Effect of methotrexate treatment on the onset of autoimmune kidney disease in lupus mice.

In the present study, we examined the effects of methotrexate (MTX) on the development of autoimmune kidney disease in three kinds of autoimmune prone mice, NZB/NZW F1 (BWF1) mice, MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice and NZW/BXSB F1 (WBF1) mice. The results showed that MTX delayed the appearance of proteinuria and prolonged survival of both BWF1 and MRL/lpr mice and inhibited the elevation of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels which accompanies the development of lupus nephritis. However, MTX treatment did not affect these in WBF1 mice. Furthermore, MTX could not suppress immunoglobulin G (IgG) class anti-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and anti-trinitrophenol (TNP) antibody production in any variety of mice. These suggest that the therapeutic effect of MTX on BWF1 and MRL/lpr mice does not result in the suppression of IgG autoantibody production.     

New pyranosyl cembranoid diterpenes from Sarcophyton trocheliophorum

During our continual searching programme for novel bioactive metabolites from Sarcophyton trocheliophorum, collected from Red Sea, we describe herein the isolation and structural elucidation of further two new pyrane-based cembranoid diterpenes: 9-hydroxy-7,8-dehydro-sarcotrocheliol (1) and 8,9-expoy-sarcotrocheliol acetate (2), along with the well-known sarcotrocheliol acetate (3), (+)-sarcophine (4), (+)-sarcophytoxide (5) and (-)-sarcophytoxide (6). The chemical structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹H–¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC and NOE), mass spectra (ESI and HR-ESIMS) and by comparison with related structures. The antimicrobial activities of the reported compounds 1–6 were investigated. According to the molecular docking study of compounds 1–6 using 3D structure of α,β tubulin in complex with taxol (PDB code 1JFF) and epothilone A (PDB code 1TVK), sarcophine (4) displayed the highest affinity towards both crystal structures, followed by 5 and 6, meanwhile pyrane-based cembranoid diterpenes (1–3) showed less affinity.     

Characterization of amiodarone metabolites and impurities using liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Using the high performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/APCI-MS/MS) technique, together with established trends from the literature, the structures of metabolites and impurities of amiodarone, an anti-arrhythmic drug, have been assigned. By comparing analyses of products of incubation with rat liver microsomes with controls in which glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was omitted, metabolites could be distinguished from impurities. Structures for the two proposed metabolites and four impurities are proposed.     

A fluorescent-labeled oligopeptide for monitoring PKA-mediated phosphorylation

A fluorescent-labeled oligopeptide (DACM-CLRRASLK-fluorescein), containing a consensus amino acid sequence (RRXSL) of cyclic AMP (cAMP) dependent protein kinase A (PKA) substrate-proteins, was designed. The fluorescent peptide was a good substrate of PKA, and the phosphorylation of its serin residue caused an intensive change in fluorescent intensity. We expect that the peptide will be useful as a fluorescent indicator for monitoring PKA activity in living cells.     

Co-activation of Gi and Gq proteins exerts synergistic effect on human platelet aggregation through activation of phospholipase C and Ca2+ signalling pathways

Our previous studies have shown that subthreshold concentrations of two platelet agonists exert synergistic effects on platelet aggregation. Here we studied the mechanism of synergistic interaction of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and epinephrine mediated platelet aggregation. We show that 5-HT had no or little effect on aggregation but it did potentiate the aggregation response of epinephrine. The synergistic interaction of 5-HT (1-5 microM) and epinephrine (0.5-2 microM) was inhibited by alpha2-adrenoceptor blocker (yohimbine; IC50= 0.4 microM), calcium channel blockers (verapamil and diltiazem with IC50 of 10 and 48 mM, respectively), PLC inhibitor (U73122; IC50=6 microM) and nitric oxide (NO) donor, SNAP (IC50=1.6 microM)). The data suggest that synergistic effects of platelet agonists are receptor-mediated and occur through multiple signalling pathways including the activation PLC/Ca2+ signalling cascades.     

Synthesis and Stereochemistry of New Bis(1,3-Oxathian-2-yl) Derivatives: Epimerisation and Chair–Twist Equilibria

The synthesis and stereochemistry of some new bis(1,3-oxathian-2-yl) derivatives are reported. The conformational behavior of these compounds and the orientation of their substituents are deduced from the NMR spectra, from the X-ray crystal structures of two compounds and from the ab-initio level calculations. The epimerization of diastereoisomers and the chair ⇌ 22,5-twist equilibria were studied by variable temperature NMR.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab initio</Emphasis> study of small coinage metal telluride clusters Au<Subscript>n</Subscript>Te<Subscript>m</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n,m</Emphasis> = 1, 2)

The geometries of the most stable isomers of gold telluride systems AuTe, Au₂Te, and AuTe₂ are determined using the MP2 method. The aspect of gold—telluride interaction, the electron correlation, and relativistic effects on geometry and stability are investigated at the MP2 and CCSD(T) theoretical levels. The results show that the electron correlation and relativistic effects are responsible not only for gold—gold attraction but also for additional gold—telluride interaction. The gold—telluride interaction is strong enough to modify the known pattern of bare gold clusters. Both effects are essential for determining the geometry and relative stability of this type of systems.     

Influence of post-annealing temperature on properties of ZnO:Li thin films

Li-doped ZnO thin films were prepared on glass substrates by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. The influence of post-annealing temperature on the electrical, structural, and optical properties of the films was investigated. A conversion from p-type conduction to n-type in a range of temperature was confirmed by Hall measurement. The optimal p-type conduction is achieved at the annealing temperature of 500 °C with a resistivity of 57 Ω cm, carrier concentration of 1.07 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³ and Hall mobility of 1.03 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. From the temperature-dependent PL analysis, the energy level of Li_Zn acceptor was determined to be 140 meV above the valence band.     

Electrochemical and spectral studies on the reductive nitrosylation of water-soluble iron porphyrin

The reaction of iron(III) (meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (Fe(III)TMPyP) with nitric oxide (NO) was studied by electronic absorption spectroscopy, ESR, and electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques in aqueous solutions with pH from 2.2 to 12.0. Fe(III)TMPyP has been found to undergo a reductive nitrosylation in all pHs, and the product of nitric oxide binding to the porphyrin has been determined as iron(II) porphyrin nitrosyl complex ([Fe(II)(NO)TMPyP]). The rate of the reductive nitrosylation exhibits a tendency to get faster with increase in pH. An intermediate species was observed around neutral pH by spectroelectrochemical technique and was proposed to be the iron(II) nitrosyl complex of the mu-oxo dimeric form of FeTMPyP, which is known to be a predominant in neutral solutions.     

Development of a high-performance liquid chromatographic system with enzyme reactors for the determination of N-acetyl branched-chain amino acids

Immobilized enzymes were used as column reactors in a high-performance liquid chromatographic system for the specific detection of N-acetyl branched-chain amino acids (AcBCAs) such as N- acetyl- l -valine (AcVal), N- acetyl- l -leucine (AcLeu) and N- acetyl- l -isoleucine (AcIle). Aminoacylase and leucine dehydrogenase were immobilized onto poly(vinyl alcohol) beads. The AcBCAs were separated as three peaks on a Capcell C(1) SG120 column with 0.03M phosphate buffer (pH 8.0). Aminoacylase was capable of hydrolysing the AcBCAs to amino acids, which react with beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) in the presence of leucine dehydrogenase. The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) produced was monitored fluorimetrically. The calibration graphs were linear from 4 to 200muM for AcVal and AcLeu, and from 5 to 300muM for AcIle; detection limits for AcVal, AcLeu and AcIle were 2, 2 and 3muM, respectively. The immobilized aminoacylase reactor should be renewed every 5 days owing to a poor stability of aminoacylase.