Phytochemical profile of Orthosiphon aristatus extracts after storage: Rosmarinic acid and other caffeic acid derivatives.

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Chua, Lee Suan; Lau, Cher Haan; Chew, Chee Yung; Ismail, Nurul Izzati Mohd; Soontorngun, Nitnipa

2018-01-15

Orthosiphon aristatus (Blume) Miq. is a medicinal herb which is traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes and kidney diseases in South East Asia. Previous studies reported higher concentration of antioxidative phytochemicals, especially rosmarinic acid (ester of caffeic acid) and other caffeic acid derivatives in this plant extract than the other herbs such as rosemary and sage which are usually used as raw materials to produce rosmarinic acid supplement in the market. The phytochemical profile of O. aristatus was investigated at different storage durations for quality comparison. The phytochemicals were extracted from the leaves and stems of O. aristatus using a reflux reactor. The extracts were examined for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as their antioxidant capacities, in terms of radical scavenging, metal chelating and reducing power. The phytochemical profiles were also analyzed by unsupervised principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, in relation to the factor of storage at 4 °C for 5 weeks. The leaf extract was likely to have more phytochemicals than stem extract, particularly caffeic acid derivatives including glycosylated and alkylated caffeic acids. This explains higher ratio of total phenolic content to total flavonoid content with higher antioxidant capacities for the leaf extracts. Rosmarinic acid dimer and salvianolic acid B appeared to be the major constituents, possibly contributing to the previously reported pharmacological properties. However, the phytochemical profiles were found changing, even though the extracts were stored in the refrigerator (4 °C). The change was significantly observed at the fifth week based on the statistical pattern recognition technique. O. aristatus could be a promising source of rosmarinic acid and its dimer, as well as salvianolic acid B with remarkably antioxidant properties. The phytochemical profile was at least stable for a month stored at 4 °C. It is likely to be

Novel Caffeic Acid Nanocarrier: Production, Characterization, and Release Modeling

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Milad Fathi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the development of novel nanocarriers using layer by layer carbohydrate coating of caffeic acid loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs to improve stability and colon delivery of the poorly water-soluble caffeic acid. Three biopolymers (chitosan, alginate, and pectin in different concentrations (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5% were electrostatically coated over the SLN surface. The size and zeta potential of produced nanocarriers were measured using photon correlation spectroscopy. Mathematical models (i.e., zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, Ritger-Peppas, reciprocal powered time, Weibull, and quadratic models were used to describe the release and kinetic modeling in gastrointestinal solution (GIS. Also, antioxidant activity of caffeic acid during the release in GIS was investigated using DPPH and reducing activity methods. The prepared treatments coated by alginate-chitosan as well as pectin-chitosan coated SLN at the concentration of 0.1% showed nanosized bead; the latter efficiently retarded the release of caffeic acid in gastric media up to 2.5 times higher than that of SLN. Zeta potential values of coated samples were found to significantly increase in comparison to SLN indicating the higher stability of produced nanocarriers. Antioxidant activity of caffeic acid after gastric release did not result in the same trend as observed for caffeic acid release from different treatments; however, in line with less caffeic acid release in the intestine solution by the effect of coating, lower antioxidant activity was determined at the end stage of the experiment.

Biotechnological production of caffeic acid derivatives from cell and organ cultures of Echinacea species.

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Murthy, Hosakatte Niranjana; Kim, Yun-Soo; Park, So-Young; Paek, Kee-Yoeup

2014-09-01

Caffeic acid derivatives (CADs) are a group of bioactive compounds which are produced in Echinacea species especially Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, and Echinacea pallida. Echinacea is a popular herbal medicine used in the treatment of common cold and it is also a prominent dietary supplement used throughout the world. Caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid), caftaric acid (2-O-caffeoyltartaric acid), cichoric acid (2, 3-O-dicaffeoyltartaric acid), cynarin, and echinacoside are some of the important CADs which have varied pharmacological activities. The concentrations of these bioactive compounds are species specific and also they vary considerably with the cultivated Echinacea species due to geographical location, stage of development, time of harvest, and growth conditions. Due to these reasons, plant cell and organ cultures have become attractive alternative for the production of biomass and caffeic acid derivatives. Adventitious and hairy roots have been induced in E. pupurea and E. angustifolia, and suspension cultures have been established from flask to bioreactor scale for the production of biomass and CADs. Tremendous progress has been made in this area; various bioprocess methods and strategies have been developed for constant high-quality productivity of biomass and secondary products. This review is aimed to discuss biotechnological methods and approaches employed for the sustainable production of CADs.

Pharmacokinetics of Caffeic Acid from Methanol Seed Extract of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: A dose of the extract (500 mg, equivalent to 37.135 mg caffeic acid) was administered orally to 6 male .... emission. Validation studies. Linearity. The rat plasma samples were spiked by caffeic acid solutions ..... Atomic structure of.

In vitro antiviral efficacy of caffeic acid against canine distemper virus.

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Wu, Zong-Mei; Yu, Zhen-Jiang; Cui, Zhen-Qiang; Peng, Lu-Yuan; Li, Hao-Ran; Zhang, Chun-Lei; Shen, Hai-Qing; Yi, Peng-Fei; Fu, Ben-Dong

2017-09-01

Canine distemper (CD) is a highly contagious disease caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV), and mortality can be as high as 100%. However, there is no specific treatment for CD. In this study, the antiviral activity of the caffeic acid against CDV was evaluated in vitro. The results showed that the IC 50 of the caffeic acid against CDV at 1 and 2 h post infection (PI) is 23.3 and 32.3 μg/mL, respectively. Consistently, at 1 and 2 h PI, the caffeic acid exhibited a reduced (23.3-57.0% and 37.2-38.1%) viral inhibitory effect in vero cells. Furthermore, the caffeic acid plus Ribavirin (RBV) has greater antiviral activity against CDV than the caffeic acid or RBV individually. In addition, the caffeic acid reduced the total viral RNA synthesis by 59-86% at 24-72 h. Therefore, our data provided the experimental evidence that the caffeic acid effectively inhibited CDV infection in vero cells, which may potentially be used to treat clinical disease associated with CDV infection. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Sonodegradation of Caffeic Acid under Ultrasound Treatment: Relation to Stability

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Yujing Sun

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The degradation of caffeic acid under ultrasound treatment in a model system was investigated. The type of solvent and temperature were important factors in determining the outcome of the degradation reactions. Liquid height, ultrasonic intensity and duty cycle only affected degradation rate, but did not change the nature of the degradation. The degradation rate of caffeic acid decreased with increasing temperature. Degradation kinetics of caffeic acid under ultrasound fitted a zero-order reaction from −5 to 25 °C. Caffeic acid underwent decomposition and oligomerization reactions under ultrasound. The degradation products were tentatively identified by FT-IR and HPLC-UV-ESIMS to include the corresponding decarboxylation products and their dimers.

Inhibitory mechanism against oxidative stress of caffeic acid

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Farhan Ahmed Khan

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to summarize the reported antioxidant activities of a naturally abundant bioactive phenolic acid, caffeic acid (CA, 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid, so that new avenues for future research involving CA can be explored. CA is abundantly found in coffee, fruits, vegetables, oils, and tea. CA is among the most potential and abundantly found in nature, hydroxycinnamic acids with the potential of antioxidant behavior. Reactive oxygen species produced as a result of endogenous processes can lead to pathophysiological disturbances in the human body. Foods containing phenolic substances are a potential source for free radical scavenging; these chemicals are known as antioxidants. This review is focused on CA's structure, availability, and potential as an antioxidant along with its mode of action. A brief overview of the literature published about the prooxidant potential of caffeic acid as well as the future perspectives of caffeic acid research is described. CA can be effectively employed as a natural antioxidant in various food products such as oils.

Pharmacokinetics of Caffeic Acid from Methanol Seed Extract of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To describe caffeic acid-based pharmacokinetics of methanol extract of seed of Syzygium cumini L. in rats. Methods: A dose of the extract (500 mg, equivalent to 37.135 mg caffeic acid) was administered orally to 6 male Wister rats, weighing 200 ± 10 g. Blood samples (0.5 mL), collected from the tail vein at 0, 15, ...

Grape skins (Vitis vinifera L.) catalyze the in vitro enzymatic hydroxylation of p-coumaric acid to caffeic acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnous, Anis; Meyer, Anne S.

2009-01-01

The ability of grape skins to catalyze in vitro conversion of p-coumaric acid to the more potent antioxidant caffeic acid was studied. Addition of different concentrations of p-coumaric to red grape skins (Cabernet Sauvignon) resulted in formation of caffeic acid. This caffeic acid formation (Y...

Biosynthesis of caffeic acid in Escherichia coli using its endogenous hydroxylase complex

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Lin Yuheng

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid is a natural phenolic compound derived from the plant phenylpropanoid pathway. Caffeic acid and its phenethyl ester (CAPE have attracted increasing attention for their various pharmaceutical properties and health-promoting effects. Nowadays, large-scale production of drugs or drug precursors via microbial approaches provides a promising alternative to chemical synthesis and extraction from plant sources. Results We first identified that an Escherichia coli native hydroxylase complex previously characterized as the 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase (4HPA3H was able to convert p-coumaric acid to caffeic acid efficiently. This critical enzymatic step catalyzed in plants by a membrane-associated cytochrome P450 enzyme, p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H, is difficult to be functionally expressed in prokaryotic systems. Moreover, the performances of two tyrosine ammonia lyases (TALs from Rhodobacter species were compared after overexpression in E. coli. The results indicated that the TAL from R. capsulatus (Rc possesses higher activity towards both tyrosine and L-dopa. Based on these findings, we further designed a dual pathway leading from tyrosine to caffeic acid consisting of the enzymes 4HPA3H and RcTAL. This heterologous pathway extended E. coli native tyrosine biosynthesis machinery and was able to produce caffeic acid (12.1 mg/L in minimal salt medium. Further improvement in production was accomplished by boosting tyrosine biosynthesis in E. coli, which involved the alleviation of tyrosine-induced feedback inhibition and carbon flux redirection. Finally, the titer of caffeic acid reached 50.2 mg/L in shake flasks after 48-hour cultivation. Conclusion We have successfully established a novel pathway and constructed an E. coli strain for the production of caffeic acid. This work forms a basis for further improvement in production, as well as opens the possibility of microbial synthesis

Synthesis of labelled compound of ferulic acid and caffeic acid with tritium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi Mingguang; Wang Caiyun

1986-01-01

Effective components of Chinese traditional herbs consist of many compounds, but some of the compounds usually contain unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds. The unsaturated organic compounds 3 H-Ferulic acid and 3 H-Caffeic acid are prepared with their tritiated intermediates made by electric-dischange exposure method, which ensures the compounds contaning double bonds not hydrogenated. The 3 H-Ferulic acid is composed of 3 H-vanillin and Malonic acid. The 3 H-Caffeic acid is composed of 3 H-protocatechuyl aldehyde and Malonic acid and the specific activity of the products is 0.2 mCi/mg. The radiochemicaly purity is greater than 90%

Caffeic Acid Induces Apoptosis in Human Cervical Cancer Cells Through the Mitochondrial Pathway

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Wei-Chun Chang

2010-12-01

Conclusion: Caffeic acid induces apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 activity, leading to release of cytochrome c and subsequent activation of caspase-3, indicating that caffeic acid induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. This also suggests that caffeic acid has a strong anti-tumor effect and may be a promising chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent.

Caffeic acid treatment alters the extracellular adenine nucleotide hydrolysis in platelets and lymphocytes of adult rats.

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Anwar, Javed; Spanevello, Roselia Maria; Pimentel, Victor Camera; Gutierres, Jessié; Thomé, Gustavo; Cardoso, Andreia; Zanini, Daniela; Martins, Caroline; Palma, Heloisa Einloft; Bagatini, Margarete Dulce; Baldissarelli, Jucimara; Schmatz, Roberta; Leal, Cláudio Alberto Martins; da Costa, Pauline; Morsch, Vera Maria; Schetinger, Maria Rosa Chitolina

2013-06-01

This study evaluated the effects of caffeic acid on ectonucleotidase activities such as NTPDase (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase), Ecto-NPP (nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase), 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in platelets and lymphocytes of rats, as well as in the profile of platelet aggregation. Animals were divided into five groups: I (control); II (oil); III (caffeic acid 10 mg/kg); IV (caffeic acid 50 mg/kg); and V (caffeic acid 100 mg/kg). Animals were treated with caffeic acid diluted in oil for 30 days. In platelets, caffeic acid decreased the ATP hydrolysis and increased ADP hydrolysis in groups III, IV and V when compared to control (P<0.05). The 5'-nucleotidase activity was decreased, while E-NPP and ADA activities were increased in platelets of rats of groups III, IV and V (P<0.05). Caffeic acid reduced significantly the platelet aggregation in the animals of groups III, IV and V in relation to group I (P<0.05). In lymphocytes, the NTPDase and ADA activities were increased in all groups treated with caffeic acid when compared to control (P<0.05). These findings demonstrated that the enzymes were altered in tissues by caffeic acid and this compound decreased the platelet aggregation suggesting that caffeic acid should be considered a potentially therapeutic agent in disorders related to the purinergic system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Caffeic Acid Extraction From Ocimum gratissimum Linn. by High Performance Liquid Chromatography and its Effects on a Cervical Cancer Cell Line

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Je-Chiuan Ye

2010-09-01

Conclusion: This paper shows that high performance liquid chromatography is a suitable analytical method for determining caffeic acid levels in O. gratissimum, Ju ZenTa, and several vegetable oils. Caffeic acid can suppress the proliferation of HeLa cells.

Inhibitory Effects of Caffeic Acid, a Coffee-Related Organic Acid, on the Propagation of Hepatitis C Virus.

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Tanida, Isei; Shirasago, Yoshitaka; Suzuki, Ryosuke; Abe, Ryo; Wakita, Takaji; Hanada, Kentaro; Fukasawa, Masayoshi

2015-01-01

Multipurpose cohort studies have demonstrated that coffee consumption reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Given that one of the main causes of HCC is hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we examined the effect of caffeic acid, a major organic acid derived from coffee, on the propagation of HCV using an in vitro naïve HCV particle-infection and production system within human hepatoma-derived Huh-7.5.1-8 cells. When cells were treated with 1% coffee extract or 0.1% caffeic acid for 1-h post HCV infection, the amount of HCV particles released into the medium at 3 and 4 days post-infection considerably decreased. In addition, HCV-infected cells cultured with 0.001% caffeic acid for 4 days, also released less HCV particles into the medium. Caffeic acid treatment inhibited the initial stage of HCV infection (i.e., between virion entry and the translation of the RNA genome) in both HCV genotypes 1b and 2a. These results suggest that the treatment of cells with caffeic acid may inhibit HCV propagation.

Aspergillus niger whole-cell catalyzed synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in ionic liquids.

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Rajapriya, Govindaraju; Morya, Vivek Kumar; Mai, Ngoc Lan; Koo, Yoon-Mo

2018-04-01

Synthesis of caffeic acid ester essentially requires an efficient esterification process to produce various kinds of medicinally important ester derivatives. In the present study, a comprehensive and comparative analysis of whole-cell catalyzed caffeic acid esters production in ionic liquids (ILs) media was performed. Olive oil induced mycelial mass of halotolerant Aspergillus niger (A.niger) EXF 4321 was freeze dried and used as a catalyst. To ensure maximum solubilization of caffeic acid for highest substrate loading several ILs were screened and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Emim][Tf 2 N]) was found to have the maximum solubility and favoured for enzymatic activity of freeze dried mycelia. The whole-cell catalyzed synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) conditions were optimized and bioconversion up to 84% was achieved at a substrate molar ratio of 1:20 (caffeic acid:2-phenyl ethanol), 30°C for 12h. Results obtained during this study were encouraging and helpful to design a bioreactor system to produce caffeic acid derived esters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Caffeic acid production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of kraft pulp using recombinant Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Hideo; Katsuyama, Yohei; Danyao, Du; Kahar, Prihardi; Nakamura-Tsuruta, Sachiko; Teramura, Hiroshi; Wakai, Keiko; Yoshihara, Kumiko; Minami, Hiromichi; Ogino, Chiaki; Ohnishi, Yasuo; Kondo, Ahikiko

2017-07-01

Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) serves as a building block for thermoplastics and a precursor for biologically active compounds and was recently produced from glucose by microbial fermentation. To produce caffeic acid from inedible cellulose, separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) reactions were compared using kraft pulp as lignocellulosic feedstock. Here, a tyrosine-overproducing Escherichia coli strain was metabolically engineered to produce caffeic acid from glucose by introducing the genes encoding a 4-hydroxyphenyllactate 3-hydroxylase (hpaBC) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and tyrosine ammonia lyase (fevV) from Streptomyces sp. WK-5344. Using the resulting recombinant strain, the maximum yield of caffeic acid in SSF (233 mg/L) far exceeded that by SHF (37.9 mg/L). In the SSF with low cellulase loads (≤2.5 filter paper unit/g glucan), caffeic acid production was markedly increased, while almost no glucose accumulation was detected, indicating that the E. coli cells experienced glucose limitation in this culture condition. Caffeic acid yield was also negatively correlated with the glucose concentration in the fermentation medium. In SHF, the formation of by-product acetate and the accumulation of potential fermentation inhibitors increased significantly with kraft pulp hydrolysate than filter paper hydrolysate. The combination of these inhibitors had synergistic effects on caffeic acid fermentation at low concentrations. With lower loads of cellulase in SSF, less potential fermentation inhibitors (furfural, 5-hydroxymethyfurfural, and 4-hydroxylbenzoic acid) accumulated in the medium. These observations suggest that glucose limitation in SSF is crucial for improving caffeic acid yield, owing to reduced by-product formation and fermentation inhibitor accumulation.

Activity of caffeic acid in different fish lipid matrices: A review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Medina, Isabel; Undeland, Ingrid; Larsson, Karin

2012-01-01

that the antioxidant activity depends on the physical state of the lipids and the composition of the intrinsic matrix in which they are situated. Caffeic acid significantly prevented rancidity in both unwashed and washed fish mince, the latter which was fortified with haemoglobin. In the unwashed mince, the activity......Caffeic acid, a hydroxycinnamic acid common in different vegetable sources, has been employed as a natural antioxidant for inhibiting oxidation of fish lipids present in different food matrices. The aim of this review is to discuss the mechanisms involved in the antioxidative and prooxidative...... effects of caffeic acid found in different model systems containing fish lipids. These model systems include bulk fish oils, liposomes from cod roe phospholipids, fish oil emulsions, washed cod mince, regular horse mackerel mince and a fish oil fortified fitness bar. The data reported show...

Structural characterization of the mitomycin 7-O-methyltransferase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Shanteri; Chang, Aram; Goff, Randal D.; Bingman, Craig A.; Grüschow, Sabine; Sherman, David H.; Phillips, Jr., George N.; Thorson, Jon S. (Michigan); (UW)

2014-10-02

Mitomycins are quinone-containing antibiotics, widely used as antitumor drugs in chemotherapy. Mitomycin-7-O-methyltransferase (MmcR), a key tailoring enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of mitomycin in Streptomyces lavendulae, catalyzes the 7-O-methylation of both C9{beta}- and C9{alpha}-configured 7-hydroxymitomycins. We have determined the crystal structures of the MmcR-S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) binary complex and MmcR-SAH-mitomycin A (MMA) ternary complex at resolutions of 1.9 and 2.3 {angstrom}, respectively. The study revealed MmcR to adopt a common S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent O-methyltransferase fold and the presence of a structurally conserved active site general acid-base pair is consistent with a proton-assisted methyltransfer common to most methyltransferases. Given the importance of C7 alkylation to modulate mitomycin redox potential, this study may also present a template toward the future engineering of catalysts to generate uniquely bioactive mitomycins.

Antioxidative effect of lipophilized caffeic acid in fish oil enriched mayonnaise and milk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alemán, Mercedes; Bou, Ricard; Guardiola, Francesc

2015-01-01

The antioxidative effect of lipophilized caffeic acid was assessed in two different fish oil enriched food products: mayonnaise and milk. In both emulsion systems, caffeic acid esterified with fatty alcohols of different chain lengths (C1–C20) were better antioxidants than the original phenolic c...

Microencapsulation of caffeic acid phenethyl ester and caffeic acid phenethyl amide by inclusion in hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrido, E Manuela P J; Cerqueira, Ana S; Chavarria, Daniel; Silva, Tiago; Borges, Fernanda; Garrido, Jorge M P J

2018-07-15

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a bioactive polyphenolic compound obtained from propolis extract. Although it has a broad therapeutic potential, the bioavailability of CAPE is limited, due to reduced solubility and poor plasmatic stability. Efforts to reduce these pharmacokinetic drawbacks resulted in the synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl amide (CAPA). Cyclodextrins have been proved as promising excipients for the formulation of active ingredients. Herein, we report the inclusion complexation behavior and binding ability of CAPE and CAPA with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD). The supramolecular interactions were examined through UV and FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, 1 H NMR and 2D ROESY. The CAPE/HP-β-CD and CAPA/HP-β-CD inclusion complexes stability constants were determined to be, respectively, 2911.6 and 584.6 M -1 in water and 2866.2 and 700.1 M -1 at physiological pH. The aqueous solubility increased notably, proving that HP-β-CD can be potentially useful to improve the biological, chemical and physical properties of CAPE and CAPA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Determination of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and linarin in Flos Chrysanthemi Indici from different places by RP-hPLC].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Qiaosheng; Fang, Hailing; Shen, Haijin

2010-05-01

To evaluate the quality of Flos Chrysanthemi Indici which produced in twenty-two different producing places. Chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were analyzed on a Shim-pack C8 colunm (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-0.5% phosphoric acid( 19:81). The detection wavelength was set at 326 nm. Linarin were eluted with the mobile phase consisted of methanol-water-acetic acid(26: 23: 1). The detection wavelength was set at 334 nm. The column temperature was 25 degrees C. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min . The linear response ranged within 2.5-50 microg for chlorogenic acid (r = 0.998), 2.5-25 microg for caffeic acid (r = 0.998) and 4.97-41.47 microg for linarin (r = 0.999), respectively. Recoveries were 100.8% with RSD 2.1% for chlorogenic acid, 96.2% with RSD 2.3% for caffeic acid and 103.7% with RSD 1.8% for linarin. There was a significant difference in the content of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, linarin among the samples. The content of chlorogenic in the sample from Fengdou Chongqing city was the highest in those from other places. The content of caffeic acid in the all samples is very low. The content of linarin in the samples from Jiangsu province and Anhui province almost reached the national standard in pharmacopoeia.

Nanomolar Caffeic Acid Decreases Glucose Uptake and the Effects of High Glucose in Endothelial Cells.

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Lucia Natarelli

Full Text Available Epidemiological studies suggest that moderate and prolonged consumption of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes but the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are not known. In this study, we report the effects of physiological concentrations of caffeic acid, easily achievable by normal dietary habits, in endothelial cells cultured in 25 mM of glucose (high glucose, HG. In HG, the presence of 10 nM caffeic acid was associated with a decrease of glucose uptake but not to changes of GLUT-1 membrane localization or mRNA levels. Moreover, caffeic acid countered HG-induced loss of barrier integrity, reducing actin rearrangement and FITC-dextran passage. The decreased flux of glucose associated to caffeic acid affected HG induced apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of initiator (caspase 8 and 9 and effector caspases (caspase 7 and 3 and by increasing the levels of phosphorylated Bcl-2. We also observed that caffeic acid in HG condition was associated to a reduction of p65 subunit nuclear levels with respect to HG alone. NF-κB activation has been shown to lead to apoptosis in HG treated cells and the analysis of the expression of a panel of about 90 genes related to NF-κB signaling pathway revealed that caffeic acid significantly influenced gene expression changes induced by HG. In conclusion, our results suggest that caffeic acid, decreasing the metabolic stress induced by HG, allows the activation of survival mechanisms mediated by a different modulation of NF-κB-related signaling pathways and to the activation of anti-apoptotic proteins.

Caffeic acid as active principle from the fruit of Xanthium strumarium to lower plasma glucose in diabetic rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, F L; Chen, Y C; Cheng, J T

2000-04-01

The antihyperglycemic effect of caffeic acid, one of the phenolic compounds contained in the fruit of Xanthium strumarium, was investigated. After an intravenous injection of caffeic acid into diabetic rats of both streptozotocin-induced and insulin-resistant models, a dose-dependent decrease of plasma glucose was observed. However, a similar effect was not produced in normal rats. An insulin-independent action of caffeic acid can thus be considered. Otherwise, this compound reduced the elevation of plasma glucose level in insulin-resistant rats receiving a glucose challenge test. Also, glucose uptake into the isolated adipocytes was raised by caffeic acid in a concentration-dependent manner. Increase of glucose utilization by caffeic acid seems to be responsible for the lowering of plasma glucose.

Aroma biosynthesis in strawberry: s-adenosylmethionine:furaneol o-methyltransferase activity in ripening fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavid, Noa; Schwab, Wilfried; Kafkas, Ebru; Koch-Dean, Margery; Bar, Einat; Larkov, Olga; Ravid, Uzi; Lewinsohn, Efraim

2002-07-03

Among the most important volatile compounds in the aroma of strawberries are 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (Furaneol) and its methoxy derivative (methoxyfuraneol, mesifuran). Three strawberry varieties, Malach, Tamar, and Yael, were assessed for total volatiles, Furaneol, and methoxyfuraneol. The content of these compounds sharply increased during fruit ripening, with maximum values at the ripe stage. An enzymatic activity that transfers a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to Furaneol sharply increases during ripening of strawberry fruits. The in vitro generated methoxyfuraneol was identified by radio-TLC and GC-MS. The partially purified enzyme had a native molecular mass of approximately 80 kDa, with optimum activity at pH 8.5 and 37 degrees C. A high apparent K(m) of 5 mM was calculated for Furaneol, whereas this enzyme preparation apparently accepted as substrates other o-dihydroxyphenol derivatives (such as catechol, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic aldehyde) with much higher affinities (K(m) approximately 105, 130, and 20 microM, respectively). A K(m) for SAM was found to be approximately 5 microM, regardless of the acceptor used. Substrates that contained a phenolic group with only one OH group, such as p-coumaric and trans-ferulic acid, as well as trans-anol and coniferyl alcohol, were apparently not accepted by this activity. It is suggested that Furaneol methylation is mediated by an O-methyltransferase activity and that this activity increases during fruit ripening.

HIGH PERFORMANCE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF CAFFEIC ACID AND ROSMARINIC ACID FROM THE LEAVES OF Orthosiphon stamineus

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M. Amzad Hossain

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the studies performed on extraction of Orthosiphon stamineus, Benth by using different solvent for the identification and quantification of the caffeic acid derivatives such as caffeic acid  and rosmarinic acid which confers to the leaves of this plant with remarkable pharmaceutical properties. High performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC allows the identification and the quantification of more than 20 samples in the same chromatographic run. The analysis of the samples requires 15-30 min compared with more than 2 h using a typical HPLC method. Using the techniques of the HPTLC and the UV-VIS spectra we have found that the extraction of this herb plant contain, the caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid ranging between 0.029% up to 0.506% and up to 0.24% to 2.24% respectively.     Keywords: Caffice acid derivatives, quantification, Malaysian Orthosiphon stamineus, HPTLC

Determination of caffeic acid in root and rhizome of Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa (L. Nutt.

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Zapala Karolina

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Cimicifuga racemosa, is a plant with a diverse and long history of medicinal use. Caffeic acid, bioactive compound, which often occurs with other polyphenols can influence the biological activity of this plant. The aim of our work was quantitative analysis of caffeic acid in roots and rhizomes of two varieties of C. racemosa. Analysis was performed by HPLC method. The extracts were separated on C18 reversed-phase column using mixture of methanol, water and formic acid (25:75:0.5 v/v/v as a mobile phase. The flow rate of eluent was 1.0 ml·min-1. The obtained validation parameters such as linearity, linear regression equation and precision expressed as a relative standard deviation were adequate for quantitative determination. Caffeic acid was found in all tested extracts. The highest total amount of caffeic acid was determined in C. racemosa var. racemosa (255.3 μg·g-1 while its concentration in C. racemosa var. cordifolia was significantly lower (213.0 μg·g-1.

Quantification of caffeic acid content in 4 species of mullein (Verbascum sp. ecotypes from southwest Iran

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F. Jamshidi kia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: The Verbascum genus is the largest genus of Scrophulariaceae family which has extensive natural habitat in southwest of Iran. Phenolic acids are one of the most important chemical compounds that have different biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor and antioxidant. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of caffeic acid quantification of 4 species of Verbascum sp. ecotypes from southwest Iran. Methods: Nine ecotypes of the 4 species (V. macrophyllus, V. pseudo- digitalis, V. sinatum, V. songaricum were collected from the southwest of Iran. Quantification of caffeic acid contentusing reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC with UV PDA 2800 detector, a C18 column with dimensions of 250×4.6 mm was performed. Results: The results showed that Verbascum sp. contained caffeic acid compound and there was a difference among species and ecotypes. The results showed the highest and lowest content of caffeic acid obtained from the V. sinatum species and ecotype Sepidan (7.76 μg/mg extract and V. songaricum species and ecotype Farokhshahr (0.54 μg/mg extract, respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed a high level of variation in caffeic acid among Verbascum sp. which was affected by habitat and climatic. The pattern of habitats of suitable ecotypes superior in terms of composition to should be selected and used for breeding and cropping mullein.

Genomic study of the absorption mechanism of p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid of extract of Ananas comosus L. leaves.

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Dang, Yun-jie; Zhu, Chun-yan

2015-03-01

Cardiac disease has emerged as the leading cause of death worldwide, and food rich in phenolic acids has drawn much attention as sources of active substances of hypolipidemic drug. Ananas comosus L. (pineapple) is one of the most popular tropical and subtropical fruits. Isolated from pineapple leaves, EAL(Extract of Ananas Comosus L. Leaves) is rich in phenolic acids, such as p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and other phenolics, highly relevant to the putative cardiovascular-protective effects, which suggests its potential to be a new plant medicine for treatment of cardiac disease, but little is known about absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of EAL in animals or human beings. In this study, we employed cDNA microarray, Caco-2 cell lines, and rat intestinal model to explore the absorption behavior of p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid in EAL. The permeation of 2 substances was concentration and time dependent. Results also indicated that monocarboxylic acid transporter was involved in the transepithelial transport of p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

The timing of caffeic acid treatment with cisplatin determines sensitization or resistance of ovarian carcinoma cell lines

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R. Sirota

2017-04-01

The use of caffeic acid as adjuvant for cisplatin should be carefully examined due to different pharmacokinetic profiles of caffeic acid and cisplatin. Thus, it is questionable if the two agents can reach the tumors at the right time frame in vivo.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of caffeic acid amides as synergists to sensitize fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans to fluconazole.

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Dai, Li; Zang, Chengxu; Tian, Shujuan; Liu, Wei; Tan, Shanlun; Cai, Zhan; Ni, Tingjunhong; An, Maomao; Li, Ran; Gao, Yue; Zhang, Dazhi; Jiang, Yuanying

2015-01-01

A series of caffeic acid amides were designed, synthesized, and their synergistic activity with fluconazole against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans was evaluated in vitro. The title caffeic acid amides 3-30 except 26 exhibited potent activity, and the subsequent SAR study was conducted. Compound 3, 5, 21, and 34c, at a concentration of 1.0 μg/ml, decreased the MIC₈₀ of fluconazole from 128.0 μg/ml to 1.0-0.5 μg/ml against the fluconazole-resistant C. albicans. This result suggests that the caffeic acid amides, as synergists, can sensitize drug-resistant fungi to fluconazole. The SAR study indicated that the dihydroxyl groups and the amido groups linking to phenyl or heterocyclic rings are the important pharmacophores of the caffeic acid amides.

Combined treatment with caffeic and ferulic acid from Baccharis uncinella C. DC. (Asteraceae) protects against metabolic syndrome in mice.

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Bocco, B M; Fernandes, G W; Lorena, F B; Cysneiros, R M; Christoffolete, M A; Grecco, S S; Lancellotti, C L; Romoff, P; Lago, J H G; Bianco, A C; Ribeiro, M O

2016-03-01

Fractionation of the EtOH extract from aerial parts of Baccharis uncinella C. DC. (Asteraceae) led to isolation of caffeic and ferulic acids, which were identified from spectroscopic and spectrometric evidence. These compounds exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to be effective in the prevention/treatment of metabolic syndrome. This study investigated whether the combined treatment of caffeic and ferulic acids exhibits a more significant beneficial effect in a mouse model with metabolic syndrome. The combination treatment with caffeic and ferulic acids was tested for 60 days in C57 mice kept on a high-fat (40%) diet. The data obtained indicated that treatment with caffeic and ferulic acids prevented gain in body weight induced by the high-fat diet and improved hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The expression of a number of metabolically relevant genes was affected in the liver of these animals, showing that caffeic and ferulic acid treatment results in increased cholesterol uptake and reduced hepatic triglyceride synthesis in the liver, which is a likely explanation for the prevention of hepatic steatosis. In conclusion, the combined treatment of caffeic and ferulic acids displayed major positive effects towards prevention of multiple aspects of the metabolic syndrome and liver steatosis in an obese mouse model.

Antistaphylococcal and biofilm inhibitory activities of gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids.

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Luís, Ângelo; Silva, Filomena; Sousa, Sónia; Duarte, Ana Paula; Domingues, Fernanda

2014-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen which is able to form biofilms, exhibiting a more pronounced resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. The hurdles posed in eradicating biofilms have driven the search for new compounds able to fight these structures. Phenolic compounds constitute one of the most numerous and ubiquitous group of plant secondary metabolites with many biological activities. The aim of the present work was to study the potential antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids against S. aureus as well to elucidate its mechanism of action. It was concluded that the phenolic acids studied in this work have antistaphylococcal properties. For instance, gallic acid is able to influence the adhesion properties of S. aureus. The phenolic acids tested were also able to inhibit the production of α-hemolysin by this microorganism, with the exception of chlorogenic acid. Regarding its mechanism of action, caffeic acid interferes with the stability of the cell membrane and with the metabolic activity of the cells of S. aureus.

Chlorogenic Acid Biosynthesis Appears Linked with Suberin Production in Potato Tuber (Solanum tuberosum).

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Valiñas, Matías Ariel; Lanteri, María Luciana; ten Have, Arjen; Andreu, Adriana Balbina

2015-05-20

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a good source of dietary antioxidants. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeic acid (CA) are the most abundant phenolic acid antioxidants in potato and are formed by the phenylpropanoid pathway. A number of CGA biosynthetic routes that involve hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HQT) and/or hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) have been proposed, but little is known about their path in potato. CA production requires a caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE), and CA serves as a substrate of lignin precursor ferulic acid via the action of caffeic/5-hydroxyferulic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT I). CGA is precursor of caffeoyl-CoA and, via caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT), of feruloyl-CoA. Feruloyl-CoA is required for lignin and suberin biosynthesis, crucial for tuber development. Here, metabolite and transcript levels of the mentioned and related enzymes, such as cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), were determined in the flesh and skin of fresh and stored tubers. Metabolite and transcript levels were higher in skin than in flesh, irrespective of storage. CGA and CA production appear to occur via p-coumaroyl-CoA, using HQT and CSE, respectively. HCT is likely involved in CGA remobilization toward suberin. The strong correlation between CGA and CA, the correspondence with C4H, HQT, CCoAOMT2, and CSE, and the negative correlation of HCT and COMT I in potato tubers suggest a major flux toward suberin.

Chitosan-caffeic acid-genipin films presenting enhanced antioxidant activity and stability in acidic media.

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Nunes, Cláudia; Maricato, Élia; Cunha, Ângela; Nunes, Alexandra; da Silva, José A Lopes; Coimbra, Manuel A

2013-01-02

The use of chitosan films has been limited due to their high degradability in aqueous acidic media. In order to produce chitosan films with high antioxidant activity and insoluble in acid solutions caffeic acid was grafted to chitosan by a radical mechanism using ammonium cerium (IV) nitrate (60 mM). Genipin was used as cross-linker. This methodology originated films with 80% higher antioxidant activity than the pristine film. Also, these films only lost 11% of their mass upon seven days immersion into an aqueous solution at pH 3.5 under stirring. The films surface wettability (contact angle 105°), mechanical properties (68 MPa of tensile strength and 4% of elongation at break), and thermal stability for temperatures lower than 300 °C were not significantly influenced by the covalent linkage of caffeic acid and genipin to chitosan. Due to their characteristics, mainly higher antioxidant activity and lower solubility, these are promising materials to be used as active films. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antineurodegenerative effect of phenolic extracts and caffeic acid derivatives in romaine lettuce on neuron-like PC-12 cells.

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Im, Sung-Eun; Yoon, Hyungeun; Nam, Tae-Gyu; Heo, Ho Jin; Lee, Chang Yong; Kim, Dae-Ok

2010-08-01

In recent decades, romaine lettuce has been one of the fastest growing vegetables with respect to its consumption and production. An understanding is needed of the effect of major phenolic phytochemicals from romaine lettuce on biological protection for neuron-like PC-12 cells. Phenolics in fresh romaine lettuce were extracted, and then its total phenolics and total antioxidant capacity were measured spectrophotometrically. Neuroprotective effects of phenolic extract of romaine lettuce and its pure caffeic acid derivatives (caffeic, chicoric, chlorogenic, and isochlorogenic acids) in PC-12 cells were evaluated using two different in vitro methods: lactate dehydrogenase release and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assays. Total phenolics and total antioxidant capacity of 100 g of fresh romaine lettuce averaged 22.7 mg of gallic acid equivalents and 31.0 mg of vitamin C equivalents, respectively. The phenolic extract of romaine lettuce protected PC-12 cells against oxidative stress caused by H(2)O(2) in a dose-dependent manner. Isochlorogenic acid, one of the phenolics in romaine lettuce, showed stronger neuroprotection than the other three caffeic acid derivatives also found in the lettuce. Although romaine lettuce had lower levels of phenolics and antioxidant capacity compared to other common vegetables, its contribution to total antioxidant capacity and antineurodegenerative effect in human diets would be higher because of higher amounts of its daily per capita consumption compared to other common vegetables.

Square-wave stripping voltammetric determination of caffeic acid on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide-Nafion composite film.

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Filik, Hayati; Çetintaş, Gamze; Avan, Asiye Aslıhan; Aydar, Sevda; Koç, Serkan Naci; Boz, İsmail

2013-11-15

An electrochemical sensor composed of Nafion-graphene nanocomposite film for the voltammetric determination of caffeic acid (CA) was studied. A Nafion graphene oxide-modified glassy carbon electrode was fabricated by a simple drop-casting method and then graphene oxide was electrochemically reduced over the glassy carbon electrode. The electrochemical analysis method was based on the adsorption of caffeic acid on Nafion/ER-GO/GCE and then the oxidation of CA during the stripping step. The resulting electrode showed an excellent electrocatalytical response to the oxidation of caffeic acid (CA). The electrochemistry of caffeic acid on Nafion/ER-GO modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were studied by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave adsorption stripping voltammetry (SW-AdSV). At optimized test conditions, the calibration curve for CA showed two linear segments: the first linear segment increased from 0.1 to 1.5 and second linear segment increased up to 10 µM. The detection limit was determined as 9.1×10(-8) mol L(-1) using SW-AdSV. Finally, the proposed method was successfully used to determine CA in white wine samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of roasting temperatures and gamma irradiation on the content of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and soluble carbohydrates of coffee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshpande, S.N.; Aguilar, A.A.

1975-01-01

Two varieties of Puerto Rican coffee, Coffea canephora L. var. Robusta, and Coffea arabica L. var. Borbon, were subjected to four different doses of radiation and roasted at two different temperatures. Aqueous extracts of the ground coffee beans were analyzed for chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid at 324 nm and 360 nm wavelength settings, respectively. Samples subjected to the roasting treatments in conjuction with irradiation treatments were treated with basic lead acetate prior to the colorimetric analyses in order to eliminate interfering substances. The total carbohydrate content was also determined by colorimetric techniques with anthrone reagent. The total nitrogen content of the pulverized samples were determined by the micro-Kjeldahl method. While roasting treatments caused a reduction in the concentrations of the chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and the carbohydrates, the radiation treatments increased the concentrations of soluble carbohydrates without affecting the concentrations of chlorogenic acid or caffeic acid. It therefore appears that radiation treatments seem to cause degradation of the acid-polysaccharide complexes liberating soluble sugars. There were no noticable changes in the total content of nitrogen caused by roasting or the radiation treatments as indicated by the statistical analysis employing the split plot design. (author)

Molecular and biochemical characterization of a benzenoid/phenylpropanoid meta/para-O-methyltransferase from Rauwolfia serpentina roots.

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Wiens, Brent; De Luca, Vincenzo

2016-12-01

The monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, reserpine and rescinnamine contain 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate or 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate, respectively, within their structures and they accumulate in different plant organs and particularly within roots of Rauwolfia serpentina. This plant also accumulates acylated sugars substituted with 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate and 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate. In the present study, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of R. serpentina roots allowed the identification of 7 candidate O-methytransferase (OMT) genes that might be associated with the formation of 3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzoate and 3, 4, 5-trimethoxycinnamate and led to the molecular cloning of 4 genes for functional expression and analysis. Two candidate genes were expressed in E. coli and were shown to use different phenolics as methyl acceptors. RsOMT1, a member of the caffeoyl CoA-OMT-like family of genes, converted 3, 5 dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic, caffeic and 3, 4, 5 trihydroxybenzoic acids to trimethoxycinnamic-, ferulic/isoferulic- and 3-methoxy, 4, 5 dihydroxybenzoic or 4-methoxy, 3, 5 dihydroxybenzoic acids, respectively, when supplied with these substrates. RsOMT3, a member of the caffeic acid-OMT-like family of genes, only converted caffeic acid to ferulic acid. Both enzymes showed considerable promiscuity with respect to various flavonoid substrates that they accepted. The para-O-methylation activity of RsOMT1 is quite rare and unusual for plant OMTs. The involvement of RsOMT1 and RsOMT3 in the assembly of trimethoxybenzoic and trimethoxycinnamic acids is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial and enhancement of the antibiotic activity by phenolic compounds: Gallic acid, caffeic acid and pyrogallol.

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Lima, Valéria N; Oliveira-Tintino, Cícera D M; Santos, Enaide S; Morais, Luís P; Tintino, Saulo R; Freitas, Thiago S; Geraldo, Yuri S; Pereira, Raimundo L S; Cruz, Rafael P; Menezes, Irwin R A; Coutinho, Henrique D M

2016-10-01

The indiscriminate use of antimicrobial drugs has increased the spectrum of exposure of these organisms. In our studies, these phenolic compounds were evaluated: gallic acid, caffeic acid and pyrogallol. The antibacterial, antifungal and modulatory of antibiotic activities of these compounds were assayed using microdilution method of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) to bacteria and Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC) to fungi. The modulation was made by comparisons of the MIC and MFC of the compounds alone and combined with drugs against bacteria and fungi respectively, using a sub-inhibitory concentration of 128 μg/mL of substances (MIC/8). All substances not demonstrated clinically relevant antibacterial activity with a MIC above ≥1024 μg/mL. As a result, we observed that the caffeic acid presented a potentiating antibacterial effect over the 3 groups of bacteria studied. Pyrogallol showed a synergistic effect with two of the antibiotics tested, but only against Staphylococcus aureus. In general, caffeic acid was the substance that presented with the greatest number of antibiotics and with the greatest number of bacteria. In relation to the antifungal activity of all the compounds, the verified results were ≥1024 μg/mL, not demonstrating significant activity. Regarding potentiation of the effect of fluconazole, was observed synergistic effect only when assayed against Candida tropicalis, with all substances. Therefore, as can be seen, the compounds presented as substances that can be promising potentiating agents of antimicrobial drugs, even though they do not have direct antibacterial and antifungal action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Study of the Radical-scavenging Activity of the Phenolcarboxylic Acids Caffeic Acid, p-Coumaric Acid, Chlorogenic Acid and Ferulic Acid, With or Without 2-Mercaptoethanol, a Thiol, Using the Induction Period Method

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Seiichiro Fujisawa

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Phenolcarboxylic acid antioxidants do not act in vivo as radical-scavengers in isolation, but rather together with GSH (glutathione, a coantioxidant, they constitute an intricate antioxidant network. Caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and chlorogenic acid with or without 2-mercaptoethanol (ME, as a substitute for GSH, was investigated by the induction period (IP method for polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA initiated by thermal decomposition of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN, a source of alkyl radicals, R. and benzoyl peroxide (BPO, a source of peroxy radicals, PhCOO. using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. Upon PhCOO. radical scavenging, the stoichiometric factors (n, number of free radical trapped by one mole of antioxidant for caffeic acid, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid were 2.4, 1.8, 1.7 and 0.9, whereas upon R. radical scavenging, the corresponding values were 1.3, 1.2, 1.0 and 0.8, respectively. Antioxidants with n values close to 2 suggest the stepwise formation of semiquinone radicals and quinones. By contrast, those with n values close to 1 suggest the formation of dimers after single-electron oxidation, possibly due to recombination of corresponding aryloxy radicals. The ratio of the rate constant of inhibition to that of propagation (kinh/kp declined in the order chlorogenic acid > p-coumaric acid > ferulic acid > caffeic acid. The ratio of the observed IP for the phenolcarboxylic acid/2-mercapto-ethanol (ME mixture (1:1 molar ratio (A to the calculated IP (the simple sum of phenol acid antioxidant and ME (B was investigated. Upon R. scavenging, the caffeic acid or p-coumaric acid/ME mixture was A/B > 1, particularly the former was 1.2, suggesting a synergic effect. By contrast, upon PhCOO. scavenging, the corresponding mixture was A/B < 1, particularly the latter was 0.7, suggesting an antagonistic effect. Upon both radicals scavenging, the A/B for the ferulic acid or chlorogenic acid

An Iterative O-Methyltransferase Catalyzes 1,11-Dimethylation of Aspergillus fumigatus Fumaric Acid Amides.

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Kalb, Daniel; Heinekamp, Thorsten; Schieferdecker, Sebastian; Nett, Markus; Brakhage, Axel A; Hoffmeister, Dirk

2016-10-04

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransfer is a common biosynthetic strategy to modify natural products. We investigated the previously uncharacterized Aspergillus fumigatus methyltransferase FtpM, which is encoded next to the bimodular fumaric acid amide synthetase FtpA. Structure elucidation of two new A. fumigatus natural products, the 1,11-dimethyl esters of fumaryl-l-tyrosine and fumaryl-l-phenylalanine, together with ftpM gene disruption suggested that FtpM catalyzes iterative methylation. Final evidence that a single enzyme repeatedly acts on fumaric acid amides came from an in vitro biochemical investigation with recombinantly produced FtpM. Size-exclusion chromatography indicated that this methyltransferase is active as a dimer. As ftpA and ftpM homologues are found clustered in other fungi, we expect our work will help to identify and annotate natural product biosynthesis genes in various species. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermal transformation of bioactive caffeic acid on fumed silica seen by UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry and quantum chemical methods.

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Kulik, Tetiana V; Lipkovska, Natalia O; Barvinchenko, Valentyna M; Palyanytsya, Borys B; Kazakova, Olga A; Dudik, Olesia O; Menyhárd, Alfréd; László, Krisztina

2016-05-15

Thermochemical studies of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and their surface complexes are important for the pharmaceutical industry, medicine and for the development of technologies of heterogeneous biomass pyrolysis. In this study, structural and thermal transformations of caffeic acid complexes on silica surfaces were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD MS) and quantum chemical methods. Two types of caffeic acid surface complexes are found to form through phenolic or carboxyl groups. The kinetic parameters of the chemical reactions of caffeic acid on silica surface are calculated. The mechanisms of thermal transformations of the caffeic chemisorbed surface complexes are proposed. Thermal decomposition of caffeic acid complex chemisorbed through grafted ester group proceeds via three parallel reactions, producing ketene, vinyl and acetylene derivatives of 1,2-dihydroxybenzene. Immobilization of phenolic acids on the silica surface improves greatly their thermal stability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human catechol-O-methyltransferase: Cloning and expression of the membrane-associated form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertocci, B.; Miggiano, V.; Da Prada, M.; Dembic, Z.; Lahm, H.W.; Malherbe, P.

1991-01-01

A cDNA clone for human catechol-O-methyltransferase was isolated from a human hepatoma cell line (Hep G2) cDNA library by hybridization screening with a porcine cDNA probe. The cDNA clone was sequenced and found to have an insert of 1226 nucleotides. The deduced primary structure of hCOMT is composed of 271 amino acid residues with the predicted molecular mass of 30 kDa. At its N terminus it has a hydrophobic segment of 21 amino acid residues that may be responsible for insertion of hCOMT into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The primary structure of hCOMT exhibits high homology to the porcine partial cDNA sequence (93%). The deduced amino acid sequence contains two tryptic peptide sequences (T-22, T-33) found in porcine liver catechol-O-methyltransferase (CEMT). The coding region of hCOMT cDNA was placed under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter to transfect human kidney 293 cells. The recombinant hCOMT was shown by immunoblot analysis to be mainly associated with the membrane fraction. RNA blot analysis revealed one COMT mRNA transcript of 1.4 kilobases in Hep G2 poly(A) + RNA

The effects of gallic/ferulic/caffeic acids on colour intensification and anthocyanin stability.

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Qian, Bing-Jun; Liu, Jian-Hua; Zhao, Shu-Juan; Cai, Jian-Xiong; Jing, Pu

2017-08-01

The mechanism by which copigments stabilize colour, by protecting anthocyanin chromophores from nucleophilic attack, seems well accepted. This study was to determine effects of gallic/ferulic/caffeic acids on colour intensification and anthocyanin stability. Molecular dynamics simulations were applied to explore molecular interactions. Phenolic acids intensified the colour by 19%∼27%. Colour fading during heating followed first-order reactions with half-lives of 3.66, 9.64, 3.50, and 3.39h, whereas anthocyanin degradation, determined by the pH differential method (or HPLC-PDA), followed second-order reactions with half-lives of 3.29 (3.40), 3.43 (3.39), 2.29 (0.39), and 2.72 (0.32)h alone or with gallic/ferulic/caffeic acids, respectively, suggesting that anthocyanin degradation was faster than the colour fading. The strongest protection of gallic acids might be attributed to the shortest distance (4.37Å) of its aromatic ring to the anthocyanin (AC) panel. Hyperchromic effects induced by phenolic acids were pronounced and they obscured the accelerated anthocyanin degradation due to self-association interruption. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Fluorescent Assay for Plant Caffeic Acid O-methyltransferases

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We have developed a facile, sensitive and continuous assay to measure the activities of plant COMTs using s-adenosyl homocysteine hydrolase as a coupling enzyme and and adeonsine a thiol-specific fluor, Thioglo1, as the detecting reagent. This assay was validated using recombinant sorghum COMT (BMR-...

A simple method for enzymatic synthesis of unlabeled and radiolabeled Hydroxycinnamate-CoA

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Rautergarten, Carsten; Baidoo, Edward; Keasling, Jay; Vibe Scheller, Henrik

2011-07-20

Hydroxycinnamate coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters are substrates for biosynthesis of lignin and hydroxycinna- mate esters of polysaccharides and other polymers. Hence, a supply of these substrates is essential for investigation of cell wall biosynthesis. In this study, three recombinant enzymes, caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase, 4-coumarate- CoA ligase 1, and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase 5, were cloned from wheat, tobacco, and Arabidopsis, respectively, and were used to synthesize {sup 14}C-feruloyl-CoA, caffeoyl-CoA, p-coumaroyl-CoA, feruloyl-CoA, and sinapoyl-CoA. The corresponding hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA thioesters were high-performance liquid chromatography purified, the only extraction/purification step necessary, with total yields between 88-95%. Radiolabeled {sup 14}C-feruloyl-CoA was generated from caffeic acid and S-adenosyl-{sup 14}C-methionine under the combined action of caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase 1. About 70% of {sup 14}C-methyl groups from S-adenosyl methionine were incorporated into the final product. The methods presented are simple, fast, and efficient for the preparation of the hydroxycinnamate thioesters.

Mechanism and kinetics in reactions of caffeic acid with radicals by pulse radiolysis and calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xifeng; Cai, Zhongli; Katsumura, Yosuke

2000-01-01

The interaction of caffeic acid with e aq - , (CH 3 ) 2 (OH) CCH 2 · , CO 2 ·- , H · , ·OH and N 3 · radicals were studied by γ-, pulse radiolysis and molecular orbital calculation. UV-visible spectra of electron/·OH adducts, semi-quinone radicals of caffeic ions, and the stable products from the reactions were derived. The rate constants were determined. The attacked sites and the most favorable structures of the transient radicals were predicted. Reaction mechanisms were proposed. (author)

Antioxidative effect of lipophilized caffeic acid in fish oil enriched mayonnaise and milk.

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Alemán, Mercedes; Bou, Ricard; Guardiola, Francesc; Durand, Erwann; Villeneuve, Pierre; Jacobsen, Charlotte; Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke

2015-01-15

The antioxidative effect of lipophilized caffeic acid was assessed in two different fish oil enriched food products: mayonnaise and milk. In both emulsion systems, caffeic acid esterified with fatty alcohols of different chain lengths (C1-C20) were better antioxidants than the original phenolic compound. The optimal chain length with respect to protection against oxidation was, however, different for the two food systems. Fish oil enriched mayonnaise with caffeates of medium alkyl chain length (butyl, octyl and dodecyl) added resulted in a better oxidative stability than caffeates with shorter (methyl) or longer (octadecyl) alkyl chains. Whereas in fish oil enriched milk emulsions the most effective caffeates were those with shorter alkyl chains (methyl and butyl) rather than the ones with medium and long chains (octyl, dodecyl, hexadecyl and eicosyl). These results demonstrate that there might be an optimum alkyl chain length for each phenolipid in each type of emulsion systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Butylated caffeic acid: An efficient novel antioxidant; Ácido cafeico butilado: un nuevo y eficaz antioxidante.

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Shi, G.; Liao, X.; Olajide, T.M.; Liu, J.; Jiang, X.; Weng, X.

2017-07-01

A novel antioxidant, butylated caffeic acid (BCA) was rationally designed by adding a tert-butyl group to caffeic acid, which was synthesized at a high yield (36.2%) from 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (1) by a four-step reaction including Friedel-Crafts alkylation, bromine oxidation, ether bond hydrolysis and Knoevenagel condensation. Its antioxidant capacity was much stronger than common commercial antioxidant tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) and its mother compound, caffeic acid, in both rancimat and deep frying tests. When investigated via the DPPH method, the antioxidant capacity of BCA was almost equal to TBHQ, but lower than caffeic acid. BCA could be a potentially strong antioxidant, especially for food processing at high temperatures such as deep frying and baking. [Spanish] Se diseñó razonadamente un nuevo antioxidante, el ácido cafeico butilado (BCA) mediante la adición de un grupo terc-butilo al ácido cafeico, que se sintetizó con un alto rendimiento (36,2%) a partir de 2-metoxi-4-metilfenol, reacción de Friedel-Crafts, oxidación de bromo, hidrólisis del enlace éter y condensación de Knoevenagel. Su capacidad antioxidante fué mucho más fuerte que la del antioxidante comercial mas común el terc-butil hidroquinona (TBHQ) y la de su compuesto madre el ácido cafeico, tanto en rancimat como en pruebas de fritura. Cuando se investigó mediante el método DPPH, la capacidad antioxidante de BCA fue casi igual a TBHQ, pero menor que la del ácido cafeico. BCA podría ser un fuerte antioxidante potencial, especialmente para el procesamiento de alimentos a alta temperatura, tales como freír y hornear.

Simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and caffeine in hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis by HPLC and correlation with antioxidant capacity of the extracts by DPPH· reduction Determinação simultânea de ácido clorogênico, ácido caféico e cafeína, no extrato aquoso e hidroalcoólico de Ilex paraguariensis por CLAE e correlação com a capacidade antioxidante dos extratos por redução do DPPH·

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diogo Pineda Rivelli

2007-06-01

Full Text Available A new high performance liquid chromatographic method has been established for simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and caffeine in hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of Ilex paraguariensis. Analytical curves showed good linear regression in the concentration ranges 0.49-7.8 µg/mL for chlorogenic acid, 0.25-3.9 µg/mL for caffeic acid and 0.244-7.8 µg/mL for caffeine. Reduction of the DPPH· radical was used to determine the antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Our method for the simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and caffeine was highly sensitive, having lower detection and quantitation limits than other papers that used similar methodology.Um novo método de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência foi desenvolvido para a determinação simultânea de ácido clorogênico, ácido caféico e cafeína no extrato hidroalcoólico e aquoso de Ilex paraguariensis. As curvas de calibração mostraram boa regressão linear nas faixas de concentração 0,49-7,8 µg/mL para o ácido clorogênico, 0,25-3,9 µg/mL para ácido caféico e 0,244-7,8 µg/mL para cafeína. A redução do radical DPPH· foi usada para determinar a capacidade antioxidante dos extratos. Nosso método para a determinação simultânea de ácido caféico, ácido clorogênico e cafeína foi altamente sensível, possuindo limites de detecção e de quantificação menores do que em outros trabalhos que empregaram metodologias semelhantes.

Hybridization of downregulated-COMT transgenic switchgrass lines with field selected switchgrass for improved biomass traits

Science.gov (United States)

Transgenic switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been produced for improved cell walls for biofuels. Downregulated caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT) switchgrass produced significantly more biomass and biofuel than the non-transgenic progenitor line. In the present study we sought to further...

Bioavailability of Echinacea Constituents: Caco-2 Monolayers and Pharmacokinetics of the Alkylamides and Caffeic Acid Conjugates

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R. Lehmann

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Many studies have been done over the years to assess the effectiveness of Echinacea as an immunomodulator. We have assessed the potential bioavailability of alkyl- amides and caffeic acid conjugates using Caco-2 monolayers and compared it to their actual bioavailability in a Phase I clinical trial. The caffeic acid conjugates permeated poorly through the Caco-2 monolayers. Alkylamides were found to diffuse rapidly through Caco-2 monolayers. Differences in diffusion rates for each alkylamide correlated to structural variations, with saturation and N-terminal methylation contributing to decreases in diffusion rates. Alkylamide diffusion is not affected by the presence of other constituents and the results for a synthetic alkylamide were in line with those for alkylamides found in an ethanolic Echinacea preparation. We examined plasma from healthy volunteers for 12 hours after ingestion of Echinacea tablets manufactured from an ethanolic liquid extract. Caffeic acid conjugates could not be identified in any plasma sample at any time after tablet ingestion. Alkylamides were detected in plasma 20 minutes after tablet ingestion and for each alkylamide, pharmacokinetic profiles were devised. The data are consistent with the dosing regimen of one tablet three times daily and supports their usage as the primary markers for quality Echinacea preparations.

Determination of catechol O-methyltransferase activity in relation to melanin metabolism using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, N. P.; Pavel, S.; Kammeyer, A.; Westerhof, W.

1990-01-01

A new sensitive method for the determination of catechol O-methyltransferase activity has been developed. The method is based on the O-methylation of the indolic intermediates of melanin metabolism. The substrate, 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid, is converted by the enzyme to two O-methylated

Mechanism and kinetics in reactions of caffeic acid with radicals by pulse radiolysis and calculation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xifeng; Cai, Zhongli; Katsumura, Yosuke [Tokyo Univ., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Nuclear Engineering Research Lab

2000-03-01

The interaction of caffeic acid with e{sub aq}{sup -}, (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}(OH) CCH{sub 2}{sup {center_dot}}, CO{sub 2}{sup {center_dot}}{sup -}, H{sup {center_dot}}, {center_dot}OH and N{sub 3}{sup {center_dot}} radicals were studied by {gamma}-, pulse radiolysis and molecular orbital calculation. UV-visible spectra of electron/{center_dot}OH adducts, semi-quinone radicals of caffeic ions, and the stable products from the reactions were derived. The rate constants were determined. The attacked sites and the most favorable structures of the transient radicals were predicted. Reaction mechanisms were proposed. (author)

Caffeic acid derivative from Clinopodium umbrosum

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M. Esfahanizadeh

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Plants of genus Clinopodium have been used in different cultures as traditional medicines.Due to theimportance of medicinal properties of the genus Clinopodium, C. umbrosum was selected for phytochemical analysis along with evaluation of its antioxidant property. Methods: The aerial parts of C. umbrosum were extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol. Later, the methanol extract was fractionated via solid phase extraction and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Consequently, structure of the isolated compound was analyzed through spectral analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data. Besides, the essential oil of C. umbrosum achieved through hydrodistillation was analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS. Additionally, the antioxidant property of C. umbrosum methanol extracttogether with its phenolics and flavonoids content were assessed. Results: Structure elucidation of the purified compound revealed presence of a caffeic acid derivative in C. umbrosum methanol extract. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil showed limonene, acetophenone, palmitic acid and phytol as the most frequent components of the essential oil. Moreover, the RC50 value for free radical scavenging activity of  the methanol extract was determined as 38.52 µg/mL and values for the total phenolics and flavonoids contact were calculated as 5.14 g gallic acid equivalent and 4.25 g quercetin equivalent per 100 g of dried plant material, respectively.  Conclusion: Overall, the present study was the first report on the phytochemical analysis of C. umbrosum whichrevealed presence of rosmarinic acid as the main component of the methanol extract with prominent antioxidant activity.

Synthesis, Preliminary Bioevaluation and Computational Analysis of Caffeic Acid Analogues

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Zhiqian Liu

2014-05-01

Full Text Available A series of caffeic acid amides were designed, synthesized and evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity. Most of them exhibited promising anti-inflammatory activity against nitric oxide (NO generation in murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells. A 3D pharmacophore model was created based on the biological results for further structural optimization. Moreover, predication of the potential targets was also carried out by the PharmMapper server. These amide analogues represent a promising class of anti-inflammatory scaffold for further exploration and target identification.

Reduction of the DNA damages, Hepatoprotective Effect and Antioxidant Potential of the Coconut Water, ascorbic and Caffeic Acids in Oxidative Stress Mediated by Ethanol

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VANDERSON S. BISPO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Hepatic disorders such as steatosis and alcoholic steatohepatitis are common diseases that affect thousands of people around the globe. This study aims to identify the main phenol compounds using a new HPLC-ESI+-MS/MS method, to evaluate some oxidative stress parameters and the hepatoprotective action of green dwarf coconut water, caffeic and ascorbic acids on the liver and serum of rats treated with ethanol. The results showed five polyphenols in the lyophilized coconut water spiked with standards: chlorogenic acid (0.18 µM, caffeic acid (1.1 µM, methyl caffeate (0.03 µM, quercetin (0.08 µM and ferulic acid (0.02 µM isomers. In the animals, the activity of the serum γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (γ-GT was reduced to 1.8 I.U/L in the coconut water group, 3.6 I.U/L in the ascorbic acid group and 2.9 I.U/L in the caffeic acid groups, when compared with the ethanol group (5.1 I.U/L, p<0.05. Still in liver, the DNA analysis demonstrated a decrease of oxidized bases compared to ethanol group of 36.2% and 48.0% for pretreated and post treated coconut water group respectively, 42.5% for the caffeic acid group, and 34.5% for the ascorbic acid group. The ascorbic acid was efficient in inhibiting the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS in the liver by 16.5% in comparison with the ethanol group. These data indicate that the green dwarf coconut water, caffeic and ascorbic acids have antioxidant, hepatoprotective and reduced DNA damage properties, thus decreasing the oxidative stress induced by ethanol metabolism.

Structure and Mechanism of the Rebeccamycin Sugar 4'-O-Methyltransferase RebM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Shanteri; McCoy, Jason G.; Zhang, Changsheng; Bingman, Craig A.; Phillips, Jr., George N.; Thorson, Jon S. (UW)

2008-12-12

The 2.65-{angstrom} crystal structure of the rebeccamycin 4'-O-methyltransferase RebM in complex with S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine revealed RebM to adopt a typical S-adenosylmethionine-binding fold of small molecule O-methyltransferases (O-MTases) and display a weak dimerization domain unique to MTases. Using this structure as a basis, the RebM substrate binding model implicated a predominance of nonspecific hydrophobic interactions consistent with the reported ability of RebM to methylate a wide range of indolocarbazole surrogates. This model also illuminated the three putative RebM catalytic residues (His{sup 140/141} and Asp{sup 166}) subsequently found to be highly conserved among sequence-related natural product O-MTases from GC-rich bacteria. Interrogation of these residues via site-directed mutagenesis in RebM demonstrated His{sup 140} and Asp{sup 166} to be most important for catalysis. This study reveals RebM to be a member of the general acid/base-dependent O-MTases and, as the first crystal structure for a sugar O-MTase, may also present a template toward the future engineering of natural product MTases for combinatorial applications.

Regulatory Effects of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Neuroinflammation in Microglial Cells

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Cheng-Fang Tsai

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Microglial activation has been widely demonstrated to mediate inflammatory processes that are crucial in several neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmaceuticals that can deliver direct inhibitory effects on microglia are therefore considered as a potential strategy to counter balance neurodegenerative progression. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE, a natural phenol in honeybee propolis, is known to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Accordingly, the current study intended to probe the effects of CAPE on microglia activation by using in vitro and in vivo models. Western blot and Griess reaction assay revealed CAPE significantly inhibited the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS, cyclooxygenase (COX-2 and the production of nitric oxide (NO. Administration of CAPE resulted in increased expressions of hemeoxygenase (HO-1and erythropoietin (EPO in microglia. The phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK-α was further found to regulate the anti-inflammatory effects of caffeic acid. In vivo results from immunohistochemistry along with rotarod test also revealed the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of CAPE in microglia activation. The current study has evidenced several possible molecular determinants, AMPKα, EPO, and HO-1, in mediating anti-neuroinflammatory responses in microglial cells.

Monolignol 4-O-methyltransferases and uses thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chang-Jun; Bhuiya, Mohammad-Wadud; Zhang, Kewei

2014-11-18

Modified (iso)eugenol 4-O-methyltransferase enzymes having novel capacity for methylation of monolignols and reduction of lignin polymerization in plant cell wall are disclosed. Sequences encoding the modified enzymes are disclosed.

Modulation of phenytoin teratogenicity and embryonic covalent binding by acetylsalicylic acid, caffeic acid, and alpha-phenyl-N-t-butylnitrone: implications for bioactivation by prostaglandin synthetase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wells, P.G.; Zubovits, J.T.; Wong, S.T.; Molinari, L.M.; Ali, S.

1989-01-01

Teratogenicity of the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin is thought to involve its bioactivation by cytochromes P-450 to a reactive arene oxide intermediate. We hypothesized that phenytoin also may be bioactivated to a teratogenic free radical intermediate by another enzymatic system, prostaglandin synthetase. To evaluate the teratogenic contribution of this latter pathway, an irreversible inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip), was administered to pregnant CD-1 mice at 9:00 AM on Gestational Days 12 and 13, 2 hr before phenytoin, 65 mg/kg ip. Other groups were pretreated 2 hr prior to phenytoin administration with either the antioxidant caffeic acid or the free radical spin trapping agent alpha-phenyl-N-t-butylnitrone (PBN). Caffeic acid and PBN were given ip in doses that respectively were up to 1.0 to 0.05 molar equivalents to the dose of phenytoin. Dams were killed on Day 19 and the fetuses were assessed for teratologic anomalies. A similar study evaluated the effect of ASA on the in vivo covalent binding of radiolabeled phenytoin administered on Day 12, in which case dams were killed 24 hr later on Day 13. ASA pretreatment produced a 50% reduction in the incidence of fetal cleft palates induced by phenytoin (p less than 0.05), without significantly altering the incidence of resorptions or mean fetal body weight. Pretreatment with either caffeic acid or PBN resulted in dose-related decreases in the incidence of fetal cleft palates produced by phenytoin, with maximal respective reductions of 71 and 82% at the highest doses of caffeic acid and PBN (p less than 0.05)

Improved Stability of Tuberculosis Drug Fixed-Dose Combination Using Isoniazid-Caffeic Acid and Vanillic Acid Cocrystal.

Science.gov (United States)

Battini, Swapna; Mannava, M K Chaitanya; Nangia, Ashwini

2018-06-01

The classic fixed-dose combination (FDC) of 4 tuberculosis drugs, namely rifampicin (RIF), isoniazid (INH), pyrazinamide (PZA), and ethambutol dihydrochloride (EDH) has the twin issues of physical stability and RIF cross-reaction in the 4-FDC. The major reason for these quality issues is the interaction between RIF and INH to yield isonicotinyl hydrazone in drug tablets. Pharmaceutical cocrystals of INH with caffeic acid (CFA) (PZA + EDH + RIF + INH-CFA cocrystal) and vanillic acid (VLA) (PZA + EDH + RIF + INH-VLA cocrystal) are able to stabilize the FDC formulation compared with the reference batch (PZA + EDH + RIF + INH). Stability studies under accelerated humidity and temperature stress conditions of 40°C and 75% relative humidity showed that the physical stability of the cocrystal formulation was superior by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis, and chemical purity was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Changes in the composition and structure were monitored on samples drawn at 7, 15, 22, and 30 days of storage. FDC-INH-CFA cocrystal batch exhibited greater stability compared with FDC-INH-VLA cocrystal and FDC reference drug batches. The superior stability of INH-CFA cocrystal is attributed to the presence of stronger hydrogen bonds and cyclic O-H⋯O synthon in the crystal structure. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suppression of skin inflammation in keratinocytes and acute/chronic disease models by caffeic acid phenethyl ester.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Kyung-Min; Bae, SeungJin; Koo, Jung Eun; Kim, Eun-Sun; Bae, Ok-Nam; Lee, Joo Young

2015-04-01

Skin inflammation plays a central role in the pathophysiology and symptoms of diverse chronic skin diseases including atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we examined if caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a skin-permeable bioactive compound from propolis, was protective against skin inflammation using in vitro cell system and in vivo animal disease models. CAPE suppressed TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation and expression of inflammatory cytokines in human keratinocytes (HaCaT). The potency and efficacy of CAPE were superior to those of a non-phenethyl derivative, caffeic acid. Consistently, topical treatment of CAPE (0.5 %) attenuated 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate(TPA)-induced skin inflammation on mouse ear as CAPE reduced ear swelling and histologic inflammation scores. CAPE suppressed increased expression of pro-inflammatory molecules such as TNF-α, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible NO synthase in TPA-stimulated skin. TPA-induced phosphorylation of IκB and ERK was blocked by CAPE suggesting that protective effects of CAPE on skin inflammation is attributed to inhibition of NF-κB activation. Most importantly, in an oxazolone-induced chronic dermatitis model, topical application of CAPE (0.5 and 1 %) was effective in alleviating AD-like symptoms such as increases of trans-epidermal water loss, skin thickening and serum IgE as well as histologic inflammation assessment. Collectively, our results propose CAPE as a promising candidate for a novel topical drug for skin inflammatory diseases.

Synthesis and Antiradical/Antioxidant Activities of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Its Related Propionic, Acetic, and Benzoic Acid Analoguesc

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Mohamed Touaibia

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE is a bioactive component isolated from propolis. A series of CAPE analogues was synthesized and their antiradical/antioxidant effects analyzed. The effect of the presence of the double bond and of the conjugated system on the antioxidant effect is evaluated with the analogues obtained from 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl propanoic acid. Those obtained from 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid allow the evaluation of the effect of the presence of two carbons between the carbonyl and aromatic system.

Caffeic Acid-PLGA Conjugate to Design Protein Drug Delivery Systems Stable to Irradiation

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Francesca Selmin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This work reports the feasibility of caffeic acid grafted PLGA (g-CA-PLGA to design biodegradable sterile microspheres for the delivery of proteins. Ovalbumin (OVA was selected as model compound because of its sensitiveness of γ-radiation. The adopted grafting procedure allowed us to obtain a material with good free radical scavenging properties, without a significant modification of Mw and Tg of the starting PLGA (Mw PLGA = 26.3 ± 1.3 kDa vs. Mw g-CA-PLGA = 22.8 ± 0.7 kDa; Tg PLGA = 47.7 ± 0.8 °C vs. Tg g-CA-PLGA = 47.4 ± 0.2 °C. By using a W1/O/W2 technique, g-CA-PLGA improved the encapsulation efficiency (EE, suggesting that the presence of caffeic residues improved the compatibility between components (EEPLGA = 35.0% ± 0.7% vs. EEg-CA-PLGA = 95.6% ± 2.7%. Microspheres particle size distribution ranged from 15 to 50 µm. The zeta-potential values of placebo and loaded microspheres were −25 mV and −15 mV, respectively. The irradiation of g-CA-PLGA at the dose of 25 kGy caused a less than 1% variation of Mw and the degradation patterns of the non-irradiated and irradiated microspheres were superimposable. The OVA content in g-CA-PLGA microspheres decreased to a lower extent with respect to PLGA microspheres. These results suggest that g-CA-PLGA is a promising biodegradable material to microencapsulate biological drugs.

The O-methyltransferase PMT2 mediates methylation of pinosylvin in Scots pine.

Science.gov (United States)

Paasela, Tanja; Lim, Kean-Jin; Pietiäinen, Milla; Teeri, Teemu H

2017-06-01

Heartwood extractives are important determinants of the natural durability of pine heartwood. The most important phenolic compounds affecting durability are the stilbenes pinosylvin and its monomethylether, which in addition have important functions as phytoalexins in active defense. A substantial portion of the synthesized pinosylvin is 3-methoxylated but the O-methyltransferase responsible for this modification has not been correctly identified. We studied the expression of the stilbene pathway during heartwood development as well as in response to wounding of xylem and UV-C treatment of needles. We isolated and enzymatically characterized a novel O-methyltransferase, PMT2. The methylated product was verified as pinosylvin monomethylether using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography analyses. The PMT2 enzyme was highly specific for stilbenes as substrate, in contrast to caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) and PMT1 that were multifunctional. Expression profile and multifunctional activity of CCoAOMT suggest that it might have additional roles outside lignin biosynthesis. PMT1 is not involved in the stilbene pathway and its biological function remains an open question. We isolated a new specific O-methyltransferase responsible for 3-methoxylation of pinosylvin. Expression of PMT2 closely follows stilbene biosynthesis during developmental and stress induction. We propose that PMT2 is responsible for pinosylvin methylation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), instead of the previously characterized methyltransferase, PMT1. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Reaction Mechanisms and Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Caffeic Acid Grafted Chitosan Synthesized in Ascorbic Acid and Hydroxyl Peroxide Redox System.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Pu, Huimin; Chen, Chong; Liu, Yunpeng; Bai, Ruyu; Kan, Juan; Jin, Changhai

2018-01-10

The ascorbic acid (AA) and hydroxyl peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) redox pair induced free radical grafting reaction is a promising approach to conjugate phenolic groups with chitosan (CS). In order to reveal the exact mechanisms of the AA/H 2 O 2 redox pair induced grafting reaction, free radicals generated in the AA/H 2 O 2 redox system were compared with hydroxyl radical ( • OH) produced in the Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 redox system. Moreover, the structural and physicochemical properties of caffeic acid grafted CS (CA-g-CS) synthesized in these two redox systems were compared. Results showed that only ascorbate radical (Asc •- ) was produced in the AA/H 2 O 2 system. The reaction between Asc •- and CS produced novel carbon-centered radicals, whereas no new free radicals were detected when • OH reacted with CS. Thin layer chromatography, UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses all confirmed that CA was successfully grafted onto CS through Asc •- . However, CA could be hardly grafted onto CS via • OH. CA-g-CS synthesized through Asc •- exhibited lower thermal stability and crystallinity than the reaction product obtained through • OH. For the first time, our results demonstrated that the synthesis of CA-g-CS in the AA/H 2 O 2 redox system was mediated by Asc •- rather than • OH.

Specialized (iso)eugenol-4-O-methyltransferases (s-IEMTs) and methods of making and using the same

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chang-Jun; Cai, Yuanheng

2017-01-31

Specialized (iso)eugenol 4-O-methyltransferase (s-IEMT) enzymes having increased capacity for methylation of monolignols are disclosed. The s-IEMTs have unique activity favoring methylation of coniferyl alcohol versus sinapyl alcohol. Various s-IEMTs methylate ferulic acid. Means for producing the various s-IEMTs are provided. The s-IEMTs are useful for modification of lignin content and production of aromatic compounds.

Effect of high pressure on peanut allergens in the presence of polyphenol oxidase and caffeic acid

Science.gov (United States)

High pressure (HP) enhances enzymatic reactions. Because polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is an enzyme, and reduces IgE binding of peanut allergens in presence of caffeic acid (CA), we postulated that a further reduction in IgE binding can be achieved, using HP together with PPO and CA. Peanut extracts cont...

Chemical Properties of Caffeic and Ferulic Acids in Biological System: Implications in Cancer Therapy. A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Damasceno, Sarah S; Dantas, Bruna B; Ribeiro-Filho, Jaime; Antônio M Araújo, Demetrius; Galberto M da Costa, José

2017-01-01

The antioxidant properties of caffeic and ferulic acids in biological systems have been extensively demonstrated. As antioxidants, these compounds prevent the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause cell lesions that are associated with the development of several diseases, including cancer. Recent findings suggest that the chemoprotective action of these phenolic acids occurs through the following mechanisms: regulation of gene expression, chelation and / or reduction of transition metals, formation of covalent adducts and direct toxicity. The biological efficacy of these promising chemoprotective agents is strongly related with their chemical structure. Therefore, in this study, we discuss the structural characteristics of ferulic and caffeic acids that are responsible for their biological activities, as well as the mechanisms of action involved with the anti-cancer activity. Several reports indicated that the antioxidant effect of these phenylpropanoids results from reactions with free radicals with formation of stable products in the cells. The chelating effect of these compounds was also reported as an important protective mechanism against oxidative. Finally, the lipophilicity of these agents facilitates their entry into the cells, and thus, contributes to the anticancer activity. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Overexpression of a soybean salicylic acid methyltransferase gene confers resistance to soybean cyst nematode

Science.gov (United States)

Salicylic acid plays a critical role in activating plant defence responses after pathogen attack. Salicylic acid methyltransferase (SAMT) modulates the level of salicylic acid by converting salicylic acid to methyl salicylate. Here, we report that a SAMT gene from soybean (GmSAMT1) plays a role in s...

Preparation and characterization of SPION functionalized via caffeic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baykal, A. [Department of Chemistry, Fatih University, B.Çekmece, 34500 Istanbul (Turkey); Amir, Md., E-mail: mda.fatih@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Fatih University, B.Çekmece, 34500 Istanbul (Turkey); Günerb, S. [Department of Physics, Fatih University, B.Çekmece, 34500 Istanbul (Turkey); Sözeri, H. [TUBITAK-UME, National Metrology Institute, 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli (Turkey)

2015-12-01

Caffeic acid coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION-CFA) was synthesized by reflux method. The structural, spectroscopic and magnetic properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the presence of CA on the surface of SPION. The theoretical analyzes performed on recorded room temperature VSM spectrum confirmed the formation of superparamagnetic nature of SPION-CFA. The particle size dependent Langevin function was applied to determine the average magnetic particle dimension (D{sub mag}) around 11.93 nm. In accordance, the average crystallite and particle sizes were obtained as 11.40 nm and ~12.00 nm from XRD and TEM measurements. The extrapolated specific saturation magnetization (σ{sub s}) is 44.11 emu/g and measured magnetic moment is 1.83 µ{sub B}. These parameters assign small order of magnetization for NPs with respect to bulk Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. Magnetic anisotropy was offered as uniaxial and calculated effective anisotropy constant (K{sub eff}) is 34.82×10{sup 4} Erg/g. The size-dependent saturation magnetization suggests the existence of a magnetically inactive layer as 1.035 nm for SPION-CFA. - Highlights: • The effects of CFA on the microstructure and magnetic properties of SPION have been investigated. • Product was structurally and magnetically characterized. • Product presented superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature.

Preparation and characterization of SPION functionalized via caffeic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baykal, A.; Amir, Md.; Günerb, S.; Sözeri, H.

2015-01-01

Caffeic acid coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION-CFA) was synthesized by reflux method. The structural, spectroscopic and magnetic properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the presence of CA on the surface of SPION. The theoretical analyzes performed on recorded room temperature VSM spectrum confirmed the formation of superparamagnetic nature of SPION-CFA. The particle size dependent Langevin function was applied to determine the average magnetic particle dimension (D mag ) around 11.93 nm. In accordance, the average crystallite and particle sizes were obtained as 11.40 nm and ~12.00 nm from XRD and TEM measurements. The extrapolated specific saturation magnetization (σ s ) is 44.11 emu/g and measured magnetic moment is 1.83 µ B . These parameters assign small order of magnetization for NPs with respect to bulk Fe 3 O 4 . Magnetic anisotropy was offered as uniaxial and calculated effective anisotropy constant (K eff ) is 34.82×10 4 Erg/g. The size-dependent saturation magnetization suggests the existence of a magnetically inactive layer as 1.035 nm for SPION-CFA. - Highlights: • The effects of CFA on the microstructure and magnetic properties of SPION have been investigated. • Product was structurally and magnetically characterized. • Product presented superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature

Choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents as additives for optimizing chromatographic behavior of caffeic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Guizhen; Zhu, Tao; Lei, Yingjie

2015-01-01

A series of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were prepared using glycerol and choline chloride (ChCl), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) was used to analyze the spectra of glycerol, choline chloride and DESs based on glycerol and choline chloride. Then DESs were used as the additives of mobile phase to optimize chromatographic behavior of caffeic acid in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A 17-run Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed to evaluate effect of DESs as additives by analyzing the maximum theoretical plate number. Three factors, reaction temperature (60 .deg. C, 80 .deg. C, 100 .deg. C), molar ratio of glycerol and choline chloride (2 : 1, 3 : 1, 4 : 1, n/n), and volume percent of additives (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, v/v), were investigated in BBD. The optimum experiment condition was that of reaction temperature (80 .deg. C), molar ratio of glycerol and ChCl (3 : 1, n/n), and volume percent of additive (0.10%, v/v). The mean chromatographic theoretical plate number of the caffeic acid this condition was 1567.5, and DESs as additives shorten the retention time and modify the chromatogram shape, proving DESs as additives for effective theoretical plate number and column efficiency in HPLC.

Choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents as additives for optimizing chromatographic behavior of caffeic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Guizhen; Zhu, Tao; Lei, Yingjie [Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin (China)

2015-10-15

A series of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were prepared using glycerol and choline chloride (ChCl), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) was used to analyze the spectra of glycerol, choline chloride and DESs based on glycerol and choline chloride. Then DESs were used as the additives of mobile phase to optimize chromatographic behavior of caffeic acid in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A 17-run Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed to evaluate effect of DESs as additives by analyzing the maximum theoretical plate number. Three factors, reaction temperature (60 .deg. C, 80 .deg. C, 100 .deg. C), molar ratio of glycerol and choline chloride (2 : 1, 3 : 1, 4 : 1, n/n), and volume percent of additives (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, v/v), were investigated in BBD. The optimum experiment condition was that of reaction temperature (80 .deg. C), molar ratio of glycerol and ChCl (3 : 1, n/n), and volume percent of additive (0.10%, v/v). The mean chromatographic theoretical plate number of the caffeic acid this condition was 1567.5, and DESs as additives shorten the retention time and modify the chromatogram shape, proving DESs as additives for effective theoretical plate number and column efficiency in HPLC.

Additions of caffeic acid, ascorbyl palmitate or gamma-tocopherol to fish oil-enriched energy bars affect lipid oxidation differently

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horn, Anna Frisenfeldt; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2009-01-01

The objectives of the study were to investigate the effects of caffeic acid, ascorbyl palmitate and gamma-tocopherol on protection of fish oil-enriched energy bars against lipid oxidation during storage for 10 weeks at room temperature. The lipophilic gamma-tocopherol reduced lipid oxidation during...... storage when added at a concentration above 440 mu g/g fish oil. However, the best antioxidative effect was observed when it was added at a concentration of 660 mu g/g fish oil. In contrast, prooxidative effects were observed when using either gamma-tocopherol at concentrations below 220 mu g/g fish oil......, or the hydrophilic caffeic acid, or the amphiphilic ascorbyl palmitate at concentrations of 75, 150 and 300 mu g/g fish oil. Prooxidative effects were observed as an increase in the formation of lipid hydroperoxides and volatile secondary oxidation products, as well as the development of rancid off...

Biosynthesis of estragole and methyl-eugenol in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L). Developmental and chemotypic association of allylphenol O-methyltransferase activities.

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Lewinsohn, E; Ziv-Raz, I; Dudai, N; Tadmor, Y; Lastochkin, E; Larkov, O; Chaimovitsh, D; Ravid, U; Putievsky, E; Pichersky, E; Shoham, Y

2000-12-07

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L., Lamiaceae) is a common herb, used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The essential oils of different sweet basil chemotypes contain various proportions of the allyl phenol derivatives estragole (methyl chavicol), eugenol, and methyl eugenol, as well as the monoterpene alcohol linalool. To monitor the developmental regulation of estragole biosynthesis in sweet basil, an enzymatic assay for S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM):chavicol O-methyltransferase activity was developed. Young leaves display high levels of chavicol O-methyltransferase activity, but the activity was negligible in older leaves, indicating that the O-methylation of chavicol primarily occurs early during leaf development. The O-methyltransferase activities detected in different sweet basil genotypes differed in their substrate specificities towards the methyl acceptor substrate. In the high-estragole-containing chemotype R3, the O-methyltransferase activity was highly specific for chavicol, while eugenol was virtually not O-methylated. In contrast, chemotype 147/97, that contains equal levels of estragole and methyl eugenol, displayed O-methyltransferase activities that accepted both chavicol and eugenol as substrates, generating estragole and methyl eugenol, respectively. Chemotype SW that contains high levels of eugenol, but lacks both estragole and methyl eugenol, had apparently no allylphenol dependent O-methyltransferase activities. These results indicate the presence of at least two types of allylphenol-specific O-methyltransferase activities in sweet basil chemotypes, one highly specific for chavicol; and a different one that can accept eugenol as a substrate. The relative availability and substrate specificities of these O-methyltransferase activities biochemically rationalizes the variation in the composition of the essential oils of these chemotypes.

A novel multifunctional O-methyltransferase implicated in a dual methylation pathway associated with lignin biosynthesis in loblolly pine

OpenAIRE

Li, Laigeng; Popko, Jacqueline L.; Zhang, Xing-Hai; Osakabe, Keishi; Tsai, Chung-Jui; Joshi, Chandrashekhar P.; Chiang, Vincent L.

1997-01-01

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM)-dependent O-methyltransferases (OMTs) catalyze the methylation of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives for the synthesis of methylated plant polyphenolics, including lignin. The distinction in the extent of methylation of lignins in angiosperms and gymnosperms, mediated by substrate-specific OMTs, represents one of the fundamental differences in lignin biosynthesis between these two classes of plants. In angiosperms, two types of structurally and functionally distinc...

Antiviral Properties of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Its Potential Application

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Haci Kemal Erdemli

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE is found in variety of plants and well known active ingredient of the honeybee propolis. CAPE showed anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antimitogenic, antiviral and immunomodulatory properties in several studies. The beneficial effects of CAPE on different health issues attracted scientists to make more studies on CAPE. Specifically, the anti-viral effects of CAPE and its molecular mechanisms may reveal the important properties of virus-induced diseases. CAPE and its targets may have important roles to design new therapeutics and understand the molecular mechanisms of virus related diseases. In this mini-review, we summarize the antiviral effects of CAPE under the light of medical and chemical literature. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2015; 4(4.000: 344-347

Plant isoflavone and isoflavanone O-methyltransferase genes

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Broeckling, Bettina E.; Liu, Chang-Jun; Dixon, Richard A.

2014-08-19

The invention provides enzymes that encode O-methyltransferases (OMTs) from Medicago truncatula that allow modification to plant (iso)flavonoid biosynthetic pathways. In certain aspects of the invention, the genes encoding these enzymes are provided. The invention therefore allows the modification of plants for isoflavonoid content. Transgenic plants comprising such enzymes are also provided, as well as methods for improving disease resistance in plants. Methods for producing food and nutraceuticals, and the resulting compositions, are also provided.

Caffeic acid, tyrosol and p-coumaric acid are potent inhibitors of 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine induced neurotoxicity.

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Vauzour, David; Corona, Giulia; Spencer, Jeremy P E

2010-09-01

Parkinson's disease is characterized by a progressive and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Recent investigations have shown that conjugates such as the 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine, possess strong neurotoxicity and may contribute to the underlying progression of the disease pathology. Although the neuroprotective actions of flavonoids are well reported, that of hydroxycinnamates and other phenolic acids is less established. We show that the hydroxycinnamates caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid, the hydroxyphenethyl alcohol, tyrosol, and a Champagne wine extract rich in these components protect neurons against injury induced by 5-S-cysteinyl-dopamine in vitro. The protection induced by these polyphenols was equal to or greater than that observed for the flavonoids, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and quercetin. For example, p-coumaric acid evoked significantly more protection at 1muM (64.0+/-3.1%) than both (-)-epicatechin (46.0+/-4.1%, p<0.05) and (+)-catechin (13.1+/-3.0%, p<0.001) at the same concentration. These data indicate that hydroxycinnamates, phenolic acids and phenolic alcohol are also capable of inducing neuroprotective effects to a similar extent to that seen with flavonoids. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Functional characterization of KanP, a methyltransferase from the kanamycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces kanamyceticus.

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Nepal, Keshav Kumar; Yoo, Jin Cheol; Sohng, Jae Kyung

2010-09-20

KanP, a putative methyltransferase, is located in the kanamycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces kanamyceticus ATCC12853. Amino acid sequence analysis of KanP revealed the presence of S-adenosyl-L-methionine binding motifs, which are present in other O-methyltransferases. The kanP gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) to generate the E. coli KANP recombinant strain. The conversion of external quercetin to methylated quercetin in the culture extract of E. coli KANP proved the function of kanP as S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferase. This is the first report concerning the identification of an O-methyltransferase gene from the kanamycin gene cluster. The resistant activity assay and RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the leeway for obtaining methylated kanamycin derivatives from the wild-type strain of kanamycin producer. 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Monolignol biosynthesis in microsomal preparations from lignifying stems of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

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Guo, Dianjing; Chen, Fang; Dixon, Richard A

2002-11-01

Microsomal preparations from lignifying stems of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) contained coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylase activity and immunodetectable caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and catalyzed the S-adenosyl L-methionine (SAM) dependent methylation of caffeic acid, caffeyl aldehyde and caffeyl alcohol. When supplied with NADPH and SAM, the microsomes converted caffeyl aldehyde to coniferaldehyde, 5-hydroxyconiferaldehyde, and traces of sinapaldehyde. Coniferaldehyde was a better precursor of sinapaldehyde than was 5-hydroxyconiferaldehyde. The alfalfa microsomes could not metabolize 4-coumaric acid, 4-coumaraldehyde, 4-coumaroyl CoA, or ferulic acid. No metabolism of monolignol precursors was observed in microsomal preparations from transgenic alfalfa down-regulated in COMT expression. In most microsomal preparations, the level of the metabolic conversions was independent of added recombinant COMT. Taken together, the data provide only limited support for the concept of metabolic channeling in the biosynthesis of S monolignols via coniferaldehyde.

Caffeic acid and quercetin exert caspases-independent apoptotic effects on Leishmania major promastigotes, and reactivate the death of infected phagocytes derived from BALB/c mice

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Radia Belkhelfa-Slimani

2017-04-01

Conclusions: The leishmanicidal effect of caffeic acid and quercetin on promastigotes and amastigotes, as well as reactivation of infected phagocytes apoptosis, suggested a potential therapeutic role against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Preliminary individualized chemotherapy for malignant astrocytomas based on O6-methylguanine-deoxyribonucleic acid methyltransferase methylation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Takao; Katayama, Yoichi; Ogino, Akiyoshi; Ohta, Takashi; Yoshino, Atsuo; Fukushima, Takao

2006-08-01

O(6)-methylguanine-deoxyribonucleic acid methyltransferase gene (MGMT) methylation is apparently correlated with responsiveness to nitrosourea chemotherapy, suggesting this alkylating agent should be effective against MGMT-methylated tumors. MGMT appears not to be linked to platinum resistance, so platinum chemotherapy should be used for MGMT-unmethylated tumors. This study was a preliminary trial of individualized chemotherapy based on MGMT methylation status in a total of 20 patients with newly diagnosed malignant astrocytomas (9 anaplastic astrocytomas and 11 glioblastomas multiforme). The procarbazine, 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-2(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea, and vincristine (PAV) regimen was administered to seven patients with MGMT-methylated tumors, and the carboplatin and etoposide (CE) regimen was administered to 13 patients with MGMT-unmethylated tumors. Objective response to the PAV therapy was noted in all three patients with measurable residual tumor (2 complete responses and 1 partial response). Five of the seven patients continued to be disease-free after initiation of the PAV therapy. Objective response to the CE therapy was seen in only one of seven patients with measurable residual tumor (1 partial response). Three of the 13 patients were free from progression, whereas the remaining 10 patients showed early progression. The PAV regimen is effective against MGMT-methylated malignant astrocytomas, but the CE regimen is not useful at the given dose and schedule in MGMT-unmethylated tumors.

Cloning and expressing a highly functional and substrate specific farnesoic acid o-methyltransferase from the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama).

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Van Ekert, Evelien; Shatters, Robert G; Rougé, Pierre; Powell, Charles A; Smagghe, Guy; Borovsky, Dov

2015-01-01

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, transmits a phloem-limited bacterium, Candidatus 'Liberibacter' asiaticus that causes citrus greening disease. Because juvenile hormone (JH) plays an important role in adult and nymphal development, we studied the final steps in JH biosynthesis in D. citri. A putative JH acid methyltransferase ortholog gene (jmtD) and its cognate cDNA were identified by searching D. citri genome database. Expression analysis shows expression in all life stages. In adults, it is expressed in the head-thorax, (containing the corpora allata), and the abdomen (containing ovaries and male accessory glands). A 3D protein model identified the catalytic groove with catalytically active amino acids and the S-adenosyl methionine (SAM)-binding loop. The cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and the purified enzyme showed high preference for farnesoic acid (FA) and homoFA (kcat of 0.752 × 10(-3) and 0.217 × 10(-3) s(-1), respectively) as compared to JH acid I (JHA I) (cis/trans/cis; 2Z, 6E, 10cis), JHA III (2E, 6E, 10cis), and JHA I (trans/cis/cis; 2E, 2Z, 10cis) (kcat of 0.081 × 10(-3), 0.013 × 10(-3), and 0.003 × 10(-3) s(-1), respectively). This suggests that this ortholog is a DcFA-o-methyl transferase gene (fmtD), not a jmtD, and that JH biosynthesis in D. citri proceeds from FA to JH III through methyl farnesoate (MF). DcFA-o-MT does not require Ca(2+), Mg(2+) or Zn(2+), however, Zn(2+) (1 mM) completely inhibits the enzyme probably by binding H115 at the active groove. This represents the first purified FA-o-MT from Hemiptera with preferred biological activity for FA and not JHA.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulatory activities of caffeic acid and ellagic acid in cardiac tissue of diabetic mice

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Hsu Cheng-chin

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Caffeic acid (CA and ellagic acid (EA are phenolic acids naturally occurring in many plant foods. Cardiac protective effects of these compounds against dyslipidemia, hypercoagulability, oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic mice were examined. Methods Diabetic mice were divided into three groups (15 mice per group: diabetic mice with normal diet, 2% CA treatment, or 2% EA treatment. One group of non-diabetic mice with normal diet was used for comparison. After 12 weeks supplement, mice were sacrificed, and the variation of biomarkers for hypercoagulability, oxidative stress and inflammation in cardiac tissue of diabetic mice were measured. Results The intake of CA or EA significantly increased cardiac content of these compounds, alleviated body weight loss, elevated plasma insulin and decreased plasma glucose levels in diabetic mice (p p p p p p p Conclusion These results support that CA and EA could provide triglyceride-lowering, anti-coagulatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory protection in cardiac tissue of diabetic mice. Thus, the supplement of these agents might be helpful for the prevention or attenuation of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/caffeic acid electrospun fibrous materials coated with polyelectrolyte complex and their antibacterial activity and in vitro antitumor effect against HeLa cells

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Ignatova, Milena G. [Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Manolova, Nevena E., E-mail: manolova@polymer.bas.bg [Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Rashkov, Iliya B. [Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, Bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Markova, Nadya D. [Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Bl. 26, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Toshkova, Reneta A.; Georgieva, Ani K.; Nikolova, Elena B. [Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, bl. 25, BG-1113 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2016-08-01

The purpose of this work was to investigate the possibility for the preparation of new poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based fibrous materials containing natural phenolic compound caffeic acid (CA) of diverse architectures, as well as to study the impact of the fiber composition on the in vitro CA release profile and on the biological properties of the fibrous materials. The application of the one-pot electrospinning enabled the fabrication of nanofibrous materials from PHB and PEG loaded with the CA. Materials with targeted design were obtained by coating with polyelectrolyte complex of alginate (Alg) and N,N,N-trimethylchitosan (TMCh). Three different processing paths were used to obtain coated mats: (i) with CA incorporated in the PHB/PEG core; (ii) with CA embedded in the Alg layer; and (iii) with CA included in the TMCh layer. The in vitro release of CA was modulated by controlling the composition and the architecture of the nanofibrous mats. The performed microbiological screening and MTT cell viability studies revealed that in contrast to the bare mats, the CA-containing nanofibrous materials were effective in suppressing the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and displayed good cytotoxicity against human cervical HeLa tumor cells. In addition, the proliferation of murine spleen lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages was increased by the prepared CA-containing nanofibrous materials. The obtained materials are promising for antibacterial wound dressing applications as well as for application in local treatment of cervical tumors. - Highlights: • New caffeic acid-loaded materials from PHB and PEG were prepared by electrospinning. • Different design is achieved by coating and formation of polyelectrolyte complexes. • The control on the architecture of the mats enables modulating caffeic acid release. • The caffeic acid-loaded mats suppress the growth of

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/caffeic acid electrospun fibrous materials coated with polyelectrolyte complex and their antibacterial activity and in vitro antitumor effect against HeLa cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignatova, Milena G.; Manolova, Nevena E.; Rashkov, Iliya B.; Markova, Nadya D.; Toshkova, Reneta A.; Georgieva, Ani K.; Nikolova, Elena B.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this work was to investigate the possibility for the preparation of new poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based fibrous materials containing natural phenolic compound caffeic acid (CA) of diverse architectures, as well as to study the impact of the fiber composition on the in vitro CA release profile and on the biological properties of the fibrous materials. The application of the one-pot electrospinning enabled the fabrication of nanofibrous materials from PHB and PEG loaded with the CA. Materials with targeted design were obtained by coating with polyelectrolyte complex of alginate (Alg) and N,N,N-trimethylchitosan (TMCh). Three different processing paths were used to obtain coated mats: (i) with CA incorporated in the PHB/PEG core; (ii) with CA embedded in the Alg layer; and (iii) with CA included in the TMCh layer. The in vitro release of CA was modulated by controlling the composition and the architecture of the nanofibrous mats. The performed microbiological screening and MTT cell viability studies revealed that in contrast to the bare mats, the CA-containing nanofibrous materials were effective in suppressing the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and displayed good cytotoxicity against human cervical HeLa tumor cells. In addition, the proliferation of murine spleen lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophages was increased by the prepared CA-containing nanofibrous materials. The obtained materials are promising for antibacterial wound dressing applications as well as for application in local treatment of cervical tumors. - Highlights: • New caffeic acid-loaded materials from PHB and PEG were prepared by electrospinning. • Different design is achieved by coating and formation of polyelectrolyte complexes. • The control on the architecture of the mats enables modulating caffeic acid release. • The caffeic acid-loaded mats suppress the growth of

Catechol Groups Enable Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging-Mediated Suppression of PKD-NFkappaB-IL-8 Signaling Pathway by Chlorogenic and Caffeic Acids in Human Intestinal Cells

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Hee Soon Shin

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Chlorogenic acid (CHA and caffeic acid (CA are phenolic compounds found in coffee, which inhibit oxidative stress-induced interleukin (IL-8 production in intestinal epithelial cells, thereby suppressing serious cellular injury and inflammatory intestinal diseases. Therefore, we investigated the anti-inflammatory mechanism of CHA and CA, both of which inhibited hydrogen peroxide (H2O2-induced IL-8 transcriptional activity. They also significantly suppressed nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB transcriptional activity, nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit, and phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKK. Additionally, upstream of IKK, protein kinase D (PKD was also suppressed. Finally, we found that they scavenged H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS and the functional moiety responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of CHA and CA was the catechol group. Therefore, we conclude that the presence of catechol groups in CHA and CA allows scavenging of intracellular ROS, thereby inhibiting H2O2-induced IL-8 production via suppression of PKD-NF-κB signaling in human intestinal epithelial cells.

Can propolis and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE be promising agents against cyclophosphamide toxicity?

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Sumeyya Akyol

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Propolis is a mixture having hundreds of polyphenols including caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE. They have been using in several medical conditions/diseases in both in vitro and in vivo experimental setup. Cyclophosphamide has been used to treat a broad of malignancies including Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgking’s lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Ewing’s sarcoma, breast cancer, testicular cancer, etc. It may cause several side effects after treatment. In this mini review, the protective effects of propolis and CAPE were compared each other in terms of effectiveness against cyclophosphamide-induced injuries. [J Complement Med Res 2016; 5(1.000: 105-107

O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in wild-type and ada mutants of Escherichia coli

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitra, S.; Pal, B.C.; Foote, R.S.

1982-01-01

O 6 -Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase is induced in Escherichia coli during growth in low levels of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. We have developed a sensitive assay for quantitating low levels of this activity with a synthetic DNA substrate containing 3 H-labeled O 6 -methylguanine as the only modified base. Although both wild-type and adaptation-deficient (ada) mutants of E. coli contained low but comparable numbers (from 13 to 60) of the enzyme molecules per cell, adaptation treatment caused a significant increase of the enzyme in the wild type but not in the ada mutants, suggesting that the ada mutation is in a regulatory locus and not in the structural gene for the methyltransferase

Effect of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Vascular Damage Caused by Consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Rats

OpenAIRE

Gun, Aburrahman; Ozer, Mehmet Kaya; Bilgic, Sedat; Kocaman, Nevin; Ozan, Gonca

2016-01-01

Fructose corn syrup is cheap sweetener and prolongs the shelf life of products, but fructose intake causes hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. All of them are referred to as metabolic syndrome and they are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Hence, the harmful effects of increased fructose intake on health and their prevention should take greater consideration. Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) has beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome and vascular function wh...

2′-O Methylation of Internal Adenosine by Flavivirus NS5 Methyltransferase

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Hongping; Chang, David C.; Hua, Maggie Ho Chia; Lim, Siew Pheng; Chionh, Yok Hian; Hia, Fabian; Lee, Yie Hou; Kukkaro, Petra; Lok, Shee-Mei; Dedon, Peter C.; Shi, Pei-Yong

2012-01-01

RNA modification plays an important role in modulating host-pathogen interaction. Flavivirus NS5 protein encodes N-7 and 2′-O methyltransferase activities that are required for the formation of 5′ type I cap (m7GpppAm) of viral RNA genome. Here we reported, for the first time, that flavivirus NS5 has a novel internal RNA methylation activity. Recombinant NS5 proteins of West Nile virus and Dengue virus (serotype 4; DENV-4) specifically methylates polyA, but not polyG, polyC, or polyU, indicating that the methylation occurs at adenosine residue. RNAs with internal adenosines substituted with 2′-O-methyladenosines are not active substrates for internal methylation, whereas RNAs with adenosines substituted with N6-methyladenosines can be efficiently methylated, suggesting that the internal methylation occurs at the 2′-OH position of adenosine. Mass spectroscopic analysis further demonstrated that the internal methylation product is 2′-O-methyladenosine. Importantly, genomic RNA purified from DENV virion contains 2′-O-methyladenosine. The 2′-O methylation of internal adenosine does not require specific RNA sequence since recombinant methyltransferase of DENV-4 can efficiently methylate RNAs spanning different regions of viral genome, host ribosomal RNAs, and polyA. Structure-based mutagenesis results indicate that K61-D146-K181-E217 tetrad of DENV-4 methyltransferase forms the active site of internal methylation activity; in addition, distinct residues within the methyl donor (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) pocket, GTP pocket, and RNA-binding site are critical for the internal methylation activity. Functional analysis using flavivirus replicon and genome-length RNAs showed that internal methylation attenuated viral RNA translation and replication. Polymerase assay revealed that internal 2′-O-methyladenosine reduces the efficiency of RNA elongation. Collectively, our results demonstrate that flavivirus NS5 performs 2′-O methylation of internal adenosine of

Effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on bone formation in the expanded inter-premaxillary suture

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Kazancioglu HO

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Hakki Oguz Kazancioglu,1 Sertac Aksakalli,2 Seref Ezirganli,1 Muhammet Birlik,2 Mukaddes Esrefoglu,3 Ahmet Hüseyin Acar1 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, 3Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey Background: Narrow maxilla is a common problem in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. To solve this problem, a procedure called rapid maxillary expansion (RME has been used. However, relapse tendency is a major problem of RME. Although relapse tendency is not clearly understood, various treatment procedures and new application has been investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the possible effectiveness of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE on new bone formation in rat midpalatal suture after RME.Materials and methods: Twenty male Sprague Dawley rats were used in this study. The animals were randomly divided into two groups as control and CAPE group. In CAPE group, CAPE was administered systemically via intraperitoneal injection. RME procedure was performed on all animals. For this purpose, the springs were placed on the maxillary incisors of rats and activated for 5 days. After then, the springs were removed and replaced with short lengths of rectangular retaining wire for consolidation period of 15 days. At the end of the study, histomorphometric analysis was carried out to assess of new bone formation.Results: New bone formation was significantly greater in CAPE group than the control group (P<0.05. CAPE enhances new bone formation in midpalatal suture after RME.Conclusion: These results show that CAPE may decrease the time needed for retention. Keywords: rapid maxillary expansion, bone formation, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, midpalatal suture, histopathology

Identification of Proteins of Altered Abundance in Oil Palm Infected with Ganoderma boninense

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Obaidi, Jameel R.; Mohd-Yusuf, Yusmin; Razali, Nurhanani; Jayapalan, Jaime Jacqueline; Tey, Chin-Chong; Md-Noh, Normahnani; Junit, Sarni Mat; Othman, Rofina Yasmin; Hashim, Onn Haji

2014-01-01

Basal stem rot is a common disease that affects oil palm, causing loss of yield and finally killing the trees. The disease, caused by fungus Ganoderma boninense, devastates thousands of hectares of oil palm plantings in Southeast Asia every year. In the present study, root proteins of healthy oil palm seedlings, and those infected with G. boninense, were analyzed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). When the 2-DE profiles were analyzed for proteins, which exhibit consistent significant change of abundance upon infection with G. boninense, 21 passed our screening criteria. Subsequent analyses by mass spectrometry and database search identified caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase, enolase, fructokinase, cysteine synthase, malate dehydrogenase, and ATP synthase as among proteins of which abundances were markedly altered. PMID:24663087

Identification of Proteins of Altered Abundance in Oil Palm Infected with Ganoderma boninense

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Jameel R. Al-Obaidi

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Basal stem rot is a common disease that affects oil palm, causing loss of yield and finally killing the trees. The disease, caused by fungus Ganoderma boninense, devastates thousands of hectares of oil palm plantings in Southeast Asia every year. In the present study, root proteins of healthy oil palm seedlings, and those infected with G. boninense, were analyzed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE. When the 2-DE profiles were analyzed for proteins, which exhibit consistent significant change of abundance upon infection with G. boninense, 21 passed our screening criteria. Subsequent analyses by mass spectrometry and database search identified caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase, enolase, fructokinase, cysteine synthase, malate dehydrogenase, and ATP synthase as among proteins of which abundances were markedly altered.

Identification of proteins of altered abundance in oil palm infected with Ganoderma boninense.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Obaidi, Jameel R; Mohd-Yusuf, Yusmin; Razali, Nurhanani; Jayapalan, Jaime Jacqueline; Tey, Chin-Chong; Md-Noh, Normahnani; Junit, Sarni Mat; Othman, Rofina Yasmin; Hashim, Onn Haji

2014-03-24

Basal stem rot is a common disease that affects oil palm, causing loss of yield and finally killing the trees. The disease, caused by fungus Ganoderma boninense, devastates thousands of hectares of oil palm plantings in Southeast Asia every year. In the present study, root proteins of healthy oil palm seedlings, and those infected with G. boninense, were analyzed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). When the 2-DE profiles were analyzed for proteins, which exhibit consistent significant change of abundance upon infection with G. boninense, 21 passed our screening criteria. Subsequent analyses by mass spectrometry and database search identified caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase, enolase, fructokinase, cysteine synthase, malate dehydrogenase, and ATP synthase as among proteins of which abundances were markedly altered.

A Set of Regioselective O-Methyltransferases Gives Rise to the Complex Pattern of Methoxylated Flavones in Sweet Basil1[C][W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Berim, Anna; Hyatt, David C.; Gang, David R.

2012-01-01

Polymethoxylated flavonoids occur in a number of plant families, including the Lamiaceae. To date, the metabolic pathways giving rise to the diversity of these compounds have not been studied. Analysis of our expressed sequence tag database for four sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) lines afforded identification of candidate flavonoid O-methyltransferase genes. Recombinant proteins displayed distinct substrate preferences and product specificities that can account for all detected 7-/6-/4′-methylated, 8-unsubstituted flavones. Their biochemical specialization revealed only certain metabolic routes to be highly favorable and therefore likely in vivo. Flavonoid O-methyltransferases catalyzing 4′- and 6-O-methylations shared high identity (approximately 90%), indicating that subtle sequence changes led to functional differentiation. Structure homology modeling suggested the involvement of several amino acid residues in defining the proteins’ stringent regioselectivities. The roles of these individual residues were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis, revealing two discrete mechanisms as a basis for the switch between 6- and 4′-O-methylation of two different substrates. These findings delineate major pathways in a large segment of the flavone metabolic network and provide a foundation for its further elucidation. PMID:22923679

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a Lys49-phospholipase A2 complexed with caffeic acid, a molecule with inhibitory properties against snake venoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimabuku, Patrícia S.; Fernandes, Carlos A. H.; Magro, Angelo J.; Costa, Tássia R.; Soares, Andreimar M.; Fontes, Marcos R. M.

2011-01-01

Piratoxin I, a noncatalytic and myotoxic Lys49-phospholipase A 2 from B. pirajai venom, was cocrystallized with the inhibitor caffeic acid and a data set was collected to a resolution of 1.65 Å. The electron-density map unambiguously indicated that three inhibitor molecules interact with the C-terminus of the protein. Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s) are one of the main components of bothropic venoms; in addition to their phospholipid hydrolysis action, they are involved in a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, including neurotoxicity, myotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. Caffeic acid is an inhibitor that is present in several plants and is employed for the treatment of ophidian envenomations in the folk medicine of many developing countries; as bothropic snake bites are not efficiently neutralized by conventional serum therapy, it may be useful as an antivenom. In this work, the cocrystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Lys49-PLA 2 piratoxin I from Bothrops pirajai venom in the presence of the inhibitor caffeic acid (CA) are reported. The crystals diffracted X-rays to 1.65 Å resolution and the structure was solved by molecular-replacement techniques. The electron-density map unambiguously indicated the presence of three CA molecules that interact with the C-terminus of the protein. This is the first time a ligand has been observed bound to this region and is in agreement with various experiments previously reported in the literature

Sugarcane expressed sequences tags (ESTs encoding enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis pathways

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Ramos Rose Lucia Braz

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Lignins are phenolic polymers found in the secondary wall of plant conductive systems where they play an important role by reducing the permeability of the cell wall to water. Lignins are also responsible for the rigidity of the cell wall and are involved in mechanisms of resistance to pathogens. The metabolic routes and enzymes involved in synthesis of lignins have been largely characterized and representative genes that encode enzymes involved in these processes have been cloned from several plant species. The synthesis of lignins is liked to the general metabolism of the phenylpropanoids in plants, having enzymes (e.g. phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT common to other processes as well as specific enzymes such as cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD. Some maize and sorghum mutants, shown to have defective in CAD and/or COMT activity, are easier to digest because they have a reduced lignin content, something which has motivated different research groups to alter the lignin content and composition of model plants by genetic engineering try to improve, for example, the efficiency of paper pulping and digestibility. In the work reported in this paper, we have made an inventory of the sugarcane expressed sequence tag (EST coding for enzymes involved in lignin metabolism which are present in the sugarcane EST genome project (SUCEST database. Our analysis focused on the key enzymes ferulate-5-hydroxylase (F5H, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT, caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT, hydroxycinnamate CoA ligase (4CL, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD. The comparative analysis of these genes with those described in other species could be used as molecular markers for breeding as well as for the manipulation of lignin metabolism in sugarcane.

Determination of free and conjugated catecholamines and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in plasma and urine: evidence for a catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor in uraemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demassieux, S.; Corneille, L.; Lachance, S.; Carriere, S.

1981-01-01

A sensitive, accurate and reproducible method has been developed for the determination of free and conjugated catecholamines and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in plasma and urine. The assay involves the enzymatic conversion of these compounds to their radio-labelled O-methylated derivatives using catechol-O-methyltransferase and S-adenosyl-L-[methyl- 3 H]methionine. Recoveries of 75 +- 5% for dopamine, 70 +- 5% for adrenaline and 65 +- 5% for noradrenaline were obtained. The sensitivities were 0.5 pg for adrenaline and noradrenaline and 5-7 pg for dopamine and dihydroxyphenylalanine. Measurements of conjugated catecholamines were performed after mild acid hydrolysis for 20 min at 95 0 C. During this procedure no degradation of the catecholamines was observed. This assay led to the discovery of a dialyzable factor in the plasma of chronic uraemic patients which inhibits catechol-O-methyltransferase activity in vitro. The mean 22% inhibition observed for unhydrolyzed plasma increased to 42% after hydrolysis. The identity of this inhibitor which exists as an inactive conjugated form, probably a sulphate ester, and its implication in physiopathological disorders remain to be established. (Auth.)

Effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on palatal mucosal defects and tooth extraction sockets

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Günay A

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Ahmet Günay,1 Osman Fatih Arpağ,2 Serhat Atilgan,3 Ferhan Yaman,3 Yusuf Atalay,4 İzzet Acikan3 1Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey; 2Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey; 3Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey; 4Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE on palatal mucosal defects and tooth extraction sockets in an experimental model.Materials and methods: Forty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats with a mean age of 7 weeks and weighing 280–490 g were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into two groups: group A (the control group, n=21 and group B (the experimental group, n=21. Under anesthesia with ketamine (8 mg/100 g, intraperitoneally, palatal mucosal defects were created and tooth extraction was performed in the rats in groups A and B. Group A received no treatment, whereas group B received CAPE. CAPE was injected daily (10 µmol/kg, intraperitoneally. The rats were killed on days 7, 14, and 30 after the procedures. Palatal mucosa healing and changes in bone tissue and fibrous tissue were evaluated histopathologically.Result: Pairwise comparisons showed no statistically significant difference between days 7 and 14 in either group (P>0.05. At day 30, bone healing was significantly better in group B (CAPE than in group A (control (P<0.05. Fibrinogen levels at day 30 were significantly higher in group A (control than in group B (CAPE (P<0.05. Pairwise comparisons showed no statistically significant difference in palatal mucosa healing levels between days 7 and 14 in both groups (P>0.05.Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that CAPE can significantly improve tooth socket healing. Keywords: caffeic

Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene methylation and substance use in adolescents : the TRAILS study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Knaap, L. J.; Schaefer, J. M.; Franken, I. H. A.; Verhulst, F. C.; van Oort, F. V. A.; Riese, H.

Substance use often starts in adolescence and poses a major problem for society and individual health. The dopamine system plays a role in substance use, and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an important enzyme that degrades dopamine. The Val(108/158)Met polymorphism modulates COMT activity

Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene methylation and substance use in adolescents: The TRAILS study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.J. van der Knaap (Lisette); J.M. Schäfer (Johanna); I.H.A. Franken (Ingmar); F.C. Verhulst (Frank); F.V.A. van Oort (Floor); H. Riese (Harriëtte)

2014-01-01

textabstractSubstance use often starts in adolescence and poses a major problem for society and individual health. The dopamine system plays a role in substance use, and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an important enzyme that degrades dopamine. The Val^108/158Met polymorphism

Constituents of Propolis: Chrysin, Caffeic Acid, p-Coumaric Acid, and Ferulic Acid Induce PRODH/POX-Dependent Apoptosis in Human Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell (CAL-27).

Science.gov (United States)

Celińska-Janowicz, Katarzyna; Zaręba, Ilona; Lazarek, Urszula; Teul, Joanna; Tomczyk, Michał; Pałka, Jerzy; Miltyk, Wojciech

2018-01-01

Propolis evokes several therapeutic properties, including anticancer activity. These activities are attributed to the action of polyphenols. Previously it has been demonstrated, that one of the most abundant polyphenolic compounds in ethanolic extracts of propolis are chrysin, caffeic acid, p -coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. Although their pro-apoptotic activity on human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells (CAL-27) was established previously, the detailed mechanism of this process remains unclear. Considering the crucial role of proline metabolism and proline dehydrogenase/proline oxidase (PRODH/POX) in the regulation of cancer cell survival/apoptosis, we studied these processes in polyphenol-treated CAL-27 cells. All studied polyphenols evoked anti-proliferative activity, accompanied by increased PRODH/POX, P53, active caspases-3 and -9 expressions and decreased collagen biosynthesis, prolidase activity and proline concentration in CAL-27 cells. These data suggest that polyphenols of propolis induce PRODH/POX-dependent apoptosis through up-regulation of mitochondrial proline degradation and down-regulation of proline utilization for collagen biosynthesis.

Characterization of a Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon 3',5'-O-methyltransferase showing strong preference for anthocyanins and glycosylated flavonols.

Science.gov (United States)

Lücker, Joost; Martens, Stefan; Lund, Steven T

2010-09-01

At ripening initiation in red grapevine (Vitis vinifera) berries, the exocarp turns color from green to red and then to purple due to the accumulation and extent of methylation of anthocyanins. The accumulation of transcripts encoding an O-methyltransferase was recently shown to be closely correlated with the onset of ripening and the degree of blue/purple pigmentation in grapevine berries; however, the biochemical function of this gene has remained uncharacterized. In this study, an O-methyltransferase cDNA that showed a distinct expression pattern when compared to closely related sequences was expressed in Escherichia coli and enzyme assays were carried out with a broad array of anthocyanin and other flavonoid substrates. We demonstrate that this enzyme carries out 3',5'-O-methylation of anthocyanins and flavonol compounds in vitro, which are known to be present in grape berries, with a preference for glycosylated substrates. The highest relative specific activity for the enzyme was found with delphinidin 3-O-glucoside as substrate. The enzyme is not able to methylate flavan type skeletons with chiral centers, such as either catechins or dihydroquercetin. The enzyme showed negligible specific activity for caffeoyl-CoA, compared to flavonol and anthocyanin substrates. Phylogenetic analysis of the O-methyltransferase suggests that it may be a member of a distinct subclass of Type 2 bivalent metal-dependent S-adenosyl-methionine O-methyltransferases. (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catecholamine-o-methyltransferase polymorphisms are associated with postoperative pain intensity.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lee, Peter J

2011-02-01

single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes for catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT), μ-opioid receptor and GTP cyclohydrolase (GCH1) have been linked to acute and chronic pain states. COMT polymorphisms are associated with experimental pain sensitivity and a chronic pain state. No such association has been identified perioperatively. We carried out a prospective observational clinical trial to examine associations between these parameters and the development of postoperative pain in patients undergoing third molar (M3) extraction.

EFFECTS OF EXERCISE AND CAFFEIC ACID PHENETHYL ESTER AFTER CHRONIC EXERCISE RAT MODEL

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Ayse Alp

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In order to understand whether exercise and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE has an effect on obesity and weight control, we investigated the effects of CAPE, and exercise on lipid parameters (triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and adipokine substances such as leptin and resistin in rats. 40 male rat were randomly assigned into 4 groups. It was determined that CAPE does not have any significant effect on these parameters but that lipid parameters and leptin values in exercise groups decreased considerably, while no significant change occurred in resistin levels. In order to understand whether diet has an effect on exercise, body weights of all animal groups in pre and post-exercise were compared. A significant weight gain was observed (p = 0.005 in all groups. This study concluded that exercise has a considerable effect on leptin and lipid parameters; however, exercise alone was not sufficient for weight control and could be effective in weight control only when accompanied by a restricted diet.

Clicked Cinnamic/Caffeic Esters and Amides as Radical Scavengers and 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors

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Jérémie A. Doiron

2014-01-01

Full Text Available 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO is the key enzyme responsible for the conversion of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes, a class of lipid mediators implicated in inflammatory disorders. In this paper, we describe the design, synthesis, and preliminary activity studies of novel clicked caffeic esters and amides as radical scavengers and 5-LO inhibitors. From known 5-LO inhibitor 3 as a lead, cinnamic esters 8a–h and amides 9a–h as well as caffeic esters 15a–h and amides 16a–h were synthesized by Cu(I-catalyzed [1,3]-dipolar cycloaddition with the appropriate azide precursors and terminal alkynes. All caffeic analogs are proved to be good radical scavengers (IC50: 10–20 μM. Esters 15g and 15f possessed excellent 5-LO inhibition activity in HEK293 cells and were equipotent with the known 5-LO inhibitor CAPE and more potent than Zileuton. Several synthesized esters possess activities rivaling Zileuton in stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester protects against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in vivo: Impact on oxidative stress and RANKL/OPG signals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolba, Mai F.; El-Serafi, Ahmed T.; Omar, Hany A.

2017-01-01

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is one of the most common causes of secondary osteoporosis. Given that glucocorticoids are considered as a main component of the treatment protocols for a variety of inflammation and immune-mediated diseases besides its use as adjuvant to several chemotherapeutic agents, it is crucial to find ways to overcome this critical adverse effect. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), which is a natural compound derived from honeybee propolis displayed promising antiosteoporotic effects against mechanical bone injury in various studies. The current work aimed at investigating the potential protective effect of CAPE against GIO in vivo with emphasis on the modulation of oxidative status and receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegrin (OPG) signaling. The results showed that CAPE opposed dexamethasone (DEX)-mediated alterations in bone histology and tartarate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity. In addition, CAPE restored oxidative balance, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RunX2) expression and reduced caspase-3 activity in femur tissues. Co-administration of CAPE with DEX normalized RANKL/OPG ratio and Akt activation indicating a reduction in DEX-osteoclastogenesis. In conclusion, concurrent treatment of CAPE with DEX exhibited promising effects in the protection against DEX-induced osteoporosis through opposing osteoclastogenesis and protecting osteoblasts. The potent antioxidant activity of CAPE is, at least in part, involved in its anti-apoptotic effects and modulation of RunX2 and RANKL/OPG signals. The use of CAPE-enriched propolis formulas is strongly recommended for patients on chronic glucocorticoid therapy to help in the attenuation of GIO. - Highlights: • Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) counteracts DEX-induced osteoporosis. • CAPE hinders DEX-induced alterations in oxidation parameters as GSH, SOD and MDA. • CAPE opposes osteoclastogenesis via suppressing RANL/OPG ratio and Akt signals. �

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester protects against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in vivo: Impact on oxidative stress and RANKL/OPG signals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolba, Mai F. [Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566 (Egypt); Chapman University, Irvine 92618, CA (United States); El-Serafi, Ahmed T. [Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272 (United Arab Emirates); Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia (Egypt); Omar, Hany A., E-mail: hanyomar@sharjah.ac.ae [Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272 (United Arab Emirates); Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514 (Egypt)

2017-06-01

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is one of the most common causes of secondary osteoporosis. Given that glucocorticoids are considered as a main component of the treatment protocols for a variety of inflammation and immune-mediated diseases besides its use as adjuvant to several chemotherapeutic agents, it is crucial to find ways to overcome this critical adverse effect. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), which is a natural compound derived from honeybee propolis displayed promising antiosteoporotic effects against mechanical bone injury in various studies. The current work aimed at investigating the potential protective effect of CAPE against GIO in vivo with emphasis on the modulation of oxidative status and receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegrin (OPG) signaling. The results showed that CAPE opposed dexamethasone (DEX)-mediated alterations in bone histology and tartarate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity. In addition, CAPE restored oxidative balance, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RunX2) expression and reduced caspase-3 activity in femur tissues. Co-administration of CAPE with DEX normalized RANKL/OPG ratio and Akt activation indicating a reduction in DEX-osteoclastogenesis. In conclusion, concurrent treatment of CAPE with DEX exhibited promising effects in the protection against DEX-induced osteoporosis through opposing osteoclastogenesis and protecting osteoblasts. The potent antioxidant activity of CAPE is, at least in part, involved in its anti-apoptotic effects and modulation of RunX2 and RANKL/OPG signals. The use of CAPE-enriched propolis formulas is strongly recommended for patients on chronic glucocorticoid therapy to help in the attenuation of GIO. - Highlights: • Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) counteracts DEX-induced osteoporosis. • CAPE hinders DEX-induced alterations in oxidation parameters as GSH, SOD and MDA. • CAPE opposes osteoclastogenesis via suppressing RANL/OPG ratio and Akt signals. �

Early Treatment of radiation-Induced Heart Damage in Rats by Caffeic acid phenethyl Ester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tawfik, S.S.; Mansour, H. H.

2012-12-01

The study designed to determine the therapeutic effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in minimising radiation-induced injuries in rats. Rats were exposed to 7 Gy γ-rays, 30 minutes later; rats were injected with CAPE (10μmol/ kg body, i.p.) for 7 consecutive days. Rats were sacrificed at 8 and 15 days after starting the experiment. Gamma-irradiation induced significant increase in malonaldehyde (MDA) level and xanthine oxidase (XO) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities, and significant decrease in total nitrate/nitrate (NO (x)) level and glutathione peroxidise (Gpx), superoxide dismutase (SOD)and catalase (CAT) activities in heart tissue and augmented activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in serum. Irradiated rats early treated with CAPE showed significant decrease in MDA, XO and ADA and significant increase in group. Cardiac enzymes were restored. Conclusion, CAPE could exhibits curable effect on gamma irradiation-induced cardiac-oxidative impairment in rats. (Author)

Preliminary characterization of (nucleoside-2′-O-)-methyltransferase crystals from Meaban and Yokose flaviviruses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mastrangelo, Eloise; Bollati, Michela; Milani, Mario; Lamballeire, Xavier de; Brisbare, Nadege; Dalle, Karen; Lantez, Violaine; Egloff, Marie-Pierre; Coutard, Bruno; Canard, Bruno; Gould, Ernest; Forrester, Naomi; Bolognesi, Martino

2006-01-01

Two methyltransferases from flaviviruses (Meaban and Yokose viruses) have been overexpressed and crystallized. Diffraction data and characterization of the two crystal forms are presented, together with a preliminary molecular-replacement solution for both enzymes. Viral methyltranferases (MTase) are involved in the third step of the mRNA-capping process, transferring a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to the capped mRNA. MTases are classified into two groups: (guanine-N7)-methyltransferases (N7MTases), which add a methyl group onto the N7 atom of guanine, and (nucleoside-2′-O-)-methyltransferases (2′OMTases), which add a methyl group to a ribose hydroxyl. The MTases of two flaviviruses, Meaban and Yokose viruses, have been overexpressed, purified and crystallized in complex with SAM. Characterization of the crystals together with details of preliminary X-ray diffraction data collection (at 2.8 and 2.7 Å resolution, respectively) are reported here. The sequence homology relative to Dengue virus 2′OMTase and the structural conservation of specific residues in the putative active sites suggest that both enzymes belong to the 2′OMTase subgroup

Preliminary characterization of (nucleoside-2′-O-)-methyltransferase crystals from Meaban and Yokose flaviviruses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mastrangelo, Eloise; Bollati, Michela; Milani, Mario [Department of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, CNR-INFM, University of Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano (Italy); Lamballeire, Xavier de; Brisbare, Nadege [Unité des Virus Emergents, Faculté de Médecine, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille (France); Dalle, Karen; Lantez, Violaine; Egloff, Marie-Pierre; Coutard, Bruno; Canard, Bruno [Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 6098 CNRS ESIL, Case 932, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille CEDEX 9 (France); Gould, Ernest; Forrester, Naomi [CEH Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR (United Kingdom); Bolognesi, Martino, E-mail: martino.bolognesi@unimi.it [Department of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, CNR-INFM, University of Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano (Italy)

2006-08-01

Two methyltransferases from flaviviruses (Meaban and Yokose viruses) have been overexpressed and crystallized. Diffraction data and characterization of the two crystal forms are presented, together with a preliminary molecular-replacement solution for both enzymes. Viral methyltranferases (MTase) are involved in the third step of the mRNA-capping process, transferring a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to the capped mRNA. MTases are classified into two groups: (guanine-N7)-methyltransferases (N7MTases), which add a methyl group onto the N7 atom of guanine, and (nucleoside-2′-O-)-methyltransferases (2′OMTases), which add a methyl group to a ribose hydroxyl. The MTases of two flaviviruses, Meaban and Yokose viruses, have been overexpressed, purified and crystallized in complex with SAM. Characterization of the crystals together with details of preliminary X-ray diffraction data collection (at 2.8 and 2.7 Å resolution, respectively) are reported here. The sequence homology relative to Dengue virus 2′OMTase and the structural conservation of specific residues in the putative active sites suggest that both enzymes belong to the 2′OMTase subgroup.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of O-methyltransferase from Anabaena PCC 7120

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Guoming; Tang, Zhenting; Meng, Geng; Dai, Kesheng; Zhao, Jindong; Zheng, Xiaofeng

2009-01-01

The O-methyltransferase (OMT) from the Anabaena PCC 7120 has been overexpressed in a soluble form in E. coli, purified and crystallized. The crystals belonged to space group C222 1 and diffracted to 2.4 Å resolution. O-Methyltransferase (OMT) is a ubiquitous enzyme that exists in bacteria, plants and humans and catalyzes a methyl-transfer reaction using S-adenosyl-l-methionine as a methyl donor and a wide range of phenolics as acceptors. To investigate the structure and function of OMTs, omt from Anabaena PCC 7120 was cloned into expression vector pET21a and expressed in a soluble form in Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3). The recombinant OMT protein was purified to homogeneity using a two-step strategy. Crystals of OMT that diffracted to a resolution of 2.4 Å were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belonged to space group C222 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 131.620, b = 227.994, c = 150.777 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. There are eight molecules per asymmetric unit

Crystallization of the novel S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent C-methyltransferase CouO from Streptomyces rishiriensis and preliminary diffraction data analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyskowski, Andrzej; Tengg, Martin; Steinkellner, Georg; Schwab, Helmut; Gruber-Khadjawi, Mandana; Gruber, Karl

2012-01-01

Recombinant Q9F8T9 protein from Streptomyces rishiriensis (CouO), an S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent C-methyltransferase, has been successfully cloned, expressed and purified. Recombinant Q9F8T9 protein from Streptomyces rishiriensis (CouO), an S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent C-methyltransferase, has been successfully cloned, expressed and purified. CouO was crystallized from a single condition in the Morpheus crystallization screen. A vitrified crystal diffracted to 2.05 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 33.02, b = 82.87, c = 76.77 Å, β = 96.93°

Integrated metabolo-proteomic approach to decipher the mechanisms by which wheat QTL (Fhb1 contributes to resistance against Fusarium graminearum.

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Raghavendra Gunnaiah

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Resistance in plants to pathogen attack can be qualitative or quantitative. For the latter, hundreds of quantitative trait loci (QTLs have been identified, but the mechanisms of resistance are largely unknown. Integrated non-target metabolomics and proteomics, using high resolution hybrid mass spectrometry, were applied to identify the mechanisms of resistance governed by the fusarium head blight resistance locus, Fhb1, in the near isogenic lines derived from wheat genotype Nyubai. FINDINGS: The metabolomic and proteomic profiles were compared between the near isogenic lines (NIL with resistant and susceptible alleles of Fhb1 upon F. graminearum or mock-inoculation. The resistance-related metabolites and proteins identified were mapped to metabolic pathways. Metabolites of the shunt phenylpropanoid pathway such as hydroxycinnamic acid amides, phenolic glucosides and flavonoids were induced only in the resistant NIL, or induced at higher abundances in resistant than in susceptible NIL, following pathogen inoculation. The identities of these metabolites were confirmed, with fragmentation patterns, using the high resolution LC-LTQ-Orbitrap. Concurrently, the enzymes of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis such as cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase, flavonoid O-methyltransferase, agmatine coumaroyltransferase and peroxidase were also up-regulated. Increased cell wall thickening due to deposition of hydroxycinnamic acid amides and flavonoids was confirmed by histo-chemical localization of the metabolites using confocal microscopy. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that the resistance in Fhb1 derived from the wheat genotype Nyubai is mainly associated with cell wall thickening due to deposition of hydroxycinnamic acid amides, phenolic glucosides and flavonoids, but not with the conversion of deoxynivalenol to less toxic deoxynivalenol 3-O-glucoside.

Development of an Electrochemical Sensor for NADH Determination Based on a Caffeic Acid Redox Mediator Supported on Carbon Black

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Chiara Zanardi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Screen-printed electrode (SPE modified with carbon black nanoparticles (CB has been tested as a new platform for the stable deposition of caffeic acid (CFA on the electrode surface. The electrochemical performance from varying the amount of CFA/CB composite has been tested with respect to NADH determination. The electrocatalytic activity of CFA/CB has also been compared with that of SPEs modified by a single component of the coating, i.e., either CFA or CB. Finally, glycerol dehydrogenase, a typical NADH-dependent enzyme, was deposited on the CFA/CB coating in order to test the applicability of the sensor in glycerol determination.

Experimental and theoretical investigation of interaction between bovine serum albumin and the mixture of caffeic acid and salicylic acid as the antioxidants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benvidi, Ali; Rezaeinasab, Masoud; Gharaghani, Sajjad; Abbasi, Saleheh; Zare, Hamid R.

2017-01-01

In the present work, interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) with caffeic acid (CA), salicylic acid (SA) and the mixture of these components were studied by experimental and computational methods In the experimental measurements, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and UV–vis spectrophotometry (UV–Vis) were separately used to investigate the nature of interactions. Also, some of the thermodynamics parameters were obtained from these measurements. At the second step, the chemometric methods including multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (MCR–ALS) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were used since the results of the experimental measurements have a strongly overlapping signals. For this purpose, a three-way array was resolved by PARAFAC and a row- and column-wise augmented matrix, which built with DPV and UV–vis sub-matrices, were analyzed using MCR-ALS. The interesting results for stoichiometry and electrochemical behaviors of these components were obtained by using the proposed algorithms. Finally, molecular docking were applied to compare experimentally determined binding parameters with molecular modelling. According to the obtained results an excellent agreement was found between experimental and computational results.

Cells Deficient in the Fanconi Anemia Protein FANCD2 are Hypersensitive to the Cytotoxicity and DNA Damage Induced by Coffee and Caffeic Acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgos-Morón, Estefanía; Calderón-Montaño, José Manuel; Orta, Manuel Luis; Guillén-Mancina, Emilio; Mateos, Santiago; López-Lázaro, Miguel

2016-07-08

Epidemiological studies have found a positive association between coffee consumption and a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders, some cancers, diabetes, Parkinson and Alzheimer disease. Coffee consumption, however, has also been linked to an increased risk of developing some types of cancer, including bladder cancer in adults and leukemia in children of mothers who drink coffee during pregnancy. Since cancer is driven by the accumulation of DNA alterations, the ability of the coffee constituent caffeic acid to induce DNA damage in cells may play a role in the carcinogenic potential of this beverage. This carcinogenic potential may be exacerbated in cells with DNA repair defects. People with the genetic disease Fanconi Anemia have DNA repair deficiencies and are predisposed to several cancers, particularly acute myeloid leukemia. Defects in the DNA repair protein Fanconi Anemia D2 (FANCD2) also play an important role in the development of a variety of cancers (e.g., bladder cancer) in people without this genetic disease. This communication shows that cells deficient in FANCD2 are hypersensitive to the cytotoxicity (clonogenic assay) and DNA damage (γ-H2AX and 53BP1 focus assay) induced by caffeic acid and by a commercial lyophilized coffee extract. These data suggest that people with Fanconi Anemia, or healthy people who develop sporadic mutations in FANCD2, may be hypersensitive to the carcinogenic activity of coffee.

YgdE is the 2'-O-ribose methyltransferase RlmM specific for nucleotide C2498 in bacterial 23S rRNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Purta, Elzbieta; O'Connor, Michelle; Bujnicki, Janusz M

2009-01-01

The rRNAs of Escherichia coli contain four 2'-O-methylated nucleotides. Similar to other bacterial species and in contrast with Archaea and Eukaryota, the E. coli rRNA modifications are catalysed by specific methyltransferases that find their nucleotide targets without being guided by small...... complementary RNAs. We show here that the ygdE gene encodes the methyltransferase that catalyses 2'-O-methylation at nucleotide C2498 in the peptidyl transferase loop of E. coli 23S rRNA. Analyses of rRNAs using MALDI mass spectrometry showed that inactivation of the ygdE gene leads to loss of methylation...... at nucleotide C2498. The loss of ygdE function causes a slight reduction in bacterial fitness. Methylation at C2498 was restored by complementing the knock-out strain with a recombinant copy of ygdE. The recombinant YgdE methyltransferase modifies C2498 in naked 23S rRNA, but not in assembled 50S subunits...

Floral Benzenoid Carboxyl Methyltransferases: From in Vitro to in Planta Function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Effmert,U.; Saschenbrecker, S.; Ross, J.; Negre, F.; Fraser, C.; Noel, J.; Dudareva, N.; Piechulla, B.

2005-01-01

Benzenoid carboxyl methyltransferases synthesize methyl esters (e.g., methyl benzoate and methyl salicylate), which are constituents of aromas and scents of many plant species and play important roles in plant communication with the surrounding environment. Within the past five years, eleven such carboxyl methyltransferases were isolated and most of them were comprehensively investigated at the biochemical, molecular and structural level. Two types of enzymes can be distinguished according to their substrate preferences: the SAMT-type enzymes isolated from Clarkia breweri, Stephanotis floribunda, Antirrhinum majus, Hoya carnosa, and Petunia hybrida, which have a higher catalytic efficiency and preference for salicylic acid, while BAMT-type enzymes from A. majus, Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabidopsis lyrata, and Nicotiana suaveolens prefer benzoic acid. The elucidation of C. breweri SAMT's three-dimensional structure allowed a detailed modelling of the active sites of the carboxyl methyltransferases and revealed that the SAM binding pocket is highly conserved among these enzymes while the methyl acceptor binding site exhibits some variability, allowing a classification into SAMT-type and BAMT-type enzymes. The analysis of expression patterns coupled with biochemical characterization showed that these carboxyl methyltransferases are involved either in floral scent biosynthesis or in plant defense responses. While the latter can be induced by biotic or abiotic stress, the genes responsible for floral scent synthesis exhibit developmental and rhythmic expression pattern. The nature of the product and efficiency of its formation in plants depend on the availability of substrates, the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme toward benzoic acid and/or salicylic acid, and the transcriptional, translational, and post-translational regulation at the enzyme level. The biochemical properties of benzenoid carboxyl methyltransferases suggest that the genes involved in plant defenses

A gene encoding maize caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase confers quantitative resistance to multiple pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qin; He, Yijian; Kabahuma, Mercy; Chaya, Timothy; Kelly, Amy; Borrego, Eli; Bian, Yang; El Kasmi, Farid; Yang, Li; Teixeira, Paulo; Kolkman, Judith; Nelson, Rebecca; Kolomiets, Michael; L Dangl, Jeffery; Wisser, Randall; Caplan, Jeffrey; Li, Xu; Lauter, Nick; Balint-Kurti, Peter

2017-09-01

Alleles that confer multiple disease resistance (MDR) are valuable in crop improvement, although the molecular mechanisms underlying their functions remain largely unknown. A quantitative trait locus, qMdr 9.02 , associated with resistance to three important foliar maize diseases-southern leaf blight, gray leaf spot and northern leaf blight-has been identified on maize chromosome 9. Through fine-mapping, association analysis, expression analysis, insertional mutagenesis and transgenic validation, we demonstrate that ZmCCoAOMT2, which encodes a caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase associated with the phenylpropanoid pathway and lignin production, is the gene within qMdr 9.02 conferring quantitative resistance to both southern leaf blight and gray leaf spot. We suggest that resistance might be caused by allelic variation at the level of both gene expression and amino acid sequence, thus resulting in differences in levels of lignin and other metabolites of the phenylpropanoid pathway and regulation of programmed cell death.

O6-Methylguanine DNA Methyltransferase Status Does Not Predict Response or Resistance to Alkylating Agents in Well-Differentiated Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, Nitya; Klimstra, David S; Horvat, Natally; Zhang, Liying; Chou, Joanne F; Capanu, Marinela; Basturk, Olca; Do, Richard Kinh Gian; Allen, Peter J; Reidy-Lagunes, Diane

2017-07-01

Alkylating agents have activity in well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (WD panNETs). In glioblastoma multiforme, decreased activity of O-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) predicts response; in panNETs, MGMT relevance is unknown. We identified patients with WD panNETs treated with alkylating agents, determined best overall response by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1, and performed MGMT activity testing. Fifty-six patients were identified; 26 (46%) of the 56 patients experienced partial response, 24 (43%) of 56 experienced stable disease, and 6 (11%) of 56 experienced progression of disease. O-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase status was available for 36 tumors. For tumors with partial response, 10 (67%) of 15 were MGMT deficient, and 5 (33%) of 15 were MGMT intact. For tumors with stable disease, 7 (47%) of 15 were MGMT deficient, and 8 (53%) of 15 were MGMT intact. For tumors with progression of disease, 3 (50%) of 6 were MGMT deficient, and 3 (50%) of 6 were MGMT intact. We observed response and resistance to alkylating agents in MGMT-deficient and MGMT-intact tumors. O-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase status should not guide alkylating agent therapy in WD panNETs.

Methyl transfer in glucosinolate biosynthesis mediated by indole glucosinolate O-Methyltransferase 5

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pfalz, Marina; Mukhaimar, Maisara; Perreau, François

2016-01-01

in position 1 (1-IG modification) or 4 (4-IG modification). Products of the 4-IG modification pathway mediate plant-enemy interactions and are particularly important for Arabidopsis innate immunity. While CYP81Fs encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and IGMTs encoding indole glucosinolate O...... with moderate similarity to previously characterized IGMTs, encodes the methyltransferase that is responsible for the conversion of 1OHI3M to 1MOI3M. Disruption of IGMT5 function increases resistance against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica and suggests a potential role for the 1-IG modification...

Polymorphisms in O-methyltransferase genes are associated with stover cell wall digestibility in European maize (Zea mays L.)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brenner, Everton A; Zein, Imad; Chen, Yongsheng

2010-01-01

Background OMT (O-methyltransferase) genes are involved in lignin biosynthesis, which relates to stover cell wall digestibility. Reduced lignin content is an important determinant of both forage quality and ethanol conversion efficiency of maize stover. Results Variation in genomic sequences codi...

Caffeic acid, a coffee-related organic acid, inhibits infection by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Motohiko; Shirasago, Yoshitaka; Ando, Shuji; Shimojima, Masayuki; Saijo, Masayuki; Fukasawa, Masayoshi

2018-04-05

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus (SFTSV) causes tick-borne hemorrhagic fever in East Asia. The disease is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Here, we evaluated the effects of caffeic acid (CA), a coffee-related organic acid with antiviral effects, against SFTSV infection. CA dose-dependently inhibited SFTSV infection in permissive human hepatoma Huh7.5.1-8 cells when SFTSV was added into the culture medium with CA. However, quinic acid (QA), another coffee-related organic acid, did not inhibit SFTSV infection. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of CA against SFTSV was 0.048 mM, whereas its 50% cytotoxic concentration was 7.6 mM. The selectivity index (SI) was 158. Pre-incubation of SFTSV with CA for 4 h resulted in a greater inhibition of SFTSV infection (IC 50  = 0.019 mM; SI = 400). The pre-incubation substantially decreased viral attachment to the cells. CA treatment of the SFTSV-infected cells also inhibited the infection, albeit less effectively. CA activity after cell infection with SFTSV was more pronounced at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.01 per cell (IC 50  = 0.18 mM) than at a high MOI of 1 per cell (IC 50  > 1 mM). Thus, CA inhibited virus spread by acting directly on the virus rather than on the infected cells. In conclusion, CA acted on SFTSV and inhibited viral infection and spread, mainly by inhibiting the binding of SFTSV to the cells. We therefore demonstrated CA to be a potential anti-SFTSV drug for preventing and treating SFTS. Copyright © 2018 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester as a remedial agent for reproductive functions and oxidative stress-based pathologies of gonads.

Science.gov (United States)

Akyol, Sumeyya; Akbas, Ali; Butun, Ilknur; Toktas, Muhsin; Ozyurt, Huseyin; Sahin, Semsettin; Akyol, Omer

2015-01-01

In recent years, the studies on the roles of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in several disease models and cell cultures are tremendously growing. It is such a great molecule that was used by ancient times to ameliorate some diseases and nowadays, it is used by modern medicine to test the effectiveness. In this mini-review article, the protection capability of CAPE, as a liposoluble antioxidant and a potent nuclear factor kappa B inhibitor, on oxidative and non-oxidative ovary, and testis damages has been summarized. In view of our laboratory findings/experience and those reported in the hitherto literature, we suggest that CAPE possesses protective effects for pathologies of the reproductive organs induced by untoward effects of harmful molecules such as free oxygen radicals, pesticides, methotrexate, and MK-801 (dizocilpine).

[Gene cloning and bioinformatics analysis of SABATH methyltransferase in Lonicera japonica var. chinensis].

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiao-Dan; Jiang, Chao; Huang, Lu-Qi; Qin, Shuang-Shuang; Zeng, Xiang-Mei; Chen, Ping; Yuan, Yuan

2013-08-01

To clone SABATH methyltransferase (rLjSABATHMT) gene in Lonicera japonica var. chinensis, and compare the gene expression and intron sequence of SABATH methyltransferase orthologous in L. japonica with L. japonica var. chinensis. It provide a basis for gene regulate the formation of L. japonica floral scents. The cDNA and genome sequences of LjSABATHMT from L. japonica var. chinensis were cloned according to the gene fragments in cDNA library. The LjSABATHMT protein was characterized by bioinformatics analysis. SABATH family phylogenetic tree were built by MEGA 5.0. The transcripted level of SABATHMT orthologous were analyzed in different organs and different flower periods of L. japonica and L. japonica var. chinensis using RT-PCR analysis. Intron sequences of SABATHMT orthologous were also analyzied. The cDNA of LjSABATHMT was 1 251 bp, had a complete coding frame with 365 amino acids. The protein had the conservative SABATHMT domain, and phylogenetic tree showed that it may be a salicylic acid/benzoic acid methyltransferase. Higher expression of SABATH methyltransferase orthologous was found in flower. The intron sequence of L. japonica and L. japonica var. chinensis had rich polymorphism, and two SNP are unique genotype of L. japonica var. chinensis. The motif elements in two orthologous genes were significant differences. The intron difference of SABATH methyltransferase orthologous could be inducing to difference of gene expression between L. japonica and L. japonica var. chinensis. These results will provide important base on regulating active compounds of L. japonica.

Inhibition of Procarcinogen Activating Enzyme CYP1A2 Activity and Free Radical Formation by Caffeic Acid and its Amide Analogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Narongchai, Paitoon; Niwatananun, Kanokporn; Narongchai, Siripun; Kusirisin, Winthana; Jaikang, Churdsak

2016-01-01

Caffeic acid (CAF) and its amide analogues, ethyl 1-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) propen amide (EDPA), phenethyl 1-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) propen amide (PEDPA), phenmethyl 1- (3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) propen amide (PMDPA) and octyl 1-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) propen amide (ODPA) were investigated for the inhibition of procarcinogen activating enzyme. CYP1A2 and scavenging activity on formation of nitric oxide, superoxide anion, DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical. It was found that they inhibited CYP1A2 enzyme by uncompetitive inhibition. Apparent Ki values of CAF, EDPA, PEDPA, PMDPA and ODPA were 0.59, 0.39, 0.45, 0.75 and 0.80 µM, respectively suggesting potent inhibitors of CYP1A2. Moreover, they potentially scavenged nitric oxide radical with IC 50 values of 0.12, 0.22, 0.28, 0.22 and 0.51 mM, respectively. The IC50 values of superoxide anion scavenging were 0.20, 0.22, 0.44, 2.18 and 2.50 mM, respectively. 1, 1- diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging ability, shown as IC50 values, were 0.41, 0.29, 0.30, 0.89 and 0.84 mM, respectively. Moreover, the hydroxyl radical scavenging in vitro model was shown as IC50 values of 23.22, 21.06, 17.10, 17.21 and 15.81 µM, respectively. From our results, caffeic acid and its amide analogues are in vitro inhibitors of human CYP1A2 catalytic activity and free radical formation. They may be useful to be developed as potential chemopreventive agents that block CYP1A2-mediated chemical carcinogenesis.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester as a Protective Agent against Nephrotoxicity and/or Oxidative Kidney Damage: A Detailed Systematic Review

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Sumeyya Akyol

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE, an active component of propolis, has been attracting the attention of different medical and pharmaceutical disciplines in recent years because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antiviral, antifungal, and antineoplastic properties. One of the most studied organs for the effects of CAPE is the kidney, particularly in the capacity of this ester to decrease the nephrotoxicity induced by several drugs and the oxidative injury after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R. In this review, we summarized and critically evaluated the current knowledge regarding the protective effect of CAPE in nephrotoxicity induced by several special medicines such as cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclosporine, gentamycin, methotrexate, and other causes leading to oxidative renal injury, namely, I/R models and senility.

4-O-methylation of glucuronic acid in Arabidopsis glucuronoxylan is catalyzed by a domain of unknown function family 579 protein

OpenAIRE

Urbanowicz, Breeanna R.; Peña, Maria J.; Ratnaparkhe, Supriya; Avci, Utku; Backe, Jason; Steet, Heather F.; Foston, Marcus; Li, Hongjia; O’Neill, Malcolm A.; Ragauskas, Arthur J.; Darvill, Alan G.; Wyman, Charles; Gilbert, Harry J.; York, William S.

2012-01-01

The hemicellulose 4-O-methyl glucuronoxylan is one of the principle components present in the secondary cell walls of eudicotyledonous plants. However, the biochemical mechanisms leading to the formation of this polysaccharide and the effects of modulating its structure on the physical properties of the cell wall are poorly understood. We have identified and functionally characterized an Arabidopsis glucuronoxylan methyltransferase (GXMT) that catalyzes 4-O-methylation of the glucuronic acid ...

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester downregulates phospholipase D1 via direct binding and inhibition of NFκB transactivation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Mi Hee; Kang, Dong Woo [Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Yunjin [College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Kang-Yell [Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Min, Do Sik, E-mail: minds@pusan.ac.kr [Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-12-06

Highlights: •We found CAFÉ, a natural product that suppresses expression and activity of PLD1. •CAPE decreased PLD1 expression by inhibiting NFκB transactivation. •CAPE rapidly inhibited PLD activity via its binding to a Cys837 of PLD1. •PLD1 downregulation by CAPE inhibited invasion and proliferation of glioma cells. -- Abstract: Upregulation of phospholipase D (PLD) is functionally linked with oncogenic signals and tumorigenesis. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active compound of propolis extract that exhibits anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antineoplastic properties. In this study, we demonstrated that CAPE suppressed the expression of PLD1 at the transcriptional level via inhibition of binding of NFκB to PLD1 promoter. Moreover, CAPE, but not its analogs, bound to a Cys837 residue of PLD1 and inhibited enzymatic activity of PLD. CAPE also decreased activation of matrix metalloproteinases-2 induced by phosphatidic acid, a product of PLD activity. Ultimately, CAPE-induced downregulation of PLD1 suppressed invasion and proliferation of glioma cells. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that CAPE might contribute to anti-neoplastic effect by targeting PLD1.

Transformation of 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in blueberries during high-temperature processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Typek, Rafal

2014-11-12

Chlorogenic acid (CQA), an ester of caffeic with quinic acid, is a natural compound found in a wide array of plants. Although coffee beans are most frequently mentioned as plant products remarkably rich in CQAs, their significant amounts can also be found in many berries, for example, blueberries. This paper shows and discusses the thermal stability of the main CQA representative, that is, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA), during high-temperature processing of blueberries (as in the production of blueberry foods) in systems containing sucrose in low and high concentration. It has been found that up to 11 components (5-CQA derivatives and its reaction product with water) can be formed from 5-CQA during the processing of blueberries. Their formation speed depends on the sucrose concentration in the processed system, which has been confirmed in the artificial system composed of 5-CQA water solution containing different amounts of the sugar.

Modulation of Tamoxifen Cytotoxicity by Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

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Tarek K. Motawi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Although Tamoxifen (TAM is one of the most widely used drugs in managing breast cancer, many women still relapse after long-term therapy. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE is a polyphenolic compound present in many medicinal plants and in propolis. The present study examined the effect of CAPE on TAM cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of TAM and/or CAPE for 48 h. This novel combination exerted synergistic cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 cells via induction of apoptotic machinery with activation of caspases and DNA fragmentation, along with downregulation of Bcl-2 and Beclin 1 expression levels. However, the mammalian microtubule-associated protein light chain LC 3-II level was unchanged. Vascular endothelial growth factor level was also decreased, whereas levels of glutathione and nitric oxide were increased. In conclusion, CAPE augmented TAM cytotoxicity via multiple mechanisms, providing a novel therapeutic approach for breast cancer treatment that can overcome resistance and lower toxicity. This effect provides a rationale for further investigation of this combination.

Crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protein clusters assembled on to damaged DNA

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Miggiano, R.; Perugino, G.; Ciaramella, M.; Serpe, M.; Rejman, Dominik; Páv, Ondřej; Pohl, Radek; Garavaglia, S.; Lahiri, S.; Rizzi, M.; Rossi, F.

2016-01-01

Roč. 473, č. 2 (2016), s. 123-133 ISSN 0264-6021 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 241587 - SYSTEMTB Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : DNA repair * DNA-binding protein * Mycobacterium tuberculosis * O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase * co-operativity * crystal structure Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.797, year: 2016

Conversion of nicotinic acid to trigonelline is catalyzed by N-methyltransferase belonged to motif B′ methyltransferase family in Coffea arabica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizuno, Kouichi; Matsuzaki, Masahiro; Kanazawa, Shiho; Tokiwano, Tetsuo; Yoshizawa, Yuko; Kato, Misako

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Trigonelline synthase catalyzes the conversion of nicotinic acid to trigonelline. We isolated and characterized trigonelline synthase gene(s) from Coffea arabica. - Highlights: • Trigonelline is a major compound in coffee been same as caffeine is. • We isolated and characterized trigonelline synthase gene. • Coffee trigonelline synthases are highly homologous with coffee caffeine synthases. • This study contributes the fully understanding of pyridine alkaloid metabolism. - Abstract: Trigonelline (N-methylnicotinate), a member of the pyridine alkaloids, accumulates in coffee beans along with caffeine. The biosynthetic pathway of trigonelline is not fully elucidated. While it is quite likely that the production of trigonelline from nicotinate is catalyzed by N-methyltransferase, as is caffeine synthase (CS), the enzyme(s) and gene(s) involved in N-methylation have not yet been characterized. It should be noted that, similar to caffeine, trigonelline accumulation is initiated during the development of coffee fruits. Interestingly, the expression profiles for two genes homologous to caffeine synthases were similar to the accumulation profile of trigonelline. We presumed that these two CS-homologous genes encoded trigonelline synthases. These genes were then expressed in Escherichiacoli, and the resulting recombinant enzymes that were obtained were characterized. Consequently, using the N-methyltransferase assay with S-adenosyl[methyl- 14 C]methionine, it was confirmed that these recombinant enzymes catalyzed the conversion of nicotinate to trigonelline, coffee trigonelline synthases (termed CTgS1 and CTgS2) were highly identical (over 95% identity) to each other. The sequence homology between the CTgSs and coffee CCS1 was 82%. The pH-dependent activity curve of CTgS1 and CTgS2 revealed optimum activity at pH 7.5. Nicotinate was the specific methyl acceptor for CTgSs, and no activity was detected with any other nicotinate derivatives, or with

Conversion of nicotinic acid to trigonelline is catalyzed by N-methyltransferase belonged to motif B′ methyltransferase family in Coffea arabica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuno, Kouichi, E-mail: koumno@akita-pu.ac.jp [Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita City, Akita 010-0195 (Japan); Matsuzaki, Masahiro [Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita City, Akita 010-0195 (Japan); Kanazawa, Shiho [Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610 (Japan); Tokiwano, Tetsuo; Yoshizawa, Yuko [Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita City, Akita 010-0195 (Japan); Kato, Misako [Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610 (Japan)

2014-10-03

Graphical abstract: Trigonelline synthase catalyzes the conversion of nicotinic acid to trigonelline. We isolated and characterized trigonelline synthase gene(s) from Coffea arabica. - Highlights: • Trigonelline is a major compound in coffee been same as caffeine is. • We isolated and characterized trigonelline synthase gene. • Coffee trigonelline synthases are highly homologous with coffee caffeine synthases. • This study contributes the fully understanding of pyridine alkaloid metabolism. - Abstract: Trigonelline (N-methylnicotinate), a member of the pyridine alkaloids, accumulates in coffee beans along with caffeine. The biosynthetic pathway of trigonelline is not fully elucidated. While it is quite likely that the production of trigonelline from nicotinate is catalyzed by N-methyltransferase, as is caffeine synthase (CS), the enzyme(s) and gene(s) involved in N-methylation have not yet been characterized. It should be noted that, similar to caffeine, trigonelline accumulation is initiated during the development of coffee fruits. Interestingly, the expression profiles for two genes homologous to caffeine synthases were similar to the accumulation profile of trigonelline. We presumed that these two CS-homologous genes encoded trigonelline synthases. These genes were then expressed in Escherichiacoli, and the resulting recombinant enzymes that were obtained were characterized. Consequently, using the N-methyltransferase assay with S-adenosyl[methyl-{sup 14}C]methionine, it was confirmed that these recombinant enzymes catalyzed the conversion of nicotinate to trigonelline, coffee trigonelline synthases (termed CTgS1 and CTgS2) were highly identical (over 95% identity) to each other. The sequence homology between the CTgSs and coffee CCS1 was 82%. The pH-dependent activity curve of CTgS1 and CTgS2 revealed optimum activity at pH 7.5. Nicotinate was the specific methyl acceptor for CTgSs, and no activity was detected with any other nicotinate derivatives, or

Protective Effect of Combined Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Bevacizumab Against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human RPE Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinc, Erdem; Ayaz, Lokman; Kurt, Akif Hakan

2017-12-01

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and combined CAPE-bevacizumab against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in human retinal pigment epithelium. ARPE-19 cells were pretreated with 5, 10, and 30 μM CAPE alone and in combination with bevacizumab for 3 h, then exposed to H 2 O 2 for 16 h. Cell viability was evaluated with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels in the medium were measured using a human VEGF ELISA kit. Total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were measured in ARPE-19 cells using the test kit from Rel Assay. Expression levels of VEGF, Bax, Bcl-2, cytochrome c, apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (apaf-1), and caspase-3 were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Pretreatment of ARPE-19 cells with 30 μM CAPE and combined CAPE-bevacizumab reduced H 2 O 2 mediated cell death. H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress increased TOS and VEGF production, which was significantly inhibited by CAPE and the CAPE-bevacizumab combination. VEGF, Bax, cytochrome c, apaf-1, and caspase-3 gene expressions were significantly decreased in cells pretreated with 5, 10, and 30 μM CAPE and combined CAPE-bevacizumab compared to the H 2 O 2 group. In addition, Bcl-2 expression was significantly increased in both the CAPE and CAPE-bevacizumab combination groups compared to the H 2 O 2 group. CAPE has a protective effect on ARPE-19 cells against oxidative stress, and VEGF protein level and expression can be decreased by incubation with different concentrations of CAPE. These results demonstrate that CAPE suppresses the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in ARPE-19 cells under oxidative stress. In addition, the use of CAPE in combination with bevacizumab has an additive effect.

DNA methyltransferase homologue TRDMT1 in Plasmodium falciparum specifically methylates endogenous aspartic acid tRNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Govindaraju, Gayathri; Jabeena, C A; Sethumadhavan, Devadathan Valiyamangalath; Rajaram, Nivethika; Rajavelu, Arumugam

2017-10-01

In eukaryotes, cytosine methylation regulates diverse biological processes such as gene expression, development and maintenance of genomic integrity. However, cytosine methylation and its functions in pathogenic apicomplexan protozoans remain enigmatic. To address this, here we investigated the presence of cytosine methylation in the nucleic acids of the protozoan Plasmodium falciparum. Interestingly, P. falciparum has TRDMT1, a conserved homologue of DNA methyltransferase DNMT2. However, we found that TRDMT1 did not methylate DNA, in vitro. We demonstrate that TRDMT1 methylates cytosine in the endogenous aspartic acid tRNA of P. falciparum. Through RNA bisulfite sequencing, we mapped the position of 5-methyl cytosine in aspartic acid tRNA and found methylation only at C38 position. P. falciparum proteome has significantly higher aspartic acid content and a higher proportion of proteins with poly aspartic acid repeats than other apicomplexan pathogenic protozoans. Proteins with such repeats are functionally important, with significant roles in host-pathogen interactions. Therefore, TRDMT1 mediated C38 methylation of aspartic acid tRNA might play a critical role by translational regulation of important proteins and modulate the pathogenicity of the malarial parasite. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic Extraction of Hydroxycinnamic Acids from Coffee Pulp

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Ernesto Favela-Torres

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids are classified as hydroxycinnamic acids, presenting anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this work, enzymatic extraction has been studied in order to extract high value-added products like hydroxycinnamic acids from coffee pulp. A commercial pectinase and enzyme extract produced by Rhizomucor pusillus strain 23aIV in solid-state fermentation using olive oil or coffee pulp (CP as an inducer of the feruloyl esterase activity were evaluated separately and mixed. The total content (covalently linked and free of ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids was 5276 mg per kg of coffee pulp. Distribution was as follows (in %: chlorogenic acid 58.7, caffeic acid 37.6, ferulic acid 2.1 and p-coumaric acid 1.5. Most of the hydroxycinnamic acids were covalently bound to the cell wall (in %: p-coumaric acid 97.2, caffeic acid 94.4, chlorogenic acid 76.9 and ferulic acid 73.4. The content of covalently linked hydroxycinnamic acid was used to calculate the enzyme extraction yield. The maximum carbon dioxide rate for the solid-state fermentation using olive oil as an inducer was higher and it was reached in a short cultivation time. Nevertheless, the feruloyl esterase (FAE activity (units per mg of protein obtained in the fermentation using CP as an inducer was 31.8 % higher in comparison with that obtained in the fermentation using olive oil as the inducer. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating the composition of both esterified and free ferulic, caffeic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic acids in coffee pulp. The highest yield of extraction of hydroxycinnamic acids was obtained by mixing the produced enzyme extract using coffee pulp as an inducer and a commercial pectinase. Extraction yields were as follows (in %: chlorogenic acid 54.4, ferulic acid 19.8, p-coumaric acid 7.2 and caffeic acid 2.3. An important increase in the added value of coffee pulp was mainly

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Is a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Oral Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying-Yu Kuo

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Head and neck cancers, which affect 650,000 people and cause 350,000 deaths per year, is the sixth leading cancer by cancer incidence and eighth by cancer-related death worldwide. Oral cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer. More than 90% of oral cancers are oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC. The overall five-year survival rate of OSCC patients is approximately 63%, which is due to the low response rate to current therapeutic drugs. In this review we discuss the possibility of using caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE as an alternative treatment for oral cancer. CAPE is a strong antioxidant extracted from honeybee hive propolis. Recent studies indicate that CAPE treatment can effectively suppress the proliferation, survival, and metastasis of oral cancer cells. CAPE treatment inhibits Akt signaling, cell cycle regulatory proteins, NF-κB function, as well as activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2. Therefore, CAPE treatment induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in oral cancer cells. According to the evidence that aberrations in the EGFR/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/protein kinase B (Akt signaling, NF-κB function, COX-2 activity, and MMPs activity are frequently found in oral cancers, and that the phosphorylation of Akt, EGFR, and COX-2 correlates to oral cancer patient survival and clinical progression, we believe that CAPE treatment will be useful for treatment of advanced oral cancer patients.

Rational design of a live attenuated dengue vaccine: 2'-o-methyltransferase mutants are highly attenuated and immunogenic in mice and macaques.

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Roland Züst

Full Text Available Dengue virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and infects at least 100 million people every year. Progressive urbanization in Asia and South-Central America and the geographic expansion of Aedes mosquito habitats have accelerated the global spread of dengue, resulting in a continuously increasing number of cases. A cost-effective, safe vaccine conferring protection with ideally a single injection could stop dengue transmission. Current vaccine candidates require several booster injections or do not provide protection against all four serotypes. Here we demonstrate that dengue virus mutants lacking 2'-O-methyltransferase activity are highly sensitive to type I IFN inhibition. The mutant viruses are attenuated in mice and rhesus monkeys and elicit a strong adaptive immune response. Monkeys immunized with a single dose of 2'-O-methyltransferase mutant virus showed 100% sero-conversion even when a dose as low as 1,000 plaque forming units was administrated. Animals were fully protected against a homologous challenge. Furthermore, mosquitoes feeding on blood containing the mutant virus were not infected, whereas those feeding on blood containing wild-type virus were infected and thus able to transmit it. These results show the potential of 2'-O-methyltransferase mutant virus as a safe, rationally designed dengue vaccine that restrains itself due to the increased susceptibility to the host's innate immune response.

Effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on palatal mucosal defects and tooth extraction sockets

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Günay, Ahmet; Arpağ, Osman Fatih; Atilgan, Serhat; Yaman, Ferhan; Atalay, Yusuf; Acikan, İzzet

2014-01-01

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on palatal mucosal defects and tooth extraction sockets in an experimental model. Materials and methods Forty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats with a mean age of 7 weeks and weighing 280–490 g were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into two groups: group A (the control group, n=21) and group B (the experimental group, n=21). Under anesthesia with ketamine (8 mg/100 g, intraperitoneally), palatal mucosal defects were created and tooth extraction was performed in the rats in groups A and B. Group A received no treatment, whereas group B received CAPE. CAPE was injected daily (10 μmol/kg, intraperitoneally). The rats were killed on days 7, 14, and 30 after the procedures. Palatal mucosa healing and changes in bone tissue and fibrous tissue were evaluated histopathologically. Result Pairwise comparisons showed no statistically significant difference between days 7 and 14 in either group (P>0.05). At day 30, bone healing was significantly better in group B (CAPE) than in group A (control) (P0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that CAPE can significantly improve tooth socket healing. PMID:25364232

The phenolic acids of some species of the Oenothera L. genus

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Tadeusz Krzaczek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The occurence and approximative quantitative proportions of the phenolic acids in four species of the Oenothera L. genus was determined by the method of TLC and HPLC. In all species of Oenothera L. genus the permanent occurrence of acids: 2-hydroxy-4-metoxybenzoic, salicylic, ferulic, syringic, vanillic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-hydroxyphenylacetic, γ-rezorcil, gentysic, protocatechuic, caffeic and gallic has been confirmed. Whereas the other phenolic acids: o-coumaric, o-hydroxyphenylacetic and pirocatechuic were found in some species of the Oenothera L. genus only.

Rapid, large-scale purification and characterization of Ada protein (O sup 6 methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) of E. coli

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Bhattacharyya, D.; Tano, K.; Bunick, G.J.; Uberbacher, E.C.; Mitra, S. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN (USA)); Behnke, W.D. (Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH (USA))

1988-07-25

The E. coli Ada protein (O{sup 6}-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) has been purified using a high-level expression vector with a yield of about 3 mg per liter of E. coli culture. The 39-kDa protein has an extinction coefficient (E{sup 280nm}{sub 1%}) of 5.3. Its isoelectric point of 7.1 is lower than that predicted from the amino acid content. The homogeneous Ada protein is fully active as a methyl acceptor from O{sup 6}-methylguanine in DNA. Its reaction with O{sup 6}-methylguanine in a synthetic DNA has a second-order rate constant of 1.1 {times} 10{sup 9} M{sup {minus}1} min{sup {minus}1} at 0{degree}C. Both the native form and the protein methylated at Cys-69 are monomeric. The CD spectrum suggests a low {alpha}-helical content and the radius of gyration of 23 {angstrom} indicates a compact, globular shape. The middle region of the protein is sensitive to a variety of proteases, including an endogenous activity in E. coli, suggesting that the protein is composed of N-terminal and C-terminal domains connected by a hinge region. E. coli B has a higher level of this protease than does K12.

Structure of the human gene encoding the protein repair L-isoaspartyl (D-aspartyl) O-methyltransferase.

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DeVry, C G; Tsai, W; Clarke, S

1996-11-15

The protein L-isoaspartyl/D-aspartyl O-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.77) catalyzes the first step in the repair of proteins damaged in the aging process by isomerization or racemization reactions at aspartyl and asparaginyl residues. A single gene has been localized to human chromosome 6 and multiple transcripts arising through alternative splicing have been identified. Restriction enzyme mapping, subcloning, and DNA sequence analysis of three overlapping clones from a human genomic library in bacteriophage P1 indicate that the gene spans approximately 60 kb and is composed of 8 exons interrupted by 7 introns. Analysis of intron/exon splice junctions reveals that all of the donor and acceptor splice sites are in agreement with the mammalian consensus splicing sequence. Determination of transcription initiation sites by primer extension analysis of poly(A)+ mRNA from human brain identifies multiple start sites, with a major site 159 nucleotides upstream from the ATG start codon. Sequence analysis of the 5'-untranslated region demonstrates several potential cis-acting DNA elements including SP1, ETF, AP1, AP2, ARE, XRE, CREB, MED-1, and half-palindromic ERE motifs. The promoter of this methyltransferase gene lacks an identifiable TATA box but is characterized by a CpG island which begins approximately 723 nucleotides upstream of the major transcriptional start site and extends through exon 1 and into the first intron. These features are characteristic of housekeeping genes and are consistent with the wide tissue distribution observed for this methyltransferase activity.

Evaluation of Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant Activity of Coconut Water (Cocus nucifera L. and Caffeic Acid in Cell Culture

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JOAO L.A. SANTOS

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Coconut water contains several uncharacterized substances and is widely used in the human consumption. In this paper we detected and quantified ascorbic acid and caffeic acid and total phenolics in several varieties of coconut using HPLS/MS/MS (25.8 ± 0.6 µg/mL and 1.078 ± 0.013 µg/mL and 99.7 µg/mL, respectively, in the green dwarf coconut water, or 10 mg and 539 µg and 39.8 mg for units of coconut consumed, 500 ± 50 mL. The antioxidant potential of four coconut varieties (green dwarf, yellow dwarf, red dwarf and yellow Malaysian was compared with two industrialized coconut waters and the lyophilized water of the green dwarf variety. All varieties were effective in scavenging the DPPH radical (IC50=73 µL and oxide nitric (0.1 mL with an IP of 29.9% as well as in inhibiting the in vitro production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (1 mL with an IP of 34.4%, highlighting the antioxidant properties of the green dwarf which it is the most common used. In cell culture, the green dwarf water was efficient in protecting against oxidative damages induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Alkyl caffeates as antioxidants in O/W emulsions: Impact of emulsifier type and endogenous tocopherols

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Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke; Villeneuve, Pierre; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2017-01-01

, the aim was to evaluate the impact of emulsifiers (Citrem and Tween80) and presence of endogenous tocopherols on the efficacies of caffeic acid and caffeates (C1–C20) as antioxidants in emulsions. Lipid oxidation was evaluated during storage and partitioning of caffeic acid and caffeates was estimated...... by measuring their concentrations in the aqueous phase. Partitioning of caffeic acid and caffeates was influenced by emulsifier type and the presence of endogenous tocopherols. Caffeic acid was the most efficient antioxidant in Citrem and Tween stabilized emulsions in the presence of endogenous tocopherol....... In contrast, for Tween stabilized emulsions, caffeic acid acted as a prooxidant and the evaluated caffeates acted as strong antioxidants in the absence of endogenous tocopherol. Thus, when endogenous tocopherol was present lipophilization of caffeic acid did not increase its efficacy as an antioxidant...

Jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase regulates development and herbivory-induced defense response in rice.

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Qi, Jinfeng; Li, Jiancai; Han, Xiu; Li, Ran; Wu, Jianqiang; Yu, Haixin; Hu, Lingfei; Xiao, Yutao; Lu, Jing; Lou, Yonggen

2016-06-01

Jasmonic acid (JA) and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase (JMT) may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and thus influencing the concentrations of JA and related metabolites. However, no JMT gene has been well characterized in monocotyledon defense and development at the molecular level. After we cloned a rice JMT gene, OsJMT1, whose encoding protein was localized in the cytosol, we found that the recombinant OsJMT1 protein catalyzed JA to MeJA. OsJMT1 is up-regulated in response to infestation with the brown planthopper (BPH; Nilaparvata lugens). Plants in which OsJMT1 had been overexpressed (oe-JMT plants) showed reduced height and yield. These oe-JMT plants also exhibited increased MeJA levels but reduced levels of herbivore-induced JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile). The oe-JMT plants were more attractive to BPH female adults but showed increased resistance to BPH nymphs, probably owing to the different responses of BPH female adults and nymphs to the changes in levels of H2 O2 and MeJA in oe-JMT plants. These results indicate that OsJMT1, by altering levels of JA and related metabolites, plays a role in regulating plant development and herbivore-induced defense responses in rice. © 2015 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase in human fetal tissues: fetal and maternal factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Ambrosio, S.M.; Samuel, M.J.; Dutta-Choudhury, T.A.; Wani, A.A.

1986-01-01

O 6 -Methylguanine methyltransferase (O 6 -MT) was measured and compared in extracts of 7 human fetal tissues obtained from 21 different fetal specimens as a function of fetal age and race, and maternal smoking and drug usage. Activity was determined from the proteinase-K solubilized radioactivity transferred from the DNA to the O 6 -MT. S9 homogenates were incubated with a heat depurinated [ 3 H]-methylnitrosourea alkylated DNA. Liver exhibited the highest activity followed by kidney, lung, small intestine, large intestine, skin and brain. Each of the tissues exhibited a 3- to 5-fold level of interindividual variation of O 6 -MT. There did not appear to be any significant difference of O 6 -MT in the tissues obtained from mothers who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy. Also, fetal race and age did not appear to account for the level of variation of O 6 -MT. The fetal tissues obtained from an individual using phenobarbital and smoking exhibited 4-fold increases in O 6 -MT activity. The tissues obtained from another individual on kidney dialysis were 2- to 3-fold higher than the normal population. These data suggest that the variation in human O 6 -MT can not be explained by racial or smoking factors, but may be modulated by certain drugs

Cell killing and radiosensitization by caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in lung cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Miao-Fen; Chen, Wen-Cheng; Wu, Chun-Te; King, P.C.

2004-01-01

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a biologically active ingredient of honeybee propoplis. The cytotoxicity and radiation sensitization effects of CAPE were evaluated in human lung cancer A549 cells and normal lung fibroblast WI-38 cells. A549 cells treated with 6 μg/ml CAPE showed marked growth inhibition (60%) at 48 hr after treatments. During the same time, the number of viable cells decreased to 46% of the control value. In contrast, WI-38 cells showed 20% growth inhibition with no change in the number of viable cells under the same treatment conditions. At 72 hr after CAPE treatment (6 μg/ml), the percentage of apoptotic cells in A549 cultures increased significantly to 67% and an S/G2 arrest was also detected in the culture. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in the level of intracellular glutathione and hydrogen peroxide contents within one hr after CAPE treatment, and the expression of cyclin B 1 was reduced 6 hr after treatment. The radiation sensitization effect of CAPE on A549 cells was determined from the clonogenic survival curves, and the results showed a small but significant difference in radiation survival between cells treated with or without CAPE. Taken together, our results suggest that the effects of CAPE on differential cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and radiosensitization are associated with glutathione depletion that occurred shortly after treatments. (author)

Cloning, functional characterization and catalytic mechanism of a bergaptol O-methyltransferase from Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn

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Yucheng eZhao

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Coumarins are main active components of Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn. Among them, methoxylated coumarin compound, such as bergapten, xanthotoxin and isopimpinellin, has high officinal value and plays an important role in medicinal field. However, major issues associated with the biosynthesis mechanism of coumarins remain unsolved and no corresponding enzyme has been cloned from P. praeruptorum. In this study, a local BLASTN program was conducted to find the candidate genes from P. praeruptorum transcriptome database using the nucleotide sequence of Ammi majus bergaptol O-methyltransferase (AmBMT, GenBank accession No: AY443006 as a template. As a result, a 1335 bp full-length of cDNA sequence which contains an open reading frame of 1080 bp encoding a BMT polypeptide of 359 amino acids was obtained. The recombinant protein was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and displayed an observed activity to bergaptol. In vitro experiments show that the protein has narrow substrate specificity for bergaptol. Expression profile indicated that the cloned gene had a higher expression level in roots and can be induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJA. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the BMT protein was located in cytoplasm in planta. Homology modeling and docking based site-directed mutagenesis have been employed to investigate the amino acid residues in BMT required for substrate binding and catalysis. Conservative amino acid substitutions at residue H264 affected BMT catalysis, whereas substitutions at residues F171, M175, D226 and L312 affected substrate binding. The systemic study summarized here will enlarge our knowledge on OMTs and provide useful information in investigating the coumarins biosynthesis mechanism in P. praeruptorum.

Reuse of Organomineral Substrate Waste from Hydroponic Systems as Fertilizer in Open-Field Production Increases Yields, Flavonoid Glycosides, and Caffeic Acid Derivatives of Red Oak Leaf Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Much More than Synthetic Fertilizer.

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Dannehl, Dennis; Becker, Christine; Suhl, Johanna; Josuttis, Melanie; Schmidt, Uwe

2016-09-28

Effects of organic waste from a hydroponic system added with minerals (organomineral fertilizer) and synthetic fertilizer on major polyphenols of red oak leaf lettuce using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(3) were investigated. Interestingly, contents of the main flavonoid glycosides and caffeic acid derivatives of lettuce treated with organomineral fertilizer were equal to those synthesized without soil additives. This was found although soil nutrient concentrations, including that of nitrogen, were much lower without additives. However, lettuce treated with synthetic fertilizer showed a significant decrease in contents of caffeic acid derivatives and flavonoid glycosides up to 78.3 and 54.2%, respectively. It is assumed that a negative effect of a high yield on polyphenols as described in the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis can be counteracted by (i) a higher concentration of Mg or (ii) optimal physical properties of the soil structure. Finally, the organomineral substrate waste reused as fertilizer and soil improver resulted in the highest yield (+78.7%), a total fertilizer saving of 322 kg ha(-1) and waste reduction in greenhouses.

Increased susceptibility to chemotherapeutic alkylating agents of mice deficient in DNA repair methyltransferase.

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Shiraishi, A; Sakumi, K; Sekiguchi, M

2000-10-01

O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase plays vital roles in preventing induction of mutations and cancer as well as cell death related to alkylating agents. Mice defective in the MGMT: gene, encoding the methyltransferase, were used to evaluate cell death-inducing and tumorigenic activities of therapeutic agents which have alkylation potential. MGMT(-/-) mice were considerably more sensitive to dacarbazine, a monofunctional triazene, than were wild-type mice, in terms of survival. When dacarbazine was administered i.p. to 6-week-old mice and survival at 30 days was enumerated, LD(50) values of MGMT(-/-) and MGMT(+/+) mice were 20 and 450 mg/kg body wt, respectively. Increased sensitivity of MGMT(-/-) mice to 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosou rea (ACNU), a bifunctional nitrosourea, was also noted. On the other hand, there was no difference in survival of MGMT(+/+) and MGMT(-/-) mice exposed to cyclophosphamide, a bifunctional nitrogen mustard. It appears that dacarbazine and ACNU produce O(6)-alkylguanine as a major toxic lesion, while cyclophosphamide yields other types of modifications in DNA which are not subjected to the action of the methyltransferase. MGMT(-/-) mice seem to be less refractory to the tumor-inducing effect of dacarbazine than are MGMT(+/+) mice. Thus, the level of O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity is an important factor when determining susceptibility to drugs with the potential for alkylation.

O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase status in neuroendocrine tumours: prognostic relevance and association with response to alkylating agents.

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Walter, T; van Brakel, B; Vercherat, C; Hervieu, V; Forestier, J; Chayvialle, J-A; Molin, Y; Lombard-Bohas, C; Joly, M-O; Scoazec, J-Y

2015-02-03

O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) loss of expression has been suggested to be predictive of response to temozolomide in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), but so far, only limited data are available. We evaluated the prognostic and predictive value of MGMT status, assessed by two molecular methods and immunohistochemistry, in a large series of NETs of different origins. A total of 107 patients, including 53 treated by alkylants (temozolomide, dacarbazine or streptozotocin), were retrospectively studied. In each case, we used methyl-specific PCR (MS-PCR) and pyrosequencing for evaluation of promoter methylation and immunohistochemistry for evaluation of protein status. MGMT promoter methylation was detected in 12 out of 99 (12%) interpretable cases by MS-PCR and in 24 out of 99 (24%) by pyrosequencing. O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase loss of expression was observed in 29 out of 89 (33%) interpretable cases. Status of MGMT was not correlated with overall survival (OS) from diagnosis. Progression-free survival and OS from first alkylant use (temozolomide, dacarbazine and streptozotocin) were higher in patients with MGMT protein loss (respectively, 20.2 vs 7.6 months, Palkylant-based chemotherapy in NETs.

Chlorogenic acid in a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension.

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Gillet; Mesnard; Fliniaux; Monti; Fliniaux

1999-11-01

A phenylpropanoid compound has been characterized in a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension. This compound has been isolated and purified by semi-preparative reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. Its structure has been identified by NMR spectroscopy as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, which is chlorogenic acid (CA). The influence of culture conditions on the accumulation of this metabolite by N. plumbaginifolia cell suspensions has been studied. Darkness strongly inhibits the CA accumulation. Moreover, it has been shown that feeding experiments with caffeic acid had a deleterious effect upon the CA content. This one was not influenced by a supplementation with quinic acid.

Synergistic Antibacterial Effects of Chitosan-Caffeic Acid Conjugate against Antibiotic-Resistant Acne-Related Bacteria.

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Kim, Ji-Hoon; Yu, Daeung; Eom, Sung-Hwan; Kim, Song-Hee; Oh, Junghwan; Jung, Won-Kyo; Kim, Young-Mog

2017-06-08

The object of this study was to discover an alternative therapeutic agent with fewer side effects against acne vulgaris, one of the most common skin diseases. Acne vulgaris is often associated with acne-related bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Some of these bacteria exhibit a resistance against commercial antibiotics that have been used in the treatment of acne vulgaris (tetracycline, erythromycin, and lincomycin). In the current study, we tested in vitro antibacterial effect of chitosan-phytochemical conjugates on acne-related bacteria. Three chitosan-phytochemical conjugates used in this study exhibited stronger antibacterial activity than that of chitosan (unmodified control). Chitosan-caffeic acid conjugate (CCA) showed the highest antibacterial effect on acne-related bacteria along with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; 8 to 256 μg/mL). Additionally, the MIC values of antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant P. acnes and P. aeruginosa strains were dramatically reduced in combination with CCA, suggesting that CCA would restore the antibacterial activity of the antibiotics. The analysis of fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices clearly revealed a synergistic antibacterial effect of CCA with antibiotics. Thus, the median sum of FIC (∑FIC) values against the antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains ranged from 0.375 to 0.533 in the combination mode of CCA and antibiotics. The results of the present study suggested a potential possibility of chitosan-phytochemical conjugates in the control of infections related to acne vulgaris.

Effect of benzene compounds from plants on the growth and hyphal morphology in Neurospora crassa Efeito de compostos benzênicos de plantas sobre o crescimento e a morfologia das hifas em Neurospora crassa

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Fabrícia Mendonça Neves

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of the benzene compounds from plants, respectively cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and cinnamic aldehyde on growth and hyphal morphology of Neurospora crassa, were investigated. Cinnamic acid, ferulic acid and cinnamic aldehyde inhibited colony growth, but produced no visible alterations on hyphae. Caffeic acid and coumaric acid did not inhibit growth, but changed hyphal morphology. The results suggest that caffeic and coumaric acids probably affect polarity maintenance (the continued deposition of wall material at the extending tip, while cinnamic aldehyde, ferulic and cinnamic acids decrease growth rate, but did not change hyphal polarity. The actin cytoskeleton and the Spitzenkörper appeared diffuse and not clearly visible when one of the benzene compounds was present in the culture.Os efeitos de compostos benzênicos de plantas, respectivamente ácido cinâmico, ácido coumárico, ácido ferúlico, ácido cafeico e aldeído cinâmico, sobre o crescimento da colônia e a morfologia das hifas de Neurospora crassa foram investigados. Ácido cinâmico, ácido ferúlico e aldeído cinâmico inibiram o crescimento colonial, mas não produziram diferenças visíveis sobre as hifas. Ácido cafeico e ácido coumárico não inibiram o crescimento, mas alteraram a morfologia das hifas. Os resultados sugerem que os ácidos cafeico e coumárico afetam provavelmente a manutenção da polaridade (a contínua deposição de material da parede na ponta em extensão, enquanto aldeído cinâmico e os ácidos cinâmicos e ferúlico diminuem a velocidade de crescimento, mas não alteram a polaridade das hifas. Actina no citoesqueleto e no Spitzenkörper apareceu difuso e não estava claramente visível na presença de um dos compostos benzênicos na cultura.

Simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenolic acids and flavonoids for the quality control of Apocynum venetum L. leaves by HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MS and HPLC-DAD.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Haijuan; Wang, Hong; Lan, Yuexiang; Hashi, Yuki; Chen, Shizhong

2013-11-01

A reliable method based on high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization-ion trap-time of flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MS) was developed for the identification of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Apocynum venetum L. leaves and its adulterant, Pocynum hendersonii (Hook. f.) Woodson leaves. A total of 21 compounds were identified or tentatively identified, including 4 phenolic acids and 17 flavonoids. 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA) and caffeic acid were detected for the first time in A. venetum leaves; 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4-CQA), 3-CQA, caffeic acid, quercetin-3-O-(6"-O-malonyl)-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-(6"-O-malonyl)-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-(6"-O-malonyl)-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-(6"-O-acetyl)-glucoside, and kaempferol-3-O-dihexoside were detected for the first time in P. hendersonii leaves. Cluster analysis was employed to analyze 24 batches of A. venetum leaves and 5 batches of P. hendersonii leaves collected from various regions in China. The analysis, which was based on the 21 compounds, indicated that profiles of these compounds were distinct between the two species, and among A. venetum leaf samples from different origins. 18 of these 21 compounds were selected as the markers and simultaneously analyzed by HPLC-DAD for the first time. The quantitative analytical method was validated and subsequently applied to the comprehensive quality evaluation of 24 batches of A. venetum leaves. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Caffeic acid, morin hydrate and quercetin partially attenuate sulfur mustard-induced cell death by inhibiting the lipoxygenase pathway.

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Kim, Shin; Jeong, Kwang-Joon; Cho, Sung Kweon; Park, Joo-Won; Park, Woo-Jae

2016-11-01

Sulfur mustard (SM) is an alkylating agent, which has been used as in chemical warfare in a number of conflicts. As the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and adducts in DNA and proteins have been suggested as the mechanism underlying SM‑induced cytotoxicity, the present study screened several antioxidant candidates, including tannic acid, deferoxamine mesylate, trolox, vitamin C, ellagic acid and caffeic acid (CA) to assess their potential as therapeutic agents for SM‑induced cell death. Among several antioxidants, CA partially alleviated SM‑induced cell death in a dose‑dependent manner. Although CA treatment decreased the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‑activated protein (MAP) kinase and p53, p38 MAP kinase inhibition by SB203580 did not affect SM‑induced cell death. As CA has also been reported as a 15‑lipoxygenase (15‑LOX) inhibitor, the role of 15‑LOX in SM‑induced cytotoxicity was also examined. Similar to the results observed with CA, treatment with PD146176, a specific 15‑LOX inhibitor, decreased SM‑induced cytotoxicity, accompanied by decreases in the production of tumor necrosis factor‑α and 15‑hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. Furthermore, the present study investigated the protective effects of two natural 15‑LOX inhibitors, morin hydrate and quercetin, in SM‑induced cytotoxicity. As expected, these inhibitors had similar protective effects against SM‑induced cytotoxicity. These antioxidants also reduced the generation of ROS and nitrate/nitrite. Therefore, the results of the present study indicated that the natural products, CA, quercetin and morin hydrate, offer potential as adjuvant therapeutic agents for SM‑induced toxicity, not only by reducing inflammation mediated by the p38 and LOX signaling pathways, but also by decreasing the generation of ROS and nitrate/nitrite.

Crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protein clusters assembled on to damaged DNA.

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Miggiano, Riccardo; Perugino, Giuseppe; Ciaramella, Maria; Serpe, Mario; Rejman, Dominik; Páv, Ondřej; Pohl, Radek; Garavaglia, Silvia; Lahiri, Samarpita; Rizzi, Menico; Rossi, Franca

2016-01-15

Mycobacterium tuberculosis O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MtOGT) contributes to protect the bacterial GC-rich genome against the pro-mutagenic potential of O(6)-methylated guanine in DNA. Several strains of M. tuberculosis found worldwide encode a point-mutated O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (OGT) variant (MtOGT-R37L), which displays an arginine-to-leucine substitution at position 37 of the poorly functionally characterized N-terminal domain of the protein. Although the impact of this mutation on the MtOGT activity has not yet been proved in vivo, we previously demonstrated that a recombinant MtOGT-R37L variant performs a suboptimal alkylated-DNA repair in vitro, suggesting a direct role for the Arg(37)-bearing region in catalysis. The crystal structure of MtOGT complexed with modified DNA solved in the present study reveals details of the protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions occurring during alkylated-DNA binding, and the protein capability also to host unmodified bases inside the active site, in a fully extrahelical conformation. Our data provide the first experimental picture at the atomic level of a possible mode of assembling three adjacent MtOGT monomers on the same monoalkylated dsDNA molecule, and disclose the conformational flexibility of discrete regions of MtOGT, including the Arg(37)-bearing random coil. This peculiar structural plasticity of MtOGT could be instrumental to proper protein clustering at damaged DNA sites, as well as to protein-DNA complexes disassembling on repair. © 2016 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited.

Lack of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase in mice does not promote fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle.

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Tasseva, Guergana; van der Veen, Jelske N; Lingrell, Susanne; Jacobs, René L; Vance, Dennis E; Vance, Jean E

2016-02-01

Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) converts phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the liver. Mice lacking PEMT are protected from high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, and exhibit increased whole-body energy expenditure and oxygen consumption. Since skeletal muscle is a major site of fatty acid oxidation and energy utilization, we determined if rates of fatty acid oxidation/oxygen consumption in muscle are higher in Pemt(-/-) mice than in Pemt(+/+) mice. Although PEMT is abundant in the liver, PEMT protein and activity were undetectable in four types of skeletal muscle. Moreover, amounts of PC and PE in the skeletal muscle were not altered by PEMT deficiency. Thus, we concluded that any influence of PEMT deficiency on skeletal muscle would be an indirect consequence of lack of PEMT in liver. Neither the in vivo rate of fatty acid uptake by muscle nor the rate of fatty acid oxidation in muscle explants and cultured myocytes depended upon Pemt genotype. Nor did PEMT deficiency increase oxygen consumption or respiratory function in skeletal muscle mitochondria. Thus, the increased whole body oxygen consumption in Pemt(-/-) mice, and resistance of these mice to diet-induced weight gain, are not primarily due to increased capacity of skeletal muscle for utilization of fatty acids as an energy source. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ribosomal protein methyltransferases in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Roles in ribosome biogenesis and translation.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hadid, Qais; White, Jonelle; Clarke, Steven

2016-02-12

A significant percentage of the methyltransferasome in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and higher eukaryotes is devoted to methylation of the translational machinery. Methylation of the RNA components of the translational machinery has been studied extensively and is important for structure stability, ribosome biogenesis, and translational fidelity. However, the functional effects of ribosomal protein methylation by their cognate methyltransferases are still largely unknown. Previous work has shown that the ribosomal protein Rpl3 methyltransferase, histidine protein methyltransferase 1 (Hpm1), is important for ribosome biogenesis and translation elongation fidelity. In this study, yeast strains deficient in each of the ten ribosomal protein methyltransferases in S. cerevisiae were examined for potential defects in ribosome biogenesis and translation. Like Hpm1-deficient cells, loss of four of the nine other ribosomal protein methyltransferases resulted in defects in ribosomal subunit synthesis. All of the mutant strains exhibited resistance to the ribosome inhibitors anisomycin and/or cycloheximide in plate assays, but not in liquid culture. Translational fidelity assays measuring stop codon readthrough, amino acid misincorporation, and programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting, revealed that eight of the ten enzymes are important for translation elongation fidelity and the remaining two are necessary for translation termination efficiency. Altogether, these results demonstrate that ribosomal protein methyltransferases in S. cerevisiae play important roles in ribosome biogenesis and translation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase and the inorganic arsenic methylation phenotype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jiaxin; Waters, Stephen B.; Drobna, Zuzana; Devesa, Vicenta; Styblo, Miroslav; Thomas, David J.

2005-01-01

Inorganic arsenic is enzymatically methylated; hence, its ingestion results in exposure to the parent compound and various methylated arsenicals. Both experimental and epidemiological evidences suggest that some of the adverse health effects associated with chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic may be mediated by these methylated metabolites. If i As methylation is an activation process, then the phenotype for inorganic arsenic methylation may determine risk associated with exposure to this metalloid. We examined inorganic arsenic methylation phenotypes and arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase genotypes in four species: three that methylate inorganic arsenic (human (Homo sapiens), rat (Rattus norwegicus), and mouse (Mus musculus)) and one that does not methylate inorganic arsenic (chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes). The predicted protein products from arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase are similar in size for rat (369 amino acid residues), mouse (376 residues), and human (375 residues). By comparison, a 275-nucleotide deletion beginning at nucleotide 612 in the chimpanzee gene sequence causes a frameshift that leads to a nonsense mutation for a premature stop codon after amino acid 205. The null phenotype for inorganic arsenic methylation in the chimpanzee is likely due to the deletion in the gene for arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase that yields an inactive truncated protein. This lineage-specific loss of function caused by the deletion event must have occurred in the Pan lineage after Homo-Pan divergence about 5 million years ago

Substrate Scope of O-Methyltransferase from Streptomyces peucetius for Biosynthesis of Diverse Natural Products Methoxides.

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Parajuli, Prakash; Pandey, Ramesh Prasad; Nguyen, Thi Huyen Trang; Dhakal, Dipesh; Sohng, Jae Kyung

2018-04-01

Methylation is a common post-modification reaction that is observed during the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites produced by plants and microorganisms. Based on the sequence information from Streptomyces peucetius ATCC27952, a putative O-methyltransferase (OMT) gene SpOMT7740 was polymerase chain reaction amplified and cloned into E. coli BL21 (DE3) host to test the substrate promiscuity and conduct functional characterization. In vitro and in vivo reaction assays were carried out over various classes of substrates: flavonoids (flavonol, flavones, and isoflavonoid), chalcones, anthraquinones, anthracyclines, and sterol molecules, and the applications in synthesizing diverse classes of O-methoxy natural products were also illustrated. SpOMT7740 catalyzed the O-methylation reaction to form various natural and non-natural O-methoxides, includes 7-hydroxy-8-O-methoxy flavone, 3-O-methoxy flavone, three mono-, di-, and tri-O-methoxy genistein, mono-O-methoxy phloretin, mono-O-methoxy luteolin, 3-O-methoxy β-sitosterol, and O-methoxy anthraquinones (emodin and aloe emodin) and O-methoxy anthracycline (daunorubicin) exhibiting diverse substrate flexibility. Daunorubicin is a native secondary metabolite of S. peucetius. Among the compounds tested, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone was the best substrate for bioconversion to 7-hydroxy-8-O-methoxy flavone, and it was structurally elucidated. This enzyme showed a flexible catalysis over the given ranges of temperature, pH, and divalent cationic conditions for O-methylation.

Pederin-type pathways of uncultivated bacterial symbionts: analysis of o-methyltransferases and generation of a biosynthetic hybrid.

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Zimmermann, Katrin; Engeser, Marianne; Blunt, John W; Munro, Murray H G; Piel, Jörn

2009-03-04

The complex polyketide pederin is a potent antitumor agent isolated from Paederus spp. rove beetles. We have previously isolated a set of genes from a bacterial endosymbiont that are good candidates for pederin biosynthesis. To biochemically study this pathway, we expressed three methyltransferases from the putative pederin pathway and used the partially unmethylated analogue mycalamide A from the marine sponge Mycale hentscheli as test substrate. Analysis by high-resolution MS/MS and NMR revealed that PedO regiospecifically methylates the marine compound to generate the nonnatural hybrid compound 18-O-methylmycalamide A with increased cytotoxicity. To our knowledge, this is the first biochemical evidence that invertebrates can obtain defensive complex polyketides from bacterial symbionts.

Effect of pH on the copigmentation of anthocyanins from Cabernet Sauvignon grape extracts with organic acids Efeito do pH na copigmentação de antocianinas do extrato de uvas Cabernet Sauvignon com ácidos orgânicos

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Cony Gauche

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Anthocyanins show low-stability when exposed to different food processing conditions. Copigmentation is one of the main reactions contributing to the in vivo color responsible to the stability of anthocyanins. In the aim of holding the red color, copigmentation effect of organic acids (caffeic, ferulic, gallic and tannic acids combined with anthocyanins in crude Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. grape skin extract at pH values (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.3, 3.5, 3.7, 4.0, 4.5 was evaluated in this research. The maximum copigmentation effect, revealed by the hyperchromic and bathochromic shifts in anthocyanin maximum absorbance wavelength, was obtained at pH 3.3 with every acid used. Anthocyanin stability was followed by measuring the loss of color, thus it was possible to determine the protecting effects of these copigments. Tannic acid was the best copigment in our model system, giving half-life time of 2,585 h. We are suggesting the formation of pyranoanthocyanins by the reactions of anthocyanins with caffeic and ferulic acid, these substances could be avoiding the observation of the copigmentation effect. Addition of organic acids could improve the anthocyanin stability; though, more studies are needed to justify the lack of copigmenting effect observed with the caffeic and ferulic acids.Antocianinas apresentam baixa estabilidade frente aos fatores que afetam o processamento de alimentos. A copigmentação é uma das principais reações responsáveis pela estabilidade da coloração de antocianinas in vivo. Com objetivo de manter a coloração vermelha, a copigmentação das antocianinas do extrato bruto de uvas Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L. com ácidos orgânicos (ácidos caféico, ferrúlico, gálico e tânico em diferentes valores de pH (1,0; 2,0; 3,0; 3,3; 3,5; 3,7; 4,0; 4,5 foi avaliada neste estudo. O efeito máximo de copigmentação, revelado pelos deslocamentos hipercrômico e batocrômico, foi obtido em pH 3,3 para todos os �

Nanomolar electrochemical detection of caffeic acid in fortified wine samples based on gold/palladium nanoparticles decorated graphene flakes.

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Thangavelu, Kokulnathan; Raja, Nehru; Chen, Shen-Ming; Liao, Wei-Cheng

2017-09-01

Amalgamation of noble metal nanomaterials on graphene flakes potentially paves one way to improve their physicochemical properties. This paper deals with the simultaneous electrochemical deposition of gold and palladium nanoparticles on graphene flakes (Au/PdNPs-GRF) for the sensitive determination of caffeic acid (CA). The physiochemical properties of the prepared Au/PdNPs-GRF was characterized by using numerous analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The enhanced electrochemical determination of CA at Au/PdNPs deposition on GRF were studied by using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. In results, Au/PdNPs-GRF electrode exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards CA with wide linear range and low limit of detection of 0.03-938.97µM and 6nM, respectively. Eventually, the Au/PdNPs-GRF was found as a selective and stable active material for the sensing of CA. In addition, the proposed sensor showed the adequate results in real sample analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuroprotection comparison of chlorogenic acid and its metabolites against mechanistically distinct cell death-inducing agents in cultured cerebellar granule neurons.

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Taram, Faten; Winter, Aimee N; Linseman, Daniel A

2016-10-01

While the number of patients diagnosed with neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease is increasing, there are currently no effective treatments that significantly limit the neuronal cell death underlying these diseases. Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenolic compound found in high concentration in coffee, is known to possess antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of CGA and its major metabolites in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons. We show that CGA and caffeic acid displayed a dramatic protective effect against the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside. In marked contrast, ferulic acid and quinic acid had no protective effect against this nitrosative stress. While CGA and quinic acid had no protective effect against glutamate-induced cell death, caffeic acid and ferulic acid significantly protected neurons from excitotoxicity. Finally, caffeic acid was the only compound to display significant protective activity against hydrogen peroxide, proteasome inhibition, caspase-dependent intrinsic apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. These results indicate that caffeic acid displays a much broader profile of neuroprotection against a diverse range of stressors than its parent polyphenol, CGA, or the other major metabolites, ferulic acid and quinic acid. We conclude that caffeic acid is a promising candidate for testing in pre-clinical models of neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural Characterization of Lignin in Wild-Type versus COMT Down-Regulated Switchgrass

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Samuel, Reichel [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pu, Yunqiao, E-mail: yunqiao.pu@ipst.gatech.edu [BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Jiang, Nan [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Fu, Chunxiang [Forage Improvement Division, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK (United States); Wang, Zeng-Yu [BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Forage Improvement Division, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, OK (United States); Ragauskas, Arthur, E-mail: yunqiao.pu@ipst.gatech.edu [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2014-01-20

This study examined the chemical structural characteristics of cellulolytic enzyme lignin isolated from switchgrass focusing on comparisons between wild-type control and caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT) down-regulated transgenic line. Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques including {sup 13}C, {sup 31}P, and two-dimensional {sup 13}C-{sup 1}H heteronuclear single quantum coherence as well as gel permeation chromatography were employed. Compared to the wild-type, the COMT down-regulated transgenic switchgrass lignin demonstrated a decrease in syringyl (S):guaiacyl (G) ratio and p-coumarate:ferulate ratio, an increase in relative abundance of phenylcoumaran unit, and a comparable content of total free phenolic OH groups along with formation of benzodioxane unit. In addition, COMT down-regulation had no significant effects on the lignin molecular weights during its biosynthesis process.

Protective Role of Maternal P.VAL158MET Catechol-O-methyltransferase Polymorphism against Early-Onset Preeclampsia and its Complications

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Krnjeta Tijana

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Up until now there have been contradictory data about the association between p.Val158Met catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT polymorphism and risk of preeclampsia (PE. The goal of this study was to assess the potential correlation between p.Val158Met COMT polymorphism and risk of early-onset PE, risk of a severe form of early-onset PE, as well as risk of small-for-gestationalage (SGA complicating PE.

Protective Effects of Intralipid and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Nephrotoxicity Caused by Dichlorvos in Rats

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Muhammet Murat Celik

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The protective effects of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE and intralipid (IL on nephrotoxicity caused by acute Dichlorvos (D toxicity were investigated in this study. Forty-eight Wistar Albino rats were divided into 7 groups as follows: Control, D, CAPE, intralipid, D + CAPE, D + IL, and D + CAPE + IL. When compared to D group, the oxidative stress index (OSI values were significantly lower in Control, CAPE, and D + IL + CAPE groups. When compared to D + IL + CAPE group, the TOS and OSI values were significantly higher in D group (P<0.05. When mitotic cell counts were assessed in the renal tissues, it was found that mitotic cell count was significantly higher in the D group while it was lower in the D + CAPE, D + IL, and D + IL + CAPE groups when compared to the control group (P<0.05. Also, immune reactivity showed increased apoptosis in D group and low profile of apoptosis in the D + CAPE group when compared to the Control group. The apoptosis level was significantly lower in D + IL + CAPE compared to D group (P<0.05 in the kidneys. As a result, we concluded that Dichlorvos can be used either alone or in combination with CAPE and IL as supportive therapy or as facilitator for the therapeutic effect of the routine treatment in the patients presenting with pesticide poisoning.

Biochemical and structural studies of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis O6-methylguanine methyltransferase and mutated variants.

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Miggiano, Riccardo; Casazza, Valentina; Garavaglia, Silvia; Ciaramella, Maria; Perugino, Giuseppe; Rizzi, Menico; Rossi, Franca

2013-06-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis displays remarkable genetic stability despite continuous exposure to the hostile environment represented by the host's infected macrophages. Similarly to other organisms, M. tuberculosis possesses multiple systems to counteract the harmful potential of DNA alkylation. In particular, the suicidal enzyme O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (OGT) is responsible for the direct repair of O(6)-alkylguanine in double-stranded DNA and is therefore supposed to play a central role in protecting the mycobacterial genome from the risk of G · C-to-A · T transition mutations. Notably, a number of geographically widely distributed M. tuberculosis strains shows nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in their OGT-encoding gene, leading to amino acid substitutions at position 15 (T15S) or position 37 (R37L) of the N-terminal domain of the corresponding protein. However, the role of these mutations in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis is unknown. We describe here the in vitro characterization of M. tuberculosis OGT (MtOGT) and of two point-mutated versions of the protein mimicking the naturally occurring ones, revealing that both mutated proteins are impaired in their activity as a consequence of their lower affinity for alkylated DNA than the wild-type protein. The analysis of the crystal structures of MtOGT and MtOGT-R37L confirms the high level of structural conservation of members of this protein family and provides clues to an understanding of the molecular bases for the reduced affinity for the natural substrate displayed by mutated MtOGT. Our in vitro results could contribute to validate the inferred participation of mutated OGTs in M. tuberculosis phylogeny and biology.

Restorative Effects of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester in Radiation-Induced Oxidative Hepatic Disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Fatih, N.M.; EI-Tawil, G.A.

2009-01-01

The potential role of antioxidant natural phenolic compounds in the prevention of oxidative tissue-damage associated with ionizing-radiation has accumulated over the past decades. The possible restorative effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in minimizing radiation-induced hepatic injury in male albino rats was investigated. CAPE was given to rats via intraperitoneal (ip.) injection at a dose of (10μmol/ kg b.wt.) for 21 successive days throughout exposure to gamma radiation and continued for 15 successive days post gamma-radiation exposure. Whole body gamma-irradiation was delivered as fractionated doses (3 weeks) 2 Gy increment every week up to total cumulative dose of G Gy. Rats were sacrificed at either I, or 15 days after last dose of radiation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was determined in plasma and hepatic tissues. In addition, the activities of xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as well as the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined to evaluate the changes of antioxidant-status in blood systems and hepatic tissues. Meantime, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were estimated in rat serum. Results showed that exposure to gamma-radiation significantly increased the MDA levels and the activities of XO, ALT, AST and ALP. Moreover, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities as well GSH contents showed significant consumption in irradiated rats. Treatment with CAPE showed a significant decrease in MDA level and caused significant increases in all enzymes measured in hepatic tissues and blood systems when compared with irradiated group. Conclusion: radiation-exposure leads to a reduction in antioxidant enzymatic activities and causes lipid peroxidation in hepatic tissues and blood. Under experimental condition, CAPE exhibits restorative effects on gamma-rays-induced hepatic-oxidative impairment in rats

Restorative Effects of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester in Radiation-Induced Oxidative Hepatic Disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Fatih, N.M.; EI-Tawil, G.A.

2008-01-01

The potential role of antioxidant natural phenolic compounds in the prevention of oxidative tissue-damage associated with ionizing-radiation has accumulated over the past decades. The possible restorative effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in minimizing radiation-induced hepatic injury in male albino rats was investigated. CAPE was given to rats via intraperitoneal (ip.) injection at a dose of (10μmol/ kg b.wt.) for 21 successive days throughout exposure to gamma radiation and continued for 15 successive days post gamma-radiation exposure. Whole body gamma-irradiation was delivered as fractionated doses (3 weeks) 2 Gy increment every week up to total cumulative dose of G Gy. Rats were sacrificed at either I, or 15 days after last dose of radiation. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was determined in plasma and hepatic tissues. In addition, the activities of xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as well as the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined to evaluate the changes of antioxidant-status in blood systems and hepatic tissues. Meantime, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were estimated in rat serum. Results showed that exposure to gamma-radiation significantly increased the MDA levels and the activities of XO, ALT, AST and ALP. Moreover, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities as well GSH contents showed significant consumption in irradiated rats. Treatment with CAPE showed a significant decrease in MDA level and caused significant increases in all enzymes measured in hepatic tissues and blood systems when compared with irradiated group. Conclusion: radiation-exposure leads to a reduction in antioxidant enzymatic activities and causes lipid peroxidation in hepatic tissues and blood. Under experimental condition, CAPE exhibits restorative effects on gamma-rays-induced hepatic-oxidative impairment in rats

Effect of antioxidant activity of caffeic acid with cyclodextrins using ground mixture method

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Ryota Shiozawa

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In the current study, we prepared a ground mixture (GM of caffeic acid (CA with α-cyclodextrin (αCD and with β-cyclodextrin (βCD, and then comparatively assessed the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacities of these GMs. Phase solubility diagrams indicated that both CA/αCD and CA/βCD formed a complex at a molar ratio of 1/1. In addition, stability constants suggested that CA was more stable inside the cavity of αCD than inside the cavity of βCD. Results of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD indicated that the characteristic diffraction peaks of CA and CD disappeared and a halo pattern was produced by the GMs of CA/αCD and CA/βCD (molar ratios = 1/1. Dissolution testing revealed that both GMs had a higher rate of dissolution than CA alone did. Based on the 1H-1H NOESY NMR spectra for the GM of CA/αCD, the vinylene group of the CA molecule appeared to be included from the wider to the narrower rim of the αCD ring. Based on spectra for the GM of CA/βCD, the aromatic ring of the CA molecule appeared to be included from the wider to the narrower rim of the βCD ring. This suggests that the structures of the CA inclusion complexes differed between those involving αCD rings and those involving βCD rings. Results of a DPPH radical-scavenging activity test indicated that the GM of CA/αCD had a higher antioxidant capacity than that of the GM of CA/βCD. The differences in the antioxidant capacities of the GMs of CA/αCD and CA/βCD are presumably due to differences in stability constants and structures of the inclusion complexes.

Is caffeic acid phenethyl ester more protective than doxycycline in experimental periodontitis?

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Yiğit, Umut; Kırzıoğlu, Fatma Yeşim; Uğuz, Abdülhadi Cihangir; Nazıroğlu, Mustafa; Özmen, Özlem

2017-09-01

Host modulation therapies (anti-inflammatory drugs, bone-stimulating agents, anti-proteinase etc.) target the inhibition or stabilization of tissue breakdown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and/or low dose doxycycline (LDD) administrations on alveolar bone loss (ABL), serum cytokines and gingival apoptosis, as well as the levels of oxidants and anti-oxidants in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis. The animals were randomly divided into five groups: Group C (periodontally healthy), Group PC (Periodontitis+CAPE), Group PD (Periodontitis+LDD), Group PCD (Periodontitis+CAPE+LDD), Group P (Periodontitis). Experimental periodontitis was induced for 14days. Levels of ABL, and the serum cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1 β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-10 were assessed as were the levels of the oxidants and anti-oxidants, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and levels of gingival apoptosis. The lowest ABL levels was evident in the PC group, among the experimental groups. There was also less inflammatory infiltration in the PC group than the PD group. IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were lower in the PC group and higher in the P group in comparison to the levels in the other experiment groups. TNF-α levels in the PD group were higher than levels in the PC and PCD groups. The PC and PCD groups did not differ from the C group in regard to MDA levels. The highest GSH-Px level was found in the PC group. Gingival apoptosis in the PC group was not only lower than the PD and PCD groups, but also lower than in the C group. The present study suggests that CAPE has more anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects than LDD, with no additive benefits of a CAPE+LDD combination being evident in rats with periodontitis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Absorption of N-phenylpropenoyl-L-amino acids in healthy humans by oral administration of cocoa (Theobroma cacao).

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Stark, Timo; Lang, Roman; Keller, Daniela; Hensel, Andreas; Hofmann, Thomas

2008-10-01

Besides flavan-3-ols, a family of N-phenylpropenoyl-L-amino acids (NPAs) has been recently identified as polyphenol/amino acid conjugates in the seeds of Theobroma cacao as well as in a variety of herbal drugs. Stimulated by reports on their biological activity, the purpose of this study was to investigate if these amides are absorbed by healthy volunteers after administration of a cocoa drink. For the first time, 12 NPAs were quantified in human urine by means of a stable isotope dilution analysis with LC-MS/MS (MRM) detection. A maximum amount was found in the urine taken 2 h after the cocoa consumption. The highest absolute amount of NPAs excreted with the urine was found for N-[4'-hydroxy-(E)-cinnamoyl]-L-aspartic acid (5), but the highest recovery rate (57.3 and 22.8%), that means the percentage amount of ingested amides excreted with the urine, were determined for N-[4'-hydroxy-(E)-cinnamoyl]-L-glutamic acid (6) and N-[4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxy-(E)-cinnamoyl]-L-tyrosine (13). In order to gain first insights into the NPA metabolism in vivo, urine samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS before and after beta-glucuronidase/sulfatase treatment. As independent of the enzyme treatment the same NPA amounts were found in urine, there is strong evidence that these amides are metabolized neither via their O-glucuronides nor their O-sulfates. In order to screen for caffeic acid O-glucuronides as potential NPA metabolites, urine samples were screened by means of LC-MS/MS for caffeic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucuronide and 4-O-beta-D-glucuronide. But not even trace amounts of one of these glucuronides were detectable, thus excluding them as major NPA metabolites and underlining the importance of future investigations on a potential O-methylation or reduction of the N-phenylpropenoyl moiety in NPAs.

Potential Effects of Caffeic Acid in Suppression of Matrix Metalloproteinases Activities in Irradiated Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zahran, A.M.

2008-01-01

Great Number of researches on the potential role of antioxidant nutrients and phenolic compounds in the prevention of chronic diseases has been accumulated over the past several decades. Despite this effort, there is much that remains uncertain. Bio markers research in this field has the potential to help fill the gaps in current knowledge. The present study was designed to evaluate, in one aspect, the probable direction expression of proteolytic enzymes as indices for gamma-irradiation-induced oxidative stress and their relationship, in other aspect with one antioxidant micro nutrient phenolic compound: caffeic acid (CA). Sprague Dawley male albino rats were administrated CA intraperitoneally (i.p.) 10 μmol/ kg body wt/ day for 8 consecutive days pre irradiation exposure (fractionated doses, instalment as 1 Gy every day up to total dose of 8 Gy). The treatment was continued for 15 successive days following irradiation processing. Quantitative assay of gelatinolytic zymo graphic analysis of serum and hepatic tissues showed that exposure to gamma-rays yields a marked significant increase in the activities of both latent and active MMP-9 (92 and 86 kDa), respectively, and both latent and active MMP-2 (72 and 66 kDa), respectively. Administration of CA significantly decreased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in gamma-irradiated rats. Conclusion: the present findings demonstrated that irradiation-exposure leads to enhancement of enzymatic activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in their inactive and active forms in the serum and liver. Meanwhile, administration of CA exhibits protective effects in gamma-irradiated rats through down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities

CO₂ enrichment can produce high red leaf lettuce yield while increasing most flavonoid glycoside and some caffeic acid derivative concentrations.

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Becker, Christine; Kläring, Hans-Peter

2016-05-15

Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment is a common practice in greenhouses to increase crop yields up to 30%. Yet, reports on the effect on foliar phenolic compounds vary. We studied the effect on two red leaf lettuce cultivars, grown for 25 days in growth chambers at CO2 concentrations of 200 or 1,000 ppm, with some plants exchanged between treatments after 11 days. As expected, head mass increased with higher CO2 concentration. Regression analysis, corrected for head mass, showed increased concentrations of most flavonoid glycosides at high CO2 concentrations while only some caffeic acid derivatives were increased, and not uniformly in both cultivars. Sugar concentrations increased with CO2 concentration. Generally, conditions in the 10 days before harvest determined concentrations. We suspect that phenolic compounds were mainly accumulated because plenty of precursors were available. The results indicate that CO2 enrichment can result in high yields of red leaf lettuce rich in phenolic compounds. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Production of caffeoylmalic acid from glucose in engineered Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tianzhen; Zhou, Wei; Bi, Huiping; Zhuang, Yibin; Zhang, Tongcun; Liu, Tao

2018-07-01

To achieve biosynthesis of caffeoylmalic acid from glucose in engineered Escherichia coli. We constructed the biosynthetic pathway of caffeoylmalic acid in E. coli by co-expression of heterologous genes RgTAL, HpaBC, At4CL2 and HCT2. To enhance the production of caffeoylmalic acid, we optimized the tyrosine metabolic pathway of E. coli to increase the supply of the substrate caffeic acid. Consequently, an E. coli-E. coli co-culture system was used for the efficient production of caffeoylmalic acid. The final titer of caffeoylmalic acid reached 570.1 mg/L. Microbial production of caffeoylmalic acid using glucose has application potential. In addition, microbial co-culture is an efficient tool for producing caffeic acid esters.

Structural insights into mechanisms of the small RNA methyltransferase HEN1

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Huang, Ying; Ji, Lijuan; Huang, Qichen; Vassylyev, Dmitry G.; Chen, Xuemei; Ma, Jin-Biao; (UAB); (UCR)

2010-02-22

RNA silencing is a conserved regulatory mechanism in fungi, plants and animals that regulates gene expression and defence against viruses and transgenes. Small silencing RNAs of {approx}20-30 nucleotides and their associated effector proteins, the Argonaute family proteins, are the central components in RNA silencing. A subset of small RNAs, such as microRNAs and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in plants, Piwi-interacting RNAs in animals and siRNAs in Drosophila, requires an additional crucial step for their maturation; that is, 2'-O-methylation on the 3' terminal nucleotide. A conserved S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent RNA methyltransferase, HUA ENHANCER 1 (HEN1), and its homologues are responsible for this specific modification. Here we report the 3.1 {angstrom} crystal structure of full-length HEN1 from Arabidopsis in complex with a 22-nucleotide small RNA duplex and cofactor product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine. Highly cooperative recognition of the small RNA substrate by multiple RNA binding domains and the methyltransferase domain in HEN1 measures the length of the RNA duplex and determines the substrate specificity. Metal ion coordination by both 2' and 3' hydroxyls on the 3'-terminal nucleotide and four invariant residues in the active site of the methyltransferase domain suggests a novel Mg{sup 2+}-dependent 2'-O-methylation mechanism.

A spectroelectrochemical and chemical study on oxidation of hydroxycinnamic acids in aprotic medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrucci, Rita [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica M.M.P.M., Universita di Roma ' La Sapienza' , via del Castro Laurenziano 7, I-00161 Rome (Italy)]. E-mail: rita.petrucci@uniroma1.it; Astolfi, Paola [Dipartimento di Scienze dei Materiali e della Terra, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona (Italy); Greci, Lucedio [Dipartimento di Scienze dei Materiali e della Terra, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona (Italy); Firuzi, Omidreza [Dipartimento di Farmacologia delle Sostanze Naturali e Fisiologia Generale, Universita di Roma ' La Sapienza' , p.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome (Italy); Saso, Luciano [Dipartimento di Farmacologia delle Sostanze Naturali e Fisiologia Generale, Universita di Roma ' La Sapienza' , p.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Rome (Italy); Marrosu, Giancarlo [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica M.M.P.M., Universita di Roma ' La Sapienza' , via del Castro Laurenziano 7, I-00161 Rome (Italy)

2007-02-01

Electrochemical and chemical oxidation of hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) was studied to investigate the mechanisms occurring in their antioxidant activities in a protons poor medium. Electrolyses and chemical reactions were followed on-line by monitoring the UV-spectral changes with time; final solutions were analysed by HPLC-MS. Anodic oxidation of mono- and di-HCAs, studied by cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolyses, occurs via a reversible one-step two-electrons process, yielding the corresponding stable phenoxonium cation. A cyclization product was also proposed, as supported by ESR studies. Chemical oxidation with lead dioxide leads to different oxidation products according to the starting substrate. Di-HCAs like chlorogenic and rosmarinic acids and the ethyl ester of caffeic acid gave the corresponding neutral o-quinones, while mono-HCAs like cumaric, ferulic and sinapinic acids yielded the corresponding unstable neutral phenoxyl radical, as supported by the formation of dimerization products evidenced by HPLC-MS. In the case of caffeic acid, traces of the dimerization product suggest that the neutral phenoxyl radical may competitively undergo dimerization or decomposition of the neutral quinone. Chemical oxidation of HCAs was also followed by ESR spectroscopy: the di-HCAs radical anions were generated and detected, whereas among the mono-HCAs only the phenoxyl radical of the sinapinic acid was recorded.

Association of codon 108/158 catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism with the psychiatric manifestations of velo-cardio-facial syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lachman, H.M.; Papolos, D.F.; Veit, S. [Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (United States)] [and others

1996-09-20

Velo-cardio-facial-syndrome (VCFS) is a common congenital disorder associated with typical facial appearance, cleft palate, cardiac defects, and learning disabilities. The majority of patients have an interstitial deletion on chromosome 22q11. In addition to physical abnormalities, a variety of psychiatric illnesses have been reported in patients with VCFS, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The psychiatric manifestations of VCFS could be due to haploinsufficiency of a gene(s) within 22q11. One candidate that has been mapped to this region is catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). We recently identified a polymorphism in the COMT gene that leads to a valine{r_arrow}methionine substitution at amino acid 158 of the membrane-bound form of the enzyme. Homozygosity for COMT158{sup met} leads to a 3- to 4-fold reduction in enzymatic activity, compared with homozygotes for COMT158{sup met}. We now report that in a population of patients with VCFS, there is an apparent association between the low-activity allele, COMT158{sup met}, and the development of bipolar spectrum disorder, and in particular, a rapid-cycling form. 33 refs., 3 tabs.

Novel Antidepressant-Like Activity of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Is Mediated by Enhanced Glucocorticoid Receptor Function in the Hippocampus

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Mi-Sook Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE is an active component of propolis that has a variety of potential pharmacological effects. Although we previously demonstrated that propolis has antidepressant-like activity, the effect of CAPE on this activity remains unknown. The present study assessed whether treatment with CAPE (5, 10, and 20 µmol/kg for 21 days has an antidepressant-like effect in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable stress via tail suspension (TST and forced swim (FST tests. CAPE administration induced behaviors consistent with an antidepressant effect, evidenced by decreased immobility in the TST and FST independent of any effect on serum corticosterone secretion. Western blots, conducted subsequent to behavioral assessment, revealed that CAPE significantly decreased glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation at S234 (pGR(S234, resulting in an increased pGR(S220/S234 ratio. We also observed negative correlations between pGR(S220/(S234 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK phosphorylation, which was decreased by CAPE treatment. These findings suggest that CAPE treatment exerts an antidepressant-like effect via downregulation of p38MAPK phosphorylation, thereby contributing to enhanced GR function.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester induced cell cycle arrest and growth inhibition in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells via regulation of Skp2, p53, p21Cip1 and p27Kip1

OpenAIRE

Lin, Hui-Ping; Lin, Ching-Yu; Huo, Chieh; Hsiao, Ping-Hsuan; Su, Liang-Cheng; Jiang, Shih Sheng; Chan, Tzu-Min; Chang, Chung-Ho; Chen, Li-Tzong; Kung, Hsing-Jien; Wang, Horng-Dar; Chuu, Chih-Pin

2015-01-01

Prostate cancer (PCa) patients receiving the androgen ablation therapy ultimately develop recurrent castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) within 1?3 years. Treatment with caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) suppressed cell survival and proliferation via induction of G1 or G2/M cell cycle arrest in LNCaP 104-R1, DU-145, 22Rv1, and C4?2 CRPC cells. CAPE treatment also inhibited soft agar colony formation and retarded nude mice xenograft growth of LNCaP 104-R1 cells. We identified that CAP...

Enhanced lignin monomer production caused by cinnamic Acid and its hydroxylated derivatives inhibits soybean root growth.

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Rogério Barbosa Lima

Full Text Available Cinnamic acid and its hydroxylated derivatives (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids are known allelochemicals that affect the seed germination and root growth of many plant species. Recent studies have indicated that the reduction of root growth by these allelochemicals is associated with premature cell wall lignification. We hypothesized that an influx of these compounds into the phenylpropanoid pathway increases the lignin monomer content and reduces the root growth. To confirm this hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids on soybean root growth, lignin and the composition of p-hydroxyphenyl (H, guaiacyl (G and syringyl (S monomers. To this end, three-day-old seedlings were cultivated in nutrient solution with or without allelochemical (or selective enzymatic inhibitors of the phenylpropanoid pathway in a growth chamber for 24 h. In general, the results showed that 1 cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acids reduced root growth and increased lignin content; 2 cinnamic and p-coumaric acids increased p-hydroxyphenyl (H monomer content, whereas p-coumaric, caffeic and ferulic acids increased guaiacyl (G content, and sinapic acid increased sinapyl (S content; 3 when applied in conjunction with piperonylic acid (PIP, an inhibitor of the cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, C4H, cinnamic acid reduced H, G and S contents; and 4 when applied in conjunction with 3,4-(methylenedioxycinnamic acid (MDCA, an inhibitor of the 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, 4CL, p-coumaric acid reduced H, G and S contents, whereas caffeic, ferulic and sinapic acids reduced G and S contents. These results confirm our hypothesis that exogenously applied allelochemicals are channeled into the phenylpropanoid pathway causing excessive production of lignin and its main monomers. By consequence, an enhanced stiffening of the cell wall restricts soybean root growth.

Prediction of binding modes between protein L-isoaspartyl (D-aspartyl) O-methyltransferase and peptide substrates including isomerized aspartic acid residues using in silico analytic methods for the substrate screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Oda, Akifumi; Noji, Ikuhiko; Fukuyoshi, Shuichi; Takahashi, Ohgi

2015-12-10

Because the aspartic acid (Asp) residues in proteins are occasionally isomerized in the human body, not only l-α-Asp but also l-β-Asp, D-α-Asp and D-β-Asp are found in human proteins. In these isomerized aspartic acids, the proportion of D-β-Asp is the largest and the proportions of l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp found in human proteins are comparatively small. To explain the proportions of aspartic acid isomers, the possibility of an enzyme able to repair l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp is frequently considered. The protein L-isoaspartyl (D-aspartyl) O-methyltransferase (PIMT) is considered one of the possible repair enzymes for l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp. Human PIMT is an enzyme that recognizes both l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp, and catalyzes the methylation of their side chains. In this study, the binding modes between PIMT and peptide substrates containing l-β-Asp or D-α-Asp residues were investigated using computational protein-ligand docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicate that carboxyl groups of both l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp were recognized in similar modes by PIMT and that the C-terminal regions of substrate peptides were located in similar positions on PIMT for both the l-β-Asp and D-α-Asp peptides. In contrast, for peptides containing l-α-Asp or D-β-Asp residues, which are not substrates of PIMT, the computationally constructed binding modes between PIMT and peptides greatly differed from those between PIMT and substrates. In the nonsubstrate peptides, not inter- but intra-molecular hydrogen bonds were observed, and the conformations of peptides were more rigid than those of substrates. Thus, the in silico analytical methods were able to distinguish substrates from nonsubstrates and the computational methods are expected to complement experimental analytical methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester prevents cadmium-induced cardiac impairment in rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mollaoglu, Hakan; Gokcimen, Alpaslan; Ozguner, Fehmi; Oktem, Faruk; Koyu, Ahmet; Kocak, Ahmet; Demirin, Hilmi; Gokalp, Osman; Cicek, Ekrem

2006-01-01

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a flavonoid like compound, is one of the major components of honeybee propolis. It was found to be a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant recently. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of CAPE on cadmium (Cd)-induced hypertension and cardiomyopathy in rats. In particular, nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to the pathophysiology of Cd induced cardiac impairment. Malondialdehyde (MDA, an index of lipid peroxidation) levels and nitric oxide (NO, a vasodilator) levels were used as markers Cd-induced cardiac impairment and the success of CAPE treatment. Also, the findings have been supported by the histopathologic evidences. The rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups each (12), as follows: the control group, Cd-treated group (Cd) and Cd plus CAPE-treated group (Cd + CAPE). CdCl 2 in 0.9% NaCl was administrated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with a dose of 1 mg/kg/day. CAPE was co-administered i.p. a dose of 10 μM/kg for 15 days. Hypertension was found to be induced by intraperitoneal administration of Cd in a dose of 1 mg/kg/day on the measurements taken 15 days later. MDA levels were increased (p < 0.001) in cardiac tissue and NO levels were decreased (p < 0.05) in serum in the Cd group than those of the control group had. On the other hand, there was a slight difference (increase) in MDA levels in the Cd + CAPE group than the ones in the control group (p < 0.003). In addition, MDA levels were decreased and NO levels were increased in the Cd + CAPE group compared with the Cd group (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001, respectively). As a result, treatment with CAPE significantly reversed the increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) product, MDA, and decreased NO levels in Cd treated animals. In the histopathologic examination, a significant hypertrophy in atrial and ventricular myofibrils was observed in only Cd administered group, in comparison with the control group. There was no statistically significant difference

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Inhibits Oral Cancer Cell Metastasis by Regulating Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway

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Chih-Yu Peng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE, an active component extracted from honeybee hives, exhibits anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. However, the molecular mechanism by which CAPE affects oral cancer cell metastasis has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of CAPE on the invasive ability of SCC-9 oral cancer cells. Results showed that CAPE attenuated SCC-9 cell migration and invasion at noncytotoxic concentrations (0 μM to 40 μM. Western blot and gelatin zymography analysis findings further indicated that CAPE downregulated matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2 protein expression and inhibited its enzymatic activity. CAPE exerted its inhibitory effects on MMP-2 expression and activity by upregulating tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2 and potently decreased migration by reducing focal adhesion kinase (FAK phosphorylation and the activation of its downstream signaling molecules p38/MAPK and JNK. These data indicate that CAPE could potentially be used as a chemoagent to prevent oral cancer metastasis.

Protective Effect of Caffeic Acid on Paclitaxel Induced Anti-Proliferation and Apoptosis of Lung Cancer Cells Involves NF-κB Pathway

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Yao Fong

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid (CA, a natural phenolic compound, is abundant in medicinal plants. CA possesses multiple biological effects such as anti-bacterial and anti-cancer growth. CA was also reported to induce fore stomach and kidney tumors in a mouse model. Here we used two human lung cancer cell lines, A549 and H1299, to clarify the role of CA in cancer cell proliferation. The growth assay showed that CA moderately promoted the proliferation of the lung cancer cells. Furthermore, pre-treatment of CA rescues the proliferation inhibition induced by a sub-IC₅₀ dose of paclitaxel (PTX, an anticancer drug. Western blot showed that CA up-regulated the pro-survival proteins survivin and Bcl-2, the down-stream targets of NF-κB. This is consistent with the observation that CA induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Our study suggested that the pro-survival effect of CA on PTX-treated lung cancer cells is mediated through a NF-κB signaling pathway. This may provide mechanistic insights into the chemoresistance of cancer calls.

Chromatographical analysis of phenolic acids in some species of Polygonum L. genus. Part 1 Qualitative analysis by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography (TLC

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Helena D. Smolarz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The Two-Dimensional Thin Layer Chromatography method has been used for the separation and identification of phenolic acids from six taxons of Pohygonum L. genus. The following acids were found: caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic, m-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, p-hydroxyphenylacetic, o-hydroxyphenylacetic, synapic, melillotic, salicylic, gentisic, elagic, gallic, chlorogenic, protocatechuic and homoprotocatechuic. Gallic, ferulic, vanillic, p-coumaric and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were isolated from herb Polygonum convolvulus L. using column chromatography.

Effect of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Vascular Damage Caused by Consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Gun, Aburrahman; Ozer, Mehmet Kaya; Bilgic, Sedat; Kocaman, Nevin; Ozan, Gonca

2016-01-01

Fructose corn syrup is cheap sweetener and prolongs the shelf life of products, but fructose intake causes hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. All of them are referred to as metabolic syndrome and they are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Hence, the harmful effects of increased fructose intake on health and their prevention should take greater consideration. Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) has beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome and vascular function which is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, there are no known studies about the effect of CAPE on fructose-induced vascular dysfunction. In this study, we examined the effect of CAPE on vascular dysfunction due to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS (6 weeks, 30% fed with drinking water) caused vascular dysfunction, but treatment with CAPE (50 micromol/kg i.p. for the last two weeks) effectively restored this problem. Additionally, hypertension in HFCS-fed rats was also decreased in CAPE supplemented rats. CAPE supplements lowered HFCS consumption-induced raise in blood glucose, homocysteine, and cholesterol levels. The aorta tissue endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) production was decreased in rats given HFCS and in contrast CAPE supplementation efficiently increased its production. The presented results showed that HFCS-induced cardiovascular abnormalities could be prevented by CAPE treatment.

Effect of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester on Vascular Damage Caused by Consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Rats

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Aburrahman Gun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Fructose corn syrup is cheap sweetener and prolongs the shelf life of products, but fructose intake causes hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. All of them are referred to as metabolic syndrome and they are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Hence, the harmful effects of increased fructose intake on health and their prevention should take greater consideration. Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE has beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome and vascular function which is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, there are no known studies about the effect of CAPE on fructose-induced vascular dysfunction. In this study, we examined the effect of CAPE on vascular dysfunction due to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS. HFCS (6 weeks, 30% fed with drinking water caused vascular dysfunction, but treatment with CAPE (50 micromol/kg i.p. for the last two weeks effectively restored this problem. Additionally, hypertension in HFCS-fed rats was also decreased in CAPE supplemented rats. CAPE supplements lowered HFCS consumption-induced raise in blood glucose, homocysteine, and cholesterol levels. The aorta tissue endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS production was decreased in rats given HFCS and in contrast CAPE supplementation efficiently increased its production. The presented results showed that HFCS-induced cardiovascular abnormalities could be prevented by CAPE treatment.

Roles of DNA methyltransferases in Arabidopsis development ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mutations that cause severe loss of DNA methylation often leads to abnormal development. In the present review, we summarized recent findings of the three major DNA methyltransferases mutants playing vital role in development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Keywords: DNA methylation, epigenetics, methyltransferase, mutant ...

Operculina macrocarpa: chemical and intestinal motility effect in mice

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Daniele Michelin Paganotte

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Operculina macrocarpa (L. Urb., Convolvulaceae, is used by the population as a laxative. In this work we described the isolation of the three phenolic acids present in the hydroethanolic extract of the O. macrocarpa roots. The quantification of the caffeic, chlorogenic acids and of the new caffeic dimer in the hydroethanolic and infusion extracts was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled photodiode array detector. These analyses showed the higher content of the chlorogenic, caffeic and the new 3,4'-dehydrodicaffeic acid in hydroethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts without resin in which infusion. The acid found in greater quantity is caffeic acid followed by the 3,4'-dehydrodicaffeic acid. The laxative activity was evaluated by different experimental models of intestinal transit with the hydroethanolic and infusion extracts, and the resin fraction, caffeic, chlorogenic and ferulic acids. The results showed all extracts and compounds tested had significant activity in the experimental model tested. These results obtained are essential for the future development of a pharmaceutical product with safety and efficacy.

[Phenolic compounds in branches of Tamarix rasissima].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Juan; Li, Wei-Qi; Zheng, Ping; Wang, Rui; Yu, Jian-Qiang; Yang, Jian-Hong; Yao, Yao

2014-06-01

To study the chemical constituents of the branches of Tamarix rasissima, repeated silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and recrystallization were applied for chemical constituents isolation and purification. Ten phenolic compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction and their structures were elucidated by physical properties and spectra analysis such as UV, ESI-MS and NMR as monodecarboxyellagic acid (1), ellagic acid (2), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (3), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-alpha-D-arabinfuranoside (5), ferulic acid (6), isoferulic acid (7), caffeic acid (8), 4-O-acetyl-caffeic acid (9), and 4-methyl-1, 2-benzenediol (10). All compounds except for isoferulic acid were isolated firstly from this plant except for isoferulic acid, and compounds 5, 9 and 10 were obtained from Tamarix genus for the first time.

DNA repair methyltransferase (Mgmt) knockout mice are sensitive to the lethal effects of chemotherapeutic alkylating agents.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

B.J. Glassner (Brian); G. Weeda (Geert); J.M. Allan (James); J.L.M. Broekhof (Jose'); N.H.E. Carls (Nick); I. Donker (Ingrid); B.P. Engelward (Bevin); R.J. Hampson (Richard); R. Hersmus (Remko); M.J. Hickman (Mark); R.B. Roth (Richard); H.B. Warren (Henry); M.M. Wu (Mavis); J.H.J. Hoeijmakers (Jan); L.D. Samson (Leona)

1999-01-01

textabstractWe have generated mice deficient in O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase activity encoded by the murine Mgmt gene using homologous recombination to delete the region encoding the Mgmt active site cysteine. Tissues from Mgmt null mice displayed very low O6-methylguanine DNA

From the X-rays to a reliable “low cost” computational structure of caffeic acid: DFT, MP2, HF and integrated molecular dynamics-X-ray diffraction approach to condensed phases

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, Giuseppe M.; Portalone, Gustavo; Colapietro, Marcello; Rescifina, Antonio; Punzo, Francesco

2011-05-01

The ability of caffeic acid to act as antioxidant against hyperoxo-radicals as well as its recently found therapeutic properties in the treatment of hepatocarcinoma, still make this compound, more than 20 years later the refinement of its crystal structure, object of study. It belongs to the vast family of humic substances, which play a key role in the biodegradation processes and easily form complexes with ions widely diffused in the environment. This class of compounds is therefore interesting for potential environmental chemistry applications concerning the possible complexation of heavy metals. Our study focused on the characterization of caffeic acid as a starting necessary step, which will be followed in the future by the application of our findings on the study of the properties of caffeate anion interaction with heavy metal ions. To reach this goal, we applied a low cost approach - in terms of computational time and resources - aimed at the achievement of a high resolution, robust and trustable structure using the X-ray single crystal data, recollected with a higher resolution, as touchstone for a detailed check. A comparison between the calculations carried out with density functional theory (DFT), Hartree-Fock (HF) method and post SCF second order Møller-Plesset perturbation method (MP2), at the 6-31G ** level of the theory, molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD) was performed. As a consequence we explained on one hand the possible reasons for the pitfalls of the DFT approach and on the other the benefits of using a good and robust force field developed for condensed phases, as AMBER, with MM and MD. The reliability of the latter, highlighted by the overall agreement extended up to the anisotropic displacement parameters calculated by means of MD and the ones gathered by X-ray measurements, makes it very promising for the above-mentioned goals.

Human METTL12 is a mitochondrial methyltransferase that modifies citrate synthase.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhein, Virginie F; Carroll, Joe; Ding, Shujing; Fearnley, Ian M; Walker, John E

2017-06-01

The protein methylome in mammalian mitochondria has been little studied until recently. Here, we describe that lysine-368 of human citrate synthase is methylated and that the modifying enzyme, localized in the mitochondrial matrix, is methyltransferase-like protein 12 (METTL12), a member of the family of 7β-strand methyltransferases. Lysine-368 is near the active site of citrate synthase, but removal of methylation has no effect on its activity. In mitochondria, it is possible that some or all of the enzymes of the citric acid cycle, including citrate synthase, are organized in metabolons to facilitate the channelling of substrates between participating enzymes. Thus, possible roles for the methylation of Lys-368 are in controlling substrate channelling itself, or in influencing protein-protein interactions in the metabolon. © 2017 The Authors FEBS Letters published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Electrochemical behavior of antioxidants: Part 3. Electrochemical studies of caffeic Acid–DNA interaction and DNA/carbon nanotube biosensor for DNA damage and protection

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Refat Abdel-Hamid

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Multi-walled carbon nanotubes-modified glassy carbon electrode biosensor was used for electrochemical studies of caffeic acid–dsDNA interaction in phosphate buffer solution at pH 2.12. Caffeic acid, CAF, shows a well-defined cyclic voltammetric wave. Its anodic peak current decreases and the peak potential shifts positively on the addition of dsDNA. This behavior was ascribed to an interaction of CAF with dsDNA giving CAF–dsDNA complex by intercalative binding mode. The apparent binding constant of CAF–dsDNA complex was determined using amperometric titrations. The oxidative damage caused to DNA was detected using the biosensor. The damage caused by the reactive oxygen species, hydroxyl radical (·−OH generated by the Fenton system on the DNA-biosensor was detected. It was found that CAF has the capability of scavenging the hydroxide radical and protecting the DNA immobilized on the GCE surface.

Atomic Insight into the Altered O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase Protein Architecture in Gastric Cancer.

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Naveed Anjum Chikan

Full Text Available O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT is one of the major DNA repair protein that counteracts the alkalyting agent-induced DNA damage by replacing O6-methylguanine (mutagenic lesion back to guanine, eventually suppressing the mismatch errors and double strand crosslinks. Exonic alterations in the form of nucleotide polymorphism may result in altered protein structure that in turn can lead to the loss of function. In the present study, we focused on the population feared for high exposure to alkylating agents owing to their typical and specialized dietary habits. To this end, gastric cancer patients pooled out from the population were selected for the mutational screening of a specific error prone region of MGMT gene. We found that nearly 40% of the studied neoplastic samples harbored missense mutation at codon151 resulting into Serine to Isoleucine variation. This variation resulted in bringing about the structural disorder, subsequently ensuing into a major stoichiometric variance in recognition domain, substrate binding and selectivity loop of the active site of the MGMT protein, as observed under virtual microscope of molecular dynamics simulation (MDS. The atomic insight into MGMT protein by computational approach showed a significant change in the intra molecular hydrogen bond pattern, thus leading to the observed structural anomalies. To further examine the mutational implications on regulatory plugs of MGMT that holds the protein in a DNA-Binding position, a MDS based analysis was carried out on, all known physically interacting amino acids essentially clustered into groups based on their position and function. The results generated by physical-functional clustering of protein indicated that the identified mutation in the vicinity of the active site of MGMT protein causes the local and global destabilization of a protein by either eliminating the stabilizing salt bridges in cluster C3, C4, and C5 or by locally destabilizing the

Dietary Consumption of Phenolic Acids and Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Sicily, Southern Italy

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Giorgio Ivan Russo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Dietary polyphenols gained the interest of the scientific community due to their wide content in a variety of plant-derived foods and beverages commonly consumed, such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa. We aimed to investigate whether there was an association between dietary phenolic acid consumption and prostate cancer (PCa in South Italy. We conducted a population-based case-control study from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy (Registration number: 41/2015. Patients with elevated PSA and/or suspicious PCa underwent transperineal prostate biopsy. A total of 118 histopathological-verified PCa cases were collected and a total of 222 controls were selected from a sample of 2044 individuals. Dietary data were collected by using two food frequency questionnaires and data on the phenolic acids content in foods was obtained from the Phenol-Explorer database (www.phenol-explorer.eu. Association between dietary intake of phenolic acids and PCa was calculated through logistic regression analysis. We found lower levels of caffeic acid (2.28 mg/day vs. 2.76 mg/day; p < 0.05 and ferulic acid (2.80 mg/day vs. 4.04 mg/day; p < 0.01 in PCa when compared to controls. The multivariate logistic regression showed that both caffeic acid (OR = 0.32; p < 0.05 and ferulic acid (OR = 0.30; p < 0.05 were associated with reduced risk of PCa. Higher intake of hydroxybenzoic acids and caffeic acids were associated with lower risk of advanced PCa. High intake of caffeic acid and ferulic acid may be associated with reduced risk of PCa.

Dietary Consumption of Phenolic Acids and Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Sicily, Southern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Giorgio Ivan; Campisi, Daniele; Di Mauro, Marina; Regis, Federica; Reale, Giulio; Marranzano, Marina; Ragusa, Rosalia; Solinas, Tatiana; Madonia, Massimo; Cimino, Sebastiano; Morgia, Giuseppe

2017-12-05

Dietary polyphenols gained the interest of the scientific community due to their wide content in a variety of plant-derived foods and beverages commonly consumed, such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and cocoa . We aimed to investigate whether there was an association between dietary phenolic acid consumption and prostate cancer (PCa) in South Italy. We conducted a population-based case-control study from January 2015 to December 2016 in a single institution of the municipality of Catania, southern Italy (Registration number: 41/2015). Patients with elevated PSA and/or suspicious PCa underwent transperineal prostate biopsy. A total of 118 histopathological-verified PCa cases were collected and a total of 222 controls were selected from a sample of 2044 individuals. Dietary data were collected by using two food frequency questionnaires and data on the phenolic acids content in foods was obtained from the Phenol-Explorer database (www.phenol-explorer.eu). Association between dietary intake of phenolic acids and PCa was calculated through logistic regression analysis. We found lower levels of caffeic acid (2.28 mg/day vs. 2.76 mg/day; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (2.80 mg/day vs. 4.04 mg/day; p < 0.01) in PCa when compared to controls. The multivariate logistic regression showed that both caffeic acid (OR = 0.32; p < 0.05) and ferulic acid (OR = 0.30; p < 0.05) were associated with reduced risk of PCa. Higher intake of hydroxybenzoic acids and caffeic acids were associated with lower risk of advanced PCa. High intake of caffeic acid and ferulic acid may be associated with reduced risk of PCa.

Molecular cloning and characterization of juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and its differential expression during caste differentiation.

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Wenfeng Li

Full Text Available Juvenile hormone acid methyltransferase (JHAMT is an enzyme involved in one of the final steps of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in insects. It transfers a methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM to the carboxyl group of either farnesoic acid (FA or JH acid (JHA. Several genes coding for JHAMT have been cloned and characterized from insects from different orders, and they have been shown to play critical roles in metamorphosis and reproduction. However, the significance of JHAMT in Hymenopteran insects is unknown. We used RACE amplification method to clone JHAMT cDNA from the honey bee, Apis mellifera (AmJHAMT. The full length cDNA of AmJHAMT that we cloned is 1253bp long and encodes a 278-aa protein that shares 32-36% identity with known JHAMTs. A SAM-binding motif, conserved in the SAM-dependent methyltransferase (SAM-MT superfamily, is present in AmJHAMT. Its secondary structure also contains a typical SAM-MT fold. Most of the active sites bound with SAM and substrates (JHA or FA are conserved in AmJHAMT as in other JHAMT orthologs. Phylogenetic analysis clustered AmJHAMT with the other orthologs from Hymenoptera to form a major clade in the phylogenetic tree. Purified recombinant AmJHAMT protein expressed in E. coli was used to produce polyclonal antibodies and to verify the identity of AmJHAMT by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting analyses revealed that queen larvae contained significantly higher levels of AmJHAMT mRNA and protein than worker larvae during the periods of caste development. The temporal profiles of both AmJHAMT mRNA and protein in queens and workers showed a similar pattern as the JH biosynthesis. These results suggest that the gene that we cloned codes for a functional JHAMT that catalyzes the final reactions of JH biosynthesis in honey bees. In addition, AmJHAMT may play an important role in honey bee caste differentiation.

Two transcriptional activators of N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase 2 and melatonin biosynthesis in cassava.

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Wei, Yunxie; Liu, Guoyin; Bai, Yujing; Xia, Feiyu; He, Chaozu; Shi, Haitao; Foyer, Christine

2017-10-13

Similar to the situation in animals, melatonin biosynthesis is regulated by four sequential enzymatic steps in plants. Although the melatonin synthesis genes have been identified in various plants, the upstream transcription factors of them remain unknown. In this study on cassava (Manihot esculenta), we found that MeWRKY79 and heat-shock transcription factor 20 (MeHsf20) targeted the W-box and the heat-stress elements (HSEs) in the promoter of N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase 2 (MeASMT2), respectively. The interaction between MeWRKY79, MeHsf20, and the MeASMT2 promoter was evidenced by the activation of promoter activity and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) in cassava protoplasts, and by an in vitro electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The transcripts of MeWRKY79, MeHsf20, and MeASMT2 were all regulated by a 22-amino acid flagellin peptide (flg22) and by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv manihotis (Xam). In common with the phenotype of MeASMT2, transient expression of MeWRKY79 and MeHsf20 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves conferred improved disease resistance. Through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in cassava, we found that MeWRKY79- and MeHsf20-silenced plants showed lower transcripts of MeASMT2 and less accumulation of melatonin, which resulted in disease sensitivity that could be reversed by exogenous melatonin. Taken together, these results indicate that MeASMT2 is a target of MeWRKY79 and MeHsf20 in plant disease resistance. This study identifies novel upstream transcription factors of melatonin synthesis genes in cassava, thus extending our knowledge of the complex modulation of melatonin synthesis in plant defense. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fibrinolytic Activity and Dose-Dependent Effect of Incubating Human Blood Clots in Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester: In Vitro Assays

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Abuzar Elnager

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE has been reported to possess time-dependent fibrinolytic activity by in vitro assay. This study is aimed at investigating fibrinolytic dose-dependent activity of CAPE using in vitro assays. Methods. Standardized human whole blood (WB clots were incubated in either blank controls or different concentrations of CAPE (3.75, 7.50, 15.00, 22.50, and 30.00 mM. After 3 hours, D-dimer (DD levels and WB clot weights were measured for each concentration. Thromboelastography (TEG parameters were recorded following CAPE incubation, and fibrin morphology was examined under a confocal microscope. Results. Overall, mean DD (μg/mL levels were significantly different across samples incubated with different CAPE concentrations, and the median pre- and postincubation WB clot weights (grams were significantly decreased for each CAPE concentration. Fibrin removal was observed microscopically and indicated dose-dependent effects. Based on the TEG test, the Ly30 fibrinolytic parameter was significantly different between samples incubated with two different CAPE concentrations (15.0 and 22.50 mM. The 50% effective dose (ED50 of CAPE (based on DD was 1.99 mg/mL. Conclusions. This study suggests that CAPE possesses fibrinolytic activity following in vitro incubation and that it has dose-dependent activities. Therefore, further investigation into CAPE as a potential alternative thrombolytic agent should be conducted.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of selective phenolic acids on T47D human breast cancer cells: potential mechanisms of action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampa, Marilena; Boskou, Dimitrios; Gravanis, Achille; Castanas, Elias; Alexaki, Vassilia-Ismini; Notas, George; Nifli, Artemissia-Phoebe; Nistikaki, Anastassia; Hatzoglou, Anastassia; Bakogeorgou, Efstathia; Kouimtzoglou, Elena; Blekas, George

2004-01-01

The oncoprotective role of food-derived polyphenol antioxidants has been described but the implicated mechanisms are not yet clear. In addition to polyphenols, phenolic acids, found at high concentrations in a number of plants, possess antioxidant action. The main phenolic acids found in foods are derivatives of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxycinnamic acid. This work concentrates on the antiproliferative action of caffeic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid and 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (PAA) on T47D human breast cancer cells, testing their antioxidant activity and a number of possible mechanisms involved (interaction with membrane and intracellular receptors, nitric oxide production). The tested compounds showed a time-dependent and dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell growth with the following potency: caffeic acid > ferulic acid = protocatechuic acid = PAA > sinapic acid = syringic acid. Caffeic acid and PAA were chosen for further analysis. The antioxidative activity of these phenolic acids in T47D cells does not coincide with their inhibitory effect on tumoral proliferation. No interaction was found with steroid and adrenergic receptors. PAA induced an inhibition of nitric oxide synthase, while caffeic acid competes for binding and results in an inhibition of aryl hydrocarbon receptor-induced CYP1A1 enzyme. Both agents induce apoptosis via the Fas/FasL system. Phenolic acids exert a direct antiproliferative action, evident at low concentrations, comparable with those found in biological fluids after ingestion of foods rich in phenolic acids. Furthermore, the direct interaction with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, the nitric oxide synthase inhibition and their pro-apoptotic effect provide some insights into their biological mode of action

Small Molecule Inhibitors That Selectively Block Dengue Virus Methyltransferase*

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Lim, Siew Pheng; Sonntag, Louis Sebastian; Noble, Christian; Nilar, Shahul H.; Ng, Ru Hui; Zou, Gang; Monaghan, Paul; Chung, Ka Yan; Dong, Hongping; Liu, Boping; Bodenreider, Christophe; Lee, Gladys; Ding, Mei; Chan, Wai Ling; Wang, Gang; Jian, Yap Li; Chao, Alexander Theodore; Lescar, Julien; Yin, Zheng; Vedananda, T. R.; Keller, Thomas H.; Shi, Pei-Yong

2011-01-01

Crystal structure analysis of Flavivirus methyltransferases uncovered a flavivirus-conserved cavity located next to the binding site for its cofactor, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM). Chemical derivatization of S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH), the product inhibitor of the methylation reaction, with substituents that extend into the identified cavity, generated inhibitors that showed improved and selective activity against dengue virus methyltransferase (MTase), but not related human enzymes. Crystal structure of dengue virus MTase with a bound SAH derivative revealed that its N6-substituent bound in this cavity and induced conformation changes in residues lining the pocket. These findings demonstrate that one of the major hurdles for the development of methyltransferase-based therapeutics, namely selectivity for disease-related methyltransferases, can be overcome. PMID:21147775

Structure and possible mechanism of the CcbJ methyltransferase from Streptomyces caelestis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bauer, J.; Ondrovičová, G.; Najmanová, Lucie; Pevala, V.; Kameník, Zdeněk; Koštan, J.; Janata, Jiří; Kutejová, Eva

2014-01-01

Roč. 70, APR 2014 (2014), s. 943-957 ISSN 0907-4449 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0003; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : CATECHOL-O-METHYLTRANSFERASE * SN2-LIKE TRANSITION-STATE * CRYSTAL-STRUCTURES Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 7.232, year: 2013

Reducing effects of polyphenols on metmyoglobin and the in vitro regeneration of bright meat color by polyphenols in the presence of cysteine.

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Miura, Yukari; Inai, Miyuki; Honda, Sari; Masuda, Akiko; Masuda, Toshiya

2014-10-01

The effect of polyphenols and related phenolic compounds on the reduction of metmyoglobin (MetMb) to oxymyoglobin (MbO2), in the presence of cysteine, was investigated. Caffeic acid, dihydrocaffeic acid, and hydroxtyrosol (600 μmol/L) did not show any reducing activity individually. However, their highly potent activity in the reduction of MetMb to MbO2 was observed in the presence of equimolar amounts of cysteine. On the basis of the analytical results for the redox reaction products generated during the MetMb-reducing reaction of caffeic acid, we proposed a mechanism for the polyphenol-mediated reduction of MetMb. As per the proposed mechanism, the antioxidant polyphenols having a catechol substructure can effectively reduce MetMb to MbO2 with chemical assistance from nucleophilic reactive thiol compounds such as cysteine. Moreover, cysteine-coupled polyphenols such as cysteinylcaffeic acids (which are coupling products of caffeic acid and cysteine) can be used as preserving agents for retaining the fresh meat color, because of their powerful reducing effect on MetMb. The reduction of MetMb to MbO2 changes the color of meat from brown to the more desirable bright red.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val 108/158 Met polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a case control study in Syria.

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Lajin, Bassam; Hamzeh, Abdul Rezzak; Ghabreau, Lina; Mohamed, Ali; Al Moustafa, Ala-Eddin; Alachkar, Amal

2013-01-01

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inactivates catechol estrogens by methylation and thus may play a protective role against mutations induced by estrogen metabolites. In this study we investigated the relationship between the Vall58Met polymorphism in the COMT gene and breast cancer risk in a population-based case control study in Syria. We examined 135 breast cancer patients and 107 healthy controls in North Syria to determine the association between the functional genetic Val158Met polymorphism in the COMT gene and female breast cancer risk. There was no significant overall association between the COMT genotype and individual susceptibility to breast cancer. Our data suggest that there may be no overall association between the COMT genotype and breast cancer.

Variation in the loss of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase during immortalization of human fibroblasts.

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Green, M H; Karran, P; Lowe, J E; Priestley, A; Arlett, C F; Mayne, L

1990-01-01

We have examined O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MT) activity in four human fibroblast cell lines during immortalization. Transfection of primary fibroblasts with the plasmid pSV3gpt or pSV3neo, which encode the SV40 large T antigen, confers a transformed phenotype but not immediate immortality. After a period of growth (pre-crisis) the cells enter a quiescent phase (crisis) from which an immortal clone of cells eventually grows out. From measurements of MT activity in extracts of cells taken at different defined stages of the immortalization process, we conclude that the establishment of a Mex- (MT-deficient) cell population is not specifically associated with cellular transformation or with any particular stage of immortalization. It appears that in different cell populations the change from Mex+ to Mex- may occur at different times during the immortalization process and that the change may be very abrupt.

The effect of prefermentative addition of gallic acid and ellagic acid on the red wine color, copigmentation and phenolic profiles during wine aging.

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Zhang, Xin-Ke; He, Fei; Zhang, Bo; Reeves, Malcolm J; Liu, Yue; Zhao, Xu; Duan, Chang-Qing

2018-04-01

Though non-anthocyanin phenolics normally do not have red color, they affect the red color expression in the copigmentation of red wines. In this study, the influence of prefermentative addition of 300mg/L gallic acid and ellagic acid, as cofactors, on aging dry red wines had been systematically evaluated at the industrial scales from the perspectives of color, phenolic profiles and copigmentation effects of anthocyanins. Red wines made with these two compounds exhibited better color properties than the control, having better CIELAB chromatic parameters. Additionally, significantly higher levels of detectable anthocyanins and copigmented anthocyanin ratio had been observed. Wines with ellagic acid showed better chromatic properties and phenolic profiles than wines with gallic acid, as shown in previous theoretical results. Anti-copigmentation phenomenon was noticed and elucidated. These practical results confirmed that ellagic acid was the better cofactor, and would give more additional guidance for the production of high quality wine. Malvidin-3-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 443,652); Petunidin-3-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 443,651); Delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 443,650); Peonidin-3-O-glucoside (PubChem CID: 443,654); Ellagic acid (PubChem CID: 5,281,855); Gallic acid (PubChem CID: 370); Quercetin (PubChem CID: 443,654); Caffeic acid (PubChem CID: 689,043); (+)-catechin (PubChem CID: 9064); Vanillic acid (PubChem CID: 8468). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of the Aqueous Extract from Tabebuia roseoalba and Phenolic Acids on Hyperuricemia and Inflammation

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Zilma Schimith Ferraz-Filha

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Tabebuia species (Bignoniaceae have long been used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antimicrobial, and antitumor. The aim of this study was to investigate if aqueous extract from the leaves (AEL of Tabebuia roseoalba (Ridl. Sandwith, Bignoniaceae, and its constituents could be useful to decrease serum uric acid levels and restrain the gout inflammatory process. HPLC analysis identified caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid in AEL. Antihyperuricemic effects and inhibition of liver XOD (xanthine oxidoreductase by AEL and identified compounds were evaluated in hyperuricemic mice. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on MSU (monosodium urate crystal-induced paw edema. In addition, AEL antioxidant activity in vitro was evaluated. AEL, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids were able to reduce serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic mice probably through inhibition of liver xanthine oxidase activity and significantly decreased the paw edema induced by MSU crystals. AEL showed significant antioxidant activity in all evaluated assays. The results show that the AEL of Tabebuia roseoalba can be a promising agent for treatment for gout and inflammatory diseases. We suggest that caffeic and chlorogenic acids may be responsible for the activities demonstrated by the species.

Molecular basis of substrate promiscuity for the SAM-dependent O-methyltransferase NcsB1, involved in the biosynthesis of the enediyne antitumor antibiotic neocarzinostatin.

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Cooke, Heather A; Guenther, Elizabeth L; Luo, Yinggang; Shen, Ben; Bruner, Steven D

2009-10-13

The small molecule component of chromoprotein enediyne antitumor antibiotics is biosynthesized through a convergent route, incorporating amino acid, polyketide, and carbohydrate building blocks around a central enediyne hydrocarbon core. The naphthoic acid moiety of the enediyne neocarzinostatin plays key roles in the biological activity of the natural product by interacting with both the carrier protein and duplex DNA at the site of action. We have previously described the in vitro characterization of an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent O-methyltransferase (NcsB1) in the neocarzinostatin biosynthetic pathway [Luo, Y., Lin, S., Zhang, J., Cooke, H. A., Bruner, S. D., and Shen, B. (2008) J. Biol. Chem. 283, 14694-14702]. Here we provide a structural basis for NcsB1 activity, illustrating that the enzyme shares an overall architecture with a large family of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent proteins. In addition, NcsB1 represents the first enzyme to be structurally characterized in the biosynthetic pathway of neocarzinostatin. By cocrystallizing the enzyme with various combinations of the cofactor and substrate analogues, details of the active site structure have been established. Changes in subdomain orientation were observed via comparison of structures in the presence and absence of substrate, suggesting that reorientation of the enzyme is involved in binding of the substrate. In addition, residues important for substrate discrimination were predicted and probed through site-directed mutagenesis and in vitro biochemical characterization.

Structural Basis for Dual Functionality of Isoflavonoid O-Methyltransferases in the Evolution of Plant Defense Responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, C.; Deavours, B; Richard, S; Ferrer, J; Blount, J; Huhman, D; Dixon, R; Noel, J

2006-01-01

In leguminous plants such as pea (Pisum sativum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), barrel medic (Medicago truncatula), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum), 4'-O-methylation of isoflavonoid natural products occurs early in the biosynthesis of defense chemicals known as phytoalexins. However, among these four species, only pea catalyzes 3-O-methylation that converts the pterocarpanoid isoflavonoid 6a-hydroxymaackiain to pisatin. In pea, pisatin is important for chemical resistance to the pathogenic fungus Nectria hematococca. While barrel medic does not biosynthesize 6a-hydroxymaackiain, when cell suspension cultures are fed 6a-hydroxymaackiain, they accumulate pisatin. In vitro, hydroxyisoflavanone 4'-O-methyltransferase (HI4'OMT) from barrel medic exhibits nearly identical steady state kinetic parameters for the 4'-O-methylation of the isoflavonoid intermediate 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone and for the 3-O-methylation of the 6a-hydroxymaackiain isoflavonoid-derived pterocarpanoid intermediate found in pea. Protein x-ray crystal structures of HI4'OMT substrate complexes revealed identically bound conformations for the 2S,3R-stereoisomer of 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone and the 6aR,11aR-stereoisomer of 6a-hydroxymaackiain. These results suggest how similar conformations intrinsic to seemingly distinct chemical substrates allowed leguminous plants to use homologous enzymes for two different biosynthetic reactions. The three-dimensional similarity of natural small molecules represents one explanation for how plants may rapidly recruit enzymes for new biosynthetic reactions in response to changing physiological and ecological pressures.

Structural Basis for Dual Functionality of Isoflavonoid O-Methyltransferases in the Evolution of Plant Defense Responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, C.-J.; Deavours, B.E.; Richard, S.B.; Ferrer, J.-L.; Blount, J.W.; Huhman, D.; Dixon, R.A.; Noel, J.

2007-07-10

In leguminous plants such as pea (Pisum sativum), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), barrel medic (Medicago truncatula), and chickpea (Cicer arietinum), 4'-O-methylation of isoflavonoid natural products occurs early in the biosynthesis of defense chemicals known as phytoalexins. However, among these four species, only pea catalyzes 3-O-methylation that converts the pterocarpanoid isoflavonoid 6a-hydroxymaackiain to pisatin. In pea, pisatin is important for chemical resistance to the pathogenic fungus Nectria hematococca. While barrel medic does not biosynthesize 6a-hydroxymaackiain, when cell suspension cultures are fed 6a-hydroxymaackiain, they accumulate pisatin. In vitro, hydroxyisoflavanone 4'-O-methyltransferase (HI4'OMT) from barrel medic exhibits nearly identical steady state kinetic parameters for the 4'-O-methylation of the isoflavonoid intermediate 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone and for the 3-O-methylation of the 6a-hydroxymaackiain isoflavonoid-derived pterocarpanoid intermediate found in pea. Protein x-ray crystal structures of HI4'OMT substrate complexes revealed identically bound conformations for the 2S,3R-stereoisomer of 2,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavanone and the 6aR,11aR-stereoisomer of 6a-hydroxymaackiain. These results suggest how similar conformations intrinsic to seemingly distinct chemical substrates allowed leguminous plants to use homologous enzymes for two different biosynthetic reactions. The three-dimensional similarity of natural small molecules represents one explanation for how plants may rapidly recruit enzymes for new biosynthetic reactions in response to changing physiological and ecological pressures.

The phenotypic and molecular assessment of the non-conserved Arabidopsis MICRORNA163/S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE regulatory module during biotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Litholdo, Celso Gaspar; Eamens, Andrew Leigh; Waterhouse, Peter Michael

2018-04-01

In plants, microRNAs (miRNAs) have evolved in parallel to the protein-coding genes that they target for expression regulation, and miRNA-directed gene expression regulation is central to almost every cellular process. MicroRNA, miR163, is unique to the Arabidopsis genus and is processed into a 24-nucleotide (nt) mature small regulatory RNA (sRNA) from a single precursor transcript transcribed from a single locus, the MIR163 gene. The MIR163 locus is a result of a recent inverted duplication event of one of the five closely related S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE genes that the mature miR163 sRNA targets for expression regulation. Currently, however, little is known about the role of the miR163/S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE regulatory module in response to biotic stress. Here, we document the expression domains of MIR163 and the S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE target genes following fusion of their putative promoter sequences to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and subsequent in planta expression. Further, we report on our phenotypic and molecular assessment of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with altered miR163 accumulation, namely the mir163-1 and mir163-2 insertion knockout mutants and the miR163 overexpression line, the MIR163-OE plant. Finally, we reveal miR163 accumulation and S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE target gene expression post treatment with the defence elicitors, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, and following Fusarium oxysporum infection, wounding, and herbivory attack. Together, the work presented here provides a comprehensive new biological insight into the role played by the Arabidopsis genus-specific miR163/S-ADENOSYL-METHYLTRANSFERASE regulatory module in normal A. thaliana development and during the exposure of A. thaliana plants to biotic stress.

An O-Methyltransferase Is Required for Infection of Tick Cells by Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliva Chávez, Adela S; Fairman, James W; Felsheim, Roderick F; Nelson, Curtis M; Herron, Michael J; Higgins, LeeAnn; Burkhardt, Nicole Y; Oliver, Jonathan D; Markowski, Todd W; Kurtti, Timothy J; Edwards, Thomas E; Munderloh, Ulrike G

2015-01-01

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA), is an obligately intracellular α-proteobacterium that is transmitted by Ixodes spp ticks. However, the pathogen is not transovarially transmitted between tick generations and therefore needs to survive in both a mammalian host and the arthropod vector to complete its life cycle. To adapt to different environments, pathogens rely on differential gene expression as well as the modification of proteins and other molecules. Random transposon mutagenesis of A. phagocytophilum resulted in an insertion within the coding region of an o-methyltransferase (omt) family 3 gene. In wild-type bacteria, expression of omt was up-regulated during binding to tick cells (ISE6) at 2 hr post-inoculation, but nearly absent by 4 hr p.i. Gene disruption reduced bacterial binding to ISE6 cells, and the mutant bacteria that were able to enter the cells were arrested in their replication and development. Analyses of the proteomes of wild-type versus mutant bacteria during binding to ISE6 cells identified Major Surface Protein 4 (Msp4), but also hypothetical protein APH_0406, as the most differentially methylated. Importantly, two glutamic acid residues (the targets of the OMT) were methyl-modified in wild-type Msp4, whereas a single asparagine (not a target of the OMT) was methylated in APH_0406. In vitro methylation assays demonstrated that recombinant OMT specifically methylated Msp4. Towards a greater understanding of the overall structure and catalytic activity of the OMT, we solved the apo (PDB_ID:4OA8), the S-adenosine homocystein-bound (PDB_ID:4OA5), the SAH-Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCA), and SAM- Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCL) X-ray crystal structures of the enzyme. Here, we characterized a mutation in A. phagocytophilum that affected the ability of the bacteria to productively infect cells from its natural vector. Nevertheless, due to the lack of complementation, we cannot rule out secondary mutations.

An O-Methyltransferase Is Required for Infection of Tick Cells by Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

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Adela S Oliva Chávez

Full Text Available Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA, is an obligately intracellular α-proteobacterium that is transmitted by Ixodes spp ticks. However, the pathogen is not transovarially transmitted between tick generations and therefore needs to survive in both a mammalian host and the arthropod vector to complete its life cycle. To adapt to different environments, pathogens rely on differential gene expression as well as the modification of proteins and other molecules. Random transposon mutagenesis of A. phagocytophilum resulted in an insertion within the coding region of an o-methyltransferase (omt family 3 gene. In wild-type bacteria, expression of omt was up-regulated during binding to tick cells (ISE6 at 2 hr post-inoculation, but nearly absent by 4 hr p.i. Gene disruption reduced bacterial binding to ISE6 cells, and the mutant bacteria that were able to enter the cells were arrested in their replication and development. Analyses of the proteomes of wild-type versus mutant bacteria during binding to ISE6 cells identified Major Surface Protein 4 (Msp4, but also hypothetical protein APH_0406, as the most differentially methylated. Importantly, two glutamic acid residues (the targets of the OMT were methyl-modified in wild-type Msp4, whereas a single asparagine (not a target of the OMT was methylated in APH_0406. In vitro methylation assays demonstrated that recombinant OMT specifically methylated Msp4. Towards a greater understanding of the overall structure and catalytic activity of the OMT, we solved the apo (PDB_ID:4OA8, the S-adenosine homocystein-bound (PDB_ID:4OA5, the SAH-Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCA, and SAM- Mn2+ bound (PDB_ID:4PCL X-ray crystal structures of the enzyme. Here, we characterized a mutation in A. phagocytophilum that affected the ability of the bacteria to productively infect cells from its natural vector. Nevertheless, due to the lack of complementation, we cannot rule out secondary

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibits 3-MC-induced CYP1A1 expression through induction of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hyung Gyun [Department of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Han, Eun Hee [Division of Life Science, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Im, Ji Hye; Lee, Eun Ji; Jin, Sun Woo [Department of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Hye Gwang, E-mail: hgjeong@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-25

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a natural component of propolis, is reported to have anticarcinogenic properties, although its precise chemopreventive mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of CAPE on 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC)-induced CYP1A1 expression and activities. CAPE reduced the formation of the benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adduct. Moreover, CAPE inhibited 3-MC-induced CYP1A1 activity, mRNA expression, protein level, and promoter activity. CAPE treatment also decreased 3-MC-inducible xenobiotic-response element (XRE)-linked luciferase, aryl hydrocarbons receptor (AhR) transactivation and nuclear localization. CAPE induced hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein level and HIF-1α responsible element (HRE) transcriptional activity. CAPE-mediated HIF-1α reduced 3-MC-inducible CYP1A1 protein expression. Taken together, CAPE decreases 3-MC-mediated CYP1A1 expression, and this inhibitory response is associated with inhibition of AhR and HIF-1α induction. - Highlights: • CAPE reduced the formation of the benzo[a]pyrene-DNA adduct. • CAPE inhibited 3-MC-induced CYP1A1 expression. • CAPE induced HIF-1α induction. • CAPE-mediated HIF-1α reduced 3-MC-inducible CYP1A1 expression.

Evaluation of the effect of Chrysin and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester on eIF4E expression in AGS cell line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolhasani Marziyeh

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The Ras/Akt/mTORC1 signal transduction pathways play a critical role in regulating translation and converge on initiation factor eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E which is overexpressed in various malignancies. In the current study we aimed to assess the effect of chrysin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE on eIF4E expression level in human stomach cancer AGS cell line. Methods: AGS cells were treated with 15, 20, 30 and 40 μM concentration of chrysin and CAPE separately, then eIF4E expression was evaluated in treated cells using real time-PCR method. Results: A significant decrease in eIF4E expression in the cells following 40 μM chrysin treatment was observed (p<0.05. There was a significant decrease in CAPE-treated cells in a dose dependent manner. Indeed the cells treated with 30 and 40 μM concentrations of CAPE, showed a significant decline in eIF4E expression (p<0.05. Conclusion: Our results suggest that CAPE and chrysin may be useful as a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of gastric cancers with an elevated eIF4E expression level.

Synthesis, Anti-HCV, Antioxidant and Reduction of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species Generation of a Chlorogenic Acid Analogue with an Amide Bond Replacing the Ester Bond.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ling-Na; Wang, Wei; Hattori, Masao; Daneshtalab, Mohsen; Ma, Chao-Mei

2016-06-08

Chlorogenic acid is a well known natural product with important bioactivities. It contains an ester bond formed between the COOH of caffeic acid and the 3-OH of quinic acid. We synthesized a chlorogenic acid analogue, 3α-caffeoylquinic acid amide, using caffeic and quinic acids as starting materials. The caffeoylquinc acid amide was found to be much more stable than chlorogenic acid and showed anti-Hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) activity with a potency similar to chlorogenic acid. The caffeoylquinc acid amide potently protected HepG2 cells against oxidative stress induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester preferentially sensitizes CT26 colorectal adenocarcinoma to ionizing radiation without affecting bone marrow radioresponse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Y.-J.; Liao, H.-F.; Tsai, T.-H.; Wang, S.-Y.; Shiao, M.-S.

2005-01-01

Purpose: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a component of propolis, was reported capable of depleting glutathione (GSH). We subsequently examined the radiosensitizing effect of CAPE and its toxicity. Methods and Materials: The effects of CAPE on GSH level, GSH metabolism enzyme activities, NF-κB activity, and radiosensitivity in mouse CT26 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells were determined. BALB/c mouse with CT26 cells implantation was used as a syngeneic in vivo model for evaluation of treatment and toxicity end points. Results: CAPE entered CT26 cells rapidly and depleted intracellular GSH in CT26 cells, but not in bone marrow cells. Pretreatment with nontoxic doses of CAPE significantly enhanced cell killing by ionizing radiation (IR) with sensitizer enhancement ratios up to 2.2. Pretreatment of CT26 cells with N-acetyl-L-cysteine reversed the GSH depletion activity and partially blocked the radiosensitizing effect of CAPE. CAPE treatment in CT26 cells increased glutathione peroxidase, decreased glutathione reductase, and did not affect glutathione S-transferase or γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. Radiation activated NF-κB was reversed by CAPE pretreatment. In vivo study revealed that pretreatment with CAPE before IR resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth and prolongation of survival in comparison with IR alone. Pretreatment with CAPE neither affected body weights nor produced hepatic, renal, or hematopoietic toxicity. Conclusions: CAPE sensitizes CT26 colorectal adenocarcinoma to IR, which may be via depleting GSH and inhibiting NF-κB activity, without toxicity to bone marrow, liver, and kidney

Genetic influences on insight problem solving: the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Weili; Shang, Siyuan; Su, Yanjie

2015-01-01

People may experience an "aha" moment, when suddenly realizing a solution of a puzzling problem. This experience is called insight problem solving. Several findings suggest that catecholamine-related genes may contribute to insight problem solving, among which the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is the most promising candidate. The current study examined 753 healthy individuals to determine the associations between 7 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms on the COMT gene and insight problem-solving performance, while considering gender differences. The results showed that individuals carrying A allele of rs4680 or T allele of rs4633 scored significantly higher on insight problem-solving tasks, and the COMT gene rs5993883 combined with gender interacted with correct solutions of insight problems, specifically showing that this gene only influenced insight problem-solving performance in males. This study presents the first investigation of the genetic impact on insight problem solving and provides evidence that highlights the role that the COMT gene plays in insight problem solving.

Protective role of caffeic acid on lambda cyhalothrin-induced changes in sperm characteristics and testicular oxidative damage in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdallah, Fatma Ben; Fetoui, Hamadi; Zribi, Nassira; Fakhfakh, Feiza; Keskes, Leila

2012-08-01

The synthetic pyrethroids are expected to cause deleterious effects on most of the organs and especially on the male reproductive system. The current study was performed to assess the adverse effect of lambda cyhalothrin (LC) on reproductive organs and fertility in male rats and to evaluate the protective role of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in alleviating the detrimental effect of LC on male fertility. A total of 48 male rats were divided into 4 groups (12 rats each): control group received distilled water ad libitum and 1 ml of vehicle solution given intraperitoneally (i.p.); CAPE-treated group received a single i.p. dose of CAPE (10 μmol kg⁻¹ day⁻¹); LC-treated group received 668 ppm of LC through drinking water; and CAPE + LC-treated group received an i.p. injection of CAPE (10 μmol kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) 12 h before the LC administration. The experiment was conducted for 10 consecutive weeks. LC caused a significant increase in testicular malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase activities, and sperm abnormalities and a significant reduction in testicular glutathione concentration, sperm count, sperm motility, and a live sperm percentage. Conversely, treatment with CAPE improved the reduction in the sperm characteristics, LC-induced oxidative damage of testes and the testicular histopathological alterations. Results indicate that LC exerts significant harmful effects on the male reproductive system and that CAPE reduced the deleterious effects of LC on male fertility.

Structural Chemistry of Human RNA Methyltransferases.

Science.gov (United States)

Schapira, Matthieu

2016-03-18

RNA methyltransferases (RNMTs) play important roles in RNA stability, splicing, and epigenetic mechanisms. They constitute a promising target class that is underexplored by the medicinal chemistry community. Information of relevance to drug design can be extracted from the rich structural coverage of human RNMTs. In this work, the structural chemistry of this protein family is analyzed in depth. Unlike most methyltransferases, RNMTs generally feature a substrate-binding site that is largely open on the cofactor-binding pocket, favoring the design of bisubstrate inhibitors. Substrate purine or pyrimidines are often sandwiched between hydrophobic walls that can accommodate planar ring systems. When the substrate base is laying on a shallow surface, a 5' flanking base is sometimes anchored in a druggable cavity. The cofactor-binding site is structurally more diverse than in protein methyltransferases and more druggable in SPOUT than in Rossman-fold enzymes. Finally, conformational plasticity observed both at the substrate and cofactor binding sites may be a challenge for structure-based drug design. The landscape drawn here may inform ongoing efforts toward the discovery of the first human RNMT inhibitors.

Enzymatic Lipophilization of Phenolic Acids through Esterification with Fatty Alcohols in Organic Solvents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Zhiyong; Guo, Zheng; Xu, Xuebing

2012-01-01

and octadecenol respectively. However, the conversions of ferulic and caffeic acids under the same conditions were much lower than DHCA. The optimal mixture ratio of hexane to butanone was found to be 65:35. Using octanol and DHCA as model, the reaction parameters, such as temperature, enzyme load, reaction time...... and substrate molar ratio, were optimized with response surface modelling (RSM). The optimum conditions are finalized as: temperature 60 oC, reaction time 7 days, enzyme load 100 mg, and substrate molar ratio 4.34 (octanol/DHCA)....

Properties of the Membrane Binding Component of Catechol-O-methyltransferase Revealed by Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Simulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlowski, A.; St-Pierre, J. F.; Magarkar, A.

2011-01-01

We used atomistic simulations to study the membrane-bound form of catechol-O-methyltransferase (MB-COMT). In particular we investigated the 26-residue transmembrane a-helical segment of MB-COMT together with the 24-residue fragment that links the transmembrane component to the main protein unit...... that was not included in our model. In numerous independent simulations we observed the formation of a salt bridge between ARC 27 and GLU40. The salt bridge closed the flexible loop that formed in the linker and kept it in the vicinity of the membrane-water interface. All simulations supported this conclusion...... that the linker has a clear affinity for the interface and preferentially arranges its residues to reside next to the membrane, without a tendency to relocate into the water phase. Furthermore, an extensive analysis of databases for sequences of membrane proteins that have a single transmembrane helical segment...

Chemical Probes of Histone Lysine Methyltransferases

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that histone methyltransferases (HMTs, also known as protein methyltransferases (PMTs)) play an important role in diverse biological processes and human diseases by regulating gene expression and the chromatin state. Therefore, HMTs have been increasingly recognized by the biomedical community as a class of potential therapeutic targets. High quality chemical probes of HMTs, as tools for deciphering their physiological functions and roles in human diseases and testing therapeutic hypotheses, are critical for advancing this promising field. In this review, we focus on the discovery, characterization, and biological applications of chemical probes for HMTs. PMID:25423077

[Study on the terpenoids of chemical constituents of Buddleja purdomii (II)].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yan; Cai, Li; Li, Hai-Yan; Li, Chong

2007-06-01

To study the chemical constituents of Buddleja purdomii W. W. Smith. The constituents were isolated and purified by various chromatographic methods and structurally identified by spectral analysis. 7 compounds were obtained as luteolin (I), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (II), trans-caffeic acid (III), cis-caffeic acid (IV), beta-stiosterol (V), stigmasterol (VI), nonacosane (VII). All these compounds are obtained from this plant for the first time.

Conversion of hydroxycinnamic acids into volatile phenols in a synthetic medium and in red wine by Dekkera bruxellensis Transformação de ácidos hidroxicinâmicos em fenóis voláteis em meio sintético e em vinho tinto por Dekkera bruxellensis

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Maria João Cabrita

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The conversion of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid into 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylcatechol was studied in Dekkera bruxellensis ISA 1791 under defined conditions in a synthetic medium and in a red wine. Liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD was used to quantify the phenolic acids, and gas chromatography (GC coupled to a FID detector was used to quantify volatile phenols using a novel analytical methodology that does not require sample derivatization. Identification was achieved by gas chromatography-mass detection (GC-MS. The results show that phenolic acids concentration decreases while volatile phenols concentration increases. The proportion of caffeic acid taken up by Dekkera bruxellensis is lower than that for p-coumaric or ferulic acid; therefore less 4-ethylcatechol is formed. More important, 4-ethylcathecol synthesis by Dekkera bruxellensis in wine has never been demonstrated so far. These results contribute decisively to a better understanding of the origin of the volatile phenols in wines. The accumulation of these compounds in wine is nowadays regarded as one of the key factors of quality control.A transformação do ácido p-cumárico, ácido ferúlico e ácido cafeico em 4-etilfenol, 4-etilguaiacol e 4-etilcatecol foi estudada na presença de Dekkera bruxelensis ISA 1791, sob condições controladas, em meio sintético e em vinho tinto. Os compostos fenólicos foram doseados por cromatografia em fase líquida (HPLC-DAD e os fenóis voláteis foram doseados por cromatografia em fase gasosa (GC com detector de ionização de chama (FID, recorrendo a uma metodologia que não requer prévia derivatização da amostra. A identificação dos compostos foi comprovada por espectrometria de massa (GC-MS. Os resultados demonstram que os teores em ácidos fenólicos diminuem enquanto se observa um aumento dos teores em fenóis voláteis. O ácido cafeico é dos três ácidos em estudo, o menos utilizado pela levedura, da

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Ethanol Extract of Propolis Induce the Complementary Cytotoxic Effect on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines

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Anna Rzepecka-Stojko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Chemotherapy of breast cancer could be improved by bioactive natural substances, which may potentially sensitize the carcinoma cells’ susceptibility to drugs. Numerous phytochemicals, including propolis, have been reported to interfere with the viability of carcinoma cells. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP and its derivative caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE towards two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T, by implementation of the MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH assays. The morphological changes of breast carcinoma cells were observed following exposure to EEP and CAPE. The IC50 of EEP was 48.35 µg∙mL−1 for MDA-MB-23 cells and 33.68 µg∙mL−1 for Hs578T cells, whereas the CAPE IC50 was 14.08 µM and 8.01 µM for the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cell line, respectively. Here, we report that propolis and CAPE inhibited the growth of the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T lines in a dose-dependent and exposure time-dependent manner. EEP showed less cytotoxic activity against both types of TNBC cells. EEP and, particularly, CAPE may markedly affect the viability of breast cancer cells, suggesting the potential role of bioactive compounds in chemoprevention/chemotherapy by potentiating the action of standard anti-cancer drugs.

Distinction between the Cfr Methyltransferase Conferring Antibiotic Resistance and the Housekeeping RlmN Methyltransferase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atkinson, Gemma C; Hansen, Lykke H; Tenson, Tanel

2013-01-01

The cfr gene encodes the Cfr methyltransferase that primarily methylates C-8 in A2503 of 23S rRNA in the peptidyl transferase region of bacterial ribosomes. The methylation provides resistance to six classes of antibiotics of clinical and veterinary importance. The rlmN gene encodes the Rlm......N methyltransferase that methylates C-2 in A2503 in 23S rRNA and A37 in tRNA, but RlmN does not significantly influence antibiotic resistance. The enzymes are homologous and use the same mechanism involving radical S-adenosyl methionine to methylate RNA via an intermediate involving a methylated cysteine....... The differentiation between the two classes is supported by previous and new experimental evidence from antibiotic resistance, primer extensions, and mass spectrometry. Finally, evolutionary aspects of the distribution of Cfr- and RlmN-like enzymes are discussed....

Overexpression of O-methyltransferase leads to improved vanillin production in baker's yeast only when complemented with model-guided network engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Brochado, Ana Rita; Patil, Kiran R

2013-02-01

Overproduction of a desired metabolite is often achieved via manipulation of the pathway directly leading to the product or through engineering of distant nodes within the metabolic network. Empirical examples illustrating the combined effect of these local and global strategies have been so far limited in eukaryotic systems. In this study, we compared the effects of overexpressing a key gene in de novo vanillin biosynthesis (coding for O-methyltransferase, hsOMT) in two yeast strains, with and without model-guided global network modifications. Overexpression of hsOMT resulted in increased vanillin production only in the strain with model-guided modifications, exemplifying advantage of using a global strategy prior to local pathway manipulation. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Role of the Catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) Gene Val158Met in Aggressive Behavior, A Review of Genetic Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Qayyum, Arqam; Zai, Clement C.; Hirata, Yuko; Tiwari, Arun K.; Cheema, Sheraz; Nowrouzi, Behdin; Beitchman, Joseph H.; Kennedy, James L.

2015-01-01

Aggressive behaviors have become a major public health problem, and early-onset aggression can lead to outcomes such as substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder among other issues. In recent years, there has been an increase in research in the molecular and genetic underpinnings of aggressive behavior, and one of the candidate genes codes for the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). COMT is involved in catabolizing catecholamines such as dopamine. These neurotransmitters appear to be involved in regulating mood which can contribute to aggression. The most common gene variant studied in the COMT gene is the Valine (Val) to Methionine (Met) substitution at codon 158. We will be reviewing the current literature on this gene variant in aggressive behavior. PMID:26630958

Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene (Val158Met) and Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) (Val66Met) Genes Polymorphism in Schizophrenia: A Case-Control Study

OpenAIRE

Saravani, Ramin; Galavi, Hamid Reza; Lotfian Sargazi, Marzieh

2017-01-01

Objective: Several studies have shown that some polymorphisms of genes encoding catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), the key enzyme in degrading dopamine, and norepinephrine and the human brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a nerve growth factor, are strong candidates for risk of schizophrenia (SCZ). In the present study, we aimed at examining the effects of COMT Val158Met (G>A) and BDNF Val66Met (G>A) polymorphisms on SCZ risk in a sample of Iranian population. Method: This case- contro...

OH-radical induced degradation of hydroxybenzoic- and hydroxycinnamic acids and formation of aromatic products-A gamma radiolysis study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krimmel, Birgit; Swoboda, Friederike [University of Vienna, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Section Radiation Biology (Austria); Solar, Sonja, E-mail: sonja.solar@univie.ac.a [University of Vienna, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Section Radiation Biology (Austria); Reznicek, Gottfried [Department of Pharmacognosy, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

2010-12-15

The OH-radical induced degradation of hydroxybenzoic acids (HBA), hydroxycinnamic acids (HCiA) and methoxylated derivatives, as well as of chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid was studied by gamma radiolysis in aerated aqueous solutions. Primary aromatic products resulting from an OH-radical attachment to the ring (hydroxylation), to the position occupied by the methoxyl group (replacement -OCH{sub 3} by -OH) as well as to the propenoic acid side chain of the cinnamic acids (benzaldehyde formations) were analysed by HPLC-UV and LC-ESI-MS. A comparison of the extent of these processes is given for 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, isovanillic acid, syringic acid, cinnamic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, isoferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and rosmarinic acid. For all cinnamic acids and derivatives benzaldehydes were significant oxidation products. With the release of caffeic acid from chlorogenic acid the cleavage of a phenolic glycoside could be demonstrated. Reaction mechanisms are discussed.

Functional Characterization of Salicylic Acid Carboxyl Methyltransferase from Camellia sinensis, Providing the Aroma Compound of Methyl Salicylate during the Withering Process of White Tea.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Wei-Wei; Wang, Rongxiu; Yang, Tianyuan; Jiang, Li'na; Zhang, Zheng-Zhu

2017-12-20

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is one of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that releases floral scent and plays an important role in the sweet flowery aroma of tea. During the withering process for white tea producing, MeSA was generated by salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (SAMT) with salicylic acid (SA), and the specific floral scent was formed. In this study, we first cloned a CsSAMT from tea leaves (GenBank accession no. MG459470) and used Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to express the recombinant CsSAMT. The enzyme activity in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems was identified, and the protein purification, substrate specificity, pH, and temperature optima were investigated. It was shown that CsSAMT located in the chloroplast, and the gene expression profiles were quite different in tea organs. The obtained results might give a new understanding for tea aroma formation, optimization, and regulation and have great significance for improving the specific quality of white tea.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype modulates cancer treatment-related cognitive deficits in breast cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Small, Brent J; Rawson, Kerri Sharp; Walsh, Erin; Jim, Heather S L; Hughes, Tiffany F; Iser, Lindsay; Andrykowski, Michael A; Jacobsen, Paul B

2011-04-01

Recent attention has focused on the negative effects of chemotherapy on the cognitive performance of cancer survivors. The current study examined modification of this risk by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype based on evidence in adult populations that the presence of a Val allele is associated with poorer cognitive performance. Breast cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy (n = 58), and/or chemotherapy (n = 72), and 204 healthy controls (HCs) completed tests of cognitive performance and provided saliva for COMT genotyping. COMT genotype was divided into Val carriers (Val+; Val/Val, Val/Met) or COMT-Met homozygote carriers (Met; Met/Met). COMT-Val+ carriers performed more poorly on tests of attention, verbal fluency, and motor speed relative to COMT-Met homozygotes. Moreover, COMT-Val+ carriers treated with chemotherapy performed more poorly on tests of attention relative to HC group members who were also Val+ carriers. The results suggest that persons treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer who also possess the COMT-Val gene are susceptible to negative effects on their cognitive health. This research is important because it strives to understand the factors that predispose some cancer survivors to more negative quality-of-life outcomes. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

Identification and Quantification of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids in Burr Parsley (Caucalis platycarpos L., Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

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Ana Mornar

2009-07-01

Full Text Available A sensitive method coupling high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC with diode-array detector (DAD and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS was optimized for the separation and identification of phenolic acids, flavonoid glycosides and flavonoid aglycones in the extract of burr parsley (Caucalis platycarpos L.. Fragmentation behavior of flavonoid glycosides and phenolic acids were investigated using ion trap mass spectrometry in negative electrospray ionization. The MS, MSn and UV data together with HPLC retention time (TR of phenolic acids and flavonoids allowed structural characterization of these compounds. Caffeoylquinic acid (CQA isomers, p-coumaroyl-quinic acids (p-CoQA, feruloylquinic acids (FQA, dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQA, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside as well as isolated chrysoeriol-7-O-rutinoside have been identified as constituents of C. platycarpos for the first time. An accurate, precise and sensitive LC-DAD method for quantification of four phenolic acids (3-O-caffeoylquinic, caffeic, p-coumaric, o-coumaric acid, four flavonoid glycosides (luteolin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, and three flavonoid aglycones (luteolin, apigenin, chrysoeriol in C. platycarpos extract was validated in terms of linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, precision and accuracy. 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid was the predominant phenolic acid and luteolin-7-O-glucoside was the predominant flavonoid glycoside.

Small Molecule Inhibitors That Selectively Block Dengue Virus Methyltransferase*

OpenAIRE

Lim, Siew Pheng; Sonntag, Louis Sebastian; Noble, Christian; Nilar, Shahul H.; Ng, Ru Hui; Zou, Gang; Monaghan, Paul; Chung, Ka Yan; Dong, Hongping; Liu, Boping; Bodenreider, Christophe; Lee, Gladys; Ding, Mei; Chan, Wai Ling; Wang, Gang

2010-01-01

Crystal structure analysis of Flavivirus methyltransferases uncovered a flavivirus-conserved cavity located next to the binding site for its cofactor, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM). Chemical derivatization of S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH), the product inhibitor of the methylation reaction, with substituents that extend into the identified cavity, generated inhibitors that showed improved and selective activity against dengue virus methyltransferase (MTase), but not related human enzymes. Crysta...

Functional characterization of O-methyltransferases used to catalyse site-specific methylation in the post-tailoring steps of pradimicin biosynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, J W; Ng, B G; Sohng, J K; Yoon, Y J; Choi, G J; Kim, B S

2018-01-01

To identify the roles of the two O-methyltransferase homologous genes pdmF and pdmT in the pradimicin biosynthetic gene cluster of Actinomadura hibisca P157-2. Pradimicins are pentangular polyphenol antibiotics synthesized by bacterial type II polyketide synthases (PKSs) and tailoring enzymes. Pradimicins are naturally derivatized by combinatorial O-methylation at two positions (i.e., 7-OH and 11-OH) of the benzo[α]naphthacenequinone structure. PdmF and PdmT null mutants (PFKO and PTKO) were generated. PFKO produced the 11-O-demethyl shunt metabolites 11-O-demethylpradimicinone II (1), 11-O-demethyl-7-methoxypradimicinone II (2), 11-O-demethylpradimicinone I (3) and 11-O-demethylpradimicin A (4), while PTKO generated the 7-O-demethyl derivatives pradimicinone II (5) and 7-hydroxypradimicin A (6). Pradimicinones 1, 2, 3, and 5 were fed to a heterologous host Escherichia coli harbouring expression plasmid pET-22b::pdmF or pET-28a::pdmT. PdmF catalysed 11-O-methylation of pradimicinones 1, 2, and 3 regardless of O-methylation at the C-7 position, while PdmT was unable to catalyse 7-O-methylation when the C-11 hydroxyl group was methylated (5). PdmF and PdmT were involved in 11-O- and 7-O-methylations of the benzo[α]naphthacenequinone moiety of pradimicin, respectively. Methylation of the C-7 hydroxyl group precedes methylation of the C-11 hydroxyl group in pradimicin biosynthesis. This is the first reported demonstration of the functions of PdmF and PdmT for regiospecific O-methylation, which contributes to better understanding of the post-PKS modifications in pradimicin biosynthesis as well as to rational engineering of the pradimicin biosynthetic machinery. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Ruminal Methane Production on Simple Phenolic Acids Addition in in Vitro Gas Production Method

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A. Jayanegara

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Methane production from ruminants contributes to total global methane production, which is an important contributor to global warming. In this experiment, six sources of simple phenolic acids (benzoic, cinnamic, phenylacetic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids at two different levels (2 and 5 mM added to hay diet were evaluated for their potential to reduce enteric methane production using in vitro Hohenheim gas production method. The measured variables were gas production, methane, organic matter digestibility (OMD, and short chain fatty acids (SCFA. The results showed that addition of cinnamic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids at 5 mM significantly (P p-coumaric > ferulic > cinnamic. The addition of simple phenols did not significantly decrease OMD. Addition of simple phenols tends to decrease total SCFA production. It was concluded that methane decrease by addition of phenolic acids was relatively small, and the effect of phenolic acids on methane decrease depended on the source and concentration applied.

Identification of a highly conserved domain in the EcoRII methyltransferase which can be photolabeled with S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-3H]methionine. Evidence for UV-induced transmethylation of cysteine 186

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Som, S.; Friedman, S.

1991-01-01

DNA methyltransferases can be photolabeled with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet). Specific incorporation of radioactivity has been demonstrated after photolabeling with either [methyl-3H]AdoMet or [35S]AdoMet. The labeling is believed to occur at the AdoMet binding site. With the purpose of localizing the site responsible for [methyl-3H]AdoMet photolabeling, we cleaved the labeled EcoRII methyltransferase by chemical and enzymatic reactions and isolated the radiolabeled peptides by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high pressure liquid chromatography. The labeled peptides were identified by amino-terminal sequencing. A common region was localized which accounted for 65-70% of the total label. This region includes a highly conserved core sequence present in all DNA (cytosine 5)-methyltransferases. One such fragment was digested further with chymotrypsin, and amino acid analysis of the resulting 3H-labeled peptide was consistent with the sequence Ala-Gly-Phe-Pro-(Cys)-Gln-Pro-Phe-Ser-Leu. However, the cysteine residue was not recovered as carboxymethylcysteine. The Pro-Cys bond was found to be protected from cleavage at cysteine residues after cyanylation. These results suggest that the cysteine residue is modified by the labeling reaction. The chymotryptic fragment was hydrolyzed enzymatically to single amino acids, and the labeled amino acid was identified as S-methylcysteine by thin layer chromatography. These results indicate that the cysteine residue is located at or close to the AdoMet binding site of EcoRII methyltransferase

Mutations in the histamine N-methyltransferase gene, HNMT, are associated with nonsyndromic autosomal recessive intellectual disability

OpenAIRE

Heidari, Abolfazl; Tongsook, Chanakan; Najafipour, Reza; Musante, Luciana; Vasli, Nasim; Garshasbi, Masoud; Hu, Hao; Mittal, Kirti; McNaughton, Amy J. M.; Sritharan, Kumudesh; Hudson, Melissa; Stehr, Henning; Talebi, Saeid; Moradi, Mohammad; Darvish, Hossein

2015-01-01

Histamine (HA) acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, which participates in the regulation of many biological processes including inflammation, gastric acid secretion and neuromodulation. The enzyme histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) inactivates HA by transferring a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine to HA, and is the only well-known pathway for termination of neurotransmission actions of HA in mammalian central nervous system. We performed autozygosity mapping followed by targeted...

Human C6orf211 Encodes Armt1, a Protein Carboxyl Methyltransferase that Targets PCNA and Is Linked to the DNA Damage Response

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J. Jefferson P. Perry

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Recent evidence supports the presence of an L-glutamyl methyltransferase(s in eukaryotic cells, but this enzyme class has been defined only in certain prokaryotic species. Here, we characterize the human C6orf211 gene product as “acidic residue methyltransferase-1” (Armt1, an enzyme that specifically targets proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA in breast cancer cells, predominately methylating glutamate side chains. Armt1 homologs share structural similarities with the SAM-dependent methyltransferases, and negative regulation of activity by automethylation indicates a means for cellular control. Notably, shRNA-based knockdown of Armt1 expression in two breast cancer cell lines altered survival in response to genotoxic stress. Increased sensitivity to UV, adriamycin, and MMS was observed in SK-Br-3 cells, while in contrast, increased resistance to these agents was observed in MCF7 cells. Together, these results lay the foundation for defining the mechanism by which this post-translational modification operates in the DNA damage response (DDR.

Antioxidant effects of phenolic rye (Secale cereale L.) extracts, monomeric hydroxycinnamates, and ferulic acid dehydrodimers on human low-density lipoproteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Mette Findal; Landbo, A K; Christensen, L P

2001-01-01

Dietary antioxidants that protect low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from oxidation may help to prevent atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The antioxidant activities of purified monomeric and dimeric hydroxycinnamates and of phenolic extracts from rye (whole grain, bran, and flour) were...... investigated using an in vitro copper-catalyzed human LDL oxidation assay. The most abundant ferulic acid dehydrodimer (diFA) found in rye, 8-O-4-diFA, was a slightly better antioxidant than ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid. The antioxidant activity of the 8-5-diFA was comparable to that of ferulic acid......, but neither 5-5-diFA nor 8-5-benzofuran-diFA inhibited LDL oxidation when added at 10-40 microM. The antioxidant activity of the monomeric hydroxycinnamates decreased in the following order: caffeic acid > sinapic acid > ferulic acid > p-coumaric acid. The antioxidant activity of rye extracts...

Direct interaction between caffeic acid phenethyl ester and human neutrophil elastase inhibits the growth and migration of PANC-1 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Jianhui; Xiaokaiti, Yilixiati; Fan, Shengjun; Pan, Yan; Li, Xin; Li, Xuejun

2017-05-01

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors of the digestive system, but the mechanisms of its development and progression are unclear. Inflammation is thought to be fundamental to pancreatic cancer development and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active component of honey bee resin or propolis with anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. We investigated the inhibitory effects of CAPE on cell growth and migration induced by human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and report that HNE induced cancer cell migration at low doses and growth at higher doses. In contrast, lower CAPE doses inhibited migration and higher doses of CAPE inhibited the growth induced by HNE. HNE activity was significantly inhibited by CAPE (7.5-120 µM). Using quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, we observed that CAPE (18-60 µM) did not affect transcription and translation of α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), an endogenous HNE inhibitor. However, in an in silico drug target docking model, we found that CAPE directly bound to the binding pocket of HNE (25.66 kcal/mol) according to CDOCKER, and the residue of the catalytic site stabilized the interaction between CAPE and HNE as evidenced by molecular dynamic simulation. Response unit (RU) values of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) significantly increased with incremental CAPE doses (7.5-120 µM), indicating that CAPE could directly bind to HNE in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, CAPE is an effective inhibitor of HNE via direct interaction whereby it inhibits the migration and growth of PANC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Dietary phenolic acids reverse insulin resistance, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, inflammation and oxidative stress in high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome rats.

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Ibitoye, Oluwayemisi B; Ajiboye, Taofeek O

2017-12-20

This study investigated the influence of caffeic, ferulic, gallic and protocatechuic acids on high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome in rats. Oral administration of the phenolic acids significantly reversed high-fructose diet-mediated increase in body mass index and blood glucose. Furthermore, phenolic acids restored high-fructose diet-mediated alterations in metabolic hormones (insulin, leptin and adiponectin). Similarly, elevated tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and -8 were significantly lowered. Administration of phenolic acids restored High-fructose diet-mediated increase in the levels of lipid parameters and indices of atherosclerosis, cardiac and cardiovascular diseases. High-fructose diet-mediated decrease in activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) and increase in oxidative stress biomarkers (reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation products, protein oxidation and fragmented DNA) were significantly restored by the phenolic acids. The result of this study shows protective influence of caffeic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid and protocatechuic acid in high-fructose diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Drosophila arginine methyltransferase 1 (DART1) is an ecdysone receptor co-repressor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, Shuhei; Sawatsubashi, Shun; Ito, Saya; Kouzmenko, Alexander; Suzuki, Eriko; Zhao, Yue; Yamagata, Kaoru; Tanabe, Masahiko; Ueda, Takashi; Fujiyama, Sari; Murata, Takuya; Matsukawa, Hiroyuki; Takeyama, Ken-ichi; Yaegashi, Nobuo

2008-01-01

Histone arginine methylation is an epigenetic marker that regulates gene expression by defining the chromatin state. Arginine methyltransferases, therefore, serve as transcriptional co-regulators. However, unlike other transcriptional co-regulators, the physiological roles of arginine methyltransferases are poorly understood. Drosophila arginine methyltransferase 1 (DART1), the mammalian PRMT1 homologue, methylates the arginine residue of histone H4 (H4R3me2). Disruption of DART1 in Drosophila by imprecise P-element excision resulted in low viability during metamorphosis in the pupal stages. In the pupal stage, an ecdysone hormone signal is critical for developmental progression. DART1 interacted with the nuclear ecdysone receptor (EcR) in a ligand-dependent manner, and co-repressed EcR in intact flies. These findings suggest that DART1, a histone arginine methyltransferase, is a co-repressor of EcR that is indispensable for normal pupal development in the intact fly

Development of novel antibacterial active, HaCaT biocompatible and biodegradable CA-g-P(3HB-EC biocomposites with caffeic acid as a functional entity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. M. N. Iqbal

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We have developed novel composites by grafting caffeic acid (CA onto the P(3HB-EC based material and laccase from Trametes versicolor was used for grafting purposes. The resulting composites were designated as CA-g-P(3HB-EC i.e., P(3HB-EC (control, 5CA-g-P(3HB-EC, 10CA-g-P(3HB-EC, 15CA-g-P(3HB-EC and 20CA-g-P(3HB-EC. FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the functional and elemental groups of the control and laccase-assisted graft composites. Evidently, 15CA-g-P(3HB-EC composite exhibited resilient antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Moreover, a significant level of biocompatibility and biodegradability of the CA-g-P(3HB-EC composites was also achieved with the human keratinocytes-like HaCaT cells and soil burial evaluation, respectively. In conclusion, the newly developed novel composites with multi characteristics could well represent the new wave of biomaterials for medical applications, and more specifically have promising future in the infection free would dressings, burn and/or skin regeneration field due to their sophisticated characteristics.

The role of catechol-O-methyltransferase in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Suriguga; Li, Xiao-Fei; Li, Yang; Yu, Chun-Hong; Li, Yi-Ran; Yi, Zong-Chun

2013-12-15

Catechol is widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Catechol is also one of phenolic metabolites of benzene in vivo. Our previous study showed that catechol improved erythroid differentiation potency of K562 cells, which was associated with decreased DNA methylation in erythroid specific genes. Catechol is a substrate for the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-mediated methylation. In the present study, the role of COMT in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells was investigated. Benzidine staining showed that exposure to catechol enhanced hemin-induced hemoglobin accumulation and induced mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes in K562 cells. Treatment with catechol caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in guaiacol concentration in the medium of cultured K562 cells. When COMT expression was knocked down by COMT shRNA expression in K562 cells, the production of guaiacol significantly reduced, and the sensitivity of K562 cells to cytotoxicity of catechol significantly increased. Knockdown of COMT expression by COMT shRNA expression also eliminated catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. In addition, the pre-treatment with methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine or its demethylated product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine induced a significant increase in hemin-induced Hb synthesis in K562 cells and the mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes. These findings indicated that O-methylation catalyzed by COMT acted as detoxication of catechol and involved in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells, and the production of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine partly explained catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation. © 2013.

Caffeic Acid Derivatives in Market Available Lamiaceae and Echinacea purpurea Products

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Fresh basil leaves contain chicoric acid, the principal phenolic compound of Echinacea purpurea and purportedly the active ingredient in its dietary supplements. Our group discovered and first reported chicoric acid in basil. This following study examined the distribution of chicoric acid within the...

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (Propolis Extract) Ameliorates Insulin Resistance by Inhibiting JNK and NF-κB Inflammatory Pathways in Diabetic Mice and HepG2 Cell Models.

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Nie, Jiarui; Chang, Yaning; Li, Yujia; Zhou, Yingjun; Qin, Jiawen; Sun, Zhen; Li, Haibin

2017-10-18

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), extracted from propolis, was evaluated for the ameliorative effects on insulin resistance and the mechanisms were identified, using non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) model mice and insulin resistance (IR) model cells. After 5 weeks of CAPE supplementation, insulin sensitivity, hyperlipidemia, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) levels were improved in mice. Proinflammatory cytokines in serum and the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) mRNA in tissues were markedly downregulated from CAPE-treated mice. In vitro, CAPE supplement significantly improved glucose consumption, glucose uptake, glycogen content, and oxidative stress and decreased expression of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) mRNA in cells. Both in vivo and in vitro, CAPE enhanced p-Akt (Ser473) and p-insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 (Tyr612), but inhibited p-JNK (Thr183/Tyr185), p-NF-κB p65 (Ser536), and nuclear translocation of p-NF-κB p65 (Ser536). In summary, CAPE can ameliorate insulin resistance through modulation of JNK and NF-κB signaling pathway in mice and HepG2 cells.

Comparison of bee products based on assays of antioxidant capacities.

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Nakajima, Yoshimi; Tsuruma, Kazuhiro; Shimazawa, Masamitsu; Mishima, Satoshi; Hara, Hideaki

2009-02-26

Bee products (including propolis, royal jelly, and bee pollen) are popular, traditional health foods. We compared antioxidant effects among water and ethanol extracts of Brazilian green propolis (WEP or EEP), its main constituents, water-soluble royal jelly (RJ), and an ethanol extract of bee pollen. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-, superoxide anion (O2.-)-, and hydroxyl radical (HO.)- scavenging capacities of bee products were measured using antioxidant capacity assays that employed the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive probe 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester (CM-H2DCFDA) or aminophenyl fluorescein (APF). The rank order of antioxidant potencies was as follows: WEP > EEP > pollen, but neither RJ nor 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) had any effects. Concerning the main constituents of WEP, the rank order of antioxidant effects was: caffeic acid > artepillin C > drupanin, but neither baccharin nor coumaric acid had any effects. The scavenging effects of caffeic acid were as powerful as those of trolox, but stronger than those of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or vitamin C. On the basis of the present assays, propolis is the most powerful antioxidant of all the bee product examined, and its effect may be partly due to the various caffeic acids it contains. Pollen, too, exhibited strong antioxidant effects.

Phenylethanoid Glycoside Profiles and Antioxidant Activities of Osmanthus fragrans Lour. Flowers by UPLC/PDA/MS and Simulated Digestion Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yirong; Mao, Shuqin; Huang, Weisu; Lu, Baiyi; Cai, Zengxuan; Zhou, Fei; Li, Maiquan; Lou, Tiantian; Zhao, Yajing

2016-03-30

Variations of phenylethanoid glycoside profiles and antioxidant activities in Osmanthus fragrans flowers through the digestive tract were evaluated by a simulated digestion model and UPLC/PDA/MS. Major phenylethanoid glycosides and phenolic acids, namely, salidroside, acteoside, isoacteoside, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid, were identified in four cultivars of O. fragrans flowers, and the concentration of acteoside was the highest, being up to 71.79 mg/g dry weight. After simulated digestion, total phenylethanoid glycoside contents and antioxidant activities were significantly decreased. Acteoside was identified as decomposing into caffeic acid, whereas salidroside was found to be stable during simulated digestion. According to Pearson's correlation analysis, acteoside contents showed good correlations with antioxidant activities during simulated digestion (R(2) = 0.994, P < 0.01). In conclusion, acteoside was the major contributor to the antioxidant activity of O. fragrans flowers, and salidroside was considered as the major antioxidant compound of O. fragrans flowers in vivo.

Caffeic acid attenuates the inflammatory stress induced by glycated LDL in human endothelial cells by mechanisms involving inhibition of AGE-receptor, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

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Toma, Laura; Sanda, Gabriela M; Niculescu, Loredan S; Deleanu, Mariana; Stancu, Camelia S; Sima, Anca V

2017-09-10

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a worldwide epidemic and its atherosclerotic complications determine the high morbidity and mortality of diabetic patients. Caffeic acid (CAF), a phenolic acid present in normal diets, is known for its antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate CAF's anti-inflammatory properties and its mechanism of action, using cultured human endothelial cells (HEC) incubated with glycated low-density lipoproteins (gLDL). Levels of the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), inflammatory stress markers (C reactive protein, CRP; vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, VCAM-1; monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1), and oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) markers were evaluated in gLDL-exposed HEC, in the presence/absence of CAF. RAGE silencing or blocking, specific inhibitors for oxidative stress (apocynin, N-acetyl-cysteine), and ERS (salubrinal) were used. The results showed that: (i) gLDL induced CRP synthesis and secretion through mechanisms involving NADPH oxidase-dependent oxidative stress and ERS in HEC; (ii) gLDL-RAGE interaction, oxidative stress, and ERS stimulated the secretion of VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in HEC; and (iii) CAF reduced the secretion of CRP, VCAM-1, and MCP-1 in gLDL-exposed HEC by inhibiting RAGE expression, oxidative stress, and ERS. In conclusion, CAF might be a promising alternative to ameliorate a wide spectrum of disorders due to its complex mechanisms of action resulting in anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. © 2017 BioFactors, 43(5):685-697, 2017. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

A Picrinine N-Methyltransferase Belongs to a New Family of γ-Tocopherol-Like Methyltransferases Found in Medicinal Plants That Make Biologically Active Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloids1[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Levac, Dylan; Cázares, Paulo; Yu, Fang

2016-01-01

Members of the Apocynaceae plant family produce a large number of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) with different substitution patterns that are responsible for their various biological activities. A novel N-methyltransferase involved in the vindoline pathway in Catharanthus roseus showing distinct similarity to γ-tocopherol C-methyltransferases was used in a bioinformatic screen of transcriptomes from Vinca minor, Rauvolfia serpentina, and C. roseus to identify 10 γ-tocopherol-like N-methyltransferases from a large annotated transcriptome database of different MIA-producing plant species (www.phytometasyn.ca). The biochemical function of two members of this group cloned from V. minor (VmPiNMT) and R. serpentina (RsPiNMT) have been characterized by screening their biochemical activities against potential MIA substrates harvested from the leaf surfaces of MIA-accumulating plants. The approach was validated by identifying the MIA picrinine from leaf surfaces of Amsonia hubrichtii as a substrate of VmPiNMT and RsPiNMT. Recombinant proteins were shown to have high substrate specificity and affinity for picrinine, converting it to N-methylpicrinine (ervincine). Developmental studies with V. minor and R. serpentina showed that RsPiNMT and VmPiNMT gene expression and biochemical activities were highest in younger leaf tissues. The assembly of at least 150 known N-methylated MIAs within members of the Apocynaceae family may have occurred as a result of the evolution of the γ-tocopherol-like N-methyltransferase family from γ-tocopherol methyltransferases. PMID:26848097

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of O-Methyltransferase from Mango Fruit (Mangifera indica cv. Alphonso).

Science.gov (United States)

Chidley, Hemangi G; Oak, Pranjali S; Deshpande, Ashish B; Pujari, Keshav H; Giri, Ashok P; Gupta, Vidya S

2016-05-01

Flavour of ripe Alphonso mango is invariably dominated by the de novo appearance of lactones and furanones during ripening. Of these, furanones comprising furaneol (4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone) and mesifuran (2,5-dimethyl-4-methoxy-3(2H)-furanone) are of particular importance due to their sweet, fruity caramel-like flavour characters and low odour detection thresholds. We isolated a 1056 bp complete open reading frame of a cDNA encoding S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent O-methyltransferase from Alphonso mango. The recombinantly expressed enzyme, MiOMTS showed substrate specificity towards furaneol and protocatechuic aldehyde synthesizing mesifuran and vanillin, respectively, in an in vitro assay reaction. A semi-quantitative PCR analysis showed fruit-specific expression of MiOMTS transcripts. Quantitative real-time PCR displayed ripening-related expression pattern of MiOMTS in both pulp and skin of Alphonso mango. Also, early and significantly enhanced accumulation of its transcripts was detected in pulp and skin of ethylene-treated fruits. Ripening-related and fruit-specific expression profile of MiOMTS and substrate specificity towards furaneol is a suggestive of its involvement in the synthesis of mesifuran in Alphonso mango. Moreover, a significant trigger in the expression of MiOMTS transcripts in ethylene-treated fruits point towards the transcriptional regulation of mesifuran biosynthesis by ethylene.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase val158met polymorphism predicts placebo effect in irritable bowel syndrome.

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Kathryn T Hall

Full Text Available Identifying patients who are potential placebo responders has major implications for clinical practice and trial design. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT, an important enzyme in dopamine catabolism plays a key role in processes associated with the placebo effect such as reward, pain, memory and learning. We hypothesized that the COMT functional val158met polymorphism, was a predictor of placebo effects and tested our hypothesis in a subset of 104 patients from a previously reported randomized controlled trial in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS. The three treatment arms from this study were: no-treatment ("waitlist", placebo treatment alone ("limited" and, placebo treatment "augmented" with a supportive patient-health care provider interaction. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline in IBS-Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS after three weeks of treatment. In a regression model, the number of methionine alleles in COMT val158met was linearly related to placebo response as measured by changes in IBS-SSS (p = .035. The strongest placebo response occurred in met/met homozygotes treated in the augmented placebo arm. A smaller met/met associated effect was observed with limited placebo treatment and there was no effect in the waitlist control. These data support our hypothesis that the COMT val158met polymorphism is a potential biomarker of placebo response.

Analysis of Oxidative Stress Status, Catalase and Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Polymorphisms in Egyptian Vitiligo Patients

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Mehaney, Dina A.; Darwish, Hebatallah A.; Hegazy, Rehab A.; Nooh, Mohammed M.; Tawdy, Amira M.; Gawdat, Heba I.; El-Sawalhi, Maha M.

2014-01-01

Vitiligo is the most common depigmentation disorder of the skin. Oxidative stress is implicated as one of the probable events involved in vitiligo pathogenesis possibly contributing to melanocyte destruction. Evidence indicates that certain genes including those involved in oxidative stress and melanin synthesis are crucial for development of vitiligo. This study evaluates the oxidative stress status, the role of catalase (CAT) and catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms in the etiology of generalized vitiligo in Egyptians. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as well as CAT exon 9 T/C and COMT 158 G/A polymorphisms were determined in 89 patients and 90 age and sex-matched controls. Our results showed significantly lower TAC along with higher MDA levels in vitiligo patients compared with controls. Meanwhile, genotype and allele distributions of CAT and COMT polymorphisms in cases were not significantly different from those of controls. Moreover, we found no association between both polymorphisms and vitiligo susceptibility. In conclusion, the enhanced oxidative stress with the lack of association between CAT and COMT polymorphisms and susceptibility to vitiligo in our patients suggest that mutations in other genes related to the oxidative pathway might contribute to the etiology of generalized vitiligo in Egyptian population. PMID:24915010

Analysis of oxidative stress status, catalase and catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms in Egyptian vitiligo patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dina A Mehaney

Full Text Available Vitiligo is the most common depigmentation disorder of the skin. Oxidative stress is implicated as one of the probable events involved in vitiligo pathogenesis possibly contributing to melanocyte destruction. Evidence indicates that certain genes including those involved in oxidative stress and melanin synthesis are crucial for development of vitiligo. This study evaluates the oxidative stress status, the role of catalase (CAT and catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT gene polymorphisms in the etiology of generalized vitiligo in Egyptians. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC and malondialdehyde (MDA levels as well as CAT exon 9 T/C and COMT 158 G/A polymorphisms were determined in 89 patients and 90 age and sex-matched controls. Our results showed significantly lower TAC along with higher MDA levels in vitiligo patients compared with controls. Meanwhile, genotype and allele distributions of CAT and COMT polymorphisms in cases were not significantly different from those of controls. Moreover, we found no association between both polymorphisms and vitiligo susceptibility. In conclusion, the enhanced oxidative stress with the lack of association between CAT and COMT polymorphisms and susceptibility to vitiligo in our patients suggest that mutations in other genes related to the oxidative pathway might contribute to the etiology of generalized vitiligo in Egyptian population.

Involvement of methyltransferases enzymes during the energy

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mgina

INVOLVEMENT OF METHYLTRANSFERASES ENZYMES DURING THE. ENERGY METABOLISM OF ..... cell extract still exhibited relatively high methanogenesis with methanol (Fig ... product CH3-CoM into methane (see Fig. 1). The HS-CoM ...

Rational design of human metapneumovirus live attenuated vaccine candidates by inhibiting viral mRNA cap methyltransferase.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Wei, Yongwei; Zhang, Xiaodong; Cai, Hui; Niewiesk, Stefan; Li, Jianrong

2014-10-01

The paramyxoviruses human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV3) are responsible for the majority of pediatric respiratory diseases and inflict significant economic loss, health care costs, and emotional burdens. Despite major efforts, there are no vaccines available for these viruses. The conserved region VI (CR VI) of the large (L) polymerase proteins of paramyxoviruses catalyzes methyltransferase (MTase) activities that typically methylate viral mRNAs at positions guanine N-7 (G-N-7) and ribose 2'-O. In this study, we generated a panel of recombinant hMPVs carrying mutations in the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) binding site in CR VI of L protein. These recombinant viruses were specifically defective in ribose 2'-O methylation but not G-N-7 methylation and were genetically stable and highly attenuated in cell culture and viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tracts of cotton rats. Importantly, vaccination of cotton rats with these recombinant hMPVs (rhMPVs) with defective MTases triggered a high level of neutralizing antibody, and the rats were completely protected from challenge with wild-type rhMPV. Collectively, our results indicate that (i) amino acid residues in the SAM binding site in the hMPV L protein are essential for 2'-O methylation and (ii) inhibition of mRNA cap MTase can serve as a novel target to rationally design live attenuated vaccines for hMPV and perhaps other paramyxoviruses, such as hRSV and hPIV3. Human paramyxoviruses, including hRSV, hMPV, and hPIV3, cause the majority of acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections in humans, particularly in infants, children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine available. A formalin-inactivated vaccine is not suitable for these viruses because it causes enhanced lung damage upon reinfection with the same virus. A live attenuated vaccine is the most promising

The flavonoid constituents of Leucaena Leucocephala growning in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... Leucaena leucocephala were identified as Caffeic acid, Isorhamnetin, Chrysoeriol, Isorhamnetin 3-O-galactoside, Kaempferol-3-O-rubinoside, Quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside and Luteolin-7-glucoside. Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were identified by TLC, PC and spectral techniques (UV, 1H -NMR and MS).

Effects of acute dopamine precusor depletion on immediate reward selection bias and working memory depend on catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelm, Mary Katherine; Boettiger, Charlotte A

2013-12-01

Little agreement exists as to acute dopamine (DA) manipulation effects on intertemporal choice in humans. We previously found that catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met genotype predicts individual differences in immediate reward selection bias among adults. Moreover, we and others have shown that the relationship between COMT genotype and immediate reward bias is inverted in adolescents. No previous pharmacology studies testing DA manipulation effects on intertemporal choice have accounted for COMT genotype, and many have included participants in the adolescent age range (18-21 years) as adults. Moreover, many studies have included female participants without strict cycle phase control, although recent evidence demonstrates that cyclic estradiol elevations interact with COMT genotype to affect DA-dependent cognition. These factors may have interacted with DA manipulations in past studies, potentially occluding detection of effects. Therefore, we predicted that, among healthy male adults (ages 22-40 years), frontal DA tone, as indexed by COMT genotype, would interact with acute changes in DA signaling to affect intertemporal choice. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, we decreased central DA via administration of an amino acid beverage deficient in the DA precursors, phenylalanine and tyrosine, and tested effects on immediate reward bias in a delay-discounting (DD) task and working memory (WM) in an n-back task. We found no main effect of beverage on DD or WM performance but did find significant beverage*genotype effects. These results suggest that the effect of DA manipulations on DD depends on individual differences in frontal DA tone, which may have impeded some past efforts to characterize DA's role in immediate reward bias in humans.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype affects cognitive control during total sleep deprivation.

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Satterfield, Brieann C; Hinson, John M; Whitney, Paul; Schmidt, Michelle A; Wisor, Jonathan P; Van Dongen, Hans P A

2018-02-01

Adaptive decision making is profoundly impaired by total sleep deprivation (TSD). This suggests that TSD impacts fronto-striatal pathways involved in cognitive control, where dopamine is a key neuromodulator. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC), dopamine is catabolized by the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). A functional polymorphism (Val158Met) influences COMT's enzymatic activity, resulting in markedly different levels of prefrontal dopamine. We investigated the effect of this polymorphism on adaptive decision making during TSD. Sixty-six healthy young adults participated in one of two in-laboratory studies. After a baseline day, subjects were randomized to either a TSD group (n = 32) with 38 h or 62 h of extended wakefulness or a well-rested control group (n = 34) with 10 h nighttime sleep opportunities. Subjects performed a go/no-go reversal learning (GNGr) task at well-rested baseline and again during TSD or equivalent control. During the task, subjects were required to learn stimulus-response relationships from accuracy feedback. The stimulus-response relationships were reversed halfway through the task, which required subjects to learn the new stimulus-response relationships from accuracy feedback. Performance on the GNGr task was quantified by discriminability (d') between go and no-go stimuli before and after the stimulus-response reversal. GNGr performance did not differ between COMT genotypes when subjects were well-rested. However, TSD exposed a significant vulnerability to adaptive decision making impairment in subjects with the Val allele. Our results indicate that sleep deprivation degrades cognitive control through a fronto-striatal, dopaminergic mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyphenolic Profile and Bioactivity Study of Oenothera speciosa Nutt. Aerial Parts

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Siham M. El-Shenawy

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Two new flavonol glycosides, myricetin 4'-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1 and quercetin 3'-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (2, together with a novel biflavonol compound, speciin (3, as well as eleven phenolic metabolites, namely myricitrin (4, europetin 3-O-α-L-1C4-rhamnopyranoside (5, quercitrin (6, hyperin (7, rhamnetin 3-O-β-galacto-pyranoside (8, caffeic acid (9, caffeic acid methyl ester (10, chlorogenic acid (11, chlorogenic acid methyl ester (12, gallic acid (13 and gallic acid methyl ester (14, were identified from the 80 % methanol extract of the aerial parts (leaves and stems of Oenothera speciosa Nutt. (Onagraceae. In addition myricetin (15, quercetin (16 and ellagic acid (17 were identified from the chloroform extract. The structures were established depending on their chemical and physical analyses (UV, HR-ESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. It was found that 80 % aqueous methanol extract of O. speciosa is non-toxic to mice up to 5 g kg-1b.wt. The investigated extract exhibited significant antihyperglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activities in a dose dependant manner. Also, the 80 % methanol extract, myricitrin(4 and hyperin(7 showed potent antioxidant activity in vitro using 1,1-diphenyl 2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH radical assay.

Polyphenolic profile and bioactivity study of Oenothera speciosa Nutt. aerial parts.

Science.gov (United States)

Marzouk, Mohamed S; Moharram, Fatma A; El Dib, Rabab A; El-Shenawy, Siham M; Tawfike, Ahmed F

2009-04-07

Two new flavonol glycosides, myricetin 4'-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (1) and quercetin 3'-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), together with a novel biflavonol compound, speciin (3), as well as eleven phenolic metabolites, namely myricitrin (4), europetin 3-O-alpha-L-(1)C(4)-rhamnopyranoside (5), quercitrin (6), hyperin (7), rhamnetin 3-O-beta-galacto-pyranoside (8), caffeic acid (9), caffeic acid methyl ester (10), chlorogenic acid (11), chlorogenic acid methyl ester (12), gallic acid (13) and gallic acid methyl ester (14), were identified from the 80 % methanol extract of the aerial parts (leaves and stems) of Oenothera speciosa Nutt. (Onagraceae). In addition myricetin (15), quercetin (16) and ellagic acid (17) were identified from the chloroform extract. The structures were established depending on their chemical and physical analyses (UV, HR-ESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). It was found that 80 % aqueous methanol extract of O. speciosa is non-toxic to mice up to 5 g kg(-1)b wt. The investigated extract exhibited significant antihyperglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activities in a dose dependant manner. Also, the 80 % methanol extract, myricitrin(4) and hyperin(7) showed potent antioxidant activity in vitro using 1,1-diphenyl 2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay.

Metabolomic profiles of arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase knockout mice: Effect of sex and arsenic exposure

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Huang, Madelyn C.; Douillet, Christelle; Su, Mingming; Zhou, Kejun; Wu, Tao; Chen, Wenlian; Galanko, Joseph A.; Drobná, Zuzana; Saunders, R. Jesse; Martin, Elizabeth; Fry, Rebecca C.; Jia, Wei; Stýblo, Miroslav

2016-01-01

Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3mt) is the key enzyme in the pathway for methylation of inorganic arsenic (iAs). Altered As3mt expression and AS3MT polymorphism have been linked to changes in iAs metabolism and in susceptibility to iAs toxicity in laboratory models and in humans. As3mt-knockout mice have been used to study the association between iAs metabolism and adverse effects of iAs exposure. However, little is known about systemic changes in metabolism of these mice and how these changes lead to their increased susceptibility to iAs toxicity. Here, we compared plasma and urinary metabolomes of male and female wild-type (WT) and As3mt-KO (KO) C57BL6 mice and examined metabolomic shifts associated with iAs exposure in drinking water. Surprisingly, exposure to 1 ppm As elicited only small changes in the metabolite profiles of either WT or KO mice. In contrast, comparisons of KO mice with WT mice revealed significant differences in plasma and urinary metabolites associated with lipid (phosphatidylcholines, cytidine, acyl-carnitine), amino acid (hippuric acid, acetylglycine, urea), and carbohydrate (L-sorbose, galactonic acid, gluconic acid) metabolism. Notably, most of these differences were sex-specific. Sex-specific differences were also found between WT and KO mice in plasma triglyceride and lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Some of the differentially changed metabolites (phosphatidylcholines, carnosine, and sarcosine) are substrates or products of reactions catalyzed by other methyltransferases. These results suggest that As3mt KO alters major metabolic pathways in a sex-specific manner, independent of iAs treatment, and that As3mt may be involved in other cellular processes beyond iAs methylation. PMID:26883664

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppresses melanoma tumor growth by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/XIAP pathway.

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Pramanik, Kartick C; Kudugunti, Shashi K; Fofaria, Neel M; Moridani, Majid Y; Srivastava, Sanjay K

2013-09-01

Melanoma is highly metastatic and resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. Our previous studies have demonstrated that caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) suppresses the growth of melanoma cells and induces reactive oxygen species generation. However, the exact mechanism of the growth suppressive effects of CAPE was not clear. Here, we determined the potential mechanism of CAPE against melanoma in vivo and in vitro. Administration of 10 mg/kg/day CAPE substantially suppressed the growth of B16F0 tumor xenografts in C57BL/6 mice. Tumors from CAPE-treated mice showed reduced phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, AKT, mammalian target of rapamycin and protein level of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and enhanced the cleavage of caspase-3 and poly (ADP ribose) polymerase. In order to confirm the in vivo observations, melanoma cells were treated with CAPE. CAPE treatment suppressed the activating phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase at Tyr 458, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 at Ser 241, mammalian target of rapamycin at Ser 2448 and AKT at Ser 473 in B16F0 and SK-MEL-28 cells in a concentration and time-dependent study. Furthermore, the expression of XIAP, survivin and BCL-2 was downregulated by CAPE treatment in both cell lines. Significant apoptosis was observed by CAPE treatment as indicated by cleavage of caspase-3 and poly (ADP ribose) polymerase. AKT kinase activity was inhibited by CAPE in a concentration-dependent manner. CAPE treatment increased the nuclear translocation of XIAP, indicating increased apoptosis in melanoma cells. To confirm the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the inhibition of AKT/XIAP pathway, cells were treated with antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) prior to CAPE treatment. Our results indicate that NAC blocked CAPE-mediated AKT/XIAP inhibition and protected the cells from apoptosis. Because AKT regulates XIAP, their interaction was examined by immunoprecipitation studies. Our results show that CAPE

Bioactive components from flowers of Sambucus nigra L. increase glucose uptake in primary porcine myotube cultures and reduce fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bhattacharya, Sumangala; Christensen, Kathrine Bisgaard; Olsen, Louise Cathrine Braun

2013-01-01

, kaempferol, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and caffeic acid increased GU significantly. FAc was significantly reduced in C. elegans, when treated with elderflower extracts, their fractions and the metabolites naringenin, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-5″-acetylglycoside...... elegans. Bioassay guided chromatographic fractionations of extracts and fractions resulted in the identification of naringenin and 5-O- caffeoylquinic acid exhibiting a significant increase in GU. In addition, phenolic compounds related to those found in elderflowers were also tested, and among these...

Conversion of hydroxycinnamic acids into volatile phenols in a synthetic medium and in red wine by Dekkera bruxellensis

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Maria João Cabrita

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The conversion of p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid into 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylcatechol was studied in Dekkera bruxellensis ISA 1791 under defined conditions in a synthetic medium and in a red wine. Liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD was used to quantify the phenolic acids, and gas chromatography (GC coupled to a FID detector was used to quantify volatile phenols using a novel analytical methodology that does not require sample derivatization. Identification was achieved by gas chromatography-mass detection (GC-MS. The results show that phenolic acids concentration decreases while volatile phenols concentration increases. The proportion of caffeic acid taken up by Dekkera bruxellensis is lower than that for p-coumaric or ferulic acid; therefore less 4-ethylcatechol is formed. More important, 4-ethylcathecol synthesis by Dekkera bruxellensis in wine has never been demonstrated so far. These results contribute decisively to a better understanding of the origin of the volatile phenols in wines. The accumulation of these compounds in wine is nowadays regarded as one of the key factors of quality control.

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met genotype modulates working memory-related dorsolateral prefrontal response and performance in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miskowiak, K. W.; Kjærstad, H. L.; Støttrup, M. M.

2017-01-01

prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) (P=.016). Exploratory whole-brain analysis revealed a bilateral decrease in working memory-related dlPFC activity in the ValVal group vs the ValMet group which was not associated with differences in working memory performance during fMRI. Outside the MRI scanner, Val carriers...... performed worse in the CANTAB Spatial Working Memory task than Met homozygotes (P≤.006), with deficits being most pronounced in Val homozygotes. CONCLUSIONS: The association between Val allelic load, dlPFC activity and WM impairment points to a putative role of aberrant PFC dopamine tonus in the cognitive......-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with reduced prefrontal cortex dopamine and exaggerated working memory-related prefrontal activity. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated for the first time whether the COMT Val158Met genotype modulates prefrontal activity during spatial working...

Antifungal activity of secondary plant metabolites from potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.): Glycoalkaloids and phenolic acids show synergistic effects.

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Sánchez-Maldonado, A F; Schieber, A; Gänzle, M G

2016-04-01

To study the antifungal effects of the potato secondary metabolites α-solanine, α-chaconine, solanidine and caffeic acid, alone or combined. Resistance to glycoalkaloids varied among the fungal species tested, as derived from minimum inhibitory concentrations assays. Synergistic antifungal activity between glycoalkaloids and phenolic compounds was found. Changes in the fluidity of fungal membranes caused by potato secondary plant metabolites were determined by calculation of the generalized polarization values. The results partially explained the synergistic effect between caffeic acid and α-chaconine and supported findings on membrane disruption mechanisms from previous studies on artificial membranes. LC/MS analysis was used to determine variability and relative amounts of sterols in the different fungal species. Results suggested that the sterol pattern of fungi is related to their resistance to potato glycoalkaloids and to their taxonomy. Fungal resistance to α-chaconine and possibly other glycoalkaloids is species dependent. α-Chaconine and caffeic acid show synergistic antifungal activity. The taxonomic classification and the sterol pattern play a role in fungal resistance to glycoalkaloids. Results improve the understanding of the antifungal mode of action of potato secondary metabolites, which is essential for their potential utilization as antifungal agents in nonfood systems. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

HPLC determination of phenolic acids, flavonoids and juglone in walnut leaves.

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Nour, Violeta; Trandafir, Ion; Cosmulescu, Sina

2013-10-01

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with gradient elution and diode-array detection was developed to quantify free phenolic acids (gallic, vanillic, chlorogenic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, salycilic, elagic and trans-cinnamic), flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, rutin, myricetin and quercetin) and juglone in walnut leaves. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Hypersil Gold C18 column (5 µm particle size, 250 × 4.6 mm) and detection was conducted at three different wavelengths (254, 278 and 300 nm) according to the absorption maxima of the analyzed compounds. Validation procedures were conducted and the method was proven to be precise, accurate and sensitive. The developed method has been applied to analyze walnut leaves samples from nine different cultivars, with the same agricultural, geographical and climatic conditions. The experimental results revealed high concentrations of myricetin, catechin hydrate and rutin, and low concentrations of quercetin and epicatechin aglycones. Ellagic acid was established as the dominating phenolic acid of walnut leaves, followed by trans-cinnamic, chlorogenic and caffeic acids. Juglone content varied between 44.55 and 205.12 mg/100 g fresh weight. Significant differences were detected among cultivars for the concentration levels of phenolics.

Investigations on some metabolites of Tecoma stans Juss. callus tissue. Part III. Chromatographical search for iridoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids and sugars

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Barbara Dohnal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tissus cultures of Tecoma stans Juss. cultivated on modified Murashige-Skoog medium (RT-k were phytochemically analysed by means of chromatographical methods (PC, TLC. The following products were found as metabolites: phenolic acids - chlorogenics, caffeic, ferulic, vanillic, o-coumaric and sinapic; steroids - β-sitosterol; triterpenes - ursolic and oleanolic acids, α-amyrine; sugars - glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose. Meso-inositol was isolated in 0.8% yield. In intact plant leaves, some differences concerning the content and/or number of individual compounds were observed, namely: lack of sinapic acid and occurrence of p-coumaric acid, lower content of β-sitosterol, lack of oleanolic acid, occurrence of β-amyrine and of one unidentified triterpenoid, lack of xylose, occurrence of maltose, raffinose, and stachiose. The level of mesoinositol inn leaves was distincly lower than in the callus tissues. Neither in callus tissues nor in leaves iridoid glycosides were found.

Isolation of DNA methyltransferase from plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrlich, K.; Malbroue, C.

1987-01-01

DNA methyltransferases (DMT) were isolated from nuclei of cauliflower, soybean, and pea by extraction with 0.35 M NaCl. Assays were performed on hemimethylated Micrococcus luteus DNA or on M. luteus DNA to test for maintenance or de novo methylase activity, respectively. Fully methylated DNA was used as a substrate to determine background levels of methylation. Based on these tests, yields of maintenance DMT activity in the crude extract from pea hypocotyl, soybean hypocotyl, and cauliflower inflorescence were 2.8, 0.9, and 1.6 units per g wet tissue (one unit equals 1 pmol of methyl from [ 3 H]AdoMet incorporated into acid precipitable material per h at 30 0 ). Two peaks of DMT activity were detected in the soybean nuclear extract following phosphocellulose chromatography. One eluted at 0.4 M and the other at 0.8 M KCl. With both fractions maintenance activity was approximately 2 times that of the de novo activity. Using gel filtration the DMT eluted at 220,000 Daltons. The optimal pH for activity was between 6.5 and 7.0, and the optimal temperature was 30 0

Flavivirus methyltransferase as target for virus treatment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krafčíková, Petra; Chalupská, Dominika; Hercík, Kamil; Nencka, Radim; Bouřa, Evžen

2017-01-01

Roč. 284, Suppl 1 (2017), s. 216-217 ISSN 1742-464X. [FEBS Congress /42./ From Molecules to Cells and Back. 10.09.2017-14.09.2017, Jerusalem] Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : flavivirus methyltransferase * antivirals Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

Production of Two Novel Methoxy-Isoflavones from Biotransformation of 8-Hydroxydaidzein by Recombinant Escherichia coli Expressing O-Methyltransferase SpOMT2884 from Streptomyces peucetius

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Chiang, Chien-Min; Ding, Hsiou-Yu; Tsai, Ya-Ting; Chang, Te-Sheng

2015-01-01

Biotransformation of 8-hydroxydaidzein by recombinant Escherichia coli expressing O-methyltransferase (OMT) SpOMT2884 from Streptomyces peucetius was investigated. Two metabolites were isolated and identified as 7,4′-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-isoflavone (1) and 8,4′-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-isoflavone (2), based on mass, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 13C-NMR spectrophotometric analysis. The maximum production yields of compound (1) and (2) in a 5-L fermenter were 9.3 mg/L and 6.0 mg/L, respectively. The two methoxy-isoflavones showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects on melanogenesis in cultured B16 melanoma cells under non-toxic conditions. Among the effects, compound (1) decreased melanogenesis to 63.5% of the control at 25 μM. This is the first report on the 8-O-methylation activity of OMT toward isoflavones. In addition, the present study also first identified compound (1) with potent melanogenesis inhibitory activity. PMID:26610478

An unusual caffeic acid derived bicyclic [2.2.2] octane lignan and other constituents from Cordia rufescens.

Science.gov (United States)

do Vale, Ademir E; David, Jorge M; dos Santos, Edlene O; David, Juceni P; e Silva, Lidercia C R C; Bahia, Marcus V; Brandão, Hugo N

2012-04-01

This work reports isolation of an unusual lignan with a bicyclic [2.2.2] octene skeleton, named rufescenolide (1), from stems of Cordia rufescens, along with β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, syringaldehyde, 3-β-O-D-glucopyranosyl-sitosterol, methyl caffeate, 4-methoxy-protocatechuic acid and methyl rosmarinate. Structural characterizations employed IR spectroscopic, ESIHRMS and mono and dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant properties and efficacies of synthesized alkyl caffeates, ferulates, and coumarates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke; Durand, Erwann; Laguerre, Mickaël

2014-01-01

Caffeic, ferulic, and coumaric acids were lipophilized with saturated fatty alcohols (C1-C20). The antioxidant properties of these hydroxycinnamic acids and their alkyl esters were evaluated in various assays. Furthermore, the antioxidant efficiency of the compounds was evaluated in a simple o/w ...

Graphene oxide for solid-phase extraction of bioactive phenolic acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xiudan; Wang, Xusheng; Sun, Yingxin; Wang, Licheng; Guo, Yong

2017-05-01

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method for the efficient analysis of trace phenolic acids (PAs, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid, cinnamic acid) in urine was established. In this work, a graphene oxide (GO) coating was grafted onto pure silica to be investigated as SPE material. The prepared GO surface had a layered and wrinkled structure that was rough and well organized, which could provide more open adsorption sites. Owing to its hydrophilicity and polarity, GO showed higher extraction efficiency toward PAs than reduced GO did, in agreement with the theoretical calculation results performed by Gaussian 09 software. The adsorption mechanism of PAs on GO@Sil was also investigated through static state and kinetic state adsorption experiments, which showed a monolayer surface adsorption. Extraction capacity of the as-prepared material was optimized using the response surface methodology. Under the optimized conditions, the as-established method provided wide linearity range (2-50 μg L -1 for protocatechuic acid and 1-50 μg L -1 for caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and cinnamic acid) and low limits of detection (0.25-1 μg L -1 ). Finally, the established method was applied for the analysis of urine from two healthy volunteers. The results indicate that the prepared material is a practical, cost-effective medium for the extraction and determination of phenolic acids in complex matrices. Graphical Abstract A graphene oxide coating was grafted onto pure silica as the SPE material for the extraction of phenolic acids in urines and the extraction mechanism was also mainly investigated.

Improved radioenzymatic assay for plasma norepinephrine using purified phenylethanolamine n-methyltransferase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowsher, R.R.; Henry, D.P.

1986-01-01

Radioenzymatic assays have been developed for catecholamines using either catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) or phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT). Assays using PNMT are specific for norepinephrine (NE) and require minimal manipulative effort but until now have been less sensitive than the more complex procedures using COMT. The authors report an improved purification scheme for bovine PNMT which has permitted development of an NE assay with dramatically improved sensitivity (0.5 pg), specificity and reproducibility (C.V. < 5%). PNMT was purified by sequential pH 5.0 treatment and dialysis and by column chromatographic procedures using DEAE-Sephacel, Sepharcryl S-200 and Phenyl-Boronate Agarose. Recovery of PNMT through the purification scheme was 50%, while blank recovery was <.001%. NE can be directly quantified in 25 ul of human plasma and an 80 tube assay can be completed within 4 h. The capillary to venous plasma NE gradient was examined in 8 normotensive male subjects. Capillary plasma (NE (211.2 +/- 61.3 pg/ml)) was lower than venous plasma NE (366.6 +/- 92.5 pg/ml) in all subjects (p < 0.005). This difference suggests that capillary (NE) may be a unique indicator of sympathetic nervous system activity in vivo. In conclusion, purification of PNMT has facilitated development of an improved radioenzymatic for NE with significantly improved sensitivity

Comparison of bee products based on assays of antioxidant capacities

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Mishima Satoshi

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bee products (including propolis, royal jelly, and bee pollen are popular, traditional health foods. We compared antioxidant effects among water and ethanol extracts of Brazilian green propolis (WEP or EEP, its main constituents, water-soluble royal jelly (RJ, and an ethanol extract of bee pollen. Methods The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2-, superoxide anion (O2·--, and hydroxyl radical (HO·- scavenging capacities of bee products were measured using antioxidant capacity assays that employed the reactive oxygen species (ROS-sensitive probe 5-(and-6-chloromethyl-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, acetyl ester (CM-H2DCFDA or aminophenyl fluorescein (APF. Results The rank order of antioxidant potencies was as follows: WEP > EEP > pollen, but neither RJ nor 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA had any effects. Concerning the main constituents of WEP, the rank order of antioxidant effects was: caffeic acid > artepillin C > drupanin, but neither baccharin nor coumaric acid had any effects. The scavenging effects of caffeic acid were as powerful as those of trolox, but stronger than those of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC or vitamin C. Conclusion On the basis of the present assays, propolis is the most powerful antioxidant of all the bee product examined, and its effect may be partly due to the various caffeic acids it contains. Pollen, too, exhibited strong antioxidant effects.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val(158)Met association with parahippocampal physiology during memory encoding in schizophrenia.

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Di Giorgio, A; Caforio, G; Blasi, G; Taurisano, P; Fazio, L; Romano, R; Ursini, G; Gelao, B; Bianco, L Lo; Papazacharias, A; Sinibaldi, L; Popolizio, T; Bellomo, A; Bertolino, A

2011-08-01

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met has been associated with activity of the mesial temporal lobe during episodic memory and it may weakly increase risk for schizophrenia. However, how this variant affects parahippocampal and hippocampal physiology when dopamine transmission is perturbed is unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of the COMT Val158Met genotype on parahippocampal and hippocampal physiology during encoding of recognition memory in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy subjects. Using blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we studied 28 patients with schizophrenia and 33 healthy subjects matched for a series of sociodemographic and genetic variables while they performed a recognition memory task. We found that healthy subjects had greater parahippocampal and hippocampal activity during memory encoding compared to patients with schizophrenia. We also found different activity of the parahippocampal region between healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia as a function of the COMT genotype, in that the predicted COMT Met allele dose effect had an opposite direction in controls and patients. Our results demonstrate a COMT Val158Met genotype by diagnosis interaction in parahippocampal activity during memory encoding and may suggest that modulation of dopamine signaling interacts with other disease-related processes in determining the phenotype of parahippocampal physiology in schizophrenia. © Cambridge University Press 2010

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype biases neural correlates of empathy and perceived personal distress in schizophrenia.

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Poletti, Sara; Radaelli, Daniele; Cavallaro, Roberto; Bosia, Marta; Lorenzi, Cristina; Pirovano, Adele; Smeraldi, Enrico; Benedetti, Francesco

2013-02-01

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(108/158)Met polymorphism (rs4680) influences enzyme activity with valine (Val) allele associated with higher enzymatic activity. Several studies suggest that factors influencing dopaminergic transmission could control response to stressful situations. Empathy is an essential element of human behavior, requires the ability to adopt another person's perspective, and has been found to be dysfunctional in schizophrenia. Twenty-eight schizophrenic patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging performing an empathy task. Perceived empathy has been evaluated with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. An effect of COMT on perceived distress subscale has been shown, with methionine (Met)/Met subjects reporting lower rates of stress compared with Val/Val. Moreover, imaging results showed an effect of genotype on empathy processing in the anterior cingulate with Val/Val subjects showing the lowest activation. This is the first study of the effect of rs4680 on interpersonal distress and neural correlates of empathy in schizophrenia. We found a decrease in neural responses in areas that ensure a cognitive control of emotion that is paralleled by perceived distress in interpersonal situation; this functional pattern seems to be influenced by rs4680 COMT polymorphism. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting 16S rRNA Methyltransferases in Enterobacteriaceae by Use of Arbekacin.

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McGann, Patrick; Chahine, Sarah; Okafor, Darius; Ong, Ana C; Maybank, Rosslyn; Kwak, Yoon I; Wilson, Kerry; Zapor, Michael; Lesho, Emil; Hinkle, Mary

2016-01-01

16S rRNA methyltransferases confer resistance to most aminoglycosides, but discriminating their activity from that of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs) is challenging using phenotypic methods. We demonstrate that arbekacin, an aminoglycoside refractory to most AMEs, can rapidly detect 16S methyltransferase activity in Enterobacteriaceae with high specificity using the standard disk susceptibility test. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The role of catechol-O-methyltransferase in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells

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Suriguga,; Li, Xiao-Fei; Li, Yang; Yu, Chun-Hong; Li, Yi-Ran; Yi, Zong-Chun, E-mail: yizc@buaa.edu.cn

2013-12-15

Catechol is widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Catechol is also one of phenolic metabolites of benzene in vivo. Our previous study showed that catechol improved erythroid differentiation potency of K562 cells, which was associated with decreased DNA methylation in erythroid specific genes. Catechol is a substrate for the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-mediated methylation. In the present study, the role of COMT in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells was investigated. Benzidine staining showed that exposure to catechol enhanced hemin-induced hemoglobin accumulation and induced mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes in K562 cells. Treatment with catechol caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in guaiacol concentration in the medium of cultured K562 cells. When COMT expression was knocked down by COMT shRNA expression in K562 cells, the production of guaiacol significantly reduced, and the sensitivity of K562 cells to cytotoxicity of catechol significantly increased. Knockdown of COMT expression by COMT shRNA expression also eliminated catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. In addition, the pre-treatment with methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine or its demethylated product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine induced a significant increase in hemin-induced Hb synthesis in K562 cells and the mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes. These findings indicated that O-methylation catalyzed by COMT acted as detoxication of catechol and involved in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells, and the production of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine partly explained catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation. - Highlights: • Catechol enhanced hemin-induced hemoglobin accumulation. • COMT-catalyzed methylation acted as detoxication of catechol. • COMT involved in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation.

The role of catechol-O-methyltransferase in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suriguga,; Li, Xiao-Fei; Li, Yang; Yu, Chun-Hong; Li, Yi-Ran; Yi, Zong-Chun

2013-01-01

Catechol is widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Catechol is also one of phenolic metabolites of benzene in vivo. Our previous study showed that catechol improved erythroid differentiation potency of K562 cells, which was associated with decreased DNA methylation in erythroid specific genes. Catechol is a substrate for the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-mediated methylation. In the present study, the role of COMT in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells was investigated. Benzidine staining showed that exposure to catechol enhanced hemin-induced hemoglobin accumulation and induced mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes in K562 cells. Treatment with catechol caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in guaiacol concentration in the medium of cultured K562 cells. When COMT expression was knocked down by COMT shRNA expression in K562 cells, the production of guaiacol significantly reduced, and the sensitivity of K562 cells to cytotoxicity of catechol significantly increased. Knockdown of COMT expression by COMT shRNA expression also eliminated catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. In addition, the pre-treatment with methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine or its demethylated product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine induced a significant increase in hemin-induced Hb synthesis in K562 cells and the mRNA expression of erythroid specific genes. These findings indicated that O-methylation catalyzed by COMT acted as detoxication of catechol and involved in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation of K562 cells, and the production of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine partly explained catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation. - Highlights: • Catechol enhanced hemin-induced hemoglobin accumulation. • COMT-catalyzed methylation acted as detoxication of catechol. • COMT involved in catechol-enhanced erythroid differentiation

Nitrogen Limited Red and Green Leaf Lettuce Accumulate Flavonoid Glycosides, Caffeic Acid Derivatives, and Sucrose while Losing Chlorophylls, Β-Carotene and Xanthophylls.

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Becker, Christine; Urlić, Branimir; Jukić Špika, Maja; Kläring, Hans-Peter; Krumbein, Angelika; Baldermann, Susanne; Goreta Ban, Smiljana; Perica, Slavko; Schwarz, Dietmar

2015-01-01

Reduction of nitrogen application in crop production is desirable for ecological and health-related reasons. Interestingly, nitrogen deficiency can lead to enhanced concentrations of polyphenols in plants. The reason for this is still under discussion. The plants' response to low nitrogen concentration can interact with other factors, for example radiation intensity. We cultivated red and green leaf lettuce hydroponically in a Mediterranean greenhouse, supplying three different levels of nitrogen (12 mM, 3 mM, 0.75 mM), either in full or reduced (-50%) radiation intensity. In both red and green lettuce, we found clear effects of the nitrogen treatments on growth characteristics, phenolic and photosynthetic compounds, nitrogen, nitrate and carbon concentration of the plants. Interestingly, the concentrations of all main flavonoid glycosides, caffeic acid derivatives, and sucrose increased with decreasing nitrogen concentration, whereas those of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, lactucaxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin decreased. The constitutive concentrations of polyphenols were lower in the green cultivar, but their relative increase was more pronounced than in the red cultivar. The constitutive concentrations of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin were similar in red and green lettuce and with decreasing nitrogen concentration they declined to a similar extent in both cultivars. We only detected little influence of the radiation treatments, e.g. on anthocyanin concentration, and hardly any interaction between radiation and nitrogen concentration. Our results imply a greater physiological plasticity of green compared to the red lettuce regarding its phenolic compounds. They support the photoprotection theory regarding anthocyanins as well as the theory that the deamination activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase drives phenylpropanoid synthesis.

Nitrogen Limited Red and Green Leaf Lettuce Accumulate Flavonoid Glycosides, Caffeic Acid Derivatives, and Sucrose while Losing Chlorophylls, Β-Carotene and Xanthophylls

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Christine; Urlić, Branimir; Jukić Špika, Maja; Kläring, Hans-Peter; Krumbein, Angelika; Baldermann, Susanne; Goreta Ban, Smiljana; Perica, Slavko; Schwarz, Dietmar

2015-01-01

Reduction of nitrogen application in crop production is desirable for ecological and health-related reasons. Interestingly, nitrogen deficiency can lead to enhanced concentrations of polyphenols in plants. The reason for this is still under discussion. The plants’ response to low nitrogen concentration can interact with other factors, for example radiation intensity. We cultivated red and green leaf lettuce hydroponically in a Mediterranean greenhouse, supplying three different levels of nitrogen (12 mM, 3 mM, 0.75 mM), either in full or reduced (-50%) radiation intensity. In both red and green lettuce, we found clear effects of the nitrogen treatments on growth characteristics, phenolic and photosynthetic compounds, nitrogen, nitrate and carbon concentration of the plants. Interestingly, the concentrations of all main flavonoid glycosides, caffeic acid derivatives, and sucrose increased with decreasing nitrogen concentration, whereas those of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, lactucaxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin decreased. The constitutive concentrations of polyphenols were lower in the green cultivar, but their relative increase was more pronounced than in the red cultivar. The constitutive concentrations of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin were similar in red and green lettuce and with decreasing nitrogen concentration they declined to a similar extent in both cultivars. We only detected little influence of the radiation treatments, e.g. on anthocyanin concentration, and hardly any interaction between radiation and nitrogen concentration. Our results imply a greater physiological plasticity of green compared to the red lettuce regarding its phenolic compounds. They support the photoprotection theory regarding anthocyanins as well as the theory that the deamination activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase drives phenylpropanoid synthesis. PMID:26569488

Caffeic acid, a phenol found in white wine, modulates endothelial nitric oxide production and protects from oxidative stress-associated endothelial cell injury.

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Massimiliano Migliori

Full Text Available Several studies demonstrated that endothelium dependent vasodilatation is impaired in cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases because of oxidant stress-induced nitric oxide availability reduction. The Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by food containing phenols, was correlated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular diseases and delayed progression toward end stage chronic renal failure. Previous studies demonstrated that both red and white wine exert cardioprotective effects. In particular, wine contains Caffeic acid (CAF, an active component with known antioxidant activities.The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of low doses of CAF on oxidative stress-induced endothelial injury.CAF increased basal as well as acetylcholine-induced NO release by a mechanism independent from eNOS expression and phosphorylation. In addition, low doses of CAF (100 nM and 1 μM increased proliferation and angiogenesis and inhibited leukocyte adhesion and endothelial cell apoptosis induced by hypoxia or by the uremic toxins ADMA, p-cresyl sulfate and indoxyl sulfate. The biological effects exerted by CAF on endothelial cells may be at least in part ascribed to modulation of NO release and by decreased ROS production. In an experimental model of kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice, CAF significantly decreased tubular cell apoptosis, intraluminal cast deposition and leukocyte infiltration.The results of the present study suggest that CAF, at very low dosages similar to those observed after moderate white wine consumption, may exert a protective effect on endothelial cell function by modulating NO release independently from eNOS expression and phosphorylation. CAF-induced NO modulation may limit cardiovascular and kidney disease progression associated with oxidative stress-mediated endothelial injury.

Nitrogen Limited Red and Green Leaf Lettuce Accumulate Flavonoid Glycosides, Caffeic Acid Derivatives, and Sucrose while Losing Chlorophylls, Β-Carotene and Xanthophylls.

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Christine Becker

Full Text Available Reduction of nitrogen application in crop production is desirable for ecological and health-related reasons. Interestingly, nitrogen deficiency can lead to enhanced concentrations of polyphenols in plants. The reason for this is still under discussion. The plants' response to low nitrogen concentration can interact with other factors, for example radiation intensity. We cultivated red and green leaf lettuce hydroponically in a Mediterranean greenhouse, supplying three different levels of nitrogen (12 mM, 3 mM, 0.75 mM, either in full or reduced (-50% radiation intensity. In both red and green lettuce, we found clear effects of the nitrogen treatments on growth characteristics, phenolic and photosynthetic compounds, nitrogen, nitrate and carbon concentration of the plants. Interestingly, the concentrations of all main flavonoid glycosides, caffeic acid derivatives, and sucrose increased with decreasing nitrogen concentration, whereas those of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, lactucaxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin decreased. The constitutive concentrations of polyphenols were lower in the green cultivar, but their relative increase was more pronounced than in the red cultivar. The constitutive concentrations of chlorophylls, β-carotene, neoxanthin, all trans- and cis-violaxanthin were similar in red and green lettuce and with decreasing nitrogen concentration they declined to a similar extent in both cultivars. We only detected little influence of the radiation treatments, e.g. on anthocyanin concentration, and hardly any interaction between radiation and nitrogen concentration. Our results imply a greater physiological plasticity of green compared to the red lettuce regarding its phenolic compounds. They support the photoprotection theory regarding anthocyanins as well as the theory that the deamination activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase drives phenylpropanoid synthesis.

DNA methyltransferase mediates dose-dependent stimulation of neural stem cell proliferation by folate.

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Li, Wen; Yu, Min; Luo, Suhui; Liu, Huan; Gao, Yuxia; Wilson, John X; Huang, Guowei

2013-07-01

The proliferative response of neural stem cells (NSCs) to folate may play a critical role in the development, function and repair of the central nervous system. It is important to determine the dose-dependent effects of folate in NSC cultures that are potential sources of transplantable cells for therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. To determine the optimal concentration and mechanism of action of folate for stimulation of NSC proliferation in vitro, NSCs were exposed to folic acid or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) (0-200 μmol/L) for 24, 48 or 72 h. Immunocytochemistry and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay showed that the optimal concentration of folic acid for NSC proliferation was 20-40 μmol/L. Stimulation of NSC proliferation by folic acid was associated with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activation and was attenuated by the DNMT inhibitor zebularine, which implies that folate dose-dependently stimulates NSC proliferation through a DNMT-dependent mechanism. Based on these new findings and previously published evidence, we have identified a mechanism by which folate stimulates NSC growth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on Prevotella intermedia lipopolysaccharide-induced production of proinflammatory mediators in murine macrophages.

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Choi, E-Y; Choe, S-H; Hyeon, J-Y; Choi, J-I; Choi, I S; Kim, S-J

2015-12-01

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) has numerous potentially beneficial properties, including antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effect of CAPE on periodontal disease has not been studied before. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of CAPE in ameliorating the production of proinflammatory mediators in macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Prevotella intermedia, a pathogen implicated in periodontal disease. LPS from P. intermedia ATCC 25611 was isolated by using the standard hot phenol-water method. Culture supernatants were assayed for nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify inducible NO synthase, IL-1β, IL-6, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1 mRNA expression. HO-1 protein expression and levels of signaling proteins were assessed by immunoblot analysis. DNA-binding activities of NF-κB subunits were analyzed by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based kits. CAPE exerted significant inhibitory effects on P. intermedia LPS-induced production of NO, IL-1β and IL-6 as well as their mRNA expression in RAW264.7 cells. CAPE-induced HO-1 expression in cells activated with P. intermedia LPS, and selective inhibition of HO-1 activity by tin protoporphyrin IX attenuated the inhibitory effect of CAPE on LPS-induced NO production. CAPE did not interfere with IκB-α degradation induced by P. intermedia LPS. Instead, CAPE decreased nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and p50 subunits induced with LPS, and lessened LPS-induced p50 binding activity. Further, CAPE showed strong inhibitory effects on LPS-induced signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 and 3 phosphorylation. Besides, CAPE significantly elevated SOCS1 mRNA expression in P. intermedia LPS-stimulated cells. Modulation of host response by CAPE may represent an attractive strategy towards the treatment of periodontal disease

Synthesis of caffeic acid molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres and high-performance liquid chromatography evaluation of their sorption properties.

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Valero-Navarro, Angel; Gómez-Romero, María; Fernández-Sánchez, Jorge F; Cormack, Peter A G; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto

2011-10-14

In the current work, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been synthesised and used to enable the extraction of a naturally-occurring antioxidant from complex media. More specifically, we describe the first example of a caffeic acid (CA) MIP which has been synthesised in the form of well-defined polymer microspheres, and its use for the extraction of CA from fruit juice sample. The CA MIP was synthesised by precipitation polymerisation using 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomer, divinylbenzene-80 as crosslinker and acetonitrile:toluene (75/25, v/v) as porogen. The particle sizing and morphological characterisation of the polymers was carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (narrow particle size distribution; ∼5 and 1.5 μm particle diameters for the MIP and NIP [non-imprinted polymer], respectively) and nitrogen sorption porosimetry (specific surface areas of 340 and 350 m(2)g(-1), and specific pore volumes of 0.17 and 0.19 cm(3)g(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively). The polymers were evaluated further by batch rebinding experiments, and from the derived isotherms their binding capacity and binding strength were determined (number of binding sites (N(K))=0.6 and 0.3 mmol g(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively, and apparent average adsorption constant (K(N))=10.0 and 1.6L mmol(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively). To evaluate the molecular recognition character of the MIP it was packed into a stainless steel column (50 mm × 4.6 mm i.d.) and evaluated as an HPLC-stationary phase. The mobile phase composition, flow rate, and the elution profile were then optimised in order to improve the peak shape without negatively affecting the imprinting factor (IF). Very interesting, promising properties were revealed. The imprinting factor (IF) under the optimised conditions was 11.9. Finally, when the imprinted LC column was used for the selective recognition of CA over eight related compounds, very good selectivity was obtained. This outcome enabled

Histone methyltransferases in cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albert, Mareike; Helin, Kristian

2009-01-01

Cancer is perceived as a heterogeneous group of diseases that is characterized by aberrant patterns of gene expression. In the last decade, an increasing amount of data has pointed to a key role for epigenetic alterations in human cancer. In this review, we focus on a subclass of epigenetic...... regulators, namely histone methyltransferases (HMTs). Several HMTs have been linked to different types of cancer; however, in most cases we only have limited knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms by which the HMTs contribute to disease development. We summarize the current knowledge regarding some...

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency alters levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid in brain tissue

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N.M. Jadavji

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR is an enzyme key regulator in folate metabolism. Deficiencies in MTHFR result in increased levels of homocysteine, which leads to reduced levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM. In the brain, SAM donates methyl groups to catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT, which is involved in neurotransmitter analysis. Using the MTHFR-deficient mouse model the purpose of this study was to investigate levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and amino acid levels in brain tissue. MTHFR deficiency affected levels of both glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid in within the cerebellum and hippocampus. Mthfr−/− mice had reduced levels of glutamate in the amygdala and γ-aminobutyric acid in the thalamus. The excitatory mechanisms of homocysteine through activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor in brain tissue might alter levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid.

Methylated nucleosides in tRNA and tRNA methyltransferases

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Hiroyuki eHori

2014-05-01

Full Text Available To date, more than 90 modified nucleosides have been found in tRNA and the biosynthetic pathways of the majority of tRNA modifications include a methylation step(s. Recent studies of the biosynthetic pathways have demonstrated that the availability of methyl group donors for the methylation in tRNA is important for correct and efficient protein synthesis. In this review, I focus on the methylated nucleosides and tRNA methyltransferases. The primary functions of tRNA methylations are linked to the different steps of protein synthesis, such as the stabilization of tRNA structure, reinforcement of the codon–anticodon interaction, regulation of wobble base pairing, and prevention of frameshift errors. However, beyond these basic functions, recent studies have demonstrated that tRNA methylations are also involved in the RNA quality control system and regulation of tRNA localization in the cell. In a thermophilic eubacterium, tRNA modifications and the modification enzymes form a network that responses to temperature changes. Furthermore, several modifications are involved in genetic diseases, infections, and the immune response. Moreover, structural, biochemical, and bioinformatics studies of tRNA methyltransferases have been clarifying the details of tRNA methyltransferases and have enabled these enzymes to be classified. In the final section, the evolution of modification enzymes is discussed.

Turning a Substrate Peptide into a Potent Inhibitor for the Histone Methyltransferase SETD8

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Judge, Russell A.; Zhu, Haizhong; Upadhyay, Anup K.; Bodelle, Pierre M.; Hutchins, Charles W.; Torrent, Maricel; Marin, Violeta L.; Yu, Wenyu; Vedadi, Masoud; Li, Fengling; Brown, Peter J.; Pappano, William N.; Sun, Chaohong; Petros, Andrew M.

2016-12-08

SETD8 is a histone H4–K20 methyltransferase that plays an essential role in the maintenance of genomic integrity during mitosis and in DNA damage repair, making it an intriguing target for cancer research. While some small molecule inhibitors for SETD8 have been reported, the structural binding modes for these inhibitors have not been revealed. Using the complex structure of the substrate peptide bound to SETD8 as a starting point, different natural and unnatural amino acid substitutions were tested, and a potent (Ki 50 nM, IC50 0.33 μM) and selective norleucine containing peptide inhibitor has been obtained.

Proteins differentially expressed in elicited cell suspension culture of Podophyllum hexandrum with enhanced podophyllotoxin content

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Bhattacharyya Dipto

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Podophyllotoxin (PTOX, the precursor for semi-synthesis of cancer therapeutics like etoposide, teniposide and etophos, is primarily obtained from an endangered medicinal herb, Podophyllum hexandrum Royle. PTOX, a lignan is biosynthetically derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in the P. hexandrum cell proteome potentially related to PTOX accumulation in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA elicitation. High-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE followed by colloidal Coomassie staining and mass spectrometric analysis was used to detect statistically significant changes in cell’s proteome. Result The HPLC analysis showed approximately 7–8 fold change in accumulation of PTOX, in the 12day old cell suspension culture (i.e. after 9days of elicitation elicited with 100 μM MeJA as compared to the control. Using 2-DE a total of 233 spots was detected, out of which 105 spots were identified by MALDI TOF-TOF MS/MS. Data were subjected to functional annotation from a biological point of view through KEGG. The phenylpropanoid and monolignol pathway enzymes were identified, amongst these, chalcone synthase, polyphenol oxidase, caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase, S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferases, caffeic acid-O-methyl transferase etc. are noted as important. The relation of other differentially accumulated proteins with varied effects caused by elicitors on P. hexandrum cells namely stress and defense related protein, transcription and DNA replication and signaling are also discussed. Conclusions Elicitor-induced PTOX accumulation in P. hexandrum cell cultures provides a responsive model system to profile modulations in proteins related to phenylpropanoid/monolignol biosynthesis and other defense responses. Present findings form a baseline for future investigation on a non-sequenced medicinal herb P. hexandrum at molecular level.

Influence of phenolic compounds on the growth and arginine deiminase system in a wine lactic acid bacterium

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María R. Alberto

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The influence of seven phenolic compounds, normally present in wine, on the growth and arginine deiminase system (ADI of Lactobacillus hilgardii X1B, a wine lactic acid bacterium, was established. This system provides energy for bacterial growth and produces citrulline that reacts with ethanol forming the carcinogen ethyl carbamate (EC, found in some wines. The influence of phenolic compounds on bacterial growth was compound dependent. Growth and final pH values increased in presence of arginine. Arginine consumption decreased in presence of protocatechuic and gallic acids (31 and 17%, respectively and increased in presence of quercetin, rutin, catechin and the caffeic and vanillic phenolic acids (between 10 and 13%, respectively. ADI enzyme activities varied in presence of phenolic compounds. Rutin, quercetin and caffeic and vanillic acids stimulated the enzyme arginine deiminase about 37-40%. Amounts of 200 mg/L gallic and protocatechuic acids inhibited the arginine deiminase enzyme between 53 and 100%, respectively. Ornithine transcarbamylase activity was not modified at all concentrations of phenolic compounds. As gallic and protocatechuic acids inhibited the arginine deiminase enzyme that produces citrulline, precursor of EC, these results are important considering the formation of toxic compounds.

Protection of hematopoietic cells from O(6)-alkylation damage by O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase gene transfer: studies with different O(6)-alkylating agents and retroviral backbones.

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Jansen, M; Bardenheuer, W; Sorg, U R; Seeber, S; Flasshove, M; Moritz, T

2001-07-01

Overexpression of O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) can protect hematopoietic cells from O(6)-alkylation damage. To identify possible clinical applications of this technology we compared the effect of MGMT gene transfer on the hematotoxicity induced by different O(6)-alkylating agents in clinical use: the chloroethylnitrosoureas ACNU, BCNU, CCNU and the tetrazine derivative temozolomide. In addition, various retroviral vectors expressing the MGMT-cDNA were investigated to identify optimal viral backbones for hematoprotection by MGMT expression. Protection from ACNU, BCNU, CCNU or temozolomide toxicity was evaluated utilizing a Moloney murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vector (N2/Zip-PGK-MGMT) to transduce primary murine bone marrow cells. Increased resistance in murine colony-forming units (CFU) was demonstrated for all four drugs. In comparison to mock-transduced controls, after transduction with N2/Zip-PGK-MGMT the IC50 for CFU increased on average 4.7-fold for ACNU, 2.5-fold for BCNU, 6.3-fold for CCNU and 1.5-fold for temozolomide. To study the effect of the retroviral backbone on hematoprotection various vectors expressing the human MGMT-cDNA from a murine embryonic sarcoma virus LTR (MSCV-MGMT) or a hybrid spleen focus-forming/murine embryonic sarcoma virus LTR (SF1-MGMT) were compared with the N2/Zip-PGK-MGMT vector. While all vectors increased resistance of transduced human CFU to ACNU, the SF1-MGMT construct was most efficient especially at high ACNU concentrations (8-12 microg/ml). Similar results were obtained for protection of murine high-proliferative-potential colony-forming cells. These data may help to optimize treatment design and retroviral constructs in future clinical studies aiming at hematoprotection by MGMT gene transfer.

Association between TPMT*3C and decreased thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders in China.

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Gong, Xiaoqing; Mei, Shenghui; Li, Xindi; Li, Xingang; Zhou, Heng; Liu, Yonghong; Zhou, Anna; Yang, Li; Zhao, Zhigang; Zhang, Xinghu

2018-06-01

Thiopurines are effective drugs in treating neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and other diseases. Thiopurines' toxicity is mainly imputed to thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity. In Chinese population, the most common and important variation of thiopurine S-methyltransferase is TPMT*3C (rs1142345). This study aims to reveal the association between thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity and genetic polymorphisms of thiopurine S-methyltransferase in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders in China. A liquid chromatography tandem mass/mass method was used to evaluate the thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity by using 6-mercapthioprine as the substrate in human erythrocyte haemolysate via 1 h incubation at 37 °C to form its methylated product 6-methylmercaptopurine. The amount of 6-methylmercaptopurine was adjusted by haematocrit and normalized to 8 × 10 8 erythrocytes. The selected polymorphisms of thiopurine S-methyltransferase were identified using MassARRAY system (Sequenom) and multiple SNaPshot technique. In 69 patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity was 80.29-154.53 (127.51 ± 16.83) pmol/h/8 × 10 8 erythrocytes. TPMT*3C (rs1142345) was associated with lower thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity (BETA = -25.37, P = 0.011). Other selected variants were not associated with thiopurine S-methyltransferase activity. TPMT*3C affects TPMT activity in Chinese patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. Further studies are warranted to confirm the results. TPRs = thiopurines; NMOSD = neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders; TPMT = thiopurine S-methyltransferase; LC-MS/MS = liquid chromatography tandem mass/mass; 6-MMP = 6-methylmercaptopurine; IS = internal standard; SNP = single nucleotide polymorphism; MAF = minor allele frequency; HWE = Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; BETA = regression coefficients; UTR-3 = untranslated region 3.

Effect of maceration duration on physicochemical characteristics, organic acid, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of red wine from Vitis vinifera L. Karaoglan.

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Kocabey, N; Yilmaztekin, M; Hayaloglu, A A

2016-09-01

Effects of different maceration times (5, 10 and 15 days) on composition, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of red wines made from the Vitis vinifera L. Karaoglan grown in Malatya were investigated. Maceration duration changed some chemical constituents and color of Karaoglan red wines. A linear relationship was observed between antioxidant activity of wine and maceration duration. Major organic acid was tartaric acid which was at the highest concentration in wine macerated for 10 days. A total of 25 phenolic compounds was determined in wine samples. Within these phenolics; procyanidin B2, trans -caftaric acid, gallic acid, trans -caffeic acid, (+) catechin, (-) epicatechin and quercetin-3- O -glucoside were the most abundant phenolics regardless of maceration duration. In general, extended maceration duration resulted in increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds, reflecting the antioxidant activities of wine. In conclusion, the highest concentrations of total and individual phenolic compounds as well as antioxidant activities were found in wines macerated for 15 days.

HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of oxidized di-caffeoylquinic acids generated by metalloporphyrin-catalyzed reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Michel D.; Lopes, Norberto P.; Iamamoto, Yassuko

2008-01-01

This paper reports an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS investigation on the oxidation of 3,5- and 4,5- dicaffeoylquinic acid using iron(III) tetraphenylporphyrin chloride as catalyst. Two major mono-oxidised products of the quinic acid moiety have been identified for both compounds. However, only the 4,5-derivative afforded two different tri-oxo products. Thus, it seems that the oxidation pattern depends on the number and positions of the caffeic acid moieties present in caffeoylquinic acid molecules. (author)

HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of oxidized di-caffeoylquinic acids generated by metalloporphyrin-catalyzed reactions

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Santos, Michel D.; Lopes, Norberto P. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas. Dept. de Fisica e Quimica]. E-mail: npelopes@fcfrp.usp.br; Iamamoto, Yassuko [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas. Dept. de Quimica

2008-07-01

This paper reports an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS investigation on the oxidation of 3,5- and 4,5- dicaffeoylquinic acid using iron(III) tetraphenylporphyrin chloride as catalyst. Two major mono-oxidised products of the quinic acid moiety have been identified for both compounds. However, only the 4,5-derivative afforded two different tri-oxo products. Thus, it seems that the oxidation pattern depends on the number and positions of the caffeic acid moieties present in caffeoylquinic acid molecules. (author)

Association of Catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism Val158Met and mammographic density: A meta-analysis.

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Kallionpää, Roope A; Uusitalo, Elina; Peltonen, Juha

2017-08-15

The Val158Met polymorphism in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme reduces the methylation of catechol estrogens, which may affect mammographic density. High mammographic density is a known risk factor of breast cancer. Our aim was to perform meta-analysis of the effect of COMT Val158Met polymorphism on mammographic density. Original studies reporting data on mammographic density, stratified by the presence of COMT Val158Met polymorphism, were identified and combined using genetic models Met/Val vs. Val/Val, Met/Met vs. Val/Val, Val/Met+Met/Met vs. Val/Val (dominant model) and Met/Met vs. Val/Met+Val/Val (recessive model). Subgroup analyses by breast cancer status, menopausal status and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were also performed. Eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall effect in percent mammographic density was -1.41 (CI -2.86 to 0.05; P=0.06) in the recessive model. Exclusion of breast cancer patients increased the effect size to -1.93 (CI -3.49 to -0.37; P=0.02). The results suggested opposite effect of COMT Val158Met for postmenopausal users of HRT versus premenopausal women or postmenopausal non-users of HRT. COMT Val158Met polymorphism may be associated with mammographic density at least in healthy women. Menopausal status and HRT should be taken into account in future studies to avoid masking of the underlying effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polyphenols and phenolic acids in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. roots

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Janette Musilová

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. is one of the most important food crops in the world. They are rich in polyphenols, proteins, vitamins, minerals and some functional microcomponents. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds, which can protect the human body from the oxidative stress which may cause many diseases including cancer, aging and cardiovascular problems.The polyphenol content is two to three times higher than in some common vegetables. Total polyphenols (determined spectrophotometrically and phenolic acids (i.e. caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and isomers - using high performance liquid chromatography contents were determined in three varieties of sweet potatoes (O´Henry - white, Beauregard-orange and 414-purple. Phenolic compounds contents were determined in raw peeled roots, jackets of raw roots and water steamed sweet potato roots. For all analysis lyophilised samples were used. Total polyphenol content ranged from 1161 (O´Henry, flesh-raw to 13998 (414, peel-raw mg.kg-1 dry matter, caffeic acid content from the non-detected values (414, flesh-raw to 320.7 (Beauregard, peel-raw mg.kg-1 dry matter and 3-caffeoylquinic acid content from 57.57 (O´Henry, flesh-raw to 2392 (414, peel-raw mg.kg-1 dry matter. Statistically significant differences (p ≤0.05 existed between varieties, morphological parts of the root, or raw and heat-treated sweet potato in phenolic compounds contents.

Evolution of the Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis Pathways in Green Algae: Combinatorial Diversity of Methyltransferases.

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Hirashima, Takashi; Toyoshima, Masakazu; Moriyama, Takashi; Sato, Naoki

2018-01-01

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is one of the most common phospholipids in eukaryotes, although some green algae such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are known to lack PC. Recently, we detected PC in four species in the genus Chlamydomonas: C. applanata NIES-2202, C. asymmetrica NIES-2207, C. debaryana NIES-2212, and C. sphaeroides NIES-2242. To reveal the PC biosynthesis pathways in green algae and the evolutionary scenario involved in their diversity, we analyzed the PC biosynthesis genes in these four algae using draft genome sequences. Homology searches suggested that PC in these species is synthesized by phosphoethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEAMT) and/or phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT), both of which are absent in C. reinhardtii. Recombinant PEAMTs from these algae showed methyltransferase activity for phosphoethanolamine but not for monomethyl phosphoethanolamine in vitro, in contrast to land plant PEAMT, which catalyzes the three methylations from phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine. This suggested an involvement of other methyltransferases in PC biosynthesis. Here, we characterized the putative phospholipid-N-methyltransferase (PLMT) genes of these species by genetic and phylogenetic analysis. Complementation assays using a PC biosynthesis-deficient yeast suggested that the PLMTs of these algae can synthesize PC from phosphatidylethanolamine. These results indicated that the PC biosynthesis pathways in green algae differ from those of land plants, although the enzymes involved are homologous. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the PEAMTs and PLMTs in these algae were inherited from the common ancestor of green algae. The absence of PC biosynthesis in many Chlamydomonas species is likely a result of parallel losses of PEAMT and PLMT in this genus.

Two New Plant-Like Pathways Link Hemoglobin Degradation to Lipid Biogenesis in Falciparum Malaria: Novel Targets for Anti-Malarial Chemotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

2005-03-01

when the compound was added at 50/uM (Appendix VI, B). Furthermore, clofibric acid , an inhibitor of PtdEtn methylransferases (19), had no effect on Pfpmt...reduced when the compound was added at 50 AM (Fig. 5B). Furthermore, clofibric acid , an inhibitor of PtdEtn B 35 methyltransferases (34), had no...Fig. 5B). Furthermore, clofibric acid , an takDs .Shnmn .Jnsn .Coday n .U~a o inhibitor of PtdEtn methyltransferases, had no effect on Pfpmt helpful

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Genotype Affects Age-Related Changes in Plasticity in Working Memory: A Pilot Study

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Stephan Heinzel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Recent work suggests that a genetic variation associated with increased dopamine metabolism in the prefrontal cortex (catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met; COMT amplifies age-related changes in working memory performance. Research on younger adults indicates that the influence of dopamine-related genetic polymorphisms on working memory performance increases when testing the cognitive limits through training. To date, this has not been studied in older adults. Method. Here we investigate the effect of COMT genotype on plasticity in working memory in a sample of 14 younger (aged 24–30 years and 25 older (aged 60–75 years healthy adults. Participants underwent adaptive training in the n-back working memory task over 12 sessions under increasing difficulty conditions. Results. Both younger and older adults exhibited sizeable behavioral plasticity through training (P<.001, which was larger in younger as compared to older adults (P<.001. Age-related differences were qualified by an interaction with COMT genotype (P<.001, and this interaction was due to decreased behavioral plasticity in older adults carrying the Val/Val genotype, while there was no effect of genotype in younger adults. Discussion. Our findings indicate that age-related changes in plasticity in working memory are critically affected by genetic variation in prefrontal dopamine metabolism.

No association between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Japanese children.

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Yatsuga, Chiho; Toyohisa, Daiki; Fujisawa, Takashi X; Nishitani, Shota; Shinohara, Kazuyuki; Matsuura, Naomi; Ikeda, Shinobu; Muramatsu, Masaaki; Hamada, Akinobu; Tomoda, Akemi

2014-08-01

This study ascertained the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Japanese children and a polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), a dopamine-control gene. The secondary aim of the study was the evaluation of a putative association between methylphenidate (MPH) effect/adverse effects and the COMT genotype. To ascertain the distribution of the Val158Met variant of COMT, 50 children meeting ADHD inclusion criteria were compared with 32 healthy children. Clinical improvement and the occurrence of adverse effects were measured before and 3 months after MPH administration in children with ADHD, and analyzed for genotype association. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), age, MPH dose were included as co-variables. The occurrence of the COMT Val/Val genotype was significantly higher in children with ADHD (χ(2)(1)=7.13, pADHD rating scale scores, after correcting for the interaction between disorder and COMT genotype. Furthermore, no significant difference in MPH effect/adverse effects was observed in association with the COMT genotype in the ADHD group. These results showed a lack of association between the COMT Val/Val genotype and ADHD in Japan. Copyright © 2013 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Catechol-o-methyltransferase gene polymorphism modifies the effect of coffee intake on incidence of acute coronary events.

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Pertti Happonen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The role of coffee intake as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD has been debated for decades. We examined whether the relationship between coffee intake and incidence of CHD events is dependent on the metabolism of circulating catecholamines, as determined by functional polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT gene. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a cohort of 773 men who were 42 to 60 years old and free of symptomatic CHD at baseline in 1984-89, 78 participants experienced an acute coronary event during an average follow-up of 13 years. In logistic regression adjusting for age, smoking, family history of CHD, vitamin C deficiency, blood pressure, plasma cholesterol concentration, and diabetes, the odds ratio (90% confidence interval comparing heavy coffee drinkers with the low activity COMT genotype with those with the high activity or heterozygotic genotypes was 3.2 (1.2-8.4. Urinary adrenaline excretion increased with increasing coffee intake, being over two-fold in heavy drinkers compared with nondrinkers (p = 0.008 for trend. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Heavy coffee consumption increases the incidence of acute coronary events in men with low but not high COMT activity. Further studies are required to determine to which extent circulating catecholamines mediate the relationship between coffee intake and CHD.

Stress-related methylation of the catechol-O-methyltransferase Val 158 allele predicts human prefrontal cognition and activity.

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Ursini, Gianluca; Bollati, Valentina; Fazio, Leonardo; Porcelli, Annamaria; Iacovelli, Luisa; Catalani, Assia; Sinibaldi, Lorenzo; Gelao, Barbara; Romano, Raffaella; Rampino, Antonio; Taurisano, Paolo; Mancini, Marina; Di Giorgio, Annabella; Popolizio, Teresa; Baccarelli, Andrea; De Blasi, Antonio; Blasi, Giuseppe; Bertolino, Alessandro

2011-05-04

DNA methylation at CpG dinucleotides is associated with gene silencing, stress, and memory. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158) allele in rs4680 is associated with differential enzyme activity, stress responsivity, and prefrontal activity during working memory (WM), and it creates a CpG dinucleotide. We report that methylation of the Val(158) allele measured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of Val/Val humans is associated negatively with lifetime stress and positively with WM performance; it interacts with stress to modulate prefrontal activity during WM, such that greater stress and lower methylation are related to reduced cortical efficiency; and it is inversely related to mRNA expression and protein levels, potentially explaining the in vivo effects. Finally, methylation of COMT in prefrontal cortex and that in PBMCs of rats are correlated. The relationship of methylation of the COMT Val(158) allele with stress, gene expression, WM performance, and related brain activity suggests that stress-related methylation is associated with silencing of the gene, which partially compensates the physiological role of the high-activity Val allele in prefrontal cognition and activity. Moreover, these results demonstrate how stress-related DNA methylation of specific functional alleles impacts directly on human brain physiology beyond sequence variation.

Studies on N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocystein methyltransferase in normal and leukemia leukocytes.

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Peytremann, R; Thorndike, J; Beck, W S

1975-11-01

A cobalamin-dependent N5-methyltetra-hydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (methyl-transferase) was demonstrated in unfractioned extracts of human normal and leukemia leukocytes. Activity was substantially reduced in the absence of an added cobalamin derivative. Presumably, this residual activity reflects the endogeneous level of holoenzyme. Enzyme activity was notably higher in lymphoid cells than in myeloid cells. Thus, mean specific activities (+/-SD) were: chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes, 2.15+/-1.16; normal lymphocytes, 0.91+/-0.59; normal mature granulocytes, 0.15+/-0.10; chronic myelocytic leukemia granulocytes, barely detectable activity. Properties of leukocytes enzymes resembled those of methyltransferases previously studied in bacteria and other animal cells. Granulocytes and chronic myelocytic leukemia cells contain a factor or factors that inhibits Escherichia coli enzyme. The data suggest that the prominence of this cobalamin-dependent enzyme in lymphocytes and other mononuclear cell types may be related to their potential for cell division.

Gibbs energies of protonation and complexation of platinum and vanadate metal ions with naringenin and phenolic acids: Theoretical calculations associated with experimental values

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazary, Ahmed E.; Alshihri, Ayed S.; Alfaifi, Mohammad Y.; Saleh, Kamel A.; Elbehairi, Serag Eldin I.; Fawy, Khaled F.; Abd-Rabboh, Hisham S.M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The experimental thermodynamic equilibrium and stability constants of vanadium and platinum complexes involving naringin, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, sinapic acid, and gallic acid were determined. • The theoretical calculations of the free energy changes associated with the ligand protonation, and metal ion–ligand complex formation equilibria using density function theory calculations, providing a complete picture of the microscopic equilibria of the studied complex systems. - Abstract: The Experimental thermodynamic equilibrium (pK_a values) and stability (log β) constants of vanadium and platinum binary and mixed ligand complexes involving naringenin, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, sinapic acid, and gallic acid were determined at 310.15 K in 0.16 mol·dm"−"3 KCl aqueous solutions using pH-potentiometric technique and by means of two estimation models (HYPERQUAD 2008 and Bjerrum–Calvin). The theoretical calculations of overall protonation and stability constants of the metal complex species in solution were predicted as the free energy change associated with the ligand protonation, and metal ion–ligand complex formation equilibria (species solvation/de-solvation) using ab initio and density function theory (DFT) calculations. The usage of the experimental potentiometry technique and theoretical predictions provides a complete picture of the microscopic equilibria of the studied systems (vanadium/platinum–naringenin–phenolic acid). Specifically, this theoretically DFT predications would be useful to determine the most real protonation constants of the studied bioligands in which the binding sites changes due to the ligand protonation/deprotonation equilibria. Also, the complexing capacities of vanadium and platinum towards naringenin, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, sinapic acid, and gallic acid in solutions were evaluated and discussed. From the

Analysis of Phenolic Acids of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L. Responding to Salt-Stress by Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry

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Fujia Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Plant phenolics can have applications in pharmaceutical and other industries. To identify and quantify the phenolic compounds in Helianthus tuberosus leaves, qualitative analysis was performed by a reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS and quantitative analysis by HPLC. Ten chlorogenic acids (CGAs were identified (3-o-caffeoylquinic acid, two isomers of caffeoylquinic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaroyl-quinic acid, feruloylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoyquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid by comparing their retention times, UV-Vis absorption spectra, and MS/MS spectra with standards. In addition, four other phenolic compounds, including caffeoyl glucopyranose, isorhamnetin glucoside, kaempferol glucuronide, and kaempferol-3-o-glucoside, were tentatively identified in Helianthus tuberosus leaves for the first time. The 3-o-caffeoylquinic acid (7.752 mg/g DW, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (5.633 mg/g DW, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (4.900 mg/g DW were the major phenolic compounds in leaves of Helianthus tuberosus cultivar NanYu in maturity. The variations in phenolic concentrations and proportions in Helianthus tuberosus leaves were influenced by genotype and plant growth stage. Cultivar NanYu had the highest concentration of phenolic compounds, in particular 3-o-caffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid compared with the other genotypes (wild accession and QingYu. Considering various growth stages, the concentration of total phenolics in cultivar NanYu was higher at flowering stage (5.270 mg/g DW than at budding and tuber swelling stages. Cultivar NanYu of Helianthus tuberosus is a potential source of natural phenolics that may play an important role in the development of pharmaceuticals.

Unlike Quercetin Glycosides, Cyanidin Glycoside in Red Leaf Lettuce Responds More Sensitively to Increasing Low Radiation Intensity before than after Head Formation Has Started

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effect of low-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; 43–230 μmol m–2 s–1) on the major phenolic compounds of red leaf lettuce in three growth stages, before, during, and after head formation, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS2 and evaluating via multiple regression analysis. Generally, the light-related increase of flavonoid glycosides was structure and growth stage-dependent. In detail, an interaction was detected between plant age and PPFD regarding cyanidin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside concentration: the increase was strongest before head formation. The relationship between PPFD and quercetin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-glucoside concentration was linear, whereas the increase of quercetin-3-O-glucoside and -3-O-glucuronide concentrations abated with increasing PPFD. Independent of growth stage, the caffeic acid derivatives concentration was not related to PPFD. All major phenolic compounds decreased with plant age. These results show the differential regulation of cyanidin, quercetin, and caffeic acid derivatives in lettuce, although closely connected biosynthetically, and emphasize the importance of ontogeny in the study of plant physiology. PMID:24382136

A versatile non-radioactive assay for DNA methyltransferase activity and DNA binding

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Frauer, Carina; Leonhardt, Heinrich

2009-01-01

We present a simple, non-radioactive assay for DNA methyltransferase activity and DNA binding. As most proteins are studied as GFP fusions in living cells, we used a GFP binding nanobody coupled to agarose beads (GFP nanotrap) for rapid one-step purification. Immobilized GFP fusion proteins were subsequently incubated with different fluorescently labeled DNA substrates. The absolute amounts and molar ratios of GFP fusion proteins and bound DNA substrates were determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition to specific DNA binding of GFP fusion proteins, the enzymatic activity of DNA methyltransferases can also be determined by using suicide DNA substrates. These substrates contain the mechanism-based inhibitor 5-aza-dC and lead to irreversible covalent complex formation. We obtained covalent complexes with mammalian DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1), which were resistant to competition with non-labeled canonical DNA substrates, allowing differentiation between methyltransferase activity and DNA binding. By comparison, the Dnmt1C1229W catalytic site mutant showed DNA-binding activity, but no irreversible covalent complex formation. With this assay, we could also confirm the preference of Dnmt1 for hemimethylated CpG sequences. The rapid optical read-out in a multi-well format and the possibility to test several different substrates in direct competition allow rapid characterization of sequence-specific binding and enzymatic activity. PMID:19129216

The Role of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT Gene in the Etiopathogenesis of Schizophrenia

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Ceren Acar

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Genetic factors in the risk of developing schizophrenia is of great importance. With the help of the advances in the field of genetics in recent years by using linkage analysis several genes have been identified that may be a risk factor in schizophrenia. Several association studies have been performed in many different populations on the candidate susceptibility genes that were defined in previous studies. However, these studies give controversial results in different countries with different populations, and there are problems in obtaining replicable results. In this review we aimed to focus on the genetic basis of schizophrenia and the relationship between schizophrenia and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT gene. COMT encodes an enzyme molecule which has an important function in dopamine pathways. It has great importance in catecholamine metabolism and pharmacology and genetic mechanism of catechol metabolism variations and their clinical consequences. COMT transfers the methyl group from S-adenosyl-methionine to the hydroxyl group of catechol nucleus (such as dopamine, norepinephrine or catechol estrogen. Genetic variations found in COMT gene are associated with a broad spectrum of clinical phenotype including psychiatric disorders or estrogen related cancers. Several groups have performed studies on the relationship between schizophrenia and COMT. The most commonly studied polymorphism in COMT gene is rs4680 and it causes a valine methionine conversion at codon 158. The association studies on this polymorphism in different populations gave both positive and negative results. Schizoprenia is a complex disease caused by the interaction of environmental and genetic factors, while interpreting the genetic data, this fact and the possibility of the presence of different gene products should be taken into account. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2014; 6(3.000: 217-226

Antifungal iridoids, triterpenes and phenol compounds from Alibertia myrciifolia Sprunge Ex. Schum

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Luciano, Joao Henrique S.; Lima, Mary Anne S.; Silveira, Edilberto Rocha [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias. Dept. de Quimica Organica e Inorganica; Vasconcelos, Ilka Maria; Fernandes, Georgia Sampaio [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Bioquimica e Biologia Molecular; Souza, Elnatan Bezerra de [Universidade do Vale do Acarau, Sobral, CE (Brazil). Coord. de Biologia

2010-07-01

The new iridoid glucoside 10-O-vanilloyl-geniposidic acid has been isolated from the aerial parts of Alibertia myrciifolia along with hydroxyhopanone, 3{alpha},22-dihydroxyhopane, ursolic acid, luteolin-3',4'-dimethyl ether, caffeic acid and geniposidic acid. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by means of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analyses. The antifungal activities of the iridoids 10-O-vanilloyl-geniposidic acid and geniposidic acid were evaluated against the phytopathogenic fungi strains Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium solani and Aspergillus niger. (author)

[Studies on chemical constituents from herbs of Taraxacum mongolicum].

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Shi, Shu-Yun; Zhou, Chang-Xin; Xu, Yan; Tao, Qiao-Feng; Bai, Hua; Lu, Fu-Sheng; Lin, Wen-Yan; Chen, Hai-Yong; Zheng, Wei; Wang, Li-Wei; Wu, Yi-Hang; Zeng, Su; Huang, Ke-Xin; Zhao, Yu; Li, Xiao-Kun; Qu, Jia

2008-05-01

To investigate the chemical constituents of the herbs of Taraxacum mongolicum. The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and their structures elucidated mainly by NMR and MS evidences. Forty-four components were obtained and identified were as artemetin (1), quercetin (2), quercetin-3', 4', 7-trime-thyl ether (3), luteolin (4), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (6), genkwanin (7), isoetin (8), hesperetin (9), genkwanin-4'-O-beta-D-lutinoside (10), hesperidin (11), quercetin-7-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->6) -beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), quercetin-3, 7-O-beta-D-diglucopyranoside (13), isoetin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- 2'-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (14), isoetin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2'-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (15), isoetin-7- O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2'-O-beta-D-xyloypyranoside (16), caffeic acid (17), furulic acid (18), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (19), 3, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (20), 3, 4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (21), 4, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (22), 1-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-phenyl-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (23), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (24), p-coumaric acid (25), 3, 5-dihydroxylbenzoic acid (26), gallic acid (27), gallicin (28), syringic acid (29), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (30), caffeic acid ethyl ester (31), esculetin (32), rufescidride (33), mongolicumin A [6, 9, 10-trihydroxy-benzoxanthene-1, 2-dicarboxylic acid] (34), mongolicumin B [1 l-hydroxy-2-oxo-guaia-1 (10), 3, 5-trien-8, 12-lactone] (35), isodonsesquitin A (36), taraxacin (37), sesquiterpene ketolactone (38), taraxasteryl acetate (39), phi-taraxasteryl acetate (40) and lupenol acetate (41), palmitic acid (42), beta-sitosterol (43), and stigmasterol (44). Four compounds (14, 15, 34 and 35) were new compounds, compounds 1, 3, 6-13, 20-22, 30 and 31 were isolated from this genus for the first time, while compounds 18, 23-29, 32 and 37-42 were obtained from this species for the first time.

HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of oxidized di-caffeoylquinic acids generated by metalloporphyrin-catalyzed reactions

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Michel D. Santos

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS investigation on the oxidation of 3,5- and 4,5- dicaffeoylquinic acid using iron(III tetraphenylporphyrin chloride as catalyst. Two major mono-oxidised products of the quinic acid moiety have been identified for both compounds. However, only the 4,5-derivative afforded two different tri-oxo products. Thus, it seems that the oxidation pattern depends on the number and positions of the caffeic acid moieties present in caffeoylquinic acid molecules.

Crystal structures of human 108V and 108M catechol O-methyltransferase

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Rutherford, K.; Le Trong, I.; Stenkamp, R.E.; Parson, W.W. (UWASH)

2008-08-01

Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays important roles in the metabolism of catecholamine neurotransmitters and catechol estrogens. The development of COMT inhibitors for use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease has been aided by crystallographic structures of the rat enzyme. However, the human and rat proteins have significantly different substrate specificities. Additionally, human COMT contains a common valine-methionine polymorphism at position 108. The methionine protein is less stable than the valine polymorph, resulting in decreased enzyme activity and protein levels in vivo. Here we describe the crystal structures of the 108V and 108M variants of the soluble form of human COMT bound with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and a substrate analog, 3,5-dinitrocatechol. The polymorphic residue 108 is located in the {alpha}5-{beta}3 loop, buried in a hydrophobic pocket {approx}16 {angstrom} from the SAM-binding site. The 108V and 108M structures are very similar overall [RMSD of C{sup {alpha}} atoms between two structures (C{sup {alpha}} RMSD) = 0.2 {angstrom}], and the active-site residues are superposable, in accord with the observation that SAM stabilizes 108M COMT. However, the methionine side chain is packed more tightly within the polymorphic site and, consequently, interacts more closely with residues A22 ({alpha}2) and R78 ({alpha}4) than does valine. These interactions of the larger methionine result in a 0.7-{angstrom} displacement in the backbone structure near residue 108, which propagates along {alpha}1 and {alpha}5 toward the SAM-binding site. Although the overall secondary structures of the human and rat proteins are very similar (C{sup {alpha}} RMSD = 0.4 {angstrom}), several nonconserved residues are present in the SAM-(I89M, I91M, C95Y) and catechol- (C173V, R201M, E202K) binding sites. The human protein also contains three additional solvent-exposed cysteine residues (C95, C173, C188) that may contribute to intermolecular disulfide bond

A new metabolic pathway of arsenite: arsenic-glutathione complexes are substrates for human arsenic methyltransferase Cyt19

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Hayakawa, Toru [National Institute for Environmental Studies, Environmental Health Sciences Division, Ibaraki (Japan); Chiba University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Kobayashi, Yayoi; Cui, Xing; Hirano, Seishiro [National Institute for Environmental Studies, Environmental Health Sciences Division, Ibaraki (Japan)

2005-04-01

The metabolism of arsenic is generally accepted to proceed by repetitive reduction and oxidative methylation; the latter is mediated by arsenic methyltransferase (Cyt19). In human urine, the major metabolites of inorganic arsenicals such as arsenite (iAs{sup III}) and arsenate (iAs{sup V}) are monomethylarsonic acid (MMA{sup V}) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA{sup V}). On the other hand, in rat bile, the major metabolites of iAs{sup III} have been reported to be arsenic-glutathione (As-GSH) complexes. In the present study we investigate whether these As-GSH complexes are substrates for arsenic methyltransferase by using human recombinant Cyt19. Analyses by high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry suggested that arsenic triglutathione (ATG) was generated nonenzymatically from iAs{sup III} when GSH was present at concentrations 2 mM or higher. Human recombinant Cyt19 catalyzed transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine to arsenic and produced monomethyl and dimethyl arsenicals. The methylation of arsenic was catalyzed by Cyt19 only when ATG was present in the reaction mixture. Moreover, monomethylarsonic diglutathione (MADG) was a substrate of Cyt19 for further methylation to dimethylarsinic glutathione (DMAG). On the other hand, monomethylarsonous acid (MMA{sup III}), a hydrolysis product of MADG, was not methylated to dimethyl arsenical by Cyt19. These results suggest that As-GSH complexes such as ATG and MADG were converted by Cyt19 to MADG and DMAG, respectively. Both MADG and DMAG were unstable in solution when the GSH concentration was lower than 1 mM, and were hydrolyzed and oxidized to MMA{sup V} and DMA{sup V}, respectively. Metabolism of iAs{sup III} to methylated arsenicals by Cyt19 was via ATG and MADG rather than by oxidative methylation of iAs{sup III} and MMA{sup III}. (orig.)

Conformational change in human DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase upon alkylation of its active site by SN1 (indirect-acting) and SN2 (direct-acting) alkylating agents: breaking a "salt-link".

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, H K; Teo, A K; Ali, R B; Lim, A; Ayi, T C; Yarosh, D B; Li, B F

1996-09-24

Human O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) repairs DNA by transferring alkyl (R-) adducts from O6-alkylguanine (6RG) in DNA to its own cysteine residue at codon 145 (formation of R-MGMT). We show here that R-MGMT in cell extracts, which is sensitive to protease V8 cleavage at the glutamic acid residues at codons 30 (E30) and 172 (E172), can be specifically immunoprecipitated with an MGMT monoclonal antibody, Mab.3C7. This Mab recognizes an epitope of human MGMT including the lysine 107 (K107) which is within the most basic region that is highly conserved among mammalian MGMTs. Surprisingly, the K107L mutant protein is repair-deficient and readily cleaved by protease V8 similar to R-MGMT. We propose that R-MGMT adopted an altered conformation which exposed the Mab.3C7 epitope and rendered that protein sensitive to protease V8 attack. This proposal could be explained by the disruption of a structural "salt-link" within the molecule based on the available structural and biochemical data. The specific binding of Mab.3C7 to R-MGMT has been compared with the protease V8 method in the detection of R-MGMT in extracts of cells treated with low dosages of methyliodide (SN2) and O6-benzylguanine. Their identical behaviors in producing protease V8 sensitive R-MGMT and Mab.3C7 immunoprecipitates suggest that probably methyl iodide (an ineffective agent in producing 6RG in DNA) can directly alkylate the active site of cellular MGMT similar to O6-benzylguanine. The effectiveness of MeI in producing R-MGMT, i.e., inactivation of cellular MGMT, indicates that this agent can increase the effectiveness of environmental and endogenously produced alkylating carcinogens in producing the mutagenic O6-alkylguanine residues in DNA in vivo.

Geographic distribution of methyltransferases of Helicobacter pylori: evidence of human host population isolation and migration

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Vítor Jorge MB

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori colonizes the human stomach and is associated with gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. This ubiquitous association between H. pylori and humans is thought to be present since the origin of modern humans. The H. pylori genome encodes for an exceptional number of restriction and modifications (R-M systems. To evaluate if R-M systems are an adequate tool to determine the geographic distribution of H. pylori strains, we typed 221 strains from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe, and evaluated the expression of different 29 methyltransferases. Results Independence tests and logistic regression models revealed that ten R-M systems correlate with geographical localization. The distribution pattern of these methyltransferases may have been originated by co-divergence of regional H. pylori after its human host migrated out of Africa. The expression of specific methyltransferases in the H. pylori population may also reflect the genetic and cultural background of its human host. Methyltransferases common to all strains, M. HhaI and M. NaeI, are likely conserved in H. pylori, and may have been present in the bacteria genome since the human diaspora out of Africa. Conclusion This study indicates that some methyltransferases are useful geomarkers, which allow discrimination of bacterial populations, and that can be added to our tools to investigate human migrations.

Free radical scavengers and antioxidants from Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf.).

Science.gov (United States)

Cheel, José; Theoduloz, Cristina; Rodríguez, Jaime; Schmeda-Hirschmann, Guillermo

2005-04-06

Methanol, MeOH/water extracts, infusion, and decoction of Cymbopogon citratus were assessed for free radical scavenging effects measured by the bleaching of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, scavenging of the superoxide anion, and inhibition of the enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO) and lipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes. The extracts presented effect in the DPPH and superoxide anion assay, with values ranging between 40 and 68% and 15-32% at 33 and 50 microg/mL, respectively, inhibited lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes by 19-71% at 500 microg/mL and were inactive toward the XO at 50 microg/mL. Isoorientin, isoscoparin, swertiajaponin, isoorientin 2' '-O-rhamnoside, orientin, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were isolated and identified by spectroscopic methods. Isoorientin and orientin presented similar activities toward the DPPH (IC(50): 9-10 microM) and inhibited lipid peroxidation by 70% at 100 microg/mL. Caffeic and chlorogenic acid were active superoxide anion scavengers with IC(50) values of 68.8 and 54.2 microM, respectively, and a strong effect toward DPPH. Caffeic acid inhibited lipid peroxidation by 85% at 100 microg/mL.

Establishment of Hairy Root Cultures of Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd. Iljin for the Production of Biomass and Caffeic Acid Derivatives

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Ewa Skała

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to obtain transformed roots of Rhaponticum carthamoides and evaluate their phytochemical profile. Hairy roots were induced from leaf explants by the transformation of Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains A4 and ATCC 15834. The best response (43% was achieved by infection with A4 strain. The effects of different liquid media (WPM, B5, SH with full and half-strength concentrations of macro- and micronutrients on biomass accumulation of the best grown hairy root line (RC3 at two different lighting conditions (light or dark were investigated. The highest biomass (93 g L−1 of the fresh weight after 35 days was obtained in WPM medium under periodic light. UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS3 and HPLC-PDA analyses of 80% aqueous methanol extracts from the obtained hairy roots revealed the presence of eleven caffeoylquinic acids and their derivatives and five flavonoid glycosides. The production of caffeoylquinic acids and their derivatives was elevated in hairy roots grown in the light. Only light-grown hairy roots demonstrated the capability for the biosynthesis of such flavonoid glycosides as quercetagetin, quercetin, luteolin, and patuletin hexosides. Chlorogenic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid and a tentatively identified tricaffeoylquinic acid derivative were detected as the major compounds present in the transformed roots.

Application of response surface methodology optimization for the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-04-20

Apr 20, 2009 ... of CQAs in tobacco waste were identified as three isomers containing chlorogenic acid (5-caffecylquinic acid ... Key words: Caffeic acid, caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), hydrolysis reaction parameter optimization, response surface ..... Rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid produce antidepressive-like effect in.

The genome-wide identification and transcriptional levels of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases in globe artichoke.

Science.gov (United States)

Gianoglio, Silvia; Moglia, Andrea; Acquadro, Alberto; Comino, Cinzia; Portis, Ezio

2017-01-01

Changes to the cytosine methylation status of DNA, driven by the activity of C5 methyltransferases (C5-MTases) and demethylases, exert an important influence over development, transposon movement, gene expression and imprinting. Three groups of C5-MTase enzymes have been identified in plants, namely MET (methyltransferase 1), CMT (chromomethyltransferases) and DRM (domains rearranged methyltransferases). Here the repertoire of genes encoding C5-MTase and demethylase by the globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is described, based on sequence homology, a phylogenetic analysis and a characterization of their functional domains. A total of ten genes encoding C5-MTase (one MET, five CMTs and four DRMs) and five demethylases was identified. An analysis of their predicted product's protein structure suggested an extensive level of conservation has been retained by the C5-MTases. Transcriptional profiling based on quantitative real time PCR revealed a number of differences between the genes encoding maintenance and de novo methyltransferases, sometimes in a tissue- or development-dependent manner, which implied a degree of functional specialization.

The genome-wide identification and transcriptional levels of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases in globe artichoke.

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Silvia Gianoglio

Full Text Available Changes to the cytosine methylation status of DNA, driven by the activity of C5 methyltransferases (C5-MTases and demethylases, exert an important influence over development, transposon movement, gene expression and imprinting. Three groups of C5-MTase enzymes have been identified in plants, namely MET (methyltransferase 1, CMT (chromomethyltransferases and DRM (domains rearranged methyltransferases. Here the repertoire of genes encoding C5-MTase and demethylase by the globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus is described, based on sequence homology, a phylogenetic analysis and a characterization of their functional domains. A total of ten genes encoding C5-MTase (one MET, five CMTs and four DRMs and five demethylases was identified. An analysis of their predicted product's protein structure suggested an extensive level of conservation has been retained by the C5-MTases. Transcriptional profiling based on quantitative real time PCR revealed a number of differences between the genes encoding maintenance and de novo methyltransferases, sometimes in a tissue- or development-dependent manner, which implied a degree of functional specialization.

Nicotinamide -Methyltransferase in Health and Cancer

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David B Ramsden

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, the roles of nicotinamide N -methyltransferase and its product 1-methyl nicotinamide have emerged from playing merely minor roles in phase 2 xenobiotic metabolism as actors in some of the most important scenes of human life. In this review, the structures of the gene, messenger RNA, and protein are discussed, together with the role of the enzyme in many of the common cancers that afflict people today.

Structure related effects of flavonoid aglycones on cell cycle progression of HepG2 cells: Metabolic activation of fisetin and quercetin by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).

Science.gov (United States)

Poór, Miklós; Zrínyi, Zita; Kőszegi, Tamás

2016-10-01

Dietary flavonoids are abundant in the Plant Kingdom and they are extensively studied because of their manifold pharmacological activities. Recent studies highlighted that cell cycle arrest plays a key role in their antiproliferative effect in different tumor cells. However, structure-activity relationship of flavonoids is poorly characterized. In our study the influence of 18 flavonoid aglycones (as well as two metabolites) on cell cycle distribution was investigated. Since flavonoids are extensively metabolized by liver cells, HepG2 tumor cell line was applied, considering the potential metabolic activation/inactivation of flavonoids. Our major observations are the followings: (1) Among the tested compounds diosmetin, fisetin, apigenin, lutelin, and quercetin provoked spectacular extent of G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. (2) Inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferase enzyme by entacapone decreased the antiproliferative effects of fisetin and quercetin. (3) Geraldol and isorhamnetin (3'-O-methylated metabolites of fisetin and quercetin, respectively) demonstrated significantly higher antiproliferative effect on HepG2 cells compared to the parent compounds. Based on these results, O-methylated flavonoid metabolites or their chemically modified derivatives may be suitable candidates of tumor therapy in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A Rapid and Efficient Assay for the Characterization of Substrates and Inhibitors of Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Haren, Matthijs J; Sastre Torano, Javier; Sartini, Davide; Emanuelli, Monica; Parsons, Richard B; Martin, Nathaniel I

2016-01-01

Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) is one of the most abundant small molecule methyltransferases in the human body and is primarily responsible for the N-methylation of the nicotinamide (vitamin B3). Employing the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine, NNMT transfers a methyl group to the pyridine

Formic Acid Modified Co3O4-CeO2 Catalysts for CO Oxidation

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Ruishu Shang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A formic acid modified catalyst, Co3O4-CeO2, was prepared via facile urea-hydrothermal method and applied in CO oxidation. The Co3O4-CeO2-0.5 catalyst, treated by formic acid at 0.5 mol/L, performed better in CO oxidation with T50 obtained at 69.5 °C and T100 obtained at 150 °C, respectively. The characterization results indicate that after treating with formic acid, there is a more porous structure within the Co3O4-CeO2 catalyst; meanwhile, despite of the slightly decreased content of Co, there are more adsorption sites exposed by acid treatment, as suggested by CO-TPD and H2-TPD, which explains the improvement of catalytic performance.

Ectopic Lignification in the Flax lignified bast fiber1 Mutant Stem Is Associated with Tissue-Specific Modifications in Gene Expression and Cell Wall Composition[C][W

Science.gov (United States)

Chantreau, Maxime; Portelette, Antoine; Dauwe, Rebecca; Kiyoto, Shingo; Crônier, David; Morreel, Kris; Arribat, Sandrine; Neutelings, Godfrey; Chabi, Malika; Boerjan, Wout; Yoshinaga, Arata; Mesnard, François; Grec, Sebastien; Chabbert, Brigitte; Hawkins, Simon

2014-01-01

Histochemical screening of a flax ethyl methanesulfonate population led to the identification of 93 independent M2 mutant families showing ectopic lignification in the secondary cell wall of stem bast fibers. We named this core collection the Linum usitatissimum (flax) lbf mutants for lignified bast fibers and believe that this population represents a novel biological resource for investigating how bast fiber plants regulate lignin biosynthesis. As a proof of concept, we characterized the lbf1 mutant and showed that the lignin content increased by 350% in outer stem tissues containing bast fibers but was unchanged in inner stem tissues containing xylem. Chemical and NMR analyses indicated that bast fiber ectopic lignin was highly condensed and rich in G-units. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry profiling showed large modifications in the oligolignol pool of lbf1 inner- and outer-stem tissues that could be related to ectopic lignification. Immunological and chemical analyses revealed that lbf1 mutants also showed changes to other cell wall polymers. Whole-genome transcriptomics suggested that ectopic lignification of flax bast fibers could be caused by increased transcript accumulation of (1) the cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase monolignol biosynthesis genes, (2) several lignin-associated peroxidase genes, and (3) genes coding for respiratory burst oxidase homolog NADPH-oxidases necessary to increase H2O2 supply. PMID:25381351

Molecular Basis for the Regulation of the H3K4 Methyltransferase Activity of PRDM9

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Hong Wu

2013-10-01

Full Text Available PRDM9, a histone lysine methyltransferase, is a key determinant of the localization of meiotic recombination hot spots in humans and mice and the only vertebrate protein known to be involved in hybrid sterility. Here, we report the crystal structure of the PRDM9 methyltransferase domain in complex with a histone H3 peptide dimethylated on lysine 4 (H3K4me2 and S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy, which provides insights into the methyltransferase activity of PRDM proteins. We show that the genuine substrate of PRDM9 is histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4 and that the enzyme possesses mono-, di-, and trimethylation activities. We also determined the crystal structure of PRDM9 in its autoinhibited state, which revealed a rearrangement of the substrate and cofactor binding sites by a concerted action of the pre-SET and post-SET domains, providing important insights into the regulatory mechanisms of histone lysine methyltransferase activity.

An engineered split M.HhaI-zinc finger fusion lacks the intended methyltransferase specificity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meister, Glenna E.; Chandrasegaran, Srinivasan; Ostermeier, Marc

2008-01-01

The ability to site-specifically methylate DNA in vivo would have wide applicability to the study of basic biomedical problems as well as enable studies on the potential of site-specific DNA methylation as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diseases. Natural DNA methyltransferases lack the specificity required for these applications. Nomura and Barbas [W. Nomura, C.F. Barbas 3rd, In vivo site-specific DNA methylation with a designed sequence-enabled DNA methylase, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129 (2007) 8676-8677] have reported that an engineered DNA methyltransferase comprised of fragments of M.HhaI methyltransferase and zinc finger proteins has very high specificity for the chosen target site. Our analysis of this engineered enzyme shows that the fusion protein methylates target and non-target sites with similar efficiency

Association between the catechol-o-methyltransferase val158met polymorphism with susceptibility and severity of carpal tunnel syndrome

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Erkol İnal E

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationships between the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT gene Val158Met (rs4680 polymorphism and development, functional and clinical status of CTS. Ninety-five women with electro diagnostically confirmed CTS and 95 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The functional and clinical status of the patients was measured by the Turkish version of the Boston Questionnaire and intensity of pain related to the past 2 weeks was evaluated on a visual analog scale (VAS. The Val158Met polymorphism was determined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP, method. We divided patients according to the genotypes of the Val158Met polymorphism as Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met. There were not any significant differences in terms of Val158Met polymorphisms between patients and healthy controls (p >0.05. We also did not find any relationships between the Val158Met polymorphism and CTS (p >0.05. In conclusion, although we did not find any relationships between CTS and the Val158Met polymorphism, we could not generalize this result to the general population. Future studies are warranted to conclude precise associations.

Dataset on exogenous application of salicylic acid and methyljasmonate and the accumulation of caffeine in young leaf tissues and catabolically inactive endosperms

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Avinash Kumar

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Exogenous exposure of coffee plants to 50 μM and 500 μM salicylic acid through liquid hydroponic medium or the exposure to volatile fumes of methyljasmonate was carried out to study the role of salicylic acid and methyljasmonate on the accumulation of caffeine and other methylxanthines like 7-methylxanthine, theobromine and theophylline. Transcript levels of the first, second and third N-methyltransferase involved in the core caffeine biosynthetic pathway namely, xanthosine methyltransferase (XMT, methylxanthine methyltransferase (MXMT and di-methylxanthine methyltransferase (DXMT was investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR for validating the reason behind the changes of caffeine biosynthetic potential under the influence of the two analogues of plant phytohormones. Maturing coffee fruits are known to be biologically inactive with respect to caffeine biosynthetic activity in the endosperms. To understand this, fruits were treated with different doses of salicylic acid in a time-course manner and the de-repression of tissue maturation-mediated knockdown of caffeine biosynthesis by exogenously applied salicylic acid was achieved. In our companion paper [1] it was shown that the repression of NMT genes during the dry weight accumulation phase of maturing endosperm could be relaxed by the exogenous application of salicylic acid and methyljasmonate. A probable model based on the work carried out therein and based on other literature [2–4] was proposed to describe that the crosstalk between salicylic acid or methyljasmonate and the ABA/ethylene pathway and might involve transcription factors downstream to the signaling cascade.

Race moderates the association of Catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and posttraumatic stress disorder in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, Kathryn L; Scheeringa, Michael S; Drury, Stacy S

2014-10-01

The present study sought to replicate previous findings of an association between the Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met polymorphism with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptomatology in a novel age group, preschool children. COMT genotype was determined in a sample of 171 3-6-year-old trauma-exposed children. PTSD was assessed with a semistructured interview. Accounting for sex, trauma type, and age, genotype was examined in relation to categorical and continuous measures of PTSD both controlling for race and within the two largest racial categories (African American [AA] and European American [EA]). Race significantly moderated the association between genotype and PTSD. Specifically, the genotype associated with increased PTSD symptoms in one racial group had the opposite association in the other racial group. For AA children the met/met genotype was associated with more PTSD symptoms. However, for EA children, val allele carriers had more PTSD symptoms. Whereas every AA child with the met/met genotype met criteria for PTSD, none of the EA children with the met/met genotype did. This genetic association with COMT genotype, in both races but in opposite directions, was most associated with increased arousal symptoms. These findings replicate previous findings in participants of African descent, highlight the moderating effect of race on the association between COMT genotype and PTSD, and provide direct evidence that consideration of population stratification within gene-by-environment studies is valuable to prevent false negative findings.

Engineering a Monolignol 4-O-Methyltransferase with High Selectivity for the Condensed Lignin Precursor Coniferyl Alcohol*

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yuanheng; Bhuiya, Mohammad-Wadud; Shanklin, John; Liu, Chang-Jun

2015-01-01

Lignin, a rigid biopolymer in plant cell walls, is derived from the oxidative polymerization of three monolignols. The composition of monolignol monomers dictates the degree of lignin condensation, reactivity, and thus the degradability of plant cell walls. Guaiacyl lignin is regarded as the condensed structural unit. Polymerization of lignin is initiated through the deprotonation of the para-hydroxyl group of monolignols. Therefore, preferentially modifying the para-hydroxyl of a specific monolignol to deprive its dehydrogenation propensity would disturb the formation of particular lignin subunits. Here, we test the hypothesis that specific remodeling the active site of a monolignol 4-O-methyltransferase would create an enzyme that specifically methylates the condensed guaiacyl lignin precursor coniferyl alcohol. Combining crystal structural information with combinatorial active site saturation mutagenesis and starting with the engineered promiscuous enzyme, MOMT5 (T133L/E165I/F175I/F166W/H169F), we incrementally remodeled its substrate binding pocket by the addition of four substitutions, i.e. M26H, S30R, V33S, and T319M, yielding a mutant enzyme capable of discriminately etherifying the para-hydroxyl of coniferyl alcohol even in the presence of excess sinapyl alcohol. The engineered enzyme variant has a substantially reduced substrate binding pocket that imposes a clear steric hindrance thereby excluding bulkier lignin precursors. The resulting enzyme variant represents an excellent candidate for modulating lignin composition and/or structure in planta. PMID:26378240

Wine phenolic compounds influence the production of volatile phenols by wine-related lactic acid bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, I; Campos, F M; Hogg, T; Couto, J A

2011-08-01

To evaluate the effect of wine phenolic compounds on the production of volatile phenols (4-vinylphenol [4VP] and 4-ethylphenol [4EP]) from the metabolism of p-coumaric acid by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus collinoides and Pediococcus pentosaceus were grown in MRS medium supplemented with p-coumaric acid, in the presence of different phenolic compounds: nonflavonoids (hydroxycinnamic and benzoic acids) and flavonoids (flavonols and flavanols). The inducibility of the enzymes involved in the p-coumaric acid metabolism was studied in resting cells. The hydroxycinnamic acids tested stimulated the capacity of LAB to synthesize volatile phenols. Growth in the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids, especially caffeic acid, induced the production of 4VP by resting cells. The hydroxybenzoic acids did not significantly affect the behaviour of the studied strains. Some of the flavonoids showed an effect on the production of volatile phenols, although strongly dependent on the bacterial species. Relatively high concentrations (1 g l(-1) ) of tannins inhibited the synthesis of 4VP by Lact. plantarum. Hydroxycinnamic acids were the main compounds stimulating the production of volatile phenols by LAB. The results suggest that caffeic and ferulic acids induce the synthesis of the cinnamate decarboxylase involved in the metabolism of p-coumaric acid. On the other hand, tannins exert an inhibitory effect. This study highlights the capacity of LAB to produce volatile phenols and that this activity is markedly influenced by the phenolic composition of the medium. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Transferases for alkylation, glycosylation and phosphorylation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Auriol, D.; ter Halle, R.; Lefèvre, F.; Visser, D.F.; Gordon, G.E.R.; Bode, M.L.; Mathiba, K.; Brady, D.; De Winter, K.; Desmet, T.; Cerdobbel, A.; Soetaert, W.; van Herk, T.; Hartog, A.F.; Wever, R.; Brzezińska-rodak, M.; Klimek-Ochab, M.; Żymańczyk-Duda, E.; Mukherjee, J.; Gupta, M.N.; Yin, W.B.; Li, S.M.; Gruber-Khadjawi, M.; Whittall, J.; Sutton, P.W.

2012-01-01

This chapter contains sections titled: Industrial Production of Caffeic Acid-α-D-O-Glucoside Enzymatic Synthesis of 5-Methyluridine by Transglycosylation of Guanosine and Thymine Preparation and Use of Sucrose Phosphorylase as Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregate (CLEA) Enzymatic Synthesis of

Nucleogenic radioiodination of O-iodo hippuric acid (O-I H A) VIA molten acetic acid analogs (A A A). Vol. 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Shaboury, G; El-Kolaly, M T; El-Watery, A; El-Mohty, A; Raieh, M [Radioisotope Production and Labelled Compounds Department, Hot Laboratories Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, (Egypt)

1996-03-01

A recent study for nucleogenic radioiodination of O-iodo hippuric acid (O-I H A) in dry-state (i.e. Molten state) with radioiodine in molten acetic acid analogs (AAA) has been investigated. The result investigated has revealed that the molten ammonium acetate (m.p. 114 degree C) fulfills the desired requirements for achieving high and pure radiochemical yield up to 95% within 5 min. at 120 degree C, when used as a molten medium for the no-carrier added isotope - exchange reaction between inactive O-I H A and Lyophilized ethanolic solution of sodium iodide ({sup 131} I{sup -}). On the other hand, the different critical parameters which affects the isotopic - exchange reaction in molten state previously described are discussed to evaluate the chemical principles of the reaction. Also the product obtained is completely free from impurities currently found in commercial radioiodinated - hippuran usually obtained by molten techniques such as glycyl - O - iodihippuric acid (g-OIHA) as well as O-iodobenzonic acid (O-IBA), which are investigated by TIC silica G-60 using the organic phase of the following solvent consists of benzene: acetic acid: water: n.butanol in the ratio of 5:5:2:1 as developing solvent. 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Mitochondrial targeting of human O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase protects against cell killing by chemotherapeutic alkylating agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Shanbao; Xu, Yi; Cooper, Ryan J; Ferkowicz, Michael J; Hartwell, Jennifer R; Pollok, Karen E; Kelley, Mark R

2005-04-15

DNA repair capacity of eukaryotic cells has been studied extensively in recent years. Mammalian cells have been engineered to overexpress recombinant nuclear DNA repair proteins from ectopic genes to assess the impact of increased DNA repair capacity on genome stability. This approach has been used in this study to specifically target O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) to the mitochondria and examine its impact on cell survival after exposure to DNA alkylating agents. Survival of human hematopoietic cell lines and primary hematopoietic CD34(+) committed progenitor cells was monitored because the baseline repair capacity for alkylation-induced DNA damage is typically low due to insufficient expression of MGMT. Increased DNA repair capacity was observed when K562 cells were transfected with nuclear-targeted MGMT (nucl-MGMT) or mitochondrial-targeted MGMT (mito-MGMT). Furthermore, overexpression of mito-MGMT provided greater resistance to cell killing by 1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) than overexpression of nucl-MGMT. Simultaneous overexpression of mito-MGMT and nucl-MGMT did not enhance the resistance provided by mito-MGMT alone. Overexpression of either mito-MGMT or nucl-MGMT also conferred a similar level of resistance to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and temozolomide (TMZ) but simultaneous overexpression in both cellular compartments was neither additive nor synergistic. When human CD34(+) cells were infected with oncoretroviral vectors that targeted O(6)-benzylguanine (6BG)-resistant MGMT (MGMT(P140K)) to the nucleus or the mitochondria, committed progenitors derived from infected cells were resistant to 6BG/BCNU or 6BG/TMZ. These studies indicate that mitochondrial or nuclear targeting of MGMT protects hematopoietic cells against cell killing by BCNU, TMZ, and MMS, which is consistent with the possibility that mitochondrial DNA damage and nuclear DNA damage contribute equally to alkylating agent-induced cell killing during chemotherapy.

Investigating the synergistic antioxidant effects of some flavonoid and phenolic compounds

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H. Hajimehdipoor

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Phenolic and flavonoid compounds are secondary metabolites of plants which possess various activities such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-diabetes and anticancer effects. It has been established that these compounds can scavenge free radicals produced in the body. Because of this ability, not only the plants containing phenolic and flavonoid compounds but also, the pure compounds are used in medicinal products for prevention and treatment of many disorders. Considering that the golden aim of the pharmaceutical industries is using the most effective compounds with lower concentrations, determination of the best combination of the compounds with synergistic effects is important. In the present study, synergistic antioxidant effects of four phenolic compounds including caffeic acid, gallic acid, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid and two flavonoids,  rutin and quercetin, have been investigated by FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power method. The synergistic effect was assessed by comparing the experimental antioxidant activity of the mixtures with calculated theoretical values and the interactions of the compounds were determined. The results showed that combination of gallic acid and caffeic acid demonstrated considerable synergistic effects (137.8% while other combinations were less potent. Among examined substances, rutin was the only one which had no effect on the other compounds. The results of ternary combinations of compounds demonstrated antagonistic effects in some cases. This was more considerable in mixture of rutin, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid (-21.8%, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid (-20%, rutin, rosmarinic acid, gallic acid (-18.5% and rutin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid (-15.8%, while, combination of quercetin, gallic acid, caffeic acid (59.4% and quercetin, gallic acid, rutin (55.2% showed the most synergistic effects. It was concluded that binary and ternary combination of quercetin, rutin, caffeic acid

Identification of Aquifex aeolicus tRNA (m2(2G26) methyltransferase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Hiroshi; Hori, Hiroyuki; Endo, Yaeta

2002-01-01

The modifications of N2,N2-dimethylguanine (m2(2)G) are found in tRNAs and rRNAs from eukarya and archaea. In tRNAs, modification at position G26 is generated by tRNA (m2(2)G26) methyltransferase, which is encoded by the corresponding gene, trm1. This enzyme catalyzes the methyl-transfer from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to the semi-conserved residue, G26, via the intermediate modified base, m2G26. Recent genome sequencing project has been reported that the putative trm1 is encoded in the genome of Aquifex aeolicus, a hyper-thermophilic eubacterium as only one exception among eubacteria. In order to confirm whether this bacterial trm1 gene product is a real tRNA (m2(2)G26) methyltransferase or not, we expressed this protein by wheat germ in vitro cell-free translation system. Our biochemical analysis clearly showed that this gene product possessed tRNA (m2(2)G26) methyltransferase activity.

A SAM-dependent methyltransferase cotranscribed with arsenate reductase alters resistance to peptidyl transferase center-binding antibiotics in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sudhir; Singh, Chhaya; Tripathi, Anil Kumar

2014-05-01

The genome of Azospirillum brasilense harbors a gene encoding S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase, which is located downstream of an arsenate reductase gene. Both genes are cotranscribed and translationally coupled. When they were cloned and expressed individually in an arsenate-sensitive strain of Escherichia coli, arsenate reductase conferred tolerance to arsenate; however, methyltransferase failed to do so. Sequence analysis revealed that methyltransferase was more closely related to a PrmB-type N5-glutamine methyltransferase than to the arsenate detoxifying methyltransferase ArsM. Insertional inactivation of prmB gene in A. brasilense resulted in an increased sensitivity to chloramphenicol and resistance to tiamulin and clindamycin, which are known to bind at the peptidyl transferase center (PTC) in the ribosome. These observations suggested that the inability of prmB:km mutant to methylate L3 protein might alter hydrophobicity in the antibiotic-binding pocket of the PTC, which might affect the binding of chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and tiamulin differentially. This is the first report showing the role of PrmB-type N5-glutamine methyltransferases in conferring resistance to tiamulin and clindamycin in any bacterium.

Quantitation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene messenger RNA in gliomas by means of real-time RT-PCR and clinical response to nitrosoureas.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Satoshi; Oka, Hidehiro; Fujii, Kiyotaka; Watanabe, Kaoru; Nagao, Kumi; Kakimoto, Atsushi

2005-09-01

1. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) mRNA was measured in 50 malignant gliomas that had received 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidynyl) methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) after the resection of the tumor by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using TaqMan probe. 2. The mean absolute value of MGMTmRNA normalized to the level of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) for 50 tumors was 1.29 x 10(4)+/- 1.28 x 10(4) copy/microg RNA (mean +/- SD). The amount of MGMTmRNA less than 6 x 10(3) copy/microg RNA was the most significant factor in predicting the initial effect of treatment with ACNU by multi-variant regression analysis (p = 0.0157). 3. These results suggest that quantitation of MGMTmRNA is the excellent method for predicting for the effect of ACNU in glioma therapy.

Acidic-alkaline ferulic acid esterase from Chaetomium thermophilum var. dissitum: Molecular cloning and characterization of recombinant enzyme expressed in Pichia pastoris

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dotsenko, Gleb; Tong, Xiaoxue; Pilgaard, Bo

2016-01-01

A novel ferulic acid esterase encoding gene CtFae, was successfully cloned from a highly esterase active strain of the thermophile ascomycetous fungus Chaetomium thermophilum var. dissitum; the gene was heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris KM71H. The recombinant enzyme (CtFae) was purified...... to homogeneity and subsequently characterized. CtFae was active towards synthetic esters of ferulic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids, as well as towards wide range of p-nitrophenyl substrates. Its temperature and pH optima were 55 °C and pH 6.0, respectively. Enzyme rare features were broad pH optimum, high...

The purification, crystallization and preliminary structural characterization of PhzM, a phenazine-modifying methyltransferase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gohain, Neelakshi; Thomashow, Linda S.; Mavrodi, Dmitri V.; Blankenfeldt, Wulf

2006-01-01

PhzM, an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase enzyme that catalyzes a reaction involved in the biosynthesis of pyocyanin in P. aeruginosa, was cloned, overexpressed and crystallized. Data collection from native and selenomethionine-labelled crystals is reported. Pyocyanin, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid and more than 70 related compounds collectively known as phenazines are produced by various species of Pseudomonas, including the fluorescent pseudomonad P. aeruginosa, a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen in humans and animals. P. aeruginosa synthesizes a characteristic blue water-soluble compound called pyocyanin (1-hydroxy-5-methyl-phenazine). Two enzymes designated PhzM and PhzS are involved in the terminal steps of its synthesis and very little is known about these enzymes. In this study, PhzM, a dimeric S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase, was purified and crystallized from PEG 3350/sodium cacodylate/sodium citrate pH 6.5. The crystals belong to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 46.1, b = 61.8, c = 69.6 Å, α = 96.3, β = 106.6, γ = 106.9°. They contain one dimer in the asymmetric unit and diffract to a resolution of 1.8 Å. Anomalous data to 2.3 Å resolution have been collected from seleno-l-methionine-labelled PhzM

Crystal structure of MboIIA methyltransferase

OpenAIRE

Osipiuk, Jerzy; Walsh, Martin A.; Joachimiak, Andrzej

2003-01-01

DNA methyltransferases (MTases) are sequence-specific enzymes which transfer a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) to the amino group of either cytosine or adenine within a recognized DNA sequence. Methylation of a base in a specific DNA sequence protects DNA from nucleolytic cleavage by restriction enzymes recognizing the same DNA sequence. We have determined at 1.74 Å resolution the crystal structure of a β-class DNA MTase MboIIA (M·MboIIA) from the bacterium Moraxella bovis,...

Functional analysis of a tomato salicylic acid methyl transferase and its role in synthesis of the flavor volatile methyl salicylate.

Science.gov (United States)

Tieman, Denise; Zeigler, Michelle; Schmelz, Eric; Taylor, Mark G; Rushing, Sarah; Jones, Jeffrey B; Klee, Harry J

2010-04-01

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a volatile plant secondary metabolite that is an important contributor to taste and scent of many fruits and flowers. It is synthesized from salicylic acid (SA), a phytohormone that contributes to plant pathogen defense. MeSA is synthesized by members of a family of O-methyltransferases. In order to elaborate the mechanism of MeSA synthesis in tomato, we screened a set of O-methyltransferases for activity against multiple substrates. An enzyme that specifically catalyzes methylation of SA, SlSAMT, as well as enzymes that act upon jasmonic acid and indole-3-acetic acid were identified. Analyses of transgenic over- and under-producing lines validated the function of SlSAMT in vivo. The SlSAMT gene was mapped to a position near the bottom of chromosome 9. Analysis of MeSA emissions from an introgression population derived from a cross with Solanum pennellii revealed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) linked to higher fruit methyl salicylate emissions. The higher MeSA emissions associate with significantly higher SpSAMT expression, consistent with SAMT gene expression being rate limiting for ripening-associated MeSA emissions. Transgenic plants that constitutively over-produce MeSA exhibited only slightly delayed symptom development following infection with the disease-causing bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv). Unexpectedly, pathogen-challenged leaves accumulated significantly higher levels of SA as well as glycosylated forms of SA and MeSA, indicating a disruption in control of the SA-related metabolite pool. Taken together, the results indicate that SlSAMT is critical for methyl salicylate synthesis and methyl salicylate, in turn, likely has an important role in controlling SA synthesis.

Simultaneous determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in Chenopodium formosanum Koidz. (djulis) by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, B Y; Lin, S W; Inbaraj, B Stephen; Chen, B H

2017-01-05

A high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry method (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of phenolic acids and flavonoids in djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.), a traditional Chinese herb reported to possess vital biological activities. A high yield of phenolic acids and flavonoids was attained by employing 50% ethanol in water as the extraction solvent and shaking in a 60°C water bath for 3h. A total of 8 phenolic acids and 14 flavonoids were separated and identified within 55min by using a Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column with detection at 280nm, flow rate at 0.8mL/min, column temperature at 35°C, and a gradient solvent system of 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. Two internal standards caffeic acid and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside were used for quantitation of phenolic acids and flavonoids in djulis respectively. The amounts of phenolic acids ranged from 11.5±0.8μg/g (caffeoyl-putrescine-derivative (2)) to 1855.3±16.9μg/g (hydroxylphenylacetic acid pentoside), while the flavonoids ranged from 19.93±2.29μg/g (quercetin-3-O-(coumaryl)-rutinoside-pentoside (1)) to 257.3±2.05μg/g (rutin-O-pentoside (2)). A high recovery (89.68-97.20%) and high reproducibility was obtained for both phenolic acids and flavonoids with the relative standard deviation (RSD) for the latter ranging from 0.09-8.22% (intra-day variability) and 0.80-8.48% (inter-day variability). This method may be applied to determination of both phenolic acids and flavonoids in food products and Chinese herbs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids in Myrcia bella Cambess. Using FIA-ESI-IT-MSn and HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS Combined with NMR

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Anne L. Dokkedal

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The leaves of Myrcia DC. ex Guill species are used in traditional medicine and are also exploited commercially as herbal drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The present work aimed to assess the qualitative and quantitative profiles of M. bella hydroalcoholic extract, due to these uses, since the existing legislation in Brazil determines that a standard method must be developed in order to be used for quality control of raw plant materials. The current study identified eleven known flavonoid-O-glycosides and six acylated flavonoid derivatives of myricetin and quercetin, together with two kaempferol glycosides and phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, ethil galate, gallic acid and quinic acid. In total, 24 constituents were characterized, by means of extensive preparative chromatographic analyses, along with MS and NMR techniques. An HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS and FIA-ESI-IT-MSn method were developed for rapid identification of acylated flavonoids, flavonoid-O-glycosides derivatives of myricetin and quercetin and phenolic acids in the hydroalcoholic M. bella leaves extract. The FIA-ESI-IT-MS techinique is a powerful tool for direct and rapid identification of the constituents after isolation and NMR characterization. Thus, it could be used as an initial method for identification of authentic samples concerning quality control of Myrcia spp extracts.

Preliminary X-ray analysis of twinned crystals of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from Halorhodospira halochoris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallio, Juha Pekka; Jänis, Janne; Nyyssölä, Antti; Hakulinen, Nina; Rouvinen, Juha

2009-01-01

The crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from H. halochoris is reported. Sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.157) is an enzyme from the extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium Halorhodospira halochoris. This enzyme catalyzes the twofold methylation of sarcosine to betaine, with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl-group donor. This study presents the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase produced in Escherichia coli. Mass spectroscopy was used to determine the purity and homogeneity of the enzyme material. Two different crystal forms, which initially appeared to be hexagonal and tetragonal, were obtained. However, on analyzing the diffraction data it was discovered that both crystal forms were pseudo-merohedrally twinned. The true crystal systems were monoclinic and orthorhombic. The monoclinic crystal diffracted to a maximum of 2.15 Å resolution and the orthorhombic crystal diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution

Molecular mechanisms of adaptive response to alkylating agents in Escherichia coli and some remarks on O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase in other organisms.

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Kleibl, Karol

2002-09-01

Alkylating agents are environmental genotoxic agents with mutagenic and carcinogenic potential, however, their properties are also exploited in the treatment of malignant diseases. O(6)-Methylguanine is an important adduct formed by methylating agents that, if not repaired, can lead to mutations and death. Its repair is carried out by O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MTase) in an unique reaction in which methyl groups are transferred to the cysteine acceptor site of the protein itself. Exposure of Escherichia coli cells to sublethal concentrations of methylating agents triggers the expression of a set of genes, which allows the cells to tolerate DNA lesions, and this kind of inducible repair is called the adaptive response. The MTase of E. coli, encoded by the ada gene was the first MTase to be discovered and one of best characterised. Its repair and regulatory mechanisms are understood in considerable detail and this bacterial protein played a key role in identification of its counterparts in other living organisms. This review summarises the nature of alkylation damage in DNA and our current knowledge about the adaptive response in E. coli. I also include a brief mention of MTases from other organisms with the emphasis on the human MTase, which could play a crucial role in both cancer prevention and cancer treatment.

Sulfated caffeic acid dehydropolymer attenuates elastase and cigarette smoke extract-induced emphysema in rats: sustained activity and a need of pulmonary delivery.

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Saluja, Bhawana; Li, Hua; Desai, Umesh R; Voelkel, Norbert F; Sakagami, Masahiro

2014-08-01

Although emphysema destroys alveolar structures progressively and causes death eventually, no drug has been discovered to prevent, intervene, and/or resolve this life-threatening disease. We recently reported that sulfated caffeic acid dehydropolymer CDSO3 is a novel potent triple-action inhibitor of elastolysis, oxidation, and inflammation in vitro, and therefore, a potential anti-emphysema agent. However, the in vivo therapeutic potency, duration and mode of actions, and effective route remain to be demonstrated. Emphysema was induced in rats with human sputum elastase (HSE) combined with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). CDSO3 at 5, 30, or 100 μg/kg was dosed to the lung or injected subcutaneously at 2, 6, or 24 h before or 1 or 24 h or 1 week after the HSE/CSE instillation. At 1 h or 48 h or on day 21-22 or day 28, lungs were examined for airway-to-blood injurious barrier damage; their elastolytic, oxidative, and inflammatory activities; lung luminal leukocytes infiltration; functional treadmill exercise endurance; and/or morphological airspace enlargement. CDSO3, when dosed to the lung at 30 or 100 μg/kg, but not via systemic subcutaneous injection, significantly (43-93 %) attenuated HSE/CSE-induced (1) barrier damage measured by luminal hemorrhage and protein leak; (2) elastolytic, oxidative, and inflammatory activities measured with elastase, reduced glutathione, and TNFα levels, respectively; (3) luminal neutrophil infiltration and tissue myeloperoxidase activity; (4) functional impairment of exercise endurance; and (5) airspace enlargement, in both preventive and interventional dosing protocols. Notably, the effects were shown to last for 24 h at the greater 100-μg/kg dose, and the 1-week-delayed administration was also capable of attenuating the development of emphysema. CDSO3 is a novel, potent, long-acting, nonpeptidic macromolecule that inhibits HSE/CSE-induced elastolysis, oxidation, and inflammation in the lung and thereby attenuates the development

Methyltransferase That Modifies Guanine 966 of the 16 S rRNA: FUNCTIONAL IDENTIFICATION AND TERTIARY STRUCTURE*

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Lesnyak, Dmitry V.; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Skarina, Tatiana; Sergiev, Petr V.; Bogdanov, Alexey A.; Edwards, Aled; Savchenko, Alexei; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Dontsova, Olga A.

2010-01-01

N2-Methylguanine 966 is located in the loop of Escherichia coli 16 S rRNA helix 31, forming a part of the P-site tRNA-binding pocket. We found yhhF to be a gene encoding for m2G966 specific 16 S rRNA methyltransferase. Disruption of the yhhF gene by kanamycin resistance marker leads to a loss of modification at G966. The modification could be rescued by expression of recombinant protein from the plasmid carrying the yhhF gene. Moreover, purified m2G966 methyltransferase, in the presence of S-adenosylomethionine (AdoMet), is able to methylate 30 S ribosomal subunits that were purified from yhhF knock-out strain in vitro. The methylation is specific for G966 base of the 16 S rRNA. The m2G966 methyltransferase was crystallized, and its structure has been determined and refined to 2.05 Å. The structure closely resembles RsmC rRNA methyltransferase, specific for m2G1207 of the 16 S rRNA. Structural comparisons and analysis of the enzyme active site suggest modes for binding AdoMet and rRNA to m2G966 methyltransferase. Based on the experimental data and current nomenclature the protein expressed from the yhhF gene was renamed to RsmD. A model for interaction of RsmD with ribosome has been proposed. PMID:17189261

Methyltransferase that modifies guanine 966 of the 16 S rRNA: functional identification and tertiary structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesnyak, Dmitry V; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Skarina, Tatiana; Sergiev, Petr V; Bogdanov, Alexey A; Edwards, Aled; Savchenko, Alexei; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Dontsova, Olga A

2007-02-23

N(2)-Methylguanine 966 is located in the loop of Escherichia coli 16 S rRNA helix 31, forming a part of the P-site tRNA-binding pocket. We found yhhF to be a gene encoding for m(2)G966 specific 16 S rRNA methyltransferase. Disruption of the yhhF gene by kanamycin resistance marker leads to a loss of modification at G966. The modification could be rescued by expression of recombinant protein from the plasmid carrying the yhhF gene. Moreover, purified m(2)G966 methyltransferase, in the presence of S-adenosylomethionine (AdoMet), is able to methylate 30 S ribosomal subunits that were purified from yhhF knock-out strain in vitro. The methylation is specific for G966 base of the 16 S rRNA. The m(2)G966 methyltransferase was crystallized, and its structure has been determined and refined to 2.05A(.) The structure closely resembles RsmC rRNA methyltransferase, specific for m(2)G1207 of the 16 S rRNA. Structural comparisons and analysis of the enzyme active site suggest modes for binding AdoMet and rRNA to m(2)G966 methyltransferase. Based on the experimental data and current nomenclature the protein expressed from the yhhF gene was renamed to RsmD. A model for interaction of RsmD with ribosome has been proposed.

Identification of Phenolic Acids and Changes in their Content during Fermentation and Ageing of White Wines Pošip and Rukatac

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Tomislav Lovrić

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Identification of phenolic acids was performed and changes in their content during the production of autochthonous Croatian white wines Pošip and Rukatac (Vitis vinifera, L. were registered. In both varieties (Pošip, Rukatac the following phenolic acids were identified: gallic, protocatechuic and vanillic acids as hydroxybenzoic acids; and caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids as hydroxycinnamic acids. It was found that there is a difference between hydroxybenzoic acid group and hydroxycinnamic acid group content and between their influences on the wine colour (colour intensity and hue.

A glutamate/aspartate switch controls product specificity in a protein arginine methyltransferase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debler, Erik W.; Jain, Kanishk; Warmack, Rebeccah A.; Feng, You; Clarke, Steven G.; Blobel, Günter; Stavropoulos, Pete

2016-02-08

Trypanosoma brucei PRMT7 (TbPRMT7) is a protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) that strictly monomethylates various substrates, thus classifying it as a type III PRMT. However, the molecular basis of its unique product specificity has remained elusive. Here, we present the structure of TbPRMT7 in complex with its cofactor product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) at 2.8 Å resolution and identify a glutamate residue critical for its monomethylation behavior. TbPRMT7 comprises the conserved methyltransferase and β-barrel domains, an N-terminal extension, and a dimerization arm. The active site at the interface of the N-terminal extension, methyltransferase, and β-barrel domains is stabilized by the dimerization arm of the neighboring protomer, providing a structural basis for dimerization as a prerequisite for catalytic activity. Mutagenesis of active-site residues highlights the importance of Glu181, the second of the two invariant glutamate residues of the double E loop that coordinate the target arginine in substrate peptides/proteins and that increase its nucleophilicity. Strikingly, mutation of Glu181 to aspartate converts TbPRMT7 into a type I PRMT, producing asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using a histone H4 peptide showed that the Glu181Asp mutant has markedly increased affinity for monomethylated peptide with respect to the WT, suggesting that the enlarged active site can favorably accommodate monomethylated peptide and provide sufficient space for ADMA formation. In conclusion, these findings yield valuable insights into the product specificity and the catalytic mechanism of protein arginine methyltransferases and have important implications for the rational (re)design of PRMTs.

Effects of γ-Irradiation of Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum L. on the Phenolic Compounds Profile of Its Ethanolic Extract

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Janiak Michał A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The presented study revealed that there were changes in the phenolic compounds profile of extract of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L. after γ-irradiation at the dose of 5 kGy. Ethanolic extracts of irradiated and non-irradiated herb were prepared and their compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC-DAD technique. Between thirty two detected constituents, twelve phenolic compounds classified as hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives, flavones and flavanones were identified. Among them, caffeic acid derivatives and flavones predominated with the highest content of rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-glucoside, respectively. Additionally, thymol was recognized in the analyzed extracts. γ-Irradiation slightly affected the quantitative profile of phenolic compounds of a wild thyme ethanolic extract. Only four constituents differed significantly (P<0.05 in terms of their content in the irradiated and non-irradiated samples. The content of phenolic acids (p-coumaric and caffeic acids decreased and that of flavonoid aglycons (luteolin and eriodictyol increased after the γ-ray treatment.

O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity correlates with the therapeutic response of human rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts to 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brent, T.P.; Houghton, P.J.; Houghton, J.A.

1985-01-01

Immune-deprived female CBA/CaJ mice bearing xenografts of six different human rhabdomyosarcoma lines were treated with 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU). Tumor responses were compared with levels of O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity because of evidence indicating that repair of DNA interstrand cross-link precursors, mediated by the transferase, may be an important determinant of MeCCNU cytotoxicity. Levels of methyltransferase in tumor extracts were measured by determining the loss of O 6 -methylguanine from 3 H-labeled methylated DNA. Five of the six tumor lines examined showed either no response to MeCCNU or regrowth after an incomplete response. In each instance, the extent of tumor regression correlated with the level of O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase activity in tumor extracts. These results suggest that O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase levels in human tumor cells may be a clinically useful predictor of sensitivity to the chloroethylnitrosoureas

Engineering a monolignol 4-O-methyltransferase with high selectivity for the condensed lignin precursor coniferyl alcohol.

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Cai, Yuanheng; Bhuiya, Mohammad-Wadud; Shanklin, John; Liu, Chang-Jun

2015-10-30

Lignin, a rigid biopolymer in plant cell walls, is derived from the oxidative polymerization of three monolignols. The composition of monolignol monomers dictates the degree of lignin condensation, reactivity, and thus the degradability of plant cell walls. Guaiacyl lignin is regarded as the condensed structural unit. Polymerization of lignin is initiated through the deprotonation of the para-hydroxyl group of monolignols. Therefore, preferentially modifying the para-hydroxyl of a specific monolignol to deprive its dehydrogenation propensity would disturb the formation of particular lignin subunits. Here, we test the hypothesis that specific remodeling the active site of a monolignol 4-O-methyltransferase would create an enzyme that specifically methylates the condensed guaiacyl lignin precursor coniferyl alcohol. Combining crystal structural information with combinatorial active site saturation mutagenesis and starting with the engineered promiscuous enzyme, MOMT5 (T133L/E165I/F175I/F166W/H169F), we incrementally remodeled its substrate binding pocket by the addition of four substitutions, i.e. M26H, S30R, V33S, and T319M, yielding a mutant enzyme capable of discriminately etherifying the para-hydroxyl of coniferyl alcohol even in the presence of excess sinapyl alcohol. The engineered enzyme variant has a substantially reduced substrate binding pocket that imposes a clear steric hindrance thereby excluding bulkier lignin precursors. The resulting enzyme variant represents an excellent candidate for modulating lignin composition and/or structure in planta. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Characterization of flavonoids and phenolic acids in Myrcia bella Cambess. using FIA-ESI-IT-MS(n) and HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS combined with NMR.

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Saldanha, Luiz L; Vilegas, Wagner; Dokkedal, Anne L

2013-07-16

The leaves of Myrcia DC. ex Guill species are used in traditional medicine and are also exploited commercially as herbal drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The present work aimed to assess the qualitative and quantitative profiles of M. bella hydroalcoholic extract, due to these uses, since the existing legislation in Brazil determines that a standard method must be developed in order to be used for quality control of raw plant materials. The current study identified eleven known flavonoid-O-glycosides and six acylated flavonoid derivatives of myricetin and quercetin, together with two kaempferol glycosides and phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, ethil galate, gallic acid and quinic acid. In total, 24 constituents were characterized, by means of extensive preparative chromatographic analyses, along with MS and NMR techniques. An HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS and FIA-ESI-IT-MS(n) method were developed for rapid identification of acylated flavonoids, flavonoid-O-glycosides derivatives of myricetin and quercetin and phenolic acids in the hydroalcoholic M. bella leaves extract. The FIA-ESI-IT-MS techinique is a powerful tool for direct and rapid identification of the constituents after isolation and NMR characterization. Thus, it could be used as an initial method for identification of authentic samples concerning quality control of Myrcia spp extracts.

Cardioprotection of CAPE-oNO2 against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion induced ROS generation via regulating the SIRT1/eNOS/NF-κB pathway in vivo and in vitro

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Dejuan Li

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE could ameliorate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI by various mechanisms, but there hadn’t been any reports on that CAPE could regulate silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS to exert cardioprotective effect. The present study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective potential of caffeic acid o-nitro phenethyl ester (CAPE-oNO2 on MIRI and the possible mechanism based on the positive control of CAPE. The SD rats were subjected to left coronary artery ischemia /reperfusion (IR and the H9c2 cell cultured in hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR to induce the MIRI model. Prior to the procedure, vehicle, CAPE or CAPE-oNO2 were treated in the absence or presence of a SIRT1 inhibitor nicotinamide (NAM and an eNOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME. In vivo, CAPE and CAPE-oNO2 conferred a cardioprotective effect as shown by reduced myocardial infarct size, cardiac marker enzymes and structural abnormalities. From immunohistochemical and sirius red staining, above two compounds ameliorated the TNF-α release and collagen deposition of IR rat hearts. They could agitate SIRT1 and eNOS expression, and consequently enhance NO release and suppress NF-κB signaling, to reduce the malondialdehyde content and cell necrosis. In vitro, they could inhibit HR-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis and ROS generation by activating SIRT1/eNOS pathway and inhabiting NF-κB expression. Emphatically, CAPE-oNO2 presented the stronger cardioprotection than CAPE both in vivo and in vitro. However, NAM and L-NAME eliminated the CAPE-oNO2-mediated cardioprotection by restraining SIRT1 and eNOS expression, respectively. It suggested that CAPE-oNO2 ameliorated MIRI by suppressing the oxidative stress, inflammatory response, fibrosis and necrocytosis via the SIRT1/eNOS/NF-κB pathway.

QM/MM Free Energy Simulations of Salicylic Acid Methyltransferase: Effects of Stabilization of TS-like Structures on Substrate Specificity

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Yao, Jianzhuang [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK); Xu, Qin [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK); Chen, Feng [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK); Guo, Hong [University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)

2010-01-01

Salicylic acid methyltransferases (SAMTs) synthesize methyl salicylate (MeSA) using salicylate as the substrate. MeSA synthesized in plants may function as an airborne signal to activate the expression of defense-related genes and could also be a critical mobile signaling molecule that travels from the site of plant infection to establish systemic immunity in the induction of disease resistance. Here the results of QM/MM free energy simulations for the methyl transfer process in Clarkia breweri SAMT (CbSAMT) are reported to determine the origin of the substrate specificity of SAMTs. The free energy barrier for the methyl transfer from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) to 4-hydroxybenzoate in CbSAMT is found to be about 5 kcal/mol higher than that from AdoMet to salicylate, consistent with the experimental observations. It is suggested that the relatively high efficiency for the methylation of salicylate compared to 4-hydroxybenzoate is due, at least in part, to the reason that a part of the stabilization of the transition state (TS) configuration is already reflected in the reactant complex, presumably, through the binding. The results seem to indicate that the creation of the substrate complex (e.g., through mutagenesis and substrate modifications) with its structure closely resembling TS might be fruitful for improving the catalytic efficiency for some enzymes. The results show that the computer simulations may provide important insights into the origin of the substrate specificity for the SABATH family and could be used to help experimental efforts in generating engineered enzymes with altered substrate specificity.

Folic Acid Supplementation Delays Atherosclerotic Lesion Development by Modulating MCP1 and VEGF DNA Methylation Levels In Vivo and In Vitro

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Shanshan; Li, Wen; Lv, Xin; Wang, Pengyan; Gao, Yuxia; Huang, Guowei

2017-01-01

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has been partly acknowledged to result from aberrant epigenetic mechanisms. Accordingly, low folate levels are considered to be a contributing factor to promoting vascular disease because of deregulation of DNA methylation. We hypothesized that increasing the levels of folic acid may act via an epigenetic gene silencing mechanism to ameliorate atherosclerosis. Here, we investigated the atheroprotective effects of folic acid and the resultant methylation status in high-fat diet-fed ApoE knockout mice and in oxidized low-density lipoprotein-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We analyzed atherosclerotic lesion histology, folate concentration, homocysteine concentration, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and DNA methyltransferase activity, as well as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and promoter methylation. Folic acid reduced atherosclerotic lesion size in ApoE knockout mice. The underlying folic acid protective mechanism appears to operate through regulating the normal homocysteine state, upregulating the SAM: SAH ratio, elevating DNA methyltransferase activity and expression, altering MCP1 and VEGF promoter methylation, and inhibiting MCP1 and VEGF expression. We conclude that folic acid supplementation effectively prevented atherosclerosis by modifying DNA methylation through the methionine cycle, improving DNA methyltransferase activity and expression, and thus changing the expression of atherosclerosis-related genes. PMID:28475147

Targeting MLL1 H3K4 methyltransferase activity in mixed-lineage leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Fang; Townsend, Elizabeth C; Karatas, Hacer; Xu, Jing; Li, Li; Lee, Shirley; Liu, Liu; Chen, Yong; Ouillette, Peter; Zhu, Jidong; Hess, Jay L; Atadja, Peter; Lei, Ming; Qin, Zhaohui S; Malek, Sami; Wang, Shaomeng; Dou, Yali

2014-01-23

Here we report a comprehensive characterization of our recently developed inhibitor MM-401 that targets the MLL1 H3K4 methyltransferase activity. MM-401 is able to specifically inhibit MLL1 activity by blocking MLL1-WDR5 interaction and thus the complex assembly. This targeting strategy does not affect other mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) family histone methyltransferases (HMTs), revealing a unique regulatory feature for the MLL1 complex. Using MM-401 and its enantiomer control MM-NC-401, we show that inhibiting MLL1 methyltransferase activity specifically blocks proliferation of MLL cells by inducing cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and myeloid differentiation without general toxicity to normal bone marrow cells or non-MLL cells. More importantly, transcriptome analyses show that MM-401 induces changes in gene expression similar to those of MLL1 deletion, supporting a predominant role of MLL1 activity in regulating MLL1-dependent leukemia transcription program. We envision broad applications for MM-401 in basic and translational research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic contribution of catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism (Val158Met) in children with chronic tension-type headache.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César; Ambite-Quesada, Silvia; Rivas-Martínez, Inés; Ortega-Santiago, Ricardo; de-la-Llave-Rincón, Ana Isabel; Fernández-Mayoralas, Daniel M; Pareja, Juan A

2011-10-01

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between Val158Met polymorphisms, headache, and pressure hypersensitivity in children with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). A case-control study with blinded assessor was conducted. Seventy children with CTTH associated with pericranial tenderness and 70 healthy children participated. After amplifying Val158Met polymorphism by polymerase chain reactions, we assessed genotype frequencies and allele distributions. We classified children according to their Val158Met polymorphism: Val/Val, Val/Met, Met/Met. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were bilaterally assessed over the temporalis, upper trapezius, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior muscles. The distribution of Val158Met genotypes was not significantly different (p = 0.335), between children with CTTH and healthy children, and between boys and girls (p = 0.872). Children with CTTH with the Met/Met genotype showed a longer headache history compared with those with Met/Val (p = 0.001) or Val/Val (p = 0.002) genotype. Children with CTTH with Met/Met genotype showed lower PPT over upper trapezius and temporalis muscles than children with CTTH with Met/Val or Val/Val genotype (p < 0.01). The Val158Met catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism does not appear to be involved in predisposition to suffer from CTTH in children; nevertheless, this genetic factor may be involved in the phenotypic expression, as pressure hypersensitivity was greater in those CTTH children with the Met/Met genotype.

Simultaneous Downregulation of MTHFR and COMT in Switchgrass Affects Plant Performance and Induces Lesion-Mimic Cell Death

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Sijia Liu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum has been developed into a model lignocellulosic bioenergy crop. Downregulation of caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT, a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis, has been shown to alter lignification and increase biofuel yield in switchgrass. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR mediates C1 metabolism and provides methyl units consumed by COMT. It was predicted that co-silencing of MTHFR and COMT would impact lignification even more than either of the single genes. However, our results showed that strong downregulation of MTHFR in a COMT-deficient background led to altered plant growth and development, but no significant change in lignin content or composition was found when compared with COMT plants. Another unexpected finding was that the double MTHFR/COMT downregulated plants showed a novel lesion-mimic leaf phenotype. Molecular analyses revealed that the lesion-mimic phenotype was caused by the synergistic effect of MTHFR and COMT genes, with MTHFR playing a predominant role. Microarray analysis showed significant induction of genes related to oxidative and defense responses. The results demonstrated the lack of additive effects of MTHFR and COMT on lignification. Furthermore, this research revealed an unexpected role of the two genes in the modulation of lesion-mimic cell death as well as their synergistic effects on agronomic performance.

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yu; Zhang, Chunquan; Kernodle, Bliss M; Hill, John H; Whitham, Steven A

2016-06-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize1[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yu; Kernodle, Bliss M.; Hill, John H.

2016-01-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. PMID:27208311

Simultaneous Downregulation of MTHFR and COMT in Switchgrass Affects Plant Performance and Induces Lesion-Mimic Cell Death.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sijia; Fu, Chunxiang; Gou, Jiqing; Sun, Liang; Huhman, David; Zhang, Yunwei; Wang, Zeng-Yu

2017-01-01

Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) has been developed into a model lignocellulosic bioenergy crop. Downregulation of caffeic acid O -methyltransferase (COMT), a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis, has been shown to alter lignification and increase biofuel yield in switchgrass. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mediates C1 metabolism and provides methyl units consumed by COMT. It was predicted that co-silencing of MTHFR and COMT would impact lignification even more than either of the single genes. However, our results showed that strong downregulation of MTHFR in a COMT -deficient background led to altered plant growth and development, but no significant change in lignin content or composition was found when compared with COMT plants. Another unexpected finding was that the double MTHFR/COMT downregulated plants showed a novel lesion-mimic leaf phenotype. Molecular analyses revealed that the lesion-mimic phenotype was caused by the synergistic effect of MTHFR and COMT genes, with MTHFR playing a predominant role. Microarray analysis showed significant induction of genes related to oxidative and defense responses. The results demonstrated the lack of additive effects of MTHFR and COMT on lignification. Furthermore, this research revealed an unexpected role of the two genes in the modulation of lesion-mimic cell death as well as their synergistic effects on agronomic performance.

Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase AtDNMT2 associates with histone deacetylase AtHD2s activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Yuan; Wu, Keqiang; Dhaubhadel, Sangeeta; An, Lizhe; Tian, Lining

2010-01-01

DNA methyltransferase2 (DNMT2) is always deemed to be enigmatic, because it contains highly conserved DNA methyltransferase motifs but lacks the DNA methylation catalytic capability. Here we show that Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase2 (AtDNMT2) is localized in nucleus and associates with histone deacetylation. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation and pull-down assays show AtDNMT2 interacts with type-2 histone deacetylases (AtHD2s), a unique type of histone deacetylase family in plants. Through analyzing the expression of AtDNMT2: ss-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion protein, we demonstrate that AtDNMT2 has the ability to repress gene expression at transcription level. Meanwhile, the expression of AtDNMT2 gene is altered in athd2c mutant plants. We propose that AtDNMT2 possibly involves in the activity of histone deacetylation and plant epigenetic regulatory network.

Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase AtDNMT2 associates with histone deacetylase AtHD2s activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Yuan [Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Agroecology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford Street, London, ON, Canada N5V4T3 (Canada); Wu, Keqiang [Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Dhaubhadel, Sangeeta [Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford Street, London, ON, Canada N5V4T3 (Canada); An, Lizhe, E-mail: lizhean@lzu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Agroecology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Tian, Lining, E-mail: tianl@agr.gc.ca [Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford Street, London, ON, Canada N5V4T3 (Canada)

2010-05-28

DNA methyltransferase2 (DNMT2) is always deemed to be enigmatic, because it contains highly conserved DNA methyltransferase motifs but lacks the DNA methylation catalytic capability. Here we show that Arabidopsis DNA methyltransferase2 (AtDNMT2) is localized in nucleus and associates with histone deacetylation. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation and pull-down assays show AtDNMT2 interacts with type-2 histone deacetylases (AtHD2s), a unique type of histone deacetylase family in plants. Through analyzing the expression of AtDNMT2: ss-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion protein, we demonstrate that AtDNMT2 has the ability to repress gene expression at transcription level. Meanwhile, the expression of AtDNMT2 gene is altered in athd2c mutant plants. We propose that AtDNMT2 possibly involves in the activity of histone deacetylation and plant epigenetic regulatory network.

The 2’-O-ribose methyltransferase for cap 1 of spliced leader RNA and U1 small nuclear RNA in Trypanosoma brucei

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zamudio, J. R.; Mittra, B.; Foldynová-Trantírková, Silvie; Zeiner, G. M.; Lukeš, Julius; Bujnicki, J. M.; Sturm, N. R.; Campbell, D. A.

2007-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 17 (2007), s. 6084-6092 ISSN 0270-7306 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06129; GA MŠk LC07032 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : methylation * Trypanosoma brucei * methyltransferase * RNA interference Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 6.420, year: 2007

Structure Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Naturally Originated Phenolic Acids and Their Derivatives against Human Viral Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yi-Hang; Zhang, Bing-Yi; Qiu, Li-Peng; Guan, Rong-Fa; Ye, Zi-Hong; Yu, Xiao-Ping

2017-01-01

A great effort has been made to develop efficacious antiviral drugs, but many viral infections are still lack of efficient antiviral therapies so far. The related exploration of natural products to fight viruses has been raised in recent years. Natural compounds with structural diversity and complexity offer a great chance to find new antiviral agents. Particularly, phenolic acids have attracted considerable attention owing to their potent antiviral abilities and unique mechanisms. The aim of this review is to report new discoveries and updates pertaining to antiviral phenolic acids. The relevant references on natural phenolic acids were searched. The antiviral phenolic acids were classified according to their structural properties and antiviral types. Meanwhile, the antiviral characteristics and structure-activity relationships of phenolic acids and their derivatives were summarized. The review finds that natural phenolic acids and their derivatives possessed potent inhibitory effects on multiple virus in humans such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. In particular, caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives exhibited outstanding antiviral properties by a variety of modes of action. Naturally derived phenolic acids especially caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives may be regarded as novel promising antiviral leads or candidates. Additionally, scarcely any of these compounds has been used as antiviral treatment in clinical practice. Therefore, these phenolic acids with diverse skeletons and mechanisms provide us an excellent resource for finding novel antiviral drugs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Interaction of milk whey protein with common phenolic acids

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao; Yu, Dandan; Sun, Jing; Guo, Huiyuan; Ding, Qingbo; Liu, Ruihai; Ren, Fazheng

2014-01-01

Phenolics-rich foods such as fruit juices and coffee are often consumed with milk. In this study, the interactions of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin with the phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and coumalic acid) were examined. Fluorescence, CD, and FTIR spectroscopies were used to analyze the binding modes, binding constants, and the effects of complexation on the conformation of whey protein. The results showed that binding constants of each whey protein-phenolic acid interaction ranged from 4 × 105 to 7 × 106 M-n and the number of binding sites n ranged from 1.28 ± 0.13 to 1.54 ± 0.34. Because of these interactions, the conformation of whey protein was altered, with a significant reduction in the amount of α-helix and an increase in the amounts of β-sheet and turn structures.

Metabolism of Fructophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from the Apis mellifera L. Bee Gut: Phenolic Acids as External Electron Acceptors

Science.gov (United States)

Filannino, Pasquale; Addante, Rocco; Pontonio, Erica; Gobbetti, Marco

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) are strongly associated with the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of Apis mellifera L. worker bees due to the consumption of fructose as a major carbohydrate. Seventy-seven presumptive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from GITs of healthy A. mellifera L. adults, which were collected from 5 different geographical locations of the Apulia region of Italy. Almost all of the isolates showed fructophilic tendencies: these isolates were identified as Lactobacillus kunkeei (69%) or Fructobacillus fructosus (31%). A high-throughput phenotypic microarray targeting 190 carbon sources was used to determine that 83 compounds were differentially consumed. Phenotyping grouped the strains into two clusters, reflecting growth performance. The utilization of phenolic acids, such as p-coumaric, caffeic, syringic, or gallic acids, as electron acceptors was investigated in fructose-based medium. Almost all FLAB strains showed tolerance to high phenolic acid concentrations. p-Coumaric acid and caffeic acid were consumed by all FLAB strains through reductases or decarboxylases. Syringic and gallic acids were partially metabolized. The data collected suggest that FLAB require external electron acceptors to regenerate NADH. The use of phenolic acids as external electron acceptors by the 4 FLAB showing the highest phenolic acid reductase activity was investigated in glucose-based medium supplemented with p-coumaric acid. Metabolic responses observed through a phenotypic microarray suggested that FLAB may use p-coumaric acid as an external electron acceptor, enhancing glucose dissimilation but less efficiently than other external acceptors such as fructose or pyruvic acid. IMPORTANCE Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) remain to be fully explored. This study intends to link unique biochemical features of FLAB with their habitat. The quite unique FLAB phenome within the group lactic acid bacteria (LAB) may have practical relevance

Rauvolfia serpentina N-methyltransferases involved in ajmaline and Nβ -methylajmaline biosynthesis belong to a gene family derived from γ-tocopherol C-methyltransferase.

Science.gov (United States)

Cázares-Flores, Paulo; Levac, Dylan; De Luca, Vincenzo

2016-08-01

Ajmaline biosynthesis in Rauvolfia serpentina has been one of the most studied monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) pathways within the plant family Apocynaceae. Detailed molecular and biochemical information on most of the steps involved in the pathway has been generated over the last 30 years. Here we report the identification, molecular cloning and functional expression in Escherichia coli of two R. serpentinacDNAs that are part of a recently discovered γ-tocopherol-like N-methyltransferase (γ-TLMT) family and are involved in indole and side-chain N-methylation of ajmaline. Recombinant proteins showed remarkable substrate specificity for molecules with an ajmalan-type backbone and strict regiospecific N-methylation. Furthermore, N-methyltransferase gene transcripts and enzyme activity were enriched in R. serpentina roots which correlated with accumulation of ajmaline alkaloid. This study elucidates the final step in the ajmaline biosynthetic pathway and describes the enzyme responsible for the formation of Nβ -methylajmaline, an unusual charged MIA found in R. serpentina. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Accumulation of Phenolic Compounds and Expression Profiles of Phenolic Acid Biosynthesis-Related Genes in Developing Grains of White, Purple, and Red Wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Dongyun; Li, Yaoguang; Zhang, Jian; Wang, Chenyang; Qin, Haixia; Ding, Huina; Xie, Yingxin; Guo, Tiancai

2016-01-01

Polyphenols in whole grain wheat have potential health benefits, but little is known about the expression patterns of phenolic acid biosynthesis genes and the accumulation of phenolic acid compounds in different-colored wheat grains. We found that purple wheat varieties had the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Among phenolic acid compounds, bound ferulic acid, vanillic, and caffeic acid levels were significantly higher in purple wheat than in white and red wheat, while total soluble phenolic acid, soluble ferulic acid, and vanillic acid levels were significantly higher in purple and red wheat than in white wheat. Ferulic acid and syringic acid levels peaked at 14 days after anthesis (DAA), whereas p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid levels peaked at 7 DAA, and vanillic acid levels gradually increased during grain filling and peaked near ripeness (35 DAA). Nine phenolic acid biosynthesis pathway genes (TaPAL1, TaPAL2, TaC3H1, TaC3H2, TaC4H, Ta4CL1, Ta4CL2, TaCOMT1, and TaCOMT2) exhibited three distinct expression patterns during grain filling, which may be related to the different phenolic acids levels. White wheat had higher phenolic acid contents and relatively high gene expression at the early stage, while purple wheat had the highest phenolic acid contents and gene expression levels at later stages. These results suggest that the expression of phenolic acid biosynthesis genes may be closely related to phenolic acids accumulation.

Recruitment of DNA methyltransferase I to DNA repair sites

Science.gov (United States)

Mortusewicz, Oliver; Schermelleh, Lothar; Walter, Joachim; Cardoso, M. Cristina; Leonhardt, Heinrich

2005-01-01

In mammalian cells, the replication of genetic and epigenetic information is directly coupled; however, little is known about the maintenance of epigenetic information in DNA repair. Using a laser microirradiation system to introduce DNA lesions at defined subnuclear sites, we tested whether the major DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt1) or one of the two de novo methyltransferases (Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b) are recruited to sites of DNA repair in vivo. Time lapse microscopy of microirradiated mammalian cells expressing GFP-tagged Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, or Dnmt3b1 together with red fluorescent protein-tagged proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) revealed that Dnmt1 and PCNA accumulate at DNA damage sites as early as 1 min after irradiation in S and non-S phase cells, whereas recruitment of Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b was not observed. Deletion analysis showed that Dnmt1 recruitment was mediated by the PCNA-binding domain. These data point to a direct role of Dnmt1 in the restoration of epigenetic information during DNA repair. PMID:15956212

Multifunctional Cinnamic Acid Derivatives

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Aikaterini Peperidou

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Our research to discover potential new multitarget agents led to the synthesis of 10 novel derivatives of cinnamic acids and propranolol, atenolol, 1-adamantanol, naphth-1-ol, and (benzylamino ethan-1-ol. The synthesized molecules were evaluated as trypsin, lipoxygenase and lipid peroxidation inhibitors and for their cytotoxicity. Compound 2b derived from phenoxyphenyl cinnamic acid and propranolol showed the highest lipoxygenase (LOX inhibition (IC50 = 6 μΜ and antiproteolytic activity (IC50 = 0.425 μΜ. The conjugate 1a of simple cinnamic acid with propranolol showed the higher antiproteolytic activity (IC50 = 0.315 μΜ and good LOX inhibitory activity (IC50 = 66 μΜ. Compounds 3a and 3b, derived from methoxylated caffeic acid present a promising combination of in vitro inhibitory and antioxidative activities. The S isomer of 2b also presented an interesting multitarget biological profile in vitro. Molecular docking studies point to the fact that the theoretical results for LOX-inhibitor binding are identical to those from preliminary in vitro study.

Genomic survey, gene expression analysis and structural modeling suggest diverse roles of DNA methyltransferases in legumes.

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Rohini Garg

Full Text Available DNA methylation plays a crucial role in development through inheritable gene silencing. Plants possess three types of DNA methyltransferases (MTases, namely Methyltransferase (MET, Chromomethylase (CMT and Domains Rearranged Methyltransferase (DRM, which maintain methylation at CG, CHG and CHH sites. DNA MTases have not been studied in legumes so far. Here, we report the identification and analysis of putative DNA MTases in five legumes, including chickpea, soybean, pigeonpea, Medicago and Lotus. MTases in legumes could be classified in known MET, CMT, DRM and DNA nucleotide methyltransferases (DNMT2 subfamilies based on their domain organization. First three MTases represent DNA MTases, whereas DNMT2 represents a transfer RNA (tRNA MTase. Structural comparison of all the MTases in plants with known MTases in mammalian and plant systems have been reported to assign structural features in context of biological functions of these proteins. The structure analysis clearly specified regions crucial for protein-protein interactions and regions important for nucleosome binding in various domains of CMT and MET proteins. In addition, structural model of DRM suggested that circular permutation of motifs does not have any effect on overall structure of DNA methyltransferase domain. These results provide valuable insights into role of various domains in molecular recognition and should facilitate mechanistic understanding of their function in mediating specific methylation patterns. Further, the comprehensive gene expression analyses of MTases in legumes provided evidence of their role in various developmental processes throughout the plant life cycle and response to various abiotic stresses. Overall, our study will be very helpful in establishing the specific functions of DNA MTases in legumes.

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based method for histone methyltransferases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Devkota, Kanchan; Lohse, Brian; Nyby Jakobsen, Camilla

2015-01-01

A simple dye–quencher fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based assay for methyltransferases was developed and used to determine kinetic parameters and inhibitory activity at EHMT1 and EHMT2. Peptides mimicking the truncated histone H3 tail were functionalized in each end with a dye...

Metabolism of S-adenosylmethionine in rat hepatocytes: transfer of methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine by methyltransferase reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukada, K.; Abe, T.; Kuwahata, T.; Mitsui, K.

1985-01-01

Treatment of rats with a methionine diet leads not only to a marked increase of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase in liver, but also to the increase of glycine, guanidoacetate and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferases. The activity of tRNA methyltransferase decreased with the increased amounts of methionine in the diets. However, the activities of phospholipids and S-adenosylmethionine-homocysteine methyltransferases did not show any significant change. When hepatocarcinogenesis induced by 2-fluorenylacetamide progresses, the activities of glycine and guanidoacetate methyltransferases in rat liver decreased, and could not be detected in tumorous areas 8 months after treatment. The levels of S-adenosylmethionine in the liver also decreased to levels of one-fifth of control animals at 8 months. The uptake and metabolism of [methyl- 3 H]-methionine and -S-adenosylmethionine have been investigated by in vivo and isolated hepatocytes. The uptake of methionine and transfer of methyl group to phospholipid in the cells by methionine were remarkably higher than those by S-adenosylmethionine. These results indicate that phospholipids in hepatocytes accept methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine immediately, when it is synthesized from methionine, before mixing its pool in the cells. 39 references, 1 figure, 2 tables

Investigating the genetic basis of theory of mind (ToM): the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Haiwei; Wu, Nan; Su, Yanjie

2012-01-01

The ability to deduce other persons' mental states and emotions which has been termed 'theory of mind (ToM)' is highly heritable. First molecular genetic studies focused on some dopamine-related genes, while the genetic basis underlying different components of ToM (affective ToM and cognitive ToM) remain unknown. The current study tested 7 candidate polymorphisms (rs4680, rs4633, rs2020917, rs2239393, rs737865, rs174699 and rs59938883) on the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene. We investigated how these polymorphisms relate to different components of ToM. 101 adults participated in our study; all were genetically unrelated, non-clinical and healthy Chinese subjects. Different ToM tasks were applied to detect their theory of mind ability. The results showed that the COMT gene rs2020917 and rs737865 SNPs were associated with cognitive ToM performance, while the COMT gene rs5993883 SNP was related to affective ToM, in which a significant gender-genotype interaction was found (p = 0.039). Our results highlighted the contribution of DA-related COMT gene on ToM performance. Moreover, we found out that the different SNP at the same gene relates to the discriminative aspect of ToM. Our research provides some preliminary evidence to the genetic basis of theory of mind which still awaits further studies.

Age-Dependent Effects of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene Val158Met Polymorphism on Language Function in Developing Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiura, Lisa; Toyota, Tomoko; Matsuba-Kurita, Hiroko; Iwayama, Yoshimi; Mazuka, Reiko; Yoshikawa, Takeo; Hagiwara, Hiroko

2017-01-01

The genetic basis controlling language development remains elusive. Previous studies of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met genotype and cognition have focused on prefrontally guided executive functions involving dopamine. However, COMT may further influence posterior cortical regions implicated in language perception. We investigated whether COMT influences language ability and cortical language processing involving the posterior language regions in 246 children aged 6-10 years. We assessed language ability using a language test and cortical responses recorded during language processing using a word repetition task and functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The COMT genotype had significant effects on language performance and processing. Importantly, Met carriers outperformed Val homozygotes in language ability during the early elementary school years (6-8 years), whereas Val homozygotes exhibited significant language development during the later elementary school years. Both genotype groups exhibited equal language performance at approximately 10 years of age. Val homozygotes exhibited significantly less cortical activation compared with Met carriers during word processing, particularly at older ages. These findings regarding dopamine transmission efficacy may be explained by a hypothetical inverted U-shaped curve. Our findings indicate that the effects of the COMT genotype on language ability and cortical language processing may change in a narrow age window of 6-10 years. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Biomolecule-free, selective detection of o-diphenol and its derivatives with WS2/TiO2-based photoelectrochemical platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Weiguang; Wang, Lingnan; Zhang, Nan; Han, Dongxue; Dong, Xiandui; Niu, Li

2015-01-01

Herein, a novel photoelectrochemical platform with WS2/TiO2 composites as optoelectronic materials was designed for selective detection of o-diphenol and its derivatives without any biomolecule auxiliary. First, catechol was chosen as a model compound for the discrimination from resorcinol and hydroquinone; then several o-diphenol derivatives such as dopamine, caffeic acid, and catechin were also detected by employing this proposed photoelectrochemical sensor. Finally, the mechanism of such a selective detection has been elaborately explored. The excellent selectivity and high sensitivity should be attributed to two aspects: (i) chelate effect of adjacent double oxygen atoms in the o-diphenol with the Ti(IV) surface site to form a five/six-atom ring structure, which is considered as the key point for distinction and selective detection. (ii) This selected WS2/TiO2 composites with proper band level between WS2 and TiO2, which could make the photogenerated electron and hole easily separated and results in great improvement of sensitivity. By employing such a photoelectrochemical platform, practical samples including commercial clinic drugs and human urine samples have been successfully performed for dopamine detection. This biomolecule-free WS2/TiO2 based photoelectrochemical platform demonstrates excellent stability, reproducibility, remarkably convenient, and cost-effective advantages, as well as low detection limit (e.g., 0.32 μmol L(-1) for dopamine). It holds great promise to be applied for detection of o-diphenol kind species in environment and food fields.

Bioactive compounds content of chimarrão infusions related to the moisture of yerba maté (Ilex Paraguariensis leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deborah H. M. Bastos

2006-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the processing stages of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis on the moisture content of the leaves and the efficiency of the aqueous extraction of some bioactive substances. Samples of yerba maté were analyzed for caffeine, phenolic acids (caffeic acid, 5-caffeoilquinic acid and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin by HPLC equipped with a diode array detector. Processing widely influenced the caffeine and 5-caffeoilquinic acid content of the aqueous extract (p A erva mate (Ilex paraguariensis é a matéria prima para três tipos de bebidas largamente consumidas na América do Sul. Substâncias bioativas presentes neste produto como a cafeína e os ácidos clorogênicos têm recebido especial atenção da comunidade científica. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o efeito do processamento da erva mate no teor de umidade das folhas e a eficiência da extração aquosa de algumas substâncias bioativas. Amostras de erva mate coletadas no Paraná, Brasil foram objeto deste estudo. Cafeína, ácidos fenólicos (ácido cafeico e ácido 5-cafeoilquinico e flavonóides (quercitina, miricetina e caempferol foram analisados por HPLC equipado com detector de arranjo de diodos. Os teores de ácido 5-cafeoilquinico e cafeína do extrato aquoso variam em função da etapa do processamento (p0,9. O ácido cafeico foi determinado em 45% das infusões obtidas das folhas secas e quercitina, miricetina e caempferol não foram detectados nesses extratos.

Neuronal DNA Methyltransferases: Epigenetic Mediators between Synaptic Activity and Gene Expression?

Science.gov (United States)

Bayraktar, Gonca; Kreutz, Michael R

2018-04-01

DNMT3A and 3B are the main de novo DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) in the brain that introduce new methylation marks to non-methylated DNA in postmitotic neurons. DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mark that is known to regulate important cellular processes in neuronal development and brain plasticity. Accumulating evidence disclosed rapid and dynamic changes in DNA methylation of plasticity-relevant genes that are important for learning and memory formation. To understand how DNMTs contribute to brain function and how they are regulated by neuronal activity is a prerequisite for a deeper appreciation of activity-dependent gene expression in health and disease. This review discusses the functional role of de novo methyltransferases and in particular DNMT3A1 in the adult brain with special emphasis on synaptic plasticity, memory formation, and brain disorders.

Super-resolution optical DNA Mapping via DNA methyltransferase-directed click chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vranken, Charlotte; Deen, Jochem; Dirix, Lieve

2014-01-01

We demonstrate an approach to optical DNA mapping, which enables near single-molecule characterization of whole bacteriophage genomes. Our approach uses a DNA methyltransferase enzyme to target labelling to specific sites and copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition to couple a fluorophore...... to the DNA. We achieve a labelling efficiency of ∼70% with an average labelling density approaching one site every 500 bp. Such labelling density bridges the gap between the output of a typical DNA sequencing experiment and the long-range information derived from traditional optical DNA mapping. We lay...... the foundations for a wider-scale adoption of DNA mapping by screening 11 methyltransferases for their ability to direct sequence-specific DNA transalkylation; the first step of the DNA labelling process and by optimizing reaction conditions for fluorophore coupling via a click reaction. Three of 11 enzymes...

Microbial CH4 and N2O consumption in acidic wetlands

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Steffen eKolb

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Acidic wetlands are global sources of the atmospheric greenhouse gases methane (CH4, and nitrous oxide (N2O. Consumption of both atmospheric gases has been observed in various acidic wetlands, but information on the microbial mechanisms underlying these phenomena is scarce. A substantial amount of CH4 is consumed in sub soil by aerobic methanotrophs at anoxic–oxic interfaces (e.g., tissues of Sphagnum mosses, rhizosphere of vascular plant roots. Methylocystis-related species are likely candidates that are involved in the consumption of atmospheric CH4 in acidic wetlands. Oxygen availability regulates the activity of methanotrophs of acidic wetlands. Other parameters impacting on the methanotroph-mediated CH4 consumption have not been systematically evaluated. N2O is produced and consumed by microbial denitrification, thus rendering acidic wetlands as temporary sources or sinks for N2O. Denitrifier communities in such ecosystems are diverse, and largely uncultured and/or new, and environmental factors that control their consumption activity are unresolved. Analyses of the composition of N2O reductase genes in acidic wetlands suggest that acid-tolerant Proteobacteria have the potential to mediate N2O consumption in such soils. Thus, the fragmented current state of knowledge raises open questions concerning methanotrophs and dentrifiers that consume atmospheric CH4 and N2O in acidic wetlands.

Radical quenching by rosmarinic acid from Lavandula vera MM cell culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacheva, Elena; Georgiev, Milen; Pashova, Svetlana; Angelova, Maria; Ilieva, Mladenka

2006-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the radical scavenging capacities of extracts and preparations from a Lavandula vera MM plant cell culture with different rosmarinic acid content and to compare them with pure rosmarinic and caffeic acids as well. The methods, which were used are superoxide anion and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radicals scavenging assays. Results showed that extracts and preparations from Lavandula vera MM possess strong radical scavengers, as the best both radical scavengers appeared to be the fractions with enriched rosmarinic acid content, obtained after ethylacetate fractioning (47.7% inhibition of superoxide radicals and 14.2 microM 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid equivalents, respectively). These data reveal the possibilities for application of these preparations as antioxidants.

Phenolic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of Extruded Corn Snacks Enriched with Kale

Science.gov (United States)

Kasprzak, Kamila; Oniszczuk, Tomasz; Waksmundzka-Hajnos, Monika; Nowak, Renata; Polak, Renata

2018-01-01

Prohealth food contains specific components which have positive influence on the health and well-being of the consumer. An important position among bioactive compounds occurs for polyphenols. Many results have indicated that an increased intake of phenolic compounds may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The objective of the study was production of extruded corn snacks with addition (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8%) of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica)—a polyphenol-rich plant. Afterwards, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and antioxidant activity analyses of snack extracts were performed. In the corn snacks enriched with kale, fifteen phenolic acids were indicated. These were protocatechuic, 4-OH-benzoic, vanillic, trans-caffeic, cis-caffeic, trans-p-coumaric, cis-p-coumaric, trans-ferulic, cis-ferulic, salicylic, gentisic, syringic, 3-OH-cinnamic, trans-sinapic, and cis-sinapic acids. Both the qualitative and quantitative content of polyphenols increased with the addition of B. oleracea. Data from spectrophotometric analyses of the samples showed high DPPH radical scavenging potential of snacks enriched with 4, 6, and 8% of kale. Snacks enriched with kale contain high level of phenolic acids and, therefore, have great potential to make a valuable source of natural antioxidants. High-temperature short-time extrusion-cooking process had no negative impact on polyphenol's activity. PMID:29507816

Phenolic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of Extruded Corn Snacks Enriched with Kale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamila Kasprzak

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Prohealth food contains specific components which have positive influence on the health and well-being of the consumer. An important position among bioactive compounds occurs for polyphenols. Many results have indicated that an increased intake of phenolic compounds may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The objective of the study was production of extruded corn snacks with addition (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica—a polyphenol-rich plant. Afterwards, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS and antioxidant activity analyses of snack extracts were performed. In the corn snacks enriched with kale, fifteen phenolic acids were indicated. These were protocatechuic, 4-OH-benzoic, vanillic, trans-caffeic, cis-caffeic, trans-p-coumaric, cis-p-coumaric, trans-ferulic, cis-ferulic, salicylic, gentisic, syringic, 3-OH-cinnamic, trans-sinapic, and cis-sinapic acids. Both the qualitative and quantitative content of polyphenols increased with the addition of B. oleracea. Data from spectrophotometric analyses of the samples showed high DPPH radical scavenging potential of snacks enriched with 4, 6, and 8% of kale. Snacks enriched with kale contain high level of phenolic acids and, therefore, have great potential to make a valuable source of natural antioxidants. High-temperature short-time extrusion-cooking process had no negative impact on polyphenol’s activity.

Phenolic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of Extruded Corn Snacks Enriched with Kale.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasprzak, Kamila; Oniszczuk, Tomasz; Wójtowicz, Agnieszka; Waksmundzka-Hajnos, Monika; Olech, Marta; Nowak, Renata; Polak, Renata; Oniszczuk, Anna

2018-01-01

Prohealth food contains specific components which have positive influence on the health and well-being of the consumer. An important position among bioactive compounds occurs for polyphenols. Many results have indicated that an increased intake of phenolic compounds may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The objective of the study was production of extruded corn snacks with addition (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8%) of kale ( Brassica oleracea L. var. sabellica )-a polyphenol-rich plant. Afterwards, high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and antioxidant activity analyses of snack extracts were performed. In the corn snacks enriched with kale, fifteen phenolic acids were indicated. These were protocatechuic, 4-OH-benzoic, vanillic, trans -caffeic, cis -caffeic, trans -p-coumaric, cis -p-coumaric, trans -ferulic, cis -ferulic, salicylic, gentisic, syringic, 3-OH-cinnamic, trans -sinapic, and cis -sinapic acids. Both the qualitative and quantitative content of polyphenols increased with the addition of B. oleracea . Data from spectrophotometric analyses of the samples showed high DPPH radical scavenging potential of snacks enriched with 4, 6, and 8% of kale. Snacks enriched with kale contain high level of phenolic acids and, therefore, have great potential to make a valuable source of natural antioxidants. High-temperature short-time extrusion-cooking process had no negative impact on polyphenol's activity.

[Studies on phenolic constituents from leaves of pineapple (Ananas comosus)].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Ding, Yi; Xing, Dong-ming; Wang, Jin-ping; Du, Li-jun

2006-08-01

To study the phenolic constituents of the leaves of pineapple. Chromatographic methods were used to isolate compounds from the leaves of pineapple and spectroscopic methods were used to identify the structures of the isolated compounds. 7 compounds, ananasate (1), 1-O-caffeoylglycerol (2), 1-O-p-coumaroylglycerol (3), caffeic acid (4), p-coumaric acid (5), beta-sitosterol (6) and daucosterol (7), were isolated from the leaves of pineapple. 1 was a new compound, and others were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Polyphenols from artichoke heads (Cynara cardunculus (L.) subsp. scolymus Hayek): in vitro bio-accessibility, intestinal uptake and bioavailability.

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D'Antuono, Isabella; Garbetta, Antonella; Linsalata, Vito; Minervini, Fiorenza; Cardinali, Angela

2015-04-01

Artichoke is a rich source of health promoting compounds such as polyphenols, important for their pharmaceutical and nutritional properties. In this study, the potential for bioavailability of the artichoke polyphenols was estimated by using both in vitro digestion and Caco-2 human intestinal cell models. In vitro digestive recoveries (bio-accessibility) were found to be 55.8% for total artichoke phenolics and in particular, 70.0% for chlorogenic acid, 41.3% for 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 50.3% for 1,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, highlighting potential sensitivity of these compounds to gastric and small intestinal digestive conditions. Uptake of artichoke polyphenols was rapid with peak accumulation occurring after 30 min with an efficiency of 0.16%, according to the poor uptake of dietary polyphenols. Some compounds, such as coumaric acid, caffeic acid and caffeic acid derivatives, were also detected in the basolateral side assuming extra and intracellular esterase activities on chlorogenic acid. Only apigenin-7-O-glucoside was transported through the Caco-2 monolayer demonstrating its bioavailability to the extent of 1.15% at 60 min. In addition, permeability coefficient (Papp = 2.29 × 10(-5) cm s(-1)), involving apical to basolateral transport of apigenin 7-O-glucoside, was calculated to facilitate estimation of transport through the Caco-2 monolayer. Finally, the mono and dicaffeoylquinic acids present in artichoke heads exert an antioxidant activity on the human low density lipoprotein system correlated to their chemical structure. In conclusion, the utilized in vitro models, although not fully responding to the morphological and physiological features of human in vivo conditions, could be a useful tool for investigating mechanistic effects of polyphenols released from the food matrix.

Domain V of 23S rRNA contains all the structural elements necessary for recognition by the ErmE methyltransferase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vester, B; Douthwaite, S

1994-01-01

investigated what structural elements in 23S rRNA are required for specific recognition by the ErmE methyltransferase. The ermE gene was cloned into R1 plasmid derivatives, providing a means of inducible expression in Escherichia coli. Expression of the methyltransferase in vivo confers resistance......, and the enzyme efficiently modifies 23S rRNA in vitro. Removal of most of the 23S rRNA structure, so that only domain V (nucleotides 2000 to 2624) remains, does not affect the efficiency of modification by the methyltransferase. In addition, modification still occurs after the rRNA tertiary structure has been...

Kaempferol tetraglucosides from cabbage leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, J K; Nørbaek, R; Olsen, C E

1998-12-01

Four flavonol glycosides were isolated from a leaf extract of cabbage and characterized by chemical and spectroscopic methods including 1H and 13C NMR and negative ion FAB-MS. The common structure of the four compounds was kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)glucopyranoside]-7- O-beta-D-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)glucopyranoside]. This compound was found unmodified or acylated at C-2"' (outer glucose in sophorosyl moiety) with either sinapic acid, ferulic acid or caffeic acid. The possible role of diversity in glycosylation and acylation patterns of flavonol glycosides for plant defences against herbivores is discussed.

A mouse speciation gene encodes a meiotic histone H3 methyltransferase

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mihola, Ondřej; Trachtulec, Zdeněk; Vlček, Čestmír; Schimenti, J.C.; Forejt, Jiří

2009-01-01

Roč. 323, č. 5912 (2009), s. 373-375 ISSN 0036-8075 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : hybrid sterility * histone H3K4 methyltransferase * Prdm9 Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 29.747, year: 2009

Enhancer of zeste homologue 2 plays an important role in neuroblastoma cell survival independent of its histone methyltransferase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bate-Eya, Laurel T; Gierman, Hinco J; Ebus, Marli E; Koster, Jan; Caron, Huib N; Versteeg, Rogier; Dolman, M Emmy M; Molenaar, Jan J

2017-04-01

Neuroblastoma is predominantly characterised by chromosomal rearrangements. Next to V-Myc Avian Myelocytomatosis Viral Oncogene Neuroblastoma Derived Homolog (MYCN) amplification, chromosome 7 and 17q gains are frequently observed. We identified a neuroblastoma patient with a regional 7q36 gain, encompassing the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) gene. EZH2 is the histone methyltransferase of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3) that forms the catalytic subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2. H3K27me3 is commonly associated with the silencing of genes involved in cellular processes such as cell cycle regulation, cellular differentiation and cancer. High EZH2 expression correlated with poor prognosis and overall survival independent of MYCN amplification status. Unexpectedly, treatment of 3 EZH2-high expressing neuroblastoma cell lines (IMR32, CHP134 and NMB), with EZH2-specific inhibitors (GSK126 and EPZ6438) resulted in only a slight G1 arrest, despite maximum histone methyltransferase activity inhibition. Furthermore, colony formation in cell lines treated with the inhibitors was reduced only at concentrations much higher than necessary for complete inhibition of EZH2 histone methyltransferase activity. Knockdown of the complete protein with three independent shRNAs resulted in a strong apoptotic response and decreased cyclin D1 levels. This apoptotic response could be rescued by overexpressing EZH2ΔSET, a truncated form of wild-type EZH2 lacking the SET transactivation domain necessary for histone methyltransferase activity. Our findings suggest that high EZH2 expression, at least in neuroblastoma, has a survival function independent of its methyltransferase activity. This important finding highlights the need for studies on EZH2 beyond its methyltransferase function and the requirement for compounds that will target EZH2 as a complete protein. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of abscisic acid, gibberellin, ethylene and their interactions on production of phenolic acids in salvia miltiorrhiza bunge hairy roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Zongsuo; Ma, Yini; Xu, Tao; Cui, Beimi; Liu, Yan; Guo, Zhixin; Yang, Dongfeng

2013-01-01

Salvia miltiorrhiza is one of the most important traditional Chinese medicinal plants because of its excellent performance in treating coronary heart disease. Phenolic acids mainly including caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B are a group of active ingredients in S. miltiorrhiza. Abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA) and ethylene are three important phytohormones. In this study, effects of the three phytohormones and their interactions on phenolic production in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots were investigated. The results showed that ABA, GA and ethylene were all effective to induce production of phenolic acids and increase activities of PAL and TAT in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots. Effects of phytohormones were reversed by their biosynthetic inhibitors. Antagonistic actions between the three phytohormones played important roles in the biosynthesis of phenolic acids. GA signaling is necessary for ABA and ethylene-induced phenolic production. Yet, ABA and ethylene signaling is probably not necessary for GA3-induced phenolic production. The complex interactions of phytohormones help us reveal regulation mechanism of secondary metabolism and scale-up production of active ingredients in plants.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase from Escherichia coli

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Qi; Gao, Yang; Yang, Weili; Zhou, Huihao; Gao, Yongxiang; Zhang, Xiao; Teng, Maikun; Niu, Liwen

2008-01-01

tRNA (m 7 G46) methyltransferase from E. coli was overexpressed, purified and crystallized. Diffraction data were collected to 2.04 Å resolution. Transfer RNA (tRNA) (m 7 G46) methyltransferase (TrmB) belongs to the Rossmann-fold methyltransferase (RFM) family and uses S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) as the methyl-group donor to catalyze the formation of N 7 -methylguanosine (m 7 G) at position 46 in the variable loop of tRNAs. After attempts to crystallize full-length Escherichia coli TrmB (EcTrmB) failed, a truncated protein lacking the first 32 residues of the N-terminus but with an additional His 6 tag at the C-terminus was crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG 3350) as precipitant at 283 K. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected using a single flash-cooled crystal that belonged to space group P2 1

Membrane topology of Golgi-localized probable S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) BY-2 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jianping; Hayashi, Kyoko; Matsuoka, Ken

2015-01-01

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases (MTases) transfer methyl groups to substrates. In this study, a novel putative tobacco SAM-MTase termed Golgi-localized methyl transferase 1 (GLMT1) has been characterized. GLMT1 is comprised of 611 amino acids with short N-terminal region, putative transmembrane region, and C-terminal SAM-MTase domain. Expression of monomeric red fluorescence protein (mRFP)-tagged protein in tobacco BY-2 cell indicated that GLMT1 is a Golgi-localized protein. Analysis of the membrane topology by protease digestion suggested that both C-terminal catalytic region and N-terminal region seem to be located to the cytosolic side of the Golgi apparatus. Therefore, GLMT1 might have a different function than the previously studied SAM-MTases in plants.

A Mononuclear Iron-Dependent Methyltransferase Catalyzes Initial Steps in Assembly of the Apratoxin A Polyketide Starter Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Skiba, Meredith A; Sikkema, Andrew P; Moss, Nathan A; Tran, Collin L; Sturgis, Rebecca M; Gerwick, Lena; Gerwick, William H; Sherman, David H; Smith, Janet L

2017-12-15

Natural product biosynthetic pathways contain a plethora of enzymatic tools to carry out difficult biosynthetic transformations. Here, we discover an unusual mononuclear iron-dependent methyltransferase that acts in the initiation steps of apratoxin A biosynthesis (AprA MT1). Fe 3+ -replete AprA MT1 catalyzes one or two methyl transfer reactions on the substrate malonyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein), whereas Co 2+ , Fe 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Ni 2+ support only a single methyl transfer. MT1 homologues exist within the "GNAT" (GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase) loading modules of several modular biosynthetic pathways with propionyl, isobutyryl, or pivaloyl starter units. GNAT domains are thought to catalyze decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA and acetyl transfer to a carrier protein. In AprA, the GNAT domain lacks both decarboxylation and acyl transfer activity. A crystal structure of the AprA MT1-GNAT di-domain with bound Mn 2+ , malonate, and the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) reveals that the malonyl substrate is a bidentate metal ligand, indicating that the metal acts as a Lewis acid to promote methylation of the malonyl α-carbon. The GNAT domain is truncated relative to functional homologues. These results afford an expanded understanding of MT1-GNAT structure and activity and permit the functional annotation of homologous GNAT loading modules both with and without methyltransferases, additionally revealing their rapid evolutionary adaptation in different biosynthetic contexts.

Different inhibition mechanisms of gentisic acid and cyaniding-3-O-glucoside on polyphenoloxidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lei; Xiong, Zhiqiang; Liu, Wei; Zou, Liqiang

2017-11-01

Gentisic acid and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside are important bioactive polyphenols which are widely distributed in many fruits and cereals. In this work, kinetic study, spectral analysis and computational simulation were used to compare the inhibitory effects and inhibition mechanisms of gentisic acid and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on mushroom polyphenoloxidase (PPO). The inhibitory effect of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on PPO was much stronger than that of gentisic acid. Gentisic acid inhibited PPO in a reversible mixed-type manner while cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was an irreversible inhibitor. Gentisic acid and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside made the thermal inactivation of PPO easier, and induced apparent conformational changes of PPO. Compared with gentisic acid, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside had stronger effects on the thermal inactivation and conformation of PPO. Molecular docking results revealed gentisic acid bound to the active site of PPO by hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and van der Waals forces. However, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside might irreversibly interact with the Met or Cys in PPO by covalent bonds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phytic acid derived bioactive CaO-P2O5-SiO2 gel-glasses.