increase in BrdU-positive cells in the SNpc. The effects of allopregnanolone in MPTP-lesioned mice were more apparent in mice that underwent behavioral tests. Interestingly, mice treated with allopregnanolone after MPTP lesion were able to perform at levels similar to that of non-lesioned control mice in a rotarod test. These data demonstrate that allopregnanolone promotes the restoration of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons and total cells in the nigrostriatal tract, improves the motor performance in MPTP-treated mice, and may serve as a therapeutic strategy for Parkinson''s disease.     

In vivo phosphorylation of clathrin-coated vesicle proteins from rat reticulocytes

We have studied the in vivo phosphorylation of clathrin-coated vesicle proteins from rat reticulocytes. The major 32P-labeled polypeptides of clathrin-coated vesicles isolated from metabolically labeled cells were the the 165-, 100-110-, and 50-kDa polypeptides of the assembly protein, the clathrin beta-light chain, and to a lesser extent the clathrin alpha-light chain. The phosphorylation of the assembled (particulate) and unassembled (soluble) pools of clathrin and assembly protein was compared by immunoprecipitating the respective protein complexes from particulate and soluble cell fractions. Although all the phosphorylated polypeptides were present in both fractions, the extent of labeling was protein and fraction specific: the apparent specific activities of the assembly protein 50-kDa polypeptide and clathrin light chain were higher in the unassembled pool, whereas those of the 100-110-kDa polypeptides were higher in the assembled pool. The amino acids and polypeptide fragments labeled in vivo appeared similar to those labeled in vitro.     

Distinct mammalian precursors are committed to generate neurons with defined dendritic projection patterns

The mechanisms that regulate how dendrites target different neurons to establish connections with specific cell types remain largely unknown. In particular, the formation of cell-type–specific connectivity during postnatal neurogenesis could be either determined by the local environment of the mature neuronal circuit or by cell-autonomous properties of the immature neurons, already determined by their precursors. Using retroviral fate mapping, we studied the lamina-specific dendritic targeting of one neuronal type as defined by its morphology and intrinsic somatic electrical properties in neonatal and adult neurogenesis. Fate mapping revealed the existence of two separate populations of neuronal precursors that gave rise to the same neuronal type with two distinct patterns of dendritic targeting—innervating either a deep or superficial lamina, where they connect to different types of principal neurons. Furthermore, heterochronic and heterotopic transplantation demonstrated that these precursors were largely restricted to generate neurons with a predetermined pattern of dendritic targeting that was independent of the host environment. Our results demonstrate that, at least in the neonatal and adult mammalian brain, the pattern of dendritic targeting of a given neuron is a cell-autonomous property of their precursors.     

6H-Benzo[c]chromen-6-one derivatives as selective ERbeta agonists

A series of 6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one and 6H-benzo[c]chromene derivatives were prepared, and the affinity and selectivity for ERalpha and ERbeta was measured. Many of the analogs were found to be potent and selective ERbeta agonists. Bis hydroxyl at positions 3 and 8 is essential for activity in a HTRF coactivator recruitment assay. Additional modifications at both phenyl rings led to compounds with ERbeta<10nM potency and >100-fold selectivity over ERalpha.     

Second generation of BACE-1 inhibitors. Part 1: The need for improved pharmacokinetics

Inhibition of the aspartyl protease BACE-1 has the potential to deliver a disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. We have recently disclosed a series of transition-state mimetic BACE-1 inhibitors showing nanomolar potency in cell-based assays. Amongst them, GSK188909 (compound 2) had favorable pharmacokinetics and was the first orally bioavailable inhibitor reported to demonstrate brain amyloid lowering in an animal model. In this Letter, we describe the reasons that led us to favor a second generation of inhibitors for further in vivo studies.     

2-Phenylspiroindenes: a novel class of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)

A series of 2-phenylspiroindenes was prepared. The most active analogue (2) was found to be comparable in potency to raloxifene (1) as an estrogen receptor ligand.     

Isomerization of stable isotopically labeled elaidic acid to cis and trans monoenes by ruminal microbes

A previous study showed that oleic acid was converted by mixed ruminal microbes to stearic acid and also converted to a multitude of trans octadecenoic acid isomers. This study traced the metabolism of one of these trans C18:1 isomers upon its incubation with mixed ruminal microbes. Unlabeled and labeled (18-[13C]trans-9 C18:1) elaidic acid were each added to four in vitro batch cultures with three cultures inoculated with mixed ruminal bacteria and one uninoculated culture. Samples were taken at 0, 12, 24, and 48 h and analyzed for 13C enrichment in component fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. At 0 h of incubation, enrichment was detected only in elaidic acid. By 48 h of incubation, 13C enrichment was 18% (P < 0.01) for stearic acid, 7% to 30% (P < 0.01) for all trans C18:1 isomers having double bonds between carbons six through 16, and 5% to 10% for cis-9 and cis-11 monoenes. After 48 h, 13C enrichment in the uninoculated cultures was only detected in the added elaidic acid. This study shows trans fatty acids exposed to active ruminal cultures are converted to stearic acid but also undergo enzymic isomerization yielding a multitude of positional and geometric isomers.