Molecular aspects of sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell hemoglobin (hemoglobin S) contains valine instead of glutamic acid in position 6 of the β-chain. Few detectable conformational differences exist between hemoglobin S and normal adult hemoglobin (hemoglobin A). Following loss of oxygen, sickle cell hemoglobin (hemoglobin S) self associates to form a liquid crystal phase which distorts the erythrocyte into the sickle shape thereby resulting in the clinical symptomology associated with sickle cell anemia. This gel contains deoxyhemoglobin S monomers and polymers in equilibrium. The polymerization process is known to have a negative temperature coefficient, to be pH dependent, and to be extremely dependent on hemoglobin S concentration. The polymerization of deoxyhemoglobin S appears to be entropically driven and occurs in two kinetic phases, a delay period and a rapid polymerization process. The polymer consists of tubules containing six or eight strands of deoxyhemoglobin S tetramers which align with one another. Each strand is would around the tubule with a pitch of about 3000 Å, but the precise nature of the intermolecular hemoglobin S contacts is not known. Subsequent alignment of the tubules occurs and results in the tactoids observed in (S/S) erythrocytes. While many of the details of polymer formation and structure remain to be elucidated, several attempts to chemically alter the sickling phenomenon have been carried out. As yet, however, no satisfactory chemical treatment has been discovered.     

Direct formation of chromopyrrolic acid from indole-3-pyruvic acid by StaD, a novel hemoprotein in indolocarbazole biosynthesis

Indole-3-pyruvic acid was transformed to chromopyrrolic acid by a novel heme-containing enzyme StaD responsible for staurosporine biosynthetic pathway in Streptomyces sp. TP-A0274.     

The metabolism of aromatic compounds by thermophilicBacilli

A range of thermophilicBacilli were screened for the ability to grow on aromatic compounds. Five out of ten of those studied were able to utilize aromatic acids as a sole carbon source. OtherBacilli were purified after enrichment on aromatic compounds. One of these isolates, a strain ofBacillus stearothermophilus, degraded both phenol and benzoic acid. Phenol degradation proceeded via catechol, and thereafter by oxidative and nonoxidativemeta-cleavage routes. The catalytic properties of cell-free extracts displaying the activities of the initial oxygenases have been described.     

Simultaneous Quantitative Analysis of Ginsenosides Isolated from the Fruit of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and Regulation of HO-1 Expression through EGFR Signaling Has Anti-Inflammatory and Osteogenic Induction Effects in HPDL Cells

Periodontitis is a set of chronic inflammatory diseases caused by the accumulation of Gram-negative bacteria on teeth, resulting in gingivitis, pocket formation, alveolar bone loss, tissue destruction, and tooth loss. In this study, the contents of ginsenosides isolated from Panax ginseng fruit extract were quantitatively analyzed, and the anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated in human periodontal ligament cells. The major ginsenosides, Re, Ra8, and Rf, present in ginseng fruit were simultaneously analyzed by a validated method using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector; Re, Ra8, and Rf content per 1 g of P. ginseng fruit extract was 1.01 ± 0.03, 0.33 ± 0.01, and 0.55 ± 0.04 mg, respectively. Ginsenosides-Re, -Ra8, and -Rf inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory factors and the expression of important cytokines in periodontitis by inducing the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), promoting osteoblast differentiation of periodontal ligament cells, suppressing alveolar bone loss, and promoting the expression of osteoblast-specific genes, such as alp, opn, and runx2. An inhibitory effect of these ginsenosides on periodontitis and alveolar bone loss was observed via the regulation of HO-1 and subsequent epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Silencing EGFR with EGFR siRNA confirmed that the effect of ginsenosides on HO-1 is mediated by EGFR. In conclusion, this study evaluated the contents of ginsenosides-Re, -Ra8, and -Rf isolated from P. ginseng fruit extract. Therefore, these results provide important basic data for future P. ginseng fruit component studies and suggest that ginsenosides Re, Ra8, and Rf have potential as future treatment options for periodontitis.     

HNO trapping and assisted decomposition of nitroxyl donors by ferric hemes

The role of nitric oxide (NO) as a signalling molecule in biological systems has been thoroughly studied in the last decades. More recently, there has been an increasing interest in the one-electron reduction product of NO, namely nitroxyl (HNO/NO⁻). Some studies suggest that nitroxyl can be produced by nitric oxide synthases under certain conditions, and that distinct pharmacological effects are observed for NO and nitroxyl donors. HNO is capable of react with heme proteins, thiols, molecular oxygen, NO and HNO itself. However, only recently the different reactivity patterns are being thoroughly understood. Heme model compounds offer the opportunity to study the reaction kinetics without the complexity arising from ligand interactions with the protein matrix. In this study we analyzed the reaction between the commonly used nitroxyl donors sodium trioxodinitrate and toluene sulfohydroxamic acid, with the ferric model compounds microperoxidase-11 (MP11) and the cationic metalloporphyrin [Fe^IIITEPyP]⁵⁺ (Tetrakis N-ethylpyridinium-2yl porphyne). Our results show that there are two alternative modes of reactivity for nitroxyl donors towards heme in aqueous solutions. The first one comprises the heme assisted decomposition of the donor, enhancing its decomposition rate more than 100-fold. In the second, the donor produces HNO which subsequently reacts with the porphyrin. The observed rate constants (of about 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹) are consistent with the estimated data for the HNO reaction with heme proteins, and may be controlled by the leaving water ligand. This rate constant probably represents an upper limit for the bimolecular rate constant of HNO towards these proteins.     

Novel Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors to Target Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

This paper reports on a novel series of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) potentially useful for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The newly designed and synthesized compounds are structurally related to nilotinib (NIL), a second-generation oral TKI, and to a series of imatinib (IM)-based TKIs, previously reported by our research group, these latter characterized by a hybrid structure between TKIs and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inhibitors. The enzyme HO-1 was selected as an additional target since it is overexpressed in many cases of drug resistance, including CML. The new derivatives 1a–j correctly tackle the chimeric protein BCR-ABL. Therefore, the inhibition of TK was comparable to or higher than NIL and IM for many novel compounds, while most of the new analogs showed only moderate potency against HO-1. Molecular docking studies revealed insights into the binding mode with BCR-ABL and HO-1, providing a structural explanation for the differential activity. Cytotoxicity on K562 CML cells, both NIL-sensitive and -resistant, was evaluated. Notably, some new compounds strongly reduced the viability of K562 sensitive cells.     

Crystal Structure and Chemical Reactivity of Heme Phenoxide Adducts

Abstract

A simple phenoxide heme compound has been fully structurally characterized for the first time. The crystal structure of a 2,6-dichlorophenoxy Fe(III) 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin is reported and compared with the structure of simple aliphatic alkoxy aducts of Fe(III) porphyrins. It is further shown that phenoxy Fe porphyrins can promote regiospecific substitution (cyanation) of the bound phenol ring.     

Direct electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of osmium substituted horseradish peroxidase

In this contribution the substitution of the central protoporphyrin IX iron complex of horseradish peroxidase by the respective osmium porphyrin complex is described. The direct electrochemical reduction of the Os containing horseradish peroxidase (OsHRP) was achieved at ITO and modified glassy carbon electrodes and in combination with spectroscopy revealed the three redox couples Os^IIIHRP/Os^IVHRP, Os^IVHRP/Os^VHRP and Os^VHRP/Os^VIHRP. The midpoint potentials differ dependent on the electrode material used with E_1/2 (Os^III/IV) of − 0.4 V (ITO) and − 0.25 V (GC), E_1/2 (Os^IV/^V) of − 0.16 V (ITO) and + 0.10 V (GC), and E_1/2 (Os^V/VI)of + 0.18 V (ITO), respectively. Moreover, with immobilised OsHRP the direct electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide was observed. In comparison to electrodes modified with native HRP the sensitivity of the OsHRP-electrode for tert-butyl hydroperoxide is higher.     

Oxidation of 5,15-Dioxaporphyrin: Its Generality and Novelty as an Oxaporphyrin Analogue

5,15-Dioxaporphyrin ( DOP ) is a novel meso-oxaporphyrin analogue and exhibits unique 20π-antiaromaticity, unlike its mother congener of 18π-aromatic 5-oxaporphyrin, commonly known as its cationic iron complex called verdohem, which is a key intermediate of heme catabolism. To reveal its reactivities and properties as an oxaporphyrin analogue, the oxidation of tetra-β-arylated DOP ( DOP-Ar₄ ) was explored in this study. Stepwise oxidation from the 20π-electron neutral state was achieved, and the corresponding 19π-electron radical cation and 18π-electron dication were characterized. Further oxidation of the 18π-aromatic dication resulted in the formation of a ring-opened dipyrrindione product by hydrolysis. Considering a similar reaction of verdoheme to ring-opened biliverdin in the heme degradation in nature, the current result consolidates the ring-opening reactivity of oxaporphyrinium cation species.     

A Hemin-Analogous Corrphycene Derivative: Suppression of Heme Oxygenase and Reconstitution with Apomyoglobin

Summary. A closely hemin-analogous corrphycene derivative was prepared in good overall yield. By spectroscopic measurements it was shown that it complexes with the stress protein heme oxygenase and apomyoglobin in a similar way as hemin. However, due to its molecular structure it is not attacked by heme oxygenase, but is able to block this enzyme to some degree. In addition, the complex with apomyoglobin displays oxygen and carbon monoxide ligation comparable to myoglobin. These properties make this novel corrphycene derivative a candidate to be used as heme oxygenase blocker or otherwise as a blood pigment substitute.Received July 15, 2003; accepted September 5, 2003 Published online October 23, 2003