Action mechanism of tachyplesin I and effects of PEGylation

PEGylation of protein and peptide drugs is frequently used to improve in vivo efficacy. We investigated the action mechanism of tachyplesin I, a membrane-acting cyclic antimicrobial peptide from Tachypleus tridentatus and the effects of PEGylation on the mechanism. The PEGylated peptide induced the leakage of calcein from egg yolk l-α-phosphatidylglycerol/egg yolk l-α-phosphatidylcholine large unilamellar vesicles similarly to the parent peptide. Both peptides induced lipid flip-flop coupled to leakage and was translocated into the inner leaflet of the bilayer, indicating that tachyplesin I forms a toroidal pore and that PEGylation did not alter the basic mechanism of membrane permeabilization of the parent peptide. Despite their similar activities against model membranes, the peptides showed very different biological activities. The cytotoxicity of tachyplesin I was greatly reduced by PEGylation, although the antimicrobial activity was significantly weakened. We investigated the enhancement of the permeability of inner membranes induced by the peptides. Our results suggested that outer membranes and peptidoglycan layers play an inhibitory role in the permeation of the PEG moiety. Furthermore, a reduction in DNA binding by PEGylation may also contribute to the weak activity of the PEGylated peptide.     

Isolation, Identification and Study of Antimicrobial Property of a Bioactive Compound in an Indian Medicinal Plant Acalypha indica (Indian-Nettle)

Summary Fresh, dried and powdered samples of leaf, stem and root of Acalypha indica were subjected to fractional distillation in a soxhlet apparatus using solvents such as hexane, chloroform, acetone and methanol. The plant extracts and a synthetic antifungal compound, Clotrimazole (authentic standard) were subjected to TLC and HPLC analyses. The R_f (relative front) value of Clotrimazole was 0.371. The plant’s leaf, root and stem extracts also gave distinct spots respectively at R_f value of 0.371 ± 0.0009. In HPLC, the TLC-separated active compound and Clotrimazole resolved at 1.90 ± 0.2 min (retention time). The amounts of active compound present in root, leaf and stem extracts were 538, 415 and 171 μg/g respectively. From the results of our study, we infer that the active compound isolated from Acalypha indica is more potent in controlling Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Escherichia coli. The Active compound present in the plant had more than 100% activity when compared to standard Clotrimazole.     

Enantioseparation by HPLC using phenylcarbonate, benzoylformate, p-toluenesulfonylcarbamate, and benzoylcarbamates of cellulose and amylose as chiral stationary phases

Phenylcarbonate, benzoylformate, and p-toluenesulfonylcarbamate of cellulose and five new benzoylcarbamate derivatives of both cellulose and amylose were synthesized and their chiral recognition abilities were evaluated as chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cellulose benzoylcarbamate has a higher chiral recognition ability compared to phenylcarbonate, p-toluenesulfonylcarbamate, and benzoylformate of cellulose. The benzoylcarbamate derivatives exhibited a characteristic chiral recognition for the racemates, which bear a hydrogen atom capable of hydrogen bonding to the carbonyl group of the benzoylcarbamates. The structures of the benzoylcarbamates were investigated by CD spectroscopy.     

Quantification of the concentration and 13C tracer enrichment of long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A in muscle by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Recent diabetes and obesity research has been focused on the role of intracellular lipids in insulin resistance. Fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) esters play a central role in the trafficking of intracellular lipids, but there has not previously been a method with which to quantify their kinetics using tracer methodology. We have therefore developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectrometry method to simultaneously measure the (13)C stable isotopic enrichment of palmitoyl-acyl-CoA ester and the concentrations of five individual long-chain fatty acyl-CoA esters extracted from muscle tissue samples. The long-chain fatty acyl-CoA can be effectively extracted from frozen muscle tissue samples and baseline separated by a reverse-phase HPLC with the presence of a volatile reagent-triethylamine. Negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring was used to analyze the fatty acyl-CoAs to achieve reliable quantification of their concentrations and (13)C isotopic enrichment. Applying this protocol to rabbit muscle samples demonstrates that it is a sensitive, accurate, and precise method for the quantification of long-chain fatty acyl-CoA concentrations and enrichment.     

Variable responses within epiphytic and benthic microalgal communities to nutrient enrichment

We evaluated how changes in nutrient supply altered the composition of epiphytic and benthic microalgal communities in a Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) bed in Florida Bay. We established study plots at four sites in the bay and added nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to the sediments in a factorial design. After 18, 24, and 30 months of fertilization we measured the pigment concentrations in the epiphytic and benthic microalgal assemblages using high performance liquid chromatography. Overall, the epiphytic assemblage was P-limited in the eastern portion of the bay, but each phototrophic group displayed unique spatial and temporal responses to N and P addition. Epiphytic chlorophyll a, an indicator of total microalgal load, and epiphytic fucoxanthin, an indicator of diatoms, increased in response to P addition at one eastern bay site, decreased at another eastern bay site, and were not affected by P or N addition at two western bay sites. Epiphytic zeaxanthin, an indicator of the cyanobacterial/coralline red algae complex, and epiphytic chlorophyll b, an indicator of green algae, generally increased in response to P addition at both eastern bay sites but did not respond to P or N addition in the western bay. Benthic chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, fucoxanthin, and zeaxanthin showed complex responses to N and P addition in the eastern bay, suggesting that the benthic assemblage is limited by both N and P. Benthic assemblages in the western bay were variable over time and displayed few responses to N or P addition. The contrasting nutrient limitation patterns between the epiphytic and benthic communities in the eastern bay suggest that altering nutrient input to the bay, as might occur during Everglades restoration, can shift microalgal community structure, which may subsequently alter food web support for upper trophic levels.     

Metabolism and activation of benzo[a]pyrene by mouse and rat skin in short-term organ culture and in vivo

The metabolic activation of BP was examined in mouse and rat skin in vivo and in short-term organ culture. In mouse skin, larger quantities of ether- and water-soluble metabolites were formed and more BP became bound covalently to DNA and protein than in rat skin. Qualitative differences in the formation of dihydrodiol metabolites and of BP-deoxyribonucleoside adducts between mouse and rat skin were also observed. Organ culture techniques may not provide a true model of metabolic activation in vivo because it was found that the covalent binding of BP to DNA and protein was reduced in skin maintained in culture despite an accumulation of dihydrodiol and other ether-soluble metabolites. In addition, the proportions of the syn- and anti-isomers of BP-7,8-diol 9,10-oxide involved in the formation of adducts with deoxyguanosine differed between skin treated in organ culture and in vivo.     

Enantioselective separation of cyclic chiral ketones and their corresponding diastereomeric alcohols by HPLC on chiral and chiral/chiral coupled stationary phases

Enantioselective HPLC methods have been developed for the resolution of (RS)-2-phenylcyclohexanone (compound 1) and (RS)-2-phenyltetrahydropyran-4-one (compound 4) and the diastereoselective and enantioselective separations of their respective cis- and trans-alcohols; reduction of compound 1 yields trans- and cis-2-phenyl-1-cyclohexanol (compounds 2 and 3, respectively) and reduction of compound 4 yields trans- and cis-2-phenyl-tetrahydropyran-4-ol (compounds 5 and 6, respectively). Compounds 1, 2, and 3 were stereochemically resolved using a chiral stationary phase (CSP) based upon amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) coated on 10 μm silica-gel (Chiralpak AD-CSP). Compounds 4, 5, and 6 were stereochemically resolved on a coupled column system where a column containing a CSP based upon cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenyl carbamate) coated on 5 μm silica (Chiralcel OD-H-CSP) was coupled in series to the AD-CSP. The strategy employed in the identification of the peaks in the respective chromatograms is also discussed in this presentation. Chirality 8:551–555, 1996. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Certain withanolides from Iochroma gesnerioides antagonize ecdysteroid action in a Drosophila melanogaster cell line

Sixteen withanolides isolated from Iochroma gesnerioides (Kunth) Miers (Solanaceae) have been assessed for their activities as ecdysteroid agonists and antagonists. None of the compounds showed any agonistic activity, but several showed significant antagonistic activity. With a 20-hydroxyecdysone concentration of 5 × 10^–8 M, the ED₅₀ values for 2,3-dihydro-3-methoxywithaferin A, 2,3-dihydro-3-methoxywithacnistine, 2,3-dihydro-3-methoxyiochromolide and 2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxywithacnistine are 3.5 × 10^-5 M, 1 × 10^–5 M, 5 × 10^–6 M and 2.5 × 10^–6 M, respectively.     

Synthese d'Oligodesoxyribonucleotides sur Support de Gel de Silice par la Methode au Phosphotriester

Abstract

A method of oligonucleotide synthesis was developped on a silica gel support by the phosphotriester approach. Using this method, the nonanucleoside octaphosphate dT(pT)₈ was synthetized in 28% yield.     

Quantification of biochemical compounds in Bauhinia Variegata Linn flower extract and its hepatoprotective effect

Liver disorders may occur as a result of exposure to chemical compounds capable of inducing the oxidative stress and hepatic injuries. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of flower extracts of B. Variegata for the treatment of liver injury induced by the CCl₄. About 1 ml/kg body weight (b.w) of CCl4 was induced to experimental mice by intraperitoneal way for 14 days. The methanol and chloroform extracts (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w) were administered to experimental animals for 14 days along with standard drug Silymarine (100 mg/kg b.w). The extracts alone showed no evidence of hepatic toxicity but animals exposed to CCl₄ without the treatment with B. Variegata presented variations in levels of liver enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, proteins and blood cells as well as injuries in liver cells were also observed during histopathological study. However, after the treatments especially with 300 mg/kg b.w of methanol flower extracts levels of liver markers (ALT, AST and ALP), antioxidant enzymes and blood cells decreases and turned towards normal levels. Whereas level of total proteins and bilirubin was improved and damaged liver cells were repaired. The curative activity of flower extracts can be correlated to the higher potential of antioxidants and occurrence of Quercetin and some other organic compounds those were investigated from flower extracts of B. Variegata during HPLC and GC-MS analysis. The finding of this study supports the use of B. Variegata flower formulation in folk medicines.