Amino acids and peptides. XXX. Synthesis of eglin c (41-49) and eglin c (60-63) and examination of their inhibitory activity towards human leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G, porcine pancreatic elastase and alpha-chymotrypsin

H-Ser-Pro-Val-Thr-Leu-Asp-Leu-Arg-Tyr-OH and H-Thr-Asn-Val-Val-OH, which correspond to the sequences 41-49 and 60-63 of eglin c, respectively, were synthesized by a conventional solution approach using the newly developed 6-chloro-2-pyridyl ester method. The inhibitory activities of the above two peptides against human leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G, porcine pancreatic elastase and alpha-chymotrypsin were examined in comparison with those of the corresponding methyl esters.     

Synthesis and biological activity of novel 5-(omega-aryloxyalkyl)oxazole derivatives as brain-derived neurotrophic factor inducers

A novel series of 5-(omega-aryloxyalkyl)oxazole derivatives was prepared and their effects on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production were evaluated in human neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH) cells. Syntheses were performed by construction of an oxazole ring as a key reaction. Most of the 5-(omega-aryloxyalkyl)oxazole derivatives markedly increased BDNF production in SK-N-SH cells. 4-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-5-[3-(2-methoxyphenoxy)propyl]-1, 3-oxazole, one of the most promising compounds, showed potent activity (EC(50)=7.9 microM) and the improvement of the motor nerve conduction velocity and the tail-flick response accompanied by a recovery of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in the sciatic nerve of streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats.     

Inhibitory effect of bis(2-aminohexyl) disulfide and bis(2-amino-3-phenylpropyl) disulfide on several mouse inflammations.

The anti-inflammatory profile of the analogues of bis(2-aminopropyl) disulfide dihydrochloride with butyl (compd. II) and phenyl (compd. III) instead of the methyl group was studied in several mouse models related to phagocyte functions. The test samples were administered 2-3 h before the inflammatory stimulation or the peak of inflammation. Subcutaneously administered, compds. II and III significantly inhibited serotonin-induced paw edema in a dose-dependent manner (50% inhibitory dose values: 10 and 5 mg/kg, respectively), when orally administered at 25 mg/kg, these compounds were significantly effective, but their potencies were weaker. Neither compound had any irritant activity when administered at a dose of 12.5 micrograms/5 microliters/paw into the paw. In a sheep red blood cells (SRBC)-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction model, compd. II (25 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly inhibited the DTH responses when administered at two different times in relation to the time of challenge. However, there was only slight inhibition by compd. III (25 mg/kg, s.c.) on paw edema formation when administered 14 h after secondary immune response. In a model of experimental acute hepatic failure induced by successive injections of Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide, both compounds increased mouse survived, compared with the control mice, and kept the serum levels of components involved in hepatic failure to nearly normal levels. These results demonstrate that compds. II and III possess an inhibitory effect on inflammation related to phagocytes.     

Amino acids and peptides. XXVIII. Synthesis of peptide fragments related to eglin c and studies on the relationship between their structure and effects on human leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin

Various peptide fragments related to eglin c, which consists of 70 amino acid residues, were synthesized by a conventional solution method and their inhibitory effects on leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin were examined. Among them, H-Arg-Glu-Tyr-Phe-OMe (eglin c 22-25) and H-Ser-Pro-Val-Thr-Leu-Asp-Leu-Arg-Tyr-OMe (eglin c 41-49) inhibited cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin but not leukocyte elastase, while H-Thr-Asn-Val-Val-OMe (eglin c 60-63) inhibited leukocyte elastase but not cathepsin G or alpha-chymotrypsin, although eglin c potently inhibited leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin. These results indicated that the interaction sites of eglin c with leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G and alpha-chymotrypsin might be different.     

Rearrangement of the main-chain and subsequent thermal degradation of polyphenylene-ether

Studies of the thermal rearrangement and degradation of polyphenylene-ether (PPE) have been carried out by TGA (thermo-gravimetric analysis), GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy) and ¹H-NMR. 2,6-Xylenol was a major scission product in the temperature range 420–700 °C, and 3,5-xylenol, as a scission product, decreased with increasing temperature. Four monomeric and eight dimeric scission products were observed at relatively high temperatures. The distribution of the scission products, which changed with increasing temperature, led to the suggestion that rearrangement of the PPE main-chain occurred to form diphenyl methylene groups, followed by thermal degradation.     

Influence of melatonin on reproductive behavior in male rats.

The influence of melatonin on reproductive behavior was examined by administering it to pinealectomized male rats for 30 consecutive days. After the 30-d administration of melatonin or vehicle, each male rat was introduced into a female rat's cage on the day of proestrus and allowed to mate overnight. All rats administered the vehicle and the pinealectomized rats copulated; five of the twelve melatonin (8.0 mg/kg)-treated rats did not copulate. These findings suggest that melatonin inhibits the reproductive behavior of male rats.