The biochemistry of cell-adhesion

The proposition is examined that adhesion between cells of animal tissues, and between cells and their extracellular matrix, is brought about by specific molecules present at cell-surfaces. Evidence is surveyed which has begun to emerge from the use of antibodies which inhibit or reverse adhesion. Putative cell-adhesion molecules in cellular slime-moulds and cells of chick and mouse embryos have been identified by their ability to neutralize the adhesion-inhibiting activity of monovalent fragments of polyspecific antibodies. In some instances antibodies have also been used to investigate the role of the cell-adhesion molecules in morphogenetic phenomena. A possible parallel is discussed between the effects of calcium ions on the cell-adhesion molecule uvomorulin from mouse blastomeres, and its effects on certain other cell-adhesion molecules.Although the role of fibronectin in promoting attachment and spreading of cells on artificial substrates and on denatured collagen is firmly established, there is little evidence that this glycoprotein is involved in direct intercellular adhesion. The observation that cells spread on adsorbed fibronectin, whereas binding of individual fibronectin molecules to cells is difficult to demonstrate may merely indicate that fibronectin is a relatively weak ligand for cell-surfaces. It is suggested that rather than being a necessary intermediate in the adhesion of cells to collagen, fibronectin may form matrix in its own right which shares with native collagen the ability to promote cell-attachment and spreading.The long-held view that cell-surface oligosaccharides act as receptors in cell-adhesion appears still to be largely unsubstantiated. However the poorly adhesive properties of cells from many different lines with glycosylation defects strongly suggest N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins are involved in some way as yet not determined.     

Reactions of methylniobium(V) and methyltantalum(V) chlorides with carbodiimides

The chlorides Me_xMCl_5-x, M = Nb, Ta, x = 1, 2, 3 react with carbodiimides RNCNR (R = isopropyl, cyclohexyl, p-tolyl) to give products of the types MCl₄[NR-C(Me)=NR], MeMCl₃[NR-C(Me)=NR], MCl₃[NR-C(Me)=NR]₂, Me₂MCl₂[NR-C(Me)=NR], MeMCl₂[NR-C(Me)=NR]₂, which cóntain bidentate acetamidine groups arising from insertion of the carbodiimide into the metal-carbon bond. The products have been characterised by elemental analysis IR and proton NMR spectra.     

Preparation and use of 18-fluorine labelled inorganic compounds

2,2,6,6-Tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-1,3,5-oxadiazines 3 on thermolysis undergo a retro Diels Alder reaction. On elimination of hexafluoroacetone 2 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes are formed, which are transformed into 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydro-quinazolines 6, 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,4-dihydro-1,3,5-triazines 11, and hexahydro-1,3,5-triazines 20, respectively, depending on the substituents present at the heterodiene skeleton.     

Metallacycloalkanes: I. Preparation and characterisation of α,α′-bipyridyl-5-nickela-3,3,7,7-tetramethyl-trans-tricyclo[4.1.0.02,4]heptane

Oxidative addition of 2 molecules of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene (I) to α,α′-bipyridyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (III) gave the title compound (IV) in over 90% yield. Complex IV was characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (a 13.7081(2), b 14.638(2), c 9.5139(1) Å, β 110.82(1)°, C2/c, R = 0.05 for 1614 reflections).     

Synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of the sulfoxides of 4-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] - 3,4- dihydro- 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzothiazine

Oxidation of 4-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3,4-dihydro-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzothiazine, hydrochloride (I) with hydrogen peroxide yielded a mixture of two sulfoxides (II). Since this mixture exhibited antiinflammatory activity, the two components (Isomers A and B) were prepared in purified form by oxidation of I with N-chlorosuccinimide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Isomer A was more potent than Isomer B in the carrageenin-induced edema test.     

Dynamic behaviour of river colloidal and dissolved organic matter through cross-flow ultrafiltration system

Through cross-flow filtration (CFF) with a 1-kDa regenerated cellulose Pellicon 2 module, the ultrafiltration characteristics of river organic matter from Longford Stream, UK, were investigated. The concentration of organic carbon (OC) in the retentate in the Longford Stream samples increased substantially with the concentration factor (cf), reaching approximately 40 mg/L at cf 15. The results of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and colloidal organic carbon (COC) analysis, tracking the isolation of colloids from river waters, show that 2 mg/L of COC was present in those samples and good OC mass balance (77-101%) was achieved. Fluorescence measurements were carried out for the investigation of retentate and permeate behaviour of coloured dissolved organic materials (CDOM). The concentrations of CDOM in both the retentate and permeate increased with increasing cf, although CDOM were significantly more concentrated in the retentate. The permeation model expressing the correlation between log[CDOM] in the permeate and logcf was able to describe the permeation behaviour of CDOM in the river water with regression coefficients (r(2)) of 0.94 and 0.98. Dry weight analysis indicated that the levels of organic colloidal particles were from 49 to 71%, and between 29 and 51% of colloidal particles present were inorganic. COC as a percentage of DOC was found to be 10-16% for Longford Stream samples.     

Identification of inhibitors for UDP-galactopyranose mutase

The flavoenzyme uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP)-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) plays a key role in the cell wall biosynthesis of many pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Using a synthetic fluorescent ligand, we screened 16 000 compounds in a fluorescence polarization assay. Effective inhibitors of UGM were identified.     

Isothiazoles XI. Diels-alder adducts of 4-isothiazolin-3-one 1-oxides and 1,1-dioxides

4-Isothiazolin-3-one 1-oxides and 1,1-dioxides react with a variety of cyclic and acyclic dienes to afford cycloaddition products.     

Functionalization of substituted 2-(1H)pyridones. II. Synthetic pathways to c-6 modified 3-cyano- and 3-carboxy-2-(1H)pyridones from a common precursor

Starting from readily available 1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarbonitrile, 1, viable synthetic pathways to a number of C-6 functionalized 1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarbonitriles and corresponding acids are presented. Through the utilization of dianion chemistry, the C-6 methyl substituent is selectively functionalized to three different oxidation levels.     

The use of fluorescence in determining formation constants of complexes : Part II. Complexes which fluoresce

Four different methods for the calculation of the formation constants of fluorescing complexes are discussed. The methods were used to determine constants for the complexes of aluminum(III), gallium(III) and indium(III) with 8-quinolinol-5-sulfonate anion.