Efficient synthetic methods for α,ß-dehydroamino acids as useful and environmentally benign building blocks in biological and materials science.

Both natural and unnatural amino acids, peptides, and proteins are widely recognized as green and sustainable organic chemicals, not only in the field of biological sciences but also in materials science. It has been discovered that artificially designed unnatural peptides and proteins exhibit advanced properties in medical and materials science. In this context, the development of precise chemical modification methods for amino acids and peptides is acknowledged as an important research project in the field of organic synthesis. While a wide variety of modification methods for amino acid residues have been developed to artificially modify peptides and proteins, the representative methods for modifying amino acid residues have traditionally relied on the nucleophilic properties of the functionalities on the residues. In this context, the development of different modification methods using an umpolung-like approach by utilizing the electrophilic nature of amino acid derivatives appears to be very attractive. One of the promising electrophilic amino acid compounds for realizing important modification methods of amino acid derivatives is α,ß-dehydroamino acids, which possess an α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl structure. This review article summarizes methods for the preparation of α,ß-dehydroamino acids derived from natural and unnatural amino acid derivatives. The utilities of α,ß-dehydroamino acid derivatives, including peptides and proteins containing dehydroalanine units, in bioconjugations are also discussed.

Impact of short-term oral dose of cinnamtannin A2, an (-)-epicatechin tetramer, on spatial memory and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse.

Recent epidemiological and intervention studies have suggested that polyphenol-rich plant food consumption reduced the risk of cognitive decline. However, the findings were tentative and by no means definitive. In the present study, we examined the impact of short-term oral administration of cinnamtannin A2 (A2), an (-)-epicatechin tetramer, on adult hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function in mice. Mice received supplementation with vehicle (20% glycerol) or 100 µg/kg A2 for 10 days. Then, we conducted the open field test, the object location test, and the novel object test. In the open field test, the A2-treated group tended to spend more time in the center of the arena, compared to the vehicle-treated group. The A2-treated group spent significantly more time exploring objects placed in different locations, compared to the vehicle-treated group. There were no significant differences between groups in the object preference index or in the novel object test. In addition, A2 administration significantly increased the number of hippocampal bromodeoxyuridine-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus, but not in the CA1 or CA3 regions. These results suggested that short-term administration of A2 may impact spatial memory by enhancing neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of adult mice.

The ATPase activity of ABCA1 is increased by cholesterol in the presence of anionic lipids.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) transports excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues back to the liver, and plasma HDL levels are inversely related to cardiovascular disease incidence. ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) is a member of the ABC protein superfamily, and generates nascent HDL, which consists of several hundreds of phospholipids and cholesterol wrapped by apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I). However, it remains unclear whether cholesterol is a transport substrate of ABCA1. Since ATP hydrolysis of ABC proteins is typically increased by their transport substrates, we characterized the effects of cholesterol on the ATPase activity of purified ABCA1 using liposomes of various lipid compositions. ABCA1 showed substantial ATPase activity (20-30 nmol$\cdot$min-1$\cdot$mg-1) only in liposomes containing anionic lipids, including phosphatidylserine. Cholesterol increased the ATPase activity by 1.6- to 3-fold in the presence of anionic lipids. Moreover, phosphatidylserine addition to BHK/ABCA1 cells increased phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol efflux to apoA-I. Next, we investigated the sterol specificity of ABCA1. The ATPase activity of ABCA1 was strongly enhanced by desmosterol and zymosterol, similar to cholesterol. In contrast, 7-dehydrocholesterol and lathosterol weakly increased the ATPase activity, and no increase was observed with stigmasterol or brassicasterol. These findings suggest that ABCA1 transports cholesterol and prefers cholesterol over plant sterols as a transport substrate.

Expression of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 predicts peritoneal recurrence of gastric cancer.

To improve the outcome of gastric cancer, novel markers that predict postoperative prognosis are required. For this purpose, the function of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (CRABP1) in gastric cancer cells was investigated and it was determined whether it serves as a novel biomarker for gastric cancer. Reverse transcription­quantitative (RT­q)PCR and a PCR­array method were used to determine whether the expression of CRABP1 mRNA in gastric cancer cell lines correlated with the expression of cancer­related genes. The correlations of CRABP1 mRNA expression in tissues with clinicopathological factors of 230 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy were further evaluated. CRABP1 mRNA levels varied among gastric cancer cell lines and showed significant positive correlations with numerous epithelial­mesenchymal transition factors. Additionally, CRABP1 knockdown significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cell lines. In a mouse xenograft model of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer, it was found that the total weight of disseminated nodules was lower in the group, in which CRABP1 mRNA levels were knocked down compared with those of the untransfected group. Disease­free survival (DFS) was significantly shorter in patients with high expression of CRABP1, and multivariate analysis of DFS revealed that high expression of CRABP1 in the tumor area and lymph node metastasis served as an independent factor associated with poor prognosis. High expression of CRABP1 in cancer tissues was associated with a greater incidence of peritoneal recurrences after curative gastrectomy. These findings indicated that CRABP1 contributes to the malignant phenotype of gastric cancer cells and may serve as a biomarker for prognosing recurrence after curative resection, particularly peritoneal dissemination.

Alpha-chiral acetylenes having an all-carbon quaternary center: phase transfer catalyzed enantioselective alpha alkylation of alpha-alkyl-alpha-alkynyl esters.

Going through the phases: The title reaction was found to proceed by an initial base-mediated isomerization to allenyl esters and subsequent phase transfer catalyzed alkylation at the alpha position of the ester (see scheme).

Minos-insertion mutant of the Drosophila GBA gene homologue showed abnormal phenotypes of climbing ability, sleep and life span with accumulation of hydroxy-glucocerebroside.

Gaucher's disease in humans is considered a deficiency of glucocerebrosidase (GlcCerase) that result in the accumulation of its substrate, glucocerebroside (GlcCer). Although mouse models of Gaucher's disease have been reported from several laboratories, these models are limited due to the perinatal lethality of GlcCerase gene. Here, we examined phenotypes of Drosophila melanogaster homologues genes of the human Gaucher's disease gene by using Minos insertion. One of two Minos insertion mutants to unknown function gene (CG31414) accumulates the hydroxy-GlcCer in whole body of Drosophila melanogaster. This mutant showed abnormal phenotypes of climbing ability and sleep, and short lifespan. These abnormal phenotypes are very similar to that of Gaucher's disease in human. In contrast, another Minos insertion mutant (CG31148) and its RNAi line did not show such severe phenotype as observed in CG31414 gene mutation. The data suggests that Drosophila CG31414 gene mutation might be useful for unraveling the molecular mechanism of Gaucher's disease.

Inositols affect the mating circadian rhythm of Drosophila melanogaster.

Accumulating evidence indicates that the molecular circadian clock underlies the mating behavior of Drosophila melanogaster. However, information about which food components affect circadian mating behavior is scant. The ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum has recently become a popular functional food. Here, we showed that the close-proximity (CP) rhythm of D. melanogaster courtship behavior was damped under low-nutrient conditions, but significantly enhanced by feeding the flies with powdered ice plant. Among various components of ice plants, we found that myo-inositol increased the amplitude and slightly shortened the period of the CP rhythm. Real-time reporter assays showed that myo-inositol and D-pinitol shortened the period of the circadian reporter gene Per2-luc in NIH 3T3 cells. These data suggest that the ice plant is a useful functional food and that the ability of inositols to shorten rhythms is a general phenomenon in insects as well as mammals.

Phase-transfer-catalysed asymmetric synthesis of tetrasubstituted allenes.

Allenes are molecules based on three carbons connected by two cumulated carbon-carbon double bonds. Given their axially chiral nature and unique reactivity, substituted allenes have a variety of applications in organic chemistry as key synthetic intermediates and directly as part of biologically active compounds. Although the demands for these motivated many endeavours to make axially chiral, substituted allenes by exercising asymmetric catalysis, the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of fully substituted ones (tetrasubstituted allenes) remained largely an unsolved issue. The fundamental obstacle to solving this conundrum is the lack of a simple synthetic transformation that provides tetrasubstituted allenes in the action of catalysis. We report herein a strategy to overcome this issue by the use of a phase-transfer-catalysed asymmetric functionalization of 1-alkylallene-1,3-dicarboxylates with N-arylsulfonyl imines and benzylic and allylic bromides.

Suppression of SOS-inducing activity of chemical mutagens by metabolites from microbial transformation of (+)-longicyclene.

In this study, biotransformation of (+)-longicyclene (1) by Aspergillus niger (NBRC 4414) and the suppressive effect on umuC gene expression by chemical mutagens 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (furylfuramide) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) of the SOS response in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 were investigated. Initially, compound 1 was converted to three new terpenoids, (-)-(10R)-10-hydroxy-longicyclic acid (2), (+)-(10S)-10-hydroxy-longicyclic acid (3), and (+)-10-oxo-longicyclic acid (4) by A. niger , and their conversion rates were 27, 23, and 30%, respectively. The metabolites suppressed the SOS-inducing activity of furylfuramide and AFB1 in the umu test. Compounds 1-4 were hardly showing a suppressive effect on umu gene expression of the SOS responses in S. typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 against furylfuramid. However, metabolites showed a suppressive effect against AFB1. Compound 4 had gene expression by chemical mutagen AFB1, was suppressed 53% at <1.0 mM, and was the most effective compound in this experiment.

Regioselective oxidation of (+)-alpha-longipinene by Aspergillus niger.

The regioselective oxidation of (+)-alpha-longipinene (1) with sesquiterpen hydrocarbon was investigated using Aspergillus niger (NBRC 4414) as a biocatalyst. Compound 1 was converted to three new terpenoids, (+)-(5S)-5,12-dihydroxy-alpha-longipinene, (-)-(5R)-5,12-dihydroxy-alpha-longipinene, and (+)-12-hydroxy-alpha-longipinen-5-one. These structures were determined by NMR, IR, specific rotation and mass spectral studies.

Microbial transformation of (-)-isolongifolol by plant pathogenic fungus Glomerella cingulata.

The biotransformation of terpenoids using the plant pathogenic fungus as a biocatalyst to produce useful novel organic compounds was investigated. The biotransformation of sesquiterpen alcohol, (-)-isolongifolol (1) was investigated using plant pathogenic fungus Glomerella cingulata as a biocatalyst. Compound 1 was converted to (-)-(3R)-3-hydroxy-isolongifolol and (-)-(9R)-9-hydroxy-isolongifolol by G. cingulata.

Suppression of SOS-inducing activity of chemical mutagens by metabolites from microbial transformation of (-)-isolongifolene.

In this study, biotransformation of (-)-isolongifolene (1) by Glomerella cingulata and suppressive effect on umuC gene expression by chemical mutagens 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (furylfuramide) and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) of the SOS response in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 were investigated. Initially, 1 was carried out the microbial transformation by G. cingulata. The result found that 1 was converted into (-)-isolongifolen-9-one (2), (-)-(2S)-13-hydroxy-isolongifolen-9-one (3), and (-)-(4R)-4-hydroxy-isolongifolen-9-one (4) by G. cingulata, and their conversion rates were 60, 25, and 15%, respectively. The metabolites suppressed the SOS-inducing activity of furylfuramid and AFB(1) in the umu test. Comound 2 showed gene expression by chemical mutagens furylfuramide and AFB(1) was suppressed 54 and 50% at <0.5 mM, respectively. Compound 2 is the most effective compound in this experiment.

Development of 5-silylethynyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one as a new prochiral template for asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis.

Phase-transfer catalyzed asymmetric alkylation and Michael addition of 5-silylalkynyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one were developed as a novel strategy to provide highly modular tertiary α-alkyl-α-hydroxy acids bearing an alkyne moiety.

Biotransformation of (+)-cycloisolongifolol by plant pathogenic fungus Glomerella cingulata.

The biotransformation of terpenoids using the plant pathogenic fungus as a biocatalyst to produce useful novel organic compounds was investigated. The biotransformation of sesquiterpen alcohol, (+)-cycloisolongifolol (1) was investigated using plant pathogenic fungus Glomerella cingulata as a biocatalyst. Compound 1 gave one major metabolic product and a number of minor metabolic products. Major product was dehydration at the C-8 position to (+)-dehydrocycloisolongifolene (2). The structure of the product was determined by their spectroscopic data. Glomerella cingulata gave dehydration in the specifically and over 70% conversion.