Metabolism of Carotenoids in Salmonids. Part 3. Metabolites of astaxanthin and canthaxanthin in the skin of atlantic salmon (salmo salar,L.)

Diets supplemented with astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, respectively, and a control diet without carotenoid additions, were fed to 1½-year-old Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L.) for one year. The integuments were investigated as to their quantitative and qualitative carotenoid composition. Astaxanthin and canthaxanthin deposited in the skin amounted to 20 and 14% of the total carotenoids only. Seventy % must be considered as metabolites of astaxanthin and canthaxanthin and 10% as basic xanthophylls also present in the control groups. Astaxanthin apparently underwent the following metabolic pathway: astaxanthin→idoxanthin→adonixanthin→zeaxanthin→zeaxanthin 5,6-epoxides. Reduction of the 4′-carbonyl group was stereospecific leading to the (4′R)-idoxanthin. Canthaxanthin was obviously converted to β,β-carotene via 4′-hydroxyechinenone, echinenone, and 4-hydroxy-β,β-carotene.     

Adhesion and proliferation of cells on new polymers modified biomaterials

Up to today, several techniques have been used to maintain cells in culture for studying many aspects of cell biology and physiology. More often, cell culture is dependent on proper anchorage of cells to the growth surface. Poly-l-lysine is commonly used as adhesive molecule. In this study, we present, as an alternative to poly-l-lysine, new polymer film substrates, realized by electropolymerization of different monomers on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) surfaces since electropolymerization is a good method to coat selectively metallic or semiconducting electrodes with polymer films. So, the adhesion, proliferation and morphology of rat neuronal cell lines were investigated on polymer treated surfaces. Several amine-based biocompatible polymers were tested: polyethyleneimine (PEI), polypropyleneimine (PPI), polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(p-phenylenediamine) (PPPD). These polymer films were coated on FTO surfaces by electrochemical oxidation. After 8 h in a culture medium, a high percentage of cells was found to be attached to PEI and PPI compared to the other polymers and to the reference surfaces (glass and FTO uncovered). After 24 and 72 h in the culture medium, cells were found to proliferate faster on PEI and PPI than on other polymers and reference surfaces. Consequently, cells have a greater fold expansion on PEI and PPI than on PPPD, PPy or glass and FTO uncoated. From these results, we deduce that PEI and PPI can be useful as coating surface to cultivate neuronal cells.     

High-performance metal chelate affinity chromatography of cytochromes P-450 using Chelating Superose.

High-performance metal chelate affinity chromatography [immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC)] using Chelating Superose (iminodiacetic acid adsorbent) was investigated for its suitability in purifying phenobarbital-induced rat liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 isozymes (P450) and optimized for preparative purposes. Starting with an 8-aminooctyl-Sepharose fraction of partially purified P450, it was found that only Ni(2+)- and Cu(2+)-charged columns could bind P450. No binding was ever observed when Zn2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Cd2+, Fe3+, Fe2+ or Tl3+ ions were employed. Of eight commonly used elution buffers, imidazole and tryptamine were found to cause some denaturation of P450. For desorption of proteins bound to Ni(2+)-charged columns, the following order of decreasing elution buffer strength was determined: cysteine approximately histidine greater than glycine greater than histamine greater than tryptophan greater than ammonium chloride. During protein desorption with some of these buffers, metal ions were found to bleed from the gel, resulting in P450 denaturation. This could be eliminated by prebleeding the charged columns prior to sample application and had an effect on product recovery and homogeneity. Ni2+ and glycine were chosen as a standard for further optimization involving sample adsorption conditions as influenced by equilibration buffer, detergent, load capacity and flow, gradient and temperature conditions. In this way, potassium phosphate (pH 7.75) and 0.4% Emulgen 911 were used to equilibrate a 1.6-ml column and purify 20-50 nmol of P450 (5-15 mg of protein) within 15 min. One gradient fraction consisted of a single sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis band as judged by silver staining and represented about 25% of the total P450 applied to the column; total recoveries were usually more than 80%. Comparison with the molecular weights and spectral, catalytic and immunological properties of P450 forms isolated according to established procedures indicated that the form isolated here using Chelating Superose comprises mainly P450 2B1 (PB-B). A method is described for fully automated, programmable column regeneration and sample runs.     

Fused 1,2‐Dithioles. Part VII

The 1,2‐dithiolosultam derivative 14 was obtained from the (α‐bromoalkylidene)propenesultam derivative 9 (Scheme 1). Regioselective cleavage of the two ester groups (→ 1b or 2b ) allowed the preparation of derivatives with different substituents at C(3) in the dithiole ring (see 27 and 28 ) as well as at C(6) in the isothiazole ring (see 17 – 21 ; Scheme 2). Curtius rearrangement of the 6‐carbonyl azide 21 in Ac₂O afforded the 6‐acetamide 22 , and saponification and decarboxylation of the latter yielded ‘sulfothiolutin’ ( 30 ). Hydride reductions of two of the bicyclic sultams resulted in ring opening of the sultam ring and loss of the sulfonyl group. Thus the reduction of the dithiolosultam derivative 14 yielded the alkylidenethiotetronic acid derivative 33 (tetronic acid=furan‐2,4(3H,4H)‐dione), and the lactam‐sultam derivative 10 gave the alkylidenetetramic acid derivative 35 (tetramic acid=1,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐2H‐pyrrol‐2‐one) (Scheme 3). Some of the new compounds ( 14, 22, 26 , and 30 ) exhibited antimycobacterial activity. The oxidative addition of 1 equiv. of [Pt(η²‐C₂H₄)L₂] ( 36a , L=PPh₃; 36b , L=1/2 dppf; 36c , L=1/2 (R,R)‐diop) into the S? S bond of 14 led to the cis‐(dithiolato)platinum(II) complexes 37a – c . (dppf=1,1′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene; (R,R)‐diop={[(4R,5R)‐2,2‐demithyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐diyl]bis(methylene)}bis[diphenylphosphine]).     

A shock tube study of H + HNCO → NH2 + CO

The reaction of atomic hydrogen with isocyanic acid (HNCO) to produce the amidogen radical (NH₂) and carbon monoxide, has been studied in shock-heated mixtures of HNCO dilute in argon. Time-histories of the ground-state NH₂ radical were measured behind reflected shock waves using cw, narrowlinewidth laser absorption at 597 nm, and HNCO time-histories were measured using infrared emission from the fundamental v₂-band of HNCO near 5 μm. The second-order rate coefficient of reaction (2(a)) was determined to be: cm³ mol^?1 s^?1, where f and F define the lower and upper uncertainty limits, respectively. An upper limit on the rate coefficient of was determined to be:      

Synthesis of Stereochemically Flexible Cyclic Biphenylbisphosphinite Ligands: Control of the Dynamics and Selectivity

Novel l -tartaric acid based stereodynamic biphenylbisphosphinite ligands with anilino linkers were prepared as cyclic diamide compounds. The influence of the constitutional substitution pattern of the amino group at the aniline moiety on the diastereoselective formation of the ligand was investigated. While the meta-anilino bridged ligands showed a highly dynamic behavior and no discrimination between (R_ax) and (S_ax) configuration, l -tartaric acid substitution on ortho-anilino bridged ligands leads to diastereoselective self-alignment of the central biphenol axis, which controls the stereoselectivity of the ligand and catalyst. The experimental findings were corroborated by theoretical calculations. In the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate (MAA), an enantiomeric ratio of 75 : 25 (R/S) was obtained for the ortho-substituted ligand.