Fluvoxamine alleviates ER stress via induction of Sigma-1 receptor.

We recently demonstrated that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) expression through the PERK pathway, which is one of the cell's responses to ER stress. In addition, it has been demonstrated that induction of Sig-1R can repress cell death signaling. Fluvoxamine (Flv) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with a high affinity for Sig-1R. In the present study, we show that treatment of neuroblastoma cells with Flv induces Sig-1R expression by increasing ATF4 translation directly, through its own activation, without involvement of the PERK pathway. The Flv-mediated induction of Sig-1R prevents neuronal cell death resulting from ER stress. Moreover, Flv-induced ER stress resistance reduces the infarct area in mice after focal cerebral ischemia. Thus, Flv, which is used frequently in clinical practice, can alleviate ER stress. This suggests that Flv could be a feasible therapy for cerebral diseases caused by ER stress.

Antibacterial activity of alpha-mangostin against vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE) and synergism with antibiotics.

alpha-Mangostin, isolated from the stem bark of Garcinia mangostana L., was found to be active against vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE) and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with MIC values of 6.25 and 6.25 to 12.5 microg/ml, respectively. Our studies showed synergism between alpha-mangostin and gentamicin (GM) against VRE, and alpha-mangostin and vancomycin hydrochloride (VCM) against MRSA. Further studies showed partial synergism between alpha-mangostin and commercially available antibiotics such as ampicillin and minocycline. These findings suggested that alpha-mangostin alone or in combination with GM against VRE and in combination with VCM against MRSA might be useful in controlling VRE and MRSA infections.

Antibacterial activity of calozeyloxanthone isolated from Calophyllum species against vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) and synergism with antibiotics.

Calozeyloxanthone ( 1) was re-isolated from the root bark of Calophyllum moonii, an endemic species of Sri Lanka, and found to be active against vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin-sensitive Enterococci (VSE) with MIC values of 6.25 microg/ml and 12.5 microg/ml, respectively. Further, a marked synergism between 1 and vancomycin hydrochloride (VCM) against VRE was also observed. These findings suggest that 1 in combination with VCM against VRE may be useful in controlling VRE infections.

Bactericidal activities of disinfectants against vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

The bactericidal activities of 35 commercially available disinfectants against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin-sensitive enterococci (VSE) were investigated under both clean and dirty (albumin added) conditions using a microtitration plate method. No differences in bactericidal time were observed with any of the test disinfectants when comparing activity against VRE or VSE. Isopropyl alcohol (70 v/v%), alcohol-containing preparations such as Welpas, Wellup and Maskin W . ethanol solution, 0.2% of cation surfactant disinfectants such as Osvan solution 'daigo', Germitol 'Maruishi' 10% and Hyamine solution, and 0.5% of amphoteric compound disinfectants such as TEGO-51, Hygieel and Hypal No.3, were the most effective compounds when compared with other disinfectants. These results suggest that the use of a disinfectant with activity against VRE may be one appropriate method for preventing infections caused by this micro-organism.

Peptide signals and their receptors in higher plants.

At least four peptides play a vital role in plant cell-cell communication by means of their specific receptors. Two of these receptors have been identified as receptor kinases, which form a large family of receptor molecules in plants. These findings highlight the significance of receptor-mediated peptide signaling in various physiological events in plants, and predict the existence of further peptide-signal-interacting receptor kinases. Some candidates have been found in plant genomes. Here, we outline recent progress and future challenges in the signaling peptide analysis, which began with systemin, phytosulfokine, CLAVATA3 and S-locus cysteine-rich protein (also called S-locus protein 11).

Diversity of Arabidopsis genes encoding precursors for phytosulfokine, a peptide growth factor.

Phytosulfokine-alpha (PSK-alpha), a unique plant peptide growth factor, was originally isolated from conditioned medium of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) mesophyll cell cultures. PSK-alpha has several biological activities including promoting plant cell proliferation. Four genes that encode precursors of PSK-alpha have been identified from Arabidopsis. Analysis of cDNAs for two of these, AtPSK2 and AtPSK3, shows that both of these genes consist of two exons and one intron. The predicted precursors have N-terminal signal peptides and only a single PSK-alpha sequence located close to their carboxyl termini. Both precursors contain dibasic processing sites flanking PSK, analogous to animal and yeast prohormones. Although the PSK domain including the sequence of PSK-alpha and three amino acids preceding it are perfectly conserved, the precursors bear very limited similarity among Arabidopsis and rice (Oryza sativa), suggesting a new level of diversity among polypeptides that are processed into the same signaling molecule in plants, a scenario not found in animals and yeast. Unnatural [serine-4]PSK-beta was found to be secreted by transgenic Arabidopsis cells expressing a mutant of either AtPSK2 or AtPSK3 cDNAs, suggesting that both AtPSK2 and AtPSK3 encode PSK-alpha precursors. AtPSK2 and AtPSK3 were expressed demonstrably not only in cultured cells but also in intact plants, suggesting that PSK-alpha may be essential for plant cell proliferation in vivo as well as in vitro. Overexpression of either precursor gene allowed the transgenic calli to grow twice as large as the controls. However, the transgenic cells expressing either antisense cDNA did not dramatically decrease mitogenic activity, suggesting that these two genes may act redundantly.

Neuritogenic cerebrosides from an edible Chinese mushroom. Part 2: Structures of two additional termitomycesphins and activity enhancement of an inactive cerebroside by hydroxylation.

Termitomycesphins E and F, novel cerebrosides that are hydroxylated around the middle of the long-chain base (LCB), have been isolated from the edible Chinese mushroom Termitomyces albuminosus (Berk.) Heim. ('Jizong' in Chinese) together with termitomycesphins A-D, and shown to induce neuronal differentiation in rat PC12 cells. Their stereostructures have been determined based on their chemical derivatization and spectroscopic analysis. The major cerebroside obtained from the same mushroom was not hydroxylated around the middle of the LCB and was inactive against PC12 cells, suggesting the importance of the extra hydroxyl group on LCB. The Di- and tetrahydroxylation of this inactive cerebroside resulted in the enhancement of its neuritogenic activity.

Biological activity of alpha-thujaplicin, the minor component of Thujopsis dolabrata SIEB. et ZUCC. var. hondai MAKINO.

Alpha-thujaplicin, a minor component of Thujopsis dolabrata SIEB. et ZUCC. var. hondai MAKINO, which was synthesized, showed the antibacterial activity, phytogrowth-inhibitory effect, inhibition of carboxypeptidase A and cytotoxic effect. Antibacterial activity of alpha-thujaplicin on Enterococcus faecalis IFO-12965 [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): 1.56 microg/ml] was higher than that of gentamicin (MIC: 6.25 microg/ml) used as a positive control. Inhibitory activity of alpha-thujaplicin on carboxypeptidase A [50% inhibitory concentration (IC50): 3.24 x 10(-5) M] was higher than that of 1,10-phenanthroline used as a positive control. Alpha-thujaplicin showed germination inhibition toward the seed of Echinochloa utilis Ohwi et Yabuno even at the low concentration of 10 ppm and its growth inhibitory effect was stronger than that of sodium 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate used as a standard. Alpha-thujaplicin at 1.25 microg/ml inhibited cell growth of human stomach cancer KATO-IIl by 86%, and Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma by 87%, respectively. This compound even at the low concentration of 0.32 microg/ml also inhibited cell growth of the former by 66%, and the latter by 75%, respectively. The acute toxicity of alpha-thujaplicin [50% lethal dose (LD50) value: 256 mg/kg] in mice was as strong as those of beta-dolabrin (LD50 value: 232 mg/kg) and gamma-thujaplicin (LD50 value: 277 mg/kg).

Aplysiallene, a new bromoallene as an Na, K-ATPase inhibitor from the sea hare, Aplysia kurodai.

A new bromoallene metabolite, named aplysiallene, was isolated from the Japanese sea hare, Aplysia kurodai, as an Na, K-ATPase inhibitor. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The known metabolites, laurinterol and debromolaurinterol, isolated from this animal were also evaluated for their Na, K-ATPase inhibitory activity.

New cyclic depsipeptide antibiotics, clavariopsins A and B, produced by an aquatic hyphomycetes, Clavariopsis aquatica. 1. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, and biological properties.

Clavariopsins were isolated from the fermentation broth of Clavariopsis aquatica AJ 117363. Clavariopsins are cyclic depsipeptide antibiotics with the molecular weight of 1,153 and 1,139. Clavariopsins showed in vitro antifungal activity against not only Aspergillus fumigatus but also, although to a lesser extent, A. niger and Candida albicans.

New cyclic depsipeptide antibiotics, clavariopsins A and B, produced by an aquatic hyphomycetes, Clavariopsis aquatica. 2. Structure analysis.

The structures of new cyclic decadepsipeptides, clavariopsins A and B, were determined to be cyclo[-(R)-2-hydroxyisovaleryl-L-pipecoyl-L-MeVal-L-Val-L-MeAsp-L-MeIle-L-MeIle-Gly L-MeVal-L-Tyr(OMe)-] and cyclo[-(R)-2-hydroxyisovaleryl-L-pipecolyl-L-Val-L-Val-L-MeAsp-L-Melle-L-MeIle-Gly-L-MeVal-L-Tyr(OMe)-], respectively, by spectroscopic analyses, especially using 2D NMR techniques. The absolute stereochemistry was elucidated by the advanced Marfey's method and chiral HPLC analysis.

Iantherans A and B, unique dimeric polybrominated benzofurans as Na,K-ATPase inhibitors from a marine sponge, Ianthella sp.

Two novel tetrabrominated benzofuran derivatives, named iantherans A and B, were isolated from an Australian marine sponge of the genus lanthella. The unique structures comprised of 2,3-bis(sulfooxy)-1,3-butadiene and two brominated benzofuran moieties were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Iantheran A has a (Z,Z)-1,3-butadiene moiety, whereas iantheran B is the geometric isomer possessing a (Z,E)-1,3-butadiene moiety. The inhibitory activities of the iantherans and their derivatives against Na,K-ATPase as well as the efficacy of iantheran A against other several enzymes were evaluated.

Peptide growth factor phytosulfokine-alpha contributes to the pollen population effect.

Density-dependent pollen germination and tube growth in vitro is a well-documented phenomenon, termed the pollen population effect, but far less is known about its molecular basis. We present evidence to support phytosulfokine-alpha [Y(SO3H)IY(SO3H)TQ; PSK-alpha] as a native bioactive factor contributing to this effect. Mature pollen grains of Nicotiana tabacum L. var. macrophylla were incubated in liquid medium for 2 h. Pollen germination frequency increased in a density-dependent manner from 625 to 46,000 grains/ml. Conditioned medium, obtained from the medium of pollen cultured at a density of 10,000 pollen grains/ml for 12 h, promoted the germination of pollen cultured at a low density (625 grains/ml). A rabbit antiserum against PSK-alpha specifically inhibited the promotive effect of conditioned medium. Quantification by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the conditioned medium contained 0.4 nM of PSK-alpha. Exogenous PSK-alpha also stimulated pollen germination in the low-density culture. These results indicate that PSK-alpha is an important regulator involved in the pollen population effect.

Antifungal activity of Hinokitiol-related compounds on wood-rotting fungi and their insecticidal activities.

Hinokitiol (beta-thujaplicin), beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin isolated from Thujopsis dolabrata SIEB. et ZUCC var hondai MAKINO showed antifungal activities against all of the wood-rotting fungi examined. The antifungal activity of three compounds on Daedalea dickinsii IFO-4979 was especially strong, their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values being 0.2 microg/ml. Their antifungal activities on D. dickinsii IFO-4979 were as high as that of amphotericin B used as a positive control. Three compounds had strong insecticidal activities on Tyrophagus putrescentiae [50%-lethal concentration (LC50 : g/m2) 0.25 in hinokitiol, 0.02 in beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin. Their insecticidal activities were higher than that of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET, LC50 : 1.46 g/m2) used as a positive control. Three compounds also showed strong insecticidal activity on Coptotermes formosanus [LC50 (g/m2) 0.07 in hinokitiol, 0.05 in beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin], although their insecticidal activities were much lower than that of commercial chloropyrifos (LC50 : 0.00016 g/m2).

Phytosulfokine-alpha, a peptide growth factor found in higher plants: its structure, functions, precursor and receptors.

Phytosulfokine-alpha, a sulfated pentapeptide growth factor universally found in both monocotyledons and dicotyledons, strongly promotes proliferation of plant cells in culture. It is similar to animal polypeptide hormones in that it is processed from a larger precursor, preprophytosulfokine, although the putative processing sites do not conform to consensus sequences for endoproteolytic processing sites flanking animal prohormones. Like the animal preprohormones, preprophytosulfokine also has a signal peptide at the N-terminus for targeting to secretory pathways. The preprophytosulfokine gene has been confirmed to be expressed in vivo as well as in vitro.

A rapid and efficient system of Agrobacterium infection-mediated transient gene expression in rice Oc cells and its application for analysis of the expression and antisense suppression of preprophytosulfokine, a precursor of phytosulfokine-a, encoded by OsPSK gene.

A rapid and efficient system for Agrobacterium infection-mediated transient gene expression in rice has been developed. Using this system, transient expression of preprophytosulfokine, a precursor of phytosulfokine-a, encoded by OsPSK gene was analyzed. The results suggest that the Agrobacterium infection-mediated transient gene expression system is as efficient in rice Oc cells as in tobacco BY-2 cells and might be useful for rapid analysis not only of foreign gene expression, but also of antisense gene suppression.

Delayed cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea seven months after transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma--case report.

A 51-year-old female had undergone transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma producing growth hormone. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage occurred during surgery. The sella turcica and sphenoid sinus were packed with abdominal fat and fibrin glue, buttressing the closure with a fragment of sphenoid bone. No CSF rhinorrhea occurred postoperatively. Severe meningitis developed 7 months later. CSF rhinorrhea occurred 10 days after readmission. Exploration through the transsphenoidal approach identified a small hole at the floor of the sella and CSF leaking into the sphenoid sinus through the hole. The CSF leakage stopped after the second surgery. Delayed CSF rhinorrhea without bromocriptine administration is very rare. The cause of delayed CSF rhinorrhea remains unclear. CSF rhinorrhea should be suspected if meningitis develops even months after transsphenoidal surgery.

120- and 160-kDa receptors for endogenous mitogenic peptide, phytosulfokine-alpha, in rice plasma membranes.

Plant cells in culture secrete a sulfated peptide named phytosulfokine-alpha (PSK-alpha), and this peptide induces the cell division and/or cell differentiation by means of specific high and low affinity receptors. Putative receptor proteins for this autocrine type growth factor were identified by photoaffinity labeling of plasma membrane fractions derived from rice suspension cells. Incubation of membranes with a photoactivable (125)I-labeled PSK-alpha analog, [N(epsilon)-(4-azidosalicyl)Lys(5)]PSK-alpha (AS-PSK-alpha), followed by UV irradiation resulted in specific labeling of 120- and 160-kDa bands in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The labeling of both bands was completely inhibited by unlabeled PSK-alpha and partially decreased by PSK-alpha analogs possessing moderate binding activities. In contrast, PSK-alpha analogs that have no biological activity showed no competition for (125)I-AS-PSK-alpha binding, confirming the specificity of binding proteins. Analysis of the affinity of (125)I incorporation into the protein by ligand saturation experiments gave apparent K(d) values of 5.0 nm for the 120-kDa band and 5.4 nm for the 160-kDa band, suggesting that both proteins correspond to the high affinity binding site. Treatment of (125)I-AS-PSK-alpha cross-linked proteins with peptide N-glycosidase F demonstrated that both proteins contained approximately 10 kDa of N-linked oligosaccharides. Specific cross-linking of (125)I-AS-PSK-alpha was also observed by using plasma membranes derived from carrot and tobacco cells, indicating the widespread occurrence of the binding proteins. Together, these data suggest that the 120- and 160-kDa proteins are PSK-alpha receptors that mediate the biological activities of PSK-alpha.

Phytogrowth-Inhibitory activities of beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin, hinokitiol-related compounds and constituents of Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc. var hondai Makino.

Beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin isolated from Thujopsis dolabrata Sieb. et Zucc. var hondai Makino, like hinokitiol, showed strong phytogrowth-inhibitory activities, and their growth-inhibitory activities were as high as that of sodium 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate used as a positive control. In particular, the phytogrowth-inhibitory activity of gamma-thujaplicin was strong and it completely inhibited the germination of this seed of Brassica campestris L. subsp. rapa Hook f. et Anders at the concentration of 30 ppm. Both compounds exhibited inhibitory activities on B. campestris L. subsp. rapa Hook f. et Anders and Sesamum indicum Linne, even at the low concentration of 10 ppm. At 7 d after treatment with beta-dolabrin and gamma-thujaplicin, the amount of chlorophyll in the cotyledons of B. campestris L. subsp. rapa Hook f. et Anders treated with both compounds was greatly decreased as compared with the control. The findings indicate that the phytogrowth-inhibitory action might be a common biological activity of hinokitiol-related compounds, suggesting that at least a part of their phytogrowth-inhibitory actions seems to be related to a decrease in chlorophyll content.

A secreted peptide growth factor, phytosulfokine, acting as a stimulatory factor of carrot somatic embryo formation.

Somatic embryogenesis of the carrot (Daucus carota L.) depends on a set of factors, some of which accumulate in culture medium (conditioned medium, CM). When embryogenic cell clusters were transferred to an embryo-inducing medium, addition of CM derived from somatic embryo culture markedly stimulated somatic embryo formation. The active principles were purified using a simple bioassay system and identified to be phytosulfokines (PSKs), sulfated oligopeptide growth factors originally isolated from a CM derived from asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) mesophyll culture. Quantification studies using a competition ELISA system employing an anti-PSK-alpha polyclonal antibody showed that PSK production might be related to growth of cells, rather than development of somatic embryos. Thus the stimulatory effect of PSK on somatic embryo formation might be due to promotion of cell proliferation.