The antiapoptotic effect of low-dose UVB irradiation in NIH3T3 cells involves caspase inhibitions

UVB irradiation is a well-known apoptosis induction factor. However, we have previously found that low doses of UVB irradiation inhibited apoptosis induced by both serum starvation and lack of extracellular matrix, involving a significant inhibition of caspase-3/7 activation. In this study, we report on the relationship between the UVB-induced anti-apoptotic effect and caspase-3/7 inhibition by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The UVB-induced antiapoptotic effect was partially prevented by an antioxidant agent, N-acetylcysteine. A ROS-generating agent, menadione and a pro-oxidant agent, H2O2 also showed an effect that was similar to the UVB-induced antiapoptotic effect, indicating that ROS contributed to the antiapoptotic effect. UVB irradiation significantly suppressed caspase-3/7 activation, which was caused by the inhibition of proteolysis and not by the inhibition of enzymatic activity itself. The prevention of proteolysis was also confirmed by both the following results: one is the inhibition of in vitro caspase-3/7 and -9 activation in cell lysates exposed to UVB in the presence of cytochrome c and dATP, which was caused by the production of ROS, and the other is the inhibition of in vitro caspase-3/7 activation in the presence of active caspase-9. These results showed that the inhibition of the caspase cascade downstream mitochondria by ROS production, leading to a significant inhibition of caspase-3/7 activation, was one of the causes of the antiapoptotic effect by small doses of UVB irradiation.     

Synthesis of tert-butyl-substituted poly (ether ketone) by nickel-catalyzed coupling polymerization of aromatic dichloride

tert-Butyl substituted poly (aryl ether ketone)s with relatively high molecular weights were prepared by the Ni-catalyzed polymerization of tert-butyl substituted aromatic dichlorides containing ether ketone unit. These polymers were amorphous and soluble in common organic solvents, such as THF, dichloromethane, and chloroform. De-tert-butylation of the polymer by the treatment of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid in the presence of toluene proceeded smoothly and produced crystalline poly (aryl ether ketone). © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of 2-, 4- and 5-(2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-alkyloxybenzo[b]furans and their leukotriene B4 receptor antagonistic activity

Variable benzo[b]furan derivatives having (E)- and (Z)-2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl groups at the 2-, 4- and 5-positions and a carboxylpropoxy or (1-phenyl)ethoxy group at the 7-position were prepared to find novel and selective leukotriene B4(LTB4) receptor antagonists. (E)-2-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-(1-phenylethoxy)benzo[b]furan (4v) showed selective inhibition to the human BLT2 receptor (hBLT2). On the other hand, (E)-2-acetyl-4-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)-7-(1-phenylethoxy)benzo[b]furan (7v) inhibited both human BLT(1) receptor (hBLT1) and hBLT2. The (E)-2-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl) group lay on approximately the same plane as the benzo[b]furan ring, whereas the (E)-4-(2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl) group had the torsion angle (45.7 degree) from the benzo[b]furan ring plane. However, the (Z)-(2-alkylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl)benzo[b]furans were inactive. The inhibitory activity depended on the conformation of the 2-diethylcarbamoyl-1-methylvinyl group.     

An efficient 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between aromatic selenoaldehydes and nitrile oxides or nitrile imines: an easy access to selenium-containing five-membered heterocyclic ring system

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition between aromatic selenoaldehydes, generated by thermal retro Diels-Alder reaction of anthracene cycloadducts, and nitrile oxides or nitrile imines proceeded efficiently to give the corresponding [3+2] cycloadducts as a single isomer in good yields, being 1,4,2-oxaselenazoles or 1,3,4-selenadiazoles, respectively.     

Reaction of selenobenzophenones with olefins. Formation of 1H-2-benzoselenopyrans. Reaction of 1H-2-benzoselenopyrans with diazoalkanes

Selenobenzophenone reacts as a diene with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) to lead to dimethyl 1H-1-diphenylmethyl-1-phenyl-2-benzoselenopyran-3,4-dicarboxylate (5c) in moderate yield; the initial [4 + 2] cycloaddition is followed by the addition of another 1 mol equiv of selenobenzophenone. The reaction might proceed through carbene insertion of the primary cycloadduct. On the other hand, 4,4'-dimethoxyselenobenzophenone combines as a diene with DMAD furnishing dimethyl 1H-1-p-methoxyphenyl-6-methoxy-2-benzoselenopyran-3,4-dicarboxylate (4a). The reaction of benzoselenopyran derivative (4) with diaryldiazomethanes afforded another type of carbene insertion product.     

Attenuation correction of SPECT imaging by dual energy method--quantification of 111In-labeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibody localization

Application of radiolabeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibodies for diagnosis and therapy has made remarkable progress in the past few years. Quantification of radiopharmaceutical localization is required adequate attenuation correction in SPECT imaging. Attenuation correction by transmission CT (TCT) data is one of the best method at present time. However, if a patient is moved between TCT and SPECT, this method is no more applicable. We developed a new attenuation correction algorithm by dual energy method, using 99mTc and 111In because of similarity of these linear attenuation coefficients. The new algorithm uses data of TCT with an external source of 99mTc, and requires another data from SPECT of 111In labeled monoclonal anti-tumor antibody, which are simultaneously obtained. TCT results in an attenuation map, which then serves as input into the final intrinsic correction algorithm to uncorrected SPECT data. In chest phantom experiment, the attenuation corrected SPECT images revealed nearly same distribution of actual radioactivity of 111In as compared to that of uncorrected one.     

Magnetic/Conducting Hybrid Compound Composed of 1-D Chain [Mn2Cl5(EtOH)]∞ and BEDT-TTF Stacking Layer

An assembled compound (BEDT-TTF)₂[Mn₂Cl₅(EtOH)] (1) consisting of two structural lattices of Mn(II)-Cl one-dimensional (1-D) chains and bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) stacking layers was synthesized by electrochemical crystallization. Compound 1 crystallized in triclinic space group P-1 (#2) with a=13.1628(5) Å, b=20.3985(9) Å, c=7.4966(3) Å, α=98.3498(8)°, β=104.980(1)°, γ=74.602(2)°, V=1868.3(1) ų, and Z=2. The 1-D chains and the stacking layers are aligned along the c-axis of the unit cell. The 1-D chain is described as [Mn₂Cl₅(EtOH)]_∞⁻ in which two Mn(II) ions and four Cl⁻ ions form a ladder-like chain with Kagomé (cuboidal) sublattices, and the remaining Cl⁻ ion and an ethanol molecule cap the edge-positioned Mn(II) ions of the chains. The BEDT-TTF molecules are packed between the Mn-Cl chains (ac-plane), the intermolecular S·S contacts of which are approximately found in the range 3.440(2)-3.599(2) Å. The packing feature of BEDT-TTF molecules is very similar to that of (BEDT-TTF)₂ClO₄(TCE)_0.5 (TCE=1,1,2-trichloroethane) (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 105, 297 (1983)). Regarding the electronic state of each BEDT-TTF molecule, Raman spectroscopic analysis and ESR study revealed the presence of half-valence BEDT-TTF molecules (charge delocalization) in 1. Magnetic measurements clearly demonstrated that the paramagnetic spins on the 1-D chain [Mn₂Cl₅(EtOH)]_∞⁻ arrange antiferromagnetically in the low-temperature region. Additionally, 1 exhibits metallic conductivity in the temperature range 2.0-300 K (σ=21 S cm⁻¹ at 300 K and 1719 S cm⁻¹ at 2.0 K), due to the contribution of the stacked BEDT-TTFs. Consequently, these peculiarities that correspond to antiferromagnetic/metallic conductivity demonstrate the “bi-functionality” of 1.     

Cationic dye-sensitized degradation of sodium hyaluronate through photoinduced electron transfer in the upper excited state

The formation of ground-state complexes of methylene blue (MB) and thionine (TN) with sodium hyaluronate (NaHA) was clearly observed by means of absorption spectra in aqueous solution. Irradiation of the complexes using 313 nm light caused significant degradation of NaHA under oxygen and argon. However, the use of visible light over 400 nm, which gives the lowest excited singlet state of the cationic dyes, caused no degradation. MB and TN were more efficient sensitizers for the degradation of NaHA than rose bengal (RB), although RB is a more efficient singlet oxygen (1O2) sensitizer than the cationic dyes. Under similar conditions the polysaccharides with carboxyl groups, such as alginic acid and polygalacturonic acid, also photodecomposed. However, the polysaccharides without carboxyl groups, such as pullulan and methyl cellulose, did not. The irradiation of the polysaccharides in the presence of powdered titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst to generate the hydroxyl radical (.OH) in aerated aqueous solution caused the fragmentation of all the polymers. It was confirmed that methyl viologen, an electron-accepting sensitizer, formed a charge-transfer complex with NaHA, the irradiation of which caused the efficient degradation of NaHA. In the presence of beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins the MB- and TN-sensitized photodegradation of NaHA was markedly suppressed. This was probably due to the formation of the inclusion complexes comprising the cationic dyes and the cyclodextrins. On the basis of the results obtained we propose that the cationic dye-sensitized degradation of NaHA involves a photoinduced electron-transfer process between the upper excited dyes and the ground-state NaHA and that .OH and 1O2 do not participate in the degradation.     

Rapid and simultaneous analysis of dichlorvos, malathion, carbaryl, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid in citrus fruit by flow-injection ion spray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A simple method for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of dichlorvos (DDVP), malathion, carbaryl, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) in citrus fruit, which uses flow-injection ion spray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, has been developed for the first time. The method involves the combined use of stable isotopically labeled internal standards (DDVP-d₆, malathion-d₁₀, carbaryl-d₇, and 2,4-D-d₅) and a multiple reaction monitoring technique. The average recoveries for the pesticides at the same concentrations as their tolerance levels (DDVP: 0.1-0.2 μg g⁻¹; malathion: 0.5-4.0 μg g⁻¹; carbaryl: 1.0 μg g⁻¹; 2,4-D: 1.0-2.0 μg g⁻¹) ranged from 90 to 119% with the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) ranging from 1.0 to 13.1% (n = 5). Analysis time, including sample preparation and determination, was only 15 min. The present method is effective for screening DDVP, malathion, carbaryl, and 2,4-D in citrus fruit.     

Purification of Food Color Red No. 106 (acid red) using pH-zone-refining counter-current chromatography

pH-Zone-refining counter-current chromatography was successfully applied to the separation of the main components of Food Color Red No. 106 (R-106, acid red, Color Index No. 45100). A 300-mg quantity of sample was separated using the following two-phase solvent system: n-butanol-water, 40 mM sulfuric acid in organic stationary phase and 30 mM ammonia in aqueous mobile phase. The obtained fractions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The separation yielded 261.9 mg of main component of acid red with purity of 99.9%.