SINGLET AND TRIPLET ENERGY TRANSFER IN α-DIKETONE DERIVATIVES OF URACIL and THYMINE

Irradiation of 1-(3,4-dioxopentyl)uracil (UPD) and 1-(3.4-dioxopentyl)thymine (TPD) in acetonitrile solution at 25°C, at the wavelength (280 nm) where only the pyrimidine absorbs the light, sensitizes both fluorescence and phosphorescence of the diketone chromophore in the sidechain. From comparison of the intensity in the corrected excitation spectra with the absorption spectra in acetonitrile solution, it was estimated that the yield of singlet energy transfer in UPD was 0.17 and in TPD was 0.44. It was also observed that the ratio of phosphorescence to fluorescence was greater in the sensitized emission than in that from direct excitation of the diketone chromophore. The yield of triplet energy transfer thus measured corresponds to minimum values for the yields of intersystem crossing from singlet excited state to triplet excited state of 0.075 in the uracil chromophore of UPD and of 0.14 in the thymine chromophore of TPD. These are in agreement with other recent values for these quantities. The value of this type of system as an intramolecular triplet counter is discussed.     

Reduction of the IgE-binding ability and maintenance of immunogenicity of gamma-irradiated Dermatophagoides farinae

House dust mites, Dermatophagoides farinae (DF) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, are major allergens in the most common indoor allergen and are important risk factor for asthma. The modified antigen has been studied to treat allergic disorder. This study was carried out to measure possibility of modified allergen using gamma irradiation to treat allergy such as asthma. DF solutions (2 mg/ml) as target allergen were irradiated with Co-60 at 50 and 100 kGy. Conformational alternation of irradiated DF was observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Levels of anti-irradiated DF mouse IgGs (sub-isotypes) against intact DF were measured similar to that of anti-intact DF IgGs. The binding abilities of house dust mite-allergic patients’ IgE were reduced depending on radiation dose, and irradiation could inhibit the binding ability of patients’ IgE more than 40%. This study has shown that the binding ability of IgE was reduced by conformational alteration by irradiation and the irradiated DF had epitopes capable to induce immunogeniciy.     

Ionic liquid-coated enzyme for biocatalysis in organic solvent

Ionic liquid-coated enzyme (ILCE) is described as a useful catalyst for biocatalysis in organic solvent. An ionic liquid, [PPMIM]-[PF(6)] (1, [PPMIM] = 1-(3'-phenylpropyl)-3-methylimidazolium), which is solid at room temperature and becomes liquid above 53 degrees C, was synthesized in two steps from N-methylimidazole. The coating of enzyme was done by simply mixing commercially available enzyme with 1 in the liquid phase above 53 degrees C and then allowing the mixture to cool. A representative ILCE, prepared with a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia, showed markedly enhanced enantioselectivity without losing any significant activity.     

Mimicry of tandem repeat peptides against cell surface carbohydrates

Our approach to multivalent peptide construction relies on tentacle peptides, also known as a multiple antigenic peptides, which contain two and four repeats of a selected peptide. In this communication, we report the results of preliminary studies aimed at (1) the selection of short peptides against the carbohydrate, sLeX, (2) the synthesis of tentacle dimers and tetramers of the selected peptides, and (3) the determination of affinities and specificities of the peptides to several related carbohydrates by using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the equilibrium dialysis techniques. Binding affinity studies, as well as assays of in vitro binding of the peptides to a sLeX-specific cell line, have shown that the tetrameric peptides bind to the cell surface sugars.     

Ionizing radiation induces blockade of c-Jun N-terminal kinase-dependent cell death pathway in a manner correlated with p21(Cip/WAF1) induction in primary cultured normal human fibroblasts

During radiotherapy of cancer, neighboring normal cells may receive sub-lethal doses of radiation. To investigate whether such low levels of radiation modulate normal cell responses to death stimuli, primary cultured human fibroblasts were exposed to various doses of gamma-rays. Analysis of cell viability using an exclusion dye propidium iodide revealed that the irradiation up to 10 Gy killed the fibroblasts only to a minimal extent. In contrast, the cells efficiently lost their viability when exposed to 0.5-0.65 mM H(2)O(2). This type of cell death was accompanied by JNK activation, and was reversed by the use of a JNK-specific inhibitor SP600125. Interestingly, H(2)O(2) failed to kill the fibroblasts when these cells were pre-irradiated, 24 h before H(2)O(2) treatment, with 0.25-0.5 Gy of gamma-rays. These cytoprotective doses of gamma-rays did not enhance cellular capacity to degrade H(2)O(2), but elevated cellular levels of p21(Cip/WAF1), a p53 target that can suppress H(2)O(2)-induced cell death by blocking JNK activation. Consistently, H(2)O(2)-induced JNK activation was dramatically suppressed in the pre-irradiated cells. The overall data suggests that ionizing radiation can impart normal fibroblasts with a survival advantage against oxidative stress by blocking the process leading to JNK activation.     

Targeted lipidomics using electron capture atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry

There is an increasing need to be able to conduct quantitative lipidomics analyses as a complement to proteomics studies. The highest specificity for proteomics analysis can be obtained using methodology based on electrospray ionization (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). For lipidomics analysis it is often necessary to be able to separate enantiomers and regioisomers. This can be very challenging when using methodology based on conventional reversed-phase chromatography. Normal-phase chromatography using chiral columns can provide dramatic improvements in the resolution of enantiomers and regioisomers. However, conventional ESI- and APCI-MS/MS has limited sensitivity, which makes it difficult to conduct studies in cell culture systems where only trace amounts of non-esterified bioactive lipids are present. The use of electron capture APCI-MS/MS overcomes this problem. Enantiomers and regioisomers of diverse bioactive lipids can be quantified using stable isotope dilution methodology coupled with normal-phase chiral chromatography and electron capture APCI-MS/MS. This methodology has allowed a lipidomics profile from rat epithelial cells maintained in culture to be delineated and allowed the effect of a non-selective lipoxygenase inhibitor to be assessed.     

Synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties of Cu(II) compounds bridged by the terephthalate ligand and hydrogen bonds

A 3D network [Cu(tmen)(tp)(H₂O)₂]_n (1) (tmen = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; tp = terephthalate) and a 2D sheet [Cu(pyrazole)₂(tp)]_n (2), featuring 1D chains interwoven by hydrogen bonds, have been prepared and characterized by means of X-ray analyses and magnetic measurements. For 1, coordinative zigzag chains contain Cu(II) centers capped by the chelate ligand tmen, in which the tetragonal structure is elongated due to Jahn–Teller distortion. Coordinated water molecules are hydrogen-bonded to two free carboxylate oxygens of tp bridges, leading to the observed 3D structure. The use of the non-chelating capping ligand pyrazole produced the covalent-bonded 1D linear compound 2 with hydrogen bonds. A severe octahedral distortion of the Cu(II) center arises from a small bite angle (52.3(1)°) of two carboxylate oxygen atoms of tp, which are in turn hydrogen-bonded to the N–H groups of pyrazole ligands coordinated to Cu(II) atoms in neighboring chains. Magnetic data were fitted with the high-temperature series expansion for the Heisenberg chain spin Hamiltonian H = −J∑_iS_i · S_i + 1 together with consideration of the molecular field approximation (zJ′). Both compounds interestingly exhibit ferromagnetic interactions with g = 2.17, J = 4.08 cm⁻¹, zJ′ = −0.28 cm⁻¹ for 1 and g = 2.09, J = 1.47 cm⁻¹, zJ′ = −0.04 cm⁻¹ for 2. By taking into account structural parameters of distances between Cu atoms, it is reasonably assigned that the ferromagnetic couplings (J > 0) in these systems originate from the hydrogen bonds. The spin density of the d_x²-y² orbital on a Cu(II) atom in a chain is propagated and induced over the d_z² orbital of another Cu(II) atom in an adjacent chain. This orbital orthogonality gives rise to such interactions. The negative zJ′ term suggests that the tp bridges communicate only tiny antiferromagnetic interactions.     

Determination of copper(II) in various samples by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry after column preconcentration onto pulverized Amberlite XAD-4 loaded with N-benzoylphenylhydroxylamine

A sensitive technique for the determination of trace Cu(II) in various samples after column preconcentration by adsorbing onto pulverized Amberlite XAD-4 loaded with N-benzoylphenylhydroxylamine (BPHA) was developed. Several experimental conditions, such as the size of XAD-4, adsorption flow rate, pH of sample solution, and so forth, were optimized. The interfering effects of diverse concomitant ions were investigated. Al(III), Fe(III), Ni(II), and Co(II) interfered, but the interference by these ions was completely eliminated by adjusting the amount of XAD-4-BPHA resin to 0.30 g. The dynamic range, the correlation coefficient (R₂), and the detection limit obtained by the proposed technique were 1.0–60, 0.9953, and 0.83 ng/mL, respectively. For validating the technique, the aqueous samples (stream water, reservoir water, and wastewater), the diluted brass sample, and the plastic sample were used as real samples. Recovery yields of 94–102% were obtained. These measured data were not different from ICP-MS data at the 95% confidence level. This method was also validated by rice flour CRM (normal, fortified) samples. Based on the results of the experiment, it has been found that the proposed technique can be applied to the determination of Cu(II) in various real samples. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Chemical Constituents from the Root of Antidesma Pentandrum var. Barbatum

Investigation of the root extract of Antidesma pentandrum var. barbatum led to the isolation of seven new compounds, antidesmol ( 1 ), antidesmanins E ( 2 ) and F ( 3 ), antidesnone ( 4 ), antidesnol ( 5 ), barbatumols A ( 6 ) and B ( 7 ), together with 14 known compounds including sodium aristolochate‐I ( 10 ) and aristolochic acid‐I methyl ester ( 11 ).