The binding selectivity of quercetin and its structure-related polyphenols to human serum albumin using a fluorescent dye cocktail for multiplex drug-site mapping.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is a serum protein that carries flavonoids in blood circulation. In this report, the binding selectivity and strength of interactions to HSA-binding sites (sites I or II) by flavonoids were evaluated using competition experiments and the specific fluorescent dyes, dansylamide and BD140. Most tested flavonoids bound site I preferentially, with the binding strength dependent on the mother structure in the order flavonol > flavone > flavanone > flavan 3-ols. Glycosylation or glucuronidation reduced the binding of quercetin to site I of HSA, whereas sulfation increased binding. Quercetin 7-sulfate showed the strongest binding and molecular docking simulations supported this observation. Prenylation at any position or glucuronidation and sulfation at the C-4' or C-7 position of quercetin facilitated stronger binding to site II. The binding affinity of flavonoids toward site I correlated with the partition coefficient value (logP), whereas no corresponding correlation was observed for site II.

Antiallergic Activity of 3-O-Dodecyl-l-ascorbic Acid.

2-O-Alkyl-l-ascorbic acids and 3-O-alkyl-l-ascorbic acids were synthesized, and their degranulation inhibitory activities were evaluated. Among ascorbic acid derivatives with butyl, octyl, dodecyl, hexadecyl, and octadecyl groups introduced at the C-2 or C-3 positions, an AA derivative with a dodecyl group introduced at the C-3 position, 3-O-dodecyl-l-ascorbic acid (compound 8), showed the strongest inhibitory activity against antigen-stimulated degranulation. Compound 8 also inhibited calcium ionophore-stimulated degranulation. Compound 11, in which the hydroxyl group at the C-6 position of compound 8 was substituted with an amino group, and compound 12, in which the dodecyloxy group at the C-3 position of compound 8 was exchanged with a dodecylamino group, were synthesized, and these derivatives showed weaker inhibitory activity against antigen-stimulated degranulation than that of compound 8. In addition, orally administered compound 8 inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reactions in mice with a potency equal to that of oxatomide, an antiallergic agent. These results suggest that compound 8 may be a candidate for antiallergic treatment.

Neurite Outgrowth-Promoting Compounds from the Petals of Paeonia lactiflora in PC12 Cells.

Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin, flavonol glucosides, were isolated from the petals of Paeonia lactiflora as neurite outgrowth-promoting compounds. Isoquercitrin, formed by demethylating the B ring of isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside or by adding a hydroxyl group to the B ring of astragalin, was evaluated for neurite outgrowth-promoting activity and was compared with the activities of isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin. The activities of isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin, aglycones corresponding to isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, astragalin, and isoquercitrin, respectively, were also evaluated. Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin showed much stronger neurite outgrowth-promoting activities than the activities of the other tested flavonoids. They exhibited relatively weak anti-oxidant activities and moderate AChE inhibitory activities compared to the activities of the other tested flavonoids. Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin promoted morphological neurite outgrowth and the expression of neurofilaments induced by NGF in PC12 cells. Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside and astragalin might be candidate compounds as neural differentiation agents in peripheral nerves and functional food ingredients preventing cognitive decline.

Synthesis of Ascorbic Acid Derivatives with Different Types of C8 Straight Acyl Chain and Their Neurite Outgrowth-Enhancing Activities.

We previously reported that 2-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-6-O-octanoyl-L-ascorbic acid, having a C8 straight acyl chain, at a concentration of 100 µM remarkably enhanced nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells after being metabolized to L-ascorbic acid (AA) as an active form by esterase and α-glucosidase. In this study, to examine the structure-activity relationship of 6-O-substituted AA derivatives with a C8 straight acyl chain for neurite outgrowth-promoting activity, we synthesized AA derivatives 1-4 and compared their activities for promoting NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. AA derivatives 1-4 showed neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity at 100 µM, while AA derivative 2 also showed the enhancing activity at 3 µM. Furthermore, AA derivative 2 as well as AA enhanced NGF-induced neurite outgrowth after being incorporated into PC12 cells via sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter as an anion transporter. The results suggested that AA derivative 2 has neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity in its intact form at a low concentration (3 µM) and that AA derivatives 1-4 showed their activities in the form of AA, a metabolite of these derivatives, at a higher concentration (100 µM).

Neurite Outgrowth-Promoting Compounds from Cockscomb Hydrolysate.

Cockscomb hydrolysate was found to have neurite outgrowth-promoting activity in PC12 cells. To investigate the neurite outgrowth-promoting compounds derived from cockscomb hydrolysate, bioassay-guided purification was carried out. Purified active fractions were obtained by liquid-liquid partition, followed by column chromatography. High-performance liquid chromatography and proton nuclear magnetic resonance analyses of the purified active fractions clarified that the main compounds are threonine, alanine, valine, and methionine. By screening for 20 kinds of amino acids, it was shown that valine and methionine, but not threonine and alanine, have neurite outgrowth-promoting activity. The results of activity evaluation of the mixture of amino acids indicated that alanine enhanced the activity of valine and that the mixture of valine and methionine showed a higher ratio of neurite formation than did each of them alone. On the other hand, dipeptides formed by valine and methionine showed weak neurite outgrowth-promoting activity. A mixture of threonine, alanine, valine, and methionine at the same concentrations as those in cockscomb hydrolysate showed neurite outgrowth-promoting activity comparable to that of cockscomb hydrolysate although threonine, alanine, valine, and methionine alone did not show activity at their concentrations in cockscomb hydrolysate. Therefore, the strong neurite outgrowth-promoting activity of cockscomb hydrolysate was considered to be due to the synergistic effect of threonine, alanine, valine, and methionine.

Antiallergic Activity of 6-Deoxy-2-O-methyl-6-(N-hexadecanoyl)amino-l-ascorbic Acid.

Allergy is an excessive immune response to a specific antigen. Type I allergies, such as hay fever and food allergies, have increased significantly in recent years and have become a worldwide problem. We previously reported that an ascorbic acid derivative having palmitoyl and glucosyl groups, 2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-6-O-hexadecanoyl-l-ascorbic acid (6-sPalm-AA-2G), showed inhibitory effects on degranulation in vitro and on the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice. In this study, several palmitoyl derivatives of ascorbic acid were synthesized and a structure-activity relationship study was performed to discover more potent ascorbic acid derivatives with degranulation inhibitory activity. 6-Deoxy-2-O-methyl-6-(N-hexadecanoyl)amino-l-ascorbic acid (2-Me-6-N-Palm-AA), in which a methyl group was introduced into the hydroxyl group at the C-2 position of ascorbic acid and in which the hydroxyl group at the C-6 position was substituted with an N-palmitoyl group, exhibited much higher inhibitory activity for degranulation in vitro than did 6-sPalm-AA-2G. 2-Me-6-N-Palm-AA strongly inhibit the PCA reaction in mice at lower doses than those of 6-sPalm-AA-2G. These findings suggest that 2-Me-6-N-Palm-AA may be a promising therapeutic candidate for allergic diseases.

2-O-Octadecylascorbic acid represses RhoGDIß expression and ameliorates DNA damage-induced abnormal spindle orientations.

The appropriate regulation of spindle orientation maintains proper tissue homeostasis and avoids aberrant tissue repair or regeneration. Spindle misorientation due to imbalance or improper functioning leads to a loss of tissue integrity and aberrant growth, such as tissue loss or overgrowth. Pharmacological manipulation to prevent spindle misorientation will enable a better understanding of how spindle orientation is involved in physiological and pathological conditions and will provide therapeutic possibilities to treat patients associated with abnormal tissue function caused by spindle misorientation. N-terminal-deleted Rho guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor ß (RhoGDIß/RhoGDI2/LyGDI) produced by caspase-3 activation perturbs spindle orientation in surviving cells following exposure to either ionizing radiation or UVC. Thus, presumably, RhoGDIß cleaved by caspase-3 activation acts as a determinant of radiation-induced spindle misorientation that promote aberrant tissue repair due to deregulation of directional organization of cell population and therefore becomes a potential target of drugs to prevent such response. The objective of this study was to screen and identify chemicals that suppress RhoGDIß expression. We focused our attention on ascorbic acid (AA) derivatives because of their impact on the maintenance of skin tissue homeostasis. Here, we screened for AA derivatives that suppress RhoGDIß expression in HeLa cells and identified a lipophilic derivative, 2-O-octadecylascorbic acid (2-OctadecylAA), as a novel RhoGDIß inhibitor that ameliorated ionizing radiation-induced abnormal spindle orientations. Among all examined AA derivatives, which were also antioxidative, the inhibition activity was specific to 2-OctadecylAA. Therefore, this activity was not due to simple antioxidant properties. 2-OctadecylAA was previously shown to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma development. Our findings suggest that the anticarcinogenic effects of 2-OctadecylAA are partly due to RhoGDIß inhibition mechanisms by which spindle orientation perturbations are attenuated. Thus, the molecular targeting features of RhoGDIß warrant its further development for the treatment or control of spindle orientation abnormalities that affect epithelial homeostasis.

Synthesis and biological activity of (±)-7,3',4'-trihydroxyhomoisoflavan and its analogs.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and neurite outgrowth promoters are thought to alleviate the symptoms of degenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. We designed and synthesized a series of homoisoflavonoids based on the structure of natural homoisoflavan isolated from Dracaena cambodiana dragon's blood. The homoisoflavonoids were then evaluated as AChE inhibitors and neurite outgrowth promoters. The catechol structure of the homoisoflavan B rings was important for AChE inhibition, and some of the homoisoflavonoids significantly promoted neurite outgrowth induced by nerve growth factor (NGF).

Neurite Outgrowth-Promoting Activity of Compounds in PC12 Cells from Sunflower Seeds.

In the current super-aging society, the establishment of methods for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an urgent task. One of the causes of AD is thought to be a decrease in the revel of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the brain. Compounds showing NGF-mimicking activity and NGF-enhancing activity have been examined as possible agents for improving symptoms. In the present study, sunflower seed extract was found to have neurite outgrowth-promoting activity, which is an NGF-enhancing activity, in PC12 cells. To investigate neurite outgrowth-promoting compounds from sunflower seed extract, bioassay-guided purification was carried out. The purified active fraction was obtained by liquid-liquid partition followed by some column chromatographies. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses of the purified active fraction indicated that the fraction was a mixture of ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol, with ß-sitosterol being the main component. Neurite outgrowth-promoting activities of ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol and cholesterol were evaluated in PC12 cells. ß-Sitosterol and stigmasterol showed the strongest activity of the four sterol compounds (ß-sitosterol ≈ stigmasterol > campesterol > cholesterol), and cholesterol did not show any activity. The results indicated that ß-sitosterol was the major component responsible for the neurite outgrowth-promoting activity of sunflower seeds. Results of immunostaining also showed that promotion by ß-sitosterol of neurite formation induced by NGF was accompanied by neurofilament expression. ß-Sitosterol, which showed NGF-enhancing activity, might be a candidate ingredient in food for prevention of AD.

Antioxidant activity and Neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity of scorbamic acid and a red pigment derived from ascorbic acid.

L-Ascorbic acid (AA), known as vitamin C, can form browning products by a non-enzymatic process during storage and the browning products cause deterioration of agricultural products. In the browning reaction, a red pigment, 2,2´-nitrilodi-2(2´)-deoxy-L-ascorbic acid ammonium salt (NDA), is generated from AA via L-scorbamic acid (SCA) as an intermediate. However, the biological activities of SCA and NDA have not yet been clarified. In this study, we assayed the antioxidant activities of SCA and NDA using ABTS radical cation and their neurite outgrowth-enhancing activities in PC12 cells. SCA showed stronger radical-scavenging activity than that of AA, while NDA hardly showed any activity. SCA and NDA enhanced the neurite outgrowth induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP after their incorporation into cells in the same manner as that of AA. The results indicated that SCA has antioxidant activity and that SCA and NDA have neurite outgrowth-enhancing activity.

Identification of degranulation inhibitors from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea in rat basophilic leukaemia cells.

Quercetin, luteolin and chrysoeriol were identified from rooibos tea as degranulation inhibitors in rat basophilic leukaemia cells. The degranulation inhibitory activity of chrysoeriol was first discovered in the present study. When quercetin, luteolin and chrysoeriol were mixed in the ratio that occurs in rooibos tea extract, the mixture inhibited antigen- and calcium ionophore-stimulated degranulation to the same degree as that by the whole rooibos tea extract. These findings indicate that these three flavonoids are the key factors underlying the degranulation inhibitory activity of rooibos tea.

Potential Antitumor Activity of 2-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl-6-O-(2-Pentylheptanoyl)-l-Ascorbic Acid.

Intravenous administration of high-dose ascorbic acid (AA) has been reported as a treatment for cancer patients. However, cancer patients with renal failure cannot receive this therapy because high-dose AA infusion can have side effects. To solve this problem, we evaluated the antitumor activity of a lipophilic stable AA derivative, 2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-6-O-(2-pentylheptanoyl)-l-ascorbic acid (6-bOcta-AA-2G). Intravenous administration of 6-bOcta-AA-2G suppressed tumor growth in colon-26 tumor-bearing mice more strongly than did AA, even at 1/10 of the molar amount of AA. Experiments on the biodistribution and clearance of 6-bOcta-AA-2G and its metabolites in tumor-bearing mice showed that 6-bOcta-AA-2G was hydrolyzed to 6-O-(2-propylpentanoyl)-l-ascorbic acid (6-bOcta-AA) slowly to yield AA, and the results suggested that this characteristic metabolic pattern is responsible for making the antitumor activity of 6-bOcta-AA-2G stronger than that of AA and that the active form of 6-bOcta-AA-2G showing antitumor activity is 6-bOcta-AA. In in vitro experiments, the oxidized form of 6-bOcta-AA as well as 6-bOcta-AA showed significant cytotoxicity, while the oxidized forms of ascorbic acid showed no cytotoxicity at all, suggesting that the antitumor activity mechanism of 6-bOcta-AA-2G is different from that of AA and that the antitumor activity is due to the reduced and oxidized form of 6-bOcta-AA. The findings suggest that 6-bOcta-AA-2G is a potent candidate as an alternative drug to intravenous high-dose AA.

Affinity resins as new tools for identifying target proteins of ascorbic acid.

l-Ascorbic acid (AA) has diverse physiological functions, but little is known about the functional mechanisms of AA. In this study, we synthesized two types of affinity resin on which AA is immobilized in a stable form to identify new AA-targeted proteins, which can provide important clues for elucidating unknown functional mechanisms of AA. To our knowledge, an affinity resin on which AA as a ligand is immobilized has not been prepared, because AA is very unstable and rapidly degraded in an aqueous solution. By using the affinity resins, cytochrome c (cyt c) was identified as an AA-targeted protein, and we showed that oxidized cyt c exhibits specific affinity for AA. These results suggest that two kinds of AA-affinity resin can be powerful tools to identify new target proteins of AA.

Structure-activity relationships of flavanones, flavanone glycosides, and flavones in anti-degranulation activity in rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells.

The incidence of type I allergies, which are associated with mast cell degranulation and local inflammation, is increasing, and new treatments are needed. To date, structure-activity relationships of flavonoids in their degranulation-inhibiting activity have not been systematically characterized. In the current study, the degranulation-inhibiting activity of a series of flavonoids was evaluated. The following three observations were made: (1) the activity disappears when a sugar moiety is introduced into the A ring of the flavanone; (2) the activity depends on the number of hydroxyl groups on the B ring; (3) the activity is markedly enhanced when a double bond is introduced into the C ring. The information obtained in the current study may guide the development of a therapy for type I allergies.

Anti-Allergic Activity of Monoacylated Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucosides.

2-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) is one of the stable ascorbic acid (AA) derivatives known as provitamin C agents. We have previously synthesized two types of monoacylated derivatives of AA-2G, 6-O-acyl-2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acids having a straight-acyl chain of varying length from C4 to C18 (6-sAcyl-AA-2G) and a branched-acyl chain of varying length from C6 to C16 (6-bAcyl-AA-2G) in order to improve the bioavailability of AA-2G. In this study, 6-sAcyl-AA-2G and 6-bAcyl-AA-2G per se showed the inhibitory effects on hyaluronidase activity and degranulation. 6-sAcyl-AA-2G exhibited strong inhibitory effects on hyaluronidase activity and degranulation in a concentration-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effects tended to become stronger with increasing length of the acyl chain. 2-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl-6-O-hexadecanoyl-l-ascorbic acid (6-sPalm-AA-2G), which has a straight C16 acyl chain, was the most potent effective for inhibition of hyaluronidase activity and for inhibition of degranulation among the 6-sAcyl-AA-2G derivatives and the two isomers of 6-sPalm-AA-2G. Furthermore, percutaneous administration of 6-sPalm-AA-2G significantly inhibited IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in mice. These findings suggest that 6-sPalm-AA-2G will be useful for treatment of allergies.

2-O-α-D-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid as an antitumor agent for infusion therapy.

Ascorbic acid (AA) has been reported as a treatment for cancer patients. Intravenous (iv) administration of high-dose AA increases plasma AA levels to pharmacologic concentrations and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) to exert anti-tumor activity via enhancement of oxidative stress. However, AA is very unstable in aqueous solutions and it is impossible to preserve AA for a long period in a solution. 2-O-α-D-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2G), which is a glucoside derivative of AA, has been found to exhibit much higher stability than AA in aqueous solutions and it shows vitamin C activity after enzymatic hydrolysis to AA. To evaluate the effectiveness of AA-2G for cancer treatment, we examined the antitumor activity of AA-2G to murine colon carcinoma (colon-26) cells and in tumor-bearing mice. AA-2G did not show cytotoxicity to colon-26 cells, whereas AA exhibited a significant cytotoxic effect in a concentration-dependent manner. In colon-26 tumor-bearing mice, iv administration of high-dose AA-2G as well as that of AA significantly inhibited tumor growth. Experiments on the biodistribution and clearance of AA-2G in tumor-bearing mice showed that AA-2G was rapidly hydrolyzed to AA and exhibited significant antitumor activity. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with AA-2G tended to increase plasma malondialdehyde level. These results indicated that the antitumor activity of AA-2G was caused by ROS generated by AA released by rapid hydrolysis of AA-2G.

Structural evidence for the DPPH radical-scavenging mechanism of 2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid.

2-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) exhibits biological activities after enzymatic hydrolysis to ascorbic acid (AA) by α-glucosidase. We have found that AA-2G per se exerted radical-scavenging activity toward 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH radical). The radical-scavenging property of AA-2G was greatly different from that of AA; that is, the reaction rate with DPPH radical of AA-2G was far slower than that of AA, but the long-lasting radical-scavenging ability per one molecule of AA-2G was superior to that of AA. We purified key intermediates for the characteristic radical-scavenging reaction of AA-2G and carried out time-course studies of the radical-scavenging reactions of the intermediates, AA-2G and AA to determine both the reaction rate and stoichiometry of AA-2G with DPPH radical. One mole of AA-2G quenched 2.7mol of DPPH radical over a period of 120min, while one mole of AA quenched 1.9mol of the radical. The high reaction stoichiometry of AA-2G against DPPH radical was associated with adduct formation of AA-2G with DPPH radical. The radical-scavenging reaction mechanism of AA-2G consists of the following three steps: (1) At an early stage of the reaction, AA-2G scavenged DPPH radical to generate AA-2G radical, (2) AA-2G radical immediately reacted with an additional DPPH radical to give two types of AA-2G-DPPH adducts and (3) AA-2G-DPPH adducts slowly quenched the other DPPH radical to generate several reaction products. Our results suggest the practical value of AA-2G, even before being converted into AA, as a beneficial antioxidant in food and cosmetic applications.

Structure-activity relationship of flavanone. Anti-degranulation activity of 7-O-substituted hesperetin.

A series of 7-O-substituted hesperetins was evaluated for degranulation-inhibiting activity in rat basophil leukaemia cells. 7-O-Methyl and 7-O-ethyl hesperetin exhibited potent anti-degranulation activity compared with the original hesperetin.

Isolation and Characterization of the 2,2'-Azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) Radical Cation-Scavenging Reaction Products of Arbutin.

Arbutin, a glucoside of hydroquinone, has shown strong 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation-scavenging activity, especially in reaction stoichiometry. This study investigated the reaction mechanism of arbutin against ABTS radical cation that caused high stoichiometry of arbutin in an ABTS radical cation-scavenging assay. HPLC analysis of the reaction mixture of arbutin and ABTS radical cation indicated the existence of two reaction products. The two reaction products were purified and identified to be a covalent adduct of arbutin with an ABTS degradation fragment and 3-ethyl-6-sulfonate benzothiazolone. A time-course study of the radical-scavenging reactions of arbutin and the two reaction products suggested that one molecule of arbutin scavenges three ABTS radical cation molecules to generate an arbutin-ABTS fragment adduct as a final reaction product. The results suggest that one molecule of arbutin reduced two ABTS radical cation molecules to ABTS and then cleaved the third ABTS radical cation molecule to generate two products, an arbutin-ABTS fragment adduct and 3-ethyl-6-sulfonate benzothiazolone.

Structure-activity relationships of vanillic acid ester analogs in inhibitory effect of antigen-mediated degranulation in rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells.

Methyl vanillate (1) showed strong degranulation inhibitory activity among vanillin derivatives tested. In order to find structure-activity relationships for developing anti-allergic agents with simple structures and potent activity, we synthesized several vanillic acid (VA) ester derivatives with C1-C4 and C8 alkyl chains and evaluated their degranulation inhibitory activities. The most active compound of VA ester derivatives was derivative 5 with a C4 straight alkyl chain, and derivative 5 exhibited approximately three-fold greater inhibitory activity than that of 1. Moreover, we designed 8 types of analogs based on 5, and we found that the minimum structure for potent degranulation inhibitory activity requires direct connection of the butyl ester moiety on the benzene ring and at least one hydroxyl group on the benzene ring. Butyl meta or para hydroxyl benzoate (10 or 11) has a simpler structure than that of 5 and exhibited more potent degranulation inhibitory activity than that of 5.