RESUMO
Isoamyl fatty acid esters (IAFEs) are widely used as fruity flavor compounds in the food industry. In this study, various IAFEs were synthesized from isoamyl alcohol and various fatty acids using a cutinase enzyme (Rcut) derived from Rhodococcus bacteria. Rcut was immobilized on methacrylate divinylbenzene beads and used to synthesize isoamyl acetate, butyrate, hexanoate, octanoate, and decanoate. Among them, Rcut synthesized isoamyl butyrate (IAB) most efficiently. Docking model studies showed that butyric acid was the most suitable substrate in terms of binding energy and distance from the active site serine (Ser114) γ-oxygen. Up to 250 mM of IAB was synthesized by adjusting reaction conditions such as substrate concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time. When the enzyme reaction was performed by reusing the immobilized enzyme, the enzyme activity was maintained at least six times. These results demonstrate that the immobilized Rcut enzyme can be used in the food industry to synthesize a variety of fruity flavor compounds, including IAB.
Assuntos
Hidrolases de Éster Carboxílico , Enzimas Imobilizadas , Aromatizantes , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Rhodococcus , Enzimas Imobilizadas/metabolismo , Enzimas Imobilizadas/química , Rhodococcus/enzimologia , Rhodococcus/metabolismo , Aromatizantes/metabolismo , Aromatizantes/química , Hidrolases de Éster Carboxílico/metabolismo , Hidrolases de Éster Carboxílico/química , Ésteres/metabolismo , Ésteres/química , Pentanóis/metabolismo , Pentanóis/química , Ácidos Graxos/metabolismo , Ácidos Graxos/química , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Temperatura , Especificidade por Substrato , Ácido Butírico/metabolismo , Ácido Butírico/química , Domínio CatalíticoRESUMO
While quinoidal moieties are considered as emerging platforms showing efficient charge transport and interesting open-shell diradical characteristics, whether these properties could be changed by extension to the conjugated polymer structure remains as a fundamental question. Here, we developed and characterized two conjugated polymers incorporating quinoids with different lengths, which have a stable close- and open-shell diradical character, respectively, namely, poly(quinoidal thiophene-thienylene vinylene) (PQuT-TV) and poly(quinoidal bithiophene-thienylene vinylene) (PQuBT-TV). A longer length of a quinoidal core led to enhanced diradical characteristics. Therefore, the longer core length of QuBT was favorable for the formation of an open-shell diradical structure in its monomer and in the quinoidal polymer. PQuBT-TV exhibited high spin characteristics observed by the strong ESR signal, a low band gap, and improved electrochemical stability. On the other hand, as QuT maintained a closed-shell quinoid structure, PQuT-TV exhibited high backbone coplanarity and strong intermolecular interaction, which was beneficial for charge transport and led to high hole mobility (up to 2.40 cm2 V-1 s-1) in organic field-effect transistors. This work successfully demonstrated how the control of the closed/open-shell character of quinoidal building blocks changes charge transport and spin properties of quinoidal conjugated polymers via quinoid-aromatic interconversion.
RESUMO
Chili peppers are one of the most widely consumed spices worldwide. However, research on the health benefits of chili peppers and some of its constituents has raised controversy as to whether chili pepper compounds possess cancer-promoting or cancer-preventive effects. While ample studies have been carried out to examine the effect of capsaicin in carcinogenesis, the chemopreventive effect of other major components in chili pepper, including dihydrocapsaicin, capsiate, and capsanthin, is relatively unclear. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effect of chili pepper components on malignant cell transformation. Among the tested chili pepper compounds, dihydrocapsaicin displayed the strongest inhibitory activity against epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced neoplastic transformation. Dihydrocapsaicin specifically suppressed EGF-induced phosphorylations of the p70S6K1-S6 pathway and the expression of c-Fos. A reduction in c-Fos levels by dihydrocapsaicin led to a concomitant downregulation of AP-1 activation. Further analysis of the molecular mechanism responsible for the dihydrocapsaicin-mediated decrease in phospho-p70S6K1, revealed that dihydrocapsaicin can block amino acid-dependent mechanistic targets of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-p70S6K1-S6 signal activation. Additionally, dihydrocapsaicin was able to selectively augment amino acid deprivation-induced cell death in mTORC1-hyperactive cells. Collectively, dihydrocapsaicin exerted chemopreventive effects through inhibiting amino acid signaling and c-Fos pathways and, thus, might be a promising cancer preventive natural agent.
Assuntos
Aminoácidos/metabolismo , Capsaicina/análogos & derivados , Células Epiteliais/efeitos dos fármacos , Transição Epitelial-Mesenquimal/efeitos dos fármacos , Genes fos/fisiologia , Animais , Capsaicina/química , Capsaicina/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/genética , Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/metabolismo , Fator de Crescimento Epidérmico/genética , Fator de Crescimento Epidérmico/metabolismo , Fibroblastos/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Genes fos/genética , Humanos , Camundongos , Estrutura Molecular , Fosforilação , Proteínas Quinases S6 Ribossômicas 70-kDa/metabolismo , Acetato de Tetradecanoilforbol/metabolismoRESUMO
Fluorine (F) substitution on conjugated polymers in polymer solar cells (PSCs) has a diverse effect on molecular properties and device performance. We present a series of three D-A type conjugated polymers (PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT) based on dithienothiophene and benzothiadiazole units with different numbers of F atoms to explain the influence of F substitution by comparing the molecular interactions of the polymers and the recombination kinetics in PSCs. The preaggregation behavior of PFBT and PDFBT in o-DCB at the UV-vis absorption spectra proves that both polymers have strong intermolecular interactions. Besides, more closely packed structures and change into face-on orientation of fluorinated polymers are observed in polymer:PC71BM blends by GIXD which is beneficial for charge transport and, ultimately, for current density in PSCs (4.3, 13.0, and 14.5 mA cm-2 for PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT, respectively). Also, the introduction of F atoms on conjugated backbones affects the recombination kinetics by suppressing bimolecular recombination, thereby improving the fill factor (0.41, 0.68, and 0.69 for PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT, respectively). Consequently, the PCE of PSCs reached 7.3% without any additional treatment (annealing, solvent additive, etc.) in the polymer containing difluorinated BT (PDFBT) that is much higher than nonfluorinated BT (PBT â¼ 1%) and monofluorinated BT (PFBT â¼ 6%).
RESUMO
Dehydroglyasperin D (DHGA-D), a compound present in licorice, has been found to exhibit anti-obesity, antioxidant and anti-aldose reductase effects. However, the direct molecular mechanism and molecular targets of DHGA-D during skin inflammation remain unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of DHGA-D on inflammation and its mechanism of action on UVB-induced skin inflammation in HaCaT human keratinocytes and SKH-1 hairless mice. DHGA-D treatment strongly suppressed UVB-induced COX-2 expression, PGE2 generation and AP-1 transactivity in HaCaT cells without affecting cell viability. DHGA-D also inhibited phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) 3/6/p38, MAPK/Elk-1, MKK4/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2/c-Jun/mitogen, and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK), whereas phosphorylation of the mixed-lineage kinase (MLK) 3 remained unaffected. Kinase and co-precipitation assays with DHGA-D Sepharose 4B beads showed that DHGA-D significantly suppressed MLK3 activity through direct binding to MLK3. Knockdown of MLK3 suppressed COX-2 expression as well as phosphorylation of MKK4/p38 and MKK3/6/JNK1/2 in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, Western blot assay and immunohistochemistry results showed that DHGA-D pre-treatment significantly inhibits UVB-induced COX-2 expression in vivo. Taken together, these results indicate that DHGA-D may be a promising anti-inflammatory agent that mediates suppression of both COX-2 expression and the MLK3 signalling pathway through direct binding and inhibition of MLK3.
Assuntos
Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/metabolismo , Flavonoides/farmacologia , MAP Quinase Quinase Quinases/metabolismo , Raios Ultravioleta , Animais , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos da radiação , Dinoprostona/biossíntese , Feminino , Flavonoides/química , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Humanos , Queratinócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Queratinócitos/enzimologia , Queratinócitos/efeitos da radiação , MAP Quinase Quinase 3/metabolismo , MAP Quinase Quinase 6/metabolismo , Sistema de Sinalização das MAP Quinases/efeitos dos fármacos , Sistema de Sinalização das MAP Quinases/efeitos da radiação , Camundongos Pelados , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosforilação/efeitos da radiação , Ligação Proteica/efeitos dos fármacos , Ligação Proteica/efeitos da radiação , Fator de Transcrição AP-1/metabolismo , MAP Quinase Quinase Quinase 11 Ativada por MitógenoRESUMO
In this study, we investigated chemically exfoliated two-dimensional (2-D) nanoflakes of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as charge-storing elements for use in organic multilevel memory devices (of the printed/flexible non-volatile type) based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) containing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The metallic MoS2 nanoflakes were exfoliated in 2-methoxyethanol by the lithium intercalation method and were deposited as nano-floating gates between polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate), used as bilayered gate dielectrics, by a simple spin-coating and low temperature (<150 °C) process. In the developed OFET memory devices, electrons could be trapped/detrapped in the MoS2 nano-floating gates by modulating the charge carrier density in the active channel through gate bias control. Optimal memory characteristics were achieved by controlling the thickness and concentration of few-layered MoS2 nanoflakes, and the best device showed reliable non-volatile memory properties: a sufficient memory window of â¼23 V, programming-reading-erasing cycling endurance of >10(2) times, and most importantly, quasi-permanent charge-storing characteristics, i.e., a very long retention time (longer than the technological requirement of commercial memory devices (>10 years)). In addition, we successfully developed multilevel memory cells (2 bits per cell) by controlling the gate bias magnitude.
RESUMO
Pelargonidin is a natural red pigment found in fruits and vegetables, and has been reported to exhibit various effects potentially beneficial for human health. However, the possible preventive effects of pelargonidin toward atherosclerosis and mechanisms involved have not been investigated to date. Here, we compared the effects of pelargonidin and its glucoside-conjugated form, pelargonidin-3-glucoside (P3G), on proliferation and migration induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Pelargonidin, but not P3G, exhibited strong inhibitory effects against PDGF-BB-induced HASMC proliferation and migration, while suppressing PDGF-BB-induced ex vivo rat aortic ring sprouting. Immunoblot analysis revealed that pelargonidin inhibited PDGF-BB-induced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as well as F-actin reduction, whereas Src, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and Akt phosphorylation status were not altered. We also observed that the anti-proliferative and migratory effects of both pelargonidin and P3G corresponded with the extent of FAK inhibition. Both in vitro and ex vivo pull-down assays revealed that pelargonidin binds directly with FAK in an adenosine triphosphate-competitive manner, suggesting that FAK could be a molecular target of pelargonidin. Interestingly, pelargonidin did not exhibit inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration or FAK phosphorylation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Taken together, our results suggest that pelargonidin exhibits potential preventive effects toward atherosclerosis through the attenuation of HASMC proliferation and migration, as well as aortic sprouting via the direct inhibition of FAK activity.
Assuntos
Antocianinas/farmacologia , Aorta Torácica/efeitos dos fármacos , Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Quinase 1 de Adesão Focal/antagonistas & inibidores , Músculo Liso Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-sis/farmacologia , Animais , Aorta Torácica/citologia , Aorta Torácica/metabolismo , Becaplermina , Movimento Celular/fisiologia , Células Cultivadas , Quinase 1 de Adesão Focal/metabolismo , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana , Humanos , Músculo Liso Vascular/metabolismo , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/efeitos dos fármacos , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/metabolismo , Técnicas de Cultura de Órgãos , Pigmentos Biológicos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-sis/antagonistas & inibidores , RatosRESUMO
SCOPE: Daidzein is one of the major soy isoflavones. Following ingestion, daidzein is readily metabolized in the liver and converted into hydroxylated metabolites. One such metabolite is 6,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavone (6,7,4'-THIF), which has been the focus of recent studies due to its various health benefits, however, its anti-adipogenic activity has not been investigated. Our objective was to determine the effects of 6,7,4'-THIF on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and elucidate the mechanisms of action involved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Adipogenesis was stimulated in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Both 6,7,4'-THIF and daidzein were treated in the presence and absence of mixture of isobutylmethylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI). We observed that 6,7,4'-THIF, but not daidzein, inhibited MDI-induced adipogenesis significantly at 40 and 80 µM, associated with decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and C/EBP-α protein expression. 6,7,4'-THIF significantly suppressed MDI-induced lipid accumulation in the early stage of adipogenesis, attributable to a suppression of cell proliferation and the induction of cell cycle arrest. We also determined that 6,7,4'-THIF, but not daidzein, attenuated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. 6,7,4'-THIF was found to inhibit PI3K activity via direct binding in an ATP-competitive manner. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that 6,7,4'-THIF suppresses adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by directly targeting PI3K. Soy isoflavones like 6,7,4'-THIF may have potential for development into novel treatment strategies for chronic obesity.
Assuntos
Adipogenia/efeitos dos fármacos , Isoflavonas/farmacologia , Inibidores de Fosfoinositídeo-3 Quinase , Células 3T3-L1/efeitos dos fármacos , Células 3T3-L1/metabolismo , Trifosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Animais , Ligação Competitiva , Proteína alfa Estimuladora de Ligação a CCAAT/metabolismo , Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Dexametasona/farmacologia , Regulação para Baixo/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Insulina/farmacologia , Camundongos , PPAR gama/metabolismo , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Fosforilação/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismoRESUMO
Licorice extract which is used as a natural sweetener has been shown to possess inhibitory effects against prostate cancer, but the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. Here, we report a compound, isoangustone A (IAA) in licorice that potently suppresses the growth of aggressive prostate cancer and sought to clarify its mechanism of action. We analyzed its inhibitory effects on the growth of PTEN-deleted human prostate cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo. Administration of IAA significantly attenuated the growth of prostate cancer cell cultures and xenograft tumors. These effects were found to be attributable to inhibition of the G1/S phase cell cycle transition and the accumulation of p27(kip1). The elevated p27(kip1) expression levels were concurrent with the decrease of its phosphorylation at threonine 187 through suppression of CDK2 kinase activity and the reduced phosphorylation of Akt at Serine 473 by diminishing the kinase activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Further analysis using recombinant proteins and immunoprecipitated cell lysates determined that IAA exerts suppressive effects against CDK2 and mTOR kinase activity by direct binding with both proteins. These findings suggested that the licorice compound IAA is a potent molecular inhibitor of CDK2 and mTOR, with strong implications for the treatment of prostate cancer. Thus, licorice-derived extracts with high IAA content warrant further clinical investigation for nutritional sources for prostate cancer patients.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Quinase 2 Dependente de Ciclina/efeitos dos fármacos , Isoflavonas/farmacologia , Neoplasias da Próstata/tratamento farmacológico , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p27/metabolismo , Ativação Enzimática/efeitos dos fármacos , Imunofluorescência , Ácido Glicirrízico/farmacologia , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Imunoprecipitação , Indicadores e Reagentes , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Fosforilação , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that natural compounds can prevent skin ageing induced by ultraviolet light. Luteolin, a bioactive compound found in chilli, onion, broccoli, celery and carrot, has been reported to exhibit anti-photoageing effects in vitro. However, the molecular targets and mechanisms of luteolin are still poorly understood. In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of luteolin on UVB-induced photoageing and the molecular mechanisms involved, using HaCaT human keratinocytes and SKH-1 hairless mice. Luteolin was found to inhibit UVB-induced MMP-1 expression in HaCaT cells, as well as UVB-induced activation of AP-1, a well-known transcription factor targeting the MMP-1 promoter region, as well as c-Fos and c-Jun, which comprise the AP-1 complex. In contrast, Western blot data showed that UVB-induced phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p90RSK was not inhibited by luteolin. In vitro kinase assay data revealed that luteolin significantly suppressed JNK1 and p90RSK activity, but not that of JNK2 and ERK2. Pull-down assays showed that luteolin binds JNK1 in an ATP-competitive manner and p90RSK2 in an ATP-independent manner. Luteolin also inhibited UVB-induced wrinkle formation and MMP-13 expression, a rodent interstitial collagenase in mouse skin, in vivo. Taken together, our observations suggest that luteolin exhibits anti-photoageing effects in vitro and in vivo and may have potential as a treatment for the prevention of skin ageing.