Improved immunodetection of human papillomavirus E7

Human papillomavirus E7 (HPV E7) is a viral oncoprotein that plays an important role in cervical carcinogenesis through binding with retinoblastoma protein (Rb). Inactivation of Rb by E7 is necessary but not sufficient for cellular transformation, suggesting other protein-protein interactions are required for E7-mediated cellular transformation aside from the interaction with Rb. However, studies on the oncogenic function of HPV E7 have been limited by its poor immunoreactivity. In this report, we show that the fixation of purified recombinant HPV E7 on blotted nitrocellulose membrane with glutaldehyde markedly enhanced the immunoreactivity of HPV E7 protein. Using HeLa and Caski cell lines which are infected with HPV 18 and HPV 16, respectively, we demonstrated that native HPV E7 proteins also could be detected by this method. These results therefore can provide the experimental conditions for detection of HPV E7 proteins with greater sensitivity and may help to analyze E7 functions.     

Mimicry of tandem repeat peptides against cell surface carbohydrates

Our approach to multivalent peptide construction relies on tentacle peptides, also known as a multiple antigenic peptides, which contain two and four repeats of a selected peptide. In this communication, we report the results of preliminary studies aimed at (1) the selection of short peptides against the carbohydrate, sLeX, (2) the synthesis of tentacle dimers and tetramers of the selected peptides, and (3) the determination of affinities and specificities of the peptides to several related carbohydrates by using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and the equilibrium dialysis techniques. Binding affinity studies, as well as assays of in vitro binding of the peptides to a sLeX-specific cell line, have shown that the tetrameric peptides bind to the cell surface sugars.     

Polymerizable benzophenone derivatives for labeling vinyl acetate‐butylacrylate latex particles

We describe the synthesis and characterization of three new polymerizable benzophenone derivatives [2‐acryloxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone ( 8 ), 4′‐dimethylamino‐2‐acryloxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone ( 9 ), and 4′‐dimethylamino‐2‐(β‐acryloxyethyl)oxy‐5‐methyl benzophenone ( 10 )]. We show that these monomers can successfully be incorporated into vinyl acetate (VAc) copolymer latex particles. These particles were prepared by semicontinuous emulsion polymerization and mini‐emulsion polymerization of VAc with butylacrylate (BA) for VAc/BA = 4/1 by weight. The two monomers 9 and 10 bearing the 4′‐dimethylamino group satisfy the important spectroscopic criteria required of a dye to serve as an acceptor chromophore for nonradiative energy transfer from phenanthrene (Phe) as the donor. Their UV absorption spectra suggest significant overlap with the emission spectrum of Phe, which can be incorporated into P(VAc‐co‐BA) latex through copolymerization with 9‐acryloxymethyl Phe ( 2 ). In addition, these chromophores provide a window in their absorption spectra for excitation of the Phe chromophore at 300 nm. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3001–3011, 2002     

Disulfides of manganese carbonyl. Synthesis of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S2) and its reactions with tertiary phosphines and arsines

The reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(9)(NCMe) with thiirane yielded the sulfidomanganese carbonyl compounds Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S(2)), 2, Mn(4)(CO)(15)(mu(3)-S(2))(mu(4)-S(2)), 3, and Mn(4)(CO)(14)(NCMe)(mu(3)-S(2))(mu(4)-S(2)), 4, by transfer of sulfur from the thiirane to the manganese complex. Compound 3 was obtained in better yield from the reaction of 2 with CO, and compound 4 is obtained from the reaction of 2 with NCMe. The reaction of 2 with PMe(2)Ph yielded the tetramanganese disulfide Mn(4)(CO)(15)(PMe(2)Ph)(2)(mu(3)-S)(2), 5, and S=PMe(2)Ph. The reaction of 5 with PMe(2)Ph yielded Mn(4)(CO)(14)(PMe(2)Ph)(3)(mu(3)-S)(2), 6, by ligand substitution. The reaction of 2 with AsMe(2)Ph yielded the new complexes Mn(4)(CO)(14)(AsMe(2)Ph)(2)(mu(3)-S(2))(2), 7, Mn(4)(CO)(14)(AsMe(2)Ph)(mu(3)-S(2))(mu(4)-S(2)), 8, Mn(6)(CO)(20)(AsMe(2)Ph)(2)(mu(4)-S(2))(3), 9, and Mn(2)(CO)(6)(AsMe(2)Ph)(mu-S(2)), 10. Reaction of 2 with AsPh(3) yielded the monosubstitution derivative Mn(2)(CO)(6)(AsPh(3))(mu-S(2)), 11. Reaction of 7 with PMe(2)Ph yielded Mn(4)(CO)(15)(AsMe(2)Ph)(2)(mu(3)-S)(2), 12. The phosphine analogue of 7, Mn(4)(CO)(14)(PMe(2)Ph)(2)(mu(3)-S(2))(2), 13, was prepared from the reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(9)(PMe(2)Ph) with Me(3)NO and thiirane. Compounds 2-9 and 11-13 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 2 contains a disulfido ligand that bridges two Mn(CO)(3) groups that are joined by a Mn-Mn single bond, 2.6745(5) A in length. A carbonyl ligand bridges the Mn-Mn bond. Compounds 3 and 4 contain four manganese atoms with one triply bridging and one quadruply bridging disulfido ligand. Compounds 5 and 6 contain four manganese atoms with two triply bridging sulfido ligands. Compound 9 contains three quadruply bridging disulfido ligands imbedded in a cluster of six manganese atoms.     

A convenient and efficient preparation of β-substituted α-haloenones from diazodicarbonyl compounds

Rhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of cyclic diazodicarbonyl compounds with a variety of halides have been examined. With acid halides, β-acyloxy α-haloenones are produced in good yields. With benzyl halides, β-benzyloxy α-haloenones are obtained in good yields. Reactions with methylene halides yield β-halomethoxy α-haloenones in good yields, whereas reactions with ethyl halides and ethylene dihalides result in β-hydroxy α-haloenones in high yields. These reactions provide a useful and rapid entry to β-substituted α-haloenones. The mechanistic pathway for the formation of these products has been also described in terms of halonium ylides.     

RELATIVE REACTIVITIES OF THE EXCITED STATES OF FUROCOUMARINS FOR [2+2] PHOTOCYCLOADDITION REACTION WITH TETRAMETHYLETHYLENE

Abstract— The Stern-Volmer constants for fluorescence quenching by tetramethylethylene decrease in the order DMC ≫ DHP > F-2 > 8-MOP. The same order was observed for the quantum yields of [2+2] cycloaddition reaction with tetramethylethylene on direct irradiation. In [2+2] photocycloaddition of F-2 with tetramethylethylene in ethanol, the ratio of quantum yields deduced from singlet and triplet states of F-2; φ₃⁰/φ₁⁰, is about 5. The excited triplet state is the reactive state for the [2+2] photocycloaddition of F-2 with tetramethylethylene in solution but the excited singlet state of F-2 becomes very important in biological conditions.     

High levels of soluble herpes virus entry mediator in sera of patients with allergic and autoimmune diseases

Herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) is a newly discovered member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily that has a role in herpes simplex virus entry, in T cell activation and in tumor immunity. We generated mAb against HVEM and detected soluble HVEM (SHVEM) in the sera of patients with various autoimmune diseases. HVEM was constitutively expressed on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, CD19(+) B cells, CD14(+) monocytes, neutrophils and dendritic cells. In three-way MLR, mAb 122 and 139 were agonists and mAb 108 had blocking activity. An ELISA was developed to detect sHVEM in patient sera. sHVEM levels were elevated in sera of patients with allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis. The mAbs discussed here may be useful for studies of the role of HVEM in immune responses. Detection of soluble HVEM might have diagnostic and prognostic value in certain immunological disorders.     

H2/CO2 separations in multicomponent metal-adeninate MOFs with multiple chemically distinct pore environments

Metal–organic frameworks constructed from multiple (≥3) components often exhibit dramatically increased structural complexity compared to their 2 component (1 metal, 1 linker) counterparts, such as multiple chemically unique pore environments and a plurality of diverse molecular diffusion pathways. This inherent complexity can be advantageous for gas separation applications. Here, we report two isoreticular multicomponent MOFs, bMOF-200 (4 components; Cu, Zn, adeninate, pyrazolate) and bMOF-201 (3 components; Zn, adeninate, pyrazolate). We describe their structures, which contain 3 unique interconnected pore environments, and we use Kohn–Sham density functional theory (DFT) along with the climbing image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) method to predict potential H₂/CO₂ separation ability of bMOF-200. We examine the H₂/CO₂ separation performance using both column breakthrough and membrane permeation studies. bMOF-200 membranes exhibit a H₂/CO₂ separation factor of 7.9. The pore space of bMOF-201 is significantly different than bMOF-200, and one molecular diffusion pathway is occluded by coordinating charge-balancing formate and acetate anions. A consequence of this structural difference is reduced permeability to both H₂ and CO₂ and a significantly improved H₂/CO₂ separation factor of 22.2 compared to bMOF-200, which makes bMOF-201 membranes competitive with some of the best performing MOF membranes in terms of H₂/CO₂ separations.

Tailorable multicomponent MOFs and MOF membranes for efficient H₂/CO₂ separation.     

Facile syntheses of all possible diastereomers of conduritol and various derivatives of inositol stereoisomers in high enantiopurity from myo-inositol

Phosphoinositide-based signaling processes are crucially important in intracellular signal transduction events. Inositol phosphate analogues have been useful in probing the structure-activity relationships between inositol phosphates and biomacromolecules, and in studying biological functions of newly found inositol phosphates. Thus, a systematic and ready access to inositol stereoisomers is highly desirable. And practical and convenient syntheses of conduritols and related compounds are also important because of their biological activities and their synthetic utilities in the preparation of other bioactive molecules. We herein report the first syntheses of all possible diastereomers of conduritol and various derivatives of eight inositol stereoisomers in high enantiopurity from myo-inositol, which involve efficient enzymatic resolution of the intermediates conduritol B and C derivatives, followed by oxidation-reduction or the Mitsunobu reaction, and cis-dihydroxylation in stereo- and regioselective manners.     

Insertion of a bis(phosphine)platinum group into the S-S bond of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S(2))

The reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S(2)), 1, with Pt(PPh(3))(2)(PhC(2)Ph) yielded the new complex, Mn(2)(CO)(6)Pt(PPh(3))(2)(mu(3)-S)(2), 3, by loss of CO and insertion of a Pt(PPh(3))(2) group into the S-S bond of 1. Complex 3 was characterized crystallographically and was found to consist of an open Mn(2)Pt cluster with one Mn-Mn bond, 2.8154(14) A, one Mn-Pt bond, 2.9109(10) A, and two triply bridging sulfido ligands. Compound 3 reacts with CO to form adduct Mn(2)(CO)(6)(mu-CO)Pt(PPh(3))(2)(mu(3)-S)(2), 4. Compound 4 also contains an open Mn(2)Pt cluster with two triply bridging sulfido ligands but has only one metal-metal bond, Mn-Mn = 2.638(2) A. Under nitrogen, compound 4 readily loses CO and reverts back to 3.