Bioactive constituents from Chinese natural medicines. XIV. New glycosides of beta-carboline-type alkaloid, neolignan, and phenylpropanoid from Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata and their antiallergic activities

A new beta-carboline-type alkaloidal glycoside, glucodichotomine B, four new neolignan glycosides, dichotomosides A, B, C, and D, and a new phenylpropanoid glycoside, dichotomoside E, were isolated from a Chinese natural medicine, the roots of Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata. The structures of the new glycosides were determined on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. Among them, dichotomoside D inhibited the release of beta-hexosaminidase (IC(50)=64 microM) as well as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-4 (IC(50)=16, 34 microM) in RBL-2H3 cells. These findings suggest that dichotomoside D is more effective against the late-phase reactions in type I allergy than in the immediate phase.     

Simultaneous application of two or more supported liquid-phase organometallic catalysts: heterogeneous multifunctional reaction systems

Using the form of supported liquid-phase catalysts, two or more homogeneous catalysts can simultaneously be used with retaining their own activities and taking the advantage of catalyst-product separation and catalyst recycling.     

Circular Dichroism Study of the Inclusion-Dissociation Behavior of Complexes between a Molecular Nanotube and Azobenzene Substituted Linear Polymers

We have investigated the inclusion properties of molecular nanotubes composed ofcrosslinked -cyclodextrin. Induced circular dichroism was used to probe theformation and dissociation of complexes between the nanotubes and azobenzenemodified linear polymers. The polymer was poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), either withor without a hydrophobic alkyl chain.It was found that the inclusion complex betweenthe nanotubes and polymers formed at room temperature, and that the polymers dissociated from the nanotubes with increasing temperature. Further, the polymer with hydrophobic alkyl chain was bound inside the nanotube more strongly and dissociated more abruptly with increasing temperature than its hydrophilic counterpart as expected theoretically.     

Asymmetric synthesis of axially chiral benzamides and anilides by enantiotopic lithiation of prochiral arene chromium complexes

Axially chiral benzamides and anilides were prepared by enantiotopic lithiation at the distinguished benzylic methyl of prochiral tricarbonylchromium complexes of N,N-diethyl 2,6-dimethylbenzamide (1) and N-methyl-N-acyl 2,6-dimethylaniline (14 and 21) with a chiral lithium amide base followed by electrophilic substitution in good yields with high optical purity. The resulting axially chiral chromium-complexed benzamides and anilides were oxidized under air to give chromium-free axially chiral benzamides and anilides in an enantiomerically active form without axial bond rotation at room temperature.     

Is recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) orally available in rats?

Oral availability of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was investigated in rats by measuring the blood total leucocyte (BTL) counts. Oral test G-CSF solution was prepared with 10% HCO-60 (polyoxyethylated, 60 mumol, castor oil derivative), 1% DK ester (sugar ester) or 10% MYS-40 (polyethyleneglycol monostearate), in which the G-CSF concentration was 500 or 250 micrograms/ml. Each test solution was injected into the duodenum of three rats at the G-CSF dose level of 300 or 600 micrograms/kg, and BTL counts were monitored for 48 h. All of the test G-CSF solution raised the BTL levels within 24 h after injection. In particular, the HCO-60 solution increased the BTL levels over 2 times as compared to the predose level at 600 micrograms/kg dose and the effect was apparently dose-dependent. A short-term study suggested that the effect of G-CSF on the BTL level appeared at the fastest at about 5 h after administration of HCO-60 test solution, 300 micrograms/kg. In view of the pattern of BTL dynamics obtained after i.v. injection of HCO-60 solution at 25 and 50 micrograms/kg, the increase of BTL levels observed after oral administration of the HCO-60 solution is considered to be due to the orally supplied G-CSF.     

Synthesis of well-defined polymers with protected silanol groups by atom transfer radical polymerization and their use for the fabrication of polymeric nanoparticles

Copper-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of a protected silanol group-holding methacrylate, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MOPS), was investigated. In a dry condition using carefully distilled solvent and monomer, the polymerization proceeded in a living fashion providing a low-polydispersity polymer with a predicted molecular weight. The ATRP in conjunction with the sequential monomer addition of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and MOPS afforded a block copolymer of the type PMMA-b-poly(MMA-r-MOPS). The heat treatment of a solution of the block copolymer in the presence of a catalytic amount of ammonia gave a polymeric core-shell nanoparticle with a shell of PMMA moieties and a core of the poly(MMA-r-MOPS) blocks cross-linked via the condensation of the trimethoxysilane groups of the MOPS moieties.     

Artificial model for cystathionine β-synthase: efficient β-replacement reaction with thiols employing a novel pyridoxal model compound having an imidazole function

As a second-generation pyridoxal model compound for cystathionine β-synthase, we designed a novel model compound having an ionophore function and an imidazole function, application of which to the β-replacement reaction with various thiols smoothly took place to give S-substituted cysteines. Peptides having a serine-O-carbonate residue at the N-terminal position were also converted to the corresponding peptides having an S-substituted cysteine residue under the catalytic conditions of the novel pyridoxal model compound.     

Grafting of a bicycloorthoester onto polymers bearing sulfonium salt structures

Graft copolymerization of a bicycloorthoester (BOE) with polymer-supported sulfonium salts was studied. Several polymer-supported sulfonium salts were prepared by the homopolymerizations of p-vinylbenzyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 2 ) and 4-(p-vinylphenyl)butyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 3 ), and by the copolymerizations of 2 with some vinyl monomers (n-butyl vinyl ether, styrene, acrylonitrile, and p-styrenesulfonic acid potassium salt). These sulfonium salts could initiate the polymerization of BOE to give grafted polymers. Temperature dependences of the catalytic activity of them were not so dramatic as that of benzyl tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluoroantimonate ( 1 ), but the activities of them were higher than that of 1 at temperatures lower than 80°C. The conversion of BOE in the polymerizations with these polymer initiators was ca. 30–70% at 120°C for 7 h. An effect of the comonomer structure on the catalytic activity was observed and styrene was the best comonomer for 2 in terms of the reactivity of the copolymer. The spacer-modified sulfonium salt (homopolymer of 3 ) was slightly lower than polymer-supported benzyl type sulfonium salt (homopolymer of 2 ) in the catalytic activity.     

Chemo-enzymatic Synthesis of Novel Oligo-N-acetyllactosamine Derivatives having a β(1-4)–β(1-6) Repeating Unit by Using Transition State Analogue Substrate

Chitinase-catalyzed hydrolytic and transglycosylating behavior of 1,2-oxazoline derivative of N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc-oxa) 1 has been investigated. An extremely rapid hydrolysis (ring-opening of the oxazoline moiety) could be observed, suggesting that 1 behaves as a transition state analogue substrate for chitinase A1 (Bacillus circulans WL-12). This disaccharide monomer 1 was found to polymerize under basic conditions, giving rise to novel oligosaccharides having a β(1-4)–β(1-6) repeating unit in the main chain. The degree of polymerization of the resulting oligosaccharides was up to 5. This is the first example of enzymatic glycosylation reaction forming a β(1-6) bond catalyzed by chitinase.     

Design and synthesis of highly sensitive and selective fluorescein-derived magnesium fluorescent probes and application to intracellular 3D Mg2+ imaging

The role of intracellular magnesium ions is of high interest in the fields of pharmacology and cellular biology. To accomplish the dynamic and three-dimensional imaging of intracellular Mg2+, there is a strong desire for the development of optimized Mg2+ fluorescent probes. In this paper we describe the design, synthesis, and cellular application of the three novel Mg2+ fluorescent probes KMG-101, -103, and -104. The compounds of this series feature a charged beta-diketone as a binding site specific for Mg2+ and a fluorescein residue as the fluorophore that can be excited with an Ar+ laser such as is widely used in confocal scanning microscopy. This molecular design leads to an intensive off-on-type fluorescent response toward Mg2+ ions. The two fluorescent probes KMG-103 and -104 showed suitable dissociation constants (Kd,Mg2+ = 2 mM) and nearly a 10-fold fluorescence enhancement over the intracellular magnesium ion concentration range (0.1-6 mM), allowing high-contrast, sensitive, and selective Mg2+ measurements. For intracellular applications, the membrane-permeable probe KMG-104AM was synthesized and successfully incorporated into PC12 cells. Upon application of the mitochondria uncoupler FCCP to the probe-incorporated cells, the resulting increase in the free magnesium ion concentration could be followed over time. By using a confocal microscope, the intracellular 3D magnesium ion concentration distributions were satisfactorily observed.