Design and synthesis of novel PPARalpha/gamma/delta triple activators using a known PPARalpha/gamma dual activator as structural template

Using a known dual PPARalpha/gamma activator (5) as a structural template, SAR evaluations led to the identification of triple PPARalpha/gamma/delta activators (18-20) with equal potency and efficacy on all three receptors. These compounds could become useful tools for studying the combined biological effects of PPARalpha/gamma/delta activation.     

Complex segregation analysis of body height,weight and BMI in pedigree data from Middle Dalmatia,Croatia

It has recently been reported that the mode of inheritance of body height, weight and BMI in five ethnically and geographically different populations can be described in terms of a major gene (MG) model. Here, using the pedigree sample from the island populations of Middle Dalmatia, Croatia (1,312 observed individuals in 462 pedigrees), the evidence is presented that supports the above findings. By applying the usual transmission probability tests, the hypothesis has been accepted that a significant part of the variation of each one of those three basic morphological traits can be attributed to the effect of a putative large-effect gene. The effect of a putative MG is responsible for 39-50% of age and sex adjusted trait's variation and for 34-48% of the total (non age-adjusted) variation of height, weight and BMI.     

Changes in the interpupillary distance (IPD) with ages and its effect on the near convergence/distance (NC/D) ratio

This study aims at determining the mean value of the ophthalmic anthropometrics parametar-IPD (Interpupillary distance) and the mean value of NC/D (Near convergence/distance) in 300 subjects aged 5 to 60 years. The influence of IPD on the NC/D ratio in the same subjects will also be investigated. The investigation showed that the mean value of IPD is 60.5 +/- 2.4 cm, and the mean value of NC/D ratio is 4.95 +/- 2.28 prD. Mean IPD of 5.1 cm in 5-year old children increases to 6.3 cm in adult over 20. In adulthood, IPD remains the same, i.e. 6.3 cm. Our study showed that the NC/D ratio is stable during lifetime. Since NC/D is stabile and IPD changes during lifetime, it is evident that factors other than IPD, such as convergence and accommodation, influence the stability of the NC/D ratio.     

Environmental influences on bovine kappa-casein: reduction and conversion to fibrillar (amyloid) structures

The caseins of milk form a unique calcium–phosphate transport complex that provides these necessary nutrients to the neonate. The colloidal stability of these particles is primarily the result of -casein. As purified from milk, this protein occurs as spherical particles with a weight average molecular weight of 1.18 million. The protein exhibits a unique disulfide bonding pattern, which (in the absence of reducing agents) ranges from monomer to octamers and above on SDS-PAGE. Severe heat treatment of the -casein (90°C) in the absence of SDS, before electrophoresis, caused an increase in the polymeric distribution: up to 40% randomly aggregated high–molecular weight polymers, presumably promoted by free sulfhydryl groups (J. Protein Chem. 17: 73–84, 1998). To ascertain the role of the sulfhydryl groups, the protein was reduced and carboxymethylated (RCM-). Surprisingly, at only 37°C, the RCM--casein exhibited an increase in weight average molecular weight and tendency to self-association when studied at 3000 rpm by analytical ultracentrifugation. Electron microscopy (EM) of the 37°C RCM sample showed that, in addition to the spherical particles found in the native protein, there was a high proportion of fibrillar structures. The fibrillar structures were up to 600 nm in length. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was used to investigate the temperature-induced changes in the secondary structure of the native and RCM--caseins. These studies indicate that there was little change in the distribution of secondary structural elements during this transition, with extended strand and turns predominating. On the basis of three-dimensional molecular modeling predictions, there may exist a tyrosine-rich repeated sheet-turnsheet motif in -casein (residues 15–65), which may allow for the stacking of the molecules into fibrillar structures. Previous studies on amyloid proteins have suggested that such motifs promote fibril formation, and near-ultraviolet CD and thioflavin-T binding studies on RCM--casein support this concept. The results are discussed with respect to the role that such fibrils may play in the synthesis and secretion of casein micelles in lactating mammary gland.     

Environmental Influences on Bovine κ-Casein: Reduction and Conversion to Fibrillar (Amyloid) Structures

The caseins of milk form a unique calcium–phosphate transport complex that provides these necessary nutrients to the neonate. The colloidal stability of these particles is primarily the result of κ-casein. As purified from milk, this protein occurs as spherical particles with a weight average molecular weight of 1.18 million. The protein exhibits a unique disulfide bonding pattern, which (in the absence of reducing agents) ranges from monomer to octamers and above on SDS-PAGE. Severe heat treatment of the κ-casein (90°C) in the absence of SDS, before electrophoresis, caused an increase in the polymeric distribution: up to 40% randomly aggregated high–molecular weight polymers, presumably promoted by free sulfhydryl groups (J. Protein Chem. 17: 73–84, 1998). To ascertain the role of the sulfhydryl groups, the protein was reduced and carboxymethylated (RCM-κ). Surprisingly, at only 37°C, the RCM-κ-casein exhibited an increase in weight average molecular weight and tendency to self-association when studied at 3000 rpm by analytical ultracentrifugation. Electron microscopy (EM) of the 37°C RCM sample showed that, in addition to the spherical particles found in the native protein, there was a high proportion of fibrillar structures. The fibrillar structures were up to 600 nm in length. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy was used to investigate the temperature-induced changes in the secondary structure of the native and RCM-κ-caseins. These studies indicate that there was little change in the distribution of secondary structural elements during this transition, with extended strand and κ turns predominating. On the basis of three-dimensional molecular modeling predictions, there may exist a tyrosine-rich repeated sheet-turnsheet motif in κ-casein (residues 15–65), which may allow for the stacking of the molecules into fibrillar structures. Previous studies on amyloid proteins have suggested that such motifs promote fibril formation, and near-ultraviolet CD and thioflavin-T binding studies on RCM-κ-casein support this concept. The results are discussed with respect to the role that such fibrils may play in the synthesis and secretion of casein micelles in lactating mammary gland.     

Bromus fasciculatus presl--a third diploid progenitor of Bromus section Genea allopolyploids (Poaceae)

Allozyme variation of ten heterozymes of seven enzymes among five accessions of a rare diploid Bromus fasciculatus was analysed with the use of PAGE and compared with that for six other species of section Genea of the genus Bromus. Allozymes charasteristic for diploids B. tectorum and B. fasciculatus are combined in fixed heterozygous phenotypes of tetraploid B. rubens. Fixed heterozygous phenotypes of tetraploid B. madritensis combine one allozyme of B. fasciculatus with another of diploid B. sterilis at each of the loci studied. Of the three diploids studied, only B. sterilis fits well for a role of a genome donor for the polyploid B. diandrus-rigidus complex. Bromus fasciculatus thus appears to be a diploid ancestor for the two tetraploids of section Genea, B. rubens and B. madritensis.     

Genetic analysis of durable powdery mildew resistance in a common wheat line

Genetic studies using monosomic and hybridological analyses had confirmed that resistance of a common wheat line k-15560 to powdery mildew in seedling stage was conditioned by one dominant gene located on chromosome 7B, and resistance in adult stage was controlled by two dominant genes. Cytological analysis of meiosis in the F1 monosomic hybrids has revealed reciprocal translocation involving chromosomes 2A/7A. In the F1 monosomic hybrids genes, causing a decrease in pairing were found on chromosomes 3B and 4D, and genes enhancing pairing--on chromosomes 2A and 3A.     

In vivo pro-apoptotic and antitumor efficacy of a c-Raf antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide: relationship to tumor size

Previously, we have shown that a phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (ODN) targeted against c-raf RNA (ISIS5132; cRaf-AS) induces apoptosis in human tumor cells. We now show that the same ODN also efficiently triggers apoptosis in human tumor xenografts in nu/nu mice. Although cRaf-AS showed a clearly inhibitory effect on the growth of established tumors (approximately 150 mm3) compared to a mismatched control ODN (MM), tumor progression was not prevented. This correlated with a partial refractoriness of the tumor to cRaf-AS-induced cell killing, which seemed to be due to an inhomogeneous and inefficient penetration of the ODN into the tumor tissue rather than cellular resistance. In agreement with this conclusion, we found that growth of small tumors (<50 mm3) was completely inhibited concomitantly with an accumulation of the ODN throughout the tumor. These data show that the cRaf-AS is a highly efficacious antitumor agent, provided accessibility into the tumor tissue is warranted, and suggest that PS-AS-ODN treatment may be particularly useful in an adjuvant setting.     

Affinity selection to papain yields potent peptide inhibitors of cathepsins L, B, H, and K

Endogenous cysteine proteases were given much attention lately, as their role in a variety of pathophysiological disorders became evident. Amongst them cathepsins, which are thought to be implicated in mediation of osteoporosis, cancer progression, atherosclerosis, and many other conditions, are of considerable interest as drug targets. In the presented work, papain was chosen as a model cysteine protease and panning protocol was optimized for selection of papain-binding phage-displayed peptides from a commercially available combinatorial peptide library. Different selection strategies were applied in order to select high-affinity binders. Ultimately, five cyclic peptides (CNWAAGYNCGGGS-NH2, CWSMMGFQCGGGS-NH2, CWEWGGWHCGGSS-OH, CNWTLGGYKCGGGS-NH2 (all cyclized through formation of intramolecular disulphide bond), and GNWTLGGYKGG (cyclized head-to-tail)) were synthesized and tested for inhibitory activity towards papain and human cathepsins L, B, H, and K. The peptides possess inhibitory constants in the low micromolar to mid-nanomolar range and exhibit certain selectivity for different lysosomal cysteine proteases included in this study.     

Syntheses and activity of some platinum(IV) complexes with N-methyl derivate of glycine and halogeno ligands against HeLa, K562 cell lines and human PBMC

Four platinum(IV) complexes, trans,trans-dichlorobis(N,N-dimethylglycinato)platinum(IV), trans,trans-[Pt(dmgly)₂Cl₂] (1) and trans,trans-dibromobis(N,N-dimethylglycinato)platinum (IV), trans,trans-[Pt(dmgly)₂Br₂] (2), as well as, trans,trans-dichlorobis(N-methylglycinato)platinum(IV), trans,trans-[Pt(sar)₂Cl₂] (3) and trans,trans-dibromobis(N-methylglycinato)platinum(IV), trans,trans-[Pt(sar)₂Br₂] (4) (with configuration index for all complexes OC-6-14), were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In the aim to assess the selectivity in the antitumor action of these complexes, the antiproliferative action of these compounds was determined to human adenocarcinoma HeLa cells; to human myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and to normal immunocompetent cells; i.e., on human PBMC. The details of the crystal structure synthesized trans,trans-[Pt(sar)₂Br₂] complex were also reported here. In the crystal structure of trans,trans-[Pt(sar)₂Br₂], the Pt(IV) ion had a deformed octahedral coordination with both N-methylglycinates and bromides bonded trans to one another and with the N-Pt-Br bond angles of 84.1(4) and 95.9(4)°. The trans,trans-[Pt(sar)₂Br₂] complex molecules form 2D-layers with multiple N-H?O and C-H?O hydrogen bonds.