ANTIVIRAL EFFECT OF HARMINE, A PHOTOACTIVE β-CARBOLINE ALKALOID

Abstract— Harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid, was found to be an efficient photoactive agent against the DNA-containing murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and the RNA containing Sindbis virus, a togavirus, both of which contain membranes. In contrast the host cells themselves were relatively resistant. The MCMV was investigated in more detail. Virus which had been inactivated by harmine plus UVA retained its structural integrity and was fully capable of penetrating host cells, following which the viral genome entered the cell nucleus. The viral genes which normally code for the switch-off in thymidine kinase activity arid for the normal cytopathic effects were not expressed; however the viral geneis responsible for the cytotoxic effect due to high multiplicities of infection was still expressed, indicating that there may be a differential block of some viral genes     

ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF THE PHOTOACTIVE THIOPHENE α-TERTHIENYL

The naturally occurring thiophene, α-terthienyl, was investigated for phototoxicity against several viruses and a line of mouse cells. The compound was extremely phototoxic to the two-membrane-containing animal viruses, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and Sindbis virus (SV). Antiviral activity was detected at 10⁵μg/m in the presence of UVA. However, no effect was seen in the absence of UV-A, even at 0.1 μg/m of αT. Mouse cells were much more resistant to αT, as was the bacterial virus T4, which does not contain a membrane. Murine CMV, which had been inactivated by αT and UVA, penetrated mouse cells efficiently; but the viral DNA could not replicate, and late viral proteins were not made. Thus viral gene expression was inhibited in the photoinactivated virus. In order to account for all these data we suggest that αT may interact with viral proteins in addition to membrane lipids.     

ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF THE PHOTOACTIVE PLANT PIGMENT HYPERICIN

The polycyclic compound hypericin, a known photodynamic agent, was investigated for antiviral activity in the presence and absence of light. The three viruses tested: murine cytomegalovirus; Sindbis virus; and human immunodeficiency virus type 1, were all susceptible to hypericin; but these antiviral activities were considerably enhanced, in a dose-dependent manner, by exposure to light.     

THE PRESENCE OF PHOTOREACTIVE β-CARBOLINE FLUOROPHORES IN WEATHERED WOOL KERATIN

Abstract Solvent-cleaned Merino wool, which was enzymatically digested with protease K, displayed a fluorescence maximum at 500 nm when excited at 430 nm. The yield of this emission was approximately 15 times greater for a fiber tips digest than for a digest of the mid-length region of the same fibers.
Separation of the components in the wool tip digest by silica gel thin-layer chromatography revealed the presence of several fluorescent species. The chromatographic mobility of these species was similar to the behavior observed in a preparation of authentic 1-methyltetrahydro-P-carboline, 1,3-dicarboxylic acid.
Mass spectroscopy of the fluorescent compounds in the wool tip digest displayed molecular ions, [M + H]⁺ with m/z = 273.0890 and 257.0560, and molecular weights that define the formulae C₁₄H₁₂N₂O₄ and C₁₁H₈O₄N₂, respectively, which correspond to β-carboline 1,3-dicarboxylic acids. Mass spectral evidence also indicates the presence of two other β-carbolines.     

INVESTIGATION OF THE ANTIVIRAL ACTION OF THE PHOTOACTIVE COMPOUND PHENYLHEPTATRIYNE

Abstract— Murine cytomegalovirus, a herpes virus, was used as a model virus to investigate the mechanism of the anti-viral action of phenylheptatriyne in long wave ultraviolet light. The genome and proteins of the inactivated virus penetrated the nuclei of susceptible cells normally. Furthermore, the viral genome did not contain extra single strand breaks or cross-links. However, cells infected with the treated virus did not synthesize late viral proteins, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. nor did they synthesize late viral RNA and viral DNA according to nucleic acid hybridization tests. Thus the compound may interfere with an early viral function so that the replication cycle cannot proceed.     

β-CARBOLINE ALKALOIDS: MECHANISMS OF PHOTOTOXICITY TO BACTERIA AND INSECTS

Abstract— Phototoxicity of five naturally occurring (3-carboline alkaloids was assayed against a series of Escherichia coli strains and against the insect Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Rank order efficacy of the compounds was comparable in both organisms. Although the bacterial assay demonstrated oxygen dependence, the degree of phototoxicity did not correlate with the relative efficiency of in vitro singlet oxygen or hydrogen peroxide photoproduction by the alkaloids. A better correlation was observed between chromatographic migration distances (lipophilicity) and phototoxicity. Therefore, hydrophobic mechanisms in which the alkaloids diffuse with varying efficiencies into cells or into the vicinity of target molecules may be important modes of phototoxicity for these compounds.     

THE PHOTOSENSITIZED OXIDATION OF β-CAROTENE

Abstract— –Products of oxidation of β-carotene, photosensitized by hypericin in acetone, appear to include mutatochrome, aurochrome, and a number of other compounds absorbing in the violet and near u.v. regions of the spectrum. The 5, 6-monoepoxide is not formed in appreciable quantity, though it is the principal product of oxidation of carotene by perphthalate. Mutatochrome, lutein, and zeaxanthin are photooxidized more slowly than β-carotene, and the products do not appear to include 5, 6-epoxides. β-carotene-5, 6-monoepoxide is oxidized to what is probably luteochrome. Quantum yields appear to be low. We found no evidence to support a photochemical contribution to the oxidation of zeaxanthin to violaxanthin, a process known to accompany photosynthesis.     

PHOTO-OXIDATION EFFECTS ON β-HYDROXYBUTYRATE DEHYDROGENASE: STUDIES OF MEMBRANE FRAGMENTS AND INTACT MITOCHONDRIA

The influence of singlet oxygen (¹O₂), generated by red light irradiation of oxygenated suspensions containing aluminium phthalocyanine sulphonate, on the membrane bound enzyme β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase was investigated. The inactivation rates were measured using a spectrophotometry assay which involves disruption of the mitochondria. A novel NMR assay was also used to measure the activity of the enzyme in intact mitochondria. Relatively high inactivation rates of around 10⁹ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹ were observed in H₂O buffer, and rates in D₂O were a factor of 1.7 faster. Significant differences in enzyme inactivation rates by ¹O₂ were observed, not only between disrupted and intact mitochondria but also between the NMR assay results and the spectrophotometric assay results. The results indicate the value of a specific assay which does not require the disruption of the biological system.     

FURTHER STUDIES ON THE CRYSTAL-VIOLET-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION OF CYSTEINE TO CYSTEIC ACID

Abstract —Crystal violet sensitizes the selective photooxidation of cysteine to cysteic acid; hydrogen peroxide is also formed as an end product. The participation of singlet oxygen in the photoreaction has been ruled out, since exposure of cysteine to this reagent, generated by chemical or photochemical processes, gives only cystine as a product. The photoreaction is inhibited by radical scavengers such as hydroquinone and allylic alcohol. A mechanism is proposed involving hydrogen abstraction by the triplet dye from the thiol group of cysteine.     

FURTHER STUDIES ON THE KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF THE COPPER-IMIDAZOLE CATALYSED DECOMPOSITION OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Abstract

The catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of the tetrakis(imidazole)copper(II) complex was investigated. The kinetics, based on the rates of oxygen evolution, indicated that a ternary copper(I1)-imidazole-peroxo complex is involved in the rate-determining step. The equilibrium constant for the coordination of hydrogen peroxide to the cupric ion, and the acid dissociation constant for the coordinated H202 ligand were calculated as 1.7 M¹ and 2.1 × 10⁹ M, respectively. The ternary complex undergoes intramolecular electron transfer, with k = 4 s¹, generating Cu(1) species which can react with hydrogen peroxide or dioxygen, returning to the catalytic cycle. A complete mechanism is proposed, based on the kinetics of oxygen and on the electrocatalytic behdviour observed for the copperimidazole complexes under a dioxygen atmosphere.     

ROLE OF THE TRYPTOPHAN FLUORESCENT STATE IN THE ULTRAVIOLET-INDUCED INACTIVATION OF β-TRYPSIN*

Abstract— Stern-Volmer quenching constants for β-trypsin at pH 3 were determined for fluorescence quenching by histidine, acrylamide, and nitrate ion. A modified Stern-Volmer plot (Lehrer, 1971) was employed to show that all of the fluorescent tryptophanyl residues of β-trypsin were equally susceptible to quenching by acrylamide at pH 3 when the enzyme was either in its native conformation or denatured in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl). Fluorescence lifetime measurements indicated that acrylamide quenched β-trypsin fluorescence by a purely collisional mechanism. Solvation of tryptophanyl residues of the protein was maximal at 2.5 M GuHCl, as monitored by fluorescence emission wavelength.
Investigations of the ultraviolet-induced inactivation of β-trypsin at 295 nm were performed in the presence of acrylamide at pH 3. The quantum yields for enzyme inactivation and indole destruction (determined using the PDAB reagent) were unchanged upon depopulation of the fluorescent state by 65 per cent, whether the enzyme was in its native conformation or denatured by 6 M GuHCl. It is concluded that the fluorescent state of tryptophanyl residues of β-trypsin is not involved in enzyme inactivation or tryptophan destruction.     

磺酸基邻苯二甲酰亚氨甲基酞菁锌的合成及光动力抗肿瘤活性研究

合成了含不同数目磺酸基(以S表示)和邻苯二甲酰亚氨甲基(以P表示)的酞菁锌配合物的混合物，采用反相高效液相色谱进行分离，得到的D组分，经元素分析其组成为ZnPcS₂P₂两亲性配合物，对该配合物进行了IR、UV/Vis光谱表征，并研究了其在体对S₁₈₀和U₁₄实体瘤的光动力活性和机理。     

新型层柱催化剂ZnAl-XW(11)Z的酯化催化活性

用离子交换法制备了层柱催化剂ＺｎＡｌ－ＸＷ１１Ｚ（Ｘ＝Ｐ，Ｇｅ，Ｂ和Ｃｏ：Ｚ＝Ｖ，Ｔｉ，Ｃｒ和Ｃｏ等）；ＸＲＤ和ＩＲ测试结果表明，该化合物具有通道高度为０．９９±０．０１ｎｍ的层柱的结构，层间阴离子保持Ｋｅｇｇｉｎ结构骨架；对乙酸与正丁醇的催化反应，它比ＨＹ分子筛具有更高的催化剂活性；吸附吡啶的ＩＲ测定结果表明，它同时具有有Ｂ酸和Ｌ酸两种酸性中心。     

THE CONFORMATIONAL STATUS OF A PROTEIN INFLUENCES THE AEROBIC PHOTOLYSIS OF ITS TRYPTOPHAN RESIDUES: MELITTIN, β- LACTOGLOBULIN and THE CRYSTALLINS

We have studied the aerobic photolysis of the tryptophan residues of the proteins melittin and beta-lactoglobulin when the proteins are in ordered conformations and when they are in randomly coiled states. The results suggest that the conformational status of the protein is a factor that influences the photolysis of the constituent tryptophan residues. This point appears to be of relevance to the photo-oxidation of the tryptophan residues of the eye lens proteins crystallins.     

STUDIES ON THE PREPARATION OF ZINC-CONTAINING ACTIVATED CARBON FIBERS AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Several kinds of activated carbon fibers, using sisal fiber as precursors, were preparedwith steam activation or with ZnCl2 activation. Zinc or its compounds were dispersed in them. Theantibacterial activities of these activated carbon fibers were determined and compared. The researchresults showed that these sisal based activated carbon fibers supporting zinc have strongerantibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and S. aureus. The antibacterial activity is related tothe precursors, the pyrolysis temperature, and the zinc content. In addition, small quantity of silversupported on zinc-containing ACFs will greatly enhance the antibacterial activity of ACFs.     

STUDIES ON THE PREPARATION OF ZINC-CONTAINING ACTIVATED CARBON FIBERS AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

1. INTRODUCTION Microbial pollution will bring about various problems in industry and other vital fields, such as causing decomposing of materials, harming people抯 health. In order to reduce these problems, new antibacterial materials have been demanded. Recently, much attention has been paid to inorganic materials including zinc oxide [1~4]. These inorganic antibacterial materials are now substituting for organic materials to avoid releasing noxious organic molecules harmful to humans;…     

β-二酮缩β-丙氨酸希夫碱的锰(Ⅲ)配合物

合成了锰(Ⅲ)的双核配合物Mn_2(Hacala-β)_2(O_2CMe)_4和三核配合物Mn_3O(bzala-β)_2(O_2CMe)_3·4H_2O,其中Hacala-β~-和bzala-β~(2-)分别是乙酰丙酮缩β-丙氨酸和苯甲酰丙酮缩β-丙氨酸希夫碱负离子。用电导率、磁化率、热分析、红外及紫外可见光谱等对它们的结构和性质进行了研究。