Inhibition of 9-amino-2-methoxy-6-chloroacridine fluorescence by human serum albumin]

Study of the fluorescence quenching of 9-amino 2-methoxy 6-chloro acridine upon serum albumine additions reveals a single protein fixation site. Characteristic values of thermodynamic functions are obtained from experiments at different temperatures.     

The absolute configuration of SU 23397: A novel neuroleptic agent

Summary The absolute configuration of a novel chiral neuroleptic agent SU 23397 (I) was determined by ORD comparison of (+)-5-methoxy dihydro coumarilic acid (VIII), a synthetic precursor of SU 23397 (I), with (+)-dihydro coumarilic acid, whose absolute configuration is known⁹. This assignment was confirmed by oxidative degradation of (+)-5-methoxy dihydro coumarilic acidVIII tod-(+)-malic acid.Acknowledgments. We wish to acknowledge and thank Dr J. Karliner, Ciba-Geigy Corporation, Ardsley, New York, for the ORD curves. We thank Dr Max Wilhelm for support and encouragement.     

Occurrence of 3-methoxy octadecanoic acid in yeast lipid

Summary The fatty acid composition of a new strain of the yeastRhodotorula glutinis, grown in molasses, has been studied and found to contain palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, and small amounts of other constituents. In addition, 3-methoxy octadecanoic acid has been shown to be present in the glycolipid fraction.Partly presented at the National Symposium on Natural Product Chemistry held on February 7–8, 1983 at Bose Institute, Calcutta (India).Acknowledgments. Authors are indebted to Prof. S.C. Bhattacharyya, and Prof. A.K. Barua, Department of Chemistry for providing facilities for this work.     

Iso-cannabispiran,a new spiro compound isolated from Panamenian variant ofCannabis sativa L.

Summary An acidic fraction of Panamenian variant ofCannabis sativa L., afforded upon repeated chromatography a new non-cannabinoid phenol {5-hydroxy-7-methoxy spiro-(cyclohexane-1, 1-indan)-4-one}Ia, named iso-cannabispiran.Acknowledgment. Supported in part by NIDA contract No. 271-78-3527 and by the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.     

Beta-adrenergic receptors in rat myocardium: direct detection by a new fluorescent beta-blocker.

A new fluorescent beta-blocker, 9-amino-acridin propranolol (9-AAP), was administered i.v. to rats. Multiple fluorescent 9-AAP binding sites were observed on cardiac muscle cells in frozen sections. Intensity and density of cardiac 9-AAP fluorescence were markedly reduced following pretreatment with (+/-)- and (-)-propranolol but not with (+)-propranolol. Our findings suggest that 9-AAP may label beta-adrenergic receptor sites in rat myocardium.     

PCSK9 regulates neuronal apoptosis by adjusting ApoER2 levels and signaling

The secreted protease proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) binds to low-density lipid (LDL) receptor family members LDLR, very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and apolipoprotein receptor 2 (ApoER2), and promotes their degradation in intracellular acidic compartments. In the liver, LDLR is a major controller of blood LDL levels, whereas VLDLR and ApoER2 in the brain mediate Reelin signaling, a critical pathway for proper development of the nervous system. Expression level of PCSK9 in the brain is highest in the cerebellum during perinatal development, but is also increased in the adult brain after ischemia. The mechanism of PCSK9 function and its involvement in neuronal apoptosis is poorly understood. We show here that RNAi-mediated knockdown of PCSK9 significantly reduced the death of potassium-deprived cerebellar granule neurons (CGN), as shown by reduced levels of nuclear phosphorylated c-Jun and activated caspase-3, as well as condensed apoptotic nuclei. ApoER2 protein levels were increased in PCSK9 RNAi cells. Knockdown of ApoER2 but not of VLDLR was sufficient to reverse the protection provided by PCSK9 RNAi, suggesting that proapoptotic signaling of PCSK9 is mediated by altered ApoER2 function. Pharmacological inhibition of signaling pathways associated with lipoprotein receptors suggested that PCSK9 regulates neuronal apoptosis independently of NMDA receptor function but in concert with ERK and JNK signaling pathways. PCSK9 RNAi also reduced staurosporine-induced CGN apoptosis and axonal degeneration in the nerve growth factor-deprived dorsal root ganglion neurons. We conclude that PCSK9 potentiates neuronal apoptosis via modulation of ApoER2 levels and related anti-apoptotic signaling pathways.     

Epigenetic regulation of mmp-9 gene expression

Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is one of the most studied enzymes in cancer. MMP-9 can cleave proteins of the extracellular matrix and a large number of receptors and growth factors. Accordingly, its expression must be tightly regulated to avoid excessive enzymatic activity, which is associated with disease progression. Although we know that epigenetic mechanisms play a central role in controlling mmp-9 gene expression, predicting how epigenetic drugs could be used to suppress mmp-9 gene expression is not trivial because epigenetic drugs also regulate the expression of key proteins that can tip the balance towards activation or suppression of MMP-9. Here, we review how our understanding of the biology and expression of MMP-9 could be exploited to augment clinical benefits, most notably in terms of the prevention and management of degenerative diseases and cancer.     

Acyl-CoA thioesterase 9 (ACOT9) in mouse may provide a novel link between fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in mitochondria

Acyl-CoA thioesterase (ACOT) activities are found in prokaryotes and in several compartments of eukaryotes where they hydrolyze a wide range of acyl-CoA substrates and thereby regulate intracellular acyl-CoA/CoA/fatty acid levels. ACOT9 is a mitochondrial ACOT with homologous genes found from bacteria to humans and in this study we have carried out an in-depth kinetic characterization of ACOT9 to determine its possible physiological function. ACOT9 showed unusual kinetic properties with activity peaks for short-, medium-, and saturated long-chain acyl-CoAs with highest V _max with propionyl-CoA and (iso) butyryl-CoA while K _cat/K _m was highest with saturated long-chain acyl-CoAs. Further characterization of the short-chain acyl-CoA activity revealed that ACOT9 also hydrolyzes a number of short-chain acyl-CoAs and short-chain methyl-branched CoA esters that suggest a role for ACOT9 in regulation also of amino acid metabolism. In spite of markedly different K _ms, ACOT9 can hydrolyze both short- and long-chain acyl-CoAs simultaneously, indicating that ACOT9 may provide a novel regulatory link between fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in mitochondria. Based on similar acyl-CoA chain-length specificities of recombinant ACOT9 and ACOT activity in mouse brown adipose tissue and kidney mitochondria, we conclude that ACOT9 is the major mitochondrial ACOT hydrolyzing saturated C₂-C₂₀-CoA in these tissues. Finally, ACOT9 activity is strongly regulated by NADH and CoA, suggesting that mitochondrial metabolic state regulates the function of ACOT9.     

Inhibition of human Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell antitumoral activity through HLA-G: implications for immunotherapy of cancer

Vγ9Vδ2 T cells play a crucial role in the antitumoral immune response through cytokine production and cytotoxicity. Although the expression of the immunomodulatory molecule HLA-G has been found in diverse tumors, its impact on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell functions remains unknown. Here we showed that soluble HLA-G inhibits Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation without inducing apoptosis. Moreover, soluble HLA-G inhibited the Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell production of IFN-γ induced by phosphoantigen stimulation. The reduction in Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell IFN-γ production was also induced by membrane-bound or soluble HLA-G expressed by tumor cell lines. Finally, primary tumor cells inhibited Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production through HLA-G. In this context, HLA-G impaired Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell cytotoxicity by interacting with ILT2 inhibitory receptor. These data demonstrate that HLA-G inhibits the anti-tumoral functions of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and imply that treatments targeting HLA-G could optimize Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell-mediated immunotherapy of cancer.     

BMP9 is produced by hepatocytes and circulates mainly in an active mature form complexed to its prodomain

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 9 (BMP9) has been recently found to be the physiological ligand for the activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1), and to be a major circulating vascular quiescence factor. Moreover, a soluble chimeric ALK1 protein (ALK1-Fc) has recently been developed and showed powerful anti-tumor growth and anti-angiogenic effects. However, not much is known concerning BMP9. This prompted us to investigate the human endogenous sources of this cytokine and to further characterize its circulating form(s) and its function. Analysis of BMP9 expression reveals that BMP9 is produced by hepatocytes and intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells. Gel filtration analysis combined with ELISA and biological assays demonstrate that BMP9 circulates in plasma (1) as an unprocessed inactive form that can be further activated by furin a serine endoprotease, and (2) as a mature and fully active form (composed of the mature form associated with its prodomain). Analysis of BMP9 circulating levels during mouse development demonstrates that BMP9 peaks during the first 3 weeks after birth and then decreases to 2 ng/mL in adulthood. We also show that circulating BMP9 physiologically induces a constitutive Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation in endothelial cells. Taken together, our results argue for the role of BMP9 as a hepatocyte-derived factor, circulating in inactive (40%) and active (60%) forms, the latter constantly activating endothelial cells to maintain them in a resting state.     

The pleiotropic roles of ADAM9 in the biology of solid tumors

A disintegrin and a metalloprotease (ADAM) 9 is a metzincin cell-surface protease involved in several biological processes such as myogenesis, fertilization, cell migration, inflammatory response, proliferation, and cell–cell interactions. ADAM9 has been found over-expressed in several solid tumors entities such as glioma, melanoma, prostate cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, gastric, breast, lung, and liver cancers. Immunohistochemical analyses highlight ADAM9 expression by actual cancer cells and associate its abundant presence with clinicopathological features such as shortened overall survival, poor tumor grade, de-differentiation, therapy resistance, and metastasis formation. In each of these tumors, ADAM9 may contribute to tumor biology via proteolytic or non-proteolytic mechanisms. For example, in liver cancer, ADAM9 has been found to shed MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence A, contributing towards the evasion of tumor immunity. ADAM9 may also contribute to tumor biology in non-proteolytic ways probably through interaction with different integrins. For example, in melanoma, the interaction between ADAM9 and β1 integrins facilitates tumor stroma cross talks, which then promotes invasion and metastasis via the activation of MMP1 and MMP2. In breast cancer, the interaction between β1 integrins on endothelial cells and ADAM9 on tumor cells facilitate tumor cell extravasation and invasion to distant sites. This review summarizes the present knowledge on ADAM9 in solid cancers, and the different mechanisms which it employ to drive tumor progression.     

Response ofHeliothis virescens to pheromonal components and an inhibitor in olfactometers

Summary Laboratory-reared males ofHeliothis virescens (F.) that were released in olfactometers in the laboratory were attracted to theH. virescens synthetic pheromone, but not to (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol formate (Z-9-TDF), or to either pheromonal component, (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z-11-HDAL) or (Z)-9-tetradecenal (Z-9-TDAL). Also, they did not respond to the pheromone when it was dispersed simultaneously with Z-9-TDF. The proximity of the test chemicals in the olfactometer made little, if any, difference in the response ofH. virescens males to the pheromone source. Preexposure to the synthetic pheromone, Z-9-TDF, Z-11-HDAL, or Z-9-TDAL greatly reduced the number ofH. virescens males responding to the pheromone. This reduction was probably caused by habituation of the moths to these chemicals.The authors wish to thank A. H. Baumhover, E. Hart and other personnel of the Tobacco Research Laboratory, Oxford, N. C., for supplying many of the insects used in these studies.     

益气化瘀化痰法对肺纤维化大鼠肺组织结构及血清MMP-9、TIMP-1的影响

目的 观察益气化瘀化痰法(YHH)对肺纤维化大鼠肺组织结构、血清基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMPO)和金属蛋白酶组织抑制物-1(TIMP-1)水平的影响,探讨其防治肺纤维化的可能机制.方法 健康SD大鼠采用博来霉素建立肺纤维化模型,随机分成7组:正常对照组(Z组)、模型组(M组)、氢化可的松组(QK组)、益气组(YQ组)、化瘀组(HY组)、化痰组(HT组)、益气化瘀化痰组(YHH组).HE、Masson染色光镜观察肺组织病理形态变化;电镜观察肺组织超微结构变化;酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测血清MMP-9、TIMP-1含量.结果 1)与M组比较,各治疗组均能减少肺间质胶原沉积,减轻肺纤维化程度,尤以YHH组较为明显2)与Z组比较,M组血清MMP-9水平有所升高,TIMP-1水平显著升高,MMP-9/TIMP-1比值降低(P＜0.05);与M组比较,各治疗组均能升高血清MMP-9水平,降低TIMP-1水平,升高MMP-9/TIMP-1比值,以YHH组作用更显著(P＜0.05).结论 益气化瘀化痰法可能在一定程度上通过调整MMP-9/TIMP-1的比值,使其趋于平衡,从而延缓肺纤维化的进程.     

A kinesin-mediated mechanism that couples centrosomes to nuclei

The M-type kinesin isoform, Kif9, has recently been implicated in maintaining a physical connection between the centrosome and nucleus in Dictyostelium discoideum. However, the mechanism by which Kif9 functions to link these two organelles remains obscure. Here we demonstrate that the Kif9 protein is localized to the nuclear envelope and is concentrated in the region underlying the centrosome point of attachment. Nuclear anchorage appears mediated through a specialized transmembrane domain located in the carboxyl terminus. Kif9 interacts with microtubules in in vitro binding assays and effects an endwise depolymerization of the polymer. These results suggest a model whereby Kif9 is anchored to the nucleus and generates a pulling force that reels the centrosome up against the nucleus. This is a novel activity for a kinesin motor, one important for progression of cells into mitosis and to ensure centrosome-nuclear parity in a multinuclear environment.     

Immunology and functional genomics of Behçet's disease

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disorder. Although the cause and pathogenesis of BD are still unclear, there is evidence for genetic, immunologic and infectious factors at the onset or in the course of BD. This review focusses on the functional genomics and immunology of BD. HLA-B51 is the major disease susceptibility gene locus in BD. An increased number of T cells in the peripheral blood and in the involved tissues have been reported. However, the T cells at the sites of inflammation appear to be a phenotypically distinct subset. There is also a significant T cell proliferative response to mycobacterial 65-kDa heat shock protein peptides. Homologous peptides derived from the human 60-kDa heat shock protein were observed in BD patients. There is evidence that natural killer T cells may also play a role in BD.Received 27 November 2002; accepted 4 March 2003     

The sheddase activity of ADAM17/TACE is regulated by the tetraspanin CD9

ADAM17/TACE is a metalloproteinase responsible for the shedding of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and many other cell surface proteins involved in development, cell adhesion, migration, differentiation, and proliferation. Despite the important biological function of ADAM17, the mechanisms of regulation of its metalloproteinase activity remain largely unknown. We report here that the tetraspanin CD9 and ADAM17 partially co-localize on the surface of endothelial and monocytic cells. In situ proximity ligation, co-immunoprecipitation, crosslinking, and pull-down experiments collectively demonstrate a direct association between these molecules. Functional studies reveal that treatment with CD9-specific antibodies or neoexpression of CD9 exert negative regulatory effects on ADAM17 sheddase activity. Conversely, CD9 silencing increased the activity of ADAM17 against its substrates TNF-α and ICAM-1. Taken together, our results show that CD9 associates with ADAM17 and, through this interaction, negatively regulates the sheddase activity of ADAM17.