Studies on highly oxidized cyclohexanes. Constitution of a new key metabolic intermediate.

The absolute stereostructure of (?)1,6 desoxypipoxide ($\text{2}$), a new plant metabolite of biosynthetic significance was assigned by spectral interpretation and chemical correlation with (+)pipoxide ($\text{1}$).     

Simple approach to measure metabolic pathways of steroids in living cells.

A simple, rapid approach to the study of conversion rates and metabolic patterns of the steroids testosterone and estradiol is presented. It includes an optimized isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure in the reversed-phase mode and radioactive on-line detection. The purpose was to estimate the activity of key enzymes of steroid pathways, such as 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 5 alpha-reductase, in in vivo conditions. Using this system, we obtained good efficiency and linearity of radio detection, under continuous flow conditions. Sensitivity limits were of the order of 50 and 70 cpm for [3H]estradiol and [14C]estrone, respectively, even though the efficiency was quite dissimilar (17.3% versus 56.2%). The applicability of this approach to studies of steroid metabolic pathways in growing cancer cells in culture is illustrated with examples of the conversion rates of both testosterone and estradiol. The high reproducibility (coefficients of variation of 2.7 and 5.1% for 3H and 14C, respectively) and good extraction efficiency (ranging from 86 to 94%) indicate the feasibility and reliability of this approach.     

Visualizing relative occurrences in metabolic transformations of xenobiotics using structure-activity maps.

Structure maps are presented as an efficient means of indicating structure-reactivity relationships in metabolic pathway databases. The relative occurrence of N-demethylation and N-oxidation of N-methyl tertiary amines was examined using the structure map methodology. A new family of reaction site representations, the n-level representations, was developed to describe the N-methyl reaction sites of the compounds in the data set. It was possible to differentiate N-demethylation and N-oxidation reaction sites using a structure map constructed from a 3-level representation of the reaction sites.     

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in metabolic research. I. Metabolites of benzbromarone in human plasma and urine.

Seven benzbromarone metabolites were identified in human plasma and urine by electron-impact mass spectrometry after semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatographic fractionation and/or by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry using a thermospray interface. The major metabolite in plasma and urine was a hydroxybenzofuranoyl species; the 1-hydroxyethyl entity was identified as a minor metabolite. Five urinary metabolites occurred in trace amounts, all of them carrying OH and/or C = O groups in different positions. The hydroxybenzofuranoyl metabolite has often been mistaken for benzarone in previous studies.     

Elements of metabolic evolution

Research into the origin of evolution is polarized between a genetics-first approach, with its focus on polymer replication, and a metabolism-first approach that takes aim at chemical reaction cycles. Taking the latter approach, we explored reductive carbon fixation in a volcanic hydrothermal setting, driven by the chemical potential of quenched volcanic fluids for converting volcanic C1 compounds into organic products by transition-metal catalysts. These catalysts are assumed to evolve by accepting ever-new organic products as ligands for enhancing their catalytic power, which in turn enhances the rates of synthetic pathways that give rise to ever-new organic products, with the overall effect of a self-expanding metabolism. We established HCN, CO, and CH(3)SH as carbon nutrients, CO and H(2) as reductants, and iron-group transition metals as catalysts. In one case, we employed the "cyano-system" [Ni(OH)(CN)] with [Ni(CN)(4)](2-) as the dominant nickel-cyano species. This reaction mainly produced α-amino acids and α-hydroxy acids as well as various intermediates and derivatives. An organo-metal-catalyzed mechanism is suggested that mainly builds carbon skeletons by repeated cyano insertions, with minor CO insertions in the presence of CO. The formation of elemental nickel (Ni(0)) points to an active reduced-nickel species. In another case, we employed the mercapto-carbonyl system [Co(2)(CO)(8)]/Ca(OH)(2)/CO for the double-carbonylation of mercaptans. In a "hybrid system", we combined benzyl mercaptan with the cyano system, in which [Ni(OH)(CN)] was the most productive for the double-carbon-fixation reaction. Finally, we demonstrated that the addition of products of the cyano system (Gly, Ala) to the hybrid system increased productivity. These results demonstrate the chemical possibility of metabolic evolution through rate-promotion of one synthetic reaction by the products of another.     

Structural studies of metabolic products of dopamine. III. Crystal and molecular structure of (--)-adrenaline.

The crystal structure of (--)-adrenaline has been determined by X-ray methods, using 831 observed reflections collected by counter methods. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2-1 with a=7.873(2), b=6.790(2), c=8.638(2) A and beta=98.01(2) degrees. Least-squares refinements yielded a conventional R-factor of 0.053. Standard deviations in bond lengths are 0.005-0.006 A and in bond lengths aree 0.005-0.006 A and in bond angles 0.4 degrees. The adrenaline molecules were found to exist as zwitterions in the crystals. The conformation of the adrenaline molecule corresponds closely to that usually encountered among the salts of the sympathomimetic amines. The crystals consist of molecular double layers parallel to (100). The molecules within a layer are linked through hydrogen bonds of the types N--H...O and O--H...O, whereas the layers are connected by van der Waals interactions.     

A rapid method for the determination of an unstable metabolic intermediate. The metabolic formation of benzamide and benzoic acid via diacyl amine intermediate

Summary In order to elucidate the formation of benzamide and benzoic acid as rat urine metabolites of beclamide (N-benzyl-3-chloropropionic acid amide) we studied in vitro metabolism by rat liver and brain homogenates. Beclamide is oxidized on benzyl carbon atom into diacyl amine, which is a mild acylating agent and is unstable. Therefore it hydrolyses into benzamide or benzoic acid (considering only the transformation of the benzyl group). Our rapid method consisting of the extraction of the homogenates with chloroform, separation on a short column and HPLC analysis was able to identify beclamide, benzamide and diacyl amine in one chromatogram on a silica column (Hypersil 5 μm) eluted with hexane-ethyl acetate (1:1, v/v), and detected by UV absorbance monitoring at 264 nm.     

Structural studies of metabolic products of dopamine. IV. Crystal and molecular structure of (-)-noradrenaline.

The crystal structure of (-)-noradrenaline has been determined by X-ray methods, using 1000 observed reflections collected by counter diffractometer techniques. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group P212121, with a=8.611(2), B=6.138(2), And c=14.912(4) A. Least-squares refinements yielded a conventional R-factor of 0.036. Standard deviations in bond lengths are 0.003 A and in bond angles 0.2 degrees. The crystal structure of (-)-noradrenaline corresponds closely to that of (-)-adrenaline in molecular geometry, conformation, and arrangement in the crystals. The results of the structure investigations are discussed in relation to the biological activity of these biogenic amines.     

Effect of metabolic inhibitors on vasopressin-stimulated transport systems in the toad bladder.

Vasopressin increases the permeability of receptor cells to water and, in tissues such as toad bladder, to solutes such as urea. While cyclic AMP appears to play a major role in mediating the effects of vasopressin, there is evidence that activation of the water permeability system and the urea permeability system involves separate pathways. In the present study, we have shown that inhibitors of oxidative metabolism (rotenone, dinitrophenol, and methylene blue) selectively inhibit either vasopressin-stimulated water flow or vasopressin-stimulated urea transport. There was no inhibition, however, when exogenous cyclic AMP was substituted for vasopressin, and little to no inhibition when the potent analogue 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP) was employed. Rotenone had no effect on adenylate cyclase activity or cyclic AMP levels within the cell; dinitrophenol decreased adenylate cyclase activity minimally. Additional studies with vinblastine and nocodazole, inhibitors of microtubule assembly, demonstrated an inhibition of vasopressin and cyclic AMP-stimulated water flow but showed no effect on urea transport. We would conclude that water and urea transport, as examples of hormone-stimulated processes, have different links to cell metabolism, and that in addition to cyclic AMP, a non-nucleotide pathway may be involved in the action of vasopressin.