Porous Texture and Surface Character of Dehydroxylated and Rehydroxylated MCM-41 Mesoporous Silicas-Analysis of Adsorption Isotherms of Nitrogen Gas and Water Vapor

Four samples of MCM-41 mesoporous silicas whose average pore diameters are 2.4, 2.8, 3.2, and 3.6 nm were prepared using sodium orthosilicate and cationic surfactants of [CH(3)(CH(2))(n)N(CH(3))(3)]X (n=11, 13, 15, 17). These four samples were calcined at 1123 K in vacuo to obtain the dehydroxylated samples, which were further rehydroxylated at 298 K to obtain the rehydroxylated samples. The adsorption isotherms of nitrogen gas (77 K) for the 12 MCM-41 mesoporous silicas are of Type IVc, giving no adsorption hysteresis. On the other hand, the first adsorption isotherms of water vapor (298 K) for the dehydroxylated MCM-41 samples are quite different from those of nitrogen gas, giving the remarkable adsorption hysteresis. The second water isotherms for the rehydroxylated MCM-41 samples are of Type IV, showing slight hysteresis. Using the nitrogen isotherms, the relation between the pore size and carbon chain length of the surfactant has been determined, and the effect of dehydroxylation and rehydroxylation on the porous texture has been examined. Using the first and second water isotherms, the adsorption model of physisorbed waters adsorbed on the surface silanol groups has been proposed. From the pore size distribution curves of nitrogen and water, the presence of constrictions in the cylindrical pores has been predicted. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

The synthesis of β-carboline derivatives-II A synthesis of some benz-indolo[2,3-a]pyridocolinium salts, including sempervirine

A novel synthetic method for β-carboline derivatives, described in the preceding paper, is now applied to the syntheses of 6,7-dihydro-12H-benz[f]indolo[2,3-a]pyridocolinium salt, 8,9-dihydro-14H-benz[h]indolo-[2,3-a]pyridocolinium salt and sempervirine. In the course of synthesis of sempervirine, 2-[2-(3-indolyl)ethyl]-3-chloro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-isoquinolinium bromide is obtained as an intermediate, lending strong support for the mechanism previously proposed.     

Identification of Poly-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Acetyllactosamine-Carrying Glycoproteins from HL-60 Human Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells Using a Site-Specific Glycome Analysis Method,Glyco-RIDGE

To elucidate the relationship between the protein function and the diversity and heterogeneity of glycans conjugated to the protein, glycosylation sites, glycan variation, and glycan proportions at each site of the glycoprotein must be analyzed. Glycopeptide-based structural analysis technology using mass spectrometry has been developed; however, complicated analyses of complex spectra obtained by multistage fragmentation are necessary, and sensitivity and throughput of the analyses are low. Therefore, we developed a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (MS)-based glycopeptide analysis method to reveal the site-specific glycome (Glycan heterogeneity-based Relational IDentification of Glycopeptide signals on Elution profile, Glyco-RIDGE). This method used accurate masses and retention times of glycopeptides, without requiring MS2, and could be applied to complex mixtures. To increase the number of identified peptide, fractionation of sample glycopeptides for reduction of sample complexity is required. Therefore, in this study, glycopeptides were fractionated into four fractions by hydrophilic interaction chromatography, and each fraction was analyzed using the Glyco-RIDGE method. As a result, many glycopeptides having long glycans were enriched in the highest hydrophilic fraction. Based on the monosaccharide composition, these glycans were thought to be poly-N-acetyllactosamine (polylactosamine [pLN]), and 31 pLN-carrier proteins were identified in HL-60 cells. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that pLN carriers included many molecules related to signal transduction, receptors, and cell adhesion. Thus, these findings provided important insights into the analysis of the glycoproteome using our novel Glyco-RIDGE method.

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Large substituent effect on the photochemical rearrangement of 1,6-(N-Aryl)aza-[60]fulleroids to 1,2-(N-Arylaziridino)-[60]fullerenes

Large substituent effects were observed in the rates and reaction mechanisms of the photochemical rearrangement of N-arylaza-[60]fulleroid 1 to N-arylaziridino-[60]fullerene 2, in which the difference of the rates between the fastest and the slowest (>2160-fold) was attained only by changing the aryl group from 1-naphthyl to 2-naphthyl. The decreasing order of the reaction rates in relation to the substituents was 1-naphthyl (1b) > 1-pyrenyl (1d) > phenyl (1a) > 2-naphthyl (1c). The reactions proceeded via triplet states of the fulleroids and a triplet sensitization of the reaction by rearranged product 2b was observed in the case of 1b. The slow reactions of 1a,c were interpretated by the participation of charge-separated species in the excited triplet states, which was supported by nanosecond transient absorption spectra.     

INTRACELLULAR TARGET FOR α-TERTHIENYL PHOTOSENSITIZATION: INVOLVEMENT OF LYSOSOMAL MEMBRANE DAMAGE

Abstract— Intracellular targets for the photosensitizer α-terthienyl (αT) were examined by fluorescence microscopy and microfluorospectrometry using human nonkeratinized buccal cells. Intracellular distribution of αT was observed as fluorescent patches widely dispersed in the cytoplasm. The distribution of the fluorescent patches was compared with that of acid phosphatase activity visualized as an azo dye produced by the fast garnet 2-methyl-4-[(2-methyl-phenyl)azo]benzenediasonium sulfate reaction. Because both the distribution sites coincided, lysosomes were the likely sites of intracellular affinity of αT. However, because acid phosphatase is not a specific lysosomal marker, we tried to detect another lysosomal enzyme, β-galactosidase, to confirm if the fluorescent patches were lysosomes, using fluorescein-di-(β-D-galactopyranoside) (FDG) as a fluorogenic substrate. Without UV-A (320–400 nm) irradiation of the cells after uptake of αT and FDG, no significant fluorescence was observed. In contrast, with prior UV-A irradiation in the presence of αT and FDG, the bright yellow fluorescence of fluorescein, which is the digested product of FDG, was clearly detected in the cells by fluorescence microscopy. This observation implied that inflow of external FDG into the lysosomes is caused by lysosomal membrane damage on αT photosensitization. The present results indicated that lysosomes are the primary photosensitization site of αT.     

Melanocyte-stimulating Properties of Secretory Phospholipase A2

Abstract— Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) catalyzes the release of free fatty acids from membrane phospholipids, and its products derived from these fatty acids, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, significantly up-regulate the key mela-nogenic enzyme, tyrosinase, in melanocytes. This has led to suggestions that PLA₂ itself triggers melanin synthesis in melanogenesis following UV irradiation or inflammation.
We have examined the effect of secretory PLA₂ (sPLA₂) on melanogenesis in cultured human melanocytes. Secretory PLA₂ stimulated DNA synthesis and melanin synthesis, and these phenomena were completely inhibited by treatment with a phospholipase inhibitor, p- bromophenacyl bromide, demonstrating that the catalytic activity of sPLA₂ is required for melanogenesis. Secretory PLA₂ also stimulated tyrosinase activity, increased the amount of tyrosinase-related protein-1 and up-regulated the expression of both mRNA. These findings suggest that sPLA₂ is an important mediator of UV-induced or postinflammatory pigmentation.     

Total synthesis of optically active chanoclavine-I

The total synthesis of optically active chanoclavine-I, an ergot alkaloid, was accomplished using palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization (Heck reaction) as a key step. The conjugate ester (6) was obtained in 2 steps from optically active 4-bromotryptophan (10), and the cyclization of 6 proceeded smoothly without racemization to give the key intermediate, tricyclic tetrahydrobenz[c,d]indole derivative (7), in high yield.     

Some additional aspects of versatile starting compounds for cationic organoiron complexes: molecular structure of the aqua complex [(η-C5Me4Et)Fe(CO)2(OH2)]BF4 and solution behavior of the THF complex [(η---C5R5)Fe(CO)2(THF)]BF4

The structures of the versatile starting compounds for organoiron complexes, the cationic aqua complex [(η⁵-C₅Me₄Et)Fe(CO)₂(OH₂)]BF₄ (1b) and the halide complexes (η⁵-C₅Me₅)Fe(CO)₂-I (2a), (η⁵-C₅Me₄Et)Fe(CO)₂-I (2b) and (η⁵-C₅Me₄Et)Fe(CO)₂-Cl (3b), are characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1b [Fe---O: 2.022(8) Å and 2.043(9) Å, two independent molecules] is the first structurally characterized example of organoiron aqua complexes. Details of the synthetic procedures for the above complexes and the labile cationic THF complexes [η⁵-C₅R₅)Fe(CO)₂(THF)]BF₄ (4) are disclosed, and the dissociation equilibrium of 4 is confirmed by means of variable temperature ¹H-NMR as well as saturation transfer experiment.     

Highly sensitive simultaneous bioluminescent measurement of acetate kinase and pyruvate phosphate dikinase activities using a firefly luciferase-luciferin reaction and its application to a tandem bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay.

We have developed a simultaneous bioluminescent measurement of acetate kinase (AK) and pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK) activities and its application to a tandem enzyme immunoassay. The principle of the proposed assay is as follows. In the first step, AK generates ATP from ADP and acetylphosphate, and the ATP is determined by the firefly luciferase-luciferin reaction. In the second step, the bioluminescent intensity from AK is eliminated by adding glucose and ADP-dependent hexokinase, which forms AMP from ADP. At the same time, the PPDK catalyzes the interconversion of AMP, diphosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate to ATP, phosphate and pyruvate. The ATP formed by PPDK is also determined by the firefly luciferase-luciferin reaction. The detection limits (at blank + 3SD) of AK and PPDK were 1.03 x 10(-20) and 2.05 x 10(-20) mol per assay, respectively. The method was applicable to a bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay for the assay of insulin and C-peptide in the same sample.