Systematic synthesis of bisubstrate-type inhibitors of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases

Bisubstrate-type inhibitors for N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT)-V and -IX were designed and synthesized. These compounds carry both an acceptor trisaccaride and an UDP-GlcNAc component tethered by a linker of variable length. The acceptor trisaccharide unit was constructed using a combination of a polymer support and a resin capture-release strategy. Namely, starting with a beta-mannoside bound to low molecular weight monomethyl PEG (MPEG), successive glycosylations with donors having chloroacetyl group produced the trisaccharide, which was subjected to the capture-release purification using cysteine loaded resin. UDP-GlcNAc units carrying phosphate moieties were separately synthesized from the bromoacetamide-containing glucosamine derivative. Ligation between the acceptor thiol and each alkyl bromide on the donor unit readily proceeded, and produced the coupling product. The introduction of the UMP component gave target compounds. All of the synthesized compounds had significant activities to GnT-V and -IX. Their potencies were dependent upon the linkers length. GnT-IX was more sensitive to these inhibitors and optimum linker length was clearly different between these GnTs. The most potent inhibitor of GnT-V had Ki=18.3 microM, while that of GnT-IX had Ki = 4.7 microM.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of two dual oligothiophene-fullerene linkage molecules as photoinduced long-distance charge separation systems

To further extend photoinduced charge separation previously observed for oligothiophene-fullerene dyads (nT-C60), we have studied two novel dual oligothiophene-fullerene triads, 8T-4T-C60 and 4T-8T-C60, where quaterthiophene (4T) and octithiophene (8T) are linked by a trimethylene chain and either one is attached to a fullerene (C60). The cyclic voltammograms and electronic absorption spectra of these triad compounds indicated no electronic interactions among the three components. On the other hand, the emission spectra were markedly perturbed by electron transfer and/or energy transfer from the oligothiophene to fullerene. Detailed comparisons between the emission spectra of the triads (8T-4T-C60 and 4T-8T-C60) and the dyads (4T-C60 and 8T-C60) suggest that the additionally attached octithiophene or quaterthiophene in the triads is involved in the photophysical decay mechanism, and the 8T-4T-C60 triad undergoes photoinduced electron transfer leading to long-distance charge separation. This was actually corroborated by observation of the specific bands due to 8T*+-4T-C60*- species in the transient absorption spectra after photoexcitation of the octithiophene. The sandwich device based on the 8T-4T-C60 triad produced a more effective photovoltaic response to visible light owing to the contribution of the additional octithiophene chromophore compared to that using the dyad 4T-C60. On the other hand, the 4T-8T-C60-based device demonstrated a rather poorer photovoltaic performance when compared to the 8T-C60 device.     

Medicinal carbon tablets for treatment of acetaminophen intoxication: adsorption characteristics of medicinal carbon powder and its tablets

Adsorption characteristics of medicinal carbon powder (JP 14) for acetaminophen were examined at 37 degrees C using conventional incubation in an attempt to obtain an effective oral dosage form. Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and maltitol (MT), being able to act as a binding agent, were tested as additives. Tablets of medicinal carbon were produced by the wet granulation method. The rate and extent of adsorption of the medicinal carbon powder were roughly similar in water, JP 14 1st fluid (pH 1.2) and JP 14 2nd fluid (pH 6.8). The relationship between concentrations of free and adsorbed acetaminophen indicated that the adsorption followed the Langmuir mode. The maximal adsorption of acetaminophen in water was 0.219 g per gram medicinal carbon powder, little influenced by the addition of MT, but slightly reduced by the addition of HPC. The tablet prepared using MT as a binding agent displayed a favorable hardness and adequate disintegration time. The tablet showed good adsorption potential for acetaminophen, though the adsorption rate and extent of the tablet were reduced to some extent as compared with powder.     

Carbon monoxide ligand-exchange reaction of triruthenium cluster complexes induced by photosensitized electron transfer: a new type of photoactive CO color sensor

Oxo-acetato-bridged triruthenium cluster complexes ([Ru3(mu3-O)(mu-CH3CO2)6(L1)(L2)2](+/0)) show various color changes with variations of the total charge of the cluster complexes and terminal ligands. After photosensitized electron transfer via the triplet excited state of zinc tetraphenylporphyrin, the change of the formal oxidation state of the ruthenium ion allowed coordination with the carbon monoxide ligand accompanying the color changes.     

Infrared spectra of the (H2O)n-SO2 complexes in argon matrices

The infrared spectra of the (H(2)O)n-SO(2) complexes trapped in argon matrices have been investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition to the 1:1 and 2:1 complexes, the first spectroscopic evidence for the 3:1 complex has been obtained from the spectra of the SO stretching and the OH stretching modes. The observed frequency shifts in the bonded OH stretching region indicate that the hydrogen bonds of the 2:1 and 3:1 complexes are strengthened compared to that of the 1:1 complex, which suggests the cyclic structure of the complexes.     

The "Le Chatelier's principle"-governed response of actin filaments to osmotic stress

Actin filaments inhibit osmotic stress-driven water flow across a semipermeable membrane in proportion to the filament concentration (Ito, T.; Zaner, K. S.; Stossel, T. P. Biophys. J. 1987, 51, 745). When the filaments are cross-linked by F-actin binding protein, filamin A, this flow is stopped completely (Ito, T.; Suzuki, A.; Stossel, T. P. Biophys. J. 1992, 61, 1301). No conventional theory accurately accounts for these results. Here, this response is analyzed by formulating the entropy of the system under osmotic stress. Results demonstrate that the response of the actin filaments to osmotic stress is governed by the Le Chatelier's principle, which states that an external interaction that disturbs the equilibrium brings about processes in the body that tend to reduce the effects of this interaction. In the present case, disrupting equilibrium by osmotic stress brings about a reaction that decreases the chemical potential of water in the F-actin solution, reducing the effect of the applied osmotic disturbance. This decrease in the chemical potential of the water in the F-actin solution is caused by an increase in the chemical potential of F-actin, which is induced by isothermal absorption of heat by F-actin aided by work done by osmotic stress. As a result, F-actin has an inhibitory effect on the osmotic stress-driven water flow, and can even completely stop the flow when it is cross-linked. This is the first report demonstrating that the Le Chatelier's principle applies to the reaction of biopolymers against equilibrium disturbances such as osmotic stress.     

Stereoselective synthesis of a fragment of mycobacterial arabinan

Strategies for the stereoselective synthesis of mycobacterial arabinan were explored. Arabinofuranosyl donors with various protective groups were screened in terms of suitability for beta-(1,2-cis)-selective glycosylation. The protective group was found to affect the stereoselectivity of arabinofuranosylation. Beta-selectivity was drastically enhanced by using donors protected with 3,5-TIDPS, possibly due to conformational constraints on the furanose ring. Synthesis of heptaarabinofuranoside was then performed to demonstrate the practicality of this methodology. [reaction: see text].     

Mesoporous aluminosilicate-catalyzed Sakurai allylation and Mukaiyama aldol reaction of acetals

In the presence of a catalytic amount of mesoporous aluminosilicate (Al-MCM-41), both allyltrimethylsilane and silyl enol ether reacted with various acetals under mild reaction conditions to afford the corresponding homoallyl ethers and β-alkoxy ketones, respectively. The catalyst was easily recovered from the reaction mixture and could be reused in the same reaction without a significant loss of catalytic activity. Moreover, Al-MCM-41 exhibited high chemoselectivity for acetal over aldehyde in the reactions.     

Molecular orientation in the Nematic Ordered Cellulose film using polarized FTIR accompanied with a vapor-phase deuteration method

Previously, the authors reported “Nematic Ordered Cellulose (NOC)” that is a well-ordered state of β-1,4-glucan chains without exhibiting typical X-ray diffraction patterns of any cellulose polymorphs (Togawa and Kondo 1999; Kondo et al. 2001; Kondo 2007). The NOC was prepared by stretching water-swollen gel-like films at the draw ratio of 2.0 to provide highly oriented β-1,4-glucan molecular chains of cellulose, which was proved by the high resolution TEM observation. In this paper, a detailed study of the unique ordered state of the NOC was attempted to characterize orientation of the main chains as well as the OH groups of molecules using polarized FTIR accompanied with a vapor-phase deuteration method. The dichroic analysis suggested that the main chains were fairly oriented in the stretching direction whereas the OH groups remained unoriented. The disordered state of the OH groups regardless of the oriented state for the main chain may hinder the oriented crystallization during the preparation of NOC films.