Lysophosphatidylcholine suppresses apoptosis and induces neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells through activation of phospholipase D2

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is a bioactive lipid generated by phospholipase A2-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine. In the present study, we demonstrate that LPC stimulates phospholipase D2 (PLD2) activity in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. Serum deprivation induced cell death of PC12 cells, as demonstrated by decreased viability, DNA fragmentation, and increased sub-G1 fraction of cell cycle. LPC treatment protected PC12 cells partially from the cell death and induced neurite outgrowth of the cells. Overexpression of PLD2 drastically enhanced the LPC-induced inhibition of apoptosis and neuritogenesis. Pretreatment of the cells with 1-butanol, a PLD inhibitor, completely abrogated the LPC-induced inhibition of apoptosis and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells overexpressing PLD2. These results indicate that LPC possesses the neurotrophic effects, such as anti-apoptosis and neurite outgrowth, through activation of PLD2.     

Extended application of a chiral stationary phase based on (+)-(1 8-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid to the resolution of N-(substituted benzoyl)-alpha-amino acid amides

A chiral stationary phase (CSP 1) based on (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid was applied to the resolution of N-(substituted benzoyl)-alpha-amino acid amides and esters. N-(Substituted benzoyl)-alpha-amino acid amides were well resolved using a mixture of acetic acid-triethylamine-acetonitrile (0.01:0.05:100, v/v/v) as an optimum mobile phase while N-(substituted benzoyl)-alpha-amino acid esters were not resolved at all. In contrast, both N-(substituted benzoyl)-alpha-amino acid amides and esters were not resolved at all or resolved very poorly on another CSP (CSP 2), which lacks the two N-H hydrogens of the amide tethers of CSP 1. Among the substituents on the benzoyl group of analytes, the nitro group was the best for good resolution of analytes on CSP 1. From these results, the two N-H hydrogens of the amide tethers of CSP 1, the carbonyl oxygen of the amide group of analytes, and the nitro group on the benzoyl group of analytes were concluded to play significant roles in chiral recognition. In addition, various N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)leucine amides with different lengths of N-alkylamide chains were resolved on CSP 1 and N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl) leucine N-propylamide was found to show the best chiral recognition in terms of the separation (alpha = 1.30) and the resolution factor (Rs= 3.17).     

Quantitative analysis of X-ray absorption spectra using a 2D map representation

A promising possibility for the quantitative analysis of X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra of nanosized electrode materials is demonstrated. We used a 2D map representation technique, which utilizes the values of the first derivatives of the absorbance with respect to the inserted Li(+) content plotted over the two-dimensional space defined by the inserted Li(+) content (mole) versus photon energy (eV) as a single map. The technique was applied to XANES spectra of the Li(y)CoO system in the first Li(+) insertion reaction for determining the structural and electronic variations associated with the change in Li(+) content. The obtained show that the intensities of two peaks at 7725 and 7711 eV increased with the Li(+) content and the difference of intensity change of these two peaks carried out for successive couples of spectra yielded the largest changes at 1.05 and 1.98 mol of Li content. This approach for quantitative analysis of XANES without using conventional simulation techniques enable us to interpret X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) as a quantitative analytical technique with greater confidence.     

Melampolides from the leaves of Smallanthus sonchifolius and their inhibitory activity of lps-induced nitric oxide production

Two new melampolide-type sesquiterpene lactones, 8beta-epoxyangeloyloxy-9alpha-ethoxy-14-oxo-acanthospermolide (1) and 8beta-angeloyloxy-9alpha-ethoxy-14-oxo-acanthospermolide (2), were isolated from the leaves of yacon [Smallanthus sonchifolia (POEPP. et ENDL.) H. Robinson] along with eleven known melampolides, allo-schkuhriolide (3), enhydrin (4), polymatin A (5), fluctuanin (6), 8beta-angeloyloxy-9alpha-acetoxy-14-oxo-acanthospermolide (7), 8beta-angeloyloxy-14-oxo-acanthospermolide (8), 8beta-methacryloyloxymelampolid-14-oic acid methyl ester (9), uvedalin (10), polymatin B (11), 8beta-tigloyloxymelampolid-14-oic acid methyl ester (12), and sonchifolin (13). Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic evidence including 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments. All isolates were evaluated for inhibition of LPS-induced nitric oxide production in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.     

Planar AIEgens with Enhanced Solid-State Luminescence and ROS Generation for Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Treatment

Planar luminogens have encountered difficulties in overcoming intrinsic aggregation-caused emission quenching by intermolecular π-π stacking interactions. Although excited-state double-bond reorganization (ESDBR) can guide us on designing planar aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens (AIEgens), its mechanism has yet been elucidated. Major challenges in the field include methods to efficiently restrict ESDBR and enhance AIE performance without using bulky substituents (e.g., tetraphenylethylene and triphenylamine). In this study, we rationally developed fluoro-substituent AIEgens with stronger intermolecular H-bonding interaction for restricted molecular motions and increased crystal density, leading to decreased nonradiative decay rate by one order of magnitude. The adjusted ESDBR properties also show a corresponding response to variation in viscosity. Furthermore, their aggregation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generations have been discovered. The application of such planar AIEgen in treating multidrug-resistant bacteria has been demonstrated in a mouse model. The relationship between ROS generation and distinct E/Z-configurational stacking behaviors have been further understood, providing a design principle for synthesizing planar AIEgen-based photosensitizers.     

Cytotoxic dimeric half-sandwich Ru(II), Os(II) and Ir(III) complexes containing the 4,4′-biphenyl-based bridging ligands

A series of dinuclear half-sandwich Ru(II), Os(II) and Ir(III) complexes [Ru₂(μ-Lⁿ)(η⁶-pcym)₂Cl₂](PF₆)₂ ( 1 , 4 ), [Os₂(μ-Lⁿ)(η⁶-pcym)₂Cl₂](PF₆)₂ ( 2 , 5 ) and [Ir₂(μ-Lⁿ)(η⁵-Cp*)₂Cl₂](PF₆)₂ ( 3 , 6 ), based on 4,4′-biphenyl-based bridging Schiff base ligands N,N′-(biphenyl-4,4′-diyldimethylidyne)bis-2-(pyridin-2-yl)methanamine (L¹; for 1 – 3 ) and N,N′-(biphenyl-4,4′-diyldimethylidyne)bis-2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethanamine (L²; for 4 – 6 ) is reported; pcym = 1-methyl-4-(propan-2-yl)benzene, Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl. The complexes were characterized by relevant analytical techniques (i.e. elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR, ESI-MS), and their in vitro cytotoxicity was assessed at six cancerous and two non-cancerous (healthy) human cell lines. Overall, complexes 4 – 6 , containing the L² bridging ligand, revealed higher cytotoxicity as compared with 1 – 3 and, thus, they were studied in greater detail. The best-performing complex 6 exceeded at least twice the in vitro cytotoxicity of cisplatin and showed high selectivity towards the cancer cells over the normal ones, including the primary culture of human hepatocytes. In contrast to cisplatin, complexes 4 – 6 did not induce the cell cycle modification of the treated A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells (studied by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis). High levels of superoxide anion were induced by complexes 4 – 6 at the A2780 cells. The levels of activated forms of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 at the A2780 cells treated by Ru(II) complex 4 were comparable with cisplatin, while complexes 5 and 6 had only a minor effect on activation of these caspases.     

LC–MS/MS analysis of puerarin and 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid in human plasma after oral administration of Samso-eum and its application to pharmacokinetic study

The aim of this study was to confirm pharmacokinetic screening of multiple components in healthy Korean subjects after oral administration of Samso-eum and perform quantitation of active components in the human plasma. Thirteen potential bioactive components [puerarin (PRR), daidzin, nodakenin, ginsenoside Rb1, 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18β-GTA), 6-shogaol, naringin, glycyrrhizin, hesperidin, platycodin D, naringenin, hesperetin, and 6-gingerol] were screened based on literature. The results showed that three analytes (daidzin, naringenin, and hesperetin) were detected in trace amounts. In addition, PRR and 18β-GTA were detected in human plasma after the oral administration of Samso-eum. In this study, a liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method was validated for the simultaneous determination of PRR and 18β-GTA in human plasma. This was the first study to evaluate pharmacokinetics of PRR and 18β-GTA after the usual oral dose of Samso-eum (30 g containing 102.48 mg PRR, 48.18 mg glycyrrhizin) in human subjects.     

Analogue chromophore study of the influence of electronic perturbation on color regulation of photoactive yellow protein

We report a unique lambdamax shift of the absorption maximum of a photoactive yellow protein (PYP) analogue reconstituted with a fluorinated chromophore (F-PYP). The difference in lambdamax between the free chromophore and the protein was significantly larger than that with the native chromophore. We concluded that the unusual lambdamax shift is caused by the electronegative character of the fluorine atom and not by steric hindrance. This result suggests that formation of a hydrogen bond between the fluorine atom and one or more amino acid residues could neutralize its electron-withdrawing character. The properties of analogues of PYP with brominated and methylated chromophore could be explained as an effect of steric hindrance.