A hexacyclic ent-trachylobane diterpenoid possessing an oxetane ring from Mitrephora glabra

[chemical reaction: see text]. Three new ent-trachylobane diterpenoids (1-3) were isolated and structures elucidated from Mitrephora glabra Scheff. (Annonaceae). Mitrephorone A (1) possesses a hexacyclic ring system with adjacent ketone moieties and an oxetane ring, both of which are unprecedented among trachylobanes. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against a panel of cancer cells, where 1 displayed the most potent and broadest activity, and against a battery of antimicrobial assays, where all compounds were approximately equipotent.     

SULFOPHTHALOCYANINES FOR PHOTODYNAMIC INACTIVATION OF VIRUSES IN BLOOD PRODUCTS: EFFECT OF STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS

Abstract— Transmission of infectious diseases through blood transfusions is well known. Ultraviolet irradiation, solvents and detergents provide a means of sterilizing noncellular blood components. However these harsh methods are not applicable to cellular blood products. Recently, attempts have been made to sterilize biological fluids using photodynamic treatment and phthalocyanine (Pc) dyes have been advanced as photosensitizers for this purpose. We have evaluated a series of water-soluble Pc, chelated with different central metal ions, substituted to different degrees with sulfonato and r-butyl groups, for their effectiveness to reduce virus infectivity in red blood cell suspensions. Vaccinia virus cytopathogenicity was determined by endpoint serial dilutions in the CV-1 cell line. Anti-viral activity increased with the central metal ion in the following order: Ga(III) < Al(III) < Zn(II), and varied inversely with the degree of sulfonation. Furthermore, addition of a t -butyl group onto the trisulfonated dyes (PcS₃[ t -Bul) resulted in a 5–40-fold increase in anti-viral potency, suggesting that amphiphilicity enhances the photodynamic activity of the dye. Strong anti-viral photosensitizing properties cannot be the sole selection criterion. Of equal importance is the preservation of blood component integrity. Accordingly, the photohemolytic activity of the dyes was evaluated using the rate of hemolysis as a parameter and a toxicity index was defined. Among the most active dyes, the AlPcS₃( t -Bu) complex exhibited the most favorable anti-viral properties combined with a low toxicity index. Our results suggest that trisulfophthalocyanines, bearing an additional t -butyl group to enhance amphiphilicity, are particularly promising dyes for photodynamic blood sterilization.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL CROSSLINKING OF ATP TO HISTONE H4

Abstract— A covalent crosslink occurs between histone H4 and the adenine moiety of ATP, when the complex they form is irradiated with UV light of Λ > 290 nm in the presence of acetone. Within 1 h of irradiation a 48% yield of crosslinked product is thus obtained. It is also shown that in the photosensitized reaction, 80% of the crosslinked product is monomeric, whereas protein precipitation and aggregation occur as a result of direct irradiation with 254 nm light.     

Crystal and molecular structure ofS-methyl(pentafluorosulfanyl)thiocarbamate

The X-ray structure of S-methyl(pentafluorosulfanyl)thiocarbamate, SF₅NHC(O)SCH₃, has been determined from three-dimensional diffractometer data and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques. The crystals are monoclinic:P2₁/m,a=5.008 (5),b=7.811 (2),c=9.348 (4) Å, =99.08 (7)°, andZ=2; finalR=0.046 for 517 observed reflections. The structure comprises hydrogen-bonded (NHO) chains with the component monomers in thecis, cis-conformation, i.e., the arrangement of the nonhydrogen and nonfluorine atoms is nearly planar, the SF₅ group and the O are in acis position with respect to the C-NH bond, and the O and the CH₃ group are in acis position with respect to the C(O)-S bond. Theoretical methods including MNDO and molecular modeling were used to study the relative stabilities of the four possible conformations of SF₅NHC(O)SCH₃.     

Cytochrome-c detection

Following a myocardial infarction (MI) cells die or are damaged and their contents leak into the blood circulation, resulting in elevated serum levels of various enzymes, proteins, and organic molecules. Over the past few decades, it has become standard practice to employ the detection of these elevated substances as markers for the confirmation of MIs and to monitor MI patients’ response to treatment. Although it has previously been shown that cytochrome-c, a small respiratory protein, is among those elevated, the lack of a suitable detection system has prevented its routine use in the diagnosis of MIs. We present a preliminary study in which chemiluminescence was employed to detect elevated levels of cytochrome-c in the serum of MI patients. The technique, which is specific for c-type proteins, is approx 30 times more sensitive than the traditional Coomassie blue stain and can detect as little as 0.03 μg of protein. It also has potential for diagnostic use in other diseases that are characterized by mitochondrial damage.     

Synthesis and antifolate activity of 8,10-dideazaminopterin

A synthesis of 8,10-dideazaminopterin, using 2,4-diamino-6-bromomethyl-8-deazapteridine ( 2 ) as a key intermediate, is described. Condensation of the triphenylphosphinylide derived from 2 with p-formylbenzoyl-L-glutamate afforded a 9,10-dehydro-8,10-dideazaminopterin ester intermediate 5 . Hydrogenation of the olefinic linkage and subsequent hydrolysis of the glutamate ester gave the title compound. 8,10-Dideazaminopterin was a potent growth inhibitor of folate dependent bacteria. It was 16 times more potent then methotrexate as an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase derived from L1210 leukemia cells, and showed strong activity against L1210 in mice.     

Synthesis and characterization of polymers produced by horseradish peroxidase in dioxane

Polymers were synthesized from substituted phenolic and aromatic amine compounds with hydrogen peroxide as the source of an oxidizing agent and horseradish peroxidase enzyme as the catalyst. The polymerization reaction was carried out in a monophasic organic solvent with small amounts of water at room temperature. Conditions for the synthesis of polymers with respect to reaction time and yield were studied with a number of monomers at different concentrations and in solvents with different buffers with pH range of 5.0–7.5. Physical and chemical properties of these homo-and copolymers were determined with respect to melting point, solubility, elemental analysis, molecular weight distribution, infrared absorption (including FTIR), solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance, thermal gravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The enzyme catalyzed reactions produced polymers of molecular weight greater than 400,000 which were further fractionated by differential solubility in solvent mixtures and the molecular weight distribution of the polymer fractions were determined. In general, the polymers synthesized have low solubilities, high melting points, and some degree of branching.     

Evaluation of an Economical Sunlamp that Emits a Near Solar UV Power Spectrum for Conducting Photoimmunological and Sunscreen Immune Protection Studies

Expense and inconvenience have restricted the use of the filtered xenon are lamp (solar simulator) as a UV source for conducting large-scale animal studies. Because sunscreen immunoprotective levels are significantly affected by the UV power spectrum of the source it is imperative that a solar simulating source be used for accurate measurements of sunscreen protection levels that are relevant to human UV exposures from sunlight. However, relatively inexpensive sunlamps, e. g. the UVA-340, that emit a UV power spectrum similar to that of a solar simulator are available. Unlike FS-type UVB sunlamps, which have a significant amount of effective immunosuppressive nonsolar UV energy at wavelengths below 295 nm, the immunosuppression effectiveness spectrum of UVA-340 sunlamps was nearly identical to that of a solar simulator. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this sunlamp for conducting photoimmunological and sunscreen immune protection studies. Groups of C3H mice were exposed to a range of UVA-340 sunlamp doses (0.25 KJ/m² to 20.0 KJ/m²) to establish a dose-response curve and determine the minimum immune suppression dose (MISD) for induction of local-type suppression of contact hypersensitivity (CH). The MISD, defined as the lowest UV dose given to produce ～50% suppression of the CH response in mice, was determined to be 1.0 kJ/m² for UVA-340 sunlamps. Immune protection tests on four marketed sunscreen lotions (sun protection factors [SPF] 4, 8, 15 and 30) were then conducted with UVA-340 sunlamps using MISD as the endpoint. The immune protection factors for these sunscreens were equivalent to the level of protection predicated by their labeled SPF. These results are similar to those we have previously obtained using a solar simulator. We conclude from these data that the immunosuppressive effects of UVA-340 sunlamps are similar to those of a solar simulator; however, further studies are needed to determine if UVA-340, or similar, sunlamps are a viable alternative to the solar simulator for conducting large-scale animal experiments that require a relevant UV solar spectrum.     

Solid-phase synthesis using a new polyacrylic resin : Synthesis of the fragment 14–21 of the amino acid sequence of histone H4

The solid-phase synthesis of the octapeptide 1 AcGly-Ala-Lys-Arg-His-Arg-Lys-ValOMe, which represents the fragment 14-21 of the amino acid sequence of the chromosomal histone H4, as well as of the structurally related nonapeptide 2 AcGly-Ala-Lys-Leu-Arg-His-Arg-Lys-ValOMe, is described using a new polyacrylic resin containing a glycolamide ester linkage(resin-NHCO-CH₂-OCO-peptide) acting as a labile anchoring moiety between the resin and the peptide.After elongation of the polypeptide chain using classical protecting groups, i.e. t-butyloxycarbonyl for the α-NH₂ function, benzyloxycarbonyl, nitro and 2,4-dinitrophenyl groups for the side-chains of Lys, Arg and His respectively, both peptides 1 and 2 were obtained in good yields and with a high purity as shown by high-pressure liquid chromatography, by amino-acid analysis and by high-field proton NMR spectroscopy.This work demonstrates the ability of the newly introduced polyacrylic resin to act as a convenient support for solid-phase peptide synthesis.