Synthesis and biological evaluation of histone deacetylase and DNA topoisomerase II-Targeted inhibitors

HDAC inhibitors enable histones to maintain a high degree of acetylation. The resulting looser state of chromatin DNA may increase the accessibility of DNA drug targets and consequently improve the efficiency of anticancer drugs targeting DNA, such as Topo II inhibitors. A novel class of nucleoside-SAHA derivatives has been designed and synthesized based on the synergistic antitumor effects of topoisomerase II and histone deacetylase inhibitors. Their inhibitory activities toward histone deacetylases and Topo II, and their cytotoxicities in cancer cell lines, were evaluated. Among the synthesized hybrid compounds, compound 16b showed the potent HDAC inhibitory activity at a low nanomolar level and exhibited antiproliferative activity toward cancer cell lines including MCF-7 (breast), HCT-116 (colon), and DU-145 (prostate) cancer cells at a low micromolar level. Moreover, compound 16a showed HDAC6-selectivity 20-fold over HDAC1.     

Development of biotin-retinoid conjugates as chemical probes for analysis of retinoid function

Herein, we report the rational design, synthesis and biological evaluation of conjugates consisting of the synthetic retinoid Am580 and biotin connected via a linker moiety. We found that the linking substructure between the retinoid part and the biotin part is critical for retaining the biological activity. Conjugate 4 with a shorter linker showed similar potency to endogenous retinoid ATRA (1) and the parent compound Am580 (2) for neural differentiation of mouse embryotic carcinoma P19 cells, and showed the same pattern of induction of gene expression. It is expected to be useful as a probe for investigations of retinoid function. The design rationale and structure-activity relationship of the linker moiety are expected to be helpful for developing biotin conjugates of other nuclear receptor ligands.     

Methylation of the c-myc gene changes during aging process of mice

The degree of methylation at c-myc proto-oncogene was found to change during aging process of mice by the use of methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes. The spleen DNA showed hypomethylation as mice aged, while hypermethylation was observed in the liver DNA. The brain DNA on the contrary revealed no appreciable difference between young and old mice. When the DNAs were examined at actin and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), no significant change was observed. It suggests that an age-related change of oncogene structure may be one of the factors which are related to an age-associated increase of cancer incidence rate.     

Augmentation of the generation of lymphokine-activated killer cells after a single dose of mitomycin C in cancer patients

Summary The effect of mitomycin C administration on the generation of cytotoxic cells, induced by in vitro activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) with interleukin-2, was studied in patients with various carcinomas. The ability of PBM to generate lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity against Raji cell targets was significantly augmented 5 and 7 days after a single intravenous dose of 12 mg/m² mitomycin C, when compared to that of PBM obtained before mitomycin C injection. Further, LAK cell activity against autologous tumor cells was also significantly increased after the drug administration. The distribution of lymphocyte subsets exhibited a significant increase in the percentage of CD3⁺ cells after injection, with the elevation of the CD4/CD8 ratio. Furthermore, the proportion of the CD4⁺ Leu8⁺ subpopulation, which identifies inducers of suppression, was significantly reduced. Thus, the decrease in the proportion of suppressor-inducer subsets of PBM might be at least partially, responsible for the augmented generation of LAK cells after mitomycin C administration.     

Cladosiphon takenoensis sp. nov. (Ectocarpales s.l., Phaeophyceae) from Japan

The new brown algal species Cladosiphon takenoensis H. Kawai (Chordariaceae, Ectocarpales s.l.) is described from Takeno, Hyogo, Japan based on morphology and DNA sequences. The species is a spring annual, growing on subtidal rocks at more or less exposed sites. It resembles C. umezakii in its gross morphology, and the two often grow together, but is distinguishable from C. umezakii in having a more hairy appearance. Cladosiphon takenoensis has a slimy, cylindrical, multiaxial and sympodial erect thallus, branching once to twice, and is provided with long assimilatory filaments (up to 1.8 mm long, composed of up to 100 cells). Unilocular zoidangia are formed on the basal part of assimilatory filaments. The species is genetically most related to C. umezakii and has the same basic thallus structures, but differs from C. umezakii and other Cladosiphon species in lacking phaeophycean hairs and plurilocular zoidangia of the assimilatory filaments. DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cox1 and cox3, chloroplast atpB, psaA, psbA and rbcL genes and the nuclear rDNA ITS2 region support the distinctness of the species. The genus Cladosiphon was paraphyletic in our analyses because the clades of C. okamuranus/C. zosterae and C. takenoensis/C. umezakii were split by Mesogloia vermiculata. However, since the genus‐level taxonomy of Chordariaceae needs considerable revision, we suspend the genus‐level taxonomy of the new species, and tentatively describe it as C. takenoensis.     

Ubr3, a Novel Modulator of Hh Signaling Affects the Degradation of Costal-2 and Kif7 through Poly-ubiquitination

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling regulates multiple aspects of metazoan development and tissue homeostasis, and is constitutively active in numerous cancers. We identified Ubr3, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a novel, positive regulator of Hh signaling in Drosophila and vertebrates. Hh signaling regulates the Ubr3-mediated poly-ubiquitination and degradation of Cos2, a central component of Hh signaling. In developing Drosophila eye discs, loss of ubr3 leads to a delayed differentiation of photoreceptors and a reduction in Hh signaling. In zebrafish, loss of Ubr3 causes a decrease in Shh signaling in the developing eyes, somites, and sensory neurons. However, not all tissues that require Hh signaling are affected in zebrafish. Mouse UBR3 poly-ubiquitinates Kif7, the mammalian homologue of Cos2. Finally, loss of UBR3 up-regulates Kif7 protein levels and decreases Hh signaling in cultured cells. In summary, our work identifies Ubr3 as a novel, evolutionarily conserved modulator of Hh signaling that boosts Hh in some tissues.     

Association between Anti-Ganglionic Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (gAChR) Antibodies and HLA-DRB1 Alleles in the Japanese Population

Background/Aims

Anti-ganglionic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (gAChR) antibodies are observed in autoimmune diseases, as well as in patients with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy. However, the genetic background of anti-gAChR antibodies is unclear. Here, we investigated HLA alleles in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients with or without anti-gAChR antibodies.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Genomic DNA from 260 patients with type-1 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) were genotyped for HLA-A, B, DRB1, and DQB1 loci. Anti-gAChR antibodies in the sera form AIH patients were measured using the luciferase immunoprecipitation system, and examined allelic association in patients with or without anti-gAChR antibodies.

Methodology/ Methods

We detected anti-α3 or -β4 gAChR antibodies in 11.5% (30/260) of patients with AIH. Among AIH patients there was no significant association between HLA-A, B DQB1 alleles and the positivity for anti-gAChR antibodies. Whereas the HLA-DRB1*0403 allele showed a significantly increased frequency in AIH patients with anti-gAChR antibodies compared with those without anti-gAChR antibodies.

Conclusions/Significance

The frequency of the HLA-DRB1*0403 allele differed among Japanese patients with AIH according to the presence or absence of anti-gAChR antibodies. Our findings suggest that particular HLA class II molecules might control the development of anti-gAChR antibodies in the autoimmune response to gAChR.     

A monoclonal antibody against the glutaraldehyde-conjugated polyamine, putrescine: application to immunocytochemistry

We developed a mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb; APUT-32, IgG1 subisotype mAb) against putrescine (Put) conjugated to bovine serum albumin using a glutaraldehyde (GA)-sodium borohydride procedure, for applications in immunocytochemistry (ICC). The antibody specificity was evaluated by an ELISA binding test, simulating the ICC of tissue sections. APUT-32 mAb was highly specific to Put, and distinguished alterations in the chemical structure of other polyamine (PA) analogs, showing 3.8% crossreaction with cadaverine, 3.3% with spermidine (Spd), and 2.3% with 1,3-diaminopropane. Comparable results in immunoreactivity of APUT-32 mAb were obtained with the ELISA inhibition test. By the indirect immunoperoxidase method using the APUT-32 mAb, Put-like immunoreactivities were observed in the cytoplasm of HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines fixed with GA in combination with NaBH4 reduction, but almost no immunoreaction was seen in the cytoplasm of the human melanoma BD cell line. On the other hand, the same method but using a previously prepared ASPM-29 mAb, specific for spermine (Spm) and Spd, produced intense immunostaining in the cytoplasm of all the three cell types. The Put-like immunoreaction was completely abolished by absorption of the APUT-32 mAb with 10 microg/ml Put-human serum albumin conjugate prepared using GA and NaBH4. HPLC analysis was also performed for the levels of each of the PAs in the three types of cell, showing that the levels of Put detected were much lower than those of Spm and Spd, and were strikingly different in the three cell lines among which the human melanoma BD cell line contained the lowest levels of Put. These results strongly suggest that APUT-32 mAb reacts specifically with Put in the tumor cells and therefore has the potential as a new tool for elucidating the biological roles of Put in cells and tissues.