Isolierung und Aminosäuresequenz von Substanz P aus Pferdedarm

The isolation and amino acid sequence of substance P from horse intestine is reported. The sequence, H-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met-NH₂ is identical with the sequence reported for substance P isolated from bovine hypothalami.     

Cartilage degradation by stimulated human neutrophils: reactive oxygen species decrease markedly the activity of proteolytic enzymes

BACKGROUND: Although neutrophilic granulocytes clearly contribute to cartilage degradation in rheumatic diseases, it is unclear if reactive oxygen species (ROS) or proteolytic enzymes are the most important components in cartilage degradation and how they interact. RESULTS: Neutrophils were stimulated by chemicals conferring a different degree of ROS formation and enzyme release. Supernatants of neutrophils were incubated with thin slices of pig articular cartilage. Supernatants of cartilage were assayed by NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and relevant biochemical methods. Stimulation conditions of neutrophils correlated well with the extent of cartilage degradation. Due to the release of different enzymes, cartilage degradation could be best monitored by NMR since mainly low-mass degradation products were formed. Astonishingly, the suppression of the formation of ROS resulted in decreased cartilage degradation. CONCLUSION: ROS formed by neutrophils are not directly involved in cartilage degradation but influence the activity of proteolytic enzymes, which are the main effectors of cartilage degradation.     

Styrene oxide DNA adducts: quantitative determination using <Superscript>31</Superscript>P monitoring

The reaction of styrene oxide, a potential carcinogen in humans, with DNA constituents has been used to develop an improved method for quantification of DNA adducts. To enable monitoring of DNA adducts caused by xenobiotics at physiological relevant levels, a robust, reliable and powerful method based on monitoring of phosphorus in nucleotides is described. An efficient enzymatic digestion step and a sample-preconcentration procedure are essential, and enable separation of alkylated nucleotides from the large excess of native nucleotides. The adducts are detected by means of the phosphorus signal measured at mass m/z=31 with an inductively-coupled-plasma mass spectrometer. Bis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) serves as internal standard for quantification of the adducts. The absolute limit of detection, 45 fmol, corresponds to detection of three modified nucleotides among 10⁷ native nucleotides (the calculation is based on use of 50 g calf thymus DNA). An adduct formation ratio at the DNA of 3.6 adducts per 1000 nucleotides was measured, which is 75% lower than for reaction with monomeric 2-deoxy-nucleotides. In addition, a substantial amount of phosphate adducts were detected, but in DNA the rate of phosphate formation was lower than with monomeric nucleotides. Most probably these adducts escaped unnoticed when ³¹P-post-labelling was employed.     

Extended theoretical considerations for Mass resolution in the resonance ejection mode of quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

Proceeding from the pseudopotential-well approximation for ion motion in a quadrupole ion trap, mathematical expressions are derived to describe the excitation amplitude of an ion packet at a given mass-to-charge ratio. Ion-neutral collisions are incorporated to describe the damping of ion trajectories and to describe the distribution of individual ion trajectories about a mean amplitude for the ion packet. The rate of increase of the amplitude during scanning is related to expressions that describe the amplitude dispersion of the ions at the time of ejection from the trap, which is operating in a resonance ejection scanning mode to describe the temporal line width of the ejected ion packet. The temporal line width is related to mass resolution under a number of different scanning conditions. Included in the discussion are considerations of the effect on resolution of the resonance excitation voltage, temperature, pressure, noise, and buffer-gas composition. An expression for the maximum possible resolution at high ion mass-to-charge ratios is developed, and these results are compared to an existing theoretical construction. The expressions derived under the pseudopotential-well approximation are further extended to high q _z values and compared to experimental data previously published by two other researchers.     

The synthesis and characterisation of ferromagnetic CaMn2O4 nanowires.

The synthesis of marokite CaMn(2)O(4) nanowires using a hydrothermal method is reported. Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction measurements show that the nanowires are polycrystalline in nature with diameters between 10 and 20 nm and lengths ranging from approximately 100 to 500 nm. Most interestingly, in contrast with the bulk material, magnetization measurements show that these nanowires exhibit ferromagnetic ordering with a Curie temperature (T(C)) of approximately 40 K.     

Ruthenium cluster compounds containing 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf): an electrochemical analysis and the crystal structure of [Ru3(CO)11]2(μ-dppf)

The electrochemistry of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) derivatives of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ was investigated. Two known compounds [Ru₃(CO)₈(μ-dppf)₂ (1) and Ru₃(CO)₁₀dppf (2)] and a new compound [Ru₃(CO)₁₁(μ-dppf)Ru₃(CO)₁₁ (3)] were prepared. Compound 3 was characterized spectroscopically and an X-ray crystal structure was obtained. The reductive electrochemistry of 1 and 2 showed an irreversible reduction and a follow-up oxidation, similar to Ru₃(CO)₁₂. The electrochemistry of compound 3 showed two irreversible waves and a follow-up oxidation. A trend in the reduction potential vs. the number of coordinated phosphorus atoms was noted. The oxidative electrochemistry of 1-3 showed a dppf-based chemically reversible wave, and an irreversible wave similar to that of Ru₃(CO)₁₂. Trends were also noted between the oxidation potential and the number of coordinated phosphorus atoms.     

NMR and UV studies of 3'-S-phosphorothiolate modified DNA in a DNA : RNA hybrid dodecamer duplex; implications for antisense drug design

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy has been used to establish the conformational consequences of the introduction of a single 3[prime or minute]-S-phosphorothiolate link in the DNA strand of a DNA : RNA hybrid. These systems are of interest as potential antisense therapeutic agents. Previous studies on similarly modified dinucleotides have shown that the conformation of the sugar to which the sulfur is attached shifts to the north (C(3[prime or minute])-endo/C(2[prime or minute])-exo). Comparisons made between NOESY cross-peak intensities, and coupling constants from PE-COSY spectra, for both non-modified and modified duplexes confirm that this conformational shift is also present in the double helical oligonucleotide system. In addition it is noted that in both the dinucleotides and the modified duplex, the conformation of the sugar ring 3[prime or minute] to the site of modification is also shifted to the north. That this pattern is observed in the small monomeric system as well as the larger double helix is suggestive of some pre-ordering of the sequences. The conclusion is supported by consideration of the (1)H chemical shifts of the heterocyclic bases near the site of the modification. The enhanced stability that these conformational changes should bring was confirmed by UV thermal melting studies. Subsequently a series of singly and doubly 3[prime or minute]-S-phosphorothiolate-modified duplexes were investigated by UV. The results are indicative of an additive effect of the modification with thermodynamic benefit being derived from alternate spacing of two modified linkers.     

Probing the water coordination of protein-targeted MRI contrast agents by pulsed ENDOR spectroscopy.

A novel methodology based on electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy is used for the direct determination of the water coordination number (q) of gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Proton ENDOR spectra can be obtained at approximately physiological concentrations for metal complexes in frozen aqueous solutions either in the presence or absence of protein targets. It is shown that, depending on the structure of the co-ligand, the water hydration number of a complex in aqueous solution can be significantly different to when the complex is noncovalently bound to a protein. From the ENDOR spectra of the exchangeable protons, precise information on the metal-proton distance can be derived as well. These essential parameters directly correlate with the efficacy of MRI contrast agents and should therefore aid the development of novel, highly efficient compounds targeted to various proteins.     

Rearrangement of 4-(1-haloalkyl)- and 4-(2-haloalkyl)-2-azetidinones into methyl omega-alkylaminopentenoates via transient aziridines and azetidines

The synthesis of 4-(1-haloalkyl)-2-azetidinones and 4-(2-haloalkyl)-2-azetidinones was investigated with use of the Staudinger reaction between in situ generated ketenes and alpha-haloimines or beta-haloimines. This new class of functionalized 2-azetidinones was further evaluated for its potential use as intermediates in the synthesis of highly functionalized compounds. The reaction of 4-(1-haloalkyl)-2-azetidinones and 4-(2-haloalkyl)-2-azetidinones with sodium methoxide in methanol yielded ring-opened products, i.e., methyl 2-alkoxy-4-(alkylamino)pentenoate and methyl 5-(alkylamino)pentenoate, respectively. Further attention was paid in detail to the reaction mechanism involved in this peculiar transformation. It was proven that these reactions proceeded via intermediate aziridines or azetidines.