ALTERATIONS OF PROTEOGLYCANS IN ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATED SKIN

Abstract— The effect of UVB exposure on the distribution and synthesis of dermal proteoglycans was measured in the skin of hairless mice. Two groups of mice were included: one was irradiated for 10 weeks; the other was kept as control. After intraperitoneal injection of sodium ³⁵S-sulfate, punch biopsies were taken for histology and proteoglycans were extracted from the remaining skin with 4 M guanidinium chloride, containing 3–[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (0.5%, weight per volume). Following proteolytic digestion, the glycosaminoglycan constituents were isolated and analyzed by quantitative cellulose acetate electrophoresis and enzymatic digestibility.
Under the influence of UVB radiation, newly synthesized proteoglycans measured by ³⁵SO₄ uptake increased as much as 60%. In addition, the irradiated skin had a higher average content of proteoglycan than had control skin (4981 μg vs 4134 μg/g dry weight). This could be ascribed to an increase in heparin (1400 vs 533 μ g/g dry weight) and heparan sulfate (472 vs 367 μg/g dry weight), whereas no change in the concentration of hyaluronic acid (1243 vs 1372 μg/g dry weight) and dermatan sulfate (1866 vs 1863 μg/g dry weight) was observed. The irradiated animals also exhibited a marked increase in the synthesis of heparan sulfate and heparin (62% and 71%, respectively). These results demonstrate that chronic doses of UVB altered proteoglycan metabolism through both quantitative and qualitative changes.     

Characteristic classes and obstruction theory for infinite loop spaces

The classical extension problem is to determine whether or not a given mapg:AY, defined on a given subspaceA of a spaceX, has an extensionXY. The present paper examines this question in the special case where thek-invariants ofY are cohomology classes of finite order (for instance ifY is an infinite loop space).     

Numerical computation of the electrostatic interaction energy between methanol and the dyad water-imidazole

Summary The electrostatic interaction energy between methanol and the dyad water-imidazole has been computed numerically at three levels of approximation from 3D grids of the charge density of one partner and the electrostatic potential of the other. The minimum positions and energy values thus obtained compare well with those calculated analytically. The numerical procedure is especially interesting for the prediction of the stable conformers.     

Mild electrophilic trifluoromethylation of beta-ketoesters and silyl enol ethers with 5-trifluoro methyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate

Cyclic and acyclic beta-ketoesters were efficiently trifluoromethylated with 5-trifluoromethyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate in the presence of a phase-transfer catalyst to afford the corresponding alpha-substituted alpha-trifluoromethyl beta-ketoesters in good to excellent yields. In a second approach, 5-trifluoromethyldibenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate and tetrabutylammonium difluorotriphenylstannate were used for efficient electrophilic trifluoromethylation of various silyl enol ethers leading to the corresponding alpha-trifluoromethyl ketones in good to high yields.     

SELECTIVE DEGRADATION OF AMINO ACIDS PHOTOSENSITIZED BY TRYPTOPHAN IN POLYPEPTIDE STRUCTURES

Polypeptides containing a basic amino acid close to their single tryptophan residue were irradiated with monochromatic 302 nm radiation. Tryptophan photolysis was monitored by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Amino acid loss was evaluated by amino acid analysis. Only the protonated residues adjacent to tryptophan in the sequence were destroyed upon tryptophan excitation. This reaction is probably due essentially to direct interaction between the excited tryptophan and the neighbouring residue without electron solvation.     

A new simple instrument for thermomagnetometry. Applications to simultaneous thermomechanical measurements

A new instrument has been set up to study magnetic materials. Curie points measured by means of this simple apparatus are in perfect agreement with those given by a conventional magnetic balance. The apparatus may be used alone, but also combined with an electronic thermodilatometer. Curie points are emphasized simultaneously by the thermodilatometric and impedance curves. It appears that the sensitivity and reliability of the apparatus demonstrate magnetic phenomena of very low intensity such as the order point of α-Fe₂O₃.