Structure elucidation of new oleanane‐type glycosides from three species of Acanthophyllum

From the roots of three species of Acanthophyllum (Caryophyllaceae), two new gypsogenic acid glycosides, 1 and 2, were isolated, 1 from A. sordidum and A. lilacinum, 2 from A. elatius and A. lilacinum, together with three known saponins, glandulosides B and C, and SAPO50. The structures of 1 and 2 were established mainly by 2D NMR techniques as 23‐O‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosylgypsogenic acid‐28‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside (1) and gypsogenic acid‐28‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐[β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside (2). The cytotoxicity of several of these saponins was evaluated against two human colon cancer cell lines (HT‐29 and HCT 116). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A further study on the combined use of internal standard and isotope-labeled derivatization reagent for expansion of linear dynamic ranges in liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry

The combined use of a so-called internal standard and the isotope-labeled derivatization reagent for the quantification of analytes for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was further studied. The sample solution (containing the analytes and an internal standard) was derivatized with the light form of the derivatization reagent, 7-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-4-(aminoethyl)piperazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (DBD-PZ-NH(2)) or 7-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-4-piperazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (DBD-PZ). A standard solution of the analytes (containing an internal standard) was derivatized with the isotope (d(6))-labeled derivatization reagent, DBD-PZ-NH(2) (D) or DBD-PZ (D), and served as the isotope-labeled internal standards. The peak heights of the targeted analytes derivatives in the sample solution were corrected using those of the internal standard and the heavy form derivatives of the standards, and the calibration curves were constructed. The curve bending of the calibration curves caused by the ion suppression at the ion source was suppressed and the linear dynamic ranges of the calibration curves were expanded. The derivatives of DBD-PZ-NH(2) were about 10 times more sensitively detected than those of DBD-PZ derivatives and, therefore, DBD-PZ-NH(2) might be suitable for sensitive detection.     

Study on interactions of endocrine disruptors with estrogen receptor-beta using fluorescence polarization.

In this study, we developed a rapid, simple and homogeneous human recombinant estrogen receptor-beta (hrER-beta) binding assay method using fluorescence polarization (FP) by applying a fluorescent ligand, fluorescein-labeled estradiol (F-E2). A Scatchard plot and a Hill plot analysis of the saturation binding assay using F-E2 and hrER-beta were studied. F-E2 showed a high affinity for hrER-beta, the dissociation constant was 5.53 nM, indicating that F-E2 is applicable to the hrER-beta binding assay. Competitive binding assays using F-E2, in which the FP values decreased upon the addition of compounds (competitors) were carried out to evaluate the binding characteristics of compounds with and without biological activities to hrER-beta. Twenty-one compounds, such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals and phytoestrogens, were examined. The obtained sigmoidal inhibition curves were transformed into pseudo-Hill plots and the concentrations at 50% inhibition (IC50) and Hill coefficients, the degree of cooperativity in ER-ligand binding, were obtained from the regression equations. Antagonists exhibited larger Hill coefficients than agonists, showing the correlation between the Hill coefficients and the estrogenic/antiestrogenic activities.     

Isolation and structure of monomethylated GM3-type ganglioside molecular species from the starfish Luidia maculata

Two monomethylated GM(3)-Type ganglioside molecular species, 1 and 2, have been obtained from the polar lipid fraction of the chloroform/methanol extract of the starfish Luidia maculata. The structures of these gangliosides have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence as 1-O-[8-O-methyl-(N-acetyl-alpha-D-neuraminosyl)-(2-->3)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-ceramide (1) and 1-O-[8-O-methyl-(N-glycolyl-alpha-D-neuraminosyl)-(2-->3)-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-ceramide (2). The ceramide moieties were composed of heterogeneous unsubstituted fatty acid, 2-hydroxy fatty acid, sphingosine and phytosphingosine units. Compound 1, designated as LMG-3, represents new ganglioside molecular species. Compound 2 was a known ganglioside molecular species.     

Synthesis, swelling behavior and surface microstructure of poly(sodium acrylate) gels cross-linked by aluminum ions

We report the synthesis and some unique properties of polymer gels cross-linked by metal ions. They are made of poly(sodium acrylate) and aluminum ions. Cylindrical and thin plate gels were synthesized in glass molds by mixing poly(sodium acrylate) with aluminum hydroxide of various concentrations. The swelling ratio of the gels was measured by changing the solvent pH and adding NaCl with different concentrations. Each gel was found to swell at the first stage and shrink thereafter by repeated solvent exchanges; the swelling ratio ultimately returned to the initial one just after gelation. These features could be explained using a qualitative model based on the ion exchange and the formation of hydrogen bonding. A characteristic surface microstructure was observed on the dehydrated gels using an atomic force microscope. The microstructures were analyzed in terms of the autocorrelation function and the root-mean-square roughness. The surface microstructure of this system was characterized by the microdomains, the shape of which was found to depend strongly on the amount of aluminum ions and the gel thickness at gelation. It could be controlled not only by the concentration of the cross-linker but also by the dehydration condition.     

Quantum transport effects in copper(II) phthalocyanine sandwiched between gold nanoelectrodes

The electrical transmission of copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) sandwiched between gold nanoelectrodes is studied on the basis of the Green function formalism coupled with the Gaussian-broadening technique. In the Au-CuPc-Au junction, broadened density of states (DOS) of the Au chains is defined as continuous DOS of electrodes to calculate the Green function of the electrodes. Two peaks of the transmission function found in the vicinity of the Fermi level are analyzed in terms of molecular orbitals (MOs). A convenient procedure to analyze MO contribution to a transmission peak is proposed. It is found that (I) symmetry-matched interactions between CuPc and the gold nanoelectrodes are important to the enhancement of the transmission function and (II) the nanoelectrodes have almost no effect on the electronic states of CuPc.     

Synthesis and cytochrome P-450-like reactivity of polypeptide-bound porphinatoiron(III)

Polypeptide-bound porphinatoiron(III) was synthesized. This polymer could catalyze the hydroxylation of aniline with H₂O₂ more effectively, and catalyze the monooxygenase-type oxidation of olefins more selectively in the porphinatoiron (III)-O₂-NaBH₄-Me₄NOH system²⁾ than non-bound porphinatoiron.     

Study on interactions of endocrine disruptors with estrogen receptor using fluorescence polarization

In this study, we examined the affinities of many (21) compounds such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and phytoestrogens to the estrogen receptor (ER) by ER binding assay using fluorescence polarization (FP). This method is based on the competitive binding assay using fluorescein-labeled estradiol (F-E2), in which the polarization values decreased with the addition of the compounds (competitors). The obtained sigmoidal inhibition curves were transformed into the pseudo-Hill plots, and the concentrations at 50% inhibition (IC50) and Hill coefficients were obtained from the regression equations. We examined the relationship between the chemical structures and estrogenic activities, and finally classified the tested compounds into three categories, agonists, partial agonists and antagonists based on their Hill coefficients.     

A fully automated amino acid analyzer using NBD-F as a fluorescent derivatization reagent

A fully automated amino acid analyzer using NBD-F (4- fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole) as a fluorescent derivatization reagent was developed. The whole analytical process was fully automated from derivatization, injection to HPLC separation and quantitation. The derivatization reaction conditions were re-evaluated and optimized. Amino acids were derivatized by NBD-F for 40 min at room temperature in the borate buffer (pH 9.5). The derivatives were separated within 100 min and fluorometrically detected at 540 nm with excitation at 470 nm. The detection limits for amino acids were in the range of 2.8-20 fmol. The calibration curves were linear over the range of 20 fmol to 20 pmol on column with the correlation coefficients of 0.999. The coefficients of variation were less than 5% at 3 pmol injection for all amino acids. Amino acids in rat plasma were determined by the proposed HPLC method.