Conformation-dependent change in antitumor activity of linear and branched (1----3)-beta-D-glucans on the basis of conformational elucidation by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The antitumor activity of (1----3)-beta-D-glucans was tested in order to clarify its conformation-dependent response together with conformational elucidation by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) spectroscopy. It was shown that the following three conformations, single chain, single helix and triple helix, are readily distinguished by the high-resolution solid-state 13C-NMR method. It turned out that preparations of linear (1----3)-beta-D-glucans of a triple helical conformation were ineffective in the inhibition of tumor growth. These linear (1----3)-beta-D-glucans were converted to an effective form in the inhibition of tumor growth when they were lyophilized from dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions as a result of a conformational change from the triple helical to the single chain forms. They were not effective, however, when assayed in DMSO solution. In contrast, it was found that a branched (1----3)-beta-D-glucan is effective not only in either saline solutions of the triple helical sample or the lyophilized sample from DMSO, but also in DMSO solution. The aforementioned drastic change in antitumor activity was interpreted in terms of resulting conformational changes as analyzed by the 13C-NMR method.     

Liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis for screening of patients with cystinuria, and identification of cystine stone.

Analyses of amino acids in the urine of a normal human and of patients with heterozygous and homozygous cystinuria have been carried out, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure ionization interface system. A kidney cystine stone was also analysed by this system. Very intense quasi-molecular ions ([M + H]+) of standard cystine, arginine, lysine and ornithine were observed on mass chromatograms as base peaks. Mass chromatograms of the urine samples from a normal human and from patients with heterozygous and homozygous cystinuria were easily distinguishable. The retention times in the mass chromatogram and mass spectrum of kidney stone cystine was almost the same as that of authentic cystine.     

Determination of Low-Level Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid in Water Samples by Ion Chromatography with Ultraviolet Detection

A convenient and sensitive ion chromatographic (IC) method for the analysis of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in water samples was proposed. Using a fast reversible reaction of free EDTA and metal–EDTA complexes into Fe(III)–EDTA complex in the presence of Fe(III) ions, sample solutions were applied to an ion-exchange column using a mobile phase (pH 2.3), which was composed of 100 μM Fe(III) chloride and 5 mM methanesulfonic acid. The addition of Fe(III) solution (100 μL) containing 10 mM Fe(III) chloride and 0.5 M methanesulfonic acid to the sample solution (10 mL) permitted the injection of a large volume (400 μL) of sample, which allowed for greater sensitivity. The proposed IC method gave a highly linear (r ² > 0.999) calibration curve ranging 0.005–1.0 μM EDTA and had a limit of detection of 1.5 nM. High repeatability (RSD < 2.1%) and recoveries (88–108%) were also obtained. With this method, total EDTA level in raw and drinking waters were analyzed successfully.     

Determination of nicotinic acid in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A sensitive method for the determination of nicotinic acid in serum is described which employs high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Nicotinic acid and 2-chloronicotinic acid as an internal standard in deproteinized serum are reacted with N,N'-dicyclohexyl-O-(7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)methylisourea in acetone to give the corresponding fluorescent 4-hydroxymethyl-7-methoxycoumarin esters. The compounds are separated by reversed-phase chromatography on LiChrosorb RP-18 with isocratic elution using aqueous acetonitrile containing a small amount of sodium 1-hexanesulphonate as a mobile phase. The detection limit of nicotinic acid in serum was 0.2 nmol/ml. The method requires only 100 microliters of serum.     

Zur Kenntnis der Ortho-Strontiumphosphate

Zusammenfassung Die für den Einbau in die Calciumphosphate der Knochensubstanz in Frage kommenden Strontiumphosphate wurden auf ihre Existenzbedingungen untersucht. Oktacalciumphosphat tauscht in verd. Lösungen einige Prozente des Calciums gegen Strontium aus. Obwohl der Struktur nach apatitartige Strontiumphosphate zwischen Sr/P=1.33 und 1.67 erhältlich sind, läßt sich ein röntgenoptisch reines Strontiumoktaphosphat nicht isolieren, jedoch ein solches mit kleinem Carbonatgehalt und — leicht — die den Calciumsalzen analogen Strontiumphosphatcarbonate verschiedener Zusammensetzung. Im Hydrothermalbereich (375^o) sind je nach relativer Zusammensetzung des Strontiumphosphat-Systems SrHPO₄, Sr₂P₂O₇, Sr₂(PO₄)₂ und Sr₅(PO₄)₃OH stabil und gut kristallin erhältlich. Das Salz Sr₆H₃(PO₄)₅ läßt sich aus Lösungen von Strontiumphosphaten in Kohlensäure-Wasser, H₂S-Wasser und in einem Barbiturat-Puffersystem rein darstellen.

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Ortho strontium phosphates

Strontium phosphates which possibly are being incorporated into the calcium phosphates of bony tissue were investigated. Octacalcium phosphate in dilute solutions exchanges a few percent of calcium against strontium. While strontium phosphates with apatite-like structures, and with ratios of Sr/P between 1.33 and 1.67 can be prepared, no pure strontium octaphosphate, as a distinctive X-ray phase can be isolated. Only preparations with small amounts of carbonate, as well as strontium phosphate carbonates analogous to the corresponding calcium salts can be obtained. At hydrothermal conditions (375^o), the compounds SrHPO₄, Sr₂P₂O₇, Sr₃(PO₄)₂ and Sr₅(PO₄)₃OH are stable, and can be prepared in well cristallized form, depending on the relative composition of the strontium phosphate system. The salt Sr₆H₃(PO₄)₅ can be prepared in a pure state from solutions of strontium phosphates in aqueous solutions of carbonic acid, H₂S and barbiturate buffer systems.

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Mit 2 Abbildungen

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.Hans Nowotny gewidmet.     

Clinical usefulness of a trypsin radioimmunoassay kit

From the clinical use of RIA-gnost trypsin kit, the following results were obtained. 1. Standard curve showed a steep and good curve was shown. 2. Incubation: The condition for the first incubation was set at the room temperature for 10-24 hours and that for the second incubation at the room temperature for 3-5 hours. With these settings, satisfactory results were obtained. 3. Reproducibility and recovery: The C.V. of the reproducibility and the recovery were considered superior, and the values were below 10% and +/- 3%, respectively. 4. Correlation between trypsin and serum elestase-1: An excellent positive correlation (coefficient of correlation r = 0.889) was shown. 5. Serum trypsin concentration of normal and pancreatic diseases: The normal range was from 100 to 500 ng/ml. Acute pancreatitis rose obviously. Diabetes mellitus and chronic pancreatitis was below 500 ng/ml and the pancreatic cancer showed a tendency to scatter in the range of 50-1,250 ng/ml. The above results indicated that serum trypsin can be easily measured with high precision by using this method. Thus the method is considered useful for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases.     

Syntheses and biological activities of renin inhibitors containing statine analogues

Syntheses and biological activities of dipeptide renin inhibitors that contain statine analogues are described. The key steps of the synthetic approach to dipeptide renin inhibitors are the asymmetric synthesis of 2(R)-substituted-3-aminocarbonylpropionic acids and the diastereoselective syntheses of (3S,4S)-statine analogues. These inhibitors (2,14-40) inhibited human renin in the 3-140 nM range. Inhibitor ES 6864 (2) was found to be a highly potent inhibitor of human renin (IC50: 4.6 x 10(-9) M) and showed high enzyme specificity. Oral administration of ES 6864 at 3 mg/kg to conscious, sodium-depleted marmosets inhibited plasma renin activity (PRA) more than 80% after 1 h.     

Determination of molecular weight of native proteins by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis

An improved method for the estimation of molecular weights of native proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, in 9 cm x 9 cm x 0.05 mm 4-20% T fabric reinforced gradient gels, is described. Plotting the logarithm of the relative mobilities of proteins versus gel concentrations produces lines whose slopes are related to molecular weights.     

Determination of catecholamines in pheochromocytoma cell (PC-12) culture medium by microdialysis-microbore liquid chromatography

An in vitro microdialysis system was constructed for the measurement of catecholamines in pheochromocytoma cell culture medium. The novel microdialysis device is composed of a petri dish, a dialysis membrane and two transmission tubes. The dialysis membrane is located in the space of a petri dish such that it is immersed in the culture medium. Catecholamines contained in the culture medium diffused into a designed dialysis membrane with sufficient recovery (about 60%). Dialysates were collected by a sampling loop and introduced by an on-line injector to a microbore liquid chromatographic system for analysis of catecholamines. This assay yielded a detection limit of 0.2–0.5 pg/injection with acceptable intra- and inter-assay reproducibilities in 5 μl of dialysates. To evaluate the on-line microdialysis system, PC-12 cells were cultured in a petri dish within an incubator. The baseline concentration of dopamine in PC-12 cell culture medium was about 0.29 ng/ml which was elevated to 2.43 ng/ml after treatment with 0.5 mM potassium cyanide. In conclusion, the present microassay provides for the sensitive, direct measurement of catecholamines in culture medium while minimizing pretreatment procedures for sample preparation.